Behind-the-Scenes Secrets

More information from the Superman Movie Book.

Did you know that David Prowse (Darth Vader) helped Chris Reeve (Superman) bulk up? Now you do!

More Pages from the Superman Movie Book

Here's the centerfold of the book, part of the "special color insert section," concerning production art of the "flight over Metropolis" sequence, and the finished shots.

Notice that in the storyboard / artist's conception, you can't see Superman's face, and Lois's face area is just a watercolor wash. Nothing personal, Miss Kidder!

I think it's also interesting to look at "the lights of the city." Note that the look and layout of the background -- a big flat area leading to a far-off horizon -- looks a lot like all the millions of "night shots" of LA from a distance, as featured in dozens of films and TV episodes. I doubt that the big city of Metropolis would look like that from the air! Where are the skyscrapers?

Another interesting thing about the concept art is how sketchy-looking Superman and Lois look, when compared to the city lights. Looks like more work was spent dabbing the lights in perfect gridlines, than was spent on painting the stars of the movie!

Amazing Facts Your Friends May Not Know!

Here are more pages from The Great Superman Movie Book .

Note that the "deleted scene" mentioned on the second page, involving Lois jumping out a window, is one of the scenes restored in the Superman II Donner Cut.

See you later, Super-Gators!

Good Taste in Reading!

In July 1963, the truly with-it type of cat was reading Superman 158, which gave a lot of background information on the bottle city of Kandor, and introduced the names Nightwing and Flamebird to the DC universe.

It was a great three-part novel that featured super-powered guys breaking into Earth's scientific installations, provoking Superman and Jimmy Olsen to go undercover to secretly infiltrate the only possible origin of the super-invaders -- Krypton's original capital, Kandor!

What!?! No Poster?!?

Yep, if I were the complaining type, I'd whine about the lack of a "Full-color SUPERMAN Pull-Out Poster For Your Wall!" because I didn't get one with this tabloid. Of course I got it second-hand, too, so I'm thankful that everything else is complete!

We'll look at a few pages of this treatise soon.

Super Wallet!

As you can see from the Superman image, it's a variation of the old "Superman busts chains across his chest" image, which has been depicted by Joe Shuster, Neil Adams, and various anonymous DC staffers.

From the musculature of Supes's body, and the bone structure of his face, I'd say that this image is 1970s Curt Swan. As you can see, it's copyright 1976.

It's got a zipper all the way around, and an "Identification Card" in case you're rendered senseless by Kryptonite or something.

At about 7 inches across when opened, this wallet isn't really convenient for keeping folding money.

It is, however, about perfect for keeping friends' phone numbers, the note you intend to pass on the playground, the key to your back door, the dog tag given you by your Uncle Leon, the combination to your bike lock, and other important stuff like that.

To give you an idea of its size, you could zip up your Razr in it, just barely. But why would you need a cell phone, when you could just use Super-Hearing, and Super-Ventriloquism?

Super Critter to the Rescue!

If you're a parent "of a certain age," or a child of same, then you will be familiar with Little Critter, star of many books by child's author Mercer Mayer.

Sort of a Jederbeast (that is, Everyman in animal form), Little Critter runs into many of the adventures encountered by kids today: the scary adventure of travel, the angst of a new babysitter, meeting new relatives, tryng a new skill for the first time ...

... and bullies. In Just a Daydream (1989), Little Critter is picked on by a bully who ruins the other kids' ball game. So Critter goes home and wishes he had super powers so he could fix things, like the fun ruined by bullies.

Boy, don't you feel the same way?

Being that this is a children's book, the problem is solved rather unrealistically by the bully apologizing and giving back Little Critter's ball.

If only all pushy types could be so humble! If only you and I could be so humble!

Superman at Burger King!

In 1997, we had a Burger King tie-in, in conjunction with Superman: the Animated Series.

