*(Originally presented in a much longer form on Comic Related. Reprinted with permission).

There’s been a lot of talk about Superman since Man of Steel opened…. maybe too much talk. (Sorry about that, I seem to be channeling a rock video from my youth) Although most comics fans understand Superman’s importance in comics history, they may not be aware just how extensive - or popular - Superman’s influence has been on overall popular culture. In fact, it’s it’s easy to forget that there was a time we never had Superman….or that he was around long before Zach Snyder’s film.

Thankfully, a great documentary from 2006 called Look, Up In the Sky is currently available on DVD (and can be watched on YouTube) that provides an extremely thorough history of Superman and his impact through his of existence (the film was released in 2006 to help promote Superman Returns) in comics and other media And yes,

Look Up in the Sky takes in every aspect of Superman in media - from his initial skyrocketing to pop culture fame in the 1940s, to George Reeves, from the Superman movies of the 1970s through latter day evocations. (This is one of the more thorough documentaries, including discussion of Lois and Clark, the death of Superman in the 1990s, and even the syndicated Superboy series). The closest equivalent we have in recent times is Larry Tye’s “biography” of Superman (which is well worth reading). But as a great overview of comics and history, Look Up In the Sky is a very worthwhile watch…and definitely deserves your attention.

Look Up In the Sky is a must-view documentary for comics fans, much like In Search of Steve Ditko (also available for viewing on YouTube). It provides a great insight into not just the appeal of the Man of Steel, but ultimately why he matters….and why Man of Steel is generating a lot of talk.
*(Gordon is a blogger who writes about comics and popular culture for Blog This, Pal!)