Customer Reviews

Superman - The Animated Series, Volumes 1-3 (DC Comics Classic Collection)

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Superman's most recent animated series could have been a great show, but it never quite made it. Part of the problem was an unfair comparison to the Batman series, which had just finished production (though it would be renewed briefly for the Superman/Batman hour). While Batman immediately had a sense of theme and mood--dark, gothic, and occasionally morbid--Superman suffered from being pushed into the daylight. It's easier to believe that criminals in a city of perpetual night would look and act like maniacs, but in sunny Metropolis it's often difficult to get beyond the silliness of the supervillains. The show's creators made a good decision by incorporating elements of Kirby's Fourth World (e.g., Darkseid's invasion of Earth) into the show, thereby placing Superman in a universe of super-powered beings even more larger-than-life than himself.

Unfortunately, the show did not last long enough to do a great job with the Fourth World, and it wasted too much time on trivial villains like Toyman, Parasite, Livewire and Bizarro. Meanwhile, promising villains like Brainiac (inventively rethought for the show), Metallo and two Kryptonian criminals showed up only rarely and might as well have been tossed altogether. After a fun beginning, where old and new characters were creatively introduced, the show tapered off into mediocrity, and ended with a handful of overly-preachy episodes that couldn't be saved, even by an excellent finale (once again utilizing the Fourth World).

Still, the show has some glorious highlights. The episode "Mxzpixilated" is one of the funniest things ever to hit television, and is one of the few Mxyzptlk stories I enjoy. Brainiac recreated as Krypton's artificial intelligence was a stroke of genius, and provided a new context for his previous "shrunken cities" shtick. Lana Lang as a fashion designer was a great idea that wasn't used often enough, but when it was it worked (especially in "The Late Mr. Kent"). The concept of Supergirl as a native of Krypton's sister planet was also well done, and she was a great, cheery character.

It's unfortunate that the show's creators never quite found the same groove that they found for Batman, but this series was still a valiant attempt at recreating the Superman mythos. Maybe the "Superman Curse" spreads into all attempts to tell Superman stories; very few of the shows and movies manage to do it well. Still, this is one of the best.

If you've never seen Superman the animated series, and if you have the cash, this is the perfect way to enjoy it. Should you choose to purchus volumes I-III, you'll get all 54 episodes of this hit series.
What are you in for if you buy this set? Well, here are some highlights from each volume.
In Volume I, we discover the origin story of Earth's greatest hero in an explosive three part pilot, The Last Son of Krypton. We also get our first look at Lex Luthor, who has spent years having his own way in Metropolis, and isn't happy to see this new savior show up. Superman also faces Brainiac for the first time, and this villain, I must tell you, has strong connections to Superman's past. The Flash also makes a guest appearance in Speed Demons, Superman's first superhero team up. We're also introduced to Lobo, a galactic bounty hunter who's bent on adding Superman to the collection of an alien preserver. Bonus features in this volume include a look at the conception of the series, as well as taking a closer look at some of Superman's fellow protagonists. Oh, and did I mension that we're also introduced to one of Superman's greatest foes, Darksied? Hang on because I'm not done boasting about this fantastic series yet.
In volume II, Superman must face an insane, but well meaning clone of himself, Bizarro, who. And he must also team up with Dr. Fate to stop a powerful demon from transforming all of Metropolis into his slaves. Brainiac also makes a comeback. And Darksied's horrific son journeys to Earth in order to test Superman's metal. But the greatest highlight of Volume II is when the Dark Knight himself ventures to Metropolis. Batman and Superman meet for the first time, and must work together to stop Lex Luthor and the Joker who have also joined forces. An excelent three parter, and a nice taste of what's to come in terms of the Justice League. Bonus features in this volume include a look at the villains of Superman, and several audio commentaries.
In the third and final volume of Superman, Cal El is in for the fight of his life because Darksied has finally decided to set his sights on Earth. Superman must draw on all of his strength in order to defeat his greatest adversary. But this time, Superman's victory comes with a terrible price. These events occur in Apocalypse Now, a very memorable two part episode. But Superman isn't alone in his struggles, for he discovers a surviver of Argo, sister planet to Krypton, and she decides to take up the mantle of Supergirl in another one of my favorite multipart episodes, Little Girl Lost. There are more Superhero team ups in this volume. Superman joins forces once again with Batman to stop Ra's Al Gul. And he must also team up with Aquaman in order to defeat Lex Luthor. And the series ends with a thrilling two part episode entitled Legacy in which Superman is manipulated and brainwashed into attacking Earth, the planet he has sworn to protect. And he must try to regain his reputation, as well as face off against Darksied and the forces of Apocalypse yet again.
So if you have the money to spend, why not buy all three volumes of this wonderful series? This is and will always be my favorite incarnation of Superman. So if you choose to buy this set, enjoy!

