26 December 2008

Superfriend Julian Adderley sent me this holiday gift, which I now pass on to all of you. It's called Reunited. Enjoy!

 24 December 2008

Random Coolness from Superman: The Movie Part 1 and Part 2.

 15 December 2008

Today, December 15, 2008, is the 30th anniversary of Superman-The Movie in U.S. theaters!

 08 December 2008

I made two Superman-The Movie "vintage photo album" images today. Click here and here to enjoy!

 05 December 2008

 Among my favorite Superman-The Movie "Superfeats" is Superman drilling underground at the San Andreas Fault. Click here, here, here and here to see four super rare photos of Christopher Reeve doing just that. Notice the wires he is suspended from. No computer-generated Superman or special effects here! Chris was flown through the "aluminum foil" set in real-time, often over long distances. There was absolutely no stationary bluescreen work done for this sequence. Hours and hours of flight time...no wonder Chris developed a herniated disk (he was still suffering from it in 1994).

A mystery from Superman-The Movie concerns the other little Clark Kents that were hired for various Smallville scenes. I have never heard anything about these other boys, and what, if any, actual 35mm footage was shot of them with Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter. Click here and here to see two photos. There are more photos in the Richard Donner Years Gallery. If anyone can shed some light on this mystery, please contact me. Thanks!

 03 December 2008

Did anyone meet Noel Neill, our Original Lois Lane, at the recent Screaming TikiCon convention? I heard it was a great show! Here is a never-before-released photo of her from the Adventures of Superman set. And check this one out. It's of George Reeves as Superman late in his career as the Man of Steel. I put him along side a photo of a young Christopher Reeve before Chris ever put on the first cape. Amazing profiles on these two men...both very distinctive looking for sure. Enjoy!

 21 November 2008

Some Donner Years Gallery photos have been updated and added here. And I've added a new behind-the-scenes Superman III photo of Christopher Reeve with the Smallville Town Band here.

 10 November 2008

Here's a great photo that I'd never seen until recently. Todd Klein (pictured at right next to Chris Reeve) was on staff at DC Comics from 1977 to 1987 as a freelance lettering artist. This photo was taken by Jack Adler in 1978 during one of Christopher Reeve's visits to the DC Comics offices. Here is what Todd told me about the experience:

"I didn't get a chance to say much to Chris, as there was quite a crowd there at the time. I do remember him being concerned that the comic book portrayals of Superman were too muscular, and that it was a standard he felt difficult to live up to, though I thought he looked fine in the films."

Todd also helped lay out the tabloid-size Superman-The Movie magazine that most of you are familiar with. Here's what he had to say about it:

"When I started working in the comics business in 1977, there were no real publication designers in comics. Companies such as DC Comics and Marvel Comics had art directors, but their job usually consisted of working with the existing artists drawing the company's stories, especially in creating covers, helping solve any problems with the art in the production process (such as making complex art changes), and finding new art talent. Of course, at the time, comics were largely considered a throwaway medium mainly intended for children. But that was changing even then, as publishers began to cater to adult fans, and soon, to collect their magazines in book-form reprints of various kinds. As they entered the new territory of producing actual books, real graphic design skills were needed, and companies began to hire designers.

In that interim period of the late 70s to mid 80s, anyone with a little graphic design experience was tapped to work on new projects. One of my early jobs working in the production department at DC Comics was putting together a tabloid-size magazine about the upcoming Superman Movie, the first one starring Christopher Reeve. My previous job had been doing graphic design work on air conditioner manuals, so I had some basic skills. Here's a sample page.

