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The Genki Sleeper Case for Switch 2 is Tough and Sturdy with Notable Flaws

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t even been around for a month, but I’ve managed to test a good handful of different carrying cases for my new handheld, and Genki’s Sleeper Case would certainly be among my favorites if it didn’t have two annoying issues. Although it’s a little bigger than I’d like, its stylish design, spacious form factor, plentiful game storage slots, and sturdy feel make it a reliable companion for safely transporting my Switch 2. It also leaves room for Genki’s Magsafe Attack Vector Grip, which is great for long travel days. While it’s doing a lot of things right, it hasn’t dethroned my favorite Switch 2 carrying case and would have to make some notable changes to stack up to it.

Genki has come out of the gate as one of my personal favorite Nintendo Switch 2 accessory manufacturers in these early days with stylish branding, premium quality, and relative affordability – its Sleeper Case for the Switch 2 lives up to that standard in several regards. The first thing you’ll notice about the Sleeper Case is its stylish design. Its hard-shelled exterior is coated in a soft, light grey felt with Genki’s logo on the front. The color scheme and material make this the most stylish case I’ve used for my Switch 2 so far. But don’t let that soft fabric and sleek look fool you; it’s called the Sleeper Case for a reason. This thing is deceptively sturdy, with the hardest shell of any standard Switch 2 case I’ve tested. I tried pressing down on it with the full weight of my upper body, and it hardly gave at all.

My only issue with this case’s look is its elastic strap on the bottom. It’s not horrendously ugly, but it seems a little unnecessary and throws off the otherwise sleek vibe. Plus, I can’t really think of a situation where I’d be using a carrying case this big and need a strap for anything more than moving the Switch 2 from my bag to a TV or carrying my Switch 2 to a different room. It does feel nice to hold, though.

If having a hard case for your Switch 2 is a priority, [it’s] worth considering, but [it] mostly leaves room for improvement.

Opening the case to actually get the console isn’t so nice, however. There’s something off about the zipper on the Sleeper Case – every time I open and close it, I feel like I’m wrenching on the zipper, risking tearing the zipper or lining apart. I’m not sure what sets this zipper design apart from ones like PowerA or Nintendo’s official Switch 2 case, but this is really frustrating, especially in tight spaces like in an airplane or on a train. You shouldn’t have to fight with a case this much to get your device out.

Once you manage to pry the Sleeper Case open, though, you’ll be reminded why this case is still worth considering. First off, a plush tongue sewn in the middle of the case is designed to cover the Switch 2’s screen and gives an extra layer of protection against scrapes. The tongue also doubles as a game card holder, and can pack in up to 18 game cartridges, which is the highest capacity for cartridge slots of any case I’ve used.

The Switch 2 seats nicely into the case, too, with a cool stand-like design that slightly props up the system. It’s a small but stylish choice that emphasizes the Sleeper Case’s premium aspects. Just like the outer shell, the inside is coated in soft fabric with a firm shell that does well to hold the Switch 2 in place. I was really worried that my Switch 2 would rattle around in this relatively big case if I didn’t have Genki’s grip shell equipped, but it’s secure enough to where I felt comfortable handling the case without having to be extra careful. I wish the fit was a little tighter, but I’d rather have a little room for accessories than no room whatsoever.

That does lead to the Sleeper Case’s other weakness. Most other cases I’ve tested out so far, aside from slimmer options like Tomtoc and DBrand, have a mesh pouch for storing extra stuff like a microfiber cloth for the screen, a USB-C cable, or the Joy-Con 2 straps. The Sleeper Case has a little extra room for this stuff, but doesn’t have a specific place for them, making for an inelegant and inconvenient half-solution. The added space is designed for the slim configuration of Genki’s Attack Vector comfort grip, but not the two bigger ones. While its design accommodates the slim grip or no grip attachment, I can’t believe these two are often paired together, but don’t fit together for all options.

Marvel’s Blade Reboot Got So Close to Actually Happening There Was a Warehouse Full of Costumes That Ultimately Got Worn on Sinners Instead

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Marvel’s Mahershala Ali-starring Blade reboot got so close to going before cameras that it had a warehouse full of costumes ready to go.

But as Marvel’s attempts to move forward with Blade stalled, the wardrobe items were instead sold — and were instead worn by background actors in Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed Sinners.

The surprising detail, revealed by Sinners producer Sev Ohanian in an interview with ScreenCrush, sheds fresh daylight on the pre-production work that went into mounting the MCU’s long-awaited and now in-limbo MCU Blade project. And also, perhaps, it suggests just how firmly parked that project is now — with no need for those costumes for the forseeable future.

“[Costume designer] Ruth Carter was working on the Blade movie that ended up not shooting,” Ohanian said. “At one point that movie was going to deal with, and she’s talked about this before, but at one point that film was going to deal with the past around the same era as Sinners.