Thanks to a nice fellow who managed a local franchise, I was able to get some of the merchandising materials. I have the life-sized Superman cardboard cutout in my attic!

Of course, this Super-version of the BK Kids' Club newsletter isn't necessarily a "collector's item," except to folks like us who are "in the know," right?

They Call It Plain Truth, but I doubt some of it

Today's bit of Super-Ephemera is an article from the "Worldwide Church of God" 's magazine called The Plain Truth . But we'll leave religion aside and let you just read the article.

Next up -- Super Burger King ! ? !

Scouting in Metropolis

Here we have an article from the September 1998 Scouting magazine about recycling newspapers in Metropolis, Illinois.

Supes's Rogues' Gallery!

In this page from the Metropolis Edition "World of Superman," we meet a few more baddies.

Do you think there is any chance in heck that you could somehow compel an actually bad person to politely introduce themselves to a hypothetical 10-year-old reading this comic? But, here they are, each waiting their turn to say hello.

Especially with the Phantom Zoners! Of course, even in the movies, you can see the same taming influence of the storyteller. If they really wanted to "get back" at Superman, they'll simply split the Earth to the core and kill every human in about thirty seconds.

That's kind of what Jax-Ur did to Wegthor, Krypton's inhabited moon, come to think of it!

More Than 200,000 Combinations!

Well, here's a treasure from the same year that brought us STAR TREK: The Motion Picture and Disney's The Black Hole. It's a blazing example of the limitless choice foreseen by Adrian Veidt in Watchmen.

Andru & Orlando are listed as artists. But there's no record of anybody being brave enough to own up to the text, which consists of a sentence broken into six sections, with accompanying "art."

You can flip the pages to any random assemblage, and while the resulting sentence may appear outwardly grammatical, that doesn't mean it makes any sense.

As you can see, below!

Y'see? Y'see? Your Super Minds. Super, Super! *

I just got a wonderful thing in the mail. It's a mini-onesheet for Superman Returns. But, it's in Korean, not English! How cool is that!

It's kinda neat to see this piece of Asian PR.

Look at the top line of text on the front side. Because of the comma in the middle and the exclamation point at the end, I bet that this line is Korean for "Look, Up in the Sky!"

And the tag at the bottom refers interested parties to http://wwwsupermanreturnsmovie.co.kr. That site isn't valid, but something similar is found at http://wwws.kr.warnerbros.com/supermanreturns/.

And many thanks for my old STAR OKC / SoonerCon buddy, Jon Powell, who now lives in South Korea with his lovely wife Jeong and kids Andre and Pauline. Jon's blog may be found at http://crossingculturessk.blogspot.com/.

Thanks again, Jon!

And y'all don't forget to write!

(* That was a reference to Dudley Manlove's line in Plan 9 from Outer Space.)

If You're Not Scared Enough -- You May Die!

Pageant was a magazine intended to appeal to the newly leisured middle class. Maybe to read back and forth on the subway. Maybe read in a doctor's office. The issue at hand included mild cheesecake, right alongside an article for the ladies on how to spot "an unfaithful male."

But what concerns us in this November 1956 issue is its coverage of the looming nuclear threat. Yes, pages 6 to 27 comprise a section called, "The New Invisible Death Around Us." -- that is, nuclear radiation. It features articles pro and con X-rays, how hereditary genetic mutation might occur, and other cheerful topics.

The final page is a brave summation of the section, basically saying that maybe the threat of nuclear destruction might scare the world into a one-world government that would solve our problems. Yeah, right!

Some might see the whole set of articles as disinformation by an "in-crowd" that tips its hand at the end when it mentions the need for a one-world government. I can certainly see how it might look that way!

PS -- no matter how much the cover girl looks to be Elizabeth Taylor, she's actually a model named Bunny Cooper.

What About "Anti-Nuclear" Madness?

Today's diversion is a 1978 book by Dr. Helen Caldicott. This is the 1980 paperback printing. The hardback went through four printings before the softbound version came out.