Pretty simple stuff by today's standards, but remember, this was in the days before desktop computers and digital design. Each page had to be laid out on paper, the page "mechanical." A typewritten script was needed for all the type, which was then sized and laid out in rough form by cutting and pasting copies of the script, or by arcane markings and measurements that could be interpreted by a typesetter. These layouts were sent to an outside type house who produced cold type (photographically created rather than with metal type) in galleys, which were then pasted onto the page mechanical by hand. Photographs were indicated by black boxes. Slides or large black and white photo prints were attached to the page when it went to the separation house, who prepared the photos and dropped them into the boxes by physically cutting and stripping in photographic negative film. Color blocks and design elements, such as the ones on this page, were prepared on an acetate overlay using rubylith or red film for the color areas. As you can see, a set of skills was used that are now largely forgotten. Today I could produce the same page in a quarter the time, and without the need of anything other than the script, photos, my desktop computer and a good scanner.

By the way, if you look closely, you'll see a credit for front cover design of this book: Neal Pozner. Neal was later brought in to DC as their first real publication designer, having had experience with that in the advertising and music fields, I believe. Neal and I didn't get on well, but he certainly raised the design standards at DC, and made many changes for the better. Though it's hard to tell from the way the credits read, the actual page layouts on this magazine were done by Joe Orlando. They were essentially comic book thumbnails: small layouts with areas of pictures and type roughed in. It was my job to turn those into finished mechanicals."

 05 November 2008

Selutron has penned a very interesting article for Superman Cinema's website called 'Obama and Superman'.

 03 November 2008

Here is a very cool marketing/retail item that is a favorite in my collection. It features many items that you probably have in your collection. Take a look!

 02 November 2008

Here is a very cool marketing item that you've likely never seen. Certainly, the public never saw it in 1978. It's called Superman-The Album, made to promote the Superman-The Movie soundtrack LP (long play) release. Check it out and enjoy! Do you have the LP, cassette tape and 8-track of this original release? I do, and I dug them out of my archives the other day along with many other movie items I'd forgotten about. 8-track...wow! The worst sounding format ever, but I sure loved my 8-tracks in the 70s. By the way, I'm starting to post PDF files of multiple page items such as magazines, press books, etc., so be sure to download the latest version of Adobe Reader to view them. Happy November!

 30 October 2008

Now posted are the Superman-The Movie Variety ads from 1977, 1978 and 1979 in the "Newspapers" section. Regarding the May 11, 1977 issue, why didn't the Salkinds just wait to announce ALL of their major players until they had cast Lois Lane, instead of putting a question mark in her spot (Margot Kidder auditioned on April 24, 1977, and was cast sometime in May)? My guess, having been in the marketing and advertising business for a number of years, is that the Salkinds were committed to that particular issue months in advance (perhaps with no additional 1977 advertising contracted with the pub), and couldn't pull out without incurring substantial penalties. That's the breaks. I also included an ad from 1980...why in the Superman-The Movie section? Take a look and see.

 28 October 2008

 Read a very interesting article, "'Superman' going strong at 30", by Gary Arnold of The Washington Times.

 Pictured here is the front projection flying rig used for close-ups of Chris Reeve and Margot Kidder during the “ballet sequence” in Superman-The Movie. The clapper board Chris Reeve is holding says "27 January 1978" and shows the cameraman as Denys Coop. The signs below the actors read, “Kamakazi Airways” and “Do not make nasty remarks to the pilot whilst in flight”. Notice the men both behind and underneath the actors (you can only see a fist under Chris and Margot). I was told today that the design of this flying rig was based on designs that FX wizard Thol "Si" Simonson created for George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman classic TV series, and that Si was on the Superman-The Movie set as an advisor (uncredited). I love these kind of behind-the-scenes photos. By the way, watch the scene of Superman spinning in the air after he flies away from Lois and the helicopter, and you will see the World Trade Center and "Hotel Coop" in the background.

 I had the good fortune of acquiring this never-before-released photo from set photographer Bob Penn in 1998 just before he passed away. It’s a personal favorite of an early Superman in the Fortress.

 I sent the two photos above to Richard Donner today, and he responded with "Thanks Jim....brings back wonderful memories...Dick". A few weeks ago, after I sent photos of him with Chris Reeve on Lex Luthor set, he responded with "Thanks Jim...you brought tears to my eyes with shots of Chris and myself...best Dick". I'm glad Mr. Donner is enjoying these photos. It's obvious that he has a great deal of affection for Superman and all who helped him make it. He truly loved Chris Reeve like a son. Thanks again, Mr. Donner, for making Superman and for your support!