“She happened to have a warehouse full of period-appropriate clothes, and it was like, ‘Yo, we got to shoot this movie like tomorrow.’ And Marvel was generous enough and kind enough to let us basically purchase it at price.”

It’s been no secret that Marvel’s Blade plans were — at one point, at least — for a period piece. Indeed, Carter previously confirmed during an appearance on The John Campea show that she had been working on costumes for a story set in the 1920s.

Exactly why the project then fell apart at a relatively late stage has never been publicly stated, though it was reported that director Yann Demange had left the project in June 2024, and Marvel finally pulled the film from its release schedule last October.

Blade was initially announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, and was even teased during the post-credits scene of Eternals in 2021, where Ali has a voice cameo. But Marvel has said very little about its plans for the character since.

“We are committed to Blade,” Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige insisted in November 2024. “We love the character, we love Mahershala’s take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know.

“You’re all up to date on what’s happening,” Feige continued, referencing the project no longer being on Marvel’s release schedule. “But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU.”

Asked for an update on the project just last month, Ali seemed as in the dark as everyone else. “Call Marvel,” the actor said. “I’m ready. Let them know I’m ready.”

Is Marvel ready? For now, the company is heads down on getting its next tentpole Avengers films out the door, after a string of disappointing box office returns and mixed reviews. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives later this month, ready to introduce Marvel’s first family just in time to see them reprise their roles in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. The only other character with a movie slot right now? Tom Holland’s hugely popular Spider-Man, who is set to reprise his role in 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Maybe, after all of that is said and done, Marvel might want those costumes back?

Image credit: Cindy Ord/WireImage via Getty.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Fromage Board Game Review: A Grate Twist on Worker Placement

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Fromage is a worker placement board game where players assume the role of French cheesemakers, tasked with making, aging, and selling their cheeses. Players take their turns simultaneously, thanks to an innovative rotating game board. Each turn, players focus on the quadrant facing them, placing workers to craft aged cheeses and gather resources, all aiming to rack up the highest score by the end of the game.

Every quadrant offers distinct scoring opportunities and decisions in its minigame-style setup, keeping each turn fresh and engaging. With only a limited number of workers available, players must carefully balance the choice between going all-in on a single quadrant for big points or strategically placing workers across multiple areas to snag easy points.

What’s in the Box

Fromage’s box is on the larger side when it comes to board games, but it does manage to pack some pretty interesting components inside. The main gimmick of Fromage is its rotating Lazy Susan-style board that features four distinct quadrants for players to interact with. The game board does require some assembly with its interlocking parts, but it’s not too difficult to configure. The four quadrants are linked together in no particular order with a resource tile placed in the middle of the board in any orientation, which creates a randomized game board each time you play.

Depending on the player count, there are double-sided inserts that are slotted into the bottom of each quadrant of the rotating game board, modifying the scoring and spaces available to suit the number of players.

Like most modern board games, there are punchboards containing the game’s various tokens that you’ll need to punch out and separate before playing. Thankfully, Fromage includes two wedge-shaped resource trays with labeled compartments for the groups of tokens, as well as plastic lids to make cleanup a breeze when you’re done playing. The side of the game box even provides a visual aid for fitting all the components neatly back into the box, something that I wish more games did.

There are four double-sided player boards featuring rustic farm artwork on one side, and information about the solo mode on the opposite side. Each player receives a set of components that include 15 colored wooden cheese tokens, three workers, and three worker bases – in Hard, Soft, and Bleu cheese varieties.

While not used during the first game, there’s an additional 32 structure tiles that can be drafted before each game and placed on each player’s board that adds more strategy and variety for those looking for an even greater challenge.

Rules and How It Plays

Gameplay consists of placing workers on your quadrant of the rotating board each turn to score points and generate resources while strategically blocking your opponents from doing the same. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

After assembling the rotating game board with inserts corresponding to your player count, each player selects a random player board, and a matching set of cheese tokens, workers, and worker bases. All players start with two resources depending on which player board they have. Resources include structures, livestock, fruit, and orders to fulfill.

Players assume the role of French cheesemakers, tasked with making, aging, and selling their cheeses.

Each turn in Fromage is played simultaneously by all players, which not only keeps everyone engaged, but also allows the game to keep moving forward at a brisk pace. During your turn, you’ll use your available workers to make one cheese and/or gather one resource in the quadrant facing you.

Every quadrant features a different venue, each with its own minigame-style objective and scoring opportunity. For example, the Fromagerie requires you to display your cheese on as many shelves as possible to score points and potentially gain bonus resources, while the Bistro has you pairing specific cheeses together for restaurantgoers in order to score. The Villes venue tasks you with distributing your cheese throughout the regions of France to expand your customer base and score points, while the Festival requires you to show off your cheeses by placing them near each other to score. Despite performing the same core actions, each quadrant feels distinct from one another and requires you to constantly adjust your strategy for each one.

