A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK MOVIES

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK MOVIES. Wheeler Winston Dixon and Richard Graham. Palgrave Macmillan; 2017.

This is indeed a very brief overview of comic book and comic strip adaptations that comes off more like a long article than a book. Chapters look at characters from the DC Comic universe, such as Superman and Batman; the characters of the Marvel Universe, such as Iron Man and the Fantastic Four; Japanese anime; and independent films such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The book is breezily written for the most part, makes some good points about these movies, but in some ways comes off like a well-done term paper. There are no photographs. It's strange that the publisher didn't invest in some pictures and thicken the book's page count.

Verdict: Publish or perish? **1/2.

THOSE COOL COMIC BOOK HEROES!

Superman vs Nuclear Man from Superman IV

THOSE COOL COMIC BOOK HEROES! 

This week Great Old Movies looks at films that star famous super-heroes such as Superman and Batman. We first look at comic book heroes whose exploits were adapted for cliffhanger serials (such as Blackhawk and Spy Smasher), then jump to films of the seventies and more recent flicks such as Wonder Woman. We've also got a section on animated features, most of which star Batman or Superman. In other words, we've got more super-powered and/or heroic (or villainous) characters than you can shake a stick at! Enjoy!

NOTE: All of the heroic characters covered this week originally appeared in comic books with the exception of Captain Midnight, whose exploits were first charted on the radio and in the serial before he got his own successful comic book series. 

SUPERMAN II: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT

Ursa and General Zod blow the hell out of Grand Central

SUPERMAN II (1980). The Richard Donner Cut.

Richard Donner, who directed the first Superman, did a lot of work on the sequel -- the two were filmed concurrently, actually -- before being fired. Some of his work was redone by the director of record, Richard Lester. This cut assembles the version as it might have looked in theaters if Donner had not been dismissed.

At the end of Superman, the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) stops Lex Luthor's missile from wiping out California, but he doesn't realize that the explosion of this same missile in outer space has freed three notorious and vicious Kryptonian villains from their prison, the Phantom Zone. Hulking Non (Jack O'Halloran), bitchy Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and imperious General Zod (Terence Stamp) make their way to earth where they find they have developed the same powers as Superman. Before long they have invaded the White House where the not-so-good general forces the president (E. G. Marshall) to his knees. "Oh, God," says the president. "Zod," corrects the general. Where is the man of steel? Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) has finally figured out his secret identity and the two make love in his Arctic Fortress of Solitude. Then Superman decides to quit being the Man of Steel, always off saving the world, so that he can spend his life with Lois; he uses Kryptonian technology to do this. (This begs the question: since it was Superman that Lois fell in love with and not Clark Kent, would she really want him just as an ordinary human?) Too late, he discovers what has happened in Washington D.C., and makes his way back to his fortress as an ordinary man ... what a guy -- he doesn't even wear gloves! Conveniently, he is able to get his powers back.

The centerpiece of the film in any version is the battle between the revivified Superman and the three villains in New York City (rechristened "Metropolis," of course). Beautifully shot, edited, and choreographed, this sequence remains one of the best superhuman battle scenes in any comic book movie. (Today's super-hero films often present very sloppy and poorly articulated battle sequences.) A special highlight is when the bad guys use their super breath to literally blow dozens of pedestrians -- who are after their blood after they seem to have killed the Man of Steel -- down the streets near Grand Central Station. Buses are thrown, towers are toppled, Zod and his colleagues bounce Superman around and vice versa, and the special effects throughout are still outstanding.

