As anticipation and excitement starts to gather momentum for the return of The Man Of Steel to the silver screen, SUPERMANIA responds in typically retro-fashion. Please enjoy this latest collaboration with the talented Alexei Lambley-Steel (editor of A Tribute To Christopher Reeve) to authentically mirror the latest cover of bestselling UK film magazine EMPIRE not only with its 1978 counterpart but also special editions dedicated to the sequels. In a similar wish-fulfillment endeavor to our Superman IV trading card project, the idea was to produce passable facsimiles of genuine covers had Empire existed during the original series run (the magazine was first published in 1989!). Besides the horrifying onset on inflation its interesting to note the evolution of graphic styles over a decade (I used real publications of the era such as Films Illustrated for reference) and how the images selected are still as striking today. In an age of artifice where we love our heroes dark, the experiment above proves there is much still to be said for reality and the light…
SUPERMANIA extends its thanks to Capedwonder Jim Bowers for use of his imagery and Alexei for tireless dedication to the Real Man of Steel..!
Enjoy this fascinating gallery of Super-Diagnostics amassed over the ten year period of the Superman motion picture series. Mainly culled from Japanese movie magazines, (with the exception of the Superman III Laserdisc insert, third pic down) these fun diagrams (presumably) list Superman’s great powers in seemingly exhaustive detail while still finding space for cast & crew credits and even a rogues gallery. (bottom pic) Should anybody wish to translate the copy I would be more than happy to host it here…
Presenting the conclusion of the magnificent Superman IV storyboard feature (plus cover) from Retro-Vision magazine. While the final scene as photographed entirely lacks the dynamism of Martin Asbury’s art, it is nonetheless shot for shot as seen on the deleted scenes of the Superman IV: The Quest For Peace Deluxe Edition DVD where the workprint features a hideous/hilarious edit with temporary soundtrack and unfinished special effects. One major difference between the two mediums is the ending of the fight where the storyboard offers a far more suitable conclusion to the clash (where Nuclearman ‘shorts out’ in the lake) unlike the bizarre obliteration by Catherine Wheel that awaits him in the ‘completed’ scene…
Just before posts resume from the contents of the ‘Big Red Book’ of storyboards from Superman IV: The Quest For Peace I offer this fantastic vintage article from the pages of Retro-Vision magazine. Besides a thorough chronicle of the Superman series (with an emphasis on the extended editions long before their subsequent discovery and release on DVD) the issue contained this unpublished storyboard set showing the Metro Club exit and Nuclearman 1 battle in its entirety shot for shot. As the only other evidence of this sequence at the time was the comic adaptation and a few grainy photos, this, as you can imagine, was quite the revelation. Enjoy Martin Asbury’s energetic art and rue the fact we have yet to see Superman’s emergence from the Ladies room on film. Part 2 plus cover coming soon…
Presenting an amazing series of digital renders from the 3DTotal Forums by ‘PredragKrishan‘ leading with this simple brief –
“I started to make this Superman model, so your comments are very welcome. I like Christopher Reeve as Superman because of his strong charisma and Alex Ross work, so I’m trying to make that kind of render…”
Though depicted here as a more emotive Superman, the details on the costume (especially the chest shield) are unusually movie accurate and the final piece (bottom) while reminiscent of the poster for Superman Returns is a fantastic tribute to Reeve and surely worthy of a poster/comic cover itself…
