I've already talked up a first in the first issue of Action Comics, but here's one you might have chalked up to Batman. Whenever I try to explain to someone the difference between the original Superman and the status quo enforcing authority figure he became, I reference this story.
Clark Kent happened upon a senator being approached by a shady looking fellow. Upon investigating, he learned this was a slick lobbyist, and confronted the fellow as Superman about what interests he was pushing. When the lobbyist refused to talk, Superman grabbed him by the ankle and began running atop telephone lines, threatening to electrocute him. The pair leapt to the Capitol Building, then on toward another, except-- "Missed-- Doggone it!"
The first Superman story ended in a cliffhanger, but we all know super-powers used to intimidate information out of the bad guys appears in several comics every single month of the year. Just another sign of the pervasive influence of the Man of Steel...
Check out more highlights from the past 75 years of DC Comics at The Truly Most Memorable Moments of the DC Dodranscentennial
I'm a big fan of "Superman - Friend to all," but I'm almost equally a fan of "Superman - righteous tough-guy."
ReplyDeleteThe idea of some one like Charles Bronson playing him (he was an almost ran on the Donner/Reeve movies) excites me to no end. I've been pretty obsessed with MMA lately, and am always keeping a fantasy casting eye out. Chael Sonnen, who is fighting for the UFC Middleweight belt this saturday has the chin, build, and all american way about him where I would put him on a short list for this kind of Superman. A caveat; he's a giant asshole, and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder for an invulnerable man.
I think the right writer/director could easily mold him into an awesome man of steel. That is, of course, if Hollywood could get away from Johns's "Marvelized" origin tweak. Superman is no pussy.
Thing is, much as I dig this Superman, he's unrecognizable today. What would be awesome is if someone made Iron Monroe truly a stand in for the S&S Superman.
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