Superman & fam in Live Action general thread

[Primal Slayer]

The half of the El family. Zor/Alura

[Jeffrey2]

Given that Superman/Superboy has been much more successful on the small screen than on the big screen and given questions as to how much Superman will factor into the film Gunnverse, would you rather see Gunn/Discovery do a Superman/Superboy streaming series than Superman on film? With S&L ending the time is right for planning the next Superman small screen iteration.

What would a small screen Superman project look like? My preference is a young Superman series. A mix of the Smallville and Superboy TV shows where the series starts with Clark in college, his powers kicking in, doing it for a while in street clothes before graduating to a suit (think of the fun they could have with that - it could be hilarious) and over a 4-year run bring in all the great supporting characters and end with Clark leaving college to debut as Superman in Metropolis. It's been almost 15 years since Smallville ended and almost 25 since Superboy. An updated version/mix could be a hit.

[bat39]

Given that Superman/Superboy has been much more successful on the small screen than on the big screen and given questions as to how much Superman will factor into the film Gunnverse, would you rather see Gunn/Discovery do a Superman/Superboy streaming series than Superman on film? With S&L ending the time is right for planning the next Superman small screen iteration.

What would a small screen Superman project look like? My preference is a young Superman series. A mix of the Smallville and Superboy TV shows where the series starts with Clark in college, his powers kicking in, doing it for a while in street clothes before graduating to a suit (think of the fun they could have with that - it could be hilarious) and over a 4-year run bring in all the great supporting characters and end with Clark leaving college to debut as Superman in Metropolis. It's been almost 15 years since Smallville ended and almost 25 since Superboy. An updated version/mix could be a hit.

Honestly, I think we really need a Superman film project.

That said, DC/WB needs to get away from this mindset that a character needs to be either TV or film 'exclusive' and that multiple versions can't co-exist. If we're getting two on-screen Batmen over the next several years (possibly three, depending on what happens with the Bruce Wayne of the Jokerverse), then I think we can do with another Superman too, as an 'Elseworlds' project.

Frankly, the only small-screen Superman project I'm really interested in is a Golden Age-inspired series - the 1938 Siegal/Shuster Superman reimagined for the 21st century. Basically, what Morrison did in his New 52 run. But Morrison's story was about the transition from the Golden Age to the Silver Age Superman, while I'd double down on the Golden Age, street vigilante, "Champion of the Oppressed" aspect. I'd also take some inspiration from the early noir-ish black-and-white seasons of the George Reeves show which were also close to the spirit of the early Golden Age Superman.

Clark Kent is in his early 20's, recently moved to Metropolis, and working as an intern at the struggling small newspaper Daily Star under George Taylor, whom he knew from Smallville. He doesn't wear a suit as 'Superman' - he maybe wears the T-shirt and jeans ala Morrison (no cape), or a hoodie. A very makeshift outfit. But he displays the S symbol, which was on the blankets he was swaddled in as a child. And because of that symbol, and his powers, he begins to be known as 'Superman', though he's largely an urban myth to begin with. He has superhuman, strength and speed, and he's relatively invulnerable (well, bulletproof...a bomb can knock him out, a powerful enough missile strike could kill him). Plus, he's got enhanced senses. He can't fly, but he can "leap tall buildings in a single bound". He also doesn't know about Krypton, which isn't mentioned in the series at all, or at least not for a few seasons - all he knows is that he was found in the rocket, the S symbol, and he has the odd nightmare about an alien world.

Lois Lane is a rival reporter from the much more upscale Daily Planet, which Clark aspires to work for. Clark and Lois have a bit of an antagonistic relationship, but he gradually starts to develop feelings for her. She's much more fascinated by the mysterious 'Superman'. So we get a version of the classic 'triangle for two', at least to begin with. Jimmy Olsen is around as well.

