George Reeve doesn't die

[Mako-Chan]

Suppose George Reeves hadn't died in 1959. What would the consequences of him living be for American pop culture (besides him starring in Psycho).

 

[Straha]

I have no idea.

 

[BlackMage]

We could have a Superman crossover onto the 1960s Batman. Of course, he'd be in his 50s by then, but makeup is a wonderful thing. Maybe this could act as a backdoor pilot for a new Superman show, starring someone else?

 

[Straha]

butterflies lead to nixon winning in 1960 of course

 

[NapoleonXIV]

Possibly a Batman show if Superman remains successful or even increases. Then others in quick succession. Movies follow. Comics become 'respectable' and Graphic Novels come into vogue much earlier. Artists like Stan Lee, Mike Kirby, Steve Ditko et al are being exhibited in MOMA by 1965 and the first Nobel for a Graphic Novel goes to Maus, by Art Speigelman in 1992.

 

[Straha]

Too late IMO. You'd need to kill wertham and prevent the comic's code authoritiy from appearing.

 

[Grimm Reaper]

​

But...but...but Reeves has to die! He simply has to! He knows the truth and if the truth gets out/

 

[NapoleonXIV]

Too late IMO. You'd need to kill wertham and prevent the comic's code authoritiy from appearing.

Weren't the controls already on by 1959, and couldn't greater popularity (and investment in) the comics have overriden Wertham? Most of the "morals" objections back then were cooked up by competitors, though I don't know who that would be with comic books. (Maybe the "non-adventure" types? I remember that only Dell, who did mainly Disney, was approved for the longest time, even tho Disney's Uncle Scrooge was probably one of the most sexually daring and genuinely satirical of all the adventure types ever published)

 

[NapoleonXIV]

Oh no, wait, I've got it.

Reeves, feeling typecast by Superman, contemplates suicide but decides to go on a vacation instead. On a cruise, he meets writer L. Spague de Camp and a new but unknown director, Sam Peckinpah. Fed up as he is with the star system and the dream factories he is fertile ground for Peckinpah's ambitions to make indie films with the hot new/old property, a creation by a dead pulp author from the 30's, that de Camp is pitching to anyone who will listen. Conan the Barbarian, comes out in 1961, wins two Academy Awards while reviving Reeve's career, and sets the pace for a movie revival of Sword and Sorcery in the 1960's.