DC Studios co-chairman James Gunn recently revealed the upcoming slate of movies and TV shows for the brand-new DC Universe, with this first wave titled “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters”. And while this lineup includes plenty of A-list heroes like Superman, Batman and Robin, and the Green Lantern Corps, it also includes plenty of unexpected faces.
The likes of Swamp-Thing, Booster Gold, and the Creature Commandos aren’t exactly the names you’d expect to pop up in the first phase of a new cinematic universe, but James Gunn has always been a fan of oddball characters. However, perhaps the most interesting inclusion in Chapter 1 of the DCU isThe Authority, a feature film starring the super-team of the same name. The story of the Authority and their relationship with the widerworld of DC Comicsis a fascinating one — and it strongly suggests the possibility of a very specific Superman story being adapted into live action.
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Who Are the Authority?
Despite being DC Comics characters, the Authority haven’t always been part of the main DC Universe inhabited by the Justice League and associated characters. Originally, they were part of the Wildstorm Universe, a separate publishing imprint with its own distinct continuity. Created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch in 1999, the Authority were envisioned as a different kind of superhero team — one with a more proactive brand of justice. Not content to just uphold the status quo, the Authority were formed to change the world for the better.
But while theirends are certainly heroic,their means serve to complicate matters severely. Despite ostensibly being superheroes, the Authority are incredibly ruthless in their methods, viciously killing anyone who stands in the way of their mission. And true to their name, their idea of saving the world is distinctly authoritarian in nature. They seek to keep the peace through brutal order and intimidation, and are willing to topple entire governments if they see fit.
The Authoritywas a massive success in its day, and left a notable impact on the comic industry. Just look at Marvel’sUltimatesseries, which brought onThe Authorityalumni Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch to create a tougher, grittierreimagining of the Avengers.However, back in the DC Universe, one comic reacted to the popularity ofThe Authorityin a very different way.
Superman vs. The Elite
March 2001 saw the release ofAction Comics#775, titled “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?” Written by Joe Kelly with art by Doug Mahnke and Lee Bermejo, the story sees Superman face off with a new team of anti-heroes known as the Elite, who are pastiche of the Authority. When Superman confronts the Elite over their violent methods, team’s leader — the British psychic Manchester Black — dismisses him as a naive relic of a bygone era. And disturbingly, the world seems to agree. The Elite quickly become celebrated by the public fordoing what Superman can’t:permanently ending the villains that threaten the world.
Manchester Black claims that Superman doesn’t go far enough to really make a difference, and that only lethal force can bring peace to the world. However, Superman refuses to allow the Elite to impose their brutal vision of justice upon the entire planet, and both sides end up coming to blows in a climactic showdown. In the heat of battle, Superman seems to let his rage get the better of him, brutally killing the Elite in retaliation as the whole world watches in horror.
But when Manchester calls him out on his hypocrisy, Superman reveals he never killed Black’s teammates at all. The whole thing was an act, meantto show the worldjust how terrifying a vengeful, murderous superhero truly is — to prove that heroes are meant to inspire hope, not fear. Manchester stubbornly refuses to accept Superman’s ideals, declaring that he’s living in a dream world. But as Superman replies: “Good. Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us into something better. And on my soul, I swear that until my dream of a world where dignity, honor, and justice are the reality where we all share, I’ll never stop fighting. Ever.”
“What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?” is a fan favorite story, often praised as one of the greatest Superman stories ever told. It even proved popular enough to spawnits own animated filmadaptation,Superman vs. The Elite, in 2012. Written in an era where ruthless anti-heroes were at their peak of popularity, it serves as a compelling refutation of everything the Authority and their ilk represent. However, that wouldn’t be the last time that the Authority’s history intersected with Superman.
Superman and the Authority
In the 2011 “New 52” reboot, the characters of the Wildstorm Universe, including the Authority, were folded into the main DC Universe. Since then, the Elite have shared a continuity with the characters who originally inspired them. And in the 2021 miniseriesSuperman and the Authorityby Grant Morrison and Mikel Janin, Manchester Black actually ended up joining a new iteration of the Authority, fighting alongside membersof the original teamlike Midnighter and Apollo. And since Manchester Black has been a member of the proper Authority in the comics, it’s possible that he could be part of the team in the upcoming live action film.
Ever since becoming co-chairmen of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran have emphasized that the upcomingSuperman: Legacyfilm will emphasize Superman’s compassionate, idealistic nature. “He is kind in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned,” Safran says of the Last Son of Krypton. And no story portrays that fact better than Superman’s battle with Manchester Black. Pitting Superman against a team of ruthless anti-heroes would be the perfect way of exploring his idealsin the new DC Universe.And replacing the Elite with the Authority themselves would only add extra thematic weight to the new adaptation.
Of course, there’s no confirmation that the upcomingThe Authoritymovie will feature Manchester Black, or even that Superman and the Authority will be crossing paths on the big screen. But even so, the fact that the Authority will be receiving their film debut so soon afterSuperman: Legacycertainly raises the possibility of a big-screen meeting between the Man of Tomorrow and the notorious anti-hero team. And frankly, the idea of a movie adaptation of “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?” withJames Gunn at the helmis too tantalizing a notion to resist. Let’s all hope that this iconic Superman story will be coming to the silver screen in the not-too-distant future.
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