Summary

There has been internet backlash towards James Gunn's new Superman for embracing a lighter tone and silly elements.
Superman's early history on film dates back to the 1940s attempts at a serial.
Projects like The Adventures of Superpup showcase abandoned, bizarre Superman spin-off ideas.

James Gunn’s upcoming Superman has garnered pretty harsh criticism from some corners of the internet before even hitting cinema screens. Some don’t like that he appears to be adopting a lighter tone and is embracing some of the perhaps sillier elements of the comic books. The presence of Krypto the Superdog in the film’s marketing pretty much encapsulates their problems with this new iteration of the last son of Krypton.

If they can’t stand Krypto, then they really wouldn’t be able to deal with the Superman project television execs wanted to put on screens back in the 1950s.

Superman’s Early History On Film Isn't Exactly Riveting Stuff

Does The Name Kirk Alyn Ring A Bell?

Superman was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster back in 1938 for the pages of Action Comics. The character was an instant success, and there was interest in adapting Superman to other media almost immediately. Attempts were made as early as 1940 to produce a film serial, though these early efforts to get Superman on the big screen weren’t successful.

‘People Aren’t Confused’ James Gunn’s Basic Superman Plans Will Benefit The Movie

James Gunn has revealed he is set to simplify Superman to ensure that it is accessible to everyone.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

He would eventually make his cinematic debut in 1948 in a 15-part film serial from Columbia Pictures simply titled Superman. It starred Kirk Alyn; if the name isn’t familiar to you, don’t feel bad — it wasn’t familiar to audiences at the time either. Alyn was uncredited, billed onscreen simply as “Superman”. The legacy of Superman in live action really began with George Reeves.

The Adventures of Superman Became A Huge Hit

George Reeves Was A Household Name

Reeves first graced the screen as the Man of Steel in 1951 in the 58-minute film Superman and the Mole Men. The first theatrical release based on the Kryptonian hero, it also served as a pilot for a television series following the exploits of Superman and co., which went into production the same year.

The Adventures of Superman ran for six seasons from 1952-1958 and solidified Reeves as Superman in the eyes of the public, a responsibility he took very seriously despite the mixed fortunes it brought for his career. There were no mixed emotions among the studio executives, though — they were thrilled with the national success of the show and eager to capitalize on it. They began thinking about spinoffs, as is usually the case with any successful television show.

The Adventures of Superpup Is What They Came Up With

No, It's Not A Fever Dream

In 1958, a project was conceived that would take the essence of the Superman television series and present it in something that was even more focused towards children. All the familiar elements would be present—the hero working as a reporter, his dual identity, the love interest at the newspaper, the cape—with one slight, teeny tiny difference: all the characters would be anthropomorphic animals.

Yes, you read that right... Every character in the show would be a walking, talking animal. Most were talking dogs, specifically. The Adventures of Superpup would follow the eponymous canine as he battled criminals while maintaining his secret identity as intrepid reporter Bark Bent.

When not donning the cape, he worked at the Daily Bugle (massive missed opportunity there as "Daily Beagle" was staring them right in the face) under editor Terry Bite and alongside love interest Pamela Poodle. Oh, and all the characters would be played by actors with dwarfism in dog costumes. If this sounds like a fever dream, I’m afraid it’s very much real. A pilot episode was filmed (using the same sets as the George Reeves series), which has surfaced over the years, but thankfully, this is as far a Superpup went.

The Tragedy Of The Adventures of Superman

We'll Never Truly Know What Happened

The Adventures of Superman was not intended to end after its sixth season. In 1959, producers were gearing up for two more years’ worth of episodes, due to start airing in 1960. All these plans came to a grinding halt with the sudden and tragic death of George Reeves.

Reeves’ passing is drenched with mystery and controversy, and it’s more than can be explored in one paragraph. On June 16, 1959, Reeves was found dead from a gunshot in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. The official ruling was death by suicide, but there are many who believe he was murdered or, at the very least, the victim of an accidental shooting. The circumstances surrounding Reeve’s death are dramatized in the 2006 movie Hollywoodland, starring Ben Affleck as George Reeves.

Life For The Adventures of Superman After Reeves?

It Almost Happened

Given the immense popularity of the show and the character, producers were keen to find a way to continue some iteration of a Superman show even after the passing of Reeves. The Adventures of Superpup wasn’t their only spin-off gambit.

They suggested the show could continue as “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen”, focusing on Olsen, played by Jack Larson, and using a mix of stock shots of George Reeves and stunt doubles to keep Superman in the program. Larson roundly rejected this pitch, meaning audiences thankfully weren’t subjected to a ghoulish reanimation of Reeves’ Superman. Well, at least not until 2023’s The Flash.

Other Abandoned Superman Projects Came And Went Over The Years

Perhaps Most Famously Is Nic Cage's Interpretation

Larson’s rejection didn’t deter producers, and in 1961, another attempt at a spinoff was made. This time, the project was The Adventures of Superboy. The story would revolve around a young Clark Kent in Smallville operating as Superboy, adorned in a similar costume to Reeves’ Superman suit.

Thirteen scripts were written, but only the pilot was filmed, and Superboy’s adventures ended before they began. And so it too joined the annals of abandoned Superman projects, alongside the likes of the fabled Superman Lives and Superman: Flyby, which failed to get off the ground in the late 90s and early 2000s.

But there is nothing in the cinematic past or future of Superman that will come close to the baffling bizarreness of Bark Bent and the Adventures of Super Pup.

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