The Superman Look: Shaping Superman

[markaudette]

I will always be influenced by Curt Swan's and Wayne Boring's version of Superman.

That's why I think the one person with the nearly perfect Superman physique is Clint Walker (from the Dirty Dozen):

That is, when he was in his prime pysical condition.

 

[Chucktallica101]

If Superman doesn't have an Arnold Schwarzenegger build...then it's not good enough.

 

[A Dark Knight]

If Superman doesn't have an Arnold Schwarzenegger build...then it's not good enough.

Which Arnold build are you talking about,

The Huge Massive Arnold like in "Predator" - I don't think I have ever seen him bigger

or

The Big but totally cut Arnold like in "T2" - His best overall shape on film.

 

[Super Kal]

he doesn't need to look like Arnold to convey strength

 

[ariellem]

I will always be influenced by Curt Swan's and Wayne Boring's version of Superman.

That's why I think the one person with the nearly perfect Superman physique is Clint Walker (from the Dirty Dozen):

That is, when he was in his prime pysical condition.

A fine choice! t:

They have a "would have worked back then..." thread in the WW casting discussion. How about some more - in here - for Superman?

 

[TNC9852002]

I like Alex Ross' Superman. He just looks big, massive, and burly, not so much like a wrestler, but more like a construction worker.

Very similar to Clint Walker's physique.

-TNC

 

[ariellem]

Ross' Supes' physique is pretty good, especially for an older Supes, but I don't like the [Popeye voice]squinky eyes[/Popeye] and I think the neck is just a tad too wide for the head. Oh, and Ross' Supes' expression usually makes me depressed :-< But yes, the physique is about there. Maybe a bit thicker in the ankle...

 

[markaudette]

Thank you, ariellem!

The thing about the Superman franchise is that there are fans out there, girls and guys alike, that would appreciate a little beefcake. Something Superman Returns was wholly devoid of. And while Clark is the face of moral fortitude, he's also the paragon of physical (i.e. = manly) perfection. Comics show this well.

I like Brandon Routh but I really wish the movie Superman could look more like Clint Walker.

Alex Ross' version has always been my favorite.

 

[ariellem]

I like Routh myself, but would have liked to see him OUT of that stinkin' suit - partly to see more of him :-> but partly just because that suit looked so tight & uncomfortable. I can see Batman purposely wearing uncomfortable clothes, as he seems the type to be into that (Catwoman!), but Superman has always been more relaxed and thus his costume shouldn't be uptight.

So - they let Routh (or whomever) bulk up, they DON'T stuff them into a sausage casing, and ...omigod, not in Hollyweird!... they DON'T shave his chest this time. See how the audience responds.

 

[Lighthouse]

I will always be influenced by Curt Swan's and Wayne Boring's version of Superman.

That's why I think the one person with the nearly perfect Superman physique is Clint Walker (from the Dirty Dozen):

That is, when he was in his prime pysical condition.

Clint should have played Doc Savage.

 

[Nightwing1977]

he doesn't need to look like Arnold to convey strength

Nope. Superman's strength never came from his muscles. It's from the sun. They just draw him big in the comics to look more heroic. It hard to make a comic book character look heroic with making them look like they're not bodybuilder. In real life (or in movie/tv, if you will) you need some sense of realism. As long the actor playing Superman isn't big like a bodybuilder & not skinny like Pee Wee Herman, it's all good.

 

[not_a_victim]

I will always be influenced by Curt Swan's and Wayne Boring's version of Superman.

That's why I think the one person with the nearly perfect Superman physique is Clint Walker (from the Dirty Dozen):

That is, when he was in his prime pysical condition.

Reminds me of Patrick Warburton. If they get around to making a Kingdom Come movie, Warburton needs to be Supes.

 

[A Dark Knight]

I like Routh myself, but would have liked to see him OUT of that stinkin' suit - partly to see more of him :-> but partly just because that suit looked so tight & uncomfortable. I can see Batman purposely wearing uncomfortable clothes, as he seems the type to be into that (Catwoman!), but Superman has always been more relaxed and thus his costume shouldn't be uptight.

So - they let Routh (or whomever) bulk up, they DON'T stuff them into a sausage casing, and ...omigod, not in Hollyweird!... they DON'T shave his chest this time. See how the audience responds.

