Elements of Superman lore created outside the comics

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Actually the character's ability to fly was thought up by the crew behind the radio show because they couldn't find a way to use the power of leaping sound convincing on radio. The radio show was also where the phrase "Up, Up and Away" was popularized.

I believe the radio show was also where the phrase "This looks like a job for Superman" came from.

Interesting. Hadn't heard that before. Were the cartoon guys aware of that? Because the interviews I've read made it sound like something they came up with on their own. Plus, Superman is still leaping in a lot of the cartoons. It's actually interesting to see the transition from leaping to full-on flying in a lot of those cartoons.

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Superman the Movie is where the Christ symbolism started.

Jor-El: "They can be a great people, Kal-El. They only need the light to show them the way. That is why I have sent them you, my only son."

Also, Jor-El appearing to Clark as an AI program.

No doubt that the Donner movie leaned into the Christ stuff, but Jesus Christ Superstar predates that movie by several years.

[Jim Kelly]

Not to mention GODSPELL--oops! now I gone done and mentioned it.

[Kuwagaton]

Inspector Henderson (who finally returned in Superman Smashes The Klan)

It's pretty weird how long comics took to introduce him. I guess because the human cast of the older days was already so set between the DP trio? Like I guess many readers would recognize where he's from but without a show going on there's no synergy.

Superman The Animated Series

Darkseid becoming Superman's ultimate baddie.

I think that came directly from comics though, and then just got a bit more popular because the tv show was doing it too.

The TAS Supergirl redesign really made an impression and stuck around comics. Livewire was virtually his Harley Quinn. The futuristic art deco was behind the B13 transformation.

[BBally]

It's pretty weird how long comics took to introduce him. I guess because the human cast of the older days was already so set between the DP trio? Like I guess many readers would recognize where he's from but without a show going on there's no synergy.

Inspector Henderson was a in the Bronze Age comics, he was also a major part of the supporting cast in Metropolis from the mid 80s to the entirety of the 90s during Post Crisis.



He was also in the George Reeves series.

[Robotman]

I’ve heard a few stories about how the ‘S’ became the symbol for the House of El.

Apparently in Mario Puzo’s original script, the Superman ‘S’ was the symbol or flag of Krypton.

screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz came up with the idea of it being just the crest for the House of El.

“Richard Donner insisted on grounding Superman in reality and they needed to figure out why he would have the "S" on his chest. "So we decided to give everyone [on Krypton] a family crest with a different letter, which didn't really exist in the comic books," Mankiewicz remembered in the book Comic Book Movies.”

Then there’s the story that Brando demanded that the ‘S’ be added to Jor El’s costume. Not sure if it’s true but it does sound like something Marlon would want.

[ngroove]

Superman The Animated Series

Brainiac being the central computer on Krypton and the 3 interconnected circles as a visual motif.

Lois calling Clark "Smallville".

Darkseid becoming Superman's ultimate baddie.

Darkseid was already a major Super-Threat, long before the show. Unless, you mean "Ultimate" as in more "GREAT KRYPTON!" than Lex Luthor, in which Lex even highly feared Darkseid on the show.

Mercy Graves.

Live Wire.

The "Toyboy" Toyman model.

[ngroove]

Super Friends

I actually can't think of anything that the 1960s Filmmation or 1970s & 80s Hanna Barbara cartoons created. They were pretty faithful to the comics. Maybe the Super-Mobile? But I assume that was created by a toy company.

Wendy & Marvin. "Wonder Dog" for less than an issue, before it was used as a monster whose primary purpose was to maul Marvin.

Wonder Twins.

Perhaps, the idea of Cyborg in the Justice League.

[Powerboy]

No doubt that the Donner movie leaned into the Christ stuff, but Jesus Christ Superstar predates that movie by several years.

I just didn't see how JCS started the Christ stuff for Superman anymore than the first AI sci story started the AI stuff for Superman.

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Wendy & Marvin. "Wonder Dog" for less than an issue, before it was used as a monster whose primary purpose was to maul Marvin.

Wonder Twins.

Perhaps, the idea of Cyborg in the Justice League.

I wouldn't really call these Superman-centric, but, yes, the Wonder Twins and Cyborg being part of the Justice League are definitely from Super Friends.

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Not to mention GODSPELL--oops! now I gone done and mentioned it.

Yeah, I think I mixed up Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, which were both from 1971, I think. In that, Jesus is literally wearing a Superman shirt.

Then the Donner movie had Jor-El outright paraphrasing the Bible and the whole Superman = Jesus train just would...not...stop.

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Inspector Henderson was a in the Bronze Age comics, he was also a major part of the supporting cast in Metropolis from the mid 80s to the entirety of the 90s during Post Crisis.



He was also in the George Reeves series.

I hope they bring Henderson back into the comics, but stick with Yang's notion of him being a black man. I think that was a case of race-swapping done right. It added an extra layer to Henderson that made him so much more interesting to me. It worked really well for the 1940s setting, but I think recent events have proven that a black Inspector Henderson could also add something relevant today.

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

George Reeve Show
Clark's human dad dying of a heart attack (his name wasn't Jon but Eliot or Ellis or Eli or something). Only briefly used in the comics with the preFlashpoint Brainiac arc but used in a lot of different shows.

Lois and Clark:New Adventures of Superman
Clark and Lois getting married.

Smallville
Clark fighting crime in a t shirt and jeans in his early days. Chloe was briefly introduced into the comics. Doubt we'll ever see her again given real life circumstances, ouch.

The animated series
Livewire and Mercy Graves

[manwhohaseverything]

The Fleischer Cartoons

They came up with the idea of Superman flying because he looked silly leaping around

I think it's reverse. Flight is usually depicted bland visually.Fleischer is the only person that did justice to superman's movements, including flight.Moreover, i also believe it was to reduce the workload of the animators.The daily planet was also mostly due to it as well.
Jimmy did debut before the radio show. Radio show just made a substantial character debut for him, i believe.

I’ve heard a few stories about how the ‘S’ became the symbol for the House of El.

Apparently in Mario Puzo’s original script, the Superman ‘S’ was the symbol or flag of Krypton.

screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz came up with the idea of it being just the crest for the House of El.

“Richard Donner insisted on grounding Superman in reality and they needed to figure out why he would have the "S" on his chest. "So we decided to give everyone [on Krypton] a family crest with a different letter, which didn't really exist in the comic books," Mankiewicz remembered in the book Comic Book Movies.”

Then there’s the story that Brando demanded that the ‘S’ be added to Jor El’s costume. Not sure if it’s true but it does sound like something Marlon would want.

Yeah! This entire idea is very dumb. Especially, the part where that's for "grounding" the character . Why connect superman to krypton in the first place? It's just an s.

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Lois and Clark:New Adventures of Superman
Clark and Lois getting married.

That came from the comics, but they delayed the wedding so it could occur at the same time as did on the show, which is how we got the Death of Superman. It was a stalling tactic until the TV show could catch up.