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Category: Movies (Direct-to-video)
Genre: Animation

You can only imagine how many comic books I bought when this guy "died."

14 years after—arguably—the most publicized and grieved “death” in the comic book industry, comes the first PG-13 direct-to-video animated adaptation of “The Death of Superman” entitled Superman/Doomsday.

Directed by Lauren Montgomery, Brandon Vietti, and Bruce Timm (the latter who was also responsible for other animated projects such as: Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited), Superman/Doomsday is an unprecedented animated movie having been conveyed a PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America for its action violence. Superman/Doomsday pushes the envelope in its interpretation of the death of the Man of Steel, his rebirth, and eventual ascension back as the guardian of the city of Metropolis.

Actors James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Adam Baldwin (Turistas) take over from Superman: The Animated Series voice talents’ Clancy Brown and Tim Daly and give a “new voice” to the maniacal and cunning Lex Luthor and Superman. Actress Anne Heche (Six Days Seven Nights; Psycho (1998); and Men In Trees) seems to also hold her own as reporter Lois Lane.

Overall, if you are willing to divest yourselves from established comic book cannon, this DVD is highly recommended!

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Series: The Batman (2004)
Episode: “The Batman/Superman Story” (Season 5, Episode 53 & 54)
Original Air Date: September 22, 2007 (Episode 1); September 29, 2007 (Episode 2)
Date Watched: January 1, 2008 (DVD)

The World's Finest = Batman/Superman

Characters:

Usual Suspects:

Lucious Fox and Robin

Origins:

Robin’s Jetpack and The new Bat-Bot

Baddies:

Lex Luthor, Mercy Graves, Ariel Wireless Transmitters (AWT), and Lex’s own personal “Daddy” AWT.

Cameos:

Metallo, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Black Mask, Bane, The New Clayface, Mr. Freeze, and Poison Ivy.

Key Events:

Batman’s idea of trusting others in his fight against crime becomes more evident. Superman uses his X-Ray vision to “unmask” Batman. He also entrusts Metallo’s Kryptonite to Batman and reconsidered his decision to join the Justice League at the end of the episode.

Brief synopsis:

Batman and a Ivy/Lex controlled Superman face off (Inspired by Lee and Loeb’s “Hush”? And Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns”). The World’s Greatest Detective discovers the secret identity of Superman by consolidating (The Daily Planet and Metropolis Garden Apartments) the “supersonic disturbances” generated by the Man of Steel himself (All to easy). Lois doesn’t think much of Clark, yet they live an apartment away from each other (Lois resides in Apartment #1009, while Clark’s is at #1011)

Robin’s “Asta la Vista, Baby” along with Metallo’s exposed hand in the garbage compactor pays tribute to James Cameron’s Terminator 2.

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