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Superman MegaSite Media Reviews
Story by Dwayne McDuffie & Bruce Timm, teleplay by
Dwayne McDuffie.After struggling a while to have decent stories with so many characters Justice League Unlimited has finally found itself with “Fearful Symetry”, “Ultimatum”, “Darkheart” and now “Wake the Dead”.
This week’s episode again dealt with over 5 characters all of which got screen time as well as some development. A new character, Vixen, was introduced in the context of the story, and an old villain returned as well as Shayera Hol a.k.a. Hawkgirl.
The episode opens with a group of nerds performing a spell to gain strength against bullies that have been bothering them at school. Instead of getting strength the resurrect Solomon Grundy from his grave. Next we see Shayera playing chess with Aquaman-who is taunting her to get some sort of reaction from her. The Android, Amazo, is sitting by watching them all at Dr. Fate’s tower. Fate senses something has happened and goes to Grundy’s gave and learns that Grundy has come back.
John Stewart is at fashion show where he talks to a model and tells her they’re being called in by the League, they both suit up and we learn her name is Vixen. I’ve never heard of Vixen before but it appears she has the powers of jungle animals. She touches her necklace and a spirit form of an animal comes out and she gains the abilities of that animal; she can be lithe as a cat or strong as an elephant depending on her needs.
Grundy is now in the middle of town tearing the place apart, throwing cars and busses, breaking buildings, etc. Fate reveals he’s been brought back using Chaos Magic, which is why he’s so unstable.
As Vixen and John try to fight Grundy, John is injured and Vixen rescues him. Grundy attacks and Superman flies in and body slams Grundy through a semi. Superman, though he gets knocked around, fights back like he means it. Punching and swooping through the air, it’s nice to see him again. The whole set of them (Lantern. Amazo, Aquaman, Vixen, Superman, and Shayera) take him on and Grundy gets knocked down into the sewers, which Superman says must have lead pipes because he can’t x-ray them.
Shayera feels they should at least try to save Grundy; he gave his last life to save them so they owe him the chance. Fate however uses his magic to sense that what they new as Grundy is gone, all that’s left is empty rage. Vixen then cracks a joke about how maybe they should stand around for a couple more hours discussing this while Grundy escapes.
Shayera realizes that in order to stop Grundy, she must do it permanently with her mace. Fate explains that the mace is made from Nth metal which was created to fight magic. She feels its her destiny to betray all of her friends, but Fate explains the only way for Grundy to have peace is to be stopped. Shayera goes down into the tunnel and tells Grundy to close his eyes it will soon be over.
Shayera re-emerges from the sewers saying it’s over. Journalists in the crowd begin shouting questions asking if this makes up for her part of the Thanagarian invasion, someone calls her a traitor and John yells that she doesn’t have to take that. Shayera says she does because it is true, as a woman comes up and thanks her for saving her and her child John says that is also true. Shayera is invited back to join the JLU by Superman who says he believes in second chances and he believes in his friends.
A well rounded episode full of action as well as character oriented drama.
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admin@supermanmegasite.comSuperman MegaSite Interviews
I remembered when I was about five years old and was introduced to the “Adventures of Superman” while watching television. After watching that episode, I could not wait for tomorrow to come fast enough to see George Reeves portrayal of “Superman” in action saving the day for “Lois Lane” played by either Noel Neill or Phyllis Coates. I also remember going to the corner store and finding my first Superman comic book. I was thrilled to see his adventures in comic book format. Mind you I could not really read at this point of my life. I just wanted to see the pictures of Superman in action. But when I opened the comic book, I saw a different Superman who did not look like the one shown on television. Even his supporting cast looked different in the comic book. I looked through another Superman comic and saw that he was drawn in a similar fashion. I was kind of bummed because I wanted to see the Superman I saw everyday on television in a comic book. Now thirty-five years later, I can finally see the Superman comic I have been waiting for as a child. It is drawn by Randy Garrett who is a huge Superman fan. In his spare time, Randy illustrates a comic book story titled “Superman & the Secret Planet”, that can be seen when you visit Jim Nolt’s site at www.jimnolt.com. The script was taken from a Superman movie that was never produced when the series was aired on television. The moment I saw Randy’s work, I knew right away his deep appreciation for the “Adventures of Superman” television series. I was fortunate enough to get in contact with Randy who agreed to answer some questions for the Megasite.
Eddie Caro-How long have you been an artist?
Randy Garrett- I’ve been earning a living by making art of one sort or another for more than 25 years.
EC-How old were you when you started drawing superhero characters such as Superman?
RG- I suppose I was about 5 years old when I began trying to draw Superman. I remember lying on the floor in front of the TV with pencil and paper and trying to get the details of Superman’s costume just right. In those early days, I don’t think I was even aware of Superman comic books.
EC-I’ve seen your sketches on other Superman sites. Have you drawn any other superheroes?
