"They wish to be a great people, they only lack the light to show them the way."

Question

2006: Superman Returns.Out of all the movies released by Hollywood in the last two decades, I sincerely, wholeheartedly, hope that this is the one that surpasses all others. For many, many reasons.Besides, how can you complain about a cool looking guy in a blue suit who can fly?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]2006: Superman Returns. Out of all the movies released by Hollywood in the last two decades, I sincerely, wholeheartedly, hope ... many, many reasons. Besides, how can you complain about a cool looking guy in a blue suit who can fly?[/nq]
Well, for starters, when the blue suit includes red underpants on the outside...

Stephen Mack
"Nobody's smart enough to be wrong all the time." -Ken Wilber

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]2006: Superman Returns. Out of all the movies released by ... cool looking guy in a blue suit who can fly?[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, for starters, when the blue suit includes red underpants on the outside...[/nq]
Well ***. Now that you put it that way...

Usenet · Answer

(snips)

I wish some writer would explore the aerodynamics of Clark Kent's flying lessons.
A long time ago I read some of the early Superman magazines (not "comics," please) which sort of implied that the guy's "flying" was more like an extension of the ability "to leap tall buildings in a single bound." The physics involved certainly have more logic than simply defying gravity.

There's even an angle that might make Superman's cape an essential part of his ability to control flight. I dunno... Martha Kent uses a lot of starch in the cape?
For one thing, it makes the cape less silly.
The problem with Superman (besides being the goody-two-shoes perfect Boy Scout American) is the whole concept of "invulnerability." By the time the character evolved through the 50s and 60s, he was more powerful than an H-Bomb and so all those Kryptonite stories and Mr. Mxtylkypx (sp?) adventures got into the mix.
Superman should be a "super" man. But invulnerability is a beeg mistake.

He should be able to do what an ordinary earthling might do, given the enhancing effects of a yellow sun. Jump higher, be stronger, deflect bullets... but there should be limits.
And the whole "glasses as disguise" has to be developed. You've got to make Lois Lane into a *** Hag and Clark Kent's got to be gayer than a tangerine.

Truman Capote, maybe.
Joe Myers
"A damned good reporter."

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1](snips) I wish some writer would explore the aerodynamics of Clark Kent's flying lessons. A long time ago I read ... do, given the enhancing effects of a yellow sun. Jump higher, be stronger, deflect bullets... but there should be limits.[/nq]
Joe and Jerry's original character was far more human - he didn't so much fly as jump really far, and he used his limited knowledge of watching gymnasts to reduce drag. Apparently his costume had some resistance to damage, but even that (made of Kryptonian materials) was not immune to damage. They developed a lot of that during the late 50's and early 60's, but that ended up getting inflated so that by the late 60's anything from Krypton was completely impervious to all damage (except for magic).
All of that was why Byrne was asked to do the re-launch in the 80's - Superman had gotten so powerful that anything that could endanger him would also endanger the planet as a whole, and it reduced him to a Maguffin, adn all but eliminated his humanity, or any real reason for him to have any humanity.
[nq:1]And the whole "glasses as disguise" has to be developed. You've got to make Lois Lane into a *** Hag and Clark Kent's got to be gayer than a tangerine. Truman Capote, maybe.[/nq]
Nah - that's going way too far. The bumbling, ineffectual Clark that Chris Reeve developed was, if not entirely believable (sorry, but the glasses, even when combined with a different voice, different posture and different way of moving, don't really provide enough of a difference) probably as far as most people woule be comfortable going.

Of course, as far as Superman's sexuality goes, I gotta say that there's no real reason he should find humans much more attractive than any other animal - he's not human, and who knows what scents and other subliminal factors work best for him? I did enjoy Niven's essay, as well as one I read MANY years ago in Playboy (no, I don't recall the title) about his growing up (the line about hs getting crabs and killing them with a ball- peen hammer sticks with me) provide some interesting insights, but the way Joe has been dealing with the issue in "Supreme Power" have been a bit better, even if the names have been changed to protect the copyright.
[nq:1]Joe Myers "A damned good reporter."[/nq]
cd

The difference between immorality and immortality is "T". I like Earl Grey.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1](snips) I wish some writer would explore the aerodynamics of Clark Kent's flying lessons. A long time ago I read ... Hag and Clark Kent's got to be gayer than a tangerine. Truman Capote, maybe. Joe Myers "A damned good reporter."[/nq]
I thought the S man's strength came from his home's planet gravity being so much stronger than Earth's that he developed stronger muscles. But over time, wouldn't his muscles atrophy in Earth's wimpy gravity? And how's come he stood there while bullets ricocheted off his chest, but when the villain ran out of bullets and threw the gun at him, he ducked?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I thought the S man's strength came from his home's planet gravity being so much stronger than Earth's that he developed stronger muscles. But over time, wouldn't his muscles atrophy in Earth's wimpy gravity?[/nq]
Nope - it was from earth's ar more energetic sun. (And yes, Jerry and Joe were NOT scientists).
[nq:1]And how's come he stood there while bullets ricocheted off his chest, but when the villain ran out of bullets and threw the gun at him, he ducked?[/nq]
There lies the difference between FX bullets and real prop guns - the latter will hurt and actor.

cd

The difference between immorality and immortality is "T". I like Earl Grey.

"They wish to be a great people, they only lack the light to show them the way."

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