Man of Steel: A Film For All Seasons?

Man of Steel: A Film For All Seasons?

I think I may have unraveled one of the mysteries surrounding Zack Snyder's Superman Reboot. Read on to find out what comic book mini series Man of Steel could partially be based on.

Editorial Opinion
By superman78 - Jul 25, 2011 06:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman
Source: ComicBookMovie.com

Man of Steel: A Movie For All Seasons?

So, Man of Steel is set to start filming some time next week. Filming secrets and set photos have already leaked as the production crew has started to set up shop in Plano, Illinois for the Smallville scenes. Starving for Supes news, I went back and started looking at all of the relevant information that has come to the surface over the last six weeks… and something jumped out at me.

Zack Snyder’s story line is at least partially based on the four part series Superman For All Seasons, by Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale. How did I miss this? How did we miss this? I went back through the message boards to make sure I was the first one to notice the similarities. I see a lot of people giving a nod to Birthright, but not Seasons.

Here is my theory, in which the Plano, Illinois news snippets shadow what we know from the Spring edition of Superman for All Seasons.

1. Autumn Frost is the production name for Superman: Man of Steel. This may be an obvious reference to a change in seasons.

2. Pa Kent is the narrator and most prominent character in Seasons. Kevin Costner was the first major casting news that broke, meaning perhaps his role is more pivotal to the movie than any Jonathan Kent character has been before.

3. We’ve seen a picture of a copy/internet shop and Otto’s Barber Shop. In Seasons, Clark is in a random store when he remember he has missed his haircut appointment. He then shows up to get trimmed, only to break the barber’s scissors on a strand of his hair.

4. We have been told that there will be a tornado scene. This is the major catastrophe scene in Seasons.

5. We have seen set pics of buildings that have considerable damage. The busted up structures actually look exactly like two of the buildings in the tornado panel from Seasons.

6. We have seen set pics of a phony gas station. In Seasons, Clark finally decides to use his powers for good to save a man from an explosion at a gas station.

Now, clearly the entire story will not be from Seasons. Zod is not in that series. But, I think that this is irrefutable evidence that at least the Smallville portion of the film will be based on For All Seasons. I, for one, get chills when I think of the iconic picture of Clark and Jonathan Kent standing in the cornfield watching the sun set before he leaves for Metropolis. This has long been my favorite comic book mini series. I love the art and I love the nostalgia. If Zack Snyder is doing any sort of adaptation that pulls from different famous story lines, we may be in for the ride of our lives.

Could we be finally getting what we’ve all been praying for? I can’t wait till summer of 2013.

P.S. Sorry I didn’t have time to set up the pics or any page grabs from Seasons. Do the research yourselves on the similarities. You won’t be disappointed.

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Confirms Frank Grillo's Role: This Isn't Just A Good Guy
Related:

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Confirms Frank Grillo's Role: "This Isn't Just A Good Guy"

SUPERMAN Star David Corenswet Details His Intense Weight Gain To Become The DCU's New Man Of Steel
Recommended For You:

SUPERMAN Star David Corenswet Details His Intense Weight Gain To Become The DCU's New Man Of Steel

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

superman78
superman78 - 7/25/2011, 6:57 PM
Seriously, if you have not read "Superman for All Seasons" go get it. Hell, our local library has it. It will well be worth your time and money.
SteveBosell
SteveBosell - 7/25/2011, 7:27 PM
Well written article! I have not read Superman: For All Seasons. I will now!
KALel3412
KALel3412 - 7/25/2011, 8:23 PM
im def going to go check it out now.
CaptainTall
CaptainTall - 7/25/2011, 8:56 PM
Hmmm..
vermillion
vermillion - 7/25/2011, 9:20 PM
I just ordered Red Son. I guess I need to check out For All Seasons next. The art kinda turned me away from it, though.

vermillion
vermillion - 7/25/2011, 9:21 PM
@MegaMattMOS

Love your avatar, man!
JM4Superman
JM4Superman - 7/25/2011, 10:24 PM
I've read For All Season and it was amazing. since Nolan's involvement in the film, i'm sure he did his homework with "For All Season" by Loeb like he did for Batman with "Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory".
CaptainTall
CaptainTall - 7/25/2011, 10:44 PM
@Vermillion, Thanks! Your avatar is also one of my favorite Superman pictures.
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 12:13 AM
@Superman78- NICE theory there! I seriously missed all that. Good catch and let's hope everything rings true.

@BaneKill- I'm thinking...well...if the rumors + the theory by Superman78 all ring true then maybe just MAYBE, this film will be like Nolan's bat-films and will combine stories. Surely Clark will go to Africa as in "Birthright" but maybe a good chunk of the film will be from "All Seasons"
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 12:13 AM
furthermore @Superman78- I really like seeing fellow Supes-fans who are doing their research into the film this deeply.

