When you think of comic book geeks, what comes to mind? Perhaps a spotty, short guy in a superman t-shirt who looks like he’s never seen the sun. Or a recluse who lives in mountains of vintage comics. Well, this guy is a little bit different.
The superhero genre attracts a large range of society, from the aforementioned, to casual followers. Rarely do you find someone so devoted yet so nonchalant and downright cool.
Superman follows a Clark Kent aficionado who religiously follows the caped crusader. His name is Christopher Dennis and to say the least, he is charming. It’s an interesting spin on how obsessive fans work, as he seems a genuinely down to earth person.
Superman follows his life: his job, his past and his one true love. It really is a heart-warming story: a man with a huge passion which is shared by his wife. There is not a single thing that is not loveable about Dennis: he came from the cusp of brutal desperation as his life was at a low thanks to an addiction to drugs. Cue Superman, and his life was changed forever: it is now his everything.
The documentary silently follows his life and creators and directors Drea Copper and Zackary Canepari do not dictate his every step: instead they trudge behind him, watching his moves and letting him be the superhero he always wanted to be. This short has a very strong, genuine nature to it which gleams through constantly; also a reflection of Dennis’ personality.
Superman is an intriguing look into one man’s life; a man is so abjectly devoted to the franchise, yet he’s still fairly normal. Dennis’ life is a charming story and this short shows it perfectly. It is a tale of someone whose life was literally saved by Superman.
And the most surprising aspect? He’s just like any of us (but a little bit cooler).
