Most Memorable Moment: Clark Kent Dancing with Lana Lang at the Prom (Smallville)

This was such an interesting prom scene from the Smallville episode Spirit (season 4 episode 18) because there were a wide array of emotions shown from all the characters. From Clark Kent's surprise at seeing Lana Lang to Lana's nervousness of being at the prom. To both Lois Lane and her cousin (still not a fan of this) Chloe Sullivan feeling a little melancholy to Martha and Jonathan Kent's shock melt into happiness to Jason Teague's jealousy at seeing Clark and Lana dancing.

There was just so many emotions in this scene. I always found it interesting that despite Lois saying that she wasn't the one Clark wanted to dance with, you could see on her face after he left that she was experiencing some sort of emotion about it. Perhaps she did want to dance with him. But at that point in time Clark only had feelings for Lana who unfortunately was dating Jason (who in my opinion was using Lana because she had a connection to the stones). Jason might have cared for Lana but he was still using her.

Now back to Lois, the irony of her telling her cousin "You're headed for Metropolis. You are destined to be a big shot reporter at the Daily Planet." Which as we all know, is Lois' destiny. I have to mention that very bright and tacky pink dress and equally tacky earrings that Lois was wearing (maybe I'll do a Fashion Meets Comics for it). That look was so not Lois, however, it was all thanks to Dawn Stiles' ghost who had possessed her. Ugly dress or not at least Dawn did an amazing job with Lois' makeup because that was perfect. The sad thing was that one way or another Dawn was so set on being Prom Queen and she kept possessing different people to try to achieve that. Meanwhile, I just love Lana's complete look, it was very old Hollywood glam. Hair, dress, accessories and makeup, it was all perfect. And Clark had a very nice simple tuxedo that looked great on him.

They really had the perfect song playing with Lifehouse performing their song "You and Me". Because as the scene closes, there's Clark and Lana happily slow dancing without a care in the world not realizing the swirl of emotions all around them. They are just so blissfully unaware. This was just a memorable scene.

Trailer for "Superman: Man of Tomorrow" Animated Movie

As excited as I am to see Superman: Man of Tomorrow, I do find it a little weird that Clark is an intern at the Daily Planet? Is Lois one as well? How young is he in this movie? Is he still in college or is he a recent graduate? I'm probably overthinking it but it just stands out to me that Clark is an intern and not a full-time reporter for the paper. Regardless, I can't wait to see it.

I love that Metropolis looks similar to the one on Superman: The Animated Series, it's very bright and futuristic. And I can't help noticing the scene with Clark and J'onn in Smallville reminds me of the scene from the Justice League animated series episode Comfort and Joy (a.k.a. the Christmas episode).

So far, a release date has not been announced but it's supposed to be out sometime this summer. One of my pet peeves is voice actors rarely being selected for big projects. I do wish more voice actors were hired for more of these animated movies, the studios always go for a big name over voice actors. I'm not sure it will ever change but a lot of use voice actor fans hope that that studios will stop overlooking them for roles.


Superman: Man of Tomorrow

Starring: Darren Criss (Clark Kent/Superman), Alexandra Daddario (Lois Lane), Zachary Quinto (Lex Luthor), Ryan Hurst (Lobo), Bellamy Young (Martha Kent), Neil Flynn (Jonathan Kent), Brett Dalton (Parasite), Ike Amadi (Martian Manhunter/J'onn J'onzz) and more

Description:

Daily Planet intern Clark Kent takes learning-on-the-job to new extremes when Lobo and Parasite set their sights on Metropolis in Superman: Man of Tomorrow

Six Interesting Things About the "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" Pilot

I love watching superheroes shows, it doesn't matter if they're old or new. One of my favorite old shows is the 1990s Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The pilot episode was a movie that was a Superman origin story and during a recent rewatch I noticed a few things I found interesting.

Was the Man of Steel's Jonathan Kent a Bad Father?

