Superman Through the Ages! Forum

Anyone else been watching the NBC series Heroes lately? I've been watching it thanks to the power of the Internet, and by and large quite enjoy it. However, I have to say that the latest episode, in which the bad guy (played by Malcolm McDowell, nice to see him again) reveals his master plan, is a bit of a rip-off: he wants to blow up New York to unite humanity. Does the name Ozymandias ring a bell?

I've only seen about 5 minutes of one early episode.  The whole thing seems like an extended rip-off (homage?) of about 75 years of superhero adventure plots and characters, done up in a very attractive prime-time 21st Century veneer.

The NY Post also noticed the Monday development, which is also making the rounds of comics groups like ours (I saw the link on Comics Reporter).  Among other things, the Watchmen plot device (not original to Alan Moore, BTW) kind of throws a monkey wrench into the plans for a Watchmen movie by that guy who did 300.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04242007/entertainment/heroes_pulls_rug_from_under_watchmen_entertainment_stephen_lynch.htm

Yup Telle - practically every other story in those pre-super-hero Marvel mags that S. Lee & J. Kirby and S. Ditko did - those groovy monster mags  had some scientist create ORRGO the UNCONQUERABLE (or some variation) to invade Earth, thus putting an end to Cold War paranoia and unite the world to defeat this horrible menace from beyond the unknown.

Fing Fang Foom, Indeed!

Obviously, Stan, Jack and Steve needed to watch more Outer Limits (The Architects of Fear) and read more Theodore Sturgeon (Unite and Conquer).  Maybe by now we'd have world peace!

Yeah, I suppose it's a pretty old idea, really, but the way it's presented in Heroes... why, they hardly bothered to alter the script!

Crooks!

I was waiting to watch this show on dvd --should I bother?

save your money for this:
http://superman.nu/smf/index.php?topic=3484.0

Yes, it's one of the best shows on television.

This is what I hear --but don't you find it deriviative?

52 has everyone confuse ;)

Not really. Do you find Superman deriviative because of the elements Siegel and Shuster borrowed from the pulp magazines and Wylie's Gladiator?

I love the show. This is how a live-action "Superhero" drama should be done: with good writing, acting, special effects, etc.

I think it's a good show even if it is derivative. The story is nothing us comics buffs haven't seen before, but as DBN says, it's quite well-written and the acting is above par and it's very strong on characterisation. You probably won't regret buying the DVD set.

Well, I was thinking more of renting the dvd but I will take it under advisement.  I can't imagine actually buying any dvd of a current tv show.  Old 60s shows, sure, but current shows?  Do I really want to rewatch (or listen to as I work on the computer) contemporary shows?

When I think about it, I have been imagining buying the Venture Bros.  So maybe Heroes or Battlestar or Dr.Who would be worthwhile?  Maybe I will enjoy the extras and Easter eggs for decades to come....

Certainly worth renting if you've got a long weekend and nothing else planned, or you can find it online (which is of course completely illegal and deprives NBC of advertising revenue, but for some mysterious reason this doesn't keep me awake at night).

There aren't many shows I like so much that I'd want them on DVD, but like you, most of them would be from the 50s/60s - The Prisoner and Danger Man come to mind! Oh, and I keep meaning to get the full set of the 1990s drama House of Cards. Maybe I'll do that today.

I usually buy new shows on DVD because I don't actually watch TV, except for comedy shows. Then I resell them on Amazon.com