Since 1938, when he first appeared in Action Comics No. 1, Superman has been a comforting presence in American pop culture.
This summer, with Superman Returns, the job of embodying him falls to the little-known Brandon Routh. With a square jaw and a six-foot-three-inch frame, Routh, aged 26, is buff enough to wear the boots and tights without drawing snickers. More important, he’s goofy enough to play Clark Kent. But it hasn’t been an easy journey to screen.
For years, the Man of Steel seemed unable to get off the ground as Warner Bros. spent more than a decade in development hell with various directors (Tim Burton, Wolfgang Petersen, McG).
With the franchise now in firm hands, it’s a safe bet that this symbol of American strength and decency will prove at least as popular in this anxious decade as his original incarnation did during the Depression and World War II. —JIM WINDOLF
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