I know it's been five years since Man of Steel was released in theatres but I still can't get over how bad Jonathan Kent's portrayal was. This movie got so many things wrong about the world of Superman but to feature a Jonathan Kent that was so uncaring and paranoid was not the way to go. I know it's been a while since I've seen this movie but I can't help wondering was Jonathan Kent a terrible father or did he simply give bad advice?

I noticed how Jonathan continuously gave Clark really bad advice which instilled fear in him instead of providing his son with the confidence he needed to believe in himself and do what he could to help others. Jonathan using fear as a motivator caused Clark to second guess himself and made him feel he had to hide who he was or people would fear or hate him. And not to mention he could be caught by the government and taken away.

The story acknowledged that Jonathan had a belief that his son was destined for greatness but if he constantly instilled fear in his son how was Clark going to find out what he was destined for if he was too afraid of his secret being discovered?

For instance, in the scene after Clark rescued a group of his classmates who were trapped on a sinking school bus, his father pretty much told him that he should not have rescued those kids. Clark asked his father if he should have let a bus full of kids die instead of using his powers and guess what dear old dad had to say. He said "I don't know. Maybe". Why would they write him saying that? Jonathan was so afraid that someone would find out about Clark that he gave out that particularly piece of terrible advice. I get it, he doesn't want anyone to find out about the things his son can do but for him to prefer Clark let kids die so his secret can be safe is horrible.

And I still find the tornado scene to be ridiculous because Jonathan didn't want Clark to rescue him, he just stood there while the tornado engulfed him. He would rather die in a storm instead of letting Clark save him which is something that he could have easily done without anyone seeing. I don't understand how this scene was even written with Clark just standing there not going out to save his father. This was easily one of the most preventable deaths.

The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) version of Jonathan Kent (and to some extent Martha Kent) didn't nurture or guide Clark into being a caring, confident, intelligent and proactive person. Growing up, Clark never got the chance to figure things out for himself and even after his father died he was still being influenced by how he was raised.

Jonathan did a great job of teaching his son to be fearful because Clark was so afraid of building connections he roamed the country going from one dead-end job after another. He didn't have to worry about someone getting to know him or questioning him because those jobs allowed him the opportunity to stay anonymous. Although he had trust issues (thanks to dear old dad), he at least didn't stick with his father's terrible advice of not helping others. Because while working those jobs he wound up helping people such as a waitress that was being harassed by truck drivers to saving workers on an oil rig that caught fire.

However, when the time came for him to save the world against the Kryptonians it gave off the appearance that he was reluctant to do so. It's like he didn't mind doing things on a smaller scale but revealing himself to the world was too much to handle. Thanks to his fearful upbringing, it felt like he was only going in to fight the Kryptonians only because he was forced to.

I don't know if Jonathan Kent was a terrible father or just gave out bad advice but in the end Clark had to eventually decide for himself who he wanted to be. A person of fear or someone who is willing to trust others? But it would have been nice if his parents had been more nurturing and supportive to help him on his way to becoming the superhero he ended up being.

Comic Con Trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

This trailer does not have me eager to see this movie. As I was watching this, the one thing that kept popping into my head was, what the heck am I watching? It looks like they are trying to do too much in one movie. Maybe it will turn out great or end up a total mess, who knows. I'm hoping it's a success since it will be Wonder Woman's first appearance in a live action movie.

The funny thing is prior to seeing this trailer, the teaser trailer actually had me surprisingly interested in maybe going to see this movie. Now...not so much.

Book Review for A-Z Title Challenge: Superman: Man of Steel issue #1

Book: Superman: The Man of Steel issue #1 by Louise Simonson with illustrations by various artists

Edition: digital issue

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Superman is having a rough time with trying to help with every emergency he can but also trying to track down who is behind several bomb attacks in Metropolis. The city is also experiencing financial troubles which have left a huge impact including at The Daily Planet.