Where you place your cheese token each turn is very important. Each of your three workers specializes in a different type of cheese: Hard, Soft, or Bleu. The spaces within each quadrant are represented by one of the three cheese types, as well as its required age, indicated by a gold, silver, or bronze color on the space. Cheeses that are aged longer are generally more valuable, but require you to leave your worker on that space for one to three turns while the cheese ages.

This risk/reward mechanic is what makes Fromage so delectable. Do you play it safe and get fewer points and resources, or double down on a specific quadrant and lose one of your valuable workers for a bit? You’ll need to weigh these decisions carefully or you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs while everyone else takes their turn.

This is also where Fromage’s rotating game board design really shines. When placing your worker on a space, it’s oriented in a specific direction depending on the cheese’s age. Gold aged cheese (the best) makes your worker face left, while silver faces upwards, and bronze to the right. Once all players have made their moves, the board is rotated clockwise 90-degrees to symbolize the cheese aging, and causing your workers to face a new direction in the process. At the start of each turn, players retrieve any of their workers facing them and continue making cheese until someone runs out of cheese tokens.

But, making and selling cheese isn’t the only way to score points. The various resources you collect during Fromage are also key to your success. Collecting structure tokens allows you to build structures on your player board that grant you unique abilities, like gaining a resource when placing your cheese in a specific quadrant, or increasing your overall score if certain criteria is met. The default player board structures offer some interesting strategies, but once you get a feel for the game you can draft new structure tiles to replace the default options before you start. This allows you to create some interesting (and sometimes broken) strategies if you get the right tiles.

Order cards task you with making a specific type and age of cheese and grant you an escalating number of points depending on how many orders you complete during the game. This resource is particularly useful, since it often rewards you just for playing aged cheeses. My only complaint is that there’s not really an incentive to complete the more valuable cheese orders unless it aligns with your strategy, as they aren’t worth any extra points, despite potentially tying your worker up for multiple turns.

Certain spaces require you to make fruited cheese or jam, which can only be done if you have fruit on hand. Like the other resources, this can be totally ignored, but not collecting fruit effectively blocks you from being able to place your cheese on many of the spaces. This creates an interesting dilemma where you always want to try and have at least one fruit on hand to ensure you can make cheese during your turn, or you may fall behind the other players. At the end of the game, the number of fruited cheese and jams you made are multiplied together for bonus points.

The final resource, livestock, can be collected and exchanged for a specific type of aged cheese during your turn. This allows you to bypass the standard rules by making additional cheese on your turn, and potentially catching your opponents off guard by ending the game sooner.

While Fromage offers plenty of interesting decisions throughout the game between its four quadrants, I found that there wasn’t as much player interaction as I would have liked from a worker placement game. You can almost entirely ignore your opponents and still come out on top as there are many different paths to victory. It’s also somewhat difficult to determine who’s ahead at any given moment with points coming from so many sources, so you’re never really sure if you’re actually getting in your opponent’s way or just wasting your own resources.

There wasn’t as much player interaction as I would have liked from a worker placement game.

As much as I love Fromage’s rotating game board as a concept, in practice I had multiple situations where the quadrants separated while rotating it. Thankfully, a slightly updated design is in the works that includes a central locking axle to keep everything in place that will debut in 2026 alongside the standalone expansion, Formaggio.

Fromage also includes a solo mode, complete with an automa called the Corporation that’s hell-bent on running your small cheese operation out of business. Instead of playing in different quadrants, the Corporation plays in your quadrant. At the start of each turn, the Corporation draws an order card and places a cheese token on the matching space, if possible. This creates an interesting dynamic as you can’t effectively plan ahead since the Corporation can easily disrupt your strategy. The game ends when you or the Corporation runs out of cheese tokens, and the highest score wins. Overall, I found the solo mode to be a fun score-chasing opportunity and and its adjustable difficulty levels make it a rewarding challenge for players eager to test their cheese-making prowess solo.

Where to Buy Fromage

More Worker Placement Board Games We Recommend

Don’t Expect Streaming Deals on Prime Day, Look for Blu-ray Sales Instead

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

We’re coming up on Amazon Prime Day, which, in spite of the name, will actually be a four-day sales event. Prime Day 2025 is taking place from July 8-11, with most of the deals centered around Amazon’s own site.

Most of us are looking for any opportunity to cut down on subscription costs. As someone who’s been covering streaming deals for quite some time now, I thought I’d break down what kind of discounts to expect during Amazon’s sale. Spoiler: Not a lot! But media fans still have plenty of deals to look forward to.

