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by Drew Deitch
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I have a lot of hope for James Gunn superman And the upcoming DC Universe, or the DCU as it is officially branded. I called suicide squad“The best DC movies in decades”, and I stand by it (my review). now, after A commando creature Do I want even more animated superhero stories, I’m more than up for whatever James Gunn has to bring to the original superhero. But, there’s one thing I can’t help but feel apprehensive about, and it goes all the way back to Superman’s origins on the planet Krypton.
Superman’s parents
I am currently reading Absolute supermanPart of DC’s all-new comics series, which allows for some radical innovations on iconic heroes. In the first issue, it is revealed that Superman’s parents are farmers in a Kryptonian society with a distinct and brutal caste system. Usually, Superman’s parents are depicted as scientists in a utopian world. on Absolute supermanThey are low class workers who recognize that the ruling class is leading to the destruction of the planet.
This is a fantastic and fresh idea to inject into Superman’s origin. It gives us a reason to actually see Kal-El’s parents and spend time with them and their story. and if James Gunn He has a creative and new take on Jor-El and Lara’s lives, I’m all for seeing how that plays into his take on Superman.
But, if James Gunn takes the inspiration I believe he is, I think superman We need to be shown as little of Carl Ed’s birth parents as possible. In fact, I’ll do without seeing them at all.
The origins are now myths
James Gunn has been very vocal about the comic book series All Star Superman Being one of his inspirations for this take on man of steel. In this comic, writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank summarize Superman’s origin in one page, four panels, and eight words. Morrison boils it all down to its most mythic elements. This is one of the greatest pages in the history of comic books and superheroes.
I get the vibe that James Gunn similarly feels about the origins of the original superhero. At least, I hope so. Just like we don’t need to see Bruce Wayne’s parents murdered anymore, the beginning of Clark Kent’s life has entered a level of pop culture mythology that feels as ubiquitous as knowing that Santa lives at the North Pole. It’s understandable that Richard Donner’s is too superman and Zack Snyders man of steel felt they needed to firmly establish their version of Superman’s parents (mostly Jor-El in those movies). But, Gunn could make a bigger statement by downplaying this part of Superman’s story.
Superman is the ultimate immigrant story, and while I don’t want his Kryptonian heritage to be thrown away with his escape pod, it feels like focusing on Superman’s love and connection to Earth is the best story to tell with the character on the big screen. Even this one image of Superman and his pet Crypto seems to focus on that mindset. Yes, crypto is part of it foreign in the past, and I can’t wait to see how this relationship plays out between Clark and his dog. But, the framing of this image puts them in a context that emphasizes the beauty and importance of Earth to Superman.
The less time spent on Superman’s parents and the influence of Krypton’s history on his story, the better for James Gunn superman will be Whatever happens, I can’t wait to see this new movie, even if it means more time on this planet that will explode.
