By Drew Dietsch | Updated
I have great hope for James Gunns Superman and the upcoming DC Universe, or the DCU as it is officially branded. I called The Suicide Squad“the best DC movies in decades,” and I stand by that (my review). Now, after Creature Commands I want more animated superhero stories and am more than ready for whatever James Gunn has to offer the original superhero. But there is one thing that worries me a little, and it goes back to Superman’s origins on the planet Krypton.
Superman’s parents
I’m reading right now Absolute SupermanPart of DC’s new Absolute comic series, offering some radically new interpretations of iconic heroes. In the first issue, it is revealed that Superman’s parents are farmers in a Kryptonian society with a strong and brutal caste system. Typically, Superman’s parents are portrayed as scientists in a utopian world. In Absolute SupermanThey are lower class workers who realize that the ruling class is leading to the destruction of the planet.
This is a fantastic and fresh idea that sheds light on the origin of Superman. It gives us a reason to actually see Kal-El’s parents and spend time with them and their story. And if James Gunn has a creative and new vision for Jor-El and Lara’s life, I’m all for seeing how that affects his vision for Superman.
But I think if James Gunn is inspired by the inspiration I think he is Superman has to show us as little of Karl-Ed’s biological parents as possible. In fact, I would be fine if I didn’t see her at all.
The origins are now myths
James Gunn has been very vocal about the comic series All-Star Superman This is one of his sources of inspiration for this interpretation of the Man of Steel. In this comic, writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely summarize the origin of Superman in one page, four panels, and eight words. Morrison reduces everything to its purely mythical elements. It’s one of the greatest pages in the history of comics and superheroes.
I get the impression that James Gunn feels similarly about the origins of the original superhero. At least I hope so. Just as we no longer have to watch Bruce Wayne’s parents get shot, the beginning of Clark Kent’s life has arrived at a level of pop culture mythology that seems as pervasive as knowing that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. It is understandable that both Richard Donners Superman and Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel felt they needed to establish their versions of Superman’s parents (mainly Jor-El in these films) more. But Gunn could be making a bigger statement by downplaying this part of Superman’s story.
Superman is the ultimate immigrant story, and while I don’t want to see his Kryptonian heritage jettisoned with his escape pod, focusing on Superman’s love seems to be the best story to tell with the character on the big screen and connection to the earth. Even this one image of Superman and his pet Krypto seems to focus on this way of thinking. Yes, Krypto is a part of his alien past and I can’t wait to see how this relationship between Clark and his dog develops. But the framing of this photo places her in a context that highlights Earth’s beauty and importance to Superman.
The less time we spend on Superman’s parents and the influence of Krypton’s history on his story, the better James Gunn’s story is Superman will be. Whatever happens, I can’t wait to see this new movie, even if it means spending more time on the planet that’s exploding.