James Gunn’s new Superman film, titled simply Superman, has just begun filming. And many fans are wondering just what bits of Superman media Gunn is using as his source material for his new take. Well, in a post in Instagram, Gunn shared several images which show where he drew inspiration for his take on the Last Son of Krypton. Some are from comics, some from animation. But all are iconic in their own way.
Superman: The Movie (1978)
In the post, James Gunn answers a fan question on his inspirations “other than the Donner films.” That is a reference to Richard Donner, who directed 1978’s Superman: The Movie and much of Superman II. We know that the Donner Superman films starring Christopher Reeve are a key inspiration, as Lex Luthor’s minions Otis and Eve Teschmacher from those movies are in the film.
Superman #1 (1940)
The first image Gunn showed was a very early Joe Shuster drawing of the Man of Steel breaking out of chains, from the back cover of Superman #1 from 1939. This gives us an indication that, in many ways, Gunn is going back to the very beginning of Superman’s earliest comic book adventures.
All-Star Superman (2008)
The next comic book inspiration is from writer Grant Morrison’s seminal 2005-2008 series All-Star Superman. Specifically, issue #10. This famous image from artist Frank Quitely sums up everything that Kal-El is about. We see Superman save a suicidal person from taking their own life, by talking to them and showing love and compassion. This single page captures Superman’s essence in a nutshell.
Max Fleischer’s Superman (1941)
The following image Gunn posted was from the Max Fleischer animated shorts from 1941. These popular shorts were crucial in forming many signature traits of Superman’s, such as his ability to fly and not just “leap tall building in a single bound.” That costume featured a yellow border around the “S” shield, something the new cinematic costume will also have.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (1986)
Next, Gunn showed off an iconic page of despondent Superman with his dog Krypto in his arctic fortress. It’s illustrated by Curt Swan and George Perez, from the classic Alan Moore story “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” This story closed out the Silver Age/Bronze Age era of Superman comics, before the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot Man of Steel. As already indicated by Gunn, this seems to assure us that Superman will have his Fortress of Solitude.
Superman Annual #6 (1962)
This image, by perhaps the artist most identified with the character, Curt Swan, is from Superman Annual #6 from 1962. It epitomizes the Superman of the Silver Age, with his vast family of characters. There’s Supergirl, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, his friends the Legion of Super-Heroes, and villains like Mxyzsptlk and Bizarro. This seems to indicate Clark will have a large extended family of characters in this movie, adding fuel to the fire that Milly Alcock’s Supergirl will appear.
New 52 Action Comics (2011)
The next image is far more recent, from the New 52 reboot of Superman from 2011. In this cover from Action Comics #4 by Michael Choi, we see a young Clark in his earliest hero days, before he could fly, and wore a t-shirt, jeans, and boots. Oh, and a little cape. It’s not really Superman without the cape, is it? This reboot harkened back to the Superman of 1938, when he was a “working man’s hero,” who fought corrupt politicians and elected officials in the Depression. This is yet another example of a Grant Morrison take on Superman serving as inspiration.
Kingdom Come/Justice Society of America (1996, 2010)
Superman from the universe of Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Elseworlds 1996 mini-series Kingdom Come is next. Or rather, that older Superman’s appearance in the Justice Society of America story “Thy Kingdom Come” in the 2000s, when he crossed from the Kingdom Come universe to the “main” DC Earth. That story told of Clark Kent after he’d retired when a personal tragedy drove him away from Metropolis. The “S” shield design in the new movie is almost identical to Kingdom Come’s Superman, only without the black.
Superman: The Animated Series (1996)
Superman: The Animated Series debuted in 1996, set in the same world as Batman: The Animated Series. This image Gunn shared is from the show’s opening credits. The Superman of this series drew inspiration from the ’80s reboot of the character, particularly the evil CEO version of Lex Luthor. The show’s Metropolis was very art déco-inspired, which could play out in Gunn’s film. Creator Bruce Timm and Paul Dini largely reinvented the villain Brainiac for this series, as a Kryptonian AI. Maybe it’s a hint that he plays a part in the new film?
Superman For All Seasons (1995)
The late Tim Sale’s art from the four-issue mini-series Superman For All Seasons, written by Jeph Loeb, is next. It shows Clark Kent saying goodbye to his father Jonathan Kent as he prepares to leave Smallville for Metropolis. It has an almost Normal Rockwell quality to it, which may translate well to the big screen. Gunn has stated many times that the series Superman For All Seasons would be a big influence on his film. Showing this page is just another example.
Action Comics (2021)
Lastly, the most recent image used is from 2021’s Action Comics #1035, with a page from current Wonder Woman artist Daniel Sampare. It shows a married Lois and Clark take to the sky where they kiss under the stars. This lets us know that the love story between the two ace Daily Planet reporters is going to play a key factor in the DCU’s new Superman film.
