2001 Comic Book News Archives

Superman Adventures #60

August 31, 2001: Mike Manley Interview

Super-Homem.com has conducted a great indepth interview with "Superman Adventures" comic cover artist, Mike Manley. Below is an excerpt from the interview:

Q: What are your thoughts on Superman as a character?

Mike Manley: Well he was my favorite as a kid. He's the first one, a classic, but really from a time when the stories were simpler, times were simpler. More Black and White. He's a harder character to write for because he doesn't have the psychological angle and "Film norish" aspects that Batman has. In that sense, he's less realistic. You can't really explore things too closely because it won't make sense. How can he hover or fly? Why does he have heat vision etc. how can he turn it on and off? It's a fantasy, and best treated in a less strict way in my opinion. Overtime he became more powerful, too powerful. Though modern comics are on a "realistic kick" now. And he also doesn't have as many good villains as Batman. He has no Joker. Luthor is a boring villain in comparison. Superman basically is a god, perfect. And that makes for a boring drama. He's so powerful, has so much ability, which villain can last against him?

The only way to get drama and endanger him is to weaken him, give him a few faults or weaknesses. I think they originally were moving more in that direction on the cartoons, but sort of lost that a bit after a while.

Q: Superman Adventures was acclaimed by critics and nominated for many awards, many considered it as just a "kids" book, what are your thoughts?

Mike Manley: Well I think that since it's in a simple style, the style of the show, which is harder to draw than the realistic version, (believe me, just looking at the run of the book, you can see not everyone can do the "Bruce Timm" style) and because it's not "in" continuity it's a fish out of water for the mainstream fan. However I think it was the superior book, the best way to handle the character as far as feel, and deserved all the glory it can get.

Read the complete interview at the Super-Homem website.



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