Amazon’s Already Rolled Out New Prime Discounts

Amazon Prime memberships are, as you’d expect, a big part of the Prime Day festivities. A membership gets you access to exclusive deals and the infamous benefit of free shipping. More importantly, on the streaming side, the membership also comes with Prime Video.

Prime Video might not be anyone’s go-to streaming service, but it’s certainly built up its library in the past few years. The service now exclusively streams original series like The Rings of Power, The Boys, and Fleabag, and also hosts a pretty diverse library of movies, with recent additions including The Accountant 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Ahead of Prime Day, Amazon has rolled out its new Prime for Young Adults deal. From here on out, 18-24 year olds can sign up for Amazon Prime at 50% discount ($7.49/month, down from $14.99). The new deal also includes a 6-month free trial, which, if you think of it as a free trial to Prime Video, is by far the longest streaming free trial available.

The downside? Given how close Amazon announced this new deal to Prime Day itself, I’d be surprised if Amazon Prime (or Prime Video) gets any further discounts.

Honestly, I’d Hold Off Until Black Friday

Prime Day’s an Amazon thing, and while other companies might join the bandwagon (see: Walmart’s version of Prime Day sales), I wouldn’t expect too many new streaming deals.

While Prime lets you add pretty much any other service as a “Channel Add-On” (essentially a form of building your own bundle), Amazon can’t really discount these subscripions on its own. For example, right now you can get the Starz add-on for $1.99/month (down from $10.99/month) because Starz itself is running a sale.

I don’t expect many other services to offer discounts. Netflix never has (and never will), and services like Hulu, Max, and Disney+ will likely hold off on until Black Friday. The only streaming service I’ve seen pop up with a new deal is Paramount+, which you can currently pick up for $0.99/month.

Otherwise, I’d bank on streaming deals around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Highlights from last year included Hulu for $0.99/month, Max for $2.99/month, and a full year of Peacock for $19.99. I will prepare you in advance: These deals are typically limited to the ad-supported subscription tiers.

You Can Still Look Forward to DVD and Blu-ray Deals

While you might not be able to pick up a cheaper subscription, Prime Day will definitely loop in tons of discounts on Blu-rays and 4Ks. I’d argue it’s one of the best sales for physical media collectors. Right now, Amazon is running a “Buy 2, Get 1” deal on a huge selection of Blu-rays in addition to price-matching a Barnes & Noble sale on The Criterion Collection.

The marketplace pretty much always has deals on Blu-rays and new 4K releases, so I’d highly recommend keeping tabs on anything you’ve been considering adding to your collection.

Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

Capcom Cancels Lecture On Monster Hunter Wilds’ Optimization, Amid Harassment Concerns

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Capcom has canceled a lecture on the optimization of Monster Hunter Wilds at the upcoming CEDEC 2025 conference in Japan, amid concerns over harassment and threats its staff has been facing over Monster Hunter Wilds.

Per Automaton, Capcom was set to host a talk at Japan’s Computer Entertainment Developers Conference, which would have covered performance optimization through the lens of Monster Hunter Wilds. The developers would have explored the angles of CPU and GPU load, as well as memory usage.

No reason was given for the cancellation, but speculation has swirled around whether this is related to harassment the developers have faced over Monster Hunter Wilds. The PC version of Wilds, specifically, has garnered criticism since launch, prompting commitments to improvements and updates from the team at Capcom.

Following the release of Title Update 2, planned adjustments were hoped to have fixed the problem. Results seemed varied, however, and Capcom released a statement addressing several major bugs and issues on Twitter/X.

Amid all this, though, Capcom also put out a statement on its official site, responding to what sounds like a more extreme degree of feedback. Per Automaton, Capcom said its staff have faced harassment through social media and customer support channels, including targeted threats against individuals. The company reportedly warned that it will take legal action in severe cases of harassment against employees.

So while no official reason was given for the lecture’s cancellation, the alignment of these events certainly suggests that concerns over harassment played a role. And it should go without saying that critique and feedback are worthwhile, but these extremes do worse than nothing, and certainly won’t assist in tuning Monster Hunter Wilds.

As for Wilds itself, Title Update 2 recently went live, and players do seem to be enjoying the addition of several new hunts, especially the bout with Lagiacrus.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Mafia: The Old Country – 9 Minutes of Exclusive Gameplay | IGN First

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Despite its rapidly approaching August 8 release date for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, not much has been seen from Mafia: The Old Country, the upcoming prequel – and fourth mainline entry – in the popular mafioso action-adventure series. That changes today. Mafia: The Old Country is our IGN First “cover story” for the month of July, meaning we’ll have exclusive content all month long – specifically on Mafia Mondays!

We kick things off today with nine minutes of exclusive gameplay from the Villa section in Chapter 5 of the story. Note that this footage has been edited for length and to avoid some story/character spoilers.

