This just : Superherohype linked up to an article from the WSJ about Time/ Warner's decision to reboot the Superman franchise by exploring the "Darker Nature" of his character.

WTF? Excuse me for talking out of turn but they're basing their decision on the draw to the Dark Knight. Yes, TDK was a wonderful film, about a dark brooding character. It was masterfully produced, directed, casted, written, and all all levels filmed but already about a dark charcacter. Batman is that lonely vigil of justice gone to the extreme. He's supposed to be dark. We're supposed to wonder how far he will go, how far over the edge he'll take his fight. Conversely, Superman is the beacon of hope; the ulitmate Boyscout.

That's part of the problem with selling Superman. People want dark heroes. They want a Punisher that is kill happy. They want Wolverine popping his claws to tear apart the bad guys. We're not a blood-thirsty pack of rabid dogs but having that hero who isn't afraid to take it to the edge does have it's appeal. Hell, when Bond loses it we all cheer because we know that the bad guys are screwed.

But with Superman he brings a different side to the element. He flies above the grit and grime. He shines when we hide from the darkness that prevails in our lives. He picks us up and tells us that everything will be okay and we believe it because he's a pillar - the pillar - of hope. To spend a movie following his "darker" side feels like pandering for cash.

IMHO, some of the greatest Superman stories came from the Justice League cartoons that played on Cartoon Network. I can recall when Supes finally had it, when everyone was ready to quit, when the world was about to fall apart he would step forward and sacrifice it all to stop the insanity. He willingly paid the ultimate price and it would bring a tear to my eye. There wasn't anything dark about that but it sold me. There was even a episode when he battled Darkseid, the ultimate in evil, and Supes told him how he finally was able to let it go. How he held back in every fight because the world around him was like a cardboard cut out and he feared breaking things but now, he could go all out and lay into the bad guy without fear. That was as dark as he got and it was wonderful!

Hopefully, Warner Bros. will take a look at Mark Millar who has been pushing for a wonderfully epic reboot of the big red S, one that might have darker overtones but in the end shines like a summer sun. Hopefullly they won't fall for senseless pandering and drop another boom on us.

BTW - As much as I loved Singer's X-Men, especially number 2, his homage to the original Superman movies lacked any bite. At times they were silly. I expected such greatness from him, as I do with the Caped Wonder but alas it fell short.