DC Just Brought a Major Superman Moment From the Screen to the Page

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Currently, Superman is experiencing a surge in popularity, primarily due to the success of the movie “Superman” by James Gunn. Within just a month, this film surpassed the domestic gross of “Man of Steel” and even outperformed the earnings of “Fantastic Four: First Steps” during their initial weekends. Both fans and critics have showered it with accolades; although there is general agreement that it’s not a flawless movie, its shortcomings are relatively insignificant. It ranks among the finest comic book adaptations ever made, and it’s sparking renewed interest in Superman comics. In response to this resurgence, DC Comics has begun placing comic books at gas stations once again, and surprisingly, they’re selling well. Capitalizing on this trend, DC Comics is now offering some of the best Superman stories from the past few years in their comic books.

Kal-El’s Love for California” #1 showcases an exceptional representation of this concept. It’s a compilation comic featuring various characters related to Superman – Superman, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Supergirl, Power Girl, Steel, Natasha Irons, Superboy, and Jon Kent. This work includes nods to the movie, with Gunn’s “Superman” introducing some modifications to the character, but these alterations are not so significant as to transform the essence of the character. “Kal-El’s Love for California” #1 caters beautifully to fans who have only seen the film. The initial story commences with a scene reminiscent of the movie, as Superman confronts a colossal monster while on a holiday in California with Lois. This fight shares similarities and differences with the one depicted in the movie.

Superman: Monster Hunter

One standout aspect of the Superman film was its blend of thrilling action sequences with poignant reminders of Superman’s selfless nature. As a character rooted in science fiction, including a kaiju battle enhanced the movie’s adrenaline-pumping action sequence, offering stunning visuals that underscored the heroism within Superman. In the narrative, this fight formed part of Lex Luthor’s strategy to undermine public trust in Superman by distracting him. To achieve this, Luthor’s minions unleashed a minuscule monster into Metropolis, which grew exponentially until it towered over skyscrapers. Upon noticing the threat, Superman swiftly intervened, attempting to minimize city damage while rescuing people simultaneously. The Justice League—Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl—aided in this effort, utilizing their powers and technology against the beast. This confrontation underscored Superman’s empathy even for monstrous beings. However, when Superman was momentarily incapacitated, Mister Terrific employed his T-spheres to target the creature’s internal organs, an action that resonated deeply with Superman on a personal level. Ultimately, Superman caught the monster’s remains, providing it with a soft landing and preventing any further casualties.

Title of the first issue for “Kal-El-Fornia Love” is “See Spot Fly”. Although there are variations from the movie fight scene, there are also shared elements. In this comic, the kaiju isn’t manipulated by Lex Luthor; instead, it comes from outer space and attacks Los Angeles rather than Metropolis. We don’t witness the landing but see the aftermath of the monster’s initial assault, during which we discover that it had swallowed Lois Lane and children she was attempting to save while Superman was controlling the monster’s rampage. The creature then flees into the sea, prompting Superman to utilize his enhanced senses to locate it, following its trail due to fish in the vicinity swimming away when it started feeding on them. Using a powerful clap, Superman clears the water, using heat vision to burn off additional water. Upon finding the monster, he apologizes before knocking it into the air with a strong punch. This action causes it to expel Lois, the children, and some fish. Superman then returns them to the shore and carries the monster into space, where the story concludes with Superman discussing helping it find its home.

Superman’s Compassion Knows No Bounds

In both the film and the comic, Superman’s fight against the monstrous kaiju presents some significant variations – the setting, the sequence of events, and their conclusions. Despite these differences, they share common themes: Superman’s unwavering commitment to saving endangered people and his empathy towards even his enemies.

In the movie, Superman aimed to spare the kaiju’s life but was left powerless after receiving severe injuries, allowing Terrific to ultimately slay the creature. Conversely, in the comic, Superman expresses remorse before striking it, then takes the monster away into space, seeking a suitable location where it can peacefully exist.

These representations beautifully highlight the compassion that lies at the core of Superman’s character, which is arguably his most significant trait. It’s worth noting that Superman harbors very little disdain for beings across the universe (though it’s debatable if he truly hates any, given his nature). However, there might be a select few, like Darkseid and Mongul, who are genocidal villains, towards whom he may hold strong feelings. Both Superman and Kal-El-Fornia Love #1 effectively capture this vital aspect of Superman’s identity.

Kal-El-Fornia Love #1 is on sale now.

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2025-08-02 16:10