This version (and probably the theatrical version as well) of Superman II has its problems, mostly having to do with Gene Hackman and his cohorts, played by Ned Beatty and Valerie Perrine. The movie is "adult" enough to show Lois and Superman in bed (although this is by no means a sex scene), so why does it have such stupid humor as Perrine flushing a toilet in the Fortress of Solitude? These campy characters never fit comfortably into this or even the original movie anyway. Hackman gives a perfectly good comic portrayal, but his presence is not required. The sequences with him are tedious, and there is dialogue in the film that betrays a dated seventies sensibility. Continued from the first film, the whole business with Superman's dead father, Jor-El (Marlon Brando) somehow counseling his son, raises more questions than it answers. Anti-climactic and twenty minutes too long (even it it's shorter than the theatrical version), Superman II is nevertheless a very worthwhile comic book flick. Reeve and Kidder are fine but the picture is nearly stolen by Terence Stamp, who makes a rather sexy and very sinister General Zod -- it's a terrific performance. And he is nearly matched by Sarah Douglas as the strutting, sexy, and highly anti-social Ursa. John Williams contributes his usual effective scoring, and Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography is first-rate. As in the first film, Superman reverses time again, so that Lois no longer knows his secret identity (this was done differently in the theatrical version, I believe), but that insures that events that no longer could have happened are referred to afterward -- confusing, as usual. Followed by Superman III.

Verdict: Worth it for the Times Square battle if nothing else. ***.

ANIMATED HEROES

Here's a round-up of several animated super-hero features:

Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (2010). This DVD compilation of short films features Superman and Captain Marvel battling the sinister Black Adam and also shows how homeless youth Billy Batson became the great Captain Marvel. A Spectre story has the ghostly detective Jim Corrigan solving the murder of a Hollywood producer and providing a very final solution. Green Arrow, with the help of Black Canary (to whom he successfully proposes), saves the life of a young princess targeted by both the bow-slinging assassin Merlyn and the dizziness-inducing Count Vertigo. In perhaps the best story, written by Joe E. Landsale, disfigured western anti-hero Jonah Hex looks for a missing friend and discovers a murderous hooker who is left to a dark but satisfying fate -- it comes off like an EC horror story. All of these stories feature excellent animation, drawing, and direction, with good scoring as well. The big surprise is that a number of name actors do the voice work: Gary Cole, Alyssa Milano, Thomas Jane, Malcolm McDowall, and even James Garner [!] as the old wizard, Shazam. Once upon a time actors used to resort to dinner theater -- now they do voice characterizations for classy cartoons instead! ***.

Son of Batman (2014). Director: Ethan Spaulding. Batman discovers that he has a son, Damian, by his friendly enemy Talia al Ghul. Damian spent ten years with the League of Assassins run by Talia's father and is like no ten-year-old you ever saw. When Ras al Ghul is murdered by the mercenary Deathstoke, Damian vows to kill him. Meanwhile Kirk Langstrom has been importuned to help Deathstroke create mutated warriors that resemble bats. Nightwing and Killer Croc also get into the action. Written by Joe R. Landsdale, this emerges as a very classy cartoon, very well-directed and beautifully drawn. ***1/2.

Amanda Waller of Batman: Assault on Arkham

Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014). Directors: Jay Oliva; Ethan Spaulding. Cold-blooded Amanda Waller, who runs Task Force X of the Suicide Squad, a group of conscripted criminals whose heads are implanted with bombs in case they disobey her, has the group infiltrate Arkham Asylum to kill the Riddler, who knows too much about them. Her team consists of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark,  KGBeast (who is quickly killed by Waller), Killer Frost, Captain Boomerang, and Black Spider. Batman not only has to contend with this task force, but with the fact that the imprisoned Joker has hid a dirty bomb that could kill millions somewhere in Gotham. While one could argue that this is more a Suicide Squad movie than a Batman flick, Assault on Arkham is well-done, exciting and suspenseful. CCH Pounder makes a great Waller, and the other voice characterizations are also on the money. ***.

