This is NOT a Man of Steel debate thread. This is merely a look at just how faithful the film was to the comics source material, which is surprisingly substantial even by my (high) standards. As it turns out, the film was inspired by the ENTIRE Superman comics mythology; more than 75 years worth of it. This echoes what director Zack Snyder said in an interview when he first spoke of the film's inspirations on 10/15/2010,
"As I have already explained, the film will focus on the early days of Superman, so there will be no links with other films. This is not a remake then. Similarly, although I still can not talk about the script, I can assure you that this new Superman will not be based on a comic book in particular."
Before we begin, let's go ahead and list the 7 things that we ALL know happened in MOS that never happened in any way, shape, or form in the comics AT ALL whatsoever and were there simply to add credence to the fact that the film was simply an unfamiliarly new take/adaptation of Superman.
1. Zod never killed Jor-El (But I think they have fought at one point).
2. Lois never knew Kal-El before he was Clark Kent the reporter and Superman the alien hero (especially not together at once).
3. Jonathan Kent never died by way of tornado (please, nobody turn this into a discussion thread).
4. Kryptonians never wore breathers or suits to protect them from Earth's atmosphere as they gained powers from the yellow sun.
5. Superman has never started his official superhero career so late (age 33); he usually begins as either an older teen or a young adult.
6. Pete Ross was a blonde in the comics and never bullied Clark before becoming his friend.
7. Lana Lang has always been a redhead in comics; never a brunette.
That said, let's get started!
John Byrne's 1986 comic, Superman: The Man of Steel, featured Kryptonians as a race of genetically bred aliens due to the fact that they screwed up their ecology and planet in general, thus resulting in Krypton's destruction at its core. Free will didn't exist on Krypton either, as the point of Jor-El and Lara sending Kal-El away was so that he could experience the fullness of life without being restrained by the sterility of Krypton. The only notable differences between the comic and the movie is the fact that Byrne called them "Gestation Chambers" while David Goyer called them "Genesis Chambers" and the fact that Superman himself was a "test-tube baby" in the comic while in MOS (for symbolic and literal reasons obviously), he was the first natural birth in centuries.
The Man of Steel: Kelex and Kelor, the service drones, also exist.
Mark Waid's 2003 comic, Superman: Birthright, featured a world-trotting, pre-Superman Clark Kent using his abilities to save lives. The differences here are more apparent, but the circumstance is, in essence, the same. Birthright showed Clark covering a story on warring tribes and kept his abilities a secret. MOS had Clark on a soul-searching quest and forsook secrecy to ensure that endangered lives were saved. Still, either way, while focusing on one intent, he found time to break away and help others.
Geoff Johns' 2009 comic, Superman: Secret Origin, features young Clark with little control over his abilities and unintentionally ignites something with his heat vision (in Secret Origin, the gym and in MOS, a doorknob) as a result of being emotionally overwhelmed.
J. Michael Straczynski's Superman: Earth One and Johns' Secret Origin both feature young Clark learning about his alien heritage for the first time and showing great fear towards the discovery. He only wants to be Jonathan's son and Jonathan says he will always be his son.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie shows Clark trying to reason with a jerk who gropes an innocent woman, only to be pushed and humiliated. In response, he trashes the guy's ride and puts poles through it.
Many claim Superman would never do something so petty and is always in self-control and dominant over his anger. That he wouldn't do so much as destroy a surveillance drone. Know what I say to that? Bullcrap!
Action Comics #1: literally the world's first-ever glimpse of Superman in all of his last-son-of-krypton-raised-on-earth-to-be-a-superhero glory.
Secret Origin: As if Clark couldn't re-type the papers and that Lois can't take care of herself! And he may be smiling, but you don't do something like that unless someone aggravates you (otherwise you're a dick)!
New 52: Smoking in Supes' face and getting pissy with him is about as physically effective as splashing some beer in his face and throwing a can at his back. Still, flicking a guy much weaker than you and causing damage can be excused over attacking the truck instead of the man, wouldn't you agree? (sarcasm)
Superman: Last Son. Clark interacts with a holographic Jor-El, who provides him with the wisdom of his people.
