Consume All Media! Superman: "Chapter Two: Depths of the Earth"

Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe watched the first chapter of Superman. This time, they continue with the second.

Superman: “Chapter Two: Depths of the Earth” - 15:12 (Available on Amazon)

Superman holds the rail in place while the train goes over it. Then he goes back to the bushes to watch the aftermath. Like a weirdo.

Later, Clark finally gets to Metropolis and asks a cab to take him to whatever the best newspaper is in this city. The cabbie begins to drive him to the Daily Planet, but they get distracted by an apartment on fire.

Clark gets closer and uses his X-ray vision on the fire. This is represented by an incredibly uncomfortable close-up.

It turns out there’s someone still in the building as shown by his X-Ray POV, which is just footage of a room on fire overlaid on top of the footage of the building on fire.

He changes into his costume and shouts his catchphrase “This looks like a job for Superman!”

Then he… he turns into a cartoon.

The filmmakers initially tried a wire system to film Superman’s flight scenes, but it turned out so poorly, they fired everyone involved with it. So they went for the cheaper method and just animated it. Honestly, it doesn’t look bad! It’s definitely an odd choice, but the animation is decent and it’s only when you look at it frame by frame that you even notice that Superman melts through the wall instead of flying through the window.

Some nearby onlookers wonder if this flying being is a man or a bird or some kind of man who is also a bird. They do not question whether he is a plane.

He rescues the woman in the apartment by turning her into a cartoon so they can fly out together.

This goes viral and the press is really into the idea that this guy is a bird man.

Clark waltzes right into The Daily Planet and asks Perry White (Pierre Watkin) for a job.

Actor Highlights

Pierre Watkin (1887-1960)

Trivia: When John Hamilton, the actor playing Perry White in the 1952 Adventures of Superman television series, passed away, Watkin was cast to replace him. However this never came to fruition as the series was canceled shortly afterward due to Superman actor George Reeves’s death.

Other comic book media credits: Perry White in Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) and various roles in Adventures of Superman (1952-58)

While Clark tries to convince Perry to hire him, Lois and Jimmy call in about some trapped miners. Also, they are flirty as hell. Try and convince me that they’re not banging.

They’re definitely banging.

Clark says he’s going to get the story so that Perry will hire him.

Meanwhile, Lois bribes a guy to find a back way into the mine. She heads in and finds the miners, but an explosion happens for some reason, trapping her inside.

Clark shows up and does the creepy close-up x-ray vision again.

Stop looking at me like that!

Also, his x-ray vision is surprisingly rectangular.

He says “This looks like a job for Superman!” for the second time and prepares to go into action.

Should you watch it, though? Yes, it’s fun seeing all of these iconic pieces come together. The first chapter explained Superman’s Kryptonian and Kansas(ian?) origins and this one continues with his Metropolitan origins and his first outing as arguably one of the most popular superheroes… Birdman.

Wait, that can’t be right.

Tune in next time for Superman: "Chapter Three: The Reducer Ray" (Available on Amazon)

A version of this article was previously published on The Dipp.

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