Happy Birthday, Superman! + Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Favourite Superman Stories

Hey guys, it’s February 29th! Guess who is celebrating their birthday today? 😀

… … … …Okay, let’s try THAT again…

I swear to God, YouTube!!!

There we go! 😀 And yeah, go figure that, in official DC canon, Superman is a leap year baby. Personally, I would prefer to celebrate his birthday as being the date when Action Comics #1 came out, but since there is an actual birth date given for him in the comics, here we are. And for a man who has had stories told about him for nearly 80 years, who has saved the world more times than I could dare count, and has been rebooted and given multiple continuities devoted to telling various tales about him, naturally, everybody’s gonna have their favourites. As such, here are five of my personal favourite stories, both from the comics, the various animated series he’s been involved in, and the movies he’s been a part of. So, I suppose we should start off with the most obvious one that anyone who reads my blog knows is gonna be on here, simply because I’ve gone on and on about it already, meaning I won’t have as much new to say about it here…

#1 – Superman Unchained

In looking back on this book, it’s all the more clear to me just how much potential the New 52 Superman has as a character that is ultimately squandered. He is probably among the more imperfect versions of Superman to be shown off in the mainstream, and yet is shown to nonetheless be an inspiring and heroic individual primarily due to one thing: He never, ever gives up. He keeps trying, no matter how bleak things get, even when his own life is on the line, and even if the entire world pleaded for his sake not to. And sometimes, that means failing and eating dirt. But what’s always been most important to him is to never stop trying. Like all past versions of Superman have done when they are at their best, he inspires others to be better through his actions and his kindness. In addition to all that, though, there’re also great cameos by Batman and Wonder Woman that actually make sense within the context of the story and aren’t just shoved in to make a buck, there’s plenty of Lois Lane being awesome, Lex Luthor remains the great and evil puppeteer, and even Jimmy Olsen gets some nice moments in here and there. There are some clichés of modern Superman stories involved, like the military being leery and untrusting of him, and the reveal of another alien who has appeared on Earth to contest him, but there’s just something about the context in which it’s presented here that works a lot better. If you want a good Superman read set in the New 52, this is probably the one for you.

#2 – The Last Son Of Krypton

Probably my favourite modern reinterpretation of Superman’s origins. Granted, it could’ve been stretched out to a four or five parter so that the stuff involving Clark as Superman could’ve been expanded on more, but hey, he’s technically still getting started in the next few episodes anyway, so it works fine for what it is. It even addresses my biggest gripe involving Superman’s origins, which, if you’ve read my blog for a while now, you already know: HOW THE FUCK DID NOBODY ELSE ON KRYPTON KNOW THE END WAS COMING AND DIDN’T HAVE A MEANS OF GETTING OFF THE PLANET?!?! Here, though, the explanation given actually makes a lot of sense. Making Lois more of a rival to Clark kinda works well, too, and lets us see her really working her ass off and taking some serious risks, to where it’s obvious and forgivable that she needs saving so much. Any of us would under those circumstances, it just happens to be her. Granted, I don’t quite get why her skirt is so short that, when Superman carries her around, everyone beneath her is getting a shot of her underwear, but whatever. Point is, it’s a great first outing for the hero and look at his origins for a new generation.

#3 – The Mad Scientist

The more I think about it, the more I realize how this is pretty much the archetype of the classic Superman story: Mad scientist creates a device that’ll severely fuck up the world, Lois gets into trouble trying to do her job, Superman has to get involved, and through his quick thinking and incredible powers, he saves the day. And honestly, even after nearly 75 years, it still holds up really well. Yeah, there’s some stuff involving his origins that are talked about that I don’t agree with, like the idea of him being naturally super without the need for the sun, or the fact that he was raised in an orphanage, but, all things considered, not the worst version of his origins I’ve ever seen, either. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. It’s in public domain right now, so there’s very little in the way of stopping you from doing so.

#4 – For The Man Who Has Everything

What DO you get for the man who has everything? Well, if you wanna stay on his good side, probably not what Mongul got him. This story’s actually been retold and reimagined from its original comic form at least a couple of times. The ones I’m thinking of are in the fantastic Justice League Unlimited series, and as an episode of Supergirl, entitled For The Girl Who Has Everything. Admittedly, I lean more towards the JLU version, but that could simply be because it’s the first one I saw. However, all three tend to show that the most painful and heartbreaking thing you can do to a person is to make them live out their perfect scenario and then force them to abandon it for the greater good. Also, the comic has probably one of Jason Todd’s best moments EVER. It’s emotional, it’s action packed, it’s For The Man Who Has Everything.

