Some Thoughts on Superman (2025)
Not a review, mind you. And very minimal spoilers.
Superman is my guy. Or at least, he’s one of my guys.
I grew up a DC Comics kid, in no small part due to the Super Friends cartoon and Adam West’s Batman. I made clear parallels at a young age between the Justice League and the gods of Olympus. It was a uniquely human theater and tradition to imagine leviathans walking amongst mortals.
Over the years, we’ve gotten to see Superman in many lights. It’s a common gripe that writers don’t know how to properly create conflict for someone that is innately very strong and very good. The easy hack is to strip some things away. Make him lose something important by his own hand, maybe. Or have him tempted to reveal himself as a ruler and not a servant.
My personal favorite Superman is Man of Steel in Mark Waid's Kingdom Come. Superman is retired in Kansas. He’s left the protection of the planet to a new wave of heroes, one he doesn’t understand. When those metahumans prove to be reliant on baser instincts, he returns to clean house. Or at least try.
The new Superman film pulls from many pieces of source material - Notably All-Star Superman, The Authority and Justice League International. But the symbol on his chest, a streamlined and angular “s” is a direct swipe from Kingdom Come.
I got the chance to see an early screening with my lovely and patient wife and a half dozen comic pros. It was a giant screen (just shy of Imax) and the seats and sound were ideal for spectacle. There was no origin story, just a series of timestamps substituting for a Star Wars-style opening crawl. Humanity knows who Superman is. They know where he comes from. Instead, we’re treated to a story of “why” he exists.
There’s not a lot new to add to the mythos. It’s a fresh start for a cohesive universe of stories. But instead of taking things away from Superman, things are added. Friends, family, love, community - a pet. Those are the things he fights for - and the reasons that he exists. We also got (perhaps) the best Lex Luthor of all time, in any media. The rage, intelligence and jealousy are on full display. A worthy adversary and polar opposite to Clark Kent. The rest of the supporting cast is also excellent. Jimmy Olsen, playboy, was a fun surprise. The hilarious Michael Ian Black got a ton of screen time. Also, we all know a Krypto. We love them… but they’re so extra.
Superman is a fun ride — a summer blockbuster. Despite what some in the media say, it’s not preachy or “woke.” It’s classic Superman. A hero for humanity to believe in. A hero for hope.
I loved it.