Smallville 11.1 - Guardian - Discussion Thread (Spoilers)

[Rockstar]

It could've ended with Clark returning with the suit

Using CGI?

 

[Mikelus]

There's so much to explore with that concept and a parallel Earth where Clark is the villain of the story.

So much of it is rooted in the familiar and what we already know about Smallville, it just completely changes the context.

She's dead. Zod set her fat ass on fire.

Indeed, Clark Luthor could've been the villain of the season, much better than Smokeseid, so much potential wasted.

Is not that clear what happened to Amanda Waller:

Later, Zod tracked Checkmate down and, as Amanda and Stuart were in the hallway, he used his heat vision to burn down the castle. Waller and Campbell's fate were unknown.

http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/Amanda_Waller

Maybe she survived somehow (secret passage, etc) .

 

[Rockstar]

In the actual footage that was shot, it makes it appear that Zods fire is burning them as they run away.

The only way they could have survived is if Zod allowed them to survive... but that wouldn't really line up with what he was doing.

Eh, I'm sure the comic will retcon it at some point and bring her back.

 

[SpideyVille]

Well Zod also used his heat vision on Tess and didn't exactly kill her on the spot.

 

[vantheman77]

The second issue of Smallville Season 11 was a great read in that it had more Superman and more Lex Luthor than the first issue and we're introduced to Hank Henshaw before he became Cyborg Superman. Tess is also in it a little bit more than the first issue. A nod to the comics storyline where Superman rescues the space shuttle with Hank Henshaw and 5 other people aboard. Yes, Chloe is Watchtower again and Oliver confronts Lex about Tess and his space shuttle program. A lot more happens in this issue than the first.

 

[Webhead2006]

Was able to pick up issue 2 yesterday after work. Another good issue. Solid artwork all around. And loved the swann/star labs connection. Also learning that clark been testing his power limits. The belt thing was interesting idea there. Also the lex stuff is getting interesting. And hank story is moving nicely.

As for tom/suit thing we still have no official word if tom was the whole reason. Another issue could have been man of steel too. Since when smallville was wrapping up on last few episodes last yr mos was starting up. Could have been wb getting pissy on things.

As for vra plot I said it before the plotline of it I liked a great idea to take the heroes from the shadows and get them to come out into the public and be the beacons for the light. I agree how it wrapped didn't go over well.

As for darkseid overall I didn't mind them doing him. But I agree they should have done more with them or changed things around. I would have done myself granny as main baddie of the season with desaad her lacky. With half the season being them testing clark with akaolis baddies. Then probably done orin for guest hero for the season. Tease darkseid through the season and then only have him actually showing up in like last two or three episodes. And just go with a regular actor in some getup like persauder was in legion episode. Or hire another stunt guy or a big wrestler dude and with a little makeup/costume have a better darkseid.

Or if they wanted to conserve the budget more. I also mentioned they could have gone more the route of that comics storyline where darkseid/his minions lost there bodies and took human hosts. And that could have saved budget there. And with that just have normal looking dudes all season. With then maybe have one appearance of darkseid true form.

Ultraman would have been sweet to see more out of him and if they did go evil jl of earth 2. That I would have killed to see. But that was always problem not having the jl actors free for more episodes.

 

[Rockstar]

Brian and Kelly said there were no restrictions from the film division by Season 10.

"Man of Steel" had zero impact on anything Smallville was doing.

 

[Herolee10]

The interesting thing is that SR is the reason why SV was allowed to bring in Lois Lane into the series since Singer gave it a go; whereas previous filmmakers for the cancelled Superman projects said no.

Course, it was because of the film division that the show couldn't use other kryptonians in the show, hence why Milton Fine was just brainiac and not revealed as the body of Zod like the showrunners had originally intended, and they weren't allowed to use the traditional S until after SR was released.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

And that's all we ever got out of Welling. A mid-transformation Clark Kent shot.

It also proves that production did create some form of the suit that was tailored to fit Tom Welling. So it really wasn't a question of production lacking the means to create the suit, especially after everything they created for earlier episodes.

The show didnt create any kind of suit for Welling, it was a left-over from the Superman Returns film, that they slightly altered to fit his chest.

They could have easily done a shot like this of Welling donning the full costume. They had the means to do so.

But for some reason, it didn't happen.

Assuming they could've or had planned to do so, what exactly does this shot accomplish that the shirt-rip scene didnt? Why would some of you not be happy unless Tom wore an entire suit and then slowly spun around in it for 3 minutes?

Brain and Kelly knew the fans wanted to see Tom in the suit as Superman. It couldn't be more obvious from the SDCC appearance. They even went as far to bring in the suit to tease Superman and build up that anticipation.

