Man of Steel vs. The Day of the Doctor

[BoyScout-ManOfTomorrow]

Anyone reading this might scratch their head and wonder why I'm comparing a Hollywood blockbuster and a 50th Anniversary episode for a British TV-show. Well I got the idea from Exedore's Who's a Hero thread. The Doctor essentially showed up in the Super Cafe and talked to Superman and Batman.

I'm a fan of both Superman and Doctor Who and was so hyped this year for both of these special cases: A movie for Supes and a special episode for the Doctor! Yet the movie left me completely disappointed when the Day of the Doctor was everything I was hoping for. Complete opposites despite a huge similarity when it comes to Man of Steel's most controversial scene.

Here we have two characters (Superman and the Doctor) with 50+ years of history. Superman feels it needs to invent itself again for a new audience drastically while the Doctor (to this day) has stayed mostly the same. Regenerations and showrunners aside.

Both characters are caught in an impossible situation. With Superman it's killing Zod to save the planet. With the Doctor it's to destroy your homeworld so the universe will be spared.

Lois is present or at least soon after Superman's decision. Clara is present when the Doctor is about to push the panic button (literally). And it's Clara who reminds the Doctor to be himself. She reminds the Doctor of his humanity and a promise of hope.

Superman kills Zod...The Doctor SAVES his homeworld! The Doctor does the impossible because that's within his character. He's just that awesome. Superman on the other hand...not so much. And I say this as a big fan. Maybe there needed to be Supermen. Plural, like with the 12 Doctors. No sir, all thirteen!

"Great men are forged in fire, it is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame"

I really don't care if it was Superman's first mission. Kal failed his baptism by fire and thus I'll be inclined to care less from any sequel that MIGHT get it right.

Offtopic: Man of Steel had an AI Jor-El guiding Kal-El. The Day of the Doctor had a doomsday device with a consciousness (in the form of Rose Tyler or rather Bad Wolf) guiding the War Doctor.

The Day of the Doctor had me more thrilled from the black and white opening title to the end credits. It wasn't actionpacked but it was fast paced with multiple levels of storyline and intrigue going on. Plus, despite Man of Steel having better action...the Time War and Gallifrey looked badass compared to Krypton. The special overall was a celebration of a fictional character and his universe and continuity. It was wholly satisfying and a complete tale yet leaving promises of the future.

Man of Steel...was just depressing. A joyless, witless collection of pretty images with awful writing holding it together. The script likes to talk about the idea of being Superman but it never pays off in a faithful way. In short: Man of Steel can talk the talk but can't walk the walk.

The Doctor Who special begins with these words: "Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."

And that the Doctor did in spades!

[Backward Galaxy]

The Day of the Doctor had everything Man of Steel lacked in terms of heart, fun, and respect for the legacy of its characters. That said, I'm not going to spend the next few weeks rehashing all the reasons I hated Man of Steel, and there's a place on these very forums where I can laud the Who special. I'll simply say I agree with your premise.

[Mbruno]

The Day of the Doctor had everything Man of Steel lacked in terms of heart, fun, and respect for the legacy of its characters. That said, I'm not going to spend the next few weeks rehashing all the reasons I hated Man of Steel, and there's a place on these very forums where I can laud the Who special. I'll simply say I agree with your premise.

If you look for example at the New 52 comic books or the upcoming Justice League: War animated film, it is clear that DC/Warner is trying to steer Superman into a different direction, which incidentally is not necessarily the same as in Man of Steel.

As I see it, there are a few things that are pretty much written in stone as far as Superman's "legacy" is concerned, for example: being the "last son" of Krypton sent to Earth by Jor-El and Lara, or growing up in Kansas at the Kent farm. Other than that, any "reinterpretation" of the Superman mythology is possible. Man of Steel actually incorporated many elements of graphic novels from the past 30 years or so, including its depiction of cold, genetically-engineered Kryptonians and of an isolationist Kryptonian government that abandoned deep space exploration. Apart from Kal-El's snapping Zod's neck (which was totally unnecessary), I don't really see anything on Man of Steel that overtly disrespects the character's legacy.

[Backward Galaxy]

As I see it, there are a few things that are pretty much written in stone as far as Superman's "legacy" is concerned, for example: being the "last son" of Krypton sent to Earth by Jor-El and Lara, or growing up in Kansas at the Kent farm. Other than that, any "reinterpretation" of the Superman mythology is possible. Man of Steel actually incorporated many elements of graphic novels from the past 30 years or so, including its depiction of cold, genetically-engineered Kryptonians and of an isolationist Kryptonian government that abandoned deep space exploration. Apart from Kal-El's snapping Zod's neck (which was totally unnecessary), I don't really see anything on Man of Steel that overtly disrespects the character's legacy.

I'm glad you don't. I do. (Based on my user settings) I spent the better part of 208 pages* on these forums explaining why I felt that way. I'm pretty done.

* In Superman: The Man Of Steel (2013) & Loved It? Hated It? What did you think of "Man Of Steel?" ("SEEN IT" Thread!)

[DA_Champion]

I'm glad you don't. I do. (Based on my user settings) I spent the better part of 208 pages* on these forums explaining why I felt that way. I'm pretty done.

* In Superman: The Man Of Steel (2013) & Loved It? Hated It? What did you think of "Man Of Steel?" ("SEEN IT" Thread!)

You should go discuss some other movies.

Did you like Ender's Game?

[Backward Galaxy]

Did you like Ender's Game?

I have some thoughts on that one, but no one seems particularly excited about it around here. There isn't even a thread on it that I could find.

[CKent/KalEl]

^More like Ender's Shame. But I kid, I didn't watch it considering the fact that I despise the books.

On topic:

I think it is not fair to compare the two characters, because on one side you have people that care and understand how their universe works and what the character represents and who he is (Doctor) and on the other side you have Hollywood money grabbers giving reigns of a beloved character and franchise to a pair of barely literate monkeys.

[DA_Champion]

I have some thoughts on that one, but no one seems particularly excited about it around here. There isn't even a thread on it that I could find.

I have not seen it yet because, I don't think it was out in Australia. I'll see it now that I'm back in NA, even though the critical consensus is that it's ****.