Clark is also plagued with headaches and weird visions of Krypton, he's not sure what they mean but they are making it hard to concentrate. Even with Lois helping Clark track down the lead, they're getting no where with the bombing story. With all of this going on, Clark's parents arrive for a visit just when there is a new Kryptonian threat approaching.

Can Superman handle all these emergencies? Will he be able to save the day?

This story might be a little old but it's still a good read. Despite all the pressure building up Clark never stops trying to help. This first issue is not only well written but it's filled with nonstop action, drama, suspense and humor.

Currently Reading for A-Z Title Challenge: Superman: The Man of Steel issue #1

I getting closer to the end of the A-Z Title Challenge and you can't have a challenge without Superman, right?

Book: Superman: The Man of Steel issue #1 by Louise Simonson with illustrations by various artists

Edition: digital issue

Description:

Over a year ago, Superman fought the urge to become the Krypton Man. Now the Krypton Man is born anew from the Earth’s fiery sun—the same place where the Man of Steel buried the mysterious Kryptonian Eradicator.

Book Review: Adventures of Superman #4

Book: Adventures of Superman #4 by various writers and artists 

Cover by Bruce Timm and Nick Filardi

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Three very good stories in this issue:

1st story: A Day In The Life by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning with illustrations by Wes Craig and color by Lee Loughridge

In this story, the reader gets a look into the life of Lex Luthor and as expected his day is full of treachery. For someone as smart and good at business as Lex is, he uses all his abilities to do nothing but take advantage of others and then do everything he can to get rid of Superman. Also, throughout the story you see Superman trying to stop this huge robot.

What I love is the ending because although Clark couldn't prove Lex had anything to do with that robot he certainly let Lex know in a clever way that he knew.



2nd story: The Deniers! by Tom DeFalco with illustrations by Pete Woods

This story opens with Phil and Moze, two regulars at a local diner when they start discussing the news of the day, an impending meteor to strike the city. That's when Phil a total skeptic starts talking about how he doesn't believe that a meteor will strike the city nor does he believe in Superman.

While Phil is mapping out his whole conspiracy theory about Superman and superheroes in general, Superman is going around stopping a couple of emergencies. And while Phil is talking, Superman stops not only that meteor out in space but robbers in a high powered robot trying to steal from a bank.

Again, love the ending of this one as well, just as Phil and Moze were leaving the diner Clark, Lois and Jimmy enter. Turns out Phil is a friend of Clark's and although he doesn't believe in Superman, he knows that Clark is someone you can believe in. He's just that good of a person.



3rd story: Savior by Rob Williams with illustrations by Chris Weston

This story so made me want to rewatch the first Superman movie and the artwork was just amazing. The way Superman was drawn in this resembles George Reeves.

Anyway on to the story, in Savior, Martha Kent narrates this tale. She talks about how Clark barely manages to take time out to relax, he goes non-stop from one emergency to the next. She wishes he could stay for dinner just once before having to rush off.

Meanwhile back in Metropolis, Perry White wants Clark to start working on a new assignment to find out why a judge unexpectedly released a kidnapper. That's when Clark was starting to wonder where Lois Lane was. She was supposed to be finding information about the kidnapper but some how she got a little too close to the story and just might need a little bit of help.

This had a very nice ending with Superman saving the day for Lois and the kidnapped victim to finally making time to have dinner with his mother. Joining them was the adorable Krypto the superdog.


I love this series, it's so much fun to read.

Thanksgiving comics: Smallville, Mutts, Calvin and Hobbs and more

That DC Comics Thanksgiving art can be a bit morbid so I thought I post a few funny holiday comics.

Again I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.


Smallville Season 11: Olympus arc
(Slight Cheat, but there is a turkey on the table)

Mutts

Calvin and Hobbes

Garfield

PHD comics

Foxtrot

Illustration of the Day: Superboy, Wonder Girl, Martha Kent and Krypto

Illustration: Adventure Comics issue #2

Super Best Friends Forever Short: Grounded

I guess Martha Kent is the toughest one there. Why wasn't the Super Best Friends Forever turned into a series it's just the best thing ever.

