Jada toys just added a series of figures to their DieCast metal line in preparation for the upcoming Justice League. The lineup includes Batman (with an updated cowl, and bodysuit design), Wonder Woman (the only figure available for purchase now, the others being available in the fall), The Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman (donning a suit more akin his rebirth threads) and Superman, rekindling fan conjectures regarding his role in the film.
The folks over at The Verge made a pretty compelling case as to why Snyder’s intention is to reintroduce the last son of Krypton as the surprise villain of the film, seeing how his resurrection has been all but officially announced by the creatives involved with Justice League yet he is decidedly absent from most of the promotional material. This stands to reason, both logically and thematically, given the turn of events in 2016’s Batman V. Superman. However, I’m just not sure this is the best course of action for the character this early into the rebranding of the DC extended universe.
Unlike most, I thought killing off Superman in BvS was an inspired move. Having the Man of Steel’s death be the catalyst that jumpstarts comic’s first supergroup is a compelling departure from how these things typically work. It’s a chance to retcon the less Batman-y elements in what was by and large a brilliant portrayal by Affleck. It gave Cavill a semblance of the selfless heroism that had been missing from his unremarkable performance hitherto, and it sets the stage nicely for the cataclysmic parademon threat given that an indestructible space god is no longer standing between them and us. It was bold, it was interesting, and I really hope Warner Bros. doesn’t undo all of its goodwill by introducing a hackneyed good guy defects plot.
To me, Superman’s death and return is a golden opportunity for Warner Bros. to offer a meta reassurance that things are officially on the right track. Wonder Woman was an unprecedented success, Matt Reeves’ The Batman is going to be a crime noir thriller, Joss Whedon is directing a fucking Batgirl movie and Henry Cavill’s Superman is back and more align with the waggish altruistic boy scout you know and love from the comics. Don’t make the suit black like the one that lame dude with the mullet wore, make it even brighter, and give his hair the stupid split curl.
I love the idea of Batman being inspired to be a better Batman as a response to Superman’s death, but what if Superman learned the same lesson? It would put Man of Steel and BvS in a whole new context; those movies weren’t missteps, they were apart of Kal El’s journey to becoming the hero Jerry Siegel and and Joe Shuster birthed almost 80 years ago.
I’m less apprehensive these days about the direction of the DCEU and hope Geoff Johns and company finally gives us the live action Superman we’ve been waiting for.