As you can see from the rear cover, Dr. Caldicott isn't worried about us blowing each other up, but about nuclear poisoning of the environment. You'll have to draw your own conclusions.

According to the pronouncements on the rear cover, made in 1980, by now we should all be "deformed or diseased" by now.

Of course, this might explain the popularity of "American Idol."

Malfunction! Malfunction!

Hey guys, I'll add a new post as soon as the Blogger gets fixed.

No, really! It won't let me add images. So when that is fixed, we'll be back with a few tales about nuclear scariness.

Superman in Oklahoma City !

Included in the 448 Page Super Heroes Big Big Book is a section involving Superman battling a new earthquake machine devised by Lex Luthor.

For no reason at all, Lois and Clark are sent to Oklahoma City, where Superman rescues some collapsing oil derricks. "An earthquake? In Oklahoma? Not impossible -- but it's not exactly common, either!" he thinks.

In the second panel presented here, doesn't it look like those derricks are in front of the (non-domed) OKC capital building?

Here's my guess. This coloring book, as you'll recall from a previous post, is copyright 1980, which is during the tenure of "Mr. Superman Know-It-All" for DC Comics, E. Nelson Bridwell.

I'd say that Mr. B might have had a hand in the assembly of the stories in this here kiddie book. And since E. Nelson Bridwell grew up in Oklahoma City, the depiction of the capital building surrounded by oil derricks is precisely the kind of thing he would have "dropped into" the story.

What do you think?

Well, at Least ONE Part of the "Legend"!

Here's another page from the "Official Metropolis Ediition" Amazing World of Superman tabloid.

Any guesses on artists? It's a sure bet that Toyman and Puzzler are by Super Swan. Brainiac's grin reminds me of Irv Novick.

And who is this Puzzler clown? Checking Movie Poop Shoot's Comics 101 feature (http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/137.html) , we see a reference to the Puzzler in the 1940s and 1950s. The accompanying art is by Wayne Boring, so I guess this goofus really existed!

Although I agree with their comment that he appears to be a third-rate Riddler clone.

Although this page is titled "The Superman Legend," there's a whole lot more to Big Blue than baddies. We'll probably find out more next time!

Don't forget to write, kiddies!

It's Not Spinach, So Don't Say the Hell with It!

You know, I wrinkled my forehead in dismay when I heard about this project. I would have wrinkled my lip, but I'm no good at doing Elvis.

But I went ahead and bought the two-disc set (audio CD + audio DVD) and listened to the 2nd disc on my DVD player in 5.1 Dolby.

Fun! For the young and the old, as I discovered when Jazra came in and started jam-dancing to "Lady Madonna."

It all sounds pretty good, and the idea of cross-overlaying songs is nothing new. The Beatles Remixers Group has been doing it for years, with Astounding Results!

Anyway, I'm thankful that crass commercialism (the Circus del Yuppie) led the way to a fun re-interpretation of my friends. Come on, it ain't blasphemy. You'll always have the originals. And if you don't, you can get them at Target.

KEY TO REFERENCES IN THIS POST:
BLOG ENTRY TITLE: "It ain't Spinach" etc refers to the James Thurber cartoon wherein a kid is refusing to eat whatever his parents have set before him. With his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, he announces, "I say it's spinach, and the hell with it!" Later this line was used as a song by Mr. Irving Berlin
1) "wrinkled lip/Elvis" refers to the most common visual imitators' attempt to look like Mr. Presley, the Elvis "sneer"
2) "Fun for the young and the old" is a reference to the Bill Gaither song "Plenty of Room in the Family" which has a line, "room for the young and the old"
3) "with Astounding Results" is an imitation of the old-fashioned way advertising posters used capitalization seemingly on a whim, specifically the Mr. Kite poster used by John for the song lyrics
4) "re-interpretation of my friends" is a reference to getting by "with a little help from my friends"
5) "You'll always have the orginals" etc -- a reference to Rick Blaine's lines to Ilsa in Casablanca that they would "always have Paris" in their memories

Don't Worry About the Lines

Despite what the number on the cover (next to the price)implies, this book is from 1980, not the 19th century. I discovered it at a local thrift store, and rescued it from oblivion. It's one of Jazra's favorite educational books.