Illustration of the Day: Jonathan, Martha and Clark Kent

Illustration: Superman: Birthright

The Kents are truly missed in the New 52 because Clark really doesn't have any family or anyone that he can talk to. They've pretty much removed Lois Lane from his life and he's not really that close to either Kara or Conner. Which makes scenes like the one above so sad.

Because when you think about it, his parents just didn't make the cut for things to include for this new take on the series. I guess they weren't cool and edgy enough.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Artwork: Trinity Mothers by yasminliang


Happy Mother's Day!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day, even more so for those who can not be with their mothers.

By the way, isn't this picture simply beautiful. It's really amazing.

Book Review: Superman For All Seasons

Book: Superman For All Seasons written by Jeph Loeb with illustrations by Tim Sale and color by Bjarne Hansen

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

I actually had a hard time trying to figure out what to say, not because I didn't like it (I gave it 5 stars) but for the fact that I thought it was Perfect. The excellent writing coupled with the amazing artwork told a captivating story.

It was a great take on Superman and you got to see what made him such an awe inspiring character. Although Superman For All Seasons is about Clark's journey to being Superman, it's not told from his point of view instead it told by Jonathan Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor and Lana Lang in four different yet interconnecting stories. You get a sense of how they saw him whether it be love or hatred (in Lex's case) but also as a hero.

This was not a re-telling of his origins but more of a snapshot of a year in his life. The first story set during the Spring narrated by Jonathan Kent, told of how Clark was dealing with how different he was feeling but also showed a father's love and concern for his son. After a tornado ripped through town, Clark wished he could have done more to help the people and the town. He wanted to make a difference and to just help. Knowing he would have to leave his home to do this, Clark embarked on a new life in Metropolis as well as being the new hero Superman.

The second story set during the Summer narrated by Lois Lane, gave the reader a chance to see why this man who could do anything especially with all of his abilities, chooses to help. To be a hero. Even though she's a seasoned reporter, you can tell she's a bit blown away by the existence of Superman. That he's too good to be true (her own words) yet it's the idea of what he stands for that inspires her as well as piqued her curiosity and whether she would say it or not, awed her.

So far with these two stories, there was an underlining sense that Lex Luthor was not happy that someone was taking all of the city if not the world's attention off of him. Like Superman just trying to help has somehow threatened Luthor in some way. In the second story, Luthor put his jealousy to work by creating the Guardians of the City to help protect the city. He wanted that attention back and to do that he needed to be the hero to the city again.

So by the third story set during the Fall with Lex Luthor as the narrator, you get to see Superman through Luthor's twisted mind. To see how Superman has taken the city away from him. His pride is so injured he came up with an plan to destroy Superman but not in the usual way. He needed to tear down the Man of Steel's confidence in his ability to keep the city and its people safe. And in a way it worked.

Which leads to the last story set during the Winter told by Lana Lang. This story showed Clark back in Smallville sorting through his life. There are these two pages that I love, it shows Lex Luthor and Lois Lane as they are both staring out the window of their perspective buildings. Lex is as happy as he could be while with Lois you could see her sense of longing for not just Superman but also for Clark (who had decided to take some time off).

Through Lana's story the reader got a good understand of who Clark was as a friend and as a hero. He genuinely wants to help and what you see is what you get. And when a flood threatens the town, Clark's main focus was on trying to help. It was interesting that you got to see his heroics through the eyes of the town's people and his parents and Lana. I love that not only was Clark able to save the town he also got the top story for the Daily Planet. And even though Luthor thought he won, the only thing he did was inadvertently create an even stronger Man of Steel. Clark had to realize that he couldn't do everything like he thought he could in the beginning but he could still do the best he could. Which is all that anyone can do, super powers or not.

