Don’t Tug On “Superman’s” Cape — Or “Batman’s” Either

The Correct Casting and Costume Combination is a Crucial Part of the Creative Process with Bringing Comic Book Characters to Life on Screen

For the solid success of any creative property — whether it be for television, film, the stage, new media, or the printed form — it’s all about the writing; getting the story right (write!) and flushing out the proper development of the characters.

When it comes to the superhero genre, in particular, attaining the proper casting and wardrobe (i.e the costume) plays heavily into the creative process in very real, tangible and pertinent ways.

Disney/Marvel have hit the nail on the head with Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, if not with the X-Men film franchise, which was ignited by Bryan Singer (The First Class film featured atrocious casting and acting, while the earlier X-Men destroyed the colorful costumes, displayed so wonderfully in the comics and the animated TV series from the early 1990s.)

I wish to the heavens that DC Comics/Warner Bros., proprietors of the Superman and Batman franchises, would get that.

But unfortunately, they keep missing the mark.

And I just keep scratching my head as to why that is the case.

What exactly is the problem — especially with the casting, which should be a no-brainer?

For example, only tall, dark, handsome and broad-shouldered actors need to apply for portrayals of the Clark Kent/Superman and Bruce Wayne/Batman characters.

And not just tall actors — but actors who are at least 6’ 5” in stature (minus their Super or Bat-boots).

And not just actors with “okay shoulders” — but rather those actors with way-larger than average shoulders.

Yes, Henry Cavill, the star of the new Man of Steel, is a nice-looking guy and yes, Brandon Routh, of Superman Returns (also produced — and directed — by Bryan Singer) nicely-resembled the late, great Christopher Reeve (who will, to some, always be considered the definitive Superman).

But neither Cavill nor Routh are larger-than-life handsome.

As to the Bat cavalcade of stars: Christian Bale was wonderfully brooding in the Dark…