The "Speeding Bulletin" is your weekly Superman news video, recapping the latest events in the world of Superman. It also includes the "Bailey Planet" rant, Neal Bailey's thought of the week, brought to you in his own infamous style.

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Merchandise seen in this episode:

• Steve Younis is wearing a Superman Biker Metal Thermal Longsleeve T-Shirt available from Amazon.com.
• Purchase "Speeding Bulletin" and "Bailey Planet" merchandise from CafePress.com.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 9, 2008 12:29am EST

2 Comments · 73 Reads ·

Every June, tens of thousands of Superman fans descend on the city of Metropolis, Illinois to celebrate the "Man of Steel". This year (June 12th to 15th, 2008) Superman fans will be given the opportunity to participate in a first of its kind, World Record setting event. While this record has never been attempted before, the Guinness Corporation set the parameter of at least 100 participants in approved costumes.

On Sunday afternoon (June 15th), participants will be required to meet at the designated area in town to sign in and have their costumes approved. At 5:00pm, the participants will be counted, gathered into an area at the base of the famous 15' tall bronze statue of Superman in the center of town and documented for the Guinness World Record Corporation.

"This is a one of a kind opportunity for any Superman enthusiast. We wanted to end the 30th Annual Celebration with a bang and I definitely think this is what we were looking for," said Karla Ogle, Chairman of the 30th Annual Superman Celebration.

Steven Kirk from Los Angeles, California approached the city with the idea. "It's Superman's 70th birthday, the 30th Superman Celebration in Metropolis, the 30th anniversary of the release of "Superman: The Movie" and the 60th anniversary of the first appearance of Noel Neill as reporter Lois Lane. When you're throwing a party that big, I thought a Guinness World Record would be some sweet icing on Superman's birthday cake," Kirk said.

The World Record attempt is open to men, women and children wearing a complete Superman costume consisting of a blue bodysuit, red cape, red trunks, red boots (or spats), yellow belt, and the famous red and yellow "S" logo on the chest. The costumes can either be store-bought or home made, but must be approved in advance to make sure they meet the stringent requirements set by the Guinness World Record Corporation for this event.

The four-day Metropolis Superman Celebration also includes an all-star lineup of Superman related celebrities (Actor Ned Beatty from "Superman: The Movie" & "Superman II", "Smallville's" Allison Mack and the original Lois Lane, Noel Neill), comic book artists, vendors, family-friendly events and music.

For additional information regarding the "Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Superman" World Record attempt or the Metropolis Superman Celebration, please contact The Metropolis Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-949- 5740 or email metrochamber@hcis.net.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 9, 2008 12:29am EST

1 Comments · 85 Reads ·

This week's column is dedicated to actor Michael Rosenbaum. For the past seven seasons of "Smallville", Rosenbaum's portrayal of Lex Luthor has been a high point of the show. Rosenbaum's departure from "Smallville" with this week's season finale, titled "Arctic" (Thursday at 8 PM on the CW), not only leaves a huge creative hole in the show, it ends a lengthy affiliation by Rosenbaum with the icons of the DC Universe.

In addition to playing Lex, Rosenbaum provided many voices in the Bruce Timm animated universe, most notably and regularly the voice of Wally West, the Flash, on "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited". Among his many other voice roles - Ghoul of the Jokerz in "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" (reprising the role on "JLU"), Deadshot on "JL"/"JLU", and Kid Flash on "Teen Titans". Rosenbaum's influence on the DCU will remain with us on DVDs and in reruns. So Michael, thanks for the great body of work in our playground and best of luck going forward.

One more point of business. Thanks to Superman Homepage member Steve Eden, I've been reminded that some readers may not be aware that the times listed for all shows are Eastern time unless otherwise specifically noted. The first year or so of doing this column, I noted the time zone several times a year as a reminder - I will continue to do so now and, if, in a few months I forget to remind everyone again, I'm counting on you Steve Eden to remind me. So, to sum up, I've been reminded to remind you and now I've reminded you so on with this week's listings.

Last Thursday at 8 PM on ION we got "Superman: The Movie". This week at the same time on the same channel we get "Superman II". I'm beginning to notice a trend here.

"Smallville" repeats air in high-definition on HD-Net.

Click "Read More" below to read Barry's complete "Superman on TV" article.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 9, 2008 12:28am EST

Read More · 1 Comments · 111 Reads ·

"Allison's camp used Michael leaving as leverage in the negotiations with [Warner Bros.]," says one Smallville source, who adds that Kristin Kreuk's decision to only return for a handful of episodes as Lana only strengthened Mack's bargaining position. "They need Chloe now more than ever - and Allison's people know it." (Mack's reps declined to comment for this story.)

But will the studio suits budge? In this climate, with ratings down by double digits and belt-tightening going on everywhere, no one is optimistic. However, everyone pretty much agrees about one thing: Smallville can't afford to lose Mack right now. "If Allison leaves, they've essentially got Lois and Clark left," notes one insider. "And that show's been done before."

Posted by Steve Younis on May 8, 2008 7:31pm EST

20 Comments · 485 Reads ·

You'll recall that at the same time they announced Michael Rosenbaum would be leaving "Smallville" at the end of the current season, the WB and CW announced that Doomsday and a female antagonist would be introduced in the 8th season.

