A god amongst mortals; the last son of a dying planet; a boy from Smallville; a man from Metropolis; humanity’s saviour in times of its greatest crisis – Superman has held many monikers throughout his existence but one accolade always remains, he is, and will always be, the most iconic and beloved hero of modern mythology. His various incarnations and epic actions have not only shaped a fictional multiverse of ink and film, but also our very own realities. His life, relationships with friends and foes alike, earth-shattering death and joyous resurrection have all held millions around the globe in suspense – personifying the Kryptonian throughout decades of our anticipation, heartbreak and celebration. For over half a century the creative forces and storytellers behind Superman have managed to repeatedly suspend our disbelief throughout astonishing displays of strength and an uncanny ability to overcome the most insurmountable of odds yet somehow instil a very real sense of humanity within the hero born Kal-El. This trend of casting superheroes in a much more realistic and human light is seemingly more evident than ever, especially when it comes to theatrical depictions. Last year the Dark Knight Rises gave cinemagoers their most human depiction of Batman yet, forcing us all to face the physical and emotional frailties of the man behind the cowl. It would seem that this portrayal of mortality amongst the immortal present throughout Christopher Nolan’s trilogy looks set to bleed in to the Man of Steel films, as the producer teams with Zack Snyder, a director, who himself, has a history of shaping superhero movies that thrive on real life issues and anxieties…

This piece was originally published in the May/June issue of Big Screen & Movie Magic magazine. Continue reading here