Smallville on TV Guide cover

[Calhoun07]

Anybody picking up the 4 covers of TV Guide this week? I am awfully tempted, tho I'm rarely attracted to such blantant attempts to sell more copies of a magazine by putting out more than one cover. But Alex Ross is doing the cover and there is a Smallville comic book story inside. Anybody know if the comic book story is a 4 part story or is it the same in each issue of the TV Guides?

[Naraht]

I'm not...don't have money to waste on TV guide...

=\

Besides...Smallville is yet another Superman story. Superman is boring. Batman and Spiderman are betterer.

[James Harvey]

Superman kicks! The contents for all four issues will be exactly the same.

[Naraht]

Superman is so unrealistic, it's scary. He's more powerful than the Hulk, has heat/x-ray/telescopic vision, can fly, and has no personal problems whatsoever (trying to win the girl of his dreams is not a personal problem) and he's never tempted to do evil. There's no real "Character" there..he's a big boy scout with un-godly powers. Heck, even DBZ's Goku is more likable...@least he jokes around, and has friends.

[Kal-el]

Originally posted by naraht
Superman is so unrealistic, it's scary. He's more powerful than the Hulk, has heat/x-ray/telescopic vision, can fly, and has no personal problems whatsoever (trying to win the girl of his dreams is not a personal problem) and he's never tempted to do evil. There's no real "Character" there..he's a big boy scout with un-godly powers. Heck, even DBZ's Goku is more likable...@least he jokes around, and has friends.
I would think Supes does have personal problems, both socially and globally.
Sure, the whole thing about his interest in Lois has been done over and over again, but it is pretty much a timeless story.
Also, his home planet is gone...blown to little kryptonite bits. He is in a constant battle for acceptance on this planet. Unrealistic maybe, but aren't all heroes/superheroes? He's got these extraordinary powers, but can't save everyone. His mission is to uphold truth, justice, freedom, etc...lofty goals for any being. He has taken the best traits of humans and adopted them as his own, all the while trying to instill hope in humans when they (we) loose sight of those traits. I would say the burden he carries is very great, though self-imposed. Because of his powers, there is great guilt for failure, and a sense of not doing enough even in success.
No, he is not Batman. But, they do have a somewhat similar beginning...both were borne out of great personal tragedy. The paths they took after that were obviously different. Neither have a higher power to answer to besides themselves. They can both be regarded as vigilantes (though the term carries a darker, more negative connotation, and sticks better with Bats).
I'm not dismissing your opinion in any way naraht. I'm only giving another point of view. I think any superhero is tempted to do evil, especially considering the powers they possess. The choice to act on that temptation is another thing.
Believe me, I am a huge fan of Batman. I do feel, though, that Superman is slighted somewhat when it comes to what is beneath the boy-scout exterior. Whereas Batman has a more external visage of his demons, Superman, IMHO, tends to keep them inside without showing them externally.
This, of course, is a grander picture of Superman. The Smallville version is not that much different. Clark is different and knows it. Very different. He knows he can't go telling everyone about it either. He's also still young, trying to figure out the weird abilities he has and how to deal with actually having them. He could choose to be a bully, incredible athlete, etc...who would stop him? His morals and values stop him.
And aside to all this...I've always thought Superman carries many parrallels to a modern Messiah. Just something to discuss elsewhere...

[Naraht]

Your argument would hold more weight if...
1) Superman REMEMBERED his home planet.
2) If they ever really explored some of these so called inter strugles you're saying he has about not being able to save everyone.

[James Harvey]

I suggest that ya both cool down becuase this is heading straight for a falem war. Everyone has their own personnel opinions, and that includes whether or not they like certain characters. If they don't, fine. That's their opinion. But please don't belittle the opinions of others. If this thread gets anymore instense I will have to close it and issue warnings.

[Naraht]

Originally posted by Dick Grayson
I suggest that ya both cool down becuase this is heading straight for a falem war. Everyone has their own personnel opinions, and that includes whether or not they like certain characters. If they don't, fine. That's their opinion. But please don't belittle the opinions of others. If this thread gets anymore instense I will have to close it and issue warnings.

