Superman has existed in print for 87 years, with countless movies, cartoons, and animated series featuring the character. And each era contributed distinct elements to the Last Son of Krypton’s ever-expanding mythology. Here’s how James Gunn’s Superman pays homage to each decade of the iconic superhero’s existence. We warn you, however, some of these elements spoil plot developments in the film. So if spoilers are your personal kryptonite, we suggest watching the film, then coming back and reading this.
The 1930s: Superman #2
In Superman #2 from 1939, a mere year after the character’s DC Comics debut, the Man of Steel stopped a war in the fictional country of Baravia. This whole scenario inspires a key part of James Gunn’s Superman. So even though Superman as a character only existed for two years of the ’30s, the new film still nods to this early Golden Age era in a big way.
The 1940s: The Animated Fleischer Studios Superman Cartoons
The animated shorts from Fleischer Studios from 1941-1943 remain the best superhero animation yet produced, even 85 years later. These cartoons are where Superman began to fly and not just “leap tall buildings,” truly showing off his power set. In one famous shot from the animated shorts, Superman protects Lois Lane from a flow of molten liquid with his whole body (and cape). In Gunn’s Superman, we see Kal-El shield a young child in similar fashion. This moment echoes those iconic World War II-era cartoons.
The 1950s: Krypto the Superdog, the Fortress of Solitude
The Silver Age of comics began for Superman in the late 1950s, and lasted until about 1970. During this era of comics, Superman’s adventures became bigger and more sci-fi oriented, and alien villains like Brainiac came into the picture. This was also the era when DC writers created the Fortress of Solitude, as well as Krypto the Superdog. Both became a key part of the lore. The Fortress first appeared in Action Comics #242 in 1958, with Krypto appearing first in 1955. Both figure largely in Gunn’s Supermanwhich is why so many cite the film’s Silver Age flair.
The 1960s: Metamorpho, Ultraman
One of the metahumans used in Superman is Metamorpho, the Element Man, whose real name is Rex Mason. The character, whose body can transform into any element, was one of the wackier Silver Age DC creations, and had his own solo series. And although the Ultraman used in the film is not the same as in the comics, the name Ultraman for a doppelganger of Kal-El that he must fight originated in a 1964 issue of Justice League of America.
The 1970s: Superman: The MovieThe Hypno-Glasses
The biggest ‘70s era influence on Gunn’s Superman is the original Richard Donner Superman: The Movie from 1978. Not only does Gunn use a variation of John Williams’ iconic Superman theme, but Eve Teschmacher, Luthor’s girlfriend, was created for Donner’s film. The crystalline look of Superman’s Fortress is also inspired by the one from the 1978 film. Even Lex Luthor’s land grab scheme is a nod to his evil plan from the Donner film. From the comics, Superman’s identity-concealing “Hypno-glasses” are from an issue of Supermanalso published in 1978.
The 1980s: John Byrne’s Man of Steel Reboot
In the mid-80s, after the multiverse-altering Crisis on Infinite Earths, writer/artist John Byrne rebooted Superman’s mythos for the modern age. This all took place in his six-part mini-series, Man of Steel. One of the biggest changes was to Clark’s arch-rival, Lex Luthor. In the ’80s, Lex went from mad scientist to a billionaire CEO. This version heavily informed the iteration we meet in Superman.
Also, for the first 50 years of Superman’s history, his adopted parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, were dead by the time he became an adult superhero. This changed in the ‘80s, but Gunn’s movie maintains that both parents are still alive. Another addition to Superman lore from the ‘80s was that of a Pocket Universe, one where a younger version of himself existed. While not exactly the same in Gunn’s film, the term “Pocket Universe” became important to the character during this era.
The 1990s: Superman For All SeasonsMister Terrific, Kingdom Come
For years and years in Superman comics, it was baked in that Lois Lane didn’t know Clark Kent’s secret identity. Until 1990, that is, when she finally learned the truth. That’s how it remained for decades. Gunn’s Superman just ditches the idea of Lois not knowing Superman’s secret from the get-go, embracing a ‘90s version of the Daily Planet reporter. The character of Mister Terrific, who plays a big part in the film, was also introduced in 1999.
Although there isn’t one specific reference to Superman: The Animated Series in Gunn’s film, the overall vibe mirrors that of the cartoon. Superman’s specific ‘S’ symbol originated in Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ seminal series Kingdom Come. And the Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale mini-series Superman For All Seasons really cemented an All-American, traditional take on Superman’s hometown Smallvilleone that Gunn’s film leans into.
The 2000s: Superman: Birthright, All-Star Superman, Smallville
The turn of the 21st century had several pieces of iconic Superman media, which all influenced Gunn’s film. In the comics, Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright retold the character’s origin. In this iteration, Lex Luthor revealed to the public that Superman was an advance scout for a Kryptonian invasion force. Lex in the film does a similar media ambush to discredit Superman using information about his heritage. Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman visually influenced the film, especially in the look of the robots in the Fortress. The TV series Smallville also provided a key inspiration for Superman, as Jor-El in the series also sent his son Kal-El to Earth to conquer it, presumably to mold the species in the Kryptonian image.
The 2010s: The New 52
Although not an exact replica, Superman’s costume in the film reflects a great deal of the character’s costume from 2011’s New 52 DC Universe reboot. Specifically, the higher collar and the extra stitching and details on the body. Although, New 52 Superman did not have the iconic trunks, which David Corenswet’s does.
The 2020s is still too young a decade to factor in how its Superman influenced Gunn, especially as he started writing the script in 2022. But we imagine by the time that the next Superman film arrives, it’ll take inspiration from modern iterations like My Adventures with Superman and Absolute Superman. We’ll just have to wait and see when the next chapter rolls around.
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