Thoughts on "Crisis on Infinite Earths" CW miniseries" -- Very inclusive of the DC 'Multiverse'

(Spoilers below, if you haven't seen "Crisis")


AS TV goes, the CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" saga is about as good as it gets. Reasonable special effects, good storylines and attention to detail are all evident in the miniseries.
My only complaint is that with one swoop the series deflated the bubble on the decade-long "Smallville" TV series.
It was great to see "Smallville" incorporated into the series, but the scene of just a few minutes made a mockery of the show and what it espoused.
So, Clark Kent takes 10 years to accept the status of hero and of Superman in the TV series, only to throw that all away in less than nine years? Yes, that's what the "Crisis" showed. I would have thought of a much better way to include "Smallville" in "Crisis," than basically throwing it into the junkyard.
Apparently the show's producers thought that was a natural way to portray "Smallville," since that Clark Kent was at home on the family farm. I disagree. 
(One report was that this was about the only scenario -- being powerless -- that actor Tom Welling would come back to do. So, which is worse, a powerless Clark Kent, or a different actor in that role?)
But it appears that one of the "Batwoman" show writers (who also used to write for "Smallville") made the suggestion of a powerless Clark Kent. As awful as the "Batwoman" series is, that pretty much explains where that terrible "Smallville" idea came from in "Crisis."
(As bad as the "Batwoman" TV series is, if it is renewed for a second season, then the CW is poor at judging success.)

-And, perhaps the Smallville event IS NOT as it seems?
One of the first things I noticed in the Crisis segment about Smallville was that Clark Kent was wearing a watch with a blue face, that stood out way more than it should have. Is that a reference to the watch having blue Kryptonite in it?
In Smallville, Blue Kryptonite takes away super-powers, but only while it is near a Kryptonian. Remove it and the super-powers come back fast. That's more acceptable if that is indeed what happened in Crisis. Yes, Clark's powers are gone, but he can get them back fast, if he is needed for a crisis.
This "easter egg" is probably just a little too hidden by the writers, who should have made this more obvious to average viewers  ....

I also did not like the old Batman portrayal in the "Crisis" either.

On the positive side, the "Kingdom Come" version of Superman was nearly perfect. Superb attention to detail there and homage to the big screen TV Superman was excellent. In fact, that part was as good as the "Smallville" portions were bad.
AND IN part three of Crisis, it was pretty clever to have Lex Luthor take the place of this Superman at the Vanishing Point.

All, in all, just tackling the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" saga for a 5-hour TV series is a challenging undertaking and after watching just two of its five hours, it appears to be a big success.

Superman is in Utah ...On mission

I live in Utah and I still get a kick when Superman visits Utah in a comic book story.
There are 50 states and usually Utah is overlooked, or joked about in the entertainment world.
The latest visit by the Man of Steel to Utah is in the Smallville Season Eleven Special, No. 1, comic, dated July 2013.
So, this is the Smallville TV version of Superman who goes to the Beehive State.
On page 16, the Watchtower reports to Batman that Superman is in Utah, "on mission."
Batman responds, "Of course he is."

A map on the Watchtower wall shows the "S" symbol over Utah.
Anyway, Superman "walked" to Ogden, Utah a few years ago in a comic book story.
Superman also visited Utah in a the mid-1970s when he investigated a mystery on the Utah Salt Flats, in one story.
-And, from Utah, I started a new thread on the DC Comics' Superman message board back in 2009, and a few months later, the evil "Superboy Prime" actually  responded to me in a comic story in the Legion of 3 Worlds series, when I wrote: "Can Superboy Prime be redeemed?"
UPDATE: in "Justice League," No. 26 (January 2014), Ultraman, an evil, alternate world counterpart of Superman, is shown to be fighting the U.S. military on the Utah Salt Flats.
So, Utah is firmly in the minds of some DC Comics writers these days.

New Smallville Comic: Three Stars!

DC's new "Smallville" comic is quite good and I'd rate it three out of four stars.
It is intended to pick up six months after the final season of Smallville WB TV show ended a year ago.
It captures the flavor of the characters well and unlike that limited Smallville comic did during the TV show's early years, this one has great artwork and storylines.
It's sad whenever a TV show ends, and yet here's a good way to keep the imagination of Smallville alive.
DC has now unveiled a new "Earth Two" saga and line of characters. This is a new spin on and old idea and is also turning out worth a read.

Smallville — Fly or Die!

"Smallville" has been good in its 9 seasons, but it could be better and as I always say, less "soap opera-ish" would be a great improvement.
And, after watching the season finale for the 9th season, I say, "Fly or Die!"
Spoiler wise, Clark Kent is falling off a skyscraper with blue kryptonite and no powers.
Either he better finally get his powers back quickly and fly to get out of this or die in the season 10 opening show.
Clark now apparently has the costume and that's the long overdue next level — that he go from the "Blur" to the skies.
He did have a Legion flight ring and it is dumb that he doesn't use that.

Smallville the soap opera

Smallville has a few flashes of brilliance lately, but otherwise comes off to me as simply an average soap opera kind of show that could air in daytime soap time spots and do better.
This is the season where I've lost enthusiasm in the show.
Yes, a good series needs some characterizations and relationships explored, but there's too much of that in Smallville now and not enough action.
And, if Clark Kent stays grounded much longer, as other Kryptonians effortlessly fly, I might lose it completely.
Clark Kent should also be wearing glasses all the time and the "S" curl of hair should exist on the face of the "blur."
The series has now painted itself in a dark corner and has lost sight of the Superman mythology and legacy.

"Absolute Justice?" No, "Absolute bore!"

I watched the Feb. 5 "Absolute Justice" Smallville episode and while it was better than I expected with my "smallerville" expectations of the overall TV series lately, it was surprising at the lack of action it featured.
Boring, yes. It was a boring 9.5 on a 1-10 boring scale.
How could you make this 2-hour event and have so little action?
Forget the poor Hawkman costume, or the pitiful treatment of "golden age" DC comics characters. Some daytime TV soap operas contain more non-sexual action than this 2-hour Smallville did. This double-length Smallville had less action than most one-hour Smallville episodes do too!
The only bright spots were the Amanda Waller sub plot and that the Martian Manhunter got his powers back.
And, Clark Kent needs his telescopic vision. He also needs to fly and start using his vast array of powers.
The Amanda Waller angle is intriguing, but the Zod and other Kryptonian plot just needs to go away as quickly as possible. It's boring.

Smallville. Canada

I had to see it to believe it.
I took a trip during a recent summer to British Columbia and went out of my way to see Cloverdale BC Surrey -- the town that doubles as Smallville, Kansas for the TV show.
I went during a non-filming season (early June) and so there were Canadian flags hanging all over the street where the TV show's retail area is. (I'm sure those come down, or are replaced when filming is underway...)
It was a clean, vibrant little suburb of Vancouver town.
Still seems kine of weird that Smallville is in in Canada, but there it was!
Saw the coffee shop, theater and hardware store.
I had misplaced my directions to the "Kent Farm" and so I didn't see that.
I was amazed at the waterfalls and mountain area located just north of Vancouver. Supplies all kinds of other filming options. This was a really pristine, pretty area and other than all the Vancouver traffic, I'd love to go back someday and see more of Lynn Canyon and Grouse Mountain.
Also drove east to Hells Gate, and passed through Hope, where the first Rambo movie was filmed.
It appears the Vancouver area is a hotbed for filming TV shows and movies these days.
(The three photographs are of the theater in Cloverdale, used in past Smallville shootings; a city sign; and a look down the business district street.)