If you were of school age in the 70’s and 80’s, there is a strong possibility you will have carted your dinner around in a lunchbox from Aladdin industries. With licenses ranging from ‘Annie’ all the way through to ‘Zorro’ their sets (including matching thermos flask with one gulp capacity) were robust and distinctive, often adorned with exclusive artwork on the lid.
Though boxes had been produced by Aladdin for both Superman: The Movie and Superman II, shown above is the inexplicably scarce Superman III edition. As almost all of these were put to good use back in the day (I last saw one through envious eyes in possession of a school pal) it is also rare to find one in such good condition – a testimony to their resolve. Photograph’s by me with the exception of the graphic at bottom courtesy Jim Bowers.
From cover to (backward) cover, this quartet of publications above may have text in Japanese but are easily the definitive photo reference for the first three Superman Movies –
From the top; Starlog Publications Superman: The Movie Companion, Japanese Starlog magazine June 1979, Superman II Roadshow booklet and Superman III Companion. Occasionally popping up on popular auction sites for ever-increasing amounts, my recommendation for starting a Superman Collection (besides Series 1 the Topps Trading Cards) will always be Book One…
Exclusive to the UK and released in 1988, Superman; The Collection was one of the first VHS boxsets made available by Warner Bros. under the Hollywood Nites banner.
Assembled from the second run of individually released titles and repackaged as The Superheroes collection (to include Salkind productions Supergirl and Santa Claus: The Movie) the set was limited and expensive (see above ad from the Woolworths Christmas catalogue) at the time and therefore a rarity today.
Contained in a handsome box utilising elements of the shield graphic from Superman: the Movie and Daniel Goozee’s poster art for Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, its interesting to note how many production companies were tied into the distribution deals (WB/Weintraub/Cannon/Hollywood Nites) before Warner’s regained full ownership of the rights in 1993. It would literally be decades before advances in technology would permit them to revisit the titles once again for a more definitive boxset in DVD format…
Yet another SUPERMANIA exclusive – these steel printing plates (measuring approx. 15 1/2 x 21cm) surfaced in Australia and featured in an auction of original art –
Showcasing previously unseen artwork by renowned poster artist Daniel Goozee, the influence of his famous James Bond posters is clearly evident in the sketches above. From the top – Amazing renderings of Christopher Reeve battling himself in the junkyard with Richard Pryor looking on; An obvious homage to Octopussy as Superman contends with Disco babes with Pryor clinging onto his ankles and a clear Ken Adam/Moonraker take on Ross Webster’s lair with Robert Vaughn and Pryor conspiring against a backdrop of even more Bond babes.
Although beautifully executed, alternate art (featuring Reeve and Pryor airborne) was utilised for the teaser poster for Superman III but Goozee would paint the final art used on the UK Quad poster and go on to complete the quartet by painting the poster for Superman IV…
Showcasing arguably the sharpest and most colourful photography available from the Movie series, these Japanese Programmes also contain Cast & Crew Bios along with the standard synopsis of each picture.
The first in a number of posts to come of Japanese printed matter including clippings with even more rare imagery..!
