SUPERMAN: To reboot, or not to reboot… THAT is the question.

As the debate rages on as to the question “Should WB/DC keep Brandon Rooth as Superman?” in our friend Superman4’s own thread (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/fancentral/news/?a=5726), our other friend Joker1zero on the other hand has written his own version of what should be the reboot at hand of the man in tights (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/superherostories/news/?a=5656). But the question still remains unanswered. Does Superman need a reboot? Was Superman’s “return” in vain? Would his rebirth be more adequate?

When “Superman Returns” was announced, it was what every superfan had dreamt of for decades. And was to be most promising having X-Men’s own Bryan Singer to helm it’s production on every front. Having written the script and baring the approval of Richard Donner himself, Singer seemed as exited as a child at Christmas to be able to create what was to be the “official” and “new” adventures of the most popular superhero ever to come from a comic book.

When he got the “green light” from anyone that “mattered” to him, he put everything aside including the ever so anticipated conclusion of his X-Trilogy as well as commonly known comic book continuity to bring us his favoured project on the big screen. He was so enthralled by his own ambitions that he neglected to take in consideration of what was to be the fans opinions on what he had spawned. It was as if he made the very movie for himself and not truly for the superhero’s fans. The fans cry was heard world wide as we learned that Lois Lane’s illegitimate son had krytonian blood flowing in his veins. A much different version of what us fans expected to be the origins of “Superboy”. To rob us of Superman’s highly in demand death was one thing, but to change the aspects of one of the most popular comic book story lines known as “the reign of the Supermen” to fit his own ambition was purely insanity. So much so that it blinded us all of the hard work put in this project to make it the most spectacular and most entertaining adventure Superman ever had at the box office. That movie was a pure adrenalin rush to the head baring special effects the likes of which we had never seen and that wasn’t to be matched until Marvel’s Ironman came about. Singer had created a masterpiece and turned it into a disgrace.

It is a sad realisation that not only a reboot is what we want but also, what the very characters we love actually need. Now with the recent success of The Dark Knight and Incredible Hulk, the execs at WB are convinced that what they need is a “darker, grittier” feel to their upcoming Superman project. So to answer my good friend IonParalax’s everlasting question “how could they possibly get it wrong every single time?” It now seems to be evidently simple… they don’t listen. They base their “needs” on the winnings that were earned with “darker, grittier” characters and now think they should use that darkness to attract the masses but all they will be doing will be to tarnish the very essence of the character we know and love. Superman doesn’t need “darkness” he needs JUSTICE! To think of the undying source of award winning material this character has had in his existence and WB can’t even get passed Lex Luther as the main antagonist. The “human brain better than alien brawn” routine has been done too many times over. Superman needs more formidable foes that meet his standards such as Brainiac, Darkseid and Doomsday. The only way Lex could become a truthful thorn in Superman’s side is to one day become the president of the United States. Lex Luther is not a petty thief; he’s an ingenious businessman, and a side of him the movies have never shown to this date.

And so if the origins of Kal-El were to be remade, I believe it should begin without any loose ends in Smallville. The reason why Clark would actually wish to move to metropolis would be because there simply isn’t anything left holding him in Smallville. After his adopted parents deaths, he then should realise that he is cut out for bigger and better things. Getting a job at the Daily Planet, he meets with not the love of his life but rather the most competitive striving young journalist he has ever met, Lois Lane. Instead of developing a lasting friendship that would later blossom as his love interest, he finds a most potent rival that will make him not only have to prove his prowess as Superman but also as one of Metropolis’s best reporters. Developing a rivalry that would resemble Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt’s in “What Women Want”. Yet another side we have never seen before. In fact, never have they even showed us a logical and valid “reason” as to why Clark Kent would be able to keep his job. Peter Parker brings in “great” shots of Spider-man as a freelance photographer well then Clark sure as hell can and should demonstrate his writing abilities. I much rather have a young yet cocky and confident country boy walk into town thinking he owns it than a bumbling idiot that got lucky in getting that job. Or else why would Perry White even bother hiring him?

Now as a fresh new “start” to this character’s beginnings, it would be fitting to cast younger actors than their predecessors for Clark as well as Lex. Brandon Routh did an amazing job to fill Christopher Reeves shoes, some would say he was even sculpted to fit in those shoes however I strongly believe that we shouldn’t just turn the page on this character but re-write the book completely to ultimately do him justice. LastSon1027 gave me a great idea and I’ve been talking it over with Joker1Zero as to who should rightfully play the roles in this fresh recreation of sorts. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… Chris Pine as Superman!