Welcome to Adaptations Done Right, the segment that looks at media and how it improves the original comic story. Today we’re going to look at how to properly put Superman in a dark place. It’s all thanks to the examples by Alan Moore. One episode of Justice League Unlimited makes it even more compelling in For the Man Who has Everything
Introductions Please
Alan Moore uses his deconstructive methods of approaching comic books and the real world to rebuild them into something more compelling. A glimpse of these views are in his most notable series Watchmen and V for Vendetta. He along with Frank Miller practically introduce the Iron Age of comics; an era meaning to appeal to more mature audiences with the intent of making comics more literate. Unfortunately, the other creators of this era onward only use the surface level details. Most of them take more from Miller’s anti-heroic depictions of characters including Batman. Superheroes in particular became less of the ideal people and more like pessimistic man-children.
Alan Moore though has more in the DC vault besides Watchmen. Not least of which involves Superman. Superman is for all intents and purposes a character who overcomes most of his flaws. The only things people seem to remember about him are his origin and invincibility. How does someone like Moore portray him and not just appeal to fanboy fantasies? For Moore this isn’t just about driving Superman over the edge; but by showing a truly vulnerable and humanizing character. All of which readers can find in Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
For the Man Who Has Everything: The Down to Earth Comic
Superman is DC’s symbol of hope and prosperity. But Moore presents him with something he can never have in the form of a mundane but fulfilling life on Krypton; an act that will affect Superman long after the ordeal. What made the fantasy world that Superman lives in memorable was that it isn’t even a perfect world. It is rather similar to the real world in terms of political instability. Superman even wonders if Krypton’s destruction would actually have been a good thing. At least his extended family wouldn’t be harassed by the public. But Superman found the silver lining with his nuclear family to make it all bearable. Who would wish death and destruction upon a world if it meant losing everyone you love?
Unfortunately that’s how Mogul smuggles the Black Mercy into’s Superman’s space. Maybe he should start using his X-Ray Vision more often. This psychedelic drug trip even reminds readers of Superman’s crossover with Swamp Thing.
This Part Doesn’t Hold the Original Story Back
The rest of DC’s trinity (and Jason Todd as Robin) show up for his birthday. The aloof Batman is practically unsure of what to give his friend, even saying the title. The threat of the Black Mercy even comes full circle on the Dark Knight. That’s only the surface level of portraying how Batman comes up short on Superman. While he and Clark are friends who know each other quite well, Bruce still struggles to leave himself vulnerable around him. That vulnerability comes back to bite Batman when the Black Mercy latches onto him. The Wayne’s re-murder makes an uneasy wake up for the Batman.
Diana meanwhile shows her skills in combat with Mongul while calling her strength levels into question. The issue even helps highlight her and Superman’s friendship by giving the Man of Steel the Kryptonian city of Kandor. The underutilized city is a physical reminder that his home world is not completely lost. Ultimately, it’s that tragedy that comes in the TV episode.
For the Man Who Has Everything: The Tragic Animation
The Justice League Unlimited episode essentially has the same premise and follows Moore’s formula. But it makes use of DC’s Paul Dini centric universe by displaying Superman’s enemy Brainiac as a household AI. Jor-El, Superman’s dad even lives a pretty decent life after rebuilding his reputation. Krypton really isn’t bad at all either, just a regular neighborhood.
This makes Kal-El’s revelation that everything is fake so much worse. I mean in his mind, Kal-El spends twenty years living a good life with the parents that he never knew. The relationship between him, his wife, and son add a whole other layer to the tragedy. Superman even tries to kill Mogul when he wakes up; and would have if it didn’t mean wrecking his parents’ statues. Fortunately, Wonder Woman flings the Black Mercy on Mongul.
Now being public TV aiming mostly at kids; some of the darker aspects are cut off from the comic. The religious fanaticism on Krypton and Mongul’s fantasy prison of bloody conquest are the most notable. But for people unfamiliar with the fan dubbed “Dini-Verse” this is one of its strengths; using the restrictions to their advantage to create darker and sometimes more compelling narratives.
Overall Quality
To top that off, Alan Moore doesn’t really like having his works adapted. This is mainly because of some of the creative liberties that people try to perfectly adapt something panel-by-panel; other times it’s the trends those series lead to. That’s not even including DC’s history of backstabbing Moore. Is it any wonder why Moore burns the bridge with the publisher? He absolutely hates the Watchmen movie because it tries to adapt imagery unique to comics. Batman: The Killing Joke helps cement the idea that the Dark Knight being driven only by tragedy. I doubt he wants to know anything about the animated movie adaptation of Killing Joke; let alone Watchmen’s live-action TV series sequel. This one episode however is the adaptation that Moore likes because the show-runner actually gives him credit; and makes the story for television instead of a direct adaptation from the comic.
I’ll give the episode a 9/10; but only because I believe the imperfect Krypton is a better illusion than the perfect one.
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