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Superman: Last Son of Krypton cricket repository

post #1 of 15
3/10/04 at 2:49pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.chud.com/chudvd/reviews/supekryp.php3
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post #2 of 15
3/10/04 at 5:29pm
That Autobot caption put sooooooooooo many bad images in my head. Just so, so, so, so, so, so wrong. Funny, but maaaaaan, that's gonna be in my head all day.
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post #3 of 15
3/10/04 at 5:40pm
I wonder what babies taste like, too.

Incidentally, I saw the most badass Justice League yesterday on Cartoon Network.
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post #4 of 15
3/10/04 at 5:43pm
Great review.

I did enjoy the Superman show, however I'm of the theory that the Dini-Timm shows got progressively weaker with each new one.

Batman > Superman > Batman Beyond > Justice League

I did hear a rumor that BTAS was coming to DVD in season format, along with the 1989 film, next year to go with Nolan's movie. Hopefully its true, and Superman would follow suit.

But anyways, I do think Superman was another home run, for the most part. There were definitely plenty of lame episodes, and when they used to do "Batman/Superman Adventures", I was always kinda disappointed when a Supes episode came on instead of Batman.

But Dini and Timm did succeed in making their Superman memorable. It's Tim Daly's voice in my head when I read a Supes comic.
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post #5 of 15
3/11/04 at 5:35am
The clothes-hangers screencap was fantastic. As always, your reviews are incredibly well-written, well-argued, and hilarious.
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post #6 of 15
3/11/04 at 1:53pm
Another good review, Slater. Nicely done.

To be fair though, I think this thing was produced to run as both a short "feature" and to later be chopped up into 3 individual episodes. Back when the show premiered, SUPERMAN: LSOK ran in primetime on the WB the Friday night before the Saturday morning show began. With commercials and everything it ran about 90 minutes.

I don't even own this yet, so I should probably just shut up, but everywhere that I've seen it the disc sells for $10. With that price tag, I can forgive the snapper case and the lack of quality extras.
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post #7 of 15
3/11/04 at 1:59pm
Thread Starter 
Hmm. Didn't know that.

Still, it doesn't change my opinion. The disc doesn't ever come close to *feeling* like a complete feature. Where something like Mask of the Phantasm has a cinematic feel and deliberate pacing, Last Son of Krypton simply feels like you're watching the first 1/8th of Superman: Season One. It's fun, but it doesn't really stand on its own the way the Batman movies do.

Thanks for the feedback, guys!
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post #8 of 15
3/11/04 at 5:38pm
Fair enough. I was a big fan of the show, but didn't get to watch it that often because I couldn't seem to wake up early on Saturday mornings back then. I guess I just remember this 3 episode arc/TV movie pretty fondly.

At the start of the review I was just about to get offended at the comments about Superman being bland and boring. I've heard a lot of this lately, Nick even made similar statements in one of the Steady Leak columns. Anyway, I got to the part where you said that you had never really seen this show and remembered that watching the Dini/Timm show helped to rekindle my love of the character.

I think these guys do everything the way it ought to be done. All of the things you describe as positives are the things that would need to be done to make a good Superman movie and a big part of the reason I want to see it done so badly is to see Superman move the way he ought to move and fight the way he ought to fight. The technology is there and I would rather see it used to show kids what Superman is supposed to be than to show us all what it might look like if global warming brought about a second ice age.
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post #9 of 15
3/11/04 at 6:14pm
Thread Starter 
Exactly. I hate the Christopher Reeve Superman and find the comic book version incredibly boring, but this Superman...I like him. I'd watch a movie about this guy. He's actually pretty cool.

McG better be taking notes...
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post #10 of 15
3/11/04 at 7:00pm
Hopefully McG won't need his notes. Maybe I'm just a dreamer, but I like to think that he and Ratner have had such a hard time getting this thing off the ground because somebody at WB doesn't want to see a shitty Superman movie.

Also, not all of the comics suck. Have you ever read Superman For All Seasons? That and the current Superman: Birthright are both quality.

Sorry to make this into a conversation. I'll make this my last comment. Enjoyed the review and always appreciate an excuse to talk Superman.
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post #11 of 15
3/11/04 at 7:06pm
Thread Starter 
I've heard great things about the Seasons and Birthright trades, but haven't found them at the library yet. The last Superman trade I picked up was called "President Lex," and it was just about the worst thing I've ever read.

The character definitely has potential, but it seems like most writers fall into the "he's an American icon who must be treated with absolute respect" trap. And while I'm all for respecting characters, there's a certain point when you need to stop portraying them through almighty rose-colored glasses in order to tell stories that are unique and interesting.

And feel free to keep bullshitting about the character if you want to...at least nobody else is gonna bother us in this thread!
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post #12 of 15
3/12/04 at 1:28pm
Y'know, I think Jeff Loeb wrote both Superman For All Seasons and the issues that are collected in President Lex. I think he's much better when he goes into a character's past and tries to boil them down what is really great and important about them.

He did this in Daredevil: Yellow and, in a different way, in The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. I'm not sure what's wrong with him when he writes a character's monthly adventures, but it never goes as well.

I think a big part of the problem with monthly Superman comics, and Batman and Spiderman comics for that matter, is that there are writers trying to crank out four stories a month about them. They need to get the best possible writer and artist on each character and cut it down to one really strong book a month.
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post #13 of 15
3/12/04 at 1:39pm
Thread Starter 
Loeb wrote some of the stories in the trade, but there were something like 20 different stories and mini-stories from all four of the books, which gave the entire thing a very half-assed feel. Loeb is a really hit-or-miss type of writer for me. When he's on (Long Halloween), he's *really* on, but when he's off (Hush), it's painful to watch. But I'd still rather see Loeb tackle the Superman screenplay than someone like J.J. Abrams.

Completely agree with you on the multiple titles syndrome. Everyone blames the holofoil and lenticular gimmick covers of the 90s for killing the industry, but I blame oversaturation, pure and simple. When Spider-Man had one or two adventures per month, you were almost guaranteed original ideas and innovative plotlines. Once the character was spread across fifteen different books, not counting one shots and guest appearances, it kind of saps the dramatic tension. Same with Superman, X-Men, Batman, everybody else...

No comic book character should be allowed more than two titles, and even that's pushing it.
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post #14 of 15
3/27/04 at 3:52am
I figure I'm not interrupting anything, what with this thread lying dormant for a few days.

Great review, Mr. Slater. I really like all of your reviews (MXP still remains my favorite, but I think I'm one of many in that regard). This review is reasonably complimentary, yet honest. That's hard to come by when reviewing a "Saturday morning cartoon-to-DVD". They usually come in two groups: fanboys with an agenda to get everyone to love them or people who write them off as kid stuff. Your review is fresh and comes from a much more enlightened place. Something I've come to expect from you and CHUD in general.

Oh, and I also want to add that I applaud you for addressing this:
Quote:
...studio morons who think that kids like these interactive games. Knock it off already.
Has anyone ever gotten through one of these before remembering they have some dusting to do?
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post #15 of 15
3/27/04 at 5:07am
Thread Starter 
Thanks!
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