DC Movies

I'm definitely team light hearted/inspiring Superman myself.

I think a big reason why evil versions of Superman are popular is not so much because it's seen as unrealistic for someone with those powers to be a good person, but more because Superman's powers are terrifying if possessed by a non-good person, especially because Superman is pretty close to invincible.

Because it makes for a good story to have when characters have to try to defeat an apparently undefeatable opponent. And since the Evil Superman stories are typically gory, his powers serve that content well.

Of course, other heroes would also be frightening if they were evil, but probably not as frightening because they just aren't as powerful (although I am reminded of Nemesis as an evil take on the "Batgod" idea).

Probably helps that some of the Evil Superman characters (i.e. The Plutonian, The Sentry, Miracleman, and Superboy Prime) are from acclaimed comics.

I like how Megamind has a very flawed but not evil Superman in Metroman. Although the movie also is a good illustration of how evil Superman stories run on characters trying to figure out how to defeat the undefeatable.

I’d also attribute it to a power-level thing.

As in people want to see these ultra-powerful Godlike characters cut loose for sheer spectacle. Like anytime Homelander massacres a bunch of people or more recently from Invincible Omni-Man committing mass genocide on the Falaxan race in the most spectacular manner possible.

It's also pretty common trope because Superman is the archetypal superhero. If you want to make a commentary on the superhero genre, deconstructing the Trope Codifier is an easy place to start.

Just for clarification, I have nothing against Superman Expies ala Plutonian, Hyperion etc being evil, or alternate versions like Ultraman and Superboy Prime.

But I am very tired of the whole Justice Lords / Injustice route, of "normal" Clark suddenly turning evil because of personal tragedy.

I'd like an adaptation to tackle the notion that there are actually 3 Clarks: Superman/Kal-El, the put on hero persona, Clark Kent, the mild mannered clumsy goof who works for the Daily Planet, and Smallville Clark, the actual person he can only be with people who know his secret. I've always found that complication fascinating.

Granted the constant evil Superman clones are becoming pretty cliche.

What makes it worse is the constant Batshilling in any of those cases like Injustice which has the worst case of Batshilling ever with the unholy trinity of Creator’s Pets in Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn.

Edited by slimcoder on Apr 18th 2021 at 12:43:57 PM

Smallville kind of did the "three Clarks" thing with Clark, Kal and Kal-El.

I'm personally kind of exhausted with the whole "there are three parts to Superman's identity" angle. Real people simply respond in a certain way depending on circumstances and who is around you, you act a certain way around your boss but differently around your parents. After so many attempts to emulate the Christopher Reeve Superman I start to get the feeling that the character is deliberately putting on a show for the people around him, making it into a long term prank for his own amusement. It only supports the Kill Bill monologue how "Clark Kent" is a deliberately weak and nebbish character because that is how Superman perceives the rest of humanity. As a result I find myself more interested in the introspective, humble guy who gets to be more authoritative as Superman but has his own doubts and can be prone to anger and frustration regardless of what clothes he is wearing.

Notably Batman does almost the exact same thing if not more pronounced (switches from charming Bruce to violent Batman), and it's treated less of a deliberate act he puts on and more just what people do in such situations.

Oh goodness yes that is frustrating.

Well I find the three identities to be more refreshing than the duality, especially with Batman.

Batman honestly feels like two-dimensioned as a character if all you allow is Bruce Wayne is the mask and Batman is the true face. And a lot of that has to do with the fact many writers have made the Bat persona to be this unstoppable, uber badass that can take down Superman with enough time and money. I mean, when you think about it, Batman is also a mask. He cannot show himself to be vulnerable or otherwise his superstitious cowardly opponents will catch on and see Batman as a mere mortal man rather than some kind of demon. But it's that vulnerability that makes Batman so relatable as a character. He can make mistakes, he does have fears, and he can't do it alone.

Moments like these really adds a lot of character and nuance to Batman.

"All Star has some great moments, mixed in with stuff that's only there because Morrison wouldn't put down the drugs for five seconds. "

Morrison play up the god part of superman stright without any deconstruction which is weird for many writer who often play as the conflited god or the regular person that just happen to have power.

"That said I feel like the best live action version of Clark is Smallville. Credit that may be nostalgia, but I feel that it was one of the few live action ones to focus on Clark and not Superman."

Which is off because man of steel dosent seen to take clue from smallville from jonathan kent not wanting to reveal is power, to clark having moral doubt about it, even jonathan death mirror the tornado scene in season 1 as is actualy death in season 6(I think), one can said men of steel is a smallville adaptation.

"I think a big reason why evil versions of Superman are popular is not so much because it's seen as unrealistic for someone with those powers to be a good person, but more because Superman's powers are terrifying if possessed by a non-good person, especially because Superman is pretty close to invincible. "

Nah, I do think superman more than any other hero is define by the interesecion of his powers and his uber moral goodness, what people remenber is that he was the guy who run faster than a bullet, jump a building in a single lead and so on, and the second thing is the "stand for truth, justice and american way" in short superman is a super good as super powerfull that combination make him stand on, contrast with thor who is powerfull but not uber moral and cap who can be very moral defined but dosent have that much power.

In general people dont like the idea of someone so vastly powerfull being so vastly selfless, it make it sound as is selfness is a sort of superpower.

The Flash has officially begun filming. Here's a new logo teasing the new costume.

I can't believe that it is actually filming.

I noticed the lightning is yellow now. Looks cool.

Holy moly, it really is happening. Like really, really, hapenning!

(Also, that soundtrack already sounds like it'll slap.)

That is a sharp looking logo and even the font feels distinct, the whole "italicized and shifting size" comics title would probably look silly on a movie poster but the serifs resemble his ear wings in a cool way.

In case there is still any doubt, yes, Michael Keaton is in the Flash movie.

So any news on the villain for The Flash movie? Actual news. Not rumors or speculation. I know a big speculation is Reverse Flash.

Edited by Bullman on Apr 19th 2021 at 3:38:26 AM

Knowing the way the DCEU writes, I would be shocked - shocked - if it wasn't Thawne. I assume if Flash films continue they're going to through the same "only speedsters can ever be big bads" fixation that the CW Flash show eventually kicked after its third season.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Apr 19th 2021 at 1:41:44 AM

The main villains of Flashpoint was Thawne who sorta caused everything or at least prolongs.

As well as evil versions of Wonder Woman and Aquaman whose war was effectively destroying the planet. Though we haven’t seen any news of casting for them.

Interestingly Superman did appear in Flashpoint but as an emancipated skinny wreck because the governments keep him isolated underground for decades so I’m curious if Supergirl is gonna fill his role here or not.

Evil speedsters for life. .

I remember it being said a while ago that they didn't plan for it to be Thawne. I am not sure where.

Then we're getting zoom

Isn’t he Wally’s guy and not technically a speedster?