Batman vs. Robin (2015). Director: Jay Oliva. Very young Damian Wayne is now living with his father, Bruce Wayne -- who is not exactly Father of the Year --  and going out on dangerous adventures with Batman as the new Robin. Damian is rebellious and disagrees with his father's code against killing. He falls under the influence of a murderous vigilante named Talon, who belongs to a secretive group of the wealthy known as the Court of Owls. Will Talon's persuasiveness cause Damian to give in to his dark side? Like recent Batman comics, Batman vs. Robin is dark and has some interesting psychological aspects to it. Written by J. M. DeMatteis. ***.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015). Director: Sam Liu. Instead of the regular Justice League, this movie presents an alternate universe (and less interesting) version of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, who are criticized for their overly violent methods in dealing with criminals. Then they find they are being framed for the murders of scientists such as Ray Palmer (Will Magnus also figures in the plot).The robotic villains are uninteresting and the movie is more gruesome than it needs to be. Instead of an Amazon, this Wonder Woman comes from New Genesis, home of the "New Gods." Superman is the son of General Zod, and Batman is a vampire. Ultimately, this is just mediocre. Benjamin Bratt sounds completely different as Superman than he does as his normal self. **1/2.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016). Director: Rick Morales. Someone had the idea of making a full-length animated feature of the old Batman TV show of the sixties, and using the voices of Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar to play Batman, Robin, and Catwoman. The femme fatale and her uncertain partners, Riddler, Joker, and Penguin, do their best to stymie or kill the heroes and get away with the loot. Batman is turned evil with a potion created by Catwoman, and a machine spits out duplicates of the Caped Crusader who do his nasty bidding. The movie is ... cute, but forgettable. The animation is fluid, however, and the movie looks good. **1/2.

Batman: Bad Blood (2016). Director: Jay Oliva. When Batman is seemingly killed, Dick Grayson takes over as the Caped Crusader with the help/hindrance of little Damian Wayne (or Robin), and the assistance of Batwoman, Batwing, and Alfred. Meanwhile, Damian's mother, Talia al Ghul, and the League of Shadows, enact a deadly plot to take over the world. Talia is surprisingly malevolent in this, more like her father, and proves she has little maternal love for her child. The movie does not decline to deal with Batwoman's gay sexuality, which is handled positively. With fluid and exciting visuals, a good musical score, and a host of creditable voice actors, this adds up to a very entertaining animated Bat-flick. ***

The Joker from Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke (2016). Director: Sam Liu. In this disappointing adaptation of a classic graphic novel, we are presented with a possible origin for the Joker, who was once an unsuccessful comic whose life took a tragic turn, but too much time in this film is taken up with the lame character of Batgirl. Unconvincing sequences include Batgirl and Batman suddenly having sex (not graphically portrayed) on a rooftop, and The Joker getting Batman to laugh out loud with a joke that isn't even that funny. Much of the story takes place in an abandoned amusement park where the Joker tortures Commissioner Gordon. As usual, Kevin Conroy makes a perfect Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Mark Hamill is splendid as the Joker. It's strange that this was given an "R" rating when it doesn't seem that different from other DC animated features that are generally rated PG-13. **1/2.

Justice League Dark (2017). Director: Jay Olivia. When the Justice League comes up against a magical menace that causes innocent people to murder friends and family, Batman gathers together a team that can deal with the supernatural aspects of the case: John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Jason Blood (aka the Demon Etrigan), with some extra help from Swamp Thing. The main villain at first appears to be old-time JLA foe  Felix Faust, but there are even more sinister forces at work. The movie is well-directed and exciting, with excellent voice characterizations. The actors include everyone from Jason O'Mara and Jerry O'Connell to Alfred Molina. Based on a short-lived DC Comic book. In this movie Jason Blood and the Demon are at last separated and the centuries-old Blood (a knight at Camelot) passes on. ***.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017). Director: Sam Liu. Based on a storyline that appeared in the New Teen Titans comic book in the 90's, this has new member Terra (Christina Ricci), joining the group at the direction of villainous Deathstroke, who is in the employ of Brother Blood. Blood, who appeared in New Teen Titans, but was not part of this particular storyline, is well-voiced by Gregg Henry. This animated feature has its fun and exciting moments, but in no way does it compare to the original comic book stories. **1/2. 

MOVIE COMICS: PAGE TO SCREEN; SCREEN TO PAGE

MOVIE COMICS: Page to Screen; Screen to Page. Blair Davis. Rutgers University Press; 2017.

