Superman

Tracy McGrady has a snowball's chance in hell when it comes to making an MLB roster ... so says Superman himself, Dean Cain.

The former "Lois & Clark" star -- who played a little pro football back in the '80s -- was brutally honest about the NBA star's future the other day ... telling us the odds of McGrady getting a pro pitching gig are "very, very slim."

As we previously reported, McGrady is gunning for a spot on an independent pro team in TX ... and says he's been working out every day with a pitching coach to make his baseball dream come true.

"Man of Steel" wasn't fun ... it was too dark ... and felt more like a Batman movie than a Superman flick ... so says Ilya Salkind, the guy behind the Christopher Reeve version.

Ilya is the guy who brought Superman to the big screen way back in the 1970s. He produced "Superman" and "Superman II" ... i.e. his opinion matters.

So when our photog caught up to him this weekend in L.A., he had to get his thoughts on the new, beefed up version ... which has grossed almost $300 million in the U.S. alone.

Salkind however is NOT a fan. First, he says the movie is "okay", trying to keep the peace. But a female friend blows up his spot, shouting out, "Tell the truth!"

If anyone knows about what it takes to be a superhero it's Henry Cavill -- Superman himself -- so when he arrived to LAX yesterday, we had to ask about the new life-saver in town ... George Zimmerman.

We asked Henry if it's possible for a guy to be considered a "hero" even after millions of people branded him a villain for life -- but ya gotta listen to the way our photog poses the question, it's incredible.

As we previously reported, cops say GZ helped rescue a family of 4 from an overturned car after the driver lost control on a Florida highway last week ... just days after he was acquitted in the Trayvon Martin case.

There's more ... our photog also asked Henry about the recently announced Superman vs. Batman movie ... and who he thinks would win in a fight between the two.

Dean Cain is a Superman.

Here's the 26-year-old "Lois and Clark" actor back in 1993 (left) -- and twenty years later, the 46-year-old "Ripley's Believe It or Not" host at the Philly Comic-con last month (right).

Kevin Coster (58) plays Superman's Earth dad Pa Kent in the 2013 action adventure film "Man of Steel" -- while Russell Crowe (49) plays Superman's space dad Jor-El on the planet Krypton.

Henry Cavill is confident ... his Britishness WILL NOT get in the way of his portrayal of Superman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" movie.

Of course, Superman is considered the greatest American superhero of all time ... sorry Batman, Iron Man, Spider-Man, etc. ... and Cavill will be the first non-Yank to play the role.

In fact, he even said he would support an American actor playing James Bond ... as long as that person has the chops.

And if you don't care about Superman ... watch the clip anyway, 'cause Henry is really, really good looking.

Back in 2000, Cage told police someone jacked his authentic copy of Action Comics #1 -- a 1938 classic in which Superman was introduced. Cage had the comic insured ... but it's unclear how much money he got from the insurance company after police confirmed the theft.

Now, after years of searching, investigators found the comic -- valued at more than $1.5 million -- inside of a storage locker in L.A.

Law enforcement sources tell us Cage is NOT a suspect and insist the actor has been helpful with the investigation.

As for the comic -- we're told it's being held as evidence for now ... but the item will eventually be returned to the insurance company.

Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... the guy who played Jimmy Olsen on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" filing for divorce.

Justin Whalin filed for the Big D last week from his hot wife, Reina Flynn, this according to documents obtained by The Daily Planet TMZ.

The dynamic duo had been married for three years -- they have no minor children.

Welling and White were in the video department, and while our spy didn't see what sparked the argument, he did say that Jamie looked furious as she yelled at Tom and stomped off. Call the Daily Planet!

Tom followed, and just like that, Superman and the damsel that he stressed were gone.

Our love affair with our new favorite show "Heroes" shows no signs of subsiding (sorry, "Lost"). In recognition of our new official status as comic-book nerd, we're going to give eBay auction props to the king of superheroes.

"Superman 2" had everything a blockbuster sequel needs: love, the phantom zone, three goth Kryptonians trying to take over the Earth. To show your friends just how far General Zod's diabolical plan went, you must bid on this prop newspaper from the film. Just try not to leave it around your house, a Daily Planet that screams "White House Surrenders" could give your skittish Aunt Beatrice a coronary.

Then, become instant friends with famous "Superman" fans Shaquille O'Neal and Jon Bon Jovi with this next item -- the yellow shield from the cape Christopher Reeve wore in the movies. The shield is secured to a piece of red fabric and framed in a shadow box perfect for framing.

Now your "Heroes" viewing parties are going to be just that much more authentic. Much better then that ratty ol' towel you keep tying around your neck.

25 years ago Richard Donner was removed from the helm of "Superman 2." Hot on the heels of "Superman Returns" release and after the persistence of comic book and Superman fans, his version of the Superman sequel will finally see the light of day.

Donner was famously removed from the movie after not getting along with the producers. British director Richard Leslie was brought on board and they cut out enough of a percentage of Donner's footage to not credit him in the final version of the film. The movie went on to great success, much to the chagrin of Donner.

Now it seems Donner will have the last laugh. 15 minutes originally exorcised from the original movie and banished to the "phantom zone" will be added, including footage of Gene Hackman and the late Marlon Brando in the upcoming "Superman ll: The Richard Donner Cut."