 24 October 2008

Some of the earliest ads announcing Superman-The Movie appeared in Variety in 1975 and 1976. And remember the silver/blue ad spread showing Brando and Hackman that was featured in the Superman-The Movie DVD documentaries? That ad came from my collection. It appeared in Box Office magazine on August 23, 1976. Here they are in the "Newspapers" and "Magazines" sections.

 17 October 2008

Here's a real treat that I just rediscovered in my archives. It's a copy of an internal memo that Richard Donner sent to his Superman crew on April 5, 1978. I love his message. The date on the memo is during the time that the underground rescue scenes (flying through molten lava and repairing the San Andreas Fault) were being filmed...original magic marker underground sketches on the back of the memo confirm it. Derek Medding's Hoover Dam model was also being filmed that month. Why did Donner sign the memo "John Frankenheimer"? I don't know the answer yet, but I'm working on it. The John Frankenheimer I've heard of was the director of such films as The French Connection II and Ronin. The only connection between Donner and Frankenheimer that I've come up with so far is Gene Hackman. Please contact me if you can share some light on this mystery.

 15 October 2008

 SUPERMAN director RICHARD DONNER and his wife LAUREN SHULER are to be honored with the 2,372nd and 2,373rd stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, 16 October 2008.The rare double star ceremony will feature a tribute from teen star Dakota Fanning, who worked with Shuler on new movie The Secret Life of Bees.Donner and his wife met on the set of 1985's Ladyhawke, which she produced. Read more about Richard Donner here. See Richard Donner and other Superman stars at Christopher Reeve's star ceremony in 1997. Here is a favorite Donner photo from the Superman years.

 Here is a work-in-progress shot of my Christopher Reeve bust being brought to life. Kinda cool, don't you think? Go to the CapedWonder™ statue page.

 In addition to working on Superman-The Movie memorabilia scans, I've been scanning some rare George Reeves/Noel Neill photos from a good friend's great collection. Here is a photo of Superman flying Ann around the world from the 1954 Adventure of Superman TV episode, "Around The World With Superman" (one of my favorite episodes). And now check out this ultra-rare photo of Superman flying Jeremy around the world from the Superman IV: The Quest For Peace cut scene at the end of the movie. Check out the 2006 DVD supplemental section to see the unfinished scene.

 09 October 2008

"Thank you for hosting such an elegant and professonal site. I also share your love of this classic film. With your help future generations will be able to enjoy this wonderful movie and the man who touched so many of our lives, with his grace and humility. Lord knows we could use him now. Sincerely, Leon R. Lambert". Many thanks Leon!

 30 September 2008

 I have posted new exclusive photos and pages from the new book, SPECIAL EFFECTS SUPERMAN: THE ART AND EFFECTS OF DEREK MEDDINGS!. Purchase your copy today!

 There is also a new photo of my Christopher Reeve statue in on the Statues page.

 29 September 2008

 I've added some new rare Superman-The Movie behind-the-scenes photos to the Richard Donner Years Gallery. I really like the unique flying apparatus that Chris Reeve grabbed in order to fly out of camera after he's rescued Lois and Jimmy. Too bad that wasn't used, because we just end up seeing this quick shot before he flies away. At the power plant, we get the rare opportunity to actually see the crane that's supporting Chris during his "live" wire flying. Very cool stuff indeed! Enjoy!

 Here is a new wallpaper located in the 70th Birthday section. It was created from a rare 16mm 1960s Filmation Superman print. I love the art style. As the series progressed, Superman took on Curt Swan's look from the comic books...this one is a prime example. More Filmation wallpapers will be posted later on.

 15 September 2008

Well, the DC Direct Christopher Reeve Superman statue has finally been announced and photos released. Read more here.

 28 August 2008

 "My opinion of the “state of the marketplace” for Superman costumes is that it is important that everyone be armed with information, and this [Superman costume] article is a superb accomplishment to that end." -- Jason De Bord, OriginalProp.com. Read more here.