This is one of a number of books on the subject of film adaptations of comic strips and comic books since the 1990 publication of my Comic Book Heroes of the Screen. Movie Comics is an intelligent and well-researched look at even older strips (my book concentrated on super-heroes) including Mickey Mouse and other Disney cartoon characters. Davis looks, in turn, into comic books that were inspired by individual films, or just by The Movies themselves. Davis examines such strip-into-films as Skippy, Li'l Abner, Dick Tracy, Joe Palooka, and Prince Valiant, and comic book-into-films (and TV shows)  such as the Superman TV series with George Reeves and The Adventures of Captain Marvel serial, among many others. Davis can occasionally be accused of being painfully obvious in his assertions -- typical of academic books -- but unlike many academic books Movie Comics is readable and accessible as well as informative.

Verdict: Engaging and pretty thorough look at its subject if not necessarily the last word. ***.

ALL STAR SUPERMAN

Superman and Lois Lane have a moment

ALL STAR SUPERMAN (2011/direct to video). Director: Sam Liu.

This is a feature length animated film based on the comic book mini-series of the same name. Rescuing some people in space, Superman is told that he absorbed radiation that is slowly killing him, something that was, of course, engineered by arch enemy Lex Luthor. Like the series, this is episodic, but eliminates some of the stupider sequences of the comic, such as the protracted business with the Bizarro duplicates, although the silly sequence with macho meathead time travelers "Atlas" and "Samson" remains. The sequence with the Parasite -- who is especially monstrous looking in this -- in jail has been expanded and is exciting. There are also two Kryptonian astronauts who were lost in space but now represent a danger to earth, an energy creature named Solaris, and Luthor's nasty niece Nasthalthia. James Denton, Christina Hendricks and Anthony LaPaglia all give good voice performances as, respectively, Superman, Lois Lane, and Luthor.

Verdict: Okay, but watch the excellent Superman vs. the Elite instead. **1/2.

SUPERMAN: UNBOUND

Brainiac versus Superman

SUPERMAN: UNBOUND (made for video/2013). Director: James Tucker.

Based on a graphic novel, this full-length animated feature details Superman and Supergirl's battle with the alien villain Brainiac, who shrinks and steals cities from around the galaxy; Supergirl's home town Kandor is now in a bottle on his spaceship, which is actually an extension of himself. [Brainiac first appeared in more human form in Superman comics of the silver age.] Sub-plots have to do with Supergirl's fear over going into combat with the powerful alien. as well as Clark Ken'ts relationship with Lois Lane, which the two are keeping secret [leading one character to suggest that Kent is gay in a stupid bit]. Superman has a fierce, final battle with Brainiac while Supergirl handles a deadly missile. Superman: Unbound has fluid animation and is typically colorful, but there's nothing very impressive about it, either. Certainly this isn't terrible but it doesn't have the quality nor the interesting storyline of Superman vs. The Elite. Matt Bomer is fine as Superman/Clark Kent.

Verdict: Disappointing comic book adaptation. **1/2.

SUPERMAN VS. THE ELITE

Watch out for a pissed-off Man of Steel!

SUPERMAN VS. THE ELITE (2012 direct-to-video). Director: Michael Chang.

Superman stops the Atomic Skull after he's already incinerated several people, then has to battle some genetically engineered monster insects. In the latter battle he gets help from some super-powered beings who come to call themselves "The Elite." At first Superman is happy that there are new heroes, but disturbed that their take-no-prisoners attitude and violent methods, as opposed to his more responsible within-the-law approach, have people cheering. The situation gets worse when the Skull escapes and kills more people and the Elite want to finish him off once and for all. [For which we can hardly blame them.] But the big boy scout insists on law and order, even for the Skull, and the battle is on, especially when the members of the Elite murder all the heads of state of two countries to prevent a war. It seems that an outraged Superman is going to give in to his dark side and handle the Elite the same way they would handle him -- bloodily -- but  the Man of Steel just may have a trick or two up his sleeve. Joe Kelly's screenplay is not only full of thrills and action but is also thought-provoking, with good characterizations. [Although why was it necessary to make the villainess a big "tramp,"as if equating sexuality with evil?] The character voices are very well done by George Newbern (Superman/Clark), Pauley Perrette (Lois Lane), and Robin Atkin Downes (Manchester Black, the leader of the Elite), among others. Michael Chang's direction is fast-paced and continuously exciting, and the animation is fluid and striking. Want to bet that this will probably be better than the upcoming big-screen Man of Steel? We'll see.

