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  1. #1
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    Default Opinions on Max Landis' ongoing "Kryptonian Epic" Pitch

    For the past few months, screenwriter Max Landis has been pitching on his Youtube Channel “Uponmykness” his ambiguous Superman project: The Kryptonian Epic, a series of stories which basically follow up from his acclaimed “Superman: American Alien”. It’s described as:
    An ambitious, long-form story detailing a saga of greed, ambition, kindness, and power that consumes two planets over the course of 500 years, The Kryptonian Epic is meant as a kind of ultimate tribute piece for Superman.

    Putting aside any of the controversy around him, I am impressed Max's take on the DC-Verse. That being said, he hasn't shown all of it yet (at least two-thirds at the moment). But so far there's lot to dissect from it.

    spoilers:

    Pros
    1) This Superman can make mistakes (Death of Deadshot for one) but also helps make people better than what they are (his redemption of Aquaman and Riddler for one)
    2) Lex Luthor character is so on point; and his manipulation and control of several characters such as an more elderly John Constantine, Zatanna, his own Justice League (comprised of a threatened Flash, a manipulated Wonder Woman and criminal Manchester Black) and a more mercenary-styled Suicide Squad (comprised of Deadshot, Lady Shiva, KGBeast and Brutale) is impressive. And as big as he is, apparently he won’t be the “Final Boss” of the series (it’s either Zod, Brainiac or Doomsday).
    3) The racial diversity of certain characters (African-American Ted Kord and Jimmy Olsen, Half-Japanese Lois Lane etc.) is awesome (on par with “Spectacular Spider-Man”)
    4) A more mentally disturbing Batman (complete with Multiple personality disorders; not just Batman and Bruce Wayne, but also Killer Moth, Bane, Matches Malone, and alternate Batman like the Caped Crusader, Owlman and Zur En Arhh)
    5) Not all villains are beyond redemption (Riddler, Mr. Freeze and Parasite all seem to have great tragic yet redeeming qualities in his story); heck Riddler joins this version’s JSA.
    6) His take on certain heroes are interesting (A Lovecraftian Aquaman, a “Former Wayne-Tech Based” Blue Beetle, a more buff-gladiator Wonder Woman with a limited view of Man’s World, and a “Red Tornado”-style armoured Flash with a “Plastic Man”-style personality and backstory)
    7) This version’s Pete Ross is a fantastic supporting character (especially if he’s going where I think he’s going)
    8) The Story flows like something out of Game of Thrones/ LotR (a rich tapestry of characters, all with their own mythos and stories and connect with Clark’s story really well)

    Cons
    1) Certain character/ location changes are odd (Why is Ted Kord in Bludhaven instead of Hub City; and why is Dr. Sivana a Green Arrow villain, what’s wrong with Count Vertigo instead?)
    2) His take on Joker and Vandal Savage is an acquired taste.
    end of spoilers


    If any of you have listened to his pitches, what was your opinion of the Kryptonian Epic Pitch so far?

  2. #2

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    They are pretty fun and remind me of the Snyderverse. Both Snyder and Landis were using the DCU characters in a Harry Potter like way. But I'd be cool with some spinoff down the road.

    They also work as first drafts.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member HsssH's Avatar
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    I enjoyed American Alien a lot, but this sounds much weirder and different than it was.

  4. #4
    Extraordinary Member superduperman's Avatar
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    Until the accusations against him are resolved, I don't want him anywhere near Superman.
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  5. #5
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    Well, didn't care for the pitch. Don't know who he is, or what the accusations against him are. Is he related to John Landis?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by achilles View Post
    Well, didn't care for the pitch. Don't know who he is, or what the accusations against him are. Is he related to John Landis?
    Long story short, Screen Writer known for the movie "Chronicle". Wrote "Superman: American Alien". Has been known to make misogynist statements about women and 3 years back was accused of sexual assaults (strangely haven't heard any followups from it outside of being dropped from movie company and scripts shelved).

  7. #7
    Father Son Kamehameha < Kuwagaton's Avatar
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    I think 10:27 was the perfect stopping point for his Batman pitch haha.

    I like the way he imagines a lot more than the regular DC dudes, even if I don't see the characters the same way. I'd find a Landisverse more interesting if there had remained any chance of it happening. But he mentioned an animated movie?
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  8. #8
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by superduperman View Post
    Until the accusations against him are resolved, I don't want him anywhere near Superman.
    I don't think he was accused of actually raping anyone, but what people described was a really creepy and psychologically abusive person when it comes to romantic relationships. And like, he himself had talked about a lot of those things before, but it was still different hearing it from other women. I had spent hours and hours listening to him talk about all sorts of things and once I read the descritptions women gave I could no longer listen to his voice. It became disturbing. But after those 3 years, I don't know, I still wanted to listen to his ideas. I totally undestand why others absolutely don't.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by superduperman View Post
    Until the accusations against him are resolved, I don't want him anywhere near Superman.
    Pretty much this. American Alien was pretty good, but not game changing or revolutionary even before we all learned Max was a creep.

    I think he also pitched a Wonder Woman movie where an amnesiac Diana would arrive in our world as an Amazon sleeper agent to topple the patriarchy, and end up siding with us instead of the Amazons. We could do with less of him

  10. #10
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    Sounds bad. Feels bad. Looks bad. Is bad.

    That's Max Landis and his ideas -- Bright anyone?

    Being a rich failson of a film director doesn't mean he's specially qualified especially since all he's doing is proposing a version of Superman not in continuity or connected to any version that existed before.

  11. #11
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    I don't know if we can use spoilers or not. I like a lot of his ideas for Superman and the characters in metropolis. I also like the lovecraftian elements of Aquaman along with those unique powers he has of how he regenerates. I don't find his idea for Flash is very interesting, and I hate his take on Wonder Woman. Totally wrong direction to take a character that already went in many wrong directions through her history.

    But there are things there like the way he describes the super hero "phenomenon" that I love to hear about, and even the journey he takes Superman on with agent of Batman and how the Justice Society is formed but then doesn't really have a purpose. Even some of the things he has only hinted at like:

    spoilers:
    the idea that Clark looks human because his spaceship took bioprints of Jon Kent and Martha Kent. And also the idea that Superman functions somehow like a plant, which he hasn't explained yet but I really want to hear about.
    end of spoilers

    These versions of the characters are definitely not THE prime versions, and not how I would revamp them, but it's still an interesting take on many of these things.

  12. #12
    Father Son Kamehameha < Kuwagaton's Avatar
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    Tbh I really wasn't the big on American Alien, but I think it's a pretty good example of someone with ideas backing up their talk. At the very least, he's put a lot of (down?) time into his own world.
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  13. #13

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    His Wonder Woman take...


    If he wants to make a Superman story, just make a goddamn Superman story. Why does Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League have to get dragged into it?
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  14. #14
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    Oh and his take on Ted Kord and Joker are also very cool. Again, I only look at them as an Elseworld take, but I think they are strong enough concepts that they could somehow be brought to the regular dc universe. Specially the idea of a superhero trying to reform the institution of policing from the inside.

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member Gaius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiegePerilous02 View Post
    Pretty much this. American Alien was pretty good, but not game changing or revolutionary even before we all learned Max was a creep.

    I think he also pitched a Wonder Woman movie where an amnesiac Diana would arrive in our world as an Amazon sleeper agent to topple the patriarchy, and end up siding with us instead of the Amazons. We could do with less of him
    Lol, I watched them out of morbid curiosity. It's pretty much the worst of New 52/ Injustice mixed with the Hawkgirl arc from DCAU Justice League.

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