DC Studios Movies and Streaming Series Discussion

I think jumping in makes sense to establish this is a different DCU, and I think that was why the characters they picked for the Justice Gang have no baggage from any past DCU films ever I think. The downside is that unless you are a comic fan they are kind of random and obscure though.
 
I keep thinking about this movie a lot. A few more random thoughts:

I miss "and the American Way" that was deleted from Superman's slogan. I think this movie would have been the perfect time to resurrect it. Especially considering that Gunn considers this a story about an immigrant, they could use the opportunity to draw attention to the fact that immigration IS the American Way and always has been. This would also further ruffle the feathers of those that lost their minds and thew a fit when Gunn made his immigrant comment. Now is the time to bring back "and the American Way", WB.

Mr. Terrific was terrific. I'll be damned if his scenes weren't a pitch for his own show. How do you put a T on an actor's face and make it work? I like the combination of prosthetics and makeup, it's innovative and it works. (I wonder if something like this would work with Destro in GI Joe).

Since seeing the movie for myself, I then went and read tons of reviews. Among the valid criticisms (ie NOT the "super woke" whining) is the apparent tonal shifts. I can see what people are talking about here, for me I don't know if it's such a big deal. Lex shoots an innocent man playing Russian Roulette. Gene Hackman's Lex, in his opening scene, kills off a detective by way of subway boobytrap. Is it so different?

I like that this universe is established with superheroes already. We've seen Superman's origin, no one needs it repeated. Even beyond that, even the other characters' origins are not necessary for me to know. I don't know Mr. Terrific's or Metamorpho's comic book origins. I know Hawkgirl's is something-something reincarnation/wings of alien origin. I don't need the movies to take the time to tell me. They're there, they exist, let's get to the story.

Superman's costume, if we're being honest, is a little half baked. I like the S, I think the trunks work, but this is a very MCU look. If we could have had a happy medium between Cavill's muscle suit and this MCU suit, I think we would have been there. However, I think Corenswet does such a good job in the roll that it's not such a big deal for me.

That'l all that's rattling in my brain currently.
 
fac said:
I think jumping in makes sense to establish this is a different DCU, and I think that was why the characters they picked for the Justice Gang have no baggage from any past DCU films ever I think. The downside is that unless you are a comic fan they are kind of random and obscure though.
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That's exactly why they are there. Even more so than the fact that they don't have baggage, Gunn wants to write the misfits.
 
yojoebro82 said:
Now is the time to bring back "and the American Way", WB.
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Respectfully, I strongly disagree.
“. . . and the American Way” has been well replaced by “. . . and a Better Tomorrow”, and should stay gone.
Superman is and should be for everyone, and his motto should not be tied to one nation, regardless of which nation.

And there’s a longer conversation to be had about how the “American Way” used in those comics does not any longer exist, and honestly never did.

Ultimately, Superman should be a symbol of hope to all people, not an emblem of the myth of American exceptionalism.
 
I always hated "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." It's corny, and I do allow for some degree of corniness with Superman, but also it just always read like propaganda to me. And dropping it really only angers the people who were never going to see this movie anyway. I'd prefer he just not have a slogan as they often just sound forced.
 
AceofKnaves said:
“. . . and the American Way” has been well replaced by “. . . and a Better Tomorrow”
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Has it? I haven't read comics in a while, is that the new thing?

Supe's slogan feels incomplete to me without a third thing, my ear has been trained to anticipate it, but agree that "American way" doesn't have to be it.
 
A question about the movie popped into my head last night and I wanted to ask if there's a part I missed.

Was there any resolution to the belief that Superman was there to conquer humanity? It seems like even though Lex went to jail, if he still managed to destroy humanity's faith in him, he still wins.

I did make a bathroom run toward the end, so think maybe I missed something on that.
 
Fletch said:
Has it? I haven't read comics in a while, is that the new thing?
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New-ish.
Like the same kind of new-ish wherein Superman canonically renounced his specific American citizenship (as Superman, not Clark Kent) and more or less declared himself a “citizen of the world”.

But yeah, the official Superman motto has been “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow” for about a decade or so now.

And yes, the usual regressive scumbags threw a fit about that at the time, but it wasn’t explicit tied to Trump’s cult so we haven’t really associated their “Superman is WOOOOOOOOOKE” screeching until now.
 
According to Mark Waid:

The phrase "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" originated in "The Adventures of Superman" radio series during World War II, specifically during the autumn of 1942. While it was dropped from the radio show by 1944, it was later revived in the "Adventures of Superman" television series (1952-1958) and has become a well-known motto for Superman in various media.
 
Fletch said:
A question about the movie popped into my head last night and I wanted to ask if there's a part I missed.

Was there any resolution to the belief that Superman was there to conquer humanity? It seems like even though Lex went to jail, if he still managed to destroy humanity's faith in him, he still wins.

I did make a bathroom run toward the end, so think maybe I missed something on that.
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No, I don't think you missed anything. I guess we're left to assume that Superman saving the day once again helped sway opinions, or since it was Lex who discovered the message and he's been disgraced most have dismissed it. The only resolution seemed to be with Superman himself not worrying about it and choosing to think of the Kents as his parents and it's their influence that matters most. Also possible some of the fallout is dealt with in whatever comes next for the franchise.
 
So it goes back to WWII when something like that is more in keeping with the times. This is after all when Supes encouraged kids to "Slap a Jap." I thought it would be weird if it first popped up right after Vietnam, but it was the cusp of Reagan's ascendancy.

Due for an update.
 
Regarding the public trust in Supes: we have to take from the movie that the public is quickly and easily swayed by a media they trust in this universe. No one pushes back when the headlines go against Supes and no one pushes back when Lex becomes the villain. A few decades ago this wouldn't seem jarring, but to modern audiences it becomes a sci-fi element like Kaiju evacuation alerts.
 
Misfit said:
Also possible some of the fallout is dealt with in whatever comes next for the franchise.
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I was okay with that being the status quo at the start of the next movie, it just seemed odd it was never brought up again. Like, not even a gloat from Lex.

Unless there was one and I missed it. Or maybe a flip-flop interview from one of the cameos.
 
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