Man Of Steel Soars @ Comic Con - Part 2

[KalMart]

I really didn't like Birthright, and the artwork didn't help...but I kinda' liked Red Son.

 

[manofsteel4life]

Your like the first person thats said that they didn't like birthright...besides the artwork, what put you off Kal?

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

Clearly his soul is defective.

 

[Glassjaw]

Just read through birthright. Amazing story, and the ending was great!

Yeah the ending, especially that last page, I mean...excuse me I have something in my eye...

Ahem where was I? Could they do the same ending in MoS? I bet there'll be a great emotional connection between Jor El and Clark, and I love the brief glimpse of Crowe with Clark's mother in the Comic Con footage, there's so much emotion in his eyes, I bet it'll be powerful stuff.

To have the film end like Birthright, could really give it a nice, poignant end people won't be expecting

 

[KalMart]

Your like the first person thats said that they didn't like birthright...besides the artwork, what put you off Kal?

It just wasn't my cup of tea as a story...especially the stuff in Africa, and then it felt rather rushed/abbreviated in introducing the phenomenon of Superman to Metropolis with a rather hokey plan by Luthor. Just to me, not a good or intriguing piece of work overall, regardless of who it was about. And I'm not the only one who doesn't like it, either. I hope this movie is nothing like it.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I didn't like Luthor's shared past with Clark. Too tacky.

 

[charl_huntress]

It just wasn't my cup of tea as a story...especially the stuff in Africa, and then it felt rather rushed/abbreviated in introducing the phenomenon of Superman to Metropolis with a rather hokey plan by Luthor. Just to me, not a good or intriguing piece of work overall, regardless of who it was about. And I'm not the only one who doesn't like it, either. I hope this movie is nothing like it.

So what is your idea of a good Superman comic story?

edit: Red Son is good as elseworld, but not in the same league as Birthright.

 

[KalMart]

So what is your idea of a good Superman comic story?

edit: Red Son is good as elseworld, but not in the same league as Birthright.

I haven't read enough to fairly judge what I would consider 'the best', but I would imagine that there are elements of various ones here and there that I would pick and choose from. I've actually enjoyed his usage in elseworlds and appearances in other stories like Batman ones moreso...perhaps ones that deal more with the conflict that he provides to certain situations. I also like him in the JLU animated series in which it's never just simple that he's the good guy or the most powerful.

Or for example, I liked the Wolverine 'Origin' comic, and 'Weapon X', and I liked Batman Year One. If 'Birthright' is supposed to be Superman's version of that, so to speak, I don't personally see it as being on the same level as those. Of course. those characters are a very different style from Superman, but just storytelling-wise, I didn't find it very interesting....and I felt the artwork was rather grotesque.

 

[WoodyROM]

Agreed glassjaw, the last page will getcha! That's what I liked most about it, but I see what kalmart is saying. There are things about it that weren't great, but overall I really enjoyed it.

I'm sure mos won't follow any one storyline, but the birthright ending could work IMO.

 

[charl_huntress]

I haven't read enough to fairly judge what I would consider 'the best', but I would imagine that there are elements of various ones here and there that I would pick and choose from. I've actually enjoyed his usage in elseworlds and appearances in other stories like Batman ones moreso...perhaps ones that deal more with the conflict that he provides to certain situations. I also like him in the JLU animated series in which it's never just simple that he's the good guy or the most powerful.

Or for example, I liked the Wolverine 'Origin' comic, and 'Weapon X', and I liked Batman Year One. If 'Birthright' is supposed to be Superman's version of that, so to speak, I don't personally see it as being on the same level as those. Of course. those characters are a very different style from Superman, but just storytelling-wise, I didn't find it very interesting....and I felt the artwork was rather grotesque.

Hahaha...As someone who has read a lot of comics, I can honestly say Birthright is one of the best. However, I also HATE Kingdom Come, so I understand not liking what everyone else likes

Meh...I also enjoy elseworlds. They're like interesting, creative exercises.

STAS, JL and JLU are good, but Timm depowered Supes A LOT. That's not to say they aren't good, but I was never a fan of a wimpy Superman. Better to show him holding back, which I am so HAPPY the last episode of JLU finally reconciled. Just would have been nice if they hit on topic more often instead of making him seem like a wimp.

 

[KalMart]

Hahaha...As someone who has read a lot of comics, I can honestly say Birthright is one of the best. However, I also HATE Kingdom Come, so I understand not liking what everyone else likes

Meh...I also enjoy elseworlds. They're like interesting, creative exercises.

STAS, JL and JLU are good, but Timm depowered Supes A LOT. That's not to say they aren't good, but I was never a fan of a wimpy Superman. Better to show him holding back, which I am so HAPPY the last episode of JLU finally reconciled. Just would have been nice if they hit on topic more often instead of making him seem like a wimp.

Kingdom come was okay...some nice ideas, but ultimately not a great excecution...and I'm not always a fan of Ross' superhero artwork....at least not in a multi-panel/moving format.

What I liked about Timm and setting him up in the JLA is that his 'depowering' wasn't much of an issue. It's that at the 'end of the day'...the simplicity and straight-forwardness that might earlier make him seem too square or not as interestingly complex as the other characters is what you're ultimately thankful for. For me it wasn't always about his power but the importance of him being the leader.

 

[Glassjaw]

Agreed glassjaw, the last page will getcha! That's what I liked most about it, but I see what kalmart is saying. There are things about it that weren't great, but overall I really enjoyed it.

I'm sure mos won't follow any one storyline, but the birthright ending could work IMO.

Yeah as good as it was, if they were to use parts of it, it would be the less 'comic book' elements of it. A Superman invasion army, half of which were actually illusions, would probably stretch the audiences disbelief too far.

