Superman

Will Paul come back as Superman? Some people have been asking that question. It does put a new twist on the Paul Is Dead scenario.

Like everyone else during the heyday of Beatlemania, the writers of the Superman spin off, "Jimmy Olsen" found a way to work the Beatles into the story in the September 1964 issue.



Another issue of "Jimmy Olsen" has created a great deal of interest because of its appearance in several Rotten Apple videos.



Everybody wants to know the origin of that picture. I was hoping that I would find it in one of the Beatles Monthlies from 1965, but I didn't. I did find another picture of that comic book however. It is the third one from the left on Paul's organ in "Help."



This leads me to believe that the picture from the Rotten Apple videos was taken during the filming of "Help." Ironically, Dick Lester, the director of "A Hard Days Night" and "Help" along with Beatles solo efforts "How I Won the War" starring John Lennon and "Get Back," the Paul McCartney concert film, has directing credits on two Superman movies.

Superman turns up again on Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, if you play it backwards. There is some disagreement over what the inner groove actually sounds like backwards, but the word "Superman" or "Supermen" seems to be heard by almost everyone who listens to it. Paul told Rolling Stone Magazine in an interview from 1974 that some visitors to his house on Cavendish Avenue pointed out an obscene phrase that could be heard if you played the groove after "A Day In The Life" backwards.



Paul explains:
I said, "No, you're kidding. I haven't heard it, but I'll play it." It was just some piece of conversation that was recorded and turned backwards. But I went inside after I'd seen them and played it studiously, turned it backwards with my thumb against the motor, turned the motor off and did it backwards. And there it was, sure as anything, plain as anything.

Paul recounts the same story in "Many Years From Now" but adds:
That kind of stuff does happen. That's why you can explore the accident. But that was far out. We had certainly had not intended to do that but probably when you turn anything backwards it sounds like something ... if you look hard enough you can make something out of anything.

One YouTuberculosis looked hard enough to hear the phrase "Will Paul be back as Superman?."
In relation to Paul Is Dead theory, this phrase has been cited by those who believe the original Paul will return from hiding or will be resurrected from the dead.

Superman, or somebody who looked just like him turned up again in the fantasy of the Buster Bloodvessel character in the Magical Mystery Tour booklet.



Superman remained in Paul McCartney's consciousness to some degree after the Beatle years. In 1995, McCartney used the famous Superman introduction (Faster than a speeding bullet, etc.) in the premier of his "Oobu Joobu" radio program. In 1998, he taped a special performance of "Calico Skies" for the ABC Television Special "A Celebration of Hope," which was a benefit for Superman actor Christopher Reeve.

The tragic stories of Superman actors Christopher Reeve (who died young from complications related to injuries he suffered from a horse riding accident) and George Reeves (who died of an apparent suicide) have led some to believe that there is a Superman Curse. It turns out that every single individual who has ever been involved with Superman has either died or will die some day. If Paul McCartney did die in 1966 and is resurrected, he will put an end to the Superman Curse. Will Paul come back as Superman?????