I'm told the female villain will be named Tess. In her late-20s, smokin' hot and incredibly strong, Tess will take aggressive control of Lex's estate in his absence. While she's perfectly capable of making her own decisions, she will always differ to Lex's wishes, as she's completely devoted to him. She could prove to be his greatest asset, as she possesses numerous talents, including a power of persuasion that even Clark can't resist. Still, she knows something isn't right, as she can't recall any of her life before meeting Lex, which leads me to believe that he's got her under some sort of spell.

And the new dude they're calling Doomsday? I'm hearing he'll go by the name of Davis Bloome. A good-looking 20-something, he'll tend bar at a trendy Metropolis club, and be popular with the ladies. Though seemingly easy-going and well-adjusted, he will battle a deep sense of insecurity and loneliness that leads to an unmistakably evil, dark side.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 8, 2008 7:31pm EST

39 Comments · 665 Reads ·

The CW has also released 8 images from the Season 7 finale, scheduled to air in the U.S. on May 15th, titled "Arctic".

Click "Read More" below to see the images (as they contain spoilers).

Posted by Steve Younis on May 8, 2008 12:02am EST

Read More · 10 Comments · 1187 Reads ·

She is a legend. We grew up with her. Every girl on earth wants to be in her shoes. She is Lois Lane, who has loved Superman, well, forever.

And the woman who first brought Lois Lane to life, who has been involved with Superman longer than anyone else alive, is Noel Neill. Could there be any better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with her?

A confluence of coincidences on May 4, 2008, allowed me to make the six hour round trip to The Comic Outpost in San Francisco. This friendly shop was hosting Noel Neill and her biographer Larry Thomas Ward for an afternoon Meet and Greet.

A larger-than-life statue of Superman greeted guests as they stepped into the long, deep store. Strains of well-known Superman music floated from the back of the shop. There stood Noel Neill, one of the sweetest women on earth, dressed in her trademark yellow jacket dripping with Superman rhinestones.

Face it, comic stores are not the usual hangout for a 52-year old mother of four, and I admit to being a little out of my comfort zone. But dedication to Superman brings a lot of disparate folks together. Noel Neill has shown that dedication for 60 years now. She is giving and gracious and an absolute delight.

I was lucky enough to arrive during a lull in her book signing, and we were able to speak of many things. We spoke of the Superman "after hers" - Bob Holiday - and his recent recovery from open heart surgery. We talked about Australia, about my friend from the crew of Superman Returns, and the old friend she tried to make contact with while she was filming. I was able to share with her how, on the opening day of Superman Returns, the entire theater gasped in recognition when her voice opened the dialogue of the movie.

When Noel learned that I'd heard of her visit to The Comics Outpost from the Superman Homepage, she said how much she's looking forward to seeing Steve Younis at this year's Metropolis, Illinois Superman Celebration. Noel couldn't stop gushing about how wonderful the people are in Metropolis and how much she looks forward to attending the Superman Celebration there every year.

Throughout my visit, Noel Neill fans continued to enter the store. It was a pleasure to watch Noel greet each one. She made every person there feel special. Even when it was time for her to leave, she posed delightedly for numerous photos in front of the Superman statue at the front of the store.

The first Lois, the first lady of Metropolis, and the first lady of our hearts, Noel Neill is a delightful woman. It's no wonder that Superman fell in love with her at first sight.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 8, 2008 12:01am EST

2 Comments · 87 Reads ·

Entertainment Weekly has published five pages from "Final Crisis #1" (available May 14), which includes script notes from writer Grant Morrison, artist sketches of Darkseid from "Final Crisis: Sketchbook", and more.

Wizard Universe has posted a 4 page sneak peek at the August release "Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1", which features a cover very similar to that of "DC Universe #0".

If you haven't yet purchased "Action Comics Annual #11" (available in stores today), here's a 5 page sneak peek released by DC Comics...

ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #11
Written by Geoff Johns
& Richard Donner
Art and cover by Adam Kubert
Variant cover by Kubert
The extra-length conclusion to "Last Son" is here! Superman and the new Superman Revenge Squad - Lex Luthor, Bizarro, the Parasite and Metallo - take on General Zod, Ursa and Non in a battle for Metropolis, the future of Krypton and Christopher Kent!
On sale May 7. 64 pg, FC, $4.99 US

Posted by Steve Younis on May 7, 2008 8:01pm EST

2 Comments · 182 Reads ·

The symbolic and metaphorical associations between fashion and the superhero are explored in this compelling exhibition. Featuring movie costumes, avant-garde haute couture, and high-performance sportswear, it reveals how the superhero serves as the ultimate metaphor for fashion and its ability to empower and transform the human body. Objects are organized thematically around particular superheroes, whose movie costumes and superpowers are catalysts for the discussion of key concepts of superheroism and their expression in fashion.

The exhibition and its accompanying book are made possible by Giorgio Armani.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 7, 2008 12:01am EST

9 Comments · 316 Reads ·

Check out his review of the "Atom Man in Metropolis".

Posted by Steve Younis on May 7, 2008 12:00am EST

0 Comments · 42 Reads ·

Check out his review of the Season 1 episode titled "Kryptonite Kills".

Posted by Steve Younis on May 7, 2008 12:00am EST

0 Comments · 56 Reads ·

Author Peter Coogan has been busy promoting his book recently, with Broken Frontier conducting an interview which you can read at their website, and CBC Radio discussing the book with him.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the book should check out a review posted at CurledUp.com.

Posted by Steve Younis on May 7, 2008 12:00am EST

0 Comments · 72 Reads ·