Popular Tech Site Runs Column Speculating That Superman Will Be Evil in JL Movie

[manofsteel1979]

As the REAL Superman appearing/returning, you mean Reeve's Supes, right?

No. Dean Cain. Get it RIGHT!!!!

[victorsage]

No. Dean Cain. Get it RIGHT!!!!

Say what you want, but besides George Reeves maybe, no one has played Clark Kent better than Dean Cain.

[Last Son of Krypton]

No. Dean Cain. Get it RIGHT!!!!

Are you sure?

I'd say to merge Cavill with his predecessors in the next movie and so put an end to the "real Superman" debate once and for all.

[Adekis]

Say what you want, but besides George Reeves maybe, no one has played Clark Kent better than Dean Cain.

I think it depends on what you want out of him. In my opinion, the reason why Cain's Superman is less than memorable is because Cain put all his charm and sardonic wit into Clark, leaving Superman to be a less beleaguered, more authoritative version of Clark. Now that leaves Cain with a truly great Clark Kent, but not one that's even capable of becoming a truly great version of Superman. And that's fine, since Cain was hired to play Clark over Superman anyway, but in my opinion the only one of his traits that would work better on Clark Kent than on Superman is that wry beleaguered weariness. The wit, the charm, the sarcasm, the sex appeal, would all fit better on Superman in a version of the franchise where the show focuses more on the Man of Tomorrow than his mild-mannered love life with Lois.

To me, the best Clark Kent is Brandon Routh, who manages to make Clark seem mild-mannered and socially awkward in a really authentic way. Maybe he could be improved by Cain's weary down-to-Earth humor though. Of course, Routh's Superman could use some of Cain's charm, but I'm not willing to say that's actually Routh's fault.

To me, a confident, charming, snarky Superman who doesn't quite know how to deal with everyday life as a normal guy and thus comes across as socially awkward when in "civvies" would be ideal.

[manofsteel1979]

Say what you want, but besides George Reeves maybe, no one has played Clark Kent better than Dean Cain.

I wasn't really knocking Cain, honestly. Actually I think all the various actors that have played Supes worked perfectly for each version. For instance, I can't imagine Kevin Sorbo for Lois and Clark's Clark/ Supes, nor can I imagine Henry Cavill in Superman Returns or Routh in MOS/ BvS. They have all brought their own approach to the table and it's mostly payed off.

It would be so easy for everyone to just copy Chris Reeve , and a lot of fanboys probably wish they would, but I'm glad we've gotten Cain, Routh, Welling and Cavill. All wildly different approaches that are equally valid.

[manofsteel1979]

Are you sure?

I'd say to merge Cavill with his predecessors in the next movie and so put an end to the "real Superman" debate once and for all.

It's amazing how the amalgamated Supes here is a dead ringer for Jose Garcia Lopez's Supes.

[Sacred Knight]

I also think it looks REALLY close to Gerard Christopher from the Superboy series.

In another time and place back in the day that guy could have been Superman.

[Jim Kelly]

I enjoy Brandon Routh so much on LEGENDS OF TOMORROW that I can't help thinking we missed out on something really grand if he could have continued as the Man of Tomorrow. Yet it's a dilemma--had Routh have been given the sequel he was promised when he was cast as Superman, then we likely would never have him as Raymond of the Palms.

No point in wasting our lives on shoulda, woulda, coulda. But when I watch LOT, I look at Routh (as some poster suggested on some thread somewhere) as the alternate universe counterpart to his Earth-Singer self. After all, his cousin looks just like Melissa Benoist.

[Francisco]

I also think it looks REALLY close to Gerard Christopher from the Superboy series.

In another time and place back in the day that guy could have been Superman.

I found Gerard Christopher too delicate to be a good Superman. John Newton was better IMO.

[Francisco]

I enjoy Brandon Routh so much on LEGENDS OF TOMORROW that I can't help thinking we missed out on something really grand if he could have continued as the Man of Tomorrow. Yet it's a dilemma--had Routh have been given the sequel he was promised when he was cast as Superman, then we likely would never have him as Raymond of the Palms.

No point in wasting our lives on shoulda, woulda, coulda. But when I watch LOT, I look at Routh (as some poster suggested on some thread somewhere) as the alternate universe counterpart to his Earth-Singer self. After all, his cousin looks just like Melissa Benoist.

Now imagine if instead of copying Donner, Singer had done his own thing and allowed Routh to craft his own version of Superman...

[Agent Z]

I think it depends on what you want out of him. In my opinion, the reason why Cain's Superman is less than memorable is because Cain put all his charm and sardonic wit into Clark, leaving Superman to be a less beleaguered, more authoritative version of Clark. Now that leaves Cain with a truly great Clark Kent, but not one that's even capable of becoming a truly great version of Superman. And that's fine, since Cain was hired to play Clark over Superman anyway, but in my opinion the only one of his traits that would work better on Clark Kent than on Superman is that wry beleaguered weariness. The wit, the charm, the sarcasm, the sex appeal, would all fit better on Superman in a version of the franchise where the show focuses more on the Man of Tomorrow than his mild-mannered love life with Lois.

To me, the best Clark Kent is Brandon Routh, who manages to make Clark seem mild-mannered and socially awkward in a really authentic way. Maybe he could be improved by Cain's weary down-to-Earth humor though. Of course, Routh's Superman could use some of Cain's charm, but I'm not willing to say that's actually Routh's fault.