Verdict: Excellent animated super-hero movie. ***1/2.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM

Vandal Savage explains his plan

JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM (2012). Director: Lauren Montgomery.

In this direct-to-video animated feature, the members of the Justice League -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash etc. -- engage the Royal Flush Gang in a fight and wonder where the criminals got their rather high-tech weaponry. Turns out the JL's real enemy is Vandal Savage [a character first introduced way back in the golden age of comics], a former caveman who has lived a thousand lifetimes, accumulated vast knowledge, and naturally wants to control the earth, planning to destroy half of it first with a solar flame. Headquartered in his Hall of Doom, Savage has gathered together a group of the League's arch enemies into a group he calls the Legion of Doom: Bane, The Cheetah, Metallo, Star Sapphire, and others. A sub-plot has the league members discovering that Batman secretly had contingency plans for stopping each member should they ever go rogue, which doesn't sit well with most of them. With good music and good [if not great] animation, and an exciting climax, Justice League: Doom has lots of super-hero vs super-villain action and is a good bet for comic book fans, and Justice League fans in particular. Voice actors include Kevin Controy (Batman) and Tim Daly (Superman). NOTE: You can read more about the Justice League in The Silver Age of Comics.

Verdict: Until that much-announced live-action Justice League movie comes along ... ***. 

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS (Direct-to-Video/2010). Directors: Sam Liu; Lauren Montgomery.

This is an offshoot of the Justice League animated series, but its origins date back to the 1960's and the silver age of comics. The Justice League comic book introduced the concept of parallel worlds that basically resembled each other but had certain differences. In the 29th and 30th issues of their comic the Justice League discovered that on an "Earth-3" there lived an evil counterpart of their league called the Crime Syndicate. These nasty characters reappeared several times over the years, including stories of the modern age. In this feature-length cartoon, Earth-3's benevolent counterpart of the evil Lex Luther comes to the League's Earth to ask their help in defeating the Crime Syndicate, who have essentially taken over the entire world. Earth-2's American president is afraid to fight against them for fear that the Syndicate will retaliate against the populace, leading his daughter to speak out against the evil group herself. One of the syndicate's members, Owl Man, wants to wipe out all of reality with a special bomb he's made. The assorted super-heroes and super-villains are voiced by the likes of William Baldwin, Gina Torres, James Woods, Mark Harmon, Chris Noth and many others. This is colorful fun for super-hero fans of all ages. The movie was written by Dwayne McDuffie, a talented comic book professional who died much too young. NOTE; To read more about the silver age adventures of the Justice League, Earth-3, and the Crime Syndicate see The Silver Age of Comics.

Verdict: You can't keep good heroes -- and villains -- down. ***

SUPERMAN VS. HOLLYWOOD

SUPERMAN VS. HOLLYWOOD: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Jake Rossen. Chicago Review Press; 2008.

This is a very entertaining book that goes behind the scenes of the Superman comic book and all of the adaptations for films, television, serials, cartoons, and radio, as well as the struggles to gain rights, assorted lawsuits, and other internecine battles. The cast of characters includes everyone from George Reeves to Marlon Brando, Richard Donner and Richard Lester, Bud Collyer and Nicolas Cage [a big comic book fan who wanted to play the Man of Steel] to the Salkind Brothers, who produced the big-screen movies. You'll discover who really directed what on the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, and read about Superman projects that ultimately never materialized, such as Superman vs. Batman. Rossen also writes about Lois and Clark, Smallville, and Superboy TV programs, and the Broadway show It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. Immensely readable, well-researched, and very informative.

Verdict: As much fun as a Superman comic book. ***1/2.

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978). Director: Richard Donner.

NOTE: This review is of the expanded "Richard Donner" cut.