Next Monday we’ll have our exclusive hands-on preview after playing three hours of the campaign. In the meantime, check out our chat with game director Alex Cox and Hangar 13 studio president Nick Baynes as well as Baynes and 2K president David Ismailer discussing the decision to price The Old Country at $50 and go back to Mafia’s narrative-driven, linear roots.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

4K UHD Blu-rays Are Buy Two Get One Free at Amazon Today, Just In Time for Prime Day

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Amazon’s brand new 3 for 2 sale is live right now, landing just ahead of Prime Day 2025 and likely sticking around through the full event from July 8 to 11.

It’s one of the best opportunities this year to stock up on physical media, especially if you’re looking to expand your 4K UHD Blu-ray collection without spending a fortune.

4K UHD Blu-rays: Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale

This time around, the movie selection is particularly strong. You’ve got brand-new releases like Warfare in 4K, the Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition, and exclusive steelbooks for recent standouts like Longlegs.

There’s also a solid range of all-time classics available in 4K, including The Thing, The Shining, Jurassic Park, Blade Runner, and more. Whether you’re collecting new releases or plugging gaps in your shelf, there’s something here worth picking up.

As always, the wording on Amazon’s end is a bit misleading. It’s called a 3 for 2 deal, which, when translated, means you need to add three qualifying items to your basket, and the cheapest one will automatically be free at checkout. So buy two, get an additional one free!

Target also has a very similar 3 for 2 sale on right now as well, if Amazon hasn’t got exactly what you’re looking for right now

The deal scales with your cart, so if you add six eligible items, you’ll get two of them for free, and so on. There’s no code required, and it works across a mix of categories, including books, board games, and puzzles, alongside movies and TV box sets.

Even better, you can mix and match across formats. Want to grab two Blu-rays and a book like Sunrise on the Reaping or Project Hail Mary? Go for it. Prefer two limited edition steelbooks and a vinyl record? That works too.

The only real hurdle is Amazon’s outdated filtering system, which still lumps every film or TV show under “DVD” regardless of format. But once you’re in the sale page, it’s easy enough to narrow things down or browse our curated picks above.

If you still care about owning movies outright instead of relying on streaming rights and rotating libraries, this is the kind of sale worth jumping on. It’s live now and will run through the entirety of Prime Day, so there’s plenty of time to fill your cart.

Should I Wait for Prime Day?

For these deals? No, you don’t need to wait. In fact, you don’t even need a Prime membership to access the 3 for 2 sale, it’s just running concurrently to the Prime Day discounts, and is just as good as any other offers available this week.

Amazon has announced that its Prime Day sale will start on July 8 and run through July 11 this year (this week). This is a break from tradition as Amazon has made the switch from a two-day event to a four-day event. It’s the longest Prime Day Amazon has ever had, and there’s already a slew of freebies you can grab if you’re a Prime member right now.

In addition to the Amazon sale, both Walmart, Target, and Best Buy have announced competing events in July. The dates are slightly different and include varying start times depending on each retailer’s membership plan.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Senior Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.

Call of Duty: WWII Xbox PC Version Hauled Offline Amid Security Concerns

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Activision has pulled Call of Duty: WWII on Xbox PC offline just days after it was added to Game Pass, amid reports of hacking via Remote Code Execution (RCE).

This isn’t about PC players cheating in-game via wall hacks and aim bots. Rather this is about unsuspecting Game Pass players losing control of their PCs through a security exploit.

According to Cloudflare, a remote code execution (RCE) attack is where an attacker runs malicious code on an organization’s computers or network: “The ability to execute attacker-controlled code can be used for various purposes, including deploying additional malware or stealing sensitive data.”

Activision failed to provide any further details in its brief statement, below, instead simply confirming Sledgehammer’s 2017 shooter was “brought offline” on PC while it investigates reports of “an issue.” However, players in the comments of the message, published on July 5, are reporting that their computers were accessed due to a security vulnerability that lets hackers take control of remote PCs, suggesting these reports and Activision’s action are linked.

That was two days ago now, and there’s been no update since. IGN has asked Activision for comment.

The issue hit the headlines after X / Twitter user @wrioh75753 published a viral clip, below, appearing to show their game of Call of Duty: WWII suffering from a hack during a livestream. The post has so-far been viewed 2.3 million times.

The reports emerged in the wake of Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs, which hit its gaming business hard last week. Call of Duty developers were among the many Microsoft-owned studios to suffer job cuts, although Microsoft has so-far failed to detail exactly how many employees were affected. Black Ops 7 is due out later this year.

Last month, Activision pulled controversial adverts placed inside Black Ops 6 and Warzone loadouts, insisting they were a “feature test” published “in error.”

