Man of Steel

While some viewers argue the Superman depicted in Man of Steel behaves in such a way as to be unrecognizable from the hero from the DC Comics stories originated by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, what's less debatable is that actor Henry Cavill, in costume, is the living embodiment of the great superhero, a fact that's obvious even at a glance. But as Film Sketchr's Maurice S. Mitchell learned in his interview with Man of Steel conceptual artist Warren Manser, alternate designs reveal things could have gone quite differently.

Like a lot of longtime Superman fans, I found myself experiencing my share of cognitive and emotional dissonance watching the new Man of Steel movie. One thing was clear, however: Faora was totally dope! The Kryptonian killing machine has her own unique history in DC Comics lore, but the movie version especially resonated with me because she's essentially the closest thing Dragon Ball Z fans may ever see to a live action Vegeta (the less we all entertain the idea of a sequel to Dragonball: Evolution, the better). Indulge in a comparison chart detailing some key similarities and differences between the two proud/psychotic alien warriors with us after the cut, but beware of mild spoilers if you haven't seen MoS just yet.

Superman is not like other heroes. He's not only among the first, and the one who defined the genre; he's also the best. I mean that in a moral sense. Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel's creation, as we understand him today and as he exists in the cultural lexicon, is the ideal of heroic virtue. That perception may change following the success of Zack Snyder's new movie Man of Steel.

If you're mad about the ending of Man of Steel, particularly the one event that seems to have most touched a nerve with some Superman fans, don't lay the blame at the feet of co-plotter and producer Christopher Nolan. At least, not all of it.

Today's links are yours for the viewing, after the jump.

Eyewear designers Warby Parker released two new Superman-inspired frames to tie-in with the release of Man of Steel last weekend. Warby Parker designs eyewear with both style and affordability in mind, and the "Chamberlain" and "Percey" frames in the Man of Steel collection are no exception. With subtle red/blue detailing on the temples, these bold retro frames are fit for both men and women who are looking to add a dash of Daily Planet to their faces at $95 each (including prescription lenses) -- $15 of which will be donated to 826NYC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their writing skills.

A few folks (including Daredevil writer Mark Waid and ComicsAlliance's Chris Sims) have referred to elements of director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel as "disaster porn," but just how much damage is actually dealt by Superman, Zod and company in the movie?

There's Loki news and more to read in today's Link Ink.

If you like Superman movies that we already have, then I imagine you have the best chance of being entertained by Man of Steel. That's really the nicest thing I can say about it, and I say it because when you get right down to it, most of the considerable mistakes that made Man of Steel downright unbearable for me were made in those, too. In that respect, it's really just the latest installment of The Adventures of Terrible Movie Superman.

The legendary and outspoken writer behind Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell, and many more of the most memorable comic book stories of the last 30+ years, Alan Moore's feelings on creators' rights are well documented. He's continued to discuss his views at length in Occupy Comics, Black Mask Studios' Kickstarter-funded anthology inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, opining mainly on the comics industry's complex historical relationship with counterculture and corporations. Titled "Buster Brown At The Barricades," much of the latest chapter focuses specifically on Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and their lifelong struggle for credit and control of the Man of Steel they created and sold for just $130 in the 1930s.