Superman - The Animated Series episodes:

1. SEASON

Disc 1:

The Last Son Of Krypton Part 1
The Last Son Of Krypton Part 2
The Last Son Of Krypton Part 3
Fun And Games
A Little Piece Of Home
Feeding Time


Disc 2, Side A:

The Way Of All Flesh
Stolen Memories
The Main Man Part 1
The Main Man Part 2
My Girl
Tools Of The Trade
Two's A Crowd
The Prometheon


Disc 2, Side B:

Blasts From The Past Part 1
Blasts From The Past Part 2
Livewire
Speed Demons


2. SEASON

Disc 1:

Identity Crisis
Target
Action Figures
Mxyzpixilated
Double Dose
Solar Power


Disc 2, Side A:

Monkey Fun
Brave New Metropolis
Ghost in the Machine
World's Finest: Part 1
World's Finest: Part 2
World's Finest: Part 3


Disc 2, Side B:

Father's Day
The Hand of Fate
Bizarro's World
Prototype
The Late Mr. Kent
Heavy Metal


3. SEASON

Disc 1:

Warrior Queen
Apokolips...Now! Part 1
Apokolips...Now! Part 2
Little Girl Lost Part 1
Little Girl Lost Part 2
Where There's Smoke


Disc 2, Side A:

Knight Time
New Kids in Town
Obsession
Little Big Head Man
Absolute Power
In Brightest Day


Disc 2, Side B:

Superman's Pal
A Fish Story
Unity
The Demon Reborn
Legacy Part 1
Legacy Part 2

Released in 1996, Superman: the Animated Series was brought to us by the same creative minds that delivered 1992's critically acclaimed Batman: the Animated Series. With a similar but even more simplified design style, the series was beautifully animated and captured the essence of the Man of Steel in the same way that its predecessor depicted the Dark Knight.

Everyone knows the origin of Superman by now: the last survivor of the doomed planet Krypton, baby Kal-El is sent to Earth in a rocket and adopted by a young farm couple, the Kents. Adopted and named Clark, Kal-El is granted super-human powers by the Sun's yellow sun rays. After moving to Metropolis, Clark dons the identity of Superman in order to protect the innocent and stop the morally corrupt. Tim Daly offers an intelligent and extremely likable depiction of Superman and has remained a fan favorite for his performance. Dana Delany starts opposite him as the relentless reporter Lois Lane, and the two have excellent chemistry together. Supporting characters Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Supergirl and many others from the comics feature prominently in the series and all receive respectful treatment. Lex Luthor (with an amazing performance by Clancy Brown) is both supporting player and arch-villain, while various villains from the comics (Darkseid, Parasite, Metallo, Toyman, Bizarro and others) all provide memorable moments throughout the series.

There is a long standing debate among fans regarding whether this series tops the Batman series. Batman remains my favorite, although I will concede that this series is highly underrated and more consistent in quality episodes than most of the DCAU. Regardless of which is better, I urge you to buy both, as their both shining examples of what children's animation is capable of.

I watched the animated BATMAN with my daughter when she was a small child, when it was coming out for the first time. I recently watched the Justice League cartoons that were done by largely the same people. I should have watched SUPERMAN before watching JUSTICE LEAGUE and JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, and so should you if you haven't seen them all yet. SUPERMAN, like BATMAN, is not at all a bad show. It is, in fact, a very decent one. The problem is that the Justice League shows are extraordinary and they make all of the others look weak in comparison. On the other hand, watching SUPERMAN after JUSTICE LEAGUE really brings how brilliant the latter truly was and how much both the writing and the animation techniques improved as they worked on it.

Still, SUPERMAN is all in all a pretty decent cartoon series. While the writing isn't nearly as strong or as innovative as the writing on JUSTICE LEAGUE would be, it was still quite above normal for children's programming and the voice talent, like all of the DC cartoon shows, is top notch. It is all quite watchable, but I never, ever got the sense that I was watching something remarkable as I did with JL.

I also did not care much for the general "dumbbing down" of the DC stories. And some of the revisions of traditional DC storylines were unnecessary and arbitrary. For instance, they do a Green Lantern origins episode in Season Three, several traditional elements are changed. Abin Sur is shown as having been pursued by Sinestro, whereas in most origins stories Abin Sur is deeply upset at the death of his colleague. And Sinestro is shown already a fully blown bad guy upon the selection of the earthling Green Lantern for Section 2814. The successor of Abin Sur is in this version Kyle Raynor, while there is a bizarre nod to the original Green Lantern, Hal Jordan in the episode. Why Kyle Raynor instead of Hal Jordan? Perhaps because Jordan's back story as a test pilot is too well established, while it was easier to work with Raynor? It was all just odd and I'm confused at nearly all of the narrative choices in this particular episode. But the same kind of oddness afflicts several episodes. Not to beat too often on the same drum, but these kinds of changes were much better handled in the later JL series.