 I have an update about the handheld camera that Richard Donner is shown using here and here on the Superman-The Movie Lex Luthor set. A friend of mine from NYC forwarded this message from his friend who’s a member of the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers); this is what these two gentlemen had to say about the camera:

“It's an Arriflex 16SR -- probably one of the first ones ever made; 16mm. Probably shooting behind the scenes, not for the film itself. This makes sense. As you know, the great British “lighting cameraman” Geoffrey Unsworth shot STM with a full-size Panavision unit (big and bulky as they were in England in 1977). British camera department hierarchy had strict rules (especially 30 years ago) about who handled what gear. Unsworth would dictate his instructions (based on what Donner wanted) to a camera operator. Donner—even as the film’s director—might not have even been allowed to handle the main “taking” camera (as they call it in England)."

So there you have it. I wonder if any of the behind-the-scenes footage that Michael Thau included in the Superman documentaries was shot by Donner with this camera. I recently e-mailed Donner about the camera, and also shared new photos of him with Chris Reeve. While he wasn't clear about the camera, he said the photos "brought tears to my eyes".

 I have added a few new photos and updated old photos in the Richard Donner Years Superman Gallery. Expect to see new additons to this gallery again soon.

 Take a look at the Christopher Reeve Words section and let me know if you have any quotes that aren't listed. Please send them to me by going to the Contact page.

 19 August 2008

Derek Meddings book, 'SPECIAL EFFECTS SUPERMAN', will be ready to send out in the first week of September. This is ahead of schedule and one month before it appears in shops! All orders placed through www.meddingsbook.com will be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of the book by Sir Roger Moore. Read more about the book here.

 15 August 2008

 Here are three new photos that I'm very excited about. They are all from the Superman-The Movie Lex Luthor set, dated 15 September 1977, just ten days before Christopher Reeve's 25th birthday. They are: Donner and Reeve in the water (looks like Reeve is wearing a recycled flying costume), Reeve, Donner and Beatty (notice the camera Donner is holding), and Donner with a camera.

 Here's what a friend of mine from New York had to say about these photos of Donner with the camera: "Particularly interesting is that Donner himself is shooting, using what appears to be an Aaton or small ARRI film camera. The magazine appears to be a 35mm load, so the original purpose of the shot was probably not for 16mm behind-the-scenes footage. As you know, Superman-The Movie was shot with a full-size Panavision film-system rig, as opposed to hand-held cameras such as the one in the picture. I continue to be amazed at the amount of work that Donner put into directing the movie. Images such as this yet again point to the fact that he was constantly improvising, even while under the pressure to direct a massive and complex project under a heavy deadline. Like a good jazz musician, he was always adding little touches that contributed to the freshness and quality of the final product." I did some of my own research this evening and the camera appears to be an Aaton...click here to go to their website. Why was Donner using this camera? Was it a new toy that he wanted to experiment with on the set? Where is the footage from that camera???!!! Was any of it used in the movie and/or DVD documentaries? Fascinating stuff, isn't it? Please contact me if you have any information.

 12 August 2008

I've updated and added some photos throughout the Richard Donner Years Gallery. I'll be focusing on prepping and posting Superman-The Movie photos on the site between now and the end of the year in honor of the 30th anniversary.

 07 August 2008

 SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC (1978-1988) - INTERVIEW WITH PRODUCER MIKE MATESSINO, Part III

 Click here to see Selutron's newest Superman II video clip, as well as some very cool stills from the clip! Selutron recently closed his YouTube account, so CapedWonder™.com is now the exclusive source for his brilliant Superman work.

