The Broadway Show

Here's some coverage from the New York Times about the Broadway musical It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman. The soundtrack is available on CD.

As you can read, it was partly written by David Newman, who also, unfortunately, also had input on some parts of the Superman movies (the stupid parts). Yes, this show is a lot like one of the sketches that used to be featured in Bob Hope specials or other variety shows of the 60s and 70s.

A certain cavalier, jesting approach was mistaken for wit. A jarring flippancy was substituted for optimism. And a cheesy, self-mocking smarminess was used, instead of treating serious things (like truth, justice, and the American way) with respect, even in "light" entertainment.

Super Dishwasher Sign

Both of these images are from Superman 544, June 1983. The one of Luthor is by Swanderson, and the image of Superman is a special one created by Joe Shuster for this issue, a 45th Anniversary celebration.

After I went to the trouble to scan and clean up the images, plus add the speech balloons, I found out to my dismay that threfront of our dishwasher is aluminum -- nonmagnetic! I was going to stick a magnet inside. Ah, well.

So print, cut, fold. Cover with clear contact paper with a little magnet inside. Then you'll have your own Super Dishwasher Sign!

More on Superman 1 & 2

More Q&As from the Superman Movie Book.

Note how the "Metropolis" set was created to be an exact replica of a New York street. I guess it cost too much to replicate a Metropolis street!

Which reminds me, there's a scene in Superman IV: The Quest for Cheese (oops, I meant Peace) which shows the shoddiness of that film's production.

There's a scene where Lois Lane is riding the subway, and visible over her shoulder in the background is a tourism poster for New York City (not Metropolis or Gotham).

Eh!?!