:)
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 12:20 AM
Hey guys also let's not forget Gen. Sam Lane is in this film...so this film is looking to be a mixture of- Birthright, Secret Origins AND Man of All Seasons.

POSSIBLY...we'll see...

Or...could also substitute Secret Origins for- World of New Krypton. Gen. Sam Lane was also in that story and i believe it also involved Gen. Zod. And it had the heavy kryptonian-mythology in there just like Snyder said.

So...let's think maybe- Birthright, World of New Krypton and Man of All Seasons...???
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 12:31 AM
Oh and one more thing before i hit the hay. I remember they confirmed before that there will be a "funeral scene"...possibly Jonathon Kent???

Well let's think here...beginning of the film maybe Birthright with Clark traveling the world. Then he goes back to Smallville to learn about his origins...cue- Superman Man of All Seasons...

Maybe that is how the film will pan out. Geez I wish they'd bring back the dang edit button so I don't have to break up my thought process into several comments.

Anyway- NICE article Superman78. Man of All Seasons is a GREAT story and if Snyder combines- Birthright and All Seasons, then we could really be in store for a really great film. And don't forget- World of New Krypton. That's my prediction for one of the influences in this film!

Night folks.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 7/26/2011, 5:54 AM
Has anyone pointed out the fact that Snyder also has a habit of killing his main characters.

300-leonidis
watchmen-rorchach
sucker punch-baby doll

Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling Supes might bite the big one in the end. I hope not, but I'm just saying.


LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 6:00 AM
@StrangerX- Normally I would say "NO" since Nolan/Goyer did the screenplay.

But...I do remember Snyder doing some touch-ups to the screenplay's 3rd act aka- the END of the movie.

So anything is possible. But with this possibly being the last Superman movie...I guess we'll just have to take whatever we get.

But good points you brought up!
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 6:02 AM
Also @StrangerX- Actually in Sucker Punch- Baby Doll lived. It was Amber, Blondie and Rocket that got killed.

StrangerX
StrangerX - 7/26/2011, 6:24 AM
@lp4-Sucker Punch still confuses me
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 8:03 AM
@StrangerX- Hahahahahaha I know what you mean.
7frames
7frames - 7/26/2011, 9:02 AM
Somebody on Facebook mentioned this the other day and I have to agree, sounds a lot like they're incorporating some parts of Superman for all seasons.
7frames
7frames - 7/26/2011, 9:04 AM
They also got permits to film on a bridge, so I believe the rumor that Lana will find out about Clark's powers when Superman shows up to save a bus from crashing into the river is true too.
Wallymandius88
Wallymandius88 - 7/26/2011, 10:28 AM
@superman78 - Wonderful as always my friend. Looked up All Seasons and I really like it. The beginning of "Smallville" was pretty much All Seasons though, so we'll see.

@LP$ - I LOVE New Krypton, I saw it done in a cartoon once and it was fantastic! Lets just hope it's done right if they use it.

@StrangerX - I'm with you on that one. That movie sucked but I've realized it's not Snyder's fault.
LP4
LP4 - 7/26/2011, 12:15 PM
@Wallymandius88- True, as long as they can find a way to use bits and pieces of- Birthright, Man of All Seasons and World of New Krypton then I think we'd be in store for a REALLY awesome film!!
ROMACK
ROMACK - 7/27/2011, 7:23 AM
Snyder didn't Kill Leonidas and Rorschac...that is the way stories were written long before they were movies. The 300 died long before comics existed.
LP4
LP4 - 7/27/2011, 11:29 AM
@ROMACK- Actually...did Rorschac die in the original Watchmen book? I didn't think he did. I thought that was just something Snyder decided to do.
golden123
golden123 - 7/27/2011, 12:12 PM
@BaneKill77: Superboy is just supposed to be a more contemporary Superman, Steel is the black member of the Superfamily, Eradicator was the answer to bringing Superman back, and Cyborg is just the plot twist in the Reign of the Supermen. Those are the reasons for each of those characters existing. Their nothing special. Eradicator barely gets used anymore while Cyborg isn't anything Metallo already is. Superboy is trying to be another Spider-Man. Steel is the actually decent although he has already had his own film. Hopefully we won't see those characters on screen.
blackcelebration
blackcelebration - 7/28/2011, 12:50 PM
@LP4

Rorshac did die in the comic version. Snyder basically Directed Watchmen shot by shot or picture by picture, as was told in the comics.
LP4
LP4 - 7/29/2011, 5:19 AM
@blackcelebration- Ah! Thank you for the info my friend ;D
View Recorder