The Superman Look: Shaping Superman

[ChickenScratch]

::caugh:: Ed McGuiness ::caugh::

 

[not_a_victim]

Excellent point. I suppose it's like camera angles and lighting in movies, the artists trying to make their subjects look more imposing, but you're right - it gives the reader a false sense of what they would look like in real life.

Goes for the women, too! How many tall, super-thin DDs or EEs really walk around on this planet?

Not nearly enough, my friend. Not nearly enough.

 

[not_a_victim]

I think this is the reason some people (and I have been guilty of this myself) will jump at the opportunity to say that a professional wrestler can/should be cast as a hero.
The latest round is the demand for Mark LeVesque (Triple H) to be cast as Thor. Yes, visually, he has it dead on, and he is a better actor that Blade:Trinity gave him the opportunity to be. I'm on the fence about it. Yes, he has the visual aspect down, but I think there may be others who can act better. However, I do not want a good actor in a body suit to portray Thor.
Beleive it or not, I am also hearing undercurrents of LeVesque being recommended by studios for Aquaman! If they are going for the new, gritty retcon for Aquaman, then he certainly has the look for that, as well.

 

[NotFadeAway]

I don't see any reason why Superman has to be any bulkier than this. This is plenty. I don't like the Steroid versions of Superman, anyway. That's just for comic artists because they like to draw that way. Much more than this and he could never get away with being Clark.

Thats even a little too much!

 

[NotFadeAway]

Alright, why does no one else find this hilarious?

I do lol! I wasn't gonna say anything, but......

 

[NotFadeAway]

Routh's body was one of the few things I didn't mind about the movie. Welling's is better, but who cares, as long as he looks like he has some muscle. Superman doesn't need to be a f-ing bodybuilder or fitness model, he needs to smack bodybuilding looking guys around.
Superman just needs to look like an athlete!

 

[The Marvel]

Not nearly enough, my friend. Not nearly enough.

 

[Nightwing1977]

Thats even a little too much!

Yep. I think having a guy who is average built (not huge, but not super skinny either) is more believable for the role. Especially when you have to make Clark Kent not look like Supes beside the glasses & hair with his physique. A perfect example of it's not working was Michael O' Hearn. He was too big as Superman, that you can even see he is still big in the suit as Clark & it was too distracting. Not to mention how no one can figure out he is Superman with having the same big shoulders look as Clark?

 

[The Joker_1000]

I think this is the reason some people (and I have been guilty of this myself) will jump at the opportunity to say that a professional wrestler can/should be cast as a hero.
The latest round is the demand for Mark LeVesque (Triple H) to be cast as Thor. Yes, visually, he has it dead on, and he is a better actor that Blade:Trinity gave him the opportunity to be. I'm on the fence about it. Yes, he has the visual aspect down, but I think there may be others who can act better. However, I do not want a good actor in a body suit to portray Thor.
Beleive it or not, I am also hearing undercurrents of LeVesque being recommended by studios for Aquaman! If they are going for the new, gritty retcon for Aquaman, then he certainly has the look for that, as well.

For one a wrestler should not be cast as Superman of all heroes, that would be disasterous unless the actor really resembled Superman & had an amazing acting ability. Second of all, his name is Paul Levesque, not Mark so get that right. Third of all, Paul looks nothing like Superman & would be miscast if he were cast as Superman. He shouldn't be Aquaman, either, he'd surely catch hell, even if he auditioned for the role.

 

[not_a_victim]

For one a wrestler should not be cast as Superman of all heroes, that would be disasterous unless the actor really resembled Superman & had an amazing acting ability. Second of all, his name is Paul Levesque, not Mark so get that right. Third of all, Paul looks nothing like Superman & would be miscast if he were cast as Superman. He shouldn't be Aquaman, either, he'd surely catch hell, even if he auditioned for the role.

