Skip to main content

Michael B. Jordan should be Superman, but not Clark Kent

Art by Bosslogic

The status of Superman in the DCEU has been up in the air over the past week, with nobody really being sure whether Henry Cavill will reprise his role as the character after this THR article was published. Michael B. Jordan, who starred as the antagonist in Marvel's Black Panther, is rumoured to be a candidate for the new Man of Steel. The question is: should he be?

Superman is undisputedly the most iconic superhero ever created. Everybody knows what he looks like, and even the slightest amendments to his costume have been met with uproar by some. Therefore, if DC were to drop a film trailer starring an African-American Superman, we'd all notice that things aren't quite the same as what we're used to.

Val-Zod and Calvin Ellis

But that doesn't mean that Superman can't be black. In fact, it'd be a smart move from DC to take advantage of the world's pre-existing idea of the Big Blue and make his race part of the narrative. Indeed, there are comic books starring black Supermen from other universes, such as Val-Zod of Earth-2 and Calvin Ellis of Earth-23.

I'm personally a big fan of the latter, who was introduced in Final Crisis as a nod to Barack Obama. In his continuity, Ellis has to balance being Superman and POTUS, providing commentary on the most powerful man in the world being black. This idea might be dated now that there's a new president, but it's a lot more powerful than just changing the race of the main-universe Superman - besides, Jordan is far too suave to play the ungainly Clark Kent.

The multiple Supermen

Plus, a cinematic multiverse would be an excellent idea for DC. You might be wondering how they could manage multiple universes when the DCEU isn't exactly doing as well as they want, but it'd actually be easier. Got an idea that contradicts the other films? Boom, it's set on Earth-2. With a standalone Joker origin film set to be released next year, this could become a reality.

Maybe I just want a Multiversity film, and maybe I just want a possibility for Henry Cavill to return. At this stage, nobody knows what's going to happen - but if Michael B. Jordan is going to be Superman, I'd love for them to go full-on multiversal with it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crazy, epic and tragic: Reviewing Grant Morrison's Batman

"Batman always comes back, bigger and better, shiny and new. Batman never dies. It never ends. It probably never will." But if there ever was an ultimate Batman story, this would be it. Grant Morrison's legendary Batman saga ties all facets of the beloved Caped Crusader into a single tale, producing a piece of modern-day mythology that will define Gotham's protector for generations. Morrison's Batman tale ran for seven years in total, but its many nods to Gotham's past and hints towards its future make it feel like a comprehensive record of the Wayne legacy. When writing this epic, Morrison declared that all prior Batman stories did indeed happen, with his run being the focal point of them all. The adventure begins in Batman and Son , which throws us straight into the madness with a scene of a trigger-happy Batman attempting to kill the Joker, only to be stopped by...Batman? This introduces us to a central theme of the series: the bat used as a s...
Post a Comment
Read more

A thank-you to Steve Ditko

The late Steve Ditko was best known for creating Spider-Man with Stan Lee, and arguably shaped the entire world of superheroes when he did. While Clark Kent was the common man, Peter Parker was the common boy, making him a character that generations of new fans could connect with. Ditko's artwork was dynamic and fun, attracting more and more readers who previously wouldn't have given comics a second glance. His work lives on through new creators, and its influence can be felt in films based on his characters, such as the recent Spider-Man: Homecoming . Steve Ditko is also strongly associated with Charlton Comics - he created Captain Atom, the Question and Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle. These heroes served as the inspiration for the characters of Alan Moore's  Watchmen , which showed the world that comics can be taken just as seriously as films and television. Ditko had no direct involvement with Watchmen , but it is another example of just how far his influence ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Are Kryptonians stronger than Saiyans?

Art by Brett Booth and Bruno Furlani One of Superman's greatest opponents is one he will never actually meet: Dragon Ball protagonist Son Goku. The outcome of this dream match-up has been hotly debated by fans of both manga and Western comics, with no concrete answer being universally agreed upon. In fact, the argument is so divisive that it is now banned from most comic book forums. Despite being a big fan of both characters, I've never been able to confidently bet on one hero over the other - until now. Perhaps the main reason why the debate continues to this day is that, by nature, each character keeps displaying new feats that could tip the scales. This is because of their alien physiology - Superman is Kryptonian and Goku is Saiyan, meaning they each have powers that put them at the very top of their respective fictional universes. Thus, the only way to truly end this mighty clash is not to focus solely on these heroes, but to look at the differences between each ex...
Post a Comment
Read more