James Gunn's "Superman" gets the character back to his roots
After a decade of "gritty" DC movies, it's so refreshing to see a Superman movie that loves its source material.
The first trailer for James Gunn’s “Superman” movie dropped yesterday and, given that it has more than 25 million views after about 24 hours, you’ve probably seen it. If not, I have it linked below; give it a watch and then come back to hear some of my thoughts.
Finished it? Great, thanks for rejoining me here! So, while I’ve always liked Superman I never started seeking out Superman comics until earlier this year, inspired by the excellent work done by Tom King and Bilquis Evely on their “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” mini-series. And I can say now that I am a pretty big Superman fan, and am seeking out collected editions of some of his most iconic stories to learn more about him and his supporting cast.
Which brings us to this trailer – I am so pleased to see a superhero movie that so proudly wears its comic book influences on its sleeve. I’m not necessarily surprised that this is the direction James Gunn took, since the man was able to wring a shocking amount of pathos out of a story involving a wise-ass space raccoon and his tree friend. But seeing Krypto the Superdog show up in a movie, to drag his injured master back home, means Gunn isn’t afraid to include the weirder elements of DC canon.
And that’s a relief, because there is a sense of wonder and even whimsy to Superman stories that it feels like his previous “gritty” movies were scared to even touch. And, yes, I am criticizing former DC movie architect Zack Snyder, and I know that’s not really a new take. But it’s hard not to compare the new trailer to Snyder’s work, given how closely he was tied to DC’s stable of superhero movies.
And, just to get this out of the way, I don’t think Zack Snyder is a bad filmmaker, but I do think he was a bad match for the material. His attempts to make DC’s iconic characters “realistic” and “grounded” in movies like “Man of Steel” and “Dawn of Justice” just read to me like he was going out of his way to tear down the superhero genre, as if he was embarrassed by it. In his movies, “Superman” is a joyless character, shouldering the endless burden of safeguarding a mostly thankless people who fear him. And while this might be a more “realistic” take on the character, in its cynicism it abandons some of the core tenants of who Superman is, which have long been established in the comics.
This looks to be a movie that loves its source material, instead of feeling the need to apologize for it.
Returning to Gunn’s trailer, we see a Superman who is heroic and caring, and puts himself in harm’s way without a second thought in order to help people. But my favorite scene comes around the 1:50 mark, where Superman is cradling the broken body of a robot. The trailer doesn’t make clear what Superman’s relationship is to this character (and if this is an established character in Superman comics, please let me know so I can read about them!), but we clearly see from Superman’s expression and pose that even this “artificial” life is something he cherishes.
And this is the Superman from the comics – not a dour man whose responsibilities have made him jaded to others, but one who is optimistic, full of hope, and whose world is colorful and bright, and, yes, filled with oddball friends like his superpowered dog. This looks to be a movie that loves its source material, instead of feeling the need to apologize for it.
While a trailer is obviously not a final movie, as a statement of creative intent this trailer hits all of the right marks for me. This is the classic Superman, the eternal optimist who fights for a better tomorrow for everyone. Long may he reign.
Hey Bob, what’s a good Superman comic to read if I haven’t read one?
Well, that would probably be “All-Star Superman,” a beloved miniseries from the 2000s, written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely. It takes place in its own continuity, so as long as you know the fundamentals of Superman, like who Lois Lane and Lex Luthor are, you should be good to go. Also, James Gunn has mentioned “All-Star” as an inspiration for his upcoming “Superman” movie.
That sounds great! So, what’s “All-Star Superman” about?
While it does have an overarching narrative, many of “All-Star Superman’s” chapters are more episodic in nature. The big idea is that, after heroically rescuing a team of scientists in the comic’s opening pages, Superman learns that he has absorbed so much of the sun’s solar energy that he is slowly but surely dying. The rest of the series is about the trials Superman faces while trying to leave the world and humanity in the best shape he can before his coming end.
In this regard, “All-Star Superman” isn’t meant to be an intense psychological examination of the character, the way some superhero stories like “The Dark Knight Returns” are. Rather, it’s a celebration of the character, drawing on narrative elements from across his decades of publication in order to tell a series of definitive Superman tales. I strongly recommend checking it out!
