SUPERMANIA brings you a comprehensive update on this archive post regarding the above full-size prop re-photographed by me only days ago –
As previously reported, the Baby Kal-El Starship had been mothballed waiting to be researched for exhibition in the London FIlm Museum until its discovery and subsequent identification by a visiting fan. The presumption was that the meteorite was the prop used in Richard Donner’s original Superman: The Movie but upon close inspection I can exclusively reveal it is in fact no such thing. Instead, the prop currently residing in the Great Hall is a relic from the opening scenes of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace.
Proof of this is the orifice in the right hand side of the inner chamber (second pic down) where the ‘Energy Module’ left by Lara as her ‘Last Gift’ to her son Kal-El emerges before being removed. As the crash landing scenes in Donner’s ’78 picture were shot in Canada, it was always curious as to how the ship made its way back to the UK in such pristine state when Part IV’s location work was limited to these shores.
I recommend a visit to the museum to see this piece up close as its remains a well maintained prop and a genuine piece of Movie history. Should the London Film Museum wish to update their plaque to identify the item correctly and with accompanying stills, however, they are more than welcome to contact me…
SUPERMANIA brings you yet another intriguing European collectable – this time with the German Superman IV: The Quest For Peace comic adaptation.
In stark contrast to the hastily produced US standard four-colour version (lacking all the attention lavished on the Superman III issue with its photo covers, etc.) and presented as a colourful, glossy magazine, this publication includes a feature and the godawful German poster (above) as a centrefold. Quite why the European Cannon advertising exec felt the compulsion to decapitate Daniel Goozee’s beautiful one-sheet art so his four-year old child could have a go at painting around it still baffles. That and the questionable publicity for NASA to promote their Nuclear missile..?
Issued to coincide with the release of Superman II in 1980, this exclusive set of letraset transfer sheets were dropped one at a time into packs of Nabisco Shreddies breakfast cereal. Intended for use with various cityscape ‘action scenes’ printed on the backs of the boxes, kids were free to create their own archaic version of the Metropolis battle.
Though amusingly primitive by today’s standards, the ‘rub down transfer’ craze would be huge in its day with a plethora of science-fiction/action movie/military/TV show offerings in sets featuring numerous figures and backdrop options. Denied a set in its own right, the Superman series was represented only by the promo as shown above and consequently complete sets are scarce. Should this bring on an irresistible wave of nostalgia I recommend visiting action-transfers.com for a comprehensive list…
The Propstore Of London has struck again with another fine piece of cinematic history, this time from the opening scene of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut where Lois Lane seeks to prove Superman’s identity by way of a sketch.
The above is one of the few ‘clean’ versions of this prop as Margot Kidder would be required to draw her Clark Kent over Superman’s picture with marker take after take (as shown in the contact sheet supplied!). Its a little known fact that the Daily Planet newspaper mockups were headlines & pics assembled around real news stories of the time/gibberish and that only the covers (and inserts when required) were produced wrapped around the London Evening Standard for filler.
Due to the obvious fragility of these pieces they are steadily becoming more scarce. I had the opportunity to purchase one of the above years ago (at a fraction of the price its commanding now) but because I didn’t recognise it from any of the films I passed – Imagine the head-slapping moment when the Donner Cut finally emerged and the prop gets the most amount of screen time in the series…
A limited edition release to coincide with DC Comics 75th anniversary, the Christopher Reeve as Superman bust represented a new direction for collectables division DC Direct by going retro. Indeed, the sculpture pictured above is only the second-ever officially licensed collectable from Superman: The Movie bearing the likeness of Reeve, (the 1/6 statue sculpted by Karen Palinko being the first) the line continuing to spawn similar tributes to Tim Burton’s Batman.
While the piece is nicely rendered by Adam Beane (reminiscent of Reeve in his earliest Fortress scenes) on a crystal base featuring the \S/ logo, its let down horribly by the paint-job and the sheer lack of attention to detail. While I admit not fully comprehending the purpose of display busts anyway this could have been a great, fun item but in honesty I’m a bigger fan of the box and purchased it only for completest sake.
Beane’s talents seem to have been way under-utilised here and one could make a convincing case that the 1/6 statue would have benefited more from his take on the celluloid Man Of Steel provided the finish was of equal standard. As is, IMHO its a chintzy companion piece to said statue and should only be of interest to die-hard fans. Having said that, a donation to the Christopher & Dana Reeve foundation is made with its every purchase and there can be no better recommendation than that…