 Did you know that Christopher Reeve once said in an interview that his favorite film was Das Boot? It's on my Top Ten film list, and in my opinion, one of the finest, most suspenseful and gritty war films every created. Be sure to watch it spoken in German, not dubbed in English. There are two versions worthy of your collection. Go here for more information. The film has an interesting connection to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 06 August 2008

Ilya Salkind and I have spoken a number of times over the past three years or so. Our lengthy conversations are always fascinating and enlightening about the movie business and life itself. Yesterday he responded to my inquiry about Christopher Reeve's involvement with the Special Olympics during his Superman days:

"In response to your question asking if Chris Reeve had a connection with the Special Olympics, the answer is yes, absolutely. He was very much involved and was wonderfully warm and giving to the children, and his real true greatness was then already totally obvious. His bond with the children was so extraordinary that it just confirmed everything else that told me why he was the only man that could play Superman and be a Super man. It was as if he made the children feel as though they were not handicapped and at ease."

Thanks Ilya!

 05 August 2008

Click here to see Selutron's newest Superman II video clip, as well as some very cool video stills!

 01 August 2008

My friend of 20 years, John Field, was personally asked by his good friend, Noel Neill, to host her guest panel Thursday morning at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. John, together with friend Jim Benson, created a special video presentation in honor of Noel called, "The Adventures of Noel Neill". CapedWonder™ images were part of the video.

Here's John's report after the panel:

"I have just returned from the San Diego Comic-Con. 39 years and the show has grown from a small fan based "gathering" into a monstrous creature that swallows up all who enter it's throbbing, impersonal belly. This year the show sold out weeks before the doors opened. Before I entered the convention center, I saw many people holding "NEED TICKETS" signs! I almost took a second look at the outside of the building and wondered if I was entering a rock concert. To go into detail on how the show has changed over the almost four decades, would be a bit too depressing. To me, the humanity, joy and shared love of the comic arts has morphed into a studio driven, hype the latest release, here is a free poster, move on please kind of thing. Why would I attend the show again after being absent for almost 10 years? Because I had the great joy of being asked to host the panel of Miss Noel Neill by Miss Noel Neill. You might know her best as the screen and televisions first Lois Lane. To others with their heads buried in their latest video game, she was also in the very opening of the latest SUPERMAN RETURNS feature. When first asked months ago, I had hoped that Noel would be given the slot that she so justly deserved. I asked Larry Thomas Ward (Noels friend and co-author of two terrific books. TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY and BEYOND LOIS LANE.) when Noel's presentation was to be. To my major annoyance, it turned out to be Thursday morning. Not exactly the spot that a woman of Miss Neill's history and 60 years of legend deserved. But, then again this is the NEW Comic Con. Because it was the first day of a 4 day show, and because I walked pass room after room of media people hyping the latest soon to be forgotten animated series or movie, I fully expected a few dozen people seated in the audience. To my happy surprise, there was several hundred. Just goes to show you that Convention Attendees do sometimes respect and wish to acknowledge those that contributed so much to our past memories. Due to the horribly backed up traffic, I arrived a few minutes late. But, It worked out because my friend Jim (tvtimemachine.com) had our special video ready to role prior to my arrival. This special video can soon be viewed right here at capedwonder.com. Up on the screen, Lois Lane was in Danger! Thank goodness that Superman came to the rescue. The audience laughed at the appropriate moments. Applauded at the appropriate moments and most of all came together as one in their appreciation of a series that has stood the test of time. Noel the trooper, answered questions and talked about the series, the serials she was in opposite Kirk Alyn as the man of steel and her more recent work. The hour flew by and this 87 year old trooper signed autographs, had her picture taken and best of all was thanked for the terrific memories she was a part of. Memories. Memories that are important."

Go to the Noel Neill page to see some great photos of Noel.

 4 July 2008

 I recently acquired this large canvas painting of Christopher Reeve as Superman from artist Paul Harrington. The photograph the painting was based on is of my favorite portraits of Chris. It was first revealed on the cover of the 2006 Superman IV DVD. The photo was actually shot in Gallup, New Mexico, June 1978, while Chris was filming the earthquake scenes for Superman-The Movie. Thanks, Paul, for capturing a great likeness of our favorite Superman!