Thirty-two years after its initial release, Superman still has its charms although it's also lost some of its lustre. The early sections of the film, meant to be stately, are so deliberately paced that they border on the tedious, and the film almost completely sinks with the introduction of the moronic trio of villains played by Gene Hackman, Valerie Perrine, and a shameful Ned Beatty. [With the rich history of the Superman character and all of his many foes, that was the best they could come up with?] At times Superman nearly sinks to the level of the sixties Batman TV show, but if it's saved by anything it's saved by those magical flying sequences when the movie itself really takes flight. Superman going out on patrol and his taking Lois Lane for a ride are probably the best sequences in the movie. The performances of Christopher Reeve [it's hard to think of his sad and ironic fate] and Margot Kidder are assets, as is the musical score by John Williams. The crystalline motif for Krypton is a little weird, as is the slightly ossified performance of Marlon Brando. The whole business with Jor-El's (Brando) ghost somehow mentoring his son doesn't really make sense, and the the time travel business at the end of the movie is too confusing. Still the movie overall is entertaining, and better than the more recent Superman Returns.

Verdict: You'll still believe a man can fly. ***.

SUPERMAN serial

SUPERMAN (1948 serial). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet. 

The first Superman cliffhanger serial from Columbia pictures stars Kirk Alyn (pictured) as the super-hero from the doomed planet Krypton. Although most of the really great villains of the comic book didn't appear until after this serial was released -- Braniac, for instance -- surely the writers could have come up with a more interesting antagonist than the witchy Spider-Lady (Carol Forman). Although Forman wasn't bad as The Black Widow, and she doesn't actually stink in Superman, she comes off more like an especially bitchy cocktail waitress or B girl than a serious super-villainess. Noel Neill is appealing as Lois Lane -- Neill was one of the more distinctive serial heroines -- and Tommy Bond, while initially off-putting, grows on you as Jimmy Olsen. Alyn doesn't exhibit much more charisma as Superman than he does as Clark Kent, but at least he doesn't portray Kent as a coward. There are a couple of decent cliffhangers in the production, but for long stretches Superman is pretty dull stuff. Not the worst of Columbia's serials, but a far cry from the best. 

Verdict: The Man of Steel deserved better. **1/2.

SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY

SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY (2007). Director: Bruce Timm.

A few years ago DC Comics published a long storyline that criss-crossed all the books in which Superman appeared in which the Man of Steel battled to the death and was mortally defeated by an alien warrior known as Doomsday. After a year or so during which other Supermen and similar characters appeared to take up the man of steel's mantle, it was revealed that Superman was still alive. This animated feature takes the same basic storyline and does a new take on it. Adam Baldwin and Anne Heche do a good job voicing the characters of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane, and James Marsters is superb as Lex Luthor. Superman finally tells Lois what his secret identity is (in the comics I believe they were already married). While not necessarily a "must-see" this is an exciting feature for comics and super-hero fans, with some fluid animation and interesting sequences.

Verdict: Very credible full-length cartoon. ***.

THE GREAT MOVIE SERIALS

THE GREAT MOVIE SERIALS: Their Sound and Fury. Jim Harmon and Donald F. Glut. Doubleday; 1972.

An entertaining look at the great and not-so-great cliffhanger serials, with chapters on the imperiled girls such as Pauline and Nyoka; Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and other space heroes; western heroes such as the Lone Ranger; the aviator heroes; detectives such as Dick Tracy; classic villains; and superheroes like Captain Marvel, Superman and Batman. There are also photographs and interviews with several serial stars, and a foreword by actor Kirk Alyn (Superman and Blackhawk, among others). Harmon and Glut not only tell the stories of many of the most memorable serials, but also go behind the scenes, telling how certain stunts were done, and which serials borrowed footage from previous chapterplays and movies, and which were merely re-releases under another name. The authors' enthusiasm for these great old serials informs every page and makes you wish that more of them were available. [Luckily thanks to the video and DVD revolution many of these serials can be seen in their entirety, which was not true at the time of this book's publication.]

Verdict: Great!