Research material for your weekend movie watching

So, it sounds like all the people who haven’t already seen Man of Steel are gearing up to see it tonight or tomorrow. I’ve seen LOTS of comments from people I know–and I’m impressed that the opinions are completely divided. People either hate it with a fiery passion or they’ve already bought tickets to see it for a third time.

DON’T tell me any spoilers, and plot points or…well, anything, as I’m planning to see it tomorrow with my youngest son. I’ve heard it’s a “Superman for our times” or “a Superman movie for people who weren’t Superman fans.”  Until I get to see it and have my own opinions, I thought I’d post some research material showing what I know about the character of Superman up until today, courtesy of past Bun Toons.

First up, the man himself:

 

And the woman herself:

And lastly, I made my own predictions as to how the summer’s box office would go–we’ll see in a couple of days how right I was:

 

Ty the Guy

________________________________________________

Bonus moments of superhero goodness!

My kids have always been superhero fans and showed it at an early age.

Superboy Taylor and Superbaby Sean

and, much like their dad, they didn’t always worry about whether they liked the guy everyone else liked:

Kellam in Blueface. Hallowe’en 1999, with Bunny Taylor and TyBunny

_______________________________________________________

And your Bonus bonus moment:

Click HERE to go to “Superman vs. Jesus vs. Halloween”

*

 

Happy Birthday Big Red S!

Seventy Five years old!  Great Rao!

I have a lovely essay that I wrote on the occasion of Superman’s 70th Birthday, and rather than rethink it, I’ll just link to it below.  Click on the image and you’ll be taken to a much larger and readable version of the article.   When you’re done (or once you’ve ignored the article and scrolled below it), you can rejoin the regular blog, still in progress.

What I said still holds true (unless the upcoming movie REALLY sucks).

I’ve had a long and unexpected association with Superman through the years, and I consider it quite an honour to have contributed to the great character’s legacy. Working out of the Superman office in the late 80s and early 90s gave me the whooping-giggle thrill of collaborating with some of the legends of this comics industry.  I got ink over such childhood heroes as Jim Mooney:

And John Byrne…

 Dan Jurgens…

…and the definitive Superman artist for a generation: Curt Swan.

…as well as a dozen other artists working out Mike Carlin’s Superman office.  My single favourite image I contributed to while I was a Superman inker was this cover for Superboy: The Comic Book #4…penciled by Kevin Maguire and rendered by your humble blogger.  I rarely put my own artwork up on the walls of my house, but I consider this a Kevin piece anyway, so it sat on my wall for years.

I dare you to tell me that isn’t a great cover.

Superman was on hand the first time I co-wrote a story with my pal Dan Slott.  Though we’d worked together as a writer/artist team a few times, this was our first collaboration as co-writers, and our little tale featured Krypto and his big flyin’ master.   Go find a copy and read it, you’ll let go of a few honest tears when it’s done.  I’m proud of this one.

I got to work with Jerry Seinfeld because of Superman.  I was asked to design the look of  Superman for a series of Seinfeld/American Express animated commercials, as well as creating some odd Jerry and Superman scenes for billboards and print ads.

The original photo is Jerry grabbing at “no one” in the air, and I had to draw Superman to fit where Jerry’s hand was.  Kal-el is supposed to be saying “this guy’s crazy”, but it looks equally like he’s tickling the comedian.

Superman and Jerry bond over their dogs.

Is there any better job than being paid to illustrate Krypto starting a bromance?

Working for Superman offered me to opportunity to design collectable action figures:

and crayon boxes, and puzzles and t-shirts and colouring books and darn near anything with an S on it.  Of the many many images of Superman I’ve drawn for DC Comics over my career, this is my favourite:

I know there’s other characters on this JLU cover, but there’s something about the Superman figure that sits just right with me.  His proportions, his expression, even the colours of his costume, all came together in this image and I didn’t screw any of it up.  I actually don’t hate this cover and my wife will tell you how rare that is for me.  I might be wrong, but I think it’s the last time I drew Superman for the mother corporation…once I get it correct, I scoot off and don’t do it again.

So happy birthday Mr. Cape.  You’ve been a delightful character to read as a child, to work on as a young adult, and to come back to every few years like a comfortable trip back home.   I hope I get another chance at him someday…and I treasure the time we spent together.

I’m always a little jealous when he dates someone else.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Superman Moment- You knew this one was coming.

NRA Bun Toons! Duck and cover!

Because you can’t spell Christmas, without the letters “national tragedy”.

I wanted to avoid the subject.  I’ve ignored the cable news, and haven’t clicked onto Huffington Post in weeks, but the culture comes at you anyway.  Now, my bestest pal DAN SLOTT is surrounded by Secret Service agents because he’s getting death threats for writing a rip-roaring Spider-Man yarn.    What is wrong with you people and the guns and the death?

Thank god we have the NRA, and the voice of sanity in Wayne LaPierre.

Because, you know…violent video games, mental illness, media, etc.

Earlier this month, a crazy man entered a school trying to kill as many children as he could with a deadly weapon.  He attacked more than two dozen, but the country was China and the deadly weapon was a knife and as a result, NOT ONE SINGLE VICTIM DIED.

The only difference between the event in China and the event in Newtown was the presence of the gun.    So the evidence is in, the conversation is over.

Except for exceptionally stupid people.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS NRA COMIC BOOK moment:

Superboy was willing to endorse the NRA back in the Sixties, but that was before skin-piercing Kryptonite bullets.

——————————————————————————————–

For last week’s far more Christmas-y Bun Toon, click the unarmed Santa.

For all the Bun Toons for 2012, 2011 and earlier, click the Bunny