Birthright: Clark flies for the first time and one of the things he passes are animals and wildlife.
The Man of Steel and Earth One: Clark enjoys football.
The Man of Steel and New 52: Clark drinks alcohol/beer. Even though the latter panel took place after MOS, it was made pretty clear that Clark has been drinking such beverages for years.
Earth One: An alien with a connection to Superman's past and people arrives on Earth and threatens to implement its destruction unless Kal-El surrenders himself over to him. The differences here are that in Earth One (volume one), the alien threat is Tyrell while in MOS, it is General Zod. But the circumstance is still the same.
Earth One: Clark gets bullied and shoved down for being different. He stifles the urge to hit (and unintentionally kill) the bully.
For Tomorrow: Clark seeks out Father Daniel Leone to be his voice of reason and source of advice.
Earth One: Superman confronts the alien threat and learns the plot, which will result in the extinction of Earth and the Human race. He cannot yet do anything about it due to being weakened and restrained.
Last Son: Jor-El gives Superman more council and advice concerning both the people of Krypton and the denizens of Earth.
Secret Origin: Flight with Lois after a rescue.
Superman/Batman: The Supergirl from Krypton- Punching the alien threat for bringing harm to someone he cares for.
The Man of Steel: Superman fights in Smallville. I put the fight with Conduit here for imagery purposes and to show that he has actually brawled in his hometown, something I don't believe occurs very frequently.
However, the point of what I am doing next is to show that Superman, experienced or otherwise, doesn't often take fights out of populated areas. To those who say and think that, I say bullcrap...again!
The Man of Steel: Fighting Metallo in a populated area.
New 52: Beating the snot out of Batman and Green Lantern in a populated area.
Earth One: Combating Parasite in a populated area.
Earth One: Clark is proficient in science; clearly having been that way since his younger days.
Earth One: The alien threat issues his plans of destroying the Human Race and extinguishing Earth; the means affecting Earth's very center and taking place primarily in Metropolis due to the main ship being there.
Earth One: After getting free (from a technical point of view if there is to be comparisons), Superman rises up from what weakened him and proceeded to continue his mission to save us all.
Earth One: Superman attacks the vessel helmed by the alien threat and proceeds to use his heat vision to damage the inside. The vessel becomes non-existent to the war at hand. The difference worth noting is that it was only the scout ship that was damaged and the Black Zero was sucked into the Phantom Zone in an implosive (not explosive) event. Also, the alien threat died on the ship. However, the main ship was gone either way.
The Death of Superman: Kissing Lois despite destruction around him and many civilians injured. However, between you and me, I don't condone this due to the fact that in the story, Supes and Lois knew each other thoroughly while in the film, they knew each other barely.
Further proof that Superman never really takes fights out of populated areas, like Metropolis.There are also times where he is too focused on the hostile to save civilians.
War of the Supermen: Fighting Zod in a clearly populated area (even though it isn't Metropolis).
The Death of Superman: Fighting Doomsday in Metropolis, again, a clearly populated area.
Earth One: Fighting alien hostile in Metropolis, a clearly populated area.
Many claim the "Superman doesn't kill" rule isn't something born out of the media and generally exists in anything pertaining to Superman; insisting he would never do it no matter how desperate. To that, once more, I say...BULLCRAP!
The Man of Steel: Killing Zod out of desperation to stop his madness.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow: Killing Mr. Myxzptlk to save all of reality.
The Death of Superman: Killing Doomsday to save the Earth.
Superman: Doomed (New 52): Killing Doomsday to save the Earth; it was in this story that Supes developed his kill-deterrent rule in this incarnation.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow: Showing very clear remorse.
Earth One: Military distrust and location efforts existent despite Superman's clearly good intentions. Superman makes it absolutely clear that he isn't tolerating any offensive attempts on his person regardless of his being an alien and that they need to learn how to trust him. Adding that he is going to help the world to the best of his ability, but it will be at his own accord.
Superboy: Clark, as a boy, with a cape and his dog in the grass. Imagery purposes.
Earth One: Clark, with his "glasses persona", begins work at the Daily Planet for the first time and clearly recognizes Lois. The main difference is that it is mutual.
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