I don't recommend skipping this episode, but I definitely recommend watching the three DC series in the order that they were made, BATMAN, then SUPERMAN, and then JUSTICE LEAGUE. While the first two series are of a similar quality, the third grew into something truly special.

I would still rank Batman as a better animated series as it truly embraced the essence of the Dark Knight however Superman is not without his merits, this series manages to introduce a lot of characters and paves the way for Justice League.

My favorite episodes was Mxyzpixilated I enjoy the lighthearted yet power this character brings to the Man of Steel.

I would recommend this for younger viewing although Superman will always be a timeless hero for all ages.

I must confess, I'm not much of a Superman fan now. I was back when I was a child but who wasn't? At any rate, I needed me another good Superhero/Animation fix, so I decided to get this three volume set of Superman-The Animated Series. I'm really glad I did. Running from late 1996 to early 2000, the show only lasted three seasons. The series paid tribute to the Superman cartoons of old as well as the newer modern Superman. Elements of his long history were included in this series as we saw Supes go up against the likes of Brainiac, Bizarro, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Jax-Ur & Mala, Lex Luthor, Darksied, and more. Other Superheroes also showed up in the show, which was always a plus with me, like The Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, Mr. Miracle, Lobo & others. What I loved most about the series was that it didn't always stay in the confines of Metropolis. It tried to emulate Supes' adventures as they were in the comics. I wish the 'powers that be' hadn't taken the series off so soon. Like Batman Beyond, which suffered a similar fate, the show was just starting to stand on its' own two feet and really starting to prove itself as a good animated show. Sadly, it was taken all too soon and all we're left with are these three seasons with a total of 56 episodes. Produced by Bruce Timm & Paul Dini, the show starred the vocal talents of: Tim Daly, Dana Delany, David Kaufman, George Dzundza, Joely Fisher, Clancy Brown, Corey Burton, Michael Ironside, Gilbert Gottfried, Mike Farrell, Shelly Fabares, Ron Perlman, Malcolm McDowell, William H. Macy, Jason Marsden, Jason Priestly, Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Paul Williams, Roddy McDowall, and a host of others. Extras include:Audio Commentary, Superman: Learning to Fly Featurette, Building the Mythology: Superman's Supporting Cast,
A Little Piece of Trivia - Pop up trivia over the "A Little Piece of Home" episode, The Dark Side: Behind The Villains Of Superman: The Origins and Evolution of Superman's Adversaries, Video Commentary on "Brave New Metropolis" and "World's Finest Part 1" with Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Glen Murakami, James Tucker, Dan Riba and Moderator Jason Hillhouse, Superman: Behind the Cape: David Kaufman (the voice of Jimmy Olsen) takes you behind the scenes with the show's creative team, and
Look, Up in the Sky!- the amazing story of Superman excerpts from the new documentary produced by Bryan Singer and Kevin Burns(which I have and it is excellent).

If you love Superman or any of the DC characters, this is-definitely- a collection you need to add to your collection. While there are some hits and misses with this collection, it is still worth getting.

Superman The Animated Series depicts the life of superman/clark kent as he copes as the self-appointed hero of metropolis as well as the rest of the world. In this role, he is pitted against his may foes; Metallo, Braniac, Parasite, Darkseid and of course the brilliant Lex Luthor! It also introduces a few new villains like Livewire and Volcana to keep things fresh and interesting.

This cartoon was just piece of brilliance by Bruce Timm and crew at WB DC. Their ability to capture the essence of these immortal DC characters and produce a well made and believable shows is a true testament. Especially in the case of superman the animated series, as it gave superman a more human quality. This successfully prevented the show from becoming stale.

Superman The Animated Series was a great cartoon series back in the late 90's and I'm happy to say has stood the test of time. Although it doesnt match the perfection of Batman The Animated Series, it is nevertheless a great tribute to the story of superman. In addition, the voice casting is, as always, top notch. Big shout out to the brilliance of Andrea Romano! Overall, a great series and a must for DC fans.

Years ago when this show was on tv I only caught it a few times. I remember thinking that if I could get the chance later in life Id watch the whole series. And of course the dvds offer that opportunity. The characters have good design and the actors all do a good job. There are a lot of good actors to. Dana Delaney, Tim Daly, Mark Hamil, Micheal Dorn, and more. In particular the 3 part Worlds Finest storyline with Supes and Bats was very cool. Its great for grown up geeks like me and for kids

Superman - The Animated Series, Volumes 1-3 (DC Comics Classic Collection)s.

IF YOU LOVE SUPERMAN THEN YOU WILL LOVE THIS WHOLE SERIES. I HAD TO HAVE THIS WHOLE COLLECTION BECAUSE I GOT THE WHOLE COLLECTION OF THE JUSTICE LEAGUE & JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED & I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THOSE EPISODES SO NOW A LOT IS EXPLAINED BY WATCHING THE SUPERMAN SERIES. LOVE THEM ALL