Creator(s) – Joe Shuster (Peacemaker, Krypton), Jerry Siegel (Harley Quinn, Supergirl), and Bob Kane (Titans, The Death of Superman)
Starring – Tim Daly (The Sopranos, Justice League: Doom), Dana Delany (Tombstone, Camp Hell), and Clancy Brown (SpongeBob SquarePants, Dexter: New Blood)
Release Date – 1996
Rating – 4/5
Blu Release – 3.5/5
When I was in elementary school I was on a one way ticket to horror when I discovered the Goosebumps and it’s cheaper clones like Shivers and Deadtime Stories. However, I was a typical kid as well and loved shows like Batman Beyond, The X-Men, and the wildly more popular Superman: The Animated Series. This show was huge at my school and I’m sure it was just as popular at every school across the world. I absolutely loved it and remember snagging episode collections on VHS when I would visit stores like K-Mart and so on.
It was a huge part of my childhood but as I got older and the show was no longer airing on cable I found myself completely forgetting about it until I received a press release from Warner Bros. about the blu release. I couldn’t pass up this trip down memory lane so I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way. I had been sitting on it for a few weeks but after a tiring work week last week I decided to spend my Sunday relaxing and revisiting this classic series!
**Spoiler Alert** The series follows Clark Kent, who was born Kal-el on Krypton, who is sent to Earth as an infant when his planet was destroyed. The sun gives him super strength along with other unbelievable abilities and he uses those to save Metropolis and, on occasion, the world. **Spoiler Alert**
Superman: The Animated Series was a top tier animated show when I was a kid. I had so many different toys from this series and would often trade then with other kids at school. Everyone, regardless of socio-economic standing or background, had toys from this show, and a lot of them were rocking shirts, backpacks, lunchboxes, and so on. It’s was a popular series that would only be overtaken by the likes of NWO and Goosebumps. It was great to revisit it and show my kids this show even though they had no interest in. My daughters are typical girls who don’t care about superheroes and my son only like dinosaurs. They might not have enjoyed it but I had a blast.
The voice acting in this one is just as entertaining now as it was the first time I watched these episodes. Tim Daly is great as the voice of Clark Kent and Clancy Brown is Lex Luther in my opinion. The supporting cast fit their characters very well but these two make the show for me and their work here is fucking legendary. I know Brown is mostly known for SpongeBob now but he’s fucking amazing as Luther.
The story for this one spends two episodes on his origin story before spinning into classic encounters and adventures. Some are new to animation while others are retelling of now famous encounters and struggles. Honestly, each episode is great and it’s hard to find some that just wasn’t fun. It was great story telling that I think is fun for all ages. Even as an adult I was finding themes, like organized crimes and so forth, that went over my head as a child.
Finally, the animation is fantastic and almost iconic now. It’s similar to Batman Beyond in looks but the style of Superman combines that classic 50s and 60s “retro futuristic” style with modern settings. I absolutely adore the look of this series. Overall, Superman: The Animated Series is essential viewing for millennials and fans of the modern DC animated films. It’s fucking fantastic and a must own for collectors! I highly recommend it.
Special Features:
Commentaries on Four Episodes
Five Featurettes