RG- Not really. I was never very interested in other superheroes. I used to buy Gold Key Comics with the Phantom, and I was impressed with Daredevil when he first came out, but that’s about it.
EC-Do you feel flattered that other websites take your drawings and post them on their site or mention how much they enjoy your work that you have done on Superman and the Secret Planet?
RG- Yes, there have been some very flattering comments on various websites. It’s gratifying to know that there’s a wide range of fans who are enjoying seeing the familiar faces in a new story.
EC-What made you decide to draw Superman and the Secret Planet comic book?RG- I just always wanted to see a comic book version of Superman based on the TV show.
As I mentioned, when I was a kid I was hooked on the George Reeves show before I was aware of Superman comic books. When I discovered the comics, I was a little disappointed because some of the details didn’t match what was on TV. The “S” logo never looked quite right, the cape didn’t hang like I thought it should, and Clark Kent never wore a double breasted gray suit. Stuff like that. Of course later I learned that the comic books came first and I accepted them and enjoyed them on their own terms. This was during the Silver Age when Curt Swan was THE Superman artist. His work was just beautiful.EC-How long does it take you to draw a page? Do you also do the coloring and lettering?
RG- It’s hard to say how long it takes to create a page because I have to do it all in a piecemeal fashion, working on it in my spare time. I suppose I could turn out a page in a week if I were able to work on it full-time. However, a lot of that time would be spent editing the movie script down into comic book form, gathering reference pictures and so forth. It takes maybe a day to pencil a page, half a day to ink and another day to color everything in Photoshop. I would like to use more shading in the coloring, but it would just take too long since I’m doing everything myself from start to finish. The lettering is just typeset on the computer and imported into the Photoshop file.
EC-When you draw do you use your own style or pattern it after any other artist?
RG- It’s my own style, though in “Secret Planet” I’m trying to create the feel of a Silver Age comic book, and that of course takes me back to Curt Swan. I’m certainly not in his league as an artist, and there’s no way I could imitate his style, but there are elements that I’ve taken from his work. Some poses and backgrounds, and the costumes for the Kryptonians came right from Swan comics.
EC-What do you use for reference when you draw the characters? Do you use photos or video stills?
RG- Gathering reference photos is one of the most time consuming parts of the project. I have a pretty good collection of photos of George Reeves, Noel Neill and Jack Larson, but in order to get a certain facial expression I use video captures for reference. And video captures are an absolute necessity for drawing the character actors that I’m putting into the story. Photographs of George Reeves are readily available, but it’s very difficult to find good photos of someone like Leonard Mudie for example. (Note: Leonard Mudie played these characters when he appeared in the “Adventures of Superman”, Brockhurst The Magician in “A Ghost for Scotland Yard”, Leland Masters in “Drums of Death”, Professor Jody in “The Magic Necklace” and Captain Blood in “The Jolly Roger”).
EC-How long have you been working on Superman and the Secret Planet?
RG- I think Jim Nolt began posting the pages around the first of the year in 2002, so this has turned out to be a long-term project. I wish I could produce the pages faster, but real life sort of gets in the way.
EC-When do you expect to be done with this project that many consider a labor of love on your part?
RG- “Labor of love” is the phrase most often used to describe the project, and that’s exactly what it is. I won’t predict when the story will be finished, but I’m guessing there will be about 6 or 7 more pages.
EC-The dialogue for the comic is taken directly from the script of the movie that was never made. How were you able to get it?
RG- I got a copy of the script from a Superman collector about 15 years ago. I simply answered an ad in “The Adventures Continue” fan magazine, which was published by Jim Nolt before he launched his web site.
EC-Do you know why Superman and the Secret Planet was never produced?
RG- No. I have no real information on that, but my guess is that money was a deciding factor.
EC-Did you also choose the background music that is played when you download each page of your story?
RG- No. Jim Nolt is adding the background music, and he’s doing a terrific job. It really adds a lot to the page and makes it more reminiscent of the TV show. It’s always a kick for me to see the page the first time with the music added. It’s like a whole new page even to me.
EC-I recently interviewed Noel Neill and she stated that you have done a wonderful job illustrating this comic and genuinely looks forward to each chapter. Did anyone else who was associated with the “Adventures of Superman” or DC Comics ever comment to you about your work on the Secret Planet?
RG- Noel’s comments made my day when I read your interview. She was very kind. Jack Larson has also been very complimentary about my work. Somewhere along the line, he saw “Secret Planet” and he sent a note to Jim Nolt telling him he thought it was “terrific”. Jim sends print outs of the pages to actor Dabbs Greer who’s also had some nice things to say. I know that there are people connected with DC that are aware of “Secret Planet”, but I haven’t had any direct response from DC.
EC-Do you hope to have your work on Superman and The Secret Planet published into a comic book one day?
