Spoilers Crisis on Infinite Earths Discussion (CW Event Spoiler Thread)
- Thread starter Mark_Nguyen
- Start date
That was actually what I said at one point uptopic, and that's still probably the better approach. But I did find this idea interesting from a more continuity-conscious perspective.I just look at it as the Reeve/Routh continuity is a loose fit at best and go with it.
I just look at it as the Reeve/Routh continuity is a loose fit at best and go with it.
Yeah, they were never meant to be anything more.
CoIE's Earth-96 seems like it's using Superman Returns as its basic template but also throwing in elements of other Superman continuities -- Superman's reference to going nuts and fighting himself alludes to Superman III, and the memorial wall name-checks Lacey Warfield from S4 as well as Angela Chen from Superman: The Animated Series and comics characters like Steve Lombard, Franklin Stern, and Ron Troupe. So it's sort of an amalgam of Superman homages.
Still, I see no reason that the Returns universe couldn't have had its own versions of those characters, so I'm willing to accept that this is the same incarnation of Superman that Routh played before. We know that Routh was playing the character that way, at least in spirit. Granted, it means that most of SR's characters met a tragic fate, but then, we already know that happened to the cast of the 1990 The Flash as well, with their whole world being destroyed in Elseworlds.
You don't have to though--there is a multiverse. Continuity problems are solved by accepting Routh and Reeve are a different Earth.
And if you separate Routh from Reeve, then Routh had just the one movie. It's not great to see their characters have that fate, but it can work. Routh was weaker than Reeve and since he never did it, he could simply not have the time travel power.
That's his point. She's dead in Superman IV but not Returns, so the idea is to move Returns to between II and III. Can't see it working myself, but hey.
No, it does not work. No mater what Retuns intentions were, its a Reeve/Superman film as much as an "alternate universe" / "imaginary story" held weight in the main Superman comics. In other words, not much. Its a tribute film, not a true continuation.
Lois is barely even in Superman 4, so there's less of an issue in wondering where the super kid is. The biggest issue is Superman 3, where Lois obviously still has a thing for Superman and there is no kid in sight. Perhaps James marsden's character came to a tragic end (I have to imagine hanging out with Lois Lane is dangerous for anyone who isn't Kryptonian) or perhaps they simply broke up and the kid was at a boarding school or something. It's not the best explanation, but we're already in a squint and roll with it situation.
As for the differences in technology between the Reeve movies and the Routh movie, I just take that as another squint and roll with it situation. I recently read Wonder Man number one from 1991 because it was in the magazine rack at the mechanic. While reading it, I took notice of things like answering machines and rolodexes, things that you just don't see anymore, and yet the story it's still Canon in Marvel Comics, so why not?
As for the differences in technology between the Reeve movies and the Routh movie, I just take that as another squint and roll with it situation. I recently read Wonder Man number one from 1991 because it was in the magazine rack at the mechanic. While reading it, I took notice of things like answering machines and rolodexes, things that you just don't see anymore, and yet the story it's still Canon in Marvel Comics, so why not?
Maybe Superman III-IV were undone with some super-reversing-time and then Returns happens?
Trying to figure out how Superman III and IV fit into the continuity of anything is expending more effort on them than they're worth.
Think you have that reversed. Lois is barely in III (two short appearances at the beginning and end of the film), while she's much more prominent in IV.
Super true.
Whoa, this needs a thread topic all on its own, lol.
Agreed.
...and the Salkind/Reeve films are their own continuity in any official case.
It's really not THAT big of a deal. Reeve was one Earth. Routh was a different Earth. Cavill is a different Earth. Gerard Christopher and John Haymes Newton also could be separate Earths.
The thing is.... I don't really care. I just really like the movies. If Routh is the same Superman as Reeves.... awesome! If he isn't..... Equally awesome.
Fair enough, though ultimately, they have the out. It's easy to resolve. This isn't like Star Trek issues during Enterprise and Voyager. Much simpler.