1. You're right. I was thinking of his middle name, which is Michael, and simply transposed it to Mark.
2. I made no mention of any specific wrestler being cast as Superman. It was a comment on the general call of some to cast wrestlers as comic book heroes.
3. Not once did I mention or even insinuate that LeVesque should be cast as Supes. Not once. (Get that right.)
4. I said there was a call to cast him as THOR.
5. Lastly, I said that I had heard rumblings from studio execs wanting LeVesque as Aquaman, not that I wanted him as Aquaman. If they go with the "new" A-Man, who is all bearded, bulked up, and generally as sully as Rosie O'Donnel in a salad factory, LeVesque does have that look.

See...

http://www.otmfan.com/graphics/lyric/aquaman.jpg

Edit: I don't know if A-Man has moved on past this particular look, but it is a valid story arc that a movie could be made of. I need to catch up on this title...

 

[not_a_victim]

Yet another one where LeVesque looks NOTHING like Aquaman...

Edit, whoops, hotilinked, which is a no-no
Copy and paste, take out the space right after the "dot"

http://www.reefcentral. com/totm/2000-09/aquaman.gif

 

[CeeJay]

Anyway, getting back on track:


Personally I think Supe should look more along these lines:


Name: Bruce Jenner

As far as definition/striation goes.


And


Name: Not listed
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 230 lbs (He'd be 226.973 lbs if he were 6'3")

For overall size.

Gross.

What's up with his calves? Yuck.

 

[ariellem]

How many tall, super-thin DDs or EEs really walk around on this planet?

Not nearly enough, my friend. Not nearly enough.

OK, I deserved those responses.

 

[DrunkSquirrel]

I have always felt that Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh have had the perfect build for Superman. Dean Cain to as well. He is not a weight lifter. He gets his strength from out yellow sun. He should have lean muscle, not a bodybuilders frame. He does not spend hours in the gym. He does not have to. Comic book artist with their overly pronounced vision of human anatomy has really impacted what our superheros should look like.

Batman for example bein a mere mortal should be muscualr, but not ridiculously so. He needs to be agile and limber. It is difficult to quickly move a hulking mass. Take a look at most military special forces. They are typically lean and not excessive bulk. It is counter productive to bulk up and try to remain stealthy.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Hughes get's it.

 

[Super Kal]

hell yeah

 

[SuperDaniel]

 

[The Empire Ape]

they should use a body like mine.

 

[NotFadeAway]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, because I'm right, ya know. Superman should have the build of a big, strong, farm boy. Not a bodybuilder, not a track runner, not a swimmer, not a pro wrestler, not like Tobey Maguire, none of that junk. A big, strong farmboy. Thats WHO Superman is for crying out loud. Think Russell Crowe's build in Gladiator

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0172495/8.html?path=gallery&path_key=0172495&seq=3

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0172495/8.html?path=gallery&path_key=0172495&seq=3

It's not really that hard to accomplish. Stick to your core lifts, cardio on a cross trainer, and eat a high protein diet, along the lines of six meals a day. Also incorporate alot of push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and tricep push-ups, where you take two benches, put your ass on one, feet on another with a good distance between the two, and then take your ass off the bench, lower yourself as far as you can go, and then push up!

I had NO problem with Routh's body, was he a big strong farmboy, no, but he looked like an athlete, which I guess is a solid number two look for Superman. Routh looked like he did a high rep, low weight training program, with alot of lateral, side to side work, which explains his broad, but only defined look. By that I mean he was broad, but not bulky, just defined! He NEEDED to do more push/pull based work outs, but whatever. Again, I have no problem with that, I prefer the big strong farmboy, but as long as Superman looks like an athlete, I got no problem. The again, Henry Cavill would have been a big, strong farmboy!

 

[Infinity9999x]

My all time favorite depiction of Superman is definitely Alex Ross' version in KC. If they could find an actor who looked like that (just a bit younger) I'd be ecstatic. That's the way I like Superman, he's big but he doesn't look like a roid using power-lifter, he looks more like a big, in shape farm boy.

