November 30th, 2009 -- Written by Rodney
Smallville has been a geek dream for me. Seeing this “not Superman” story with all the characters I expect to exist in the DC Universe has been a great ride. And now a pair of highly anticipated Smallville episodes scheduled for after the Holiday Hiatus will be conjoined to form a TV Movie Special Event that will introduce Clark and his gang to a bigger world of Heroes at large called Absolute Justice.
We get a first look at some of the characters from the Justice Society in all their setting clashing glory!
The Nerdy Bird shares:
Usually on Smallville they go with an alternate/updated look for their superheroes, which can sometimes go horribly wrong, so I’m thrilled beyond belief that they’ve kept things classic for the JSA’s appearance. The three guest-stars are no strangers to sci-fi/geek television: Brent Stait is playing Doctor Fate, Britt Irvin is Stargirl and Michael Shanks is Hawkman. The Sandman is also making an appearance, played by Ken Lawson, catch a quick glimpse of him in the promo for the special now airing February 5, 2010.
I am a little distracted by the change in direction with Smallville regarding these guys.
I long since gave up on the pointless battle that is trying to fit Smallville into Superman’s history. It doesn’t work like that and it wont. Got past that 8 and a half seasons ago and now I love the show. But part of what I love is the lack of spandex. All of the characters that have opted for the costume route are updated and more realistic than a super running around in his pajamas. I liked that about the show.
But this TV Movie event for Smallville is taking a step outside that dynamic having costumes that look great on the printed page and looking hokey on actual people. The Justice Society is a Silver Age group of heroes, and I don’t know if they are going to play on that, but the promo seems to show Clark tripping over a bit of their history as if to say “its time for another Justice Society” like superheroes are already something the world has seen.
I know after 9 seasons you would think the world in which Smallville takes place would be used to the abnormal, but it removes me somewhat to see such blazenly campy representations and then try to balance that with 9 seasons of people reacting in complete disbelief that some one could have powers etc. when this episode is to reveal that they have been doing this for longer than this new version of Watchtower Justice League heroes.
I am looking forward to seeing how they play it out. There is a LOT of fanwank in the promo that promises to introduce characters we wondered if we would ever see, like Green Lantern.
Check out the promo:
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I like Stargirl’s costume just fine *wink*
My goodness, Dr. Fate and Stargirl costumes look likle absolute crap.
I find that the costumes tend to look a lot more campy in still images than they do in post production film. (Does that make sense?) In other words, I have faith that they will look much better when the episode(s) air in February. And on a side note, does anyone remember which DC writer they brought in for this episode? I know Geoff Johns wrote the legion episode last season, and something nags at my mind that he may have written this one as well. If that’s right then I have no fear the epi will be awesome!
Yes, I believe Johns did write this story arc.
Green Lantern Finally! i’ve been waiting so long.
LOL@Hawkman-looks like a Halloween costume
I thought when I saw the preview after Pandora that this was the Justice League not Society. Thanks for clearing that up.
Some of the worst costume design ever imagined… or executed. Dr. Fate looks like something out of a marvin the martian cartoon and Stargirl looks like an american gladiators reject. Simply awful.
Do keep in mind that the costumes look almost exactly like they are “supposed to”
I agree that they don’t fit with Smallville’s costume trends (we ignore Canary’s getup) but that doesn’t mean they are in themselves bad. They are stripped right from the illustrated pages.
I think we disagree once again, but all I’ll say more on the topic is that I think for a show that has been adamantly against showing their protagonist in a costume (though this seems to have shifted for the TV movie) it seems an odd choice to be depicting other heroes so faithfully.
I still think the costumes look atrocious despite the literal translations from the comic books. Some can pull it off, like the Watchmen, others stray from the originals and still look good, like Doctor Octopus, Nightcrawler, etc.
I did say above that despite the costumes being completely accurate, it detracts from the tone already set by 8 and a half seasons of the show.
They don’t look bad. The costumes themselves look right. I just don’t think they fit in Smallville.
How did Nightcrawler and Dr. Octopus look anything unlike the comic book versions?