I agree, I like Routh, I think if he gets to play Superman again (which he should), let him get a little bit bigger and a little more cut and have the suit actually fit him, don't try and stuff him into a suit that is way to small.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Reminds me of Patrick Warburton. If they get around to making a Kingdom Come movie, Warburton needs to be Supes.

The problem is that Warburton is not a good actor and i`ve only seen him in comedies...

 

[larryfilmmaker]

That actually isn't a large stretch to me. The kid in that Virginia Tech shooting was a American, but all his dormmates thought he couldn't speak English because he was so quiet. It's the same principal. People don't notice you or their impression of you is that of course you're not Superman. People from the South are considered stupid if they have a thick southern accent. You'd notice if a baby was 100 pounds no matter how quiet he was.

Very well said, dude. That's the whole Clark/Superman deal and people don't always seem to get it.

 

[larryfilmmaker]

I like Alex Ross' Superman. He just looks big, massive, and burly, not so much like a wrestler, but more like a construction worker.

Very similar to Clint Walker's physique.

-TNC

I like the construction worker/rugged father knows best Superman like Ross's too. I don't like him too pretty or skinnier than the other JL members. I mean, I understand the other side of the argument... but I think when you look at Superman, you're supposed to be impressed immediately, moreso than with any other hero. A normal guy with a red cape won't do that (usually) so you have to really nail it.

 

[Dave_W]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but based on what is said in STM, there is no way Superman would be as big as he is. He'd have even less muscle mass than Routh.

Supes says that he weighs 225 pounds, but Brando also says that his dense molecular structure will give him powers. He can't weigh 225 pounds and be as big as Reeve or Routh if he has a denser molecular structure. If that's the case he'd just look like an average guy. Granted it does't say how dense his molecular structure is, but he'd weigh a damn site more than 225 if he was going to be that big!

 

[Brian Braddock]

Y'know, I never actually thought of that before.

Makes you think................

 

[Vaibow]

That's true, but let's use Chris Reeve as an example, would you rather have a Superman the way he was built in Superman 3(beefed up to the max, not particulary cut, but just big)? Or how he looked in Superman 4(leaner, a lot lighter)?
I think in Superman 2 & 3 he looked his best, he was a tall man with width.
Brandon was cut and a beefy guy after work outs, but naturally wasn't that big and his bone structure isn't that broad across the shoulders.
We'll never know why Singer chose the costume design we had, regarding the tightness and the neck line(was it due to padding underneath?) - he literally looked like he was in a wet suit.

 

[ChickenScratch]

I'm all for Superman being big but really it's more about the actor portraying inner strength.

Oh, and that Clint Walker looks cool, he reminds me of Bruce Timm's first version of his Superman art.

 

[The Joker_1000]

That Clint Walker guy kind of resembles the 1990's animated Batman in my opinion.

 

[The Joker_1000]

If Superman doesn't have an Arnold Schwarzenegger build...then it's not good enough.

To be honest, it'd be pretty damn stupid for an actor to become as big as Arnold Schwarzenegger just for a few films.

 

[Nightwing1977]

To be honest, it'd be pretty damn stupid for an actor to become as big as Arnold Schwarzenegger just for a few films.

Yep. People want bodybuilder type of body because of how big Supes look like one in the comic. Don't some realize movies is real life & not pure fantasy like comic book/cartoon? Man, you should hear some fanboys spew crap like "If it work in comic book, it can work in real life". Guess some wouldn't have a problem if Batman start wearing rainbow or zebra costume in Batman 3, huh?

 

[The Joker_1000]

He should be somewhat buff but not like Arnold Schwarzenegger. That'd be just like hiring a bodybuilder & slapping on a Superman costume.

 

[hammy]

Yep. People want bodybuilder type of body because of how big Supes look like one in the comic. Don't some realize movies is real life & not pure fantasy like comic book/cartoon? Man, you should hear some fanboys spew crap like "If it work in comic book, it can work in real life". Guess some wouldn't have a problem if Batman start wearing rainbow or zebra costume in Batman 3, huh?

I don't even like that look in the comics, actually. Give me a Schuster or even Jerry Ordway's earlier Supes, anyday.