08.01.2025 THE SUPERMAN LEGACY!!! With DAN BRERETON!
MONSTER PARTY BRINGS YOU THE ONLY KRYPTO YOU CAN TRUST!
JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, salute what is arguably the most famous superhero of all time. Join us as we pry open the doors of The Fortress of Solitude to examine the meta-human miracle that is... THE LEGACY OF SUPERMAN!
Created in 1933 as a villain by the ill-fated team of writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman made his heroic debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Since then, the orphan from the planet Krypton has been the subject of numerous pop culture interpretations, including serials, cartoons, live-action TV series, and major motion pictures. Although these vehicles have been hit and miss, the release of the most recent 2025 film, SUPERMAN, written and directed by JAMES GUNN, sees Superman come full circle back to the tone of his earlier comic book roots.
In this episode, MONSTER PARTY dissects what has made Superman retain his universal appeal. Concentrating primarily on his depictions in films and television, we tackle some of the pros and cons of this pop culture icon. How did the Superman radio show lead to the early Kirk Alyn Superman serials of the 40's? What has animation contributed to the Superman mythology? Was the 1950's TV show starring George Reeves an effective portrayal of Supes? What are some of the problems that have plagued various feature film productions? Does the new Superman film stand up to the praise and criticism? And is it possible to make a truly decent superhero interesting?
Joining us for this yellow sun-powered yap fest is a man who has had the honor of creating Superman stories for D.C. Comics. He's a friend of the show and a celebrated artist and writer who has lent his talents to such projects as BLACK TERROR, BATMAN: THRILLKILLER, SUPERMAN AND BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD'S FINEST, THE PSYCHO, GIANTKILLER, JLA: SEVEN CASKETS, and his own groundbreaking series, THE NOCTURNALS. Please welcome back, Krypton's favorite son... DAN BRERETON!
LOOK! UP IN THE SKY! IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? IS IT AN INCREDIBLY HIGH JUMPING LEPUS? NO... IT'S MONSTER PARTY!
Guest(s): Dan Brereton
Follow Dan: Dan Brereton (@dan_brereton_illustrator) | https://www.nocturnals.com | Dan Brereton | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree | Wikipedia: Dan Brereton
KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Brereton discusses the pressure of illustrating Superman, his collaboration with writer Walt Simonson, and how the project deepened his appreciation and understanding of the Man of Steel.
James, Shawn, Larry and Matt spend a lot of time going deep on a detailed review of the new 2025 Superman movie - SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!
Enjoy a retrospective of all 4 classic Superman films starring Christopher Reeve films. The Great, the Good, the Silly and the very honest!
The Crew also talks about the Synderverse view of Superman and how much of our new reboots may rely on homage a little too much, but they still know a good Zod when they see one!
The Deep Cuts - Superman has been around in animated forms, television and serials long before Richard Donner directed Christopher Reeve - our team talks about what did and didn’t work in a time before we had the ability to truly make our caped crusader fly!
TIMESTAMPS:
00:02:04 - James, Shawn, Larry and Matt introduce their special guest, comic book artist and writer Dan Brereton.
00:03:32 - Dan Brereton discusses his experience drawing Superman for the DC Comics series Legends of the World's Finest.
00:11:21 - The hosts begin their in-depth review of the new 2025 Superman film directed by James Gunn.
00:14:39 - The discussion turns to the film's humor and successful tone.
00:30:21 - A breakdown of the character arc of Metamorpho in the new film.
00:37:07 - The hosts analyze the other superheroes featured in the movie, including Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, and Guy Gardner.
00:55:25 - The conversation shifts to a retrospective on the Christopher Reeve era, starting with the Richard Donner films.
01:03:27 - A critique of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
01:13:49 - Analysis of Bryan Singer's Superman Returns.
01:28:42 - The hosts look back at the creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938.
01:35:13 - Praise for the classic Max Fleischer Superman cartoons from the 1940s.
01:40:16 - The hosts review the Zack Snyder films, including Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.
01:48:25 - Dan Brereton talks about his upcoming comic series from Dark Horse, Nocturnals: The Sinister Path.
RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED:
Superman (2025) - The new film directed by James Gunn that serves as the central topic of discussion and is highly praised by the hosts.
Superman: The Movie (1978) - Directed by Richard Donner and starring Christopher Reeve. The hosts refer to it as a near-perfect, epic classic and the gold standard for Superman films.
Superman II (1981) - The sequel to the 1978 film. The hosts discuss the differences between the theatrical cut directed by Richard Lester and the superior "Donner Cut."
Superman III (1983) - Criticized for its comedic tone and the inclusion of Richard Pryor, marking a significant decline for the series.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) - Mentioned as a low-budget failure produced by Canon Films that effectively ended the Christopher Reeve era.
Superman Returns (2006) - Directed by Bryan Singer. Discussed as a well-intentioned but flawed homage to the Donner films that lacked its own identity.
Man of Steel (2013) - Directed by Zack Snyder. The hosts criticize its dark tone and the controversial decision to have Superman kill General Zod.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) - Described as a dreary, joyless, and humorless film.
Justice League (2017 & 2021) - The hosts touch on both the Joss Whedon theatrical version and Zack Snyder's director's cut.
Superman and the Mole Men (1951) - Noted as the first-ever feature-length Superman film, starring George Reeves.
The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? - A documentary about the unmade 1990s Superman film that was to be directed by Tim Burton and star Nicolas Cage.
Adventures of Superman (1952-1958) - The classic TV series starring George Reeves.
Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000) - Praised for elevating the character and being highly faithful to the source material, following in the footsteps of Batman: The Animated Series.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997) - The 90s TV series starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher.
The Max Fleischer Superman Cartoons (1940s) - A series of theatrical animated shorts that the hosts laud as gorgeous, influential, and a high watermark for Superman adaptations.
Action Comics #1 (1938) - The debut of Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Superman and Batman: Legends of the World's Finest - A 1990s comic series written by Walt Simonson and painted by the podcast's guest, Dan Brereton.
Miracleman - A comic by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman, cited as an example of what happens when a superhero attempts to solve all of the world's problems.
Nocturnals: The Sinister Path - Guest Dan Brereton's upcoming four-issue comic miniseries from Dark Horse Comics, set to release in September 2025.
JLA: Seven Caskets - A Justice League story written and painted by Dan Brereton.
James Gunn - Director of the 2025 Superman film and head of DC Studios, praised for his love and understanding of the source material.
Richard Donner - Director of the 1978 Superman film, lauded for his epic and respectful approach.
Christopher Reeve - The iconic actor who portrayed Superman in the 1978-1987 film series.
George Reeves - Star of the 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman.
Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster - The original creators of Superman.
Mike Carlin - The group editor for Superman comics at DC in the 1990s who edited Dan Brereton's work.
Walt Simonson - The legendary comic writer who collaborated with Dan Brereton.
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