This Should Have Been the Script for 'Superman Returns'
I find it more than a little baffling that we continually get such lackluster big screen Superman films when Warner Brothers is literally sitting on a mountain of good material. The big budget film Superman Returns, for example featured a tired old script with Lex Luthor once again planning to take over the world by reconfiguring the world's landscape and killing millions of people in the process (just like in Superman: The Movie). The movie probably would have been much better off if they had used a comic like The Adventures of Superman Annual #7 as the basis for their film.
Part of DC's 'Year One' initiative of 1995, The Adventures of Superman Annual #7 takes us back to the early days when Superman himself knew very little of his own origins, the police force of Metropolis was unsure what to make of the new costumed vigilante, and the criminal underworld was first looking at how to adapt to the Superman era.
The writing here is razor sharp, with great, dialogue and nearly non-stop action. We see on page one that Superman is bulletproof, and never again is time wasted by villains inanely shooting guns at Superman to try to stop him. There are a whole host of supporting characters all with their own agendas and opinions about Superman, and the villains actually have powers and abilities capable of challenging the Man of Steel.
The artwork features very dynamic compositions by Ron Wagner and bold line work and shading from Joe Rubinstein. And Linda Medley colors things in very bright colors which help sell the idea of the comic being a flashback to earlier times.
There are literally dozens of great entry points for new readers of Superman comics. This is one good one.
1 Comments