Superman '78 Digital-First Series Announced

[Hypo]

DC Announces Batman '89 and Superman '78 Digital First Series

And in the vein of DC’s plans for Batman ’89, Rob Venditti (Hawkman) and Wilfredo Torres (Batman ’66) will collaborate on Superman ’78 to tell stories set within the world Richard Donner and Christopher Reeves created in Superman: The Movie. In Superman ’78, bystanders are surprised and delighted by Superman’s abilities, and Lois Lane doesn’t (yet!) know that Clark Kent is secretly Superman. The sheer thrill of seeing a man fly, leap, or stop a bullet will be reflected in this environment where Superman has just been introduced! Inspired by Donner’s classic, timeless style of superhero storytelling, in Superman ’78 Venditti and Torres will show fans that a man can truly fly.

[Alpha]

I'm not sure I wanna read stories set between Superman 1. I'd rather they jumped after Superman II at least.

[Celgress]

I'm not sure I wanna read stories set between Superman 1. I'd rather they jumped after Superman II at least.

My thoughts exactly. Oh well, I'll likely give it a try anyway. It does look interesting.

[Frontier]

Robert Venditti writing the classic Superman of the movies? I can dig it .

[Gaius]

Was wondering when they’d get around to this and Batman movies.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

This rules but - and I don't mean this as a knock against Vendetti, who I think could do a lovely job - if you've got Waid back and he's all but announced to do a Superman thing this is CLEARLY what he should have been assigned to. This is his guy!

[ssupes]

I'm not sure I wanna read stories set between Superman 1. I'd rather they jumped after Superman II at least.

Problem is which route do they take? The unpopular superman 3 & 4? Or the deadbeat dad in superman returns?

[Celgress]

Problem is which route do they take? The unpopular superman 3 & 4? Or the deadbeat dad in superman returns?

Please, not the second route. I'd pick the lesser of two evils....

[Frontier]

Gary Frank better do a cover .

[Alpha]

Problem is which route do they take? The unpopular superman 3 & 4? Or the deadbeat dad in superman returns?

Like i said, at least after Superman II. Don't think it would lead to much controversy. But at least it would give creators more freedom that way, instead of them being shackled by probably having to leave things where they were at the begining og Superman II (or at least I assume that's what's gonna happen since the second one was still popular)

[lilyrose]

I think Superman could have been set after IV- Lois still didn't know who he was with all the memory erasing he did (although they kind of weirdly imply that she might still know in that movie). It'd be cool if they could incorporate the 80's Supergirl into this, since that was supposed to be canon too.

They probably thought since Reeve played him in 4 movies, it was harder to wipe the last two from existence, but the basic status quo never changed much throughout that series.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Some of Torres' preliminary drawings:

[Powerboy]

Interesting creative decision to place it after only the first movie. Granted, that means they don't have to deal with the Amnesia Kiss, the revenge fight in the restaurant and so on. They can't really do anything with the relationship with Lois unless they just use the first movie as a basis and then deviate from the movies. But maybe what they want is to create a Silver Age situation where the situation never changes.

I wish they could have done Superman '55 (George Reeves) but I like this idea. Looks like there won't be crossovers. If there are, it will hopefully be with Wonder Woman '77 and even Batman '66.

[bat39]

Interesting creative decision to place it after only the first movie. Granted, that means they don't have to deal with the Amnesia Kiss, the revenge fight in the restaurant and so on. They can't really do anything with the relationship with Lois unless they just use the first movie as a basis and then deviate from the movies. But maybe what they want is to create a Silver Age situation where the situation never changes.

I wish they could have done Superman '55 (George Reeves) but I like this idea. Looks like there won't be crossovers. If there are, it will hopefully be with Wonder Woman '77 and even Batman '66.

Yeah, these movies were actually pretty much status quo driven. Continuity-wise, the only lasting change over the course of the films is that Martha Kent dies off-screen at some point. Hell, even if you go with the 'Donner Cut' version, which had the 'death' of the Jor-El AI and the destruction of the Fortress of Solitude, Superman ends up going back in time and wiping out the movie's events anyway '

So, it doesn't really matter where in the timeline this fits in. Though I get the impression that they want to do a story around the time Superman first showed up, and the public reaction to him, which would explain the need to set it around the time of the first film.

[manofsteel1979]

Interesting creative decision to place it after only the first movie. Granted, that means they don't have to deal with the Amnesia Kiss, the revenge fight in the restaurant and so on. They can't really do anything with the relationship with Lois unless they just use the first movie as a basis and then deviate from the movies. But maybe what they want is to create a Silver Age situation where the situation never changes.

I wish they could have done Superman '55 (George Reeves) but I like this idea. Looks like there won't be crossovers. If there are, it will hopefully be with Wonder Woman '77 and even Batman '66.

Yeah, these movies were actually pretty much status quo driven. Continuity-wise, the only lasting change over the course of the films is that Martha Kent dies off-screen at some point. Hell, even if you go with the 'Donner Cut' version, which had the 'death' of the Jor-El AI and the destruction of the Fortress of Solitude, Superman ends up going back in time and wiping out the movie's events anyway '

So, it doesn't really matter where in the timeline this fits in. Though I get the impression that they want to do a story around the time Superman first showed up, and the public reaction to him, which would explain the need to set it around the time of the first film.

Seeing as they are treating the Donner version as the canon one to this series, Superman 2 indeed happens within days of the first film. So technically even if set after the events of 2,it could still be around the time Superman is still considered a new thing. Even the Lester version of 2 was set fairly close to the events of Superman 1.

I think Lex will make at least a cameo in this series. One obviously based on Gene Hackman"s personality but probably not his likeness.But,of course for all we know they've struck a deal with Hackman to use his likeness.

Beyond Chris and Margot, any other exact likenesses aren't essential to use,say,Perry or Jimmy. As with Batman 66,we saw generic comic book Alfred and Gordon while whatever likenesses were focused on Adam West,Burt Ward and some of the villains.