 Composer Alexander "Sandy" Courage was eulogized as "a fantastic artist," an "extraordinary craftsman" and a "treasured friend" at a memorial service Sunday afternoon, June 29, at the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church. Read more here.

 16 June 2008

 Many of you know about Christopher Reeve's appearance at the 1994 Atlanta Dixie Trek Convention. I was there, and not only did I have the opportunity to photograph Chris and Noel Neill, but I also videotaped Chris' 90-minute question & answer panel. This was the only U.S. sci-fi convention that Chris ever attended. Click here to view the 3-part panel!

 I have added new Superman-The Movie and Superman II radio spots to the Multimedia Section. Enjoy!

 The Paducah Sun newspaper (Paducah, Kentucky) did an article on me last week just before their neighboring city, Metropolis, Illinois, started their annual Superman celebration. Thanks Adam!

 28 May 2008

 Alexander Courage has passed away. Please visit Film Music Society's announcement about Mr. Courage.

Superman: The Music's producer Mike Matessino had this to see on Film Score Monthly's message board:

I have just come from a meeting with Sandy Courage's daughter to discuss some details of her father's arrangements. As you can imagine it is a very difficult time. However, over the past couple of months I have kept her and her siblings apprised of the warm reception with which Sandy's Superman IV score was embraced, and so she asked me today that I share with listeners that Sandy, who has sadly been in ill health for a while, was able to see and hear the release of his Superman music and was delighted and gratified.

It was my great pleasure to be able to present through FSM what I think is a crowning achievement of his illustrious and distinguished career, and I feel equally gratified by the response it has received from the fans.

Sandy's legacy includes some of the greatest film musicals of all time, and his brilliant skills as arranger/orchestrator are featured in some of the most enduring scores by John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and others. And of course his Star Trek theme will outlive all of us. I was honored to have a connection to this man and his amazing work.

Do continue to post tributes, recollections, and condolences here, and I will see that the family members read them. I'm sure they will be moved by the outpouring of sentiment that one of our greatest musical geniuses so richly deserves.

Farewell, Sandy, and we'll see you again in the final frontier.

Mike Matessino

There is more information about Mr. Courage's amazing career here and here.

I'll be playing the complete Superman IV all day today. Thank you so much Mr. Courage for this wonderful music. You will always be remembered.

 27 May 2008

 Here's a very cool B&W copy of a super rare Superman-The Movie photo of Superman and the "Spiderman" burglar that was given to me by George Harris II's son, Michael Harris. Of course, you know Mr. Harris as Officer Mooney. Michael told me two years ago that Warner Bros. gave his dad this rare photo around the release of the movie, but that it was lost in a move, so only this copy exists.

 I also added and updated a few Superman/Lex Luthor and helicopter rescue photos to the "Metropolis" section of the Donner Gallery (three courtesy of Superfan Martin Lakin), as well as a very nice portrait of Ma Kent (Phyllis Thaxter) holding the Cheerios box in the "Smallville" section of the Donner Gallery. That scene of her looking through the screen door at Clark puts a lump in my throat every time I watch it. Enjoy!

 23 May 2008

 Here's a Superman-The Movie photo of Superman and the "Spiderman" burglar that I may have featured on the site before, but never this large and clear. Look closely and you can see a reflection of the still photographer in the window (to the left of the actors' two heads). Also, those particular pair of Superman boots are very unique...perfect red soles (made just for that scene) and zippers in the front (because the scene was shot up and from behind). This is obviously a behind-the-scenes photo since Chris is looking down at the cameraman. I love how they filmed that scene...everything in those offices was nailed/strapped down, including the stuntman at the desk! Enjoy!

 15 May 2008

 Superfan and friend Martin Lakin just sent me this very cool "Reeve-ish" scan from Action Comics Annual #11, which is associated with Richard Donner. Thanks very much Martin!!

 I received these two Superman-The Movie behind-the-scenes photos from Ilya Salkind yesterday. The first is of the cast and crew (how many people can you identify?), and the second is of Ilya, Margot and Marc at a premiere party.