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Strength, Speed, and Super-Ventriloquism? The Strange Evolution of Superman’s Powers

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

We’ve all heard the spiel about Superman before. He’s faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. In short, he’s one of the most powerful fictional characters ever conceived, able to break the laws of physics and bend time itself with impunity.

That said, Superman’s powers are nothing if not evolving. They’ve ebbed and flowed a lot over the decades, with the character evolving from super-strong defender of the downtrodden to all-powerful, godlike superhero to the more well-rounded character he is today. The only constant with Superman is his inconsistency.

With actor David Corenswet introducing moviegoers to the latest cinematic incarnation of the Man of Steel, let’s take a step back to examine how Superman’s powers have evolved and changed over the years, from the earliest Superman comics to the campy excesses of the Silver Age and right on into the modern era.

Superman’s Original Powers

When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster originally created Superman for 1938’s Action Comics #1, they couldn’t have envisioned the scope his adventures would eventually take. Superman began life as a power fantasy for two obscure Jewish comic book creators. He had super-strength, but the kind that allowed him to bend steel bars and lift cars, not shatter mountains and hoist skyscrapers. In the beginning, Superman was more interested in battling corrupt landlords and mad scientists, and his powers were relatively grounded to match that level of antagonist. This early Superman also had a degree of invulnerability, but nowhere near the level he would display later.

Superman also had super-speed from day one, but notably, he didn’t have the power to fly yet. That’s where “able to leap tall buildings in a single bound” comes in. In his earliest appearances, Superman simply used his incredible strength to jump over obstacles, much like The Hulk does. It wasn’t until the Man of Steel spun out into a serialized radio drama that flight was introduced to his growing repertoire of powers.

In fact, a lot of elements we commonly associate with the character were introduced in the radio drama The Adventures of Superman and later adopted by the comics. That includes characters like Perry White and Jimmy Olsen. The radio drama is also where Superman first crossed paths with Batman and Robin.

Perhaps most importantly, The Adventures of Superman introduced Superman’s Achilles’ heel in the form of Kryptonite. The inclusion of a mysterious mineral that saps Superman’s powers served a practical purpose, as it gave the writers excuses to temporarily remove Superman from the picture and give actor Bud Collyer a break from recording.

Superman may have been a relatively grounded character starting out, but it wasn’t long before Siegel, Shuster, and other creators began to embellish and expand his list of abilities. Over time, he gained powers like enhanced senses, X-ray and heat vision, and even goofier additions like the ability to rearrange his facial features or telepathically influence others.

This gradual evolution is captured in what is probably the most enduring Superman media from this era, the Fleischer Studios Superman animated shorts. The early Fleischer shorts depict Superman as leaping rather than flying, but that changes over time.

Superman’s Silver Age Excess

Superman’s popularity only continued to grow heading into the ‘50s and ‘60s, and so too did his list of powers. As the Silver Age of comics dawned, Superman became a truly larger-than-life figure with effectively godlike powers.

Superman’s super-strength alone increased to frankly ridiculous heights during this era. Whereas once the character showed off his muscles by lifting cars and tanks, in the Silver Age comics, Superman performed ever more impossible feats of strength and endurance. He became strong enough to move entire planets with his bare hands. His strength seems to have no upper limit in these comics, but merely adapts to meet the needs of any given story.

Superman’s super-speed also grew to fantastical heights during the Silver Age. It wasn’t uncommon for the Man of Steel to fly through the galaxy at faster-than-light speeds or vibrate his body into alternate dimensions. That said, he never grew quite fast enough to definitively beat The Flash in a race.

This was also the period when comic creators began to pay more attention to where Superman’s powers come from in the first place. Where the early Superman comics simply justified his strength as a byproduct of his superior Kryptonian physiology, the Silver Age comics introduced the idea that Superman and his fellow Kryptonians absorb yellow solar radiation like living batteries. Combine that with Earth’s lower levels of gravity, and you have the recipe for an all-powerful superhero.

Beyond strength and speed, DC creators added all manner of entirely new powers to the roster. Superman first displayed his Super-Breath during this period, allowing him to freeze enemies in ice or survive in the cold vacuum of space. He developed a genius-level intellect and perfect memory. And that’s to say nothing of the many bizarre and ridiculous powers that would often crop up for a single issue or two and never be mentioned again. That includes Super-Ventriloquism, Super-Hypnotism, and the downright incredible ability to shoot a miniature Superman clone from the palm of his hand. Whatever DC’s writers and artists could imagine, Superman could accomplish.

Given the enormous scope of his abilities in the Silver Age, it’s probably just as well that Kryptonite also got a major glow-up to help bring the Man of Steel back to Earth. The Superman comics introduced countless, multicolored variants of the traditional Green Kryptonite. Red Kryptonite caused a variety of different effects, like spawning a Superman doppelganger or turning him into a dragon. Gold Kryptonite drained his powers permanently. Blue Kryptonite only worked on his backwards doppelganger Bizarro. For every new power Superman gained, it was matched by a new variant of Kryptonite.

