Superman Returns

by Martin Pasko

168 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2006

About the author

Martin Joseph "Marty" Pasko (born Jean-Claude Rochefort) was a Canadian comic book writer and television screenwriter.
Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC Comics over three decades. He wrote Superman in various media, including television animation, webisodes, and a syndicated newspaper strip for Tribune Media Services, as well as comic books. He also co-created the 1975 revamp of Doctor Fate.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superman Returns (2006) brought Superman back to the screen in an updated format of modern visual effects that were at times stunning in their symbolic beauty. Those old tired, and at the time increasingly awful Superman films that started so excitingly with Christopher Reeve in the origin story had become laughable badly-storied B-movies, becoming progressively worse, and we were glad to be shot of them. Bryan Singer's reboot was a treasured, tender offering which was clearly created out of love, and out of love there emerged an exciting new prospect, Superman's son. Clearly Singer had big ideas for the future. That they did not transpire is a great shame, but we now have Zack Snyder's even more modern update, with Superman's fights against his old nemesis Zod conducted at such speed, all we really see is the mayhem of destruction left in their wake. And recently, the origins of the Justice League.

So this Return was very well received and enjoyed, and once you got used to Brandon Routh's face and mild manner, it became an emotional journey as much as an action adventure. This special edition Superman Returns comic was released to coincide with the film, and includes an interesting origin story which shows some remarkable departures from that which we have become used to since the original Reeve Superman movie (1978), especially concerning the baby's adoption after crash-landing on Earth, and a vignette of his exploits where he discovers his abilities, all of which would have betrayed his identity to the public. It also includes four other stories which illustrate the changing representations of Superman in the comics over the years, not all for the better, 'A Night At The Opera' being both a strange story and slightly tasteless in parts. But I'm pleased they are being re-released, because I particularly like the style of the cartoon graphics of the '60s and '70s; they, specifically, represent Superman as I love him. And more than any other superhero, I love the idea of Superman, even while many others, in both the DC and Marvel universes, have great attractions (Batman, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man especially).

The cover image is one of the iconic symbolic images and perfectly representative of the film's aesthetic. Haley, Collins and Randall deliver a good likeness of the actors playing the roles in the film, and the while story obviously holds no surprises, it's good to see the Man of Steel as something soft and malleable - affected by the better human interactions. Myself, I would have liked to have seen that sequel Singer had in mind when we discovered Superman had a son. Maybe one day.... Meanwhile, there is a plethora of DC comics waiting to bring a hundred stories in a dozen 'worlds', of not just Superman, but Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Supergirl, Superboy, and, of course, Krypto, the dog. I look forward to many such nostalgic trips, and I'm particularly looking forward to Alex Ross' Kingdom Come.

[Aamina · Rating 5 out of 5]

luuuurrvve graphical novels these illustrations were AWESOME