Something prevented them from delivering Tom in the suit. It's not exactly out of the box logic to say that it was likely Tom Welling.

Even the CG shots featuring actual footage of Welling only showed his head. They were incredibly uncharacteristic and intentional tight shots.

It was almost like they were intentionally censoring the image of Tom Welling as Superman.

Something was fishy.


Brain and Kelly's explanation doesn't really add up logically:
http://www.craveonline.com/tv/artic...y-tom-welling-never-wore-the-superman-costume

I imagine you wearing a tin foil hat as you typed this last paragraph. Really man, you're reading WAY too much into this. Welling was under contract, for the last episode they could've dressed him up as Ronald McDonald if they wanted and he would've had to go a long with it. It's Tom Welling we're talking about here, not Tom Cruise.

Also, it's not like they'd have been worried about him signing on for another year. The show did what it could within budget and sticking within the premise of the show. You get a lot more bang for your buck by CGing a scene with a superhero, than you do by paying $250K to create an actual costume that was going to be used for all of about 3 minutes of screen time.

The sentiment about Tom being anti-costume is all internet hearsay and has been going back to him stating he didnt want to do an entire show that was campy with him running around in tights back in 2001 when he got the job. Hell, Tom on numerous occasions talked to people about doing a Superman film, once as far back as 2003 when Brett Ratner was attached.

http://www.superherohype.com/features/articles/84121-tom-welling-on-smallville--superman-movie

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Was able to pick up issue 2 yesterday after work. Another good issue. Solid artwork all around. And loved the swann/star labs connection. Also learning that clark been testing his power limits. The belt thing was interesting idea there. Also the lex stuff is getting interesting. And hank story is moving nicely.

As for tom/suit thing we still have no official word if tom was the whole reason. Another issue could have been man of steel too. Since when smallville was wrapping up on last few episodes last yr mos was starting up. Could have been wb getting pissy on things.

As for vra plot I said it before the plotline of it I liked a great idea to take the heroes from the shadows and get them to come out into the public and be the beacons for the light. I agree how it wrapped didn't go over well.

As for darkseid overall I didn't mind them doing him. But I agree they should have done more with them or changed things around. I would have done myself granny as main baddie of the season with desaad her lacky. With half the season being them testing clark with akaolis baddies. Then probably done orin for guest hero for the season. Tease darkseid through the season and then only have him actually showing up in like last two or three episodes. And just go with a regular actor in some getup like persauder was in legion episode. Or hire another stunt guy or a big wrestler dude and with a little makeup/costume have a better darkseid.

Or if they wanted to conserve the budget more. I also mentioned they could have gone more the route of that comics storyline where darkseid/his minions lost there bodies and took human hosts. And that could have saved budget there. And with that just have normal looking dudes all season. With then maybe have one appearance of darkseid true form.

Ultraman would have been sweet to see more out of him and if they did go evil jl of earth 2. That I would have killed to see. But that was always problem not having the jl actors free for more episodes.

You're really missing out by not getting the digital issues.

 

[Rockstar]

The show didnt create any kind of suit for Welling, it was a left-over from the Superman Returns film, that they slightly altered to fit his chest.

Assuming they could've or had planned to do so, what exactly does this shot accomplish that the shirt-rip scene didnt? Why would some of you not be happy unless Tom wore an entire suit and then slowly spun around in it for 3 minutes?

The fans wanted to see Tom in full costume playing Superman. The producers intentionally built up towards that.

I personally didn't care either way. I'm just more fascinated and amused by the fact he predictably caved.

It's more a shot against the 'Tom Welling for Superman' campaigners than him personally. They were way off the mark.

I imagine you wearing a tin foil hat as you typed this last paragraph. Really man, you're reading WAY too much into this. Welling was under contract, for the last episode they could've dressed him up as Ronald McDonald if they wanted and he would've had to go a long with it. It's Tom Welling we're talking about here, not Tom Cruise.

Also, it's not like they'd have been worried about him signing on for another year. The show did what it could within budget and sticking within the premise of the show. You get a lot more bang for your buck by CGing a scene with a superhero, than you do by paying $250K to create an actual costume that was going to be used for all of about 3 minutes of screen time.

It isn't unprecedented.

They also could have made the fitted suit for him before the start of Season 10 and used that as the prop all season before he wore it, instead of borrowing the SR suit from the Warners Museum.

I knew something was suspicious when they did that, as opposed to designing their own.

The sentiment about Tom being anti-costume is all internet hearsay and has been going back to him stating he didnt want to do an entire show that was campy with him running around in tights back in 2001 when he got the job. Hell, Tom on numerous occasions talked to people about doing a Superman film, once as far back as 2003 when Brett Ratner was attached.

http://www.superherohype.com/features/articles/84121-tom-welling-on-smallville--superman-movie

I imagine you wearing blinders to the obvious. It says he went into that meeting with Ratner knowing beforehand that it wouldn't happen anyway.