I absolutely love this story because it captured everything perfectly, be it Clark's life in Smallville to the grandness of Metropolis. But also Clark's loneliness in the big city and how different he felt returning to Smallville. In a way he was no longer that small town guy. I like how Smallville felt like I was looking at life by Norman Rockwell with a feeling of the Andy Griffith show. While Metropolis was shown mostly from the air looking down at all the tall buildings with everyone going at a fast pace.

Sorry this was a bit long, I just wanted to write how amazing I thought this was. Sort of wished I hadn't waited so long to read this.

Currently Reading: Superman: For All Seasons

This is considered a Superman classic and I've had it for a while (yes, I know but I am trying to get around to reading all my books). Can I say that I'm really excited to read this? Totally can't wait.

Book: Superman: For All Seasons written by Jeph Loeb with illustrations by Tim Sale and color by Bjarne Hansen

Description:

In this coming-of-age tale witness the experiences and adventures that transform a simple country boy into the world's greatest hero. Told through the course of four seasons in the Man of Steel's adolescent life, it illustrates that it is the person, not the powers, that makes Superman a hero.

The catalyst for the "Smallville" television program, Superman: For All Seasons is emotional and insightful, humanizing the alien from another planet so that he is not only realistic but also relatable. It also features in-depth characterizations of Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and the Kents.

This volume collects Superman For All Seasons #1-4.

Today is the Anniversary of Jonathan and Martha Kent finding baby Kal-El

According to the DC Comics calendar (pre-reboot), today is the day baby Kal-El's ship crashed landed into a Kansas field and was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent. They brought the little guy home and named him Clark Joseph Kent.

His parents are the reason he is such an amazing guy. Without Jonathan and Martha, there would be no Superman because without their love and guidance he would just be any random powerful superhero using his powers without any cause or concern for those around him. I always felt like his parents were his heroes.

An Update to my Man of Steel Review: An Amazing Character I Forgot to Include

When I posted my Man of Steel review yesterday, I forgot to include Diane Lane's Martha Kent on the short list of good characters (Perry White and Faora). Martha was the star of her scenes especially when she was along side Henry Cavill (whose performance was awful throughout the movie). Martha was strong yet kind, she had a warmth that made you instantly care and knew that she cared about her son. Diane Lane did an amazing job, I just wish the movie had been better.

Illustration of the Day: Conner and Martha Kent and Krypto

Illustration: Adventure Comics issue #2

This scene shows Conner getting ready for his date with Cassie (Wonder Girl) as well as continuing to go over his list to see who he is more like: Clark or Lex. Poor guy, he's so worried about transforming into Lex that he thinks he's going bald.

Superman: Unbound (Spoiler Free) Review

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

I finally got around to watching Superman: Unbound yesterday (I bought it on Tuesday). Here's my review, I wanted to keep this spoiler free so as not to ruin your experience before you watch it. Well, on to the review.

I thought Superman: Unbound was a very good movie, it was action packed but also had a wonderful story that was filled with humor as well. There was also some really nice moments between Clark and Kara, Lois and Clark, Martha and Kara and more. I was glad that Jonathon and Martha Kent were included in the movie. It was also nice seeing the old costumes for Superman and Supergirl. A classic never goes out of style, right?

I can now say I have another favorite Lois Lane to add to my list of favorites. I thought Stana Katic's voice acting was very good. Unlike Matt Bomer's voice acting for Superman, I found his Supes to be a bit snooze worthy. He wasn't awful just a bit dull and boring. Not every actor can be a voice actor. Or, perhaps I've just been spoiled by Tim Daly's amazing voice acting of Superman. But aside from that, this was a really good movie. Supergirl's voice acting by Molly Quinn was good as well.

If you've seen the movie, what did you think about it?

Illustration of the Day: Lois Lane and Martha Kent

Illustration: Superman Family Adventures issue #11

I can't believe Superman Family Adventures was canceled it was such a fun series. It was one of my favorite. I don't think ever comic should be all dark and grim, there should still be room for more light hearted comic as well.

The 12th issue (which is out at the end of the month) will be the last of this series.