Glenmorgan and Morgan Edge will be the villains, along with numerous street-level villains of the week. The closest thing to a 'super-villain' would be the Ultra-Humanite. Maybe Lex Luthor is introduced as a military consultant and scientist building his own company in a later season.

[superduperman]

I'll be honest, I'm kind of getting Superman show burnout. I started feeling it during S&L. He's been on the air non-stop in some form or another for 30 years. I also worry about oversaturation creating a backlash. Star Trek towards the end of the 20th century ran into this problem. There were too many shows that weren't making a return on their investment. I'm fine with giving him a 5-10 year rest. Let the anime be a placeholder for a little bit. See how the movie does. I also feel superheroes in general are getting a little oversaturated. Look at the burnout with the MCU. We don't want a backlash to this stuff.

[Primal Slayer]

I'll be honest, I'm kind of getting Superman show burnout. I started feeling it during S&L. He's been on the air non-stop in some form or another for 30 years. I also worry about oversaturation creating a backlash. Star Trek towards the end of the 20th century ran into this problem. There were too many shows that weren't making a return on their investment. I'm fine with giving him a 5-10 year rest. Let the anime be a placeholder for a little bit. See how the movie does. I also feel superheroes in general are getting a little oversaturated. Look at the burnout with the MCU. We don't want a backlash to this stuff.

I think part of it is the live action versions not utilizing supermans catalog properly.

How has Smallville been the only time we got the character as Supermans foe?

They always under utilize the Kal/Kara relationship (the 2 times she's interacted with him in 2 adaptions). The two have never been series regulars together.

[Frontier]

I think part of it is the live action versions not utilizing supermans catalog properly.

How has Smallville been the only time we got the character as Supermans foe?

They always under utilize the Kal/Kara relationship (the 2 times she's interacted with him in 2 adaptions). The two have never been series regulars together.

Wasn't Kara a series regular in the season she was introduced in Smallville?

[Primal Slayer]

Metallo/Livewire/Maxima/Brainiac in live action

Wasn't Kara a series regular in the season she was introduced in Smallville?

Very low end of a series regular. 13/22 episodes. And then 3 appearances the remainder of the series.

[Jeffrey2]

Honestly, I think we really need a Superman film project.

That said, DC/WB needs to get away from this mindset that a character needs to be either TV or film 'exclusive' and that multiple versions can't co-exist. If we're getting two on-screen Batmen over the next several years (possibly three, depending on what happens with the Bruce Wayne of the Jokerverse), then I think we can do with another Superman too, as an 'Elseworlds' project.

Frankly, the only small-screen Superman project I'm really interested in is a Golden Age-inspired series - the 1938 Siegal/Shuster Superman reimagined for the 21st century. Basically, what Morrison did in his New 52 run. But Morrison's story was about the transition from the Golden Age to the Silver Age Superman, while I'd double down on the Golden Age, street vigilante, "Champion of the Oppressed" aspect. I'd also take some inspiration from the early noir-ish black-and-white seasons of the George Reeves show which were also close to the spirit of the early Golden Age Superman.

Clark Kent is in his early 20's, recently moved to Metropolis, and working as an intern at the struggling small newspaper Daily Star under George Taylor, whom he knew from Smallville. He doesn't wear a suit as 'Superman' - he maybe wears the T-shirt and jeans ala Morrison (no cape), or a hoodie. A very makeshift outfit. But he displays the S symbol, which was on the blankets he was swaddled in as a child. And because of that symbol, and his powers, he begins to be known as 'Superman', though he's largely an urban myth to begin with. He has superhuman, strength and speed, and he's relatively invulnerable (well, bulletproof...a bomb can knock him out, a powerful enough missile strike could kill him). Plus, he's got enhanced senses. He can't fly, but he can "leap tall buildings in a single bound". He also doesn't know about Krypton, which isn't mentioned in the series at all, or at least not for a few seasons - all he knows is that he was found in the rocket, the S symbol, and he has the odd nightmare about an alien world.

