One of the oddest occurrences in the world of costume driven super hero movies is the strange instance of the TV show “Smallville”. As a sometimes contradiction, this show makes two of the sensitive issues in the super hero dynamic fully visible. A show must maintain high ratings to stay on air. A comic book movie’s success may not be a result of staying true to the source material. Although comics’ fans readily accept that the show doesn’t always stay true to the source material the show has never the less remained stayed successful ratings wise.
SMALLVILLE
If you ignore the previous comics world continuity where Kal-El started his super hero career as the super hero Superboy, then we understand instead Superman spent his adolescence coping with the appearance of his new found super powers (in secret) and did not appear as a super hero until he surfaced as Superman in Metropolis. Because he wasn’t a super hero in his boyhood home of Smallville, was no reason for him to don the iconic red, blue, and yellow cape and tights that we know describes his super hero practice. But here in lies the difficult contradiction; how can the first and most famous super hero in history really be present if the most well known aspects of his character are not present. Supported by “ ” of the costume department some how Smallville managed this often times difficult storytelling feat. Series creators frequently defined this presentation of the character as a “no tights, no flights” approach.
Clark Kent / Kal-El
In past seasons because we are only treated to a small amount of super heroics on the show, we don’t see the suit, and don’t hear the character speak in the authority that we associate with Clark Kent. Instead other aspects of the character are emphasized instead. Clark’s adoptive parents Ma and Pa Kent have to remain around to influence the development of Clark’s values and morals. Chloe, Lana, and Pete record Clark’s growing love and altruism in the way he dedicates himself to supporting others.
The Smallville Cast
In the way they he combats the evil schemes of Lex and Lionel Luthor, the show defines Clark’s developing local patriotism, heroism, and civic duty. Despite the character’s visible super heroics and yet missing costume predicament, all these previously mentioned activities define the character far more than Clark flying over the town would explain. In fact in past seasons, that event rarely happened either.
The Rival/Enemy Cast
I should mention that the definition of Clark is very in much in line with the Richard Donner movie or the comic book writer and artist, John Byrne’s redefinition on the character. Yet Smallville’s Clark isn’t the bumbling Christopher Reeve nebbish that we see in director Richard Donner’s presentation of the character. This Clark played by actor Tom Welling, is a strapping teen who for a time incidentally plays on his high school football team. Previous incarnations of the character shied away from Clark’ having interactions with other people that might have highlighted his superior physical abilities or assets. Reeve’s Clark Kent was prone to slouch; Welling’s Clark was prone to stand erect with shoulders back with chest out. A relatively big and tall man Reeve’s Clark Kent was frequently filmed at eye level or from a bird’s eye perspective to minimize his size. However to maximize Welling’s height and size, he is frequently filmed from an ant’s eye view to make him seem to loom even larger. Clearly this conception of the character wanted to sell a different notion of Clark’s physical presence and personality.
Despite these usual plot contrivances, a whole host of established DC heroes have appeared on the show in costume while Clark remained closeted as a super being. There has never been a TV show with as many super heroines. Characters like Zatanna, Black Canary, Hawkgirl, Stargirl, and Supergirl all appeared on the show.
Supergirl
Many of these male superheroes had never been seen in a live action context beyond Smallville. Those heroes were Aquaman, Cyborg, Green Arrow, Dr. Fate, Flash, and Martian Manhunter.
Green Arrow
Relying on a substantial amount of fan tolerance, though most of the super hero costumes were not rendered in absolute in exact detail many of the costumes did in many ways contribute to beneficial redefinitions of many characters. For these reasons I believe fans were not prone to be too critical of the minimal effort to reproduce in some situations iconic costumes. Another reason that I believe characters weren’t draw with absolute exacting detail is it helped to not distinguish how impoverished and less defined Clark was in his super hero identify.
Justice Society
In many ways the costume of Black Canary played by actress __________________ updates the characters’ early presentation of the character. The character Black Canary has incidentally appeared in many guises through out the years. The most common presentation was as a mask less, blond wig wearing woman who wore a semi black leotard that included heals and fishnet stockings. By reinstating the domino mask, Smallville creators discarded much of what defined in the super heroine’s regular continuity. In this character’s presentation the costume designer playfully (re) emphasized the female definition of this super hero. These qualities in comic presentation are fanboy or girl’s caviar and these choices also help bring fans into a comic book discussion of a historic character.
Black Canary
As odd a show as Smallville was, (in terms of this survey the show breaks so many of the rules of comic book hero presentation I have promoted); Smallville honored the DC universe with it’s ten year run as a weekly TV series.
Information pertaining to the Clark Kent character and costumes were found at:
Image of Clark Kent:
Clark Kent character likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
Image of Smallville cast:
Smallville cast of characters likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
Image of Lex and Lionel luthor:
Lex and Lionel Luthor characters likeness' TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
Image of Supergirl:
Supergirl character likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
Image of Green Arrow:
Green Arrow character likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved
Image of Justice Society:
Justice Society character likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
Image of Black Canary:
Black Canary character likeness TM and copyright 2010 DC Comics. All rights reserved.
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