Straight to DVD Superhero Animated Features

[opie301]

I really do like the pairing of Superman and Batman in the comics. When used well it is a very nice highlight of the whole brain vs. brawn discussion. Clark Kent isn't dumb, but he tends to go into situations before thinking about them. Like the boy scout moniker he's often given, he is interested doing good, and his natural abilities usually make up for any troubles this may cause. Batman, on the other hand, has to be playing chess all the time in order to make up for his lack of true super-powers. When done well, this pairing is also ripe for some of the best, snappy dialogue.

When done poorly, it presents Superman as a big dumb brute and Batman as a scheming mastermind. Superman is a moron and Batman is just a step away from evil.

[IsaacMahomie]

B: "Clark, do me a favor and lose the sense of humor".
S: "Do us both a favor and buy one."

B: You ready for this?
S: Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world.
B: Your funeral.
S: Already had one.

[opie301]

Is this the kind of dialogue that the Public Enemies movie presents us with?

[IsaacMahomie]

yup. gotta love supes and bats going at it.

[BluTGI]

I'm unsure if I'm going to like hearing Mark Harmon as the voice of Supes.

Tim Daly/Kevin Conroy should be signed to a contract or something.

[IsaacMahomie]

Tim Daly/Kevin Conroy should be signed to a contract or something.

-They were in public enemies. what are they not in?

[BluTGI]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1494772/
Supes: Mark Harmon(NCIS, Summer School)
Batman: William Baldwin(DSM, Backdraft, Flatliners)

Harmon I enjoy in almost anything...but A Baldwin Brother as Batman?!?

What The French Toast?

Now Supes will sound like a father figure and Batman will sound...like a pansy.

I can barely accept BM:B&B's use of Diedrich Bader. He makes him sound like a young inquisitive detective dude... not a bad ass crime fighter… but it sort of works.

[taekwondogirl]

I can't hear his voice without thinking, "It's Oswald!"

[TylerXKJ]

So, I have acquired Crisis on Two Earths.

It's awesome. Brilliant action, great characterization.

Owlman and Superwoman really steal the show. James Woods was god-tier.

The final fight was really the highlight of the movie, as it should have been.

Probably the best animated movie I've seen in terms of satisfaction.

[IsaacMahomie]

aha. well that's good news. I'll be renting it when it actually releases.

I watched most of Planet Hulk last night, (before my wife's stupid mac froze up.) It was pretty good as well, probably the best Marvel animated yet.

[IsaacMahomie]

Can you guys think of anything I missed?
Does Tales of the Black Freighter fit into this category?

[fantasticraig]

I hated Public Enemies.

The comic it was adapted from is Loeb at his most mediocre.

Agreed. It was a Loeb cameo-fest and the character designs looked like something from Deviantart. I didn't like it either.


Crisis on Two Earths, however, was awesome. The voice acting took getting used to, just because I am so used to seeing the characters with other voices, but worked really well once I got past that (they actually gave Superman a slight accent, I always wondered why they didn't do that before, hes from Kansas). The action was very well animated too.

I'd give it 4.5 owl-a-rangs out of 5.

[BluTGI]

8 mins into JL:Co2E and I can't stop laughing at baldwin's voice. What a poor choice.

[fantasticraig]

8 mins into JL:Co2E and I can't stop laughing at baldwin's voice. What a poor choice.

You have to admit that James Woods as Owlman is frigging perfect though.

[The REAL Brian]

I like the concept of DC's direct to DVD animated features. Their Live Action superhero films never F@#$ing happen. This is kind of like a movie nicotine patch. No Joss Whedon Wonder Woman movie? Here's a pretty good cartoon version. 3 Justice League films crash and burned on the runway? Have some animated movies. Did the idea of Jack Black playing Green Lantern give you fits? Here's a cartoon movie with