Lois Lane is a rival reporter from the much more upscale Daily Planet, which Clark aspires to work for. Clark and Lois have a bit of an antagonistic relationship, but he gradually starts to develop feelings for her. She's much more fascinated by the mysterious 'Superman'. So we get a version of the classic 'triangle for two', at least to begin with. Jimmy Olsen is around as well.

Glenmorgan and Morgan Edge will be the villains, along with numerous street-level villains of the week. The closest thing to a 'super-villain' would be the Ultra-Humanite. Maybe Lex Luthor is introduced as a military consultant and scientist building his own company in a later season.

Love that premise. Like that the suit starts out as just jeans and a tee (tight jeans and tight tee as I recall from Morrison's project) but evolves into the classic suit out of necessity. The jeans and tee repeatedly getting torn, and he discovers fabric from the spaceship which is impervious in the same way he is.

[Jeffrey2]

I'll be honest, I'm kind of getting Superman show burnout. I started feeling it during S&L. He's been on the air non-stop in some form or another for 30 years. I also worry about oversaturation creating a backlash. Star Trek towards the end of the 20th century ran into this problem. There were too many shows that weren't making a return on their investment. I'm fine with giving him a 5-10 year rest. Let the anime be a placeholder for a little bit. See how the movie does. I also feel superheroes in general are getting a little oversaturated. Look at the burnout with the MCU. We don't want a backlash to this stuff.

Superhero fatigue is essentially too much output (which the MCU is especially guilty of) along with decreasing quality of that output. Too many characters stuffed into the films with a loss of uniqueness - something the MCU had when it first started. As long as the films were making money the studios milked it and didn't feel pressure to stop putting out mediocre films. That has changed. People aren't going and the huge budgets are leading to big loses. Marvel's latest TV outing 'Secret Invasion' is getting very low ratings despite Samuel Jackson starring in it.

Superhero film and TV output will fall off. Budgets will shrink and hopefully more attention will be paid to good storytelling. Gunn's plans are too aggressive in the changing world of the superhero genre and I expect he will slow things and the MCU as well.

[Prime]

I'll be honest, I'm kind of getting Superman show burnout. I started feeling it during S&L. He's been on the air non-stop in some form or another for 30 years. I also worry about oversaturation creating a backlash. Star Trek towards the end of the 20th century ran into this problem. There were too many shows that weren't making a return on their investment. I'm fine with giving him a 5-10 year rest. Let the anime be a placeholder for a little bit. See how the movie does. I also feel superheroes in general are getting a little oversaturated. Look at the burnout with the MCU. We don't want a backlash to this stuff.

If that’s the case we would have gotten a Batman fatigue by now.

[superduperman]

Metallo/Livewire/Maxima/Brainiac in live action






Very low end of a series regular. 13/22 episodes. And then 3 appearances the remainder of the series.

I forgot how hot Smallville Maxima was. My biggest complaint with Smallville was that there were a lot of "blink and you'll miss them" villains. Like Livewire and Parasite. The show was on the air for ten years. And Krypton Brainiac will be hard to top for any future versions.

If that’s the case we would have gotten a Batman fatigue by now.

I already have it.

[Primal Slayer]

Who would've guessed 30 years later we'd finally see Nic Cages 'Superman' on the big screen

[superduperman]

Is that what it looked like? Yeah the CGI was bad.

What is the general consensus of the George Reeves Superman? I think his version of Clark is the ideal version of Clark. He wasn't a coward or meek. He was just an ordinary guy.

[Primal Slayer]

Is that what it looked like? Yeah the CGI was bad.

What is the general consensus of the George Reeves Superman? I think his version of Clark is the ideal version of Clark. He wasn't a coward or meek. He was just an ordinary guy.

Yep and that was the best looking of the Super cameos.

[superduperman]

Yep and that was the best looking of the Super cameos.

Yikes on trikes!