Superman: Unbound

Superman: Unbound

Brainiac: “I am everything. You are nothing but fists.”

Superman: (Punches Brainiac) “When I need to be.”

   For some reason, I don’t like this one very much. It opens with a terrorist attack. Then Supergirl shows up and saves Lois, and then Superman shows up, finishes the job and basically tells the girls to go home. Superman/Kent is sort of rude in this. For starters, he’s overprotective of Lois and Lois says that it feels like she’s dating a stalker. Why do you need to add this element? Oh, yes; to teach another  “Superman can’t control everything lesson”; but in this case it’s the women he cares about.

     Well, it’s not funny and in fact it’s kind of creepy. The original moral of the comic which this is based on (Superman: Brainiac) is simply that knowledge does not equal life experience. That’s what makes life worth saving. The point of life is life itself. That was fine. I have to be believe most of this “Superman learns restraint” stuff is just the result of Batmanmania, mainly caused by The Dark Knight. In the comic, he discovers Brainiac, learns about it from Supergirl, and is genuinely concerned for his loved ones once he hears about Brainiac’s destruction on Krypton. Here, just he tells the women to stay put, so we can get another forced moral.

   There are subtle differences in tone from comic-to-movie, I feel. In the movie, Supergirl rightfully feels the need to rebel against Superman because he tells her to stay away. So, she beats up thugs in North Korea, simply because she wants to make a difference. In no way does Superman explain to her Truth, Justice, and The American Way; I think almost starting a nuclear war would pretty much NOT be representative of any of those values.

    Also, when Superman is fighting Brainiac in the comic he says that he usually has a problem with resorting to violence…usually. Then, he punches Brainiac across the room. That’s funny! It just reminds me that he only fights when necessary, and maybe doesn’t know his own strength. In the movie, the similar line (see above.) makes it sound like he’s just a bully provoked to anger. Superman doesn’t let him know that he’s crossed a line, and is thus acting in defense. This animated version makes it seem rather like a pre-emptive strike, done in the name of a bruised ego.

    I mean, the animation is good, although Superman has sort of a weirdly shaped head, and something about Brainiac’s ship in this version reminds me of Skeletor. But, it’s got that weird other moral about Superman learning not to control everything. Scenes are included to shoehorn in this moral. Including the Supergirl attacks North Korea scene, the terrorist plot scene, and the scene where Lois Lane gives Brainiac “The Bird”; which is sort of forcedly funny, but more cringe-worthy. The tone is just all over the place and makes Superman look kind of like a jerk.

      However, I will say, the showdown with Brainiac does keep the original moral. (That Brainiac has knowledge but knows nothing of life’s value.) The graphic novel by Geoff Johns is amazing, and here it’s loyally re-created. I enjoyed the animation, and it’s certainly worth a watch, but I feel like something is a bit off with Superman Unbound. It seems like they’ve sacrificed Superman’s integrity to make him more like Batman, in my opinion. Is there hope for Truth and Justice? Or are all the superheroes becoming mere action movie stars? I’m all for good action, but I want to see a Superman that gives me hope in Mankind. My final judgment: one thumb up, 2 stars, C+. Good if you like an almost 80s-style cartoon animation mixed with CGI, but not memorable like its graphic novel counterpart.

THE FLASH: FLASHPOINT:

The Flash: Flashpoint

I’m not sure why everyone seems divided on this one. Probably because it introduces DC’s New 52, which is still something I have yet to touch. Flash wakes up in an alternate reality where Superman and The Justice League don’t exist, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman have started World War III, and his mother, not father is still alive. Sounds cool enough for me! In an effort to understand what went wrong he zooms off to contact this alternate reality’s Batman.

However, this reality’s Batman is Thomas Wayne, and Bruce got shot in the alley. So, when Flash calls him Bruce, he is freaked out and attacks him. He stops when Flash deduces that he is Thomas. Thomas is intrigued that his son lived in another reality and agrees to help Flash get back to his world. However, when he opens his Flash ring, the suit that flies out is the Reverse Flash. Okay, I can see why this is a little annoying, since it’s just everything happening in opposite style, but there’s a cool war angle, and eventually Flash learns to stop saying “This isn’t real.” He says this isn’t his world, but it’s the only world he’s got. Flash rescues this world’s version of Superman, being held captive in a government lab, and unites the world’s heroes into a sort of Justice League.

    Themes of responsibility, physics (my favorite part of any Flash graphic novel!) and psychology are always in play. Memories of the other reality keep colliding with his old memories due to him temporarily existing in both time streams. Fortunately, Thomas Wayne invents a serum and tells Flash. “Remember my son. Don’t forget my son.” Flash and Thomas Wayne visit war-torn Europe. Western Europe is drowned by Atlantis, and the UK is occupied by Amazons! Meanwhile, Cyborg is back in the USA, which is on the verge of defeat.

   In Europe, after duking it out with the villains Aquaman and Wonder Woman with his allies, The Flash encounters The Reverse Flash! He tells him that in this reality, he’s the villain. Since, if he would’ve let The Reverse Flash kill his mom his world, this one wouldn’t exist. Now, I know, it’s a little cheesy to link mass genocide to Flash’s mommy issues, but the interplay of memories between the two realities recalls Flash’s origin in mythology: Hermes, messenger of The Gods. As well as including theoretical physics and string theory. After taking a letter from Thomas, Flash destroys himself by convincing himself not to save his mother, and returns to the normal timeline, letter in tact via Batman serum.