Long ago I decided that people are more important than "things." This means that since this book wasn't in great shape when I got it, the heck with "preservation." If somebody (especially my grandkid) gets some fun out of coloring in it, by gosh that's what it was made for!

What do you expect? She's only 3 (four in April).

Farewell, Lily !

With a sad smile of nostalgia, we say "Fare Well" to Lily Munster, aka Yvonne DeCarlo, who has just died at the age of 84.

I sometimes got the feeling that DeCarlo felt put-upon in the role, being a serious movie actress before being shoehorned into this madness.

Or maybe it was just her art in acting, because her role was having to put up with a big green doofus of a Frankenhusband!

You can read a fine appreciation of her life and career ad Brian's Drive-In Theatre, at http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/yvonnedecarlo.html .

Farewell, Lily!

Now, Anyone Can Draw Superman!

Thanks to good ol' Curt's instructions, anybody can now prove how good or bad they are at following instructions.

To be honest, all the guidance in the world wouldn't help me draw Supes! *sigh* Some of us were born to be merely admirers of some of the arts.

How All Those Folks Made It to Earth

Just follow the dotted lines, and you'll see that all spaceways lead to Earth. Whether you're a rock, a dog, a baby, or if you live in a city in a bubble -- if you're from Krypton, odds are you're gonna end up on Earth!

This scan is from The Amazing World of Superman, published in 1973 to celebrate Metropolis, Illinois' commencement of the Superman tourist trade.

You don't know about Super-Menace? Shame on you! Get thee to a reprint!

Creepy Is in the Embrace of the Beholder

My friend Tamara, who with her husband Mike has an extensive web presence at www.flooby.com, made a post concerning this 30-inch "Superman Returns" figure.

Can you believe that she thought this guy looked a little creepy?

I was given one of these vinyl wonders for a Christmas present from my new bosses. I got the thing out of the packaging, and Jazra, who will be 4 in April, thought it was fun to dance with him, although she is about a foot taller.

All of this was OK until the wife & I came home after New Year's with some friends to find ol' Supes exiled to the "Fortress of Markitude."

Come to find out that Julie, Jazra's mom, said she had come into the living room and found Jazra smooching it up with Super-loverboy here. I thought it was kinda cute to hear, but Julie swears that in her opinion the kid was desiring things a little past her age level from Big Blue.

Although I've got no reason to doubt my dear daughter's word, I really can't imagine sweet little Jazra "humping Superman," as her mom so delicately put it.

I think the S-Man will rest securely on a high shelf from now on. Happy New Year!

Wonder Woman Record -- Stories for the Kids, Cover Art for Dad!

Here we have “three exciting all new action-adventure stories!” featuring everyone’s favorite Amazon, Wonder Woman!

Just between us friends, I have these two images labeled “Wonder Cheesecake.” In a nice way, of course. As a friend said last week, “That gal is certainly all there!”

You might note that the front cover mentions three exciting tales. As you can see, the back cover mentions “four all new stories,” and then lists only THREE stories.

Ah, well, the lithe, trim figure of the personification of beauty makes up for a lot.

About the artist … my first guess would be Dick Giordano.

And, take a second look at the bad guys in the front cover. The second from the left, with the long brown hair and glasses, reminds me of how Elliott S! Maggin comported himself in the mid-70s. And, is there any chance that the baddie on the far right, with the glasses, bowtie, and receding hairline, is intended to represent DC editor Julius Schwartz?

One never knows, do one?

Well, that’s all the fun for this year. See you some time after the 2nd of January. Have a Super New Year!

