The Curse Of Superman (1933 – 2018)

The Curse Of Superman (1933 – 2018)

the curse of superman documentary 2018 alison mack edition by deffinition

The Curse Of Superman by Deffinition

Superman is arguably the world’s most popular comic book character. Since his creation in 1933, the superhero icon has gone on to influence countless others and over the decades he has appeared in all forms of media from Movies to Games, Television and more.

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There is, however, a darker side to the character and throughout this video I will be discussing all of the real-life tragedies that have surrounded Superman ever since his creation.

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With that out the way, I’m Deffinition and this is my breakdown of The Curse Of Superman.

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Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster


Whilst Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster are now recognised as the creators of Superman, this wasn’t always the case. Despite coming up with the concept of a hero and his mild-mannered alter ego, the duo sold the rights to the character for $130 early on in their careers and because of this weren’t able to bask in the wealth that he garnered. Penniless and out of work due to the court battles that spanned decades, the two lived on the breadline and didn’t receive any profit for a long time.

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The two were practically forced to sign all exclusivity over to DC who informed them that they already owned the rights to Superman and should they disagree that their contracts would be terminated. Fearing for work they of course, signed more paperwork that eventually tangled them in so much red tape that it was difficult to escape from.

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Another way that DC screwed over the pair was that they rejected their idea of a Superboy comic, then published one when the dwasere serving in World War 2. They also removed their names as the creators on all publications till decades later and even know have used their lawyers to assure that the families of the two receive very little.

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Both sadly passed away in the 90s and never got the justice that they deserved.

George Reeves


Reeves, not to be confused with Christopher, played Superman in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Men and the ensuing television series Adventures of Superman. Due to typecasting at the time, Reeves struggled to find work upon leaving the role and because of this dealt with heavy debt. On June 16, 1959, days before he was to be married, Reeves was found dead of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. At the time, the death was ruled a suicide but controversy quickly followed due to the fact that Reeves had been having an affair with the wife of an MGM executive and his fingerprints were never found on the weapon.

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Superman The Movie


Superman: The Movie has by far the most common occurrences of the curse and there are several that substantiate it’s existence such as:

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Lee Quigley


Lee Quigley, who played Superman as a baby in the 1978 film, died in 1991 at age 14 of solvent abuse and this is by far one of the most tragic cases of the curse.

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Marlon Brando


Marlon Brando, who played Jor-El in the 1978 film, is cited for the misfortune he suffered in his private life. His son Christian shot his half-sister’s boyfriend and was imprisoned because of this and Brando himself cited his reclusiveness as being the cause of his daughter’s 1995 suicide.

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Margot Kidder


Margot Kidder, who played Superman’s love interest Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve, had bipolar disorder. In April 1996, she went missing for several days and was found by police in a paranoid, delusional state. Kidder suffered from alcoholism and found it difficult to gain work after playing the part of the plucky reporter.

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Christopher Reeve


When you think of Superman you think of Christopher Reeve and if you’re like me then the actor was an icon of your childhood. However, this was a detriment and like several other actors before him, Reeve struggled to find work outside of the part. Unfortunately In 1995, when horseriding, the actor was thrown from his steed and became paralysed from the neck down. Reeve died on October 10, 2004, of heart failure which was cited as stemming from his medical condition.

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Though tragic, Reeve should be commended for the charitable work and awareness that he raised for paralysis and he definitely became a positive rolemodel for all of those who live with a disability.

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Zack Snyder


Known for directing Man Of Steel and Batman V Superman, Snyder was a part of the latest revitalisation of the character on screen. Snyder’s work was divisive but personally I enjoyed his portrayal of the character and found his take to be stylistically inline with the comic books of the New 52 Era. Unfortunately tragedy struck when the creator was working on Justice League and the Director had to depart from reshoots to be with his family after his daughter Autumn sadly commited suicide. It is unlikely that Snyder will return to work on the DC universe that he began building and he has asked for Privacy during this heartbreaking period.

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Allison Mack


The most recent example of the curse, Allison Mack has hit headlines due to her involvement in the cult: NXIVM. Mack is known for her portrayal of Chloe Sullivan in the Superman centric show ‘Smallville.’ Since leaving the role Mack struggled to find work and this saw her being drafted by the cult leader. Painted out as a key figure in the sect, Mack was recently arrested by the FBI and charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy.

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According to prosecutors, after she recruited women to join the organisation, she used tactics such as blackmail to force them into engaging in sexual activity with the cult’s leader, in which she was allegedly paid.

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If convicted of all charges, Mack and the cult leader could each be imprisoned for a minimum of 15 years and this is by far the most shocking thing to come from the legacy of The Man Of Steel.

Your Thoughts

So what do you think of The Curse Of Superman? Do you believe it’s exisitence or do you think that all of the tragedy that surrounds the character is merely a coincidence. Comment below and let me know and if you can think of any other examples of the curse, be sure to leave your thoughts.

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If you enjoyed this video please like it and subscribe to my channel as I create content like this weekly and there will definitely be something on the channel that you will love if you’re a fan of film.

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Thanks very much for taking the time to watch this and i’ll see you next time, take care, PEACE!

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