I do love the first issue, with Jor El so reluctant to send Kal El away, not knowing if he'll be okay. The only reason he was able to do it was because it was certain death to be selfish and hold onto him there. Very powerful stuff in just a few short pages, I hope something similar is conveyed on screen.

 

[HighFivingMF]

So what is your idea of a good Superman comic story?

edit: Red Son is good as elseworld, but not in the same league as Birthright.

Red Son isn't even good as a drink coaster.

 

[charl_huntress]

Kingdom come was okay...some nice ideas, but ultimately not a great excecution...and I'm not always a fan of Ross' superhero artwork....at least not in a multi-panel/moving format.

What I liked about Timm and setting him up in the JLA is that his 'depowering' wasn't much of an issue. It's that at the 'end of the day'...the simplicity and straight-forwardness that might earlier make him seem too square or not as interestingly complex as the other characters is what you're ultimately thankful for. For me it wasn't always about his power but the importance of him being the leader.

Timm and Co did a lot better with his portrayal in JL/JLU. Not so much in STAS...that is where I dislike the depowered Supes the most.

Agreed about Ross' work, though be careful who hears you say that here. Dem' be fighting words for some...

Red Son isn't even good as a drink coaster.

Hahahaha

 

[KalMart]

Timm and Co did a lot better with his portrayal in JL/JLU. Not so much in STAS...that is where I dislike the depowered Supes the most.

Agreed about Ross' work, though be careful who hears you say that here. Dem' be fighting words for some...

Gee...I'm shaking.

 

[Project862006]

kalamrt has gotta be the only person i have seen who did'nt like birthright lol

 

[I Am The Knight]

I really didn't like Birthright, and the artwork didn't help...but I kinda' liked Red Son.

Death or Exile?

 

[Lily Adler]

Gee...I'm shaking.

Better be careful Crying Hoodie Superman fan will come after you. He's the ninja Chris Crocker.

 

[Super Kal]

read Secret Origin... i really liked it also read Birthright... not impressed at all. the story was blah, and the artwork was just terrible.

 

[manofsteel4life]

It just wasn't my cup of tea as a story...especially the stuff in Africa, and then it felt rather rushed/abbreviated in introducing the phenomenon of Superman to Metropolis with a rather hokey plan by Luthor. Just to me, not a good or intriguing piece of work overall, regardless of who it was about. And I'm not the only one who doesn't like it, either. I hope this movie is nothing like it.

No I'm sure your not the only one, I'm just saying that your the only one that I've come across that said they didn't like it lol. I agree bout the artwork though, I think that and lex knowing Clark in smallville was my only 2 gripes, but I am surprised you don't like it

 

[Snoo]

read Secret Origin... i really liked it also read Birthright... not impressed at all. the story was blah, and the artwork was just terrible.

When I first read it, the art looked refreshingly different to me and quite surprising, though it did take some time getting used to, mostly due to the thin outlines and "the blockiness" of the characters' frames in some panels, but I thought the character designs were really nice, as was the usage of empty space.

For instance, both Jor-El's and Clark's piercing blue eyes looked stunning and I appreciated how much Leinil Yu focused on them. Perhaps it was the writer who suggested it? There's plenty of others who only focus on Superman's physique, the costume, the flying, and so forth, but the face itself is lacking of emotion or, rather, the artist can draw only so many different expressions. They're not particularly... subtle. It's disappointing when the palette of emotions is kind of narrow and repetitive, especially when the story itself is great!

But in Birthright, I liked how expressive the eyes were and how they made the characters more real. The facial expressions overall I thought were better than some of the other artists' portrayals of Superman. That dreadful "dead look" in his eyes or when every character, particularly women, look interchangable save for hairstyle and haircolor, can be a big turn-off. And, ok, the eyes may be a small thing to give this much attention to in my post, sure, but they really stood out to me here. They've always been very important to me when it comes to Superman. They're just as important as his other physical traits.

I hope we get some close-ups of Henry's fierce eyes in MOS because, hey, Batman's not the only hero who can bring a bad guy to his knees with a single glare! 'Sides, a lot of acting can be done through the eyes alone. If Henry's emotions can flicker in his eyes from one to another as fast as, say, Tom Hiddleston's in Thor, I'll be one happy bunny! In the scene with Odin when it's revealed who Loki really is, Tom's emotions shifted from surprise to pain to disbelief to anger in a matter of seconds, and they all showed in his eyes.

This Birthright page of Clark's first job interview at the Daily Planet is one of my fave because of all the tight close-ups of his eyes. They say so much even without dialogue:

I'd like something like this in MOS. The third panel in the third row is the reason I own the original artwork page by Leinil Yu. I just love it. The shifting between the "insecure" and "intimidated" look, and the almost resigned look when he makes his decision ("Sigh, now I have to start the Clutzy Clark shtick"), is amazing. That last eye close-up is my fave because he looks determined. "No, I can do this, " he thinks. He's determined to make a lasting impression on Perry, hehe, and he sure did! *catches falling pens and makes a spectacle of himself* LOL at "Leave the pens." Didn't take much for Perry to fall for the false persona! Clark's just that natural of an actor.

And I also absolutely loved Dave McCaig's coloring from the get-go; colorists are underappreciated in general, aren't they?

Sorry for being kind of off-topic, eep.

 

[flickchick85]

I preferred Birthright's artwork over Secret Origin's, tbh.

 

[charl_huntress]

excellent points... I htink everyone wants Superman to look like Lee's Superman. Though I've always been big fan of Benes

 

[RoughNTumble]

nothing beats curt swan and jim lee (for tomorrow era)

 

[WoodyROM]

I think we will get some shots of those piercing blues in mos. The shot on the trailer where he looks up from the fishing boat shows them off well, and I'd like to think we'll get some better shots than that. Great post btw