So ultimately, it's moot.

The finale did nothing to end the 'internet hearsay.' It could have and should have, but everything we saw in Smallville's final hour just justified the 'Tom being anti-costume' logic.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

The fans wanted to see Tom in full costume playing Superman. The producers intentionally built up towards that.

I personally didn't care either way. I'm just more fascinated and amused by the fact he predictably caved.

It's more a shot against the 'Tom Welling for Superman' campaigners than him personally. They were way off the mark.

I'm not sure what your point is exactly? The show built up to Clark becoming Superman, the build up of the show wasn't to show Tom Welling in full costume. If that's what you were waiting for, you sort of missed the point. From Day 1 the show runners said the point of the show was about Clark's journey to becoming Superman.

And the Tom Welling for Superman people were for Tom to play Supes in the feature films not to play him on Smallville. So no one was "off the mark" since as I showed you last post the man met with a film's director about the part meaning he at least considered the option but with SV still in Season 3, it wouldnt have worked from a scheduling standpoint since WB was planning on shooting in Oz and Welling was tied to Vancouver for 9 months a year..

It isn't unprecedented.

That Blue Beetle suit is terrible, it looks like something out of Power Rangers. Sure I guess they could've put Tom in Dean Cain style pajama looking costume, but it would've looked terrible. Were you that hard up to see a costume that you'd want to see the Superman equivalent of that?

They also could have made the fitted suit for him before the start of Season 10 and used that as the prop all season before he wore it, instead of borrowing the SR suit from the Warners Museum.

I knew something was suspicious when they did that, as opposed to designing their own.

Those suits cost upwards of $250K to make. Not exactly cost efficient for a show on a small budget.

I imagine you wearing blinders to the obvious. It says he went into that meeting with Ratner knowing beforehand that it wouldn't happen anyway.

So ultimately, it's moot.

No, it's not moot. He said it likely wouldnt have worked due to scheduling since Welling was tied to Vancouver for 9 months a year. If he was completely ruling out the possibility of playing Supes, why would he even take a meeting in the first place?

The finale did nothing to end the 'internet hearsay.' It could have and should have, but everything we saw in Smallville's final hour just justified the 'Tom being anti-costume' logic.

Or I guess it will make people believe what they want to believe.

I'm getting the check now. These arguments are all at least a year old, and dont feel like rehashing all of them yet again.

Let's focus on Season 11. There are plenty of other threads to ***** about the alleged shortcomings in the TV show's finale.

 

[Webhead2006]

I know they said that. But I was just throwing out a theory. Never know what could have happened. Rights stuff was always a fickle thing with sv. Hulk I am not into digital comics. I like to have the actual physical book. Also isn't the digital/physical book the same dam thing. What am I missing then just having short parts three weeks before collected in one book.

As for suit maybe instead of the blur 2 suit. They should have gone something more like cyborg/impluse costume. A more light jacket/suit deal. That probably would have been easier budget wise costume deal.

 

[vantheman77]

You guys need to go to KSite concerning Smallville Season 11. Something major is happening.

 

[KalKai]

Cover #3

 

[Webhead2006]

That's been out for awhile kal.

 

[KalKai]

That's been out for awhile kal.

Not in HQ.

 

[Johnny]

Not one of Staggs' best efforts at least if Clark's concerned. Some time ago she posted a picture of him probably for the next cover and it was fantastic.

 

[BritishChap007]

Not one of Staggs' best efforts at least if Clark's concerned. Some time ago she posted a picture of him probably for the next cover and it was fantastic.

But the Rosenbaum is dead-on photo-realistic.

 

[KalKai]

Have you guys read the new chapter?

It had a little bit of everything.

Turns out the spaceship that came down is designed by someone who works in Queen's Industries but Ollie knows nothing about it.

We got to see past SV villains in comic form, that was a nice touch.

The beginning of Cyborg Superman.

Henshaw's wife against Superman.

Superman confronting Lex.

Superman surrounded by the military.

 

[Webhead2006]

Man those were some sweet panels.

 

[Binker]

So...did Superman actually destroy Lex' windows, or was that in Lex' mind?

 

[BritishChap007]

So...did Superman actually destroy Lex' windows, or was that in Lex' mind?

He actually destroyed Lex's window. Why would you think it was in his mind? There is shattered glass everywhere.

 

[BritishChap007]

Page 17 should come before 16, if that's what is confusing you. This was an editorial mistake that BQM is fixing.

 

[Milos]

Love this!

The best chapter so far! Loved all the Chloe stuff!!!