 

[Sucram]

It's not really that hard to accomplish. Stick to your core lifts, cardio on a cross trainer, and eat a high protein diet, along the lines of six meals a day. Also incorporate alot of push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and tricep push-ups, where you take two benches, put your ass on one, feet on another with a good distance between the two, and then take your ass off the bench, lower yourself as far as you can go, and then push up!

I think doing just bench, deadlifts, squats, (gotta work the legs too ) military press, chins and dips would suffice. All high intensity. That would create the farm boy look. But yeah I know what ya mean. I think he should have that rough farm boy physique. But I dont mind Routh's though.

 

[not_a_victim]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, because I'm right, ya know. Superman should have the build of a big, strong, farm boy. Not a bodybuilder, not a track runner, not a swimmer, not a pro wrestler, not like Tobey Maguire, none of that junk. A big, strong farmboy. Thats WHO Superman is for crying out loud. Think Russell Crowe's build in Gladiator

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0172495/8.html?path=gallery&path_key=0172495&seq=3

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0172495/8.html?path=gallery&path_key=0172495&seq=3

It's not really that hard to accomplish. Stick to your core lifts, cardio on a cross trainer, and eat a high protein diet, along the lines of six meals a day. Also incorporate alot of push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and tricep push-ups, where you take two benches, put your ass on one, feet on another with a good distance between the two, and then take your ass off the bench, lower yourself as far as you can go, and then push up!

I had NO problem with Routh's body, was he a big strong farmboy, no, but he looked like an athlete, which I guess is a solid number two look for Superman. Routh looked like he did a high rep, low weight training program, with alot of lateral, side to side work, which explains his broad, but only defined look. By that I mean he was broad, but not bulky, just defined! He NEEDED to do more push/pull based work outs, but whatever. Again, I have no problem with that, I prefer the big strong farmboy, but as long as Superman looks like an athlete, I got no problem. The again, Henry Cavill would have been a big, strong farmboy!

Not to go one up on you, but I said this a loooong time ago. If he was in "farmboy" shape, it would be very easy to explain why Clark was so big. "He's just a big Kansas farm boy."
C. Reeve did an incredible job of hiding his height and mass with the slouching, shambling, etc, but I don't think we are gonna find another actor who can do that as well as Reeve did. Therefore, make Clark a big ol' country boy, and you don't have to worry about hiding it.

 

[not_a_victim]

Anyway, getting back on track:


Personally I think Supe should look more along these lines:


Name: Bruce Jenner

As far as definition/striation goes.


And


Name: Not listed
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 230 lbs (He'd be 226.973 lbs if he were 6'3")

For overall size.

This secong pic is a good example of what having good proportions will do for you. He's not overly muscled, but the fact that his shoulders are way broader than his hips makes him look...good? You know what I mean, I just can't find the words for it right now. If this guy was in a Routh suit, he would look pretty good, up unti you got to his face. WHat's up with his expression, anyway?

 

[NotFadeAway]

I think doing just bench, deadlifts, squats, (gotta work the legs too ) military press, chins and dips would suffice. All high intensity. That would create the farm boy look. But yeah I know what ya mean. I think he should have that rough farm boy physique. But I dont mind Routh's though.

Squats are core lifts

I'm in agreement. All those lifts, plus the push-ups, chins, dips, etc would create the perfect Superman look!

When I saw the footage and photo's or Routh working out, it seemed like his workout was mostly Dumbbell and Cross Cable workout's, which I understand because they didn't have much time, and that style of working out "shows" results quicker looks wise, while it takes awhile for core workouts to show because it builds power first, and they didn't have alot of time. Believe me, I workout like Routh, it shows quicker. I used to do the power based stuff, I got so annoyed because every week I felt stronger, but it wasn't showing looks wise. I accepted that I cared more about looks than strength because I'm superficial, and I switched over to the higher reps, lower weight dumbbell and cable crossover based workouts, along with a 3 mile run six days a week.

 

[NotFadeAway]

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