The influence of these campier Superman comics can be clearly felt in the live-action movies starring Christopher Reeve. Reeve’s Superman has no shortage of ridiculous powers of his own. In the first film, we see him reverse Earth’s rotation and turn the clock back to undo Lois Lane’s death (never mind the devastating real-world effects this act would unleash, like tsunamis and earthquakes).

Superman II takes things up several notches when Reeves’ Kal-El battles Terence Stamp’s General Zod and crew in the Fortress of Solitude. We see Supes deploy his S emblem as some sort of weird cellophane trap. Then all four Kryptonians blast light from their palms and take turns becoming invisible, at which point Superman responds by summoning mirages of himself. Finally, Superman caps things off by wiping Lois’ memory with a kiss.

In Superman III, we encounter the live-action incarnation of Red Kryptonite when Clark turns evil and then battles himself in a garbage dump (though the jury is still out as to whether that fight actually happened or was all a metaphor for his inner turmoil). We also see Superman crush a lump of coal into a perfectly cut diamond. We’ll believe a man can fly, and do a bunch of other weird stuff for good measure.

Bringing Superman Back Down to Earth

DC wasn’t necessarily doing much to counter the criticism that Superman is too powerful to be a compelling character. But by the time the ‘70s rolled around, the publisher finally decided it was time to rein things in a bit.

DC’s first attempt at de-powering Superman came in 1971’s Superman #233, in a story dubbed “Kryptonite Nevermore.” That issue sees Superman caught in an explosion from a Kryptonite-fueled power plant, causing his strength to be cut in half. On the bright side, that same explosion also renders all the Kryptonite on Earth inert, sparing the Man of Steel from his greatest weakness even as it robbed him of some of his power.

That early attempt didn’t fully take, however, and Superman gradually returned to his overpowered self. But DC made a more concerted effort to tone things down when it handed the reins of the franchise to writer/artist John Byrne in 1987. At the time, DC was using the fallout of Crisis on Infinite Earths as an excuse to reboot a number of popular heroes and attempt to streamline its vast, decades-old continuity. Byrne was tasked with giving Kal-El his most detailed origin story to date in Superman: Man of Steel.

Byrne’s Superman proved to be a far cry from the godlike yet goofy hero of the Silver Age. Byrne placed new limits on Superman’s abilities while also seeking to find plausible explanations for some of Kal-El’s more outlandish feats. For example, Byrne established the concept of tactile telekinesis to explain how Superman can lift large objects like buildings without them breaking apart. He also depicted Superman as generating an invisible force field around his body, explaining why his skintight uniform never seems to get damaged.

DC’s reference books placed hard limits on Superman’s strength, indicating he can lift upwards of 100 tons. So much for moving planets. His speed and intelligence were also scaled back considerably, the latter of which helped make the intellectually superior Lex Luthor (who himself was reimagined as a ruthless business tycoon rather than a mad scientist) a more foreboding opponent for the Man of Steel.

Byrne’s Superman comics seemed to do the trick, appealing to readers eager for a more grounded and human take on the character. That said, other fans criticized this newfound insistence on finding pseudo-scientific explanations for Superman’s powers. How much realism do we really need in our kid-friendly fantasy stories?

All-Star Superman writer Grant Morrison put it best when he told Rolling Stone, “Kids understand that real crabs don’t sing like the ones in The Little Mermaid. But you give an adult fiction, and the adult starts asking really f***ing dumb questions like `How does Superman fly? How do those eyebeams work? Who pumps the Batmobile’s tires?’ it’s a f***ing made-up story, you idiot! Nobody pumps the tires!”

Morrison was among a number of creators who sought to restore some of Superman’s mythic grandeur in the late ‘90s and ‘00s. The Byrne-era emphasis on realism has since mostly fallen out of favor, though Superman generally still isn’t portrayed as quite the powerhouse he was in his Silver Age days. How strong is Superman now? Exactly as strong as the story needs him to be. No more, no less.

DC has also toyed with introducing some radical new powers into Superman’s repertoire. The character went through an infamous phase in 1998 when he was split into separate red and blue versions of himself and gained electric powers. That shake-up didn’t last long. Nor did Superman’s short-lived solar flare power introduced as part of DC’s New 52 reboot. That power allowed Clark to unleash all of his body’s pent-up solar energy in one massive blast, rendering him temporarily powerless afterward.