#5 – All-Star Superman

Oftentimes considered by many to be one of the all-time greatest stories of the Man of Tomorrow. Once again, the animated version is the one I first saw, but having read the comics since then, I can tell you there are things about it that they change from the original that I both like and dislike. In terms of the like category, I think I prefer the ending of the movie, where we see Luthor, in what could be his final days, finally understanding Superman and what he stood for, what he himself could’ve been all along if it’d really mattered to him, and while he doesn’t necessarily redeem himself, he does make a gesture that perhaps will let his life have some positive meaning. In terms of the dislike, though, the pacing is a bit off, but that’s kinda obvious, due to trying to crunch down a 12 issue comic mini-series into a 76 minute movie. However, while there are of course some things that had to be cut, the one thing that I wish to God could’ve been kept in wasn’t. I don’t why, if maybe there was concern about showing this for whatever reason, but it is quite possibly the greatest scene involving Superman that you will ever see in your life. Here’s the context: Superman is dying. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, he is going to die. As such, in his last days, he is spending his time doing as much as he can for the world as possible, saving more lives and accomplishing greater wonders than he ever has before. And right as he’s in the middle of all that, his super hearing intercepts a call made by a single child…and this is what happens.

THAT is Superman. THAT is the Man of Tomorrow. How great is this scene, you might still ask yourself? Mark Waid called it the most moving scene in a Superman book ever, and he has read EVERY SINGLE COMIC ABOUT SUPERMAN. As I once shared on my blog, POW once awarded it as the greatest moment in comic book history. As TV Tropes put it, “If you took all eighty years of the character’s history and distilled it into a single pure moment containing all his best qualities, that one page would be it. He inspires strength, wisdom, kindness, freedom, value and hope in just a few words. And he saves a life.” And in terms of how it impacted the people who read it…well, let’s let this person tell you.

… … …I’d put down my fedora for this, but let’s be honest, I don’t really wear it much anymore. It’s gotten kinda old. Regardless, this is where we get into real talk, so just bear with me. A lot of people ask me from time to time how I can care so much about superheroes, when they’re just fictional characters drawn on paper. And, even I’ve asked myself on occasion why it feels like all I know how to write about are superheroes, or people and characters that are heroic in their own ways. This is the reason why: Through their stories, superheroes inspire people. They inspire us to be better, to be stronger, to be truer to ourselves, and to be kind and noble. I think that’s also why I watch Atop The Fourth Wall and find myself in the same corner as Lewis Lovhaug when he talks about comics. He once said that “Superheroes are basically the equivalent of modern-day knights-errant, they go out and help people and fight injustices. But a lot of the best superhero comics are the ones not actually about superheroes hitting supervillains or each other, anything like that. It’s the ones that show that superheroes are about kindness and decency and something far more noble than the adolescent power fantasies that people often critique them as”. I tend to agree. Sure, it’s always great to see superheroes give evil people their comeuppance, and of course I still love a good superhero brawl as much as anyone, but THIS is what they should always be about. They are kind, they are compassionate, and in their fictional tales, they show us what we can be in real life.

…Oh yeah, and one other problem one can have with the animated version of All-Star Superman is that he apparently kills Solaris. I don’t know enough about Solaris to know if he really qualifies as a living creature, so if he does, then yeah, that’s a strike against the movie. Really, the only reason I’m okay with it in Superman Unbound is because, by then, Brainiac was more…well…Um, Obi-Wan, you wanna help me out here?

Thank you. lol

And those are my favourite Superman stories. Got one that wasn’t on here? Leave it in the comments section, and don’t worry, I’ll likely be sharing more of my favourite stories and moments in a couple of years when The Man of Tomorrow hits 80 years old. And hey, be sure to leave any words you’d like to share with Superman on his birthday on your own, as well. Ja né!

http://www.dccomics.com/characters/superman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman

https://www.facebook.com/superman

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Superman

What Should I Call My DC Fanfic Universe? (FEEDBACK REQUESTED)

So, as one can tell, I’ve written a number of DC Comics-related stories on FanFiction.net, all existing in the same alternate universe (AU) I’ve been crafting. They are as follows thus far (and you can click on the images to view them)…

“As Bruce Wayne contemplates if his father would be proud of the decisions he’s making, he learns that, for one night, Thomas Wayne was The Batman. But why, and how did Bruce never learn of this until now? Only one man can tell him the truth.”

“Superman must contend with a threat that is clearly out to get him, creating a liquidized Kryptonite meant to kill him. Can he learn who is responsible and stop them? Meanwhile, a young man who idolizes The Last Son of Krypton finds himself thrown into the mix and pays a terrible price. Is he a victim, or a hero?”

“Only four women can protect Platinum Flats from mobsters, supervillains, secret organizations, and paranormal/supernatural threats. They are Black Canary, Huntress, Batwoman, and Raven: the Birds of Prey!”

There’s also a one-shot quickly approaching release, even though I’ve been saying that for like a month now, called Will & Hope. It’ll focus on John Stewart, who is the only Green Lantern on Earth, Wally West, the new Flash who is armed with the blue light of hope, and Bleez, a Red Lantern coming to try to kill them both. Finally, after all that, I plan to eventually do a Justice League fanfic, which will involve heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter, as well as a classic JLA villain as the main antagonist.