    At the end of the act, we have a teary-eyed Bruce Wayne reading his dad’s letter, and telling Flash “You’re one hell of a messenger.” Also, in the end, there are Flash Facts about how mirrors work by refracting light (Thanks to Mirror Master!), and how the ancient Romans believed mirrors could trap souls. Via Captain Boomerang, we receive a lesson in boomerang physics and friction! The friction pushes back on the curved ends to send it back to the thrower! But, anyway, why am I talking about Flashpoint?

      Because it will become the basis for DC’s newest animated film The Flashpoint Paradox! I’m most eager to see Kevin Conroy return and do Batman! But, perhaps most interesting for me is Carey Elwes will be voicing Aquaman! The dread pirate Aquaman leaves no survivors! While the comics may be controversial for setting up The New 52, the voice cast has me pumped enough to believe it will be well worth a watch! Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox will be available June 20th this year!
 

(The Flashpoint Paradox)

(Flash and Batman confront Reverse Flash!)

    (I can't resist: "Have fun stormin' the castle, Aquaman!")

Superman - Secret Origin (2010)

Superman - Secret Origin (2010)

    Lois: “Are you an alien or a man?”

Superman: “I’m Superman.”

   I really wanted to read this because it’s supposedly what Man of Steel is based off of. Indeed, the foreword is written by David S. Goyer, a writer for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, who talks about meeting Geoff Johns, the writer. So, it seems to drop hints that this is the comic that inspired it; particularly when young Clark tries to fit in so much with his friends. “I don’t want to be different.” He says to his father upon learning he’s from Krypton. “I want to be your son.”

  So, to fit in Clark Kent hides his powers, which naturally don’t stay hidden for long. This is ironic since I usually think of Clark Kent enjoying being Superman, and Clark Kent as his reason for anonymity. Nonetheless, here we see him break a friend’s arm in football, then, accidentally burn his school down with eye lasers after he’s kissed by a girl. Worse, he can hear his friends talking behind his back with his super-hearing.  John Kent is distraught, and  tells him the truth: He’s from Krypton.
     
     In comics, part of what makes a good story is conflict of opposites that can be shown pictorially. (Hollywood has caught on.) So, just as we have young Clark struggling to find out where he comes from, we have Lex Luthor, who just pages after Clark’s revelation makes his dad drive off drunk (for being some sort of unspecified know-it-all.) and fall off a cliff road. Superboy (in his full costume.) catches the truck. Thus begins their rivalry.

    Lex Luthor is established as the perfect ambitious rival to Superman. Superman is reluctant to move out of Smallville. Lex Luthor dreams of dominating Metropolis. Superboy wants to have friends. Young Lex considers himself above others, saying: “Glasses mean one of two things…either you’re genetically inferior or you read books.” That establishes his character. Black-and-white perception. No possibility of forgiveness.

While these dynamics are always in play, Lex is always trying to think of ways to thwart Superman, who is a threat to his arrogant selfishness. At the same time, I never saw Superman boast of his strength. (Except for when he reluctantly poses lifting cars or hands-on-hips for Jimmy Olsen, which was not a boast, but a response to polite requests.)

   Indeed, in this comic, Superman displays an almost comical naïveté  about his powers, in favor of not hurting anyone. During a battle with the U.S. Army (who fears he’s here to conquer Earth, per Luthor’s suggestion.) Superman flees into the sewer for fear of hurting innocent people who nonetheless want to kill him. Now, this is a scene I’m sure the Man of Steel movie will use, because it’s so difficult to show Superman visually as a sympathetic character. We’re used to seeing Superman confident; but here we see him torn between his childhood fear of hurting friends, and protecting those he loves. Superman, not Clark Kent, appears emotionally vulnerable.

    So, who is Superman really? The cool answer is usually that his “true” identity is Superman, and that the klutz Clark Kent is a disguise. Here, we realize it’s a false dilemma. He’s both alien and man, which leads to his answer to Lois Lane’s above question. I will avoid spoiling the rest of the comic, for those that want to read it separately, or enjoy the Man of Steel movie without spoilers. Suffice to say, I’m pretty confident General Zod will be a stand-in for Lex Luthor. But, we will see the same conflict between cultural identity: is he a man or an alien (Or, in the case of General Zod, who’s sure to make the U.S. Army nervous, is Superman an alien supremacist like his fellow Kryptonian?) The answer of course is that culture is decided by individuals, and can’t be placed in rigid logical boxes. Superman decides Earth is his home, no one owns it. And so, when Luthor becomes enough of a threat, he decides to stop him from taking over, and spreading lies about him.

   After a fight with the Luthor-created Metallo, Superman explains to the army (out in the streets!) that he’s nobody’s savior, and that Luthor isn’t either. We’re all in control of our own destiny. As cheesy a message as it is in comics, the affect is greatly achieved because it takes a great counterforce to his identity (Lex Luthor…who he lets off the hook many times!) in order for him to fully embrace his Superman identity. When he decides he’s had enough, he finally confronts his fear of hurting others and embraces using his powers for Good! I doubt Metallo will show up in Man of Steel, but this seems like the kind of conflict of opposites that great modern superhero movies are made of, so give it a read, and look for where Zod might fit in!