 Yesterday was the 14th anniversary of my very first meeting with Christopher Reeve. It was at the 1994 Atlanta Dixie Trek Convention. What an AMAZING day it was!! I'll soon be posting Chris' question & answer session video...stay tuned!

 14 May 2008

 I have updated some existing and added new Superman-The Movie photos to the Donner Years Gallery. I really like this continuity Polaroid that I recently rediscovered in my collection.

 13 May 2008

 Here's a notable behind-the-scenes Superman-The Movie "car rescue" photo that clearly shows Christopher Reeve's boots with the zipper in the FRONT. As many of you know, Chris wore a variety of different boots throughout the films, depending on the requirements of the scene, and this pair was worn because he was filmed from behind as he lifted the car out of the hole.

 "ckent" over at The Superman Saga message board posted links to three excellent ION Television Superman-The Movie TV spots. Click here to view and download them.

 12 May 2008

 FANTASTIC NEWS! There's a new book coming soon about Derek Meddings and his career...SPECIAL EFFECTS SUPERMAN: THE ART AND EFFECTS OF DEREK MEDDINGS!

 3 May 2008

 Go to Alex Serpa's excellent Superman III website and check out the Royal Premiere footage.

 30 April 2008

 I've added some new Superman IV photos to the Sequels Gallery. I have quite a few more to prep, so check back again soon.

 16 April 2008

 Here's one of my favorite action photos of Christopher Reeve, now featured in the "Superfeats" section of the Donner Years Gallery. I first remember seeing this photo on one of the record sleeves of the original Superman-The Movie soundtrack double LP when I was a senior in high school. The colors of the actual costume are very accurate in this photo. Speaking of a Superman costume from Superman-The Movie, check this out. There are three more photos from that same movie scene in "Superfeats". Enjoy!

 15 April 2008

 I've been in a rather reflective mood today, considering that it's the 11th anniversary of Christopher Reeve's Star Ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As many of you know, I was there and had the opportunity to share this momentus occasion with Chris and Dana. It's a day I will never, ever forget.

  I've added some new images to the "Metropolis" and "Gift of Flight" sections of the Donner Years Gallery, including this rare image of Superman and Lois taking off from her balcony.

 13 April 2008

 Here's a new 70th Birthday Golden Age wallpaper. I recently photographed the statue with a new Nikon lens. I enjoy experimenting with the selective focus. I also updated the famous Christopher Reeve flag portrait.

 11 April 2008

 Here's a Superman II "depowering" photo I'd never seen until recently. It's a variation of other "depowering" photos you may have seen before, but what I like about this one is that Superman is looking directly at you. That's one of my favorite Richard Lester filmed scenes. Enjoy! Have a great weekend!

 10 April 2008

 Superman Homepage announced today that the YouTube Superboy Homepage Channel has posted some rare behind-the-scenes interview clips from the set of Ilya Salkind's Superboy TV show. I know Gerard Christopher and think he did a marvelous job as Superboy/Clark Kent. He's a great guy in person with lots of ambition and talent. Let's hope Warner Home Video can get his TV show on DVD very soon. It will be well worth having in your collection. I will be posting some rare Superboy set photos later this year.

 Here's one of my favorite headshots of Christopher Reeve from the August 1996 issue of Time magazine. What makes this image so striking for me the way the light shines on his striking blue eyes.

 As every Superman fan knows, this December marks the 30th anniversary of Superman-The Movie. I am in the process of creating new digital files of more rare photos taken on the set, and promotional and advertising pieces (newspaper and magazine clippings, etc.). I need your help with pulling together as many rare advertising pieces as possible. Please e-mail me with high-quality scans and I'll add them to the portfolio, which will likely be posted around the winter holidays. The bigger the scans, the better. All contributors will receive credit on the site. Thanks very much in advance! Here's a teaser image of Margor Kidder and Tom Mankewicz at the Superman-The Movie premiere at the Mann's Chinese Theater on 14 December 1978. Enjoy!

 08 April 2008

 Read iF Magazine's new interview, 'E-Notes: Ken Thorne Flies High At Last With 'Superman' 2 And 3'.