Songs and Stories About the JLA!

Here we have “Songs and Stories About the Justice League of America,” copyright 1975 by “Periodical Publications, Inc.” – according to the record label.

Say, wasn’t that supposed to be NATIONAL Periodical Publications? By golly, it WAS supposed to be that way, because the back side of the LP says so!

*sigh* This is just another of those classic albums I haven’t had time to listen to. You do know I was kidding about the “classic” bit, huh?

Anyway, here are the answers to yesterday’s Super-Trivia question. In Superman: the Movie, the other two actors re-voiced by Christopher Reeve are Jeff East, the actor who played teenaged Clark, and the Metropolis Tower, the “voice on the ground” heard over the airplane’s radio when Air Force One is hit by the lightning.

In one of the 14 discs of the big fat Superman DVD Collection, Jeff East speculates that perhaps his voice was looped because his voice (and therefore young Clark’s voice) was deeper than Reeves’s (post-teen-age) voice!

In Ilya Salkind’s commentary on the theatrical cut to the first movie, he reveals that Reeve provided the voice of Metropolis Tower.

Have a Super-Duper day, campers!

A Record as Pretty as a Picture

Here we have the front and back of a 1975 Superman LP that tells three stories: “The Best Cop in the World,” “Tomorrow the World,” and “The Myyzptlk-Up Menace.” Nope, I haven’t listened to this one either.

Since the art is by the great Neal Adams, and since the back cover features Supes without the three insets, I’ve cleaned it up, fixed the discoloration and scratches, and otherwise gussied it up.

It kinda looks like Superman is giving you a good-guy chuck on the chin, doesn’t it?

Oh yeah, the trivia. Can you name the two voice-over roles Christopher Reeve played in Superman: The Movie ? That is, besides Clark/Supes, Reeves provided voices for two other actors.

You can guess today, and I’ll provide the answers tomorrow, along with another exciting LP cover!

Gosh, they didn't mean to be over melodramatic....

...or maybe they did!

It's a Superman Spectacular, and it's from 1981. As you can see from the cover, it pits Terra-Man and Luthor against -- Superman Red and Superman Blue?!?!

Yep, "plotter" Bob Rozakis and "scripter" Paul Kupperberg --- um, borrowed -- the concept of the Superman Split, and even used a similar title: "Startling Saga of Superman Red & Superman Blue!"

I really couldn't stand to re-read the whole thing in detail. There's Terra-Man. Luthor uses Red K against Supes and is ticked off when the split gives him TWICE the do-gooder to fight. Somehow Luthor gets "magical" powers that nearly do in Lois Lane.

So at the ending Superman has reunited, thwarted the bad guys, and then gloms onto Lois, who is maybe-alive, maybe-dead through Luthor's villainy, and prays to Rao to spare her life.

Then something spiffy happens, and Lois wakes up. Superman gets all edgy and *almost* turns Lex into jelly, before stopping himself with Super-willpower.

It's the "gosh aren't we impressive" writers' attitude that really bugs me as I look over the thing now. It's sad to realize that evidently there are lots of "creative types" in comics who, by the evidence, value flash over substance. And I thought John Byrne started it in the Superman books!

At least some of the art isn't bad. I mean, Lois looks pretty, as opposed to a slut, which is how she's drawn half the time nowadays.

Tomorrow, some Super-Trivia (not too hard I hope)!

The Son Who Came to Save Us

Merry Christmas to all my friends, "real" and "online-only." The friendship and love in my heart are only possible through the presence of Jesus, the template for all true heroes, who was sent to Earth by His Father as our only hope. I share this image with you (art by Neal Adams) in fun and joy. Don't forget that the love of God is freely open to all. As the short story title says, "You Could Look It Up."

You could look it up in the behavior of my parents, in the "I'm trying my best" attitude of three-year-old Jazra and 50-year-old me. Merry Christmas!