I’ve been thinking a lot about comic books lately. I saw both X-Men 3 and Superman Returns at the big screen this past weekend, and with this new cable package that I signed up for, I’ve seen both Superman (1978) and Batman Begins over the span of two weeks. Plus, recent blog posts by Spookycyn and Coltrane Jenkins have me thinking about starting up my collection.
I’ve always loved comic books. I grew up as an X-Men fan (The Dark Phoenix Saga is one of the best comic book story arcs every written, IMHO). Once Marvel got more interested in making a profit instead of entertaining fans, I started collecting DC comics, specifically the Bat Family books. FYI – if you think Wolverine is a badass, you haven’t read a good Batman Comic lately.
I was really surprised by how much I liked X-Men 3. I was never a big fan of Halle Berry as Storm (although Hugh Jackman is dead-on as Logan), but the addition of Beast was great. Plus, while they warped the original Dark Phoenix storyline, the movie was still entertaining.
As for Superman Returns…after much thought, I have deemed this movie to be “okay.” Not great, not horrible, but okay. I was a big fan of Superman I and II (like most fans, I disown the III and IV movie). Unlike Spookycyn, I was a big fan of Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, and while I hated the way they portrayed Clark Kent as a bumbling idiot, Christopher Reeve was the prototypical Superman. I like the movies so much, I just overlook the Superkiss (in Superman II) and the way that Kal-El turned back time by reversing the rotation of the Earth in Superman I.
Bryan Singer, the director of Superman Returns, does a good job with showing that this movie is a continuation of Supes I and II. There is one big detail that I hated, but being that my brother hasn’t watched the movie yet, I’ll keep that detail to myself.
I could go into more detail about how the Superman Line was revamped in 1986 and why current fans may not like this movie as much but 1) If you’re a comic book fan, you probably already know and 2) If you’re not a comic book fan, you probably don’t care.
FYI – I asked Mrs. V yesterday if I could start comic book collecting again. She hesitated, thought for a moment, and finally said, “Sure, if you can find someplace to put them.”
She doesn’t know it yet, but the guest bedroom is about to get a few additions.
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