MAN OF STEAL?

Since Superman stands for Truth, Justice and the American Way, we felt obligated to peruse paperwork surrounding a current lawsuit--in which Christopher Reeve is accused of ripping off the story line for “Superman IV.”

Reeve has claimed in press and TV interviews that he came up with the idea for “IV.” At this point, he’s getting on-screen credit along with Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner.

But Barry E. Taff and Kenneth P. Stoller allege that they should have their names on the big screen. They’ve filed a $45-million lawsuit against Reeve, Cannon Films (producer) and Warner Bros. (distributor). A motion’s been filed in L.A. Superior Court for a preliminary injunction to stop the July 17 release, with a hearing set for Tuesday.

Both Taff and Stoller declined to talk to us. So did Reeve’s lawyer and the Cannon and Warners folks.

But court documents claim that a copy of the treatment outline, “Superman: The Confrontation” (registered with the Writers Guild and copyrighted) went to Warners in August, 1985. The court filing also claims that Reeve personally got a copy and promised the writers by phone to take it to the studio--but never called back--and that in interviews, Reeve boasted about his own concept for the sequel and discussed a scene quite similar to one in the Taff-Stoller treatment.

Alleged similarities: Superman saving the world from nuclear holocaust. Superman destroying the world’s nuclear weapons by hurtling them toward the sun. Superman addressing the U.N.--and Superman’s death and resurrection through a device from Krypton that can only be used once.