So, as you can see, I’ve created quite the little universe out of these tales, and I haven’t finished yet. However, this has brought a dilemma to my attention: What do I call it? I mean, if it’s all gonna be part of the same AU, shouldn’t I give that universe a name or title of some sort? That way, when you see the title of the story, you know it’s part of this same storyline?

One idea I had was to call it Earth 52. The reasoning behind it was that, if my understanding of the current DC Multiverse is correct, there are only supposed to be 52 realities in the comics: Prime Earth (as of the New 52) being the central reality, and Earths 1 – 51 being showcased in other works, such as the Earth 2 series, the Earth One stories for Batman and Superman, and Earth 3 playing a huge role in Forever Evil. Hence, Earth 52 is the reality that doesn’t exist in the comics, and is therefore something I can use for myself.

Another idea I had for a name was Infinite DC. Basically, it takes its name both from Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis, and Ultimate Marvel. Also, it exists as a reality that is, in many respects, influenced by the events of an infinite number of other realities, what with it being a fanfiction inspired by the comics, the tv shows, the movies, and so on. Thus, in that sense, it’s a clustering of all the various interpretations of the stories, which can further motivate and inspire events within it, kinda like Hypertime when it was still around.

What do you guys think? Vote below which of the two I came up with sounds better, and/or add your own suggestion in the comments section below. And hey, feel free to let me know what you think of my fanfics, be it good, bad, or indifferent. Ja né!

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The Man of Tomorrow – My New Fanfic

So, having finished writing Tales of the Caped Crusader, I’ve decided to move onto my next fanfic, also inspired by my talks of How Would I Rebuild The DC Universe From Scratch, as well as taking place in that same sort of ‘verse that I created with TotCC. The name of the fic: The Man of Tomorrow.

Here’s the basic premise: Superman has been an active superhero for some time now. Lois Lane is aware of his secret identity, and the two are currently in a relationship while also keeping up their friendly rivalry at the Daily Planet. Lex Luthor is in jail following an incident that also cost him his presidency over the United States. As a result, Metropolis is enjoying relative peace time. I mean, there’s still stuff like burning buildings, bank robbers, jumpers, the occasional criminal, but over-all, FAR less occasions that look like a job for Superman. Also, as was the case in TotCC, he has met Batman and Wonder Woman, but there is no Justice League yet.

One day, down-town Metropolis is attacked by Plasmus, and after a fight between the two, Superman quickly learns that someone is gunning for him, someone that’s created a liquidized version of Kryptonite and gave some to Plasmus. Problem: The #1 suspect is behind bars, and can’t be responsible…or can he? Worse yet, a young man named Victor Stone gets horribly burnt during the fight with Plasmus, with most of his body melting. So now the hunt is on to find the one responsible before anyone else gets hurt.

As with TotCC, this story takes a lot of plot elements from other established stories and continuities, and not just for Superman. For example, Victor will play a huge role, though parts of his back-story are actually inspired by the character Steel. Plasmus has elements to his character that are borrowed from the Teen Titans animated series. Lois knowing that Clark and Superman are the same person is inspired by Man of Steel and Superman: Unbound. Superman’s costume is based off of concept art for Injustice: Gods Among Us, as shown below (minus the face, although honestly, I gotta wonder why they didn’t use that look for Regime Superman). Also, Kara is mentioned on occasion in the story, currently in the process that will see her transform from Supergirl into Power Girl. And trust me, lots of other characters from Superman and the DC Universe will pop up in this story.

Anyway, that’s all I wanna tell for now. Thoughts? Opinions? Lemme know in the comments, and click the image below to read the fic. Ja né!

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What I Bought Today – The Best of Superman DVD

So, went to Wal-Mart with Mom since she was outta pop, and while I was there, a DVD managed to catch my eye, so here I am talking about…

So, what did I buy today? Why, it’s The Best of Superman on DVD!

Since I didn’t see this on store shelves until recently, I’m gonna assume this is to further the Super Fever caused by Man of Steel. So, what’s on this two-disc set? Some of Superman’s greatest animated adventures, from Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited, Super Friends, and even the original 1941 Superman animated short, The Mad Scientist. It’s amazing how much awesomeness is packed into this set. Granted, I would’ve put a few less Super Friends cartoons on here, but that’s only because I REALLY don’t like that show, but I recognize that not everyone has seen it and there are likely plenty that did like it.

“I’ll be watching you, Luthor.”

I do have to applaud them for putting the three-part pilot of Superman TAS, The Last Son of Krypton, on first. It’s probably one of the best retellings of Superman’s origins ever, and this coming from a guy that didn’t really watch much of that show back then. My other favourites on here are The Mad Scientist, For The Man Who Has Everything (note to myself: read original comic), and The Doomsday Sanction.

I do feel like they could’ve put some extras on here, like interviews with the people who made the various shows, and maybe even a few more episodes, like Knight Time and Hereafter, but ultimately, I do feel that I got a good deal for less than 17 bucks. Still, things to keep in mind for a possible second volume…Though that reminds me, I have something I’ve been putting off reviewing for a while now, don’t I…? 🙂