Did you see Otto Octavius with a green and gold jumpsuit and bright blue glasses in the film? No? Well that’s how he is traditionally portrayed in the books (or green and silver in the ultimate books). He also usually has really round tentacles, not the blocky ones they went with in the films.
Did you see Nightcrawler in a red and blue (sometimes black) leotard with larger shoulder pads in X2? No? Well that’s how he is usually portrayed in the books.
Both the fuzzy elf and Doc looked great in the films, but they were far from traditional representations of the characters.
Hey Rodney… I agree completely that: A.) This is a change of tone as far as costumes AND B.) They do appear pretty accurate as far as how they are DRAWN in the comics…
However… the only thing i would add (and why i don’t personally like the look of them) is that they don’t look like they would if they we actually “MADE” in the “Real World”. Fate’s helmet looks like some cheap plastic, and it looks like they all have plastic belts and Styrofoam masks and rubber weapons and fabric wings, etc.
Stargirl’s outfit should look like some kinda Kevlar, and Fate’s medallion and helmet like real gold metal, and Hawkman’s wings like REAL feathers, etc. Maybe its just budget?
PS - Hawkman’s wings look really “stubby”. They should be the whole length of his body. LOL. Could you really see those wings carrying a 250lb man? heh heh. LOL.
None of those are examples of significant enough changes that would upset the fan community.
Slash beast, you’re right that they weren’t significant enough changes to upset the community, but they were still not literal interpretations like the images above are, that’s all I was saying.
never thought I would see the day that Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson of SG1) would turn into Hawkman
I’m a fan, on season 8 right now, and won’t get to season 9 until it’s available on DVD.
I’ve been hoping beyond hope that Brude Wayne will show up at some point.
That being said, sometimes what worked in a comic doesn’t translate that well to a TV or movie screen. Can you imagine Wolverine in yellow spandex and that huge mask? I agree that at times Smallville’s approach to costumes can be too understated, and go wrong…but not sure the right decision was made here, at least with Dr. Fate. I too am happy at the lack of spandex in the show.
I am pretending that Bruce Wayne already did show up back when Lana had that love interest with “Adam Knight”
The guy was a martial artist, a brilliant mind, and a chemist. Easily could have segued that character into an early Bruce Wayne story telling how he learned all his skills. Now they pumped him full of meteor rock and he is presumed dead now, but that doesn’t mean he is. Adam could have been a fake name Wayne was using.
You’re exactly right there, Rodney. Adam Knight was almost too perfect to turn out to be Bruce. I hate what they did to the character, and really wished they would have done something a lot more open ended so they could bring in the Batman tie-ins later on if they wanted. It’s kind of hard to bring him back at this point…
The Characters look spot on. I don’t get why they are being mocked. They are as they would look in reality if done just like the comics.
No one’s complained about the look of the costumes in Kick-Ass. They look better than The Superman Costume in Lois and Clark. They look better than the Wonder Woman costume in the 70’s t.v. show. What’s the complaining about?
P.S. I captured the image of Sandman … Here’s a Link!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/4147679419_bf16a7408d_o.jpg
LOL, wow, seeing these costumes really shows off just how low of a budget Smallville has.
Either that or it’s the way out dated DC costume designs of these characters brought to live action. Perhaps it’s both…
Kind of makes you see why it was no wonder they didn’t go with the original character’s costumes in the X-Men movies or really any Marvel character brought to film.
I actually think Dr. Fate’s costume looks pretty good.
You know I’ve never watched Smallville before, I used to think back when it came out that it was a waste of time not seeing the costume and staying in that time period, but now after reading some comics that change timelines and whatnot. it seems like an awesome idea and after friends urging me to see it I’ll give it a go. the thing that turned me off as well was the T.V. graphics.but I’ll suspend belief and just watch it.
on the photos above, there not that bad! I kinda like that the costumes aren’t tamed down to black leather outfits. hawkman looks pissed!
I like that stargirl cosume, and who’s ass is hawkman kicking?
He i pining down the Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. Who is my favorite character. NOOOOOOO!
Man, I can’t wait for this! Of all seasons, season 9 of this darned show has been the best!