Sorry...consider it dropped! =]

[Kal-el]

Same here. No bad intentions meant.

[James Harvey]

Sorry if I bummed either of you out, but I knew where this was heading. Trust me - I've been modderating this place for more than three years, I've almost got a sixth sense about this kinda stuff. :) This debate can continue, but just try and refrain yourself and be opinion to different opinions.

[Kal-el]

No problem there DG. I love a good dialogue, especially about Batman and Superman.

[Naraht]

Originally posted by Dick Grayson
Sorry if I bummed either of you out, but I knew where this was heading. Trust me - I've been modderating this place for more than three years, I've almost got a sixth sense about this kinda stuff. :) This debate can continue, but just try and refrain yourself and be opinion to different opinions.

Yeah, I've done the moderator, and disliked the flame wars...

and I've been a flame war participant..and there's nothing more fun! =]

[Bird Boy]

I'm not going to pick it up..but I'll give it a quick gander if Ross did the cover...

The one and only reason I don't like Superman much..is he doesn't have much comedy...in Batman..Nightwing/robin/batgirl joked..and heck..batman did occasionally as well...but never did I see Superman make a real funny one...or make a funny face for that matter...

AH well..Supes is still fairly cool in his own way.. :)

-BB

[optimal321]

No because my parents cancelled our subscription to TVGuide to go w/ the less expensive and less impressive local version our newspaper sends out. :rolleyes:

[GrayGhost]

Originally posted by naraht
Superman is so unrealistic, it's scary. He's more powerful than the Hulk, has heat/x-ray/telescopic vision, can fly, and has no personal problems whatsoever (trying to win the girl of his dreams is not a personal problem) and he's never tempted to do evil. There's no real "Character" there..he's a big boy scout with un-godly powers. Heck, even DBZ's Goku is more likable...@least he jokes around, and has friends.

I totally agree. I have always disliked Superman and am not watching Smallville at all (did check out the first ep - boring! :) ). The Superman character is a huge bore.

[X-human]

Alex Ross is a pretty damn good reason to pick up those issues, at the very least the one of Superman.

Besides the Richard Donner flick, I'm hardly the biggest fan of Superman, but Alex Ross makes him damn cool looking. Also, these issues features an interview with Kevin Smith push a comic by Terry & Rachel Dodson of the very well drawn Harley Quinn. If it was anything but Smallville I wouldn't have had a second thought, but it's still worth it.

[Trent Lane]

The Superman, not Clark, cover is awesome! Of course, it's Alex Ross so what do you expect? The comic was very well drawn, as Harley is... any idea of who's actually doing the Smallville book if anyone at all? I swear I heard talk of a Smallville comic book... :confused:

[Calhoun07]

I thought they weren't going to do a Smallville comic book series. I would like to see one, personally, especially if they got away from the "villian of the issue" type stories we've been seeing on TV. If the comic book focuses on the human drama and the characters more and doesn't resort to villians every issue, I am so there. If it's another Superboy comic book with the characters drawn differently, then forget it.

[MattL.]

I've always liked *both* Batman and Superman. I really dont understand the either/or camp mentality and I also dont understand why people who prefer Batman insist and going out of their way to be nasty about and towards Superman fans.

and as far as "realism" uh theres plenty about Batman thats unrealistic to and if "realism" is what you are starving for then watch the news.

Sorry, I'm not tryint to flame war here, but I've seen far too much unjust bashing of Superman in my time.

Back on topic though, the covers look really good. I still havent gotten to see Smallville, but I like that the covers show Superman in costume.

I understand why the show doesnt have him in costume because its obviously set before that time, but one of my fears is that there would be a total anti-costume sentiment from the shows producers and pomoters. Thankfully, that doesnt appear to be the case.

Needless to say, Alex Ross kicks booty!

[The Guard]

As an Alex Ross fan, I was disappointed. Looks like he tried to hard.

[Calhoun07]

I think sometimes we put too much expectations on Alex Ross to do this incredible job all the time. He IS incredible all the time, but what I mean is I like Alex Ross when he seems to be having more fun with his art, not when he is, like you said, trying hard to live up to this ideal of him people have set up. I haven't seen the TV Guide covers yet, but I think I know where you're coming from.