 06 April 2008

 CapedWonder™.com has moved to a new hosting server, so if you see any issues please go to the Contact Page and drop me a line. I'm hoping this new service will be a great improvement. Thanks!

 05 April 2008

 Here's Discovery Channel's 2006 Science of Superman documentary that I thought many of you would enjoy. It's a 490mb .wmv file, so give it some time to download.

 04 April 2008

 Read John Williams Fan Network's part two interview with Superman: The Music (1978-1988)'s producer, Michael Matessino. Part one is here. It features two CapedWonder™ images (John Willams/Richard Donner and Margot Kidder/Christopher Reeve).

 03 April 2008

 Here is an exclusive CapedWonder™.com interview by Bill Williams with the "Music Producer of Steel", Mike Matessino, Producer of the Superman: The Music (1978-1988) 8-CD music box set. It's a fantastic read! Don't miss it!

 02 April 2008

 Here is a high-resolution animatic QuickTime movie of the "Return to Krypton" sequence from Superman Returns. What!? That's right. The abandoned "Return to Krypton" sequence. Superfan Julian Adderley put it together from concept images produced by Ben Procter who worked on the film. While it's not the sequence as scripted, it does give us a hint at what might have entailed during the scene. Imagine Christopher Reeve in this type of scene...

 30 March 2008

 Superman: The Music (1978-1988) Press Release Update from Producer Mike Matessino:

The initial pressing of 3000 copies of "Superman: The Music (1978-1988)" has now sold out! I'd like to say thanks once again for your support and assistance with helping to make this project such a tremendous success. The response has been phenomenal! The second pressing will bear the marking "Edition II" on the first page of the book, but will otherwise be identical to the first. The product is currently in manufacture and another run of 3000 copies is expected to be available in early June. Thanks again! You can pre-order your copy from Screen Archives today!

 28 March 2008

 Today is the Sixth Anniversary of CapedWonder™.com! YOU are the reason for its success! YOU are the reason I've kept it going! Thanks to everyone for your support!

 Does this image strike a cord with any of you Super fans? If you were like me as a child, I spent many days running around my neighborhood with an old towel or piece of cloth pinned to my collar with baby pins, thanks to my Mom's help. I regularly worked on perfecting my flying techniques until I was about nine years old. I also had very vivid flying dreams in my early years. I rarely have them now.

 Two new wallpapers, here and here, are located in the 70th Birthday section.

 Here's another new Reeve "floating" image, located in the Tribute Art Gallery.

 I recently did a quick retouch of Donner, Reeve and Hackman in Lex Luthor's lair. This image is located in the Donner Years Gallery.

 23 March 2008

 Here's a new Siegel and Shuster image, located in the 70th Birthday section. This is definitely one of my favorite Neal Adams pieces.

 22 March 2008

 Here's a new Space image, located in the Wallpaper section. You may recognize this scene from the end of Superman Returns, but with Chris Reeve instead of Brandon Routh as Superman.

 Here's a fantastic new Reeve "floating" image, located in the Tribute Art section.

 I've added some new Supergirl photos to the gallery.

 Here's an interesting cape and belt collectible coming in October from DC Direct. I can't say that I'm crazy about the display (or the price), but the gold buckle is very cool. I've always liked George Reeves' gold buckle in the TV series. DC Direct also has a cool neon 'S' shield available. Here's my custom-made neon 'S' shield, Christopher Reeve Superman figure, and Superman mannequin that sits outside of our home theater. No, that's not an original Chris Reeve costume, but it's a very nice replica that looks great on display. Speaking of custom-made stuff, I hope to have this Reeve Superman bust bronzed soon. It was made by a Greek sculptor. He doesn't offer them for sale.

 21 March 2008

 Here's a handsome new portrait of Chris that appears to have been taken in the 80s.

 20 March 2008

 Here's a very touching video, "The Last Ten Years", where Kenny Rogers sings of many people now gone, but not forgotten, including Christopher Reeve.

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