To me, a confident, charming, snarky Superman who doesn't quite know how to deal with everyday life as a normal guy and thus comes across as socially awkward when in "civvies" would be ideal.

I've never understood this criticism. Clark and Superman are the same person, why does how he acts depending on what he's wearing matter?

[DochaDocha]

I've never understood this criticism. Clark and Superman are the same person, why does how he acts depending on what he's wearing matter?

He is a man with secrets, and depending on how he's dressed, he's going to want to project a different image. Dean Cain's Clark Kent was kind of different for its time because in that show, "Clark is who [he is] and Superman is what [he does]." You would get the idea that as reporter Clark Kent, he was pretty true to himself, minus the fact that he was hiding his super powers. He was kind of similar to Henry Cavill's Superman in that for much of their early adult lives, they were content with saving the day in secret, and didn't initially feel compelled to emerge as publicly-known heroes. Lois & Clark might've been the first time in popular media that reporter Clark Kent was a truly charming fellow, which was 100% by the show's design. This was a guy that soap opera-watching women were supposed to be drawn to, which probably was another first for Clark Kent in popular media. How often in the comics did you see reporter Clark Kent as a ladies' man? Usually, that extra-curricular drama is reserved for when Superman is in his cape and tights.

[Adekis]

I've never understood this criticism. Clark and Superman are the same person, why does how he acts depending on what he's wearing matter?

Clark and Superman should act differently because they have to play by different rules. Clark has to be guarded. Superman doesn't.

Think of how he often Clark has powers but no knowledge of his heritage or revelation of secret identity (*Man of Steel* is a useful reference point for this): Clark is constantly on guard. He tries to stay true to his values, which means taking actions in situations of danger or injustice, but Clark Kent has to abide by the same rules as "ordinary people", or lose everything. If he ever uses his powers openly, he has to abandon his entire living situation. He saves the men on the oil rig, and leaves the *Deadliest Catch* boat. He hurts a bully in a bar by wrecking his truck, but then Clark leaves the restaurant never to return. He can't reveal himself as super-human because he's genuinely afraid that he'll be shunned, isolated, lose his friends, maybe even be "dissected like a frog" (Lois & Clark pilot) because people are afraid of him. That's the fear that keeps him meek and mild as "Clark Kent" even once he creates the Superman role that lets him be his true self, Kal-El, with impunity.

Kal, "the Superman", never has to hold back, never has to worry about losing his friends. He's unstoppable. He's untouchable. That guy in the bar in Man of Steel who sexually harasses a girl and attacks Clark when he politely asks him to stop would not last thirty seconds with Kal after he creates the "Superman" role which allows him to use his powers freely in the name of stopping injustice. Kal himself makes this abundantly clear in 2011's Action Comics #1: "You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me". And that's how he likes it- "Superman" lets Kal pitch in and do his part "turn his... strength into channels that would benefit mankind"- the same way he believes everyone should. Sometimes he doesn't even need to know he's Kal to become Superman and act as Kal in every way that matters. They really are interchangeable, except that "Superman" isn't a real name. But I digress.

So far, "Clark" sounds like a massive inconvenience to Kal. Why should he undertake the trouble of a whole second life that keeps him so on-edge? It's simple: Kal is a friend to humanity, but as far as most people are concerned, Clark Kent is human, and he makes Kal feel human, which keeps him in touch with the world of the common man. No matter how smart or strong he is, it won't make Kal a good writer, so he takes up writing, because it takes work no matter who you are. It's one of the few challenges he can tackle as if he were human because none of his powers can help him. Clark has a job. Clark has an apartment. Superman has a secret citadel in the arctic circle. It's because he sees himself as equal to humans that he puts so much effort into being one, so that he never starts to feel like he's above us. "Clark" happens to have the perfect job for Kal to stay in touch with us. He's not Hugo Danner (of the novel Gladiator by Phillip Wylie), run out of a factory by unions for being too good of a worker thanks to even the most subtle use of his super-strength or doing jobs where his strength can help but he has to hide it constantly like crab-fishing or pearl-diving or soldiering, Clark's job cannot be helped by his powers, and so he gets the opportunity to join humanity on our own terms. And he's not even the best writer the Planet has on staff!

That's why "Clark" is valuable to Kal. He's like a thought experiment, an attempt to be as close to his true self as possible while still being as close to human as possible. It's a delicate balancing act. He's not cowardly, his exposés have brought down human trafficking rings and other organized crime, they've touched hearts and minds, and all without a single use of his powers- Clark is a perfect way for Kal to fulfill his values! But because he's so concerned about being outed and thus *losing* Clark, his closest tie to humanity, he always holds himself back, pretends to be what he's not, and that restraint makes him mild-mannered and meek.

And Lois & Clark (which I really think is the best Superman show ever made), didn't have that, because while its Clark does hold back, he doesn't seem like he's cut loose as Superman - probably half because (as I speculated previously) Cain put so much charm and charisma into Clark that he didn't have much more for Superman, and partially because the writing for Superman didn't particularly give Cain the chance to make Superman seem as cool as Clark was in the first place, preferring to model him as a more earnest, task-driven figure - which made sense to a certain extent, but its end result left L&C with a brilliant Clark and only an okay Superman. In my opinion, if they'd scaled up Clark's mild-manneredness just a little bit, and given Superman a little more individuality, Cain's version of the character could have been more enduring than Reeve's.