As the world gears up for Superman's triumphant return to cinema on June 14th, a conversation is brewing on the web. In YouTube comments, videos and other fan forums all over the internet, Superman fans are begging for a Man of Steel sequel to include Doomsday. And while daydreams of what visual effects could do to bring this monster to life are fun, it's my belief that unleashing this devastating character on the DC Cinematic universe is not only next to impossible, but deadly for this franchise that has not yet begun.
Doomsday was originally introduced in Superman: Man of Steel #18 in 1992 as part of the Death of Superman arc. Born on prehistoric Krypton, Doomsday was only an infant when an alien scientist began to advance and control his evolution by killing him and then cloning him, bringing him back stronger each time. This served to make Doomsday impervious to pretty much everything and also had the effect of making him despise all life. Eventually, the creature destroyed his creator and escaped the planet.
Thousands of years later and with billions of dead in his wake, Doomsday lands on earth and is entombed for a time under ground. He is eventually released and sets off on a rampage of destruction that easily defeats the Justice League and draws the attention of Superman himself. Superman is about to stop Doomsday, bit only with his dying breath. Thus Doomsday became the only being ever who can claim to have killed Superman.
The first problem with bringing this monster to the big screen is all the baggage that comes along with him. After all, when fans say they want Doomsday, what they really mean is that they want the Death and Return of Superman story-line. There's no denying that this story is amazing, inspirational and encapsulates the best of what the Man of Steel can be. But we forget that the story spanned several issues of Superman titles and even a Justice League issue. It required build up even for comic book readers. So when you talk about kicking off this story-line in the second installment of the franchise, it doesn't make much sense. For us fans, this doesn't present a problem as we have long been acquainted with the Superman universe and we have a way of projecting that long relationship with the character onto the screen. But most non-comics fans (and even non-Superman fans) will not have this same prior bond. Now, let's be honest with ourselves, these comic book movies are not made for us comic book fans. They are made only because they have the potential to draw a wider audience and if they fail, at least they can fall back on us. Therefore to reintroduce this wider audience to Superman, then turn around and kill him in the second movie, you would lose the emotion that made the story great. Most of the audience wouldn't have a strong connection to the world or this character after only one film. Not to mention the fact that much of the emotion from the story came from seeing other superheroes react to the loss of such an icon; superheroes that don't currently exist in the Man of Steel universe.
Issue #2: Imagine crafting a story in which a villain has to literally beat Superman to death. How crazy, stupid powerful would you have to make that guy? The answer is Doomsday. His abilities include being immune to almost any physical attack, immense strength that exceeds Superman's own, the ability to freaking resurrect himself if he is ever killed. Oh, and whatever killed him before he decided to come back no longer has any affect on him. So let's imagine that Henry Cavill takes on this CGI beast. Inevitably, Superman kills Doomsday in a massive battle and then dies himself. But wait, Doomsday's back, because...Doomsday! And he's now impervious to Kryptonian punching. There will never be a definitive end because Doomsday ALWAYS comes back. And sure, you could do movie after movie where Superman has to keep finding new ways to kill him, but that would get very old very fast. Not to mention how do you keep topping yourself? The other option is to modify who Doomsday is by dialing down the power level, but then you lose what makes the character a true threat to Superman and you tick off the fans who pushed so hard to get him on the screen in the first place.
Doomsday should really only appear when you're ready to end the Superman franchise. And after two and a half decades without a Superman (sorry Brandon Routh), I seriously dislike the suggestion that we cut this one's time short by doing it now.
No comments:
Post a Comment