The modern, post-Byrne philosophy toward Superman also influenced the character’s depiction in Superman: The Animated Series and other DC Animated Universe shows. That Superman is notably weaker than many versions that have appeared before or since. Like Byrne’s Superman, his feats of strength are toned down, and he’s more vulnerable in battle fighting villains like Parasite and Livewire. Some DC fans actually took issue with this take on the Man of Steel, complaining that he was too weak and de-powered. That said, the series finale of Justice League Unlimited suggests that this Superman was always holding back his true strength for the sake of living in “a world of cardboard.” Only at the end does Darkseid bear witness to Superman’s full, unrestrained might.

Be sure to check out our IGN Inside Stories documentary on Justice League to learn more about the Superman controversy:

Similarly, the live-action series Smallville gave us a more grounded take on the character. Tom Welling’s Clark Kent starts out as a teenager still coming to terms with his nascent super-powers, and only over the course of 10 seasons does he fully master his abilities and evolve into a proper Superman in the series finale.

Where Does James Gunn’s Superman Fit In?

With the DCEU gone, and with it Henry Cavill’s Superman, we’re meeting a brand new cinematic incarnation of Kal-El played by David Corenswet. So where does Corenswet’s Superman fit in? Is he the all-powerful Superman of the Silver Age comics, or a relatively more grounded, modern interpretation of the character?

All signs point to the latter. We certainly see Superman performing some impressive feats in the trailer, battling kaiju and shielding innocent bystanders from debris. But the trailers also emphasize Superman’s vulnerability. The original teaser opens with a scene of a bleeding and badly injured Superman crashing into the snow and wheezing, forced to call his faithful pup Krypto to bail him out. Whatever enemy put Superman through the wringer here, it’s clear he’s got his work cut out for him in preserving Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow.

Gunn has made it clear this is all very intentional. He wants a version of the Man of Steel who can be vulnerable and isn’t always the most powerful guy in the room. Gunn revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that he wants “a Superman that can be beat” and who audiences can empathize with as a result.

“I wanted Superman to be vulnerable,” Gunn said. “I see the online things ‘Who would beat whom?’ — Homelander or Superman or f***ing whatever, Adam Warlock or Brightburn, and I’m like, ‘This is the f***ing stupidest f***ing conversation.’ Like, so then whoever would win this fight means that they’re the best? Because I’ll just go out and write God Man, who can destroy you with a wink. And I win. I win all the fights forever… Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman that can be beat.”

Corenswet’s Superman can bleed. He can be beaten. But that just makes it all the more satisfying when he digs deep and saves the day anyway. Ultimately, that’s Superman’s true power, and one that’s existed since his earliest adventures. No matter the challenge, Superman has the strength and the courage to overcome.

What’s your preferred take on Superman? Do you want one who can move planets and travel at lightspeed, or does the Man of Steel need to be a little more grounded and vulnerable? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on Superman, find out why Gunn is “giving up everything in my life and soul” to make the movie, and brush up on every DC movie and series in development.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Harry Potter Actor Jason Isaacs Slams ‘Racist’ Criticism of Paapa Essiedu Snape Casting in HBO TV Adaptation — ‘They Will be Swallowing Their Tongues, Hopefully’

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Harry Potter film star Jason Isaacs has hit out at “rude” criticism surrounding the casting of Black actor Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation.

Essiedu, previously seen in Black Mirror and HBO’s own I May Destroy You, was confirmed as playing the franchise’s key role of Snape back in April, taking on the baton from the late Alan Rickman in the original film series.

Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, has now discussed the reaction to Essiedu’s casting, backing the actor and slamming online hate as people being “racist.”

“Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life,” Isaacs said during a panel at FanExpo Denver, as reported by Collider. “I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist.

“All the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series are amazing. They will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully — you know, their digital tongues — when they see what [Paapa] does on screen.”

Snape is a pivotal figure in the Harry Potter series, and a character whose true motivations remain unclear for much of its storyline. It’s only in later books, and films, that more of Snape’s backstory is revealed — including his relationship with Harry’s parents, and the true nature of his allegiance to Voldermort.

Criticsm of Essiedu’s casting has ranged from complaints that the actor does not fit the physical appearance of Snape in the original books — a claim previously lodged against the Black casting of Hermione in the hugely-successful Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show — and the suggestion that Snape being Black changes the dynamic of his story, particularly him being bullied as a schoolchild by Harry’s father and friends, and his unrequited love for Harry’s mother.

But while some have said the casting is too much of a departure, others have suggested the move will bring elements of Snape’s story into sharper focus, making for a stronger story overall.

“The show is being made by the same people who made the films, and they’re just taking the time to make each book into a whole season,” Isaacs said, “and it’s going to be great.”

First to be announced for the series was veteran actor John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, with subsequent cast updates naming Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.

The Harry Potter TV series is expected to begin filming this year, with a debut on HBO planned for late 2026 or the beginning of 2027.

Image credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper’s Bazaar UK

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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