RG- Well, my intention all along has been just to post the pages on the Internet. Many people have asked if there’s going to be a printed comic book when I finally finish the story, but I really doubt if that will happen. Of course DC would have to be involved, and a comic book based on the George Reeves TV show probably wouldn’t be something they’d be terribly excited about. There also would be some technical problems involved. The colored pages now exist only as low resolution images suitable for the Internet, but not for printing. The original black and white drawings would have to be scanned in again, and the coloring and type added in a format that would be suitable for printing. All that’s not beyond the realm of possibility, but it’s probably not practical.
EC-Isn’t your drawing of Superman and the Secret Planet the only comic book that resembles the cast and guest stars from the Adventures of Superman television show? I don’t believe DC Comics or anyone else ever published an issue that depicts the likenesses of the cast from the TV show in any way.
RG- There have been one or two publications that have used drawings of George Reeves as Superman in a story. Mike Curtis has produced an interesting one called “By George” that uses Reeves, Noel Neill and Jack Larson. However, the story isn’t actually a Superman story and it’s not presented in comic book fashion. It’s a narrative with spot illustrations. So as far as I know, “Secret Planet” is the only comic book that uses the entire cast from the TV show to present a Superman story.
EC-Are there any plans for you do to another comic book story after Superman and the Secret Planet?
RG- Well, I’m just concentrating on finishing this one before old age catches up with me. Several fellow Superman fans have sent me ideas for other stories. I guess it’s a possibility, but not anytime soon.
EC-You and some of your friends donate your time and money to produce copies of the “Adventures of Superman” on DVD, with all proceeds of your sales going to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (www.myasthenia.org), which George Reeves was named the National Chairman in 1955. How long have you been doing this good deed to help raise money for the foundation?
RG- Thanks for giving me a chance to plug this project. I began working in January with George Reeves expert Jim Nolt and a fellow who prefers to be known as “Mr. X”. Mr. X is handling the technical end by actually producing the DVDs. Jim Nolt is writing the liner notes and handling the orders. I’m doing the graphic design work. I highly recommend these DVDs to any fan of “The Adventures of Superman”. The feedback from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive. The picture quality is the best I’ve seen anywhere and, as you said, the proceeds are going to support the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation.
EC-How can other Superman fans purchase your DVD’s to not only watch their favorite hero but also help the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation?
RG-Jim Nolt has all the information posted on his web site. The link is http://www.jimnolt.com/dvdinfo.htm
I wish to personally thank Randy Garrett for taking the time out to answer questions for the Superman Megasite. I am delighted Randy was kind enough to share his illustrations for everyone to enjoy by having them posted on Jim Nolt’s site. Every fan shows his/her appreciation for their hero in their own way. Thanks to the internet, we can take pleasure in Randy’s work to remind us of the joy the cast from the “Adventures of Superman” brought to our lives.
To view Randy’s work on “Superman & the Secret Planet” or to find out how to purchase “By George” written by Mike Curtis or any other related George Reeves Superman book(s) visit www.jimnolt.com. When you purchase “By George” the proceeds from the sale are also donated to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation. If you decide to purchase DVD(s) of the “Adventures of Superman” from Jim Nolt, check out the drawings on the DVD covers done by Randy Garrett. They are one of a kind just like the episodes contained therein.
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This site is a member of the best
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Superman MegaSite © by Shane McNichols, Webmaster, and is not trying to breach copyrights with DC Comics or any other media on this site, this is just a fan site. Superman and other characters are © by D.C. Comics and this is a fan site which is in no way making any money or distuirbuting any material to infringe with the copyright holders, this is just a fan web site intended to present the news for enjoyment, any quesiton email me at
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Superman-V has posted an article and some pictures on the recent filming location information that The Northern Daily Reader revealed. Apparantly the location is set in the Breeza Plains near Tamworth below is taken from the article from The Northern Daily Reader
SUPERMAN is coming to the north-west, complete with a small army of Hollywood extras.
A property near Breeza is being transformed into the Kansas family farm where the young Clark Kent grew up before becoming the Man of Steel.
While filming of the Warner Bros Pictures movie is not expected to start until March, the wheels are already in motion with construction underway of a complete Kent farm replica, 45km from Tamworth.
The shell is beginning to take shape on the Breeza Plains property as builders and carpenters work around the clock to get the site ready for its scheduled March 3 production date.
Earlier last week, trucks and other vehicles were seen delivering equipment, tanks and sets to the site, which is dotted with shipping containers being used by workers to store tools and sets.
Additional sets, which have been built at Fox Studios in Sydney, are expected to arrive at the site in the coming weeks, including a number of chimney stacks for the farmhouse and a Kansas-style barn to be built near the house.
You can read the original article here
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The Superman WebRing
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Superman Was Created By by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Superman MegaSite © by Shane McNichols, Webmaster, and is not trying to breach copyrights with DC Comics or any other media on this site, this is just a fan site. Superman and other characters are © by D.C. Comics and this is a fan site which is in no way making any money or distuirbuting any material to infringe with the copyright holders, this is just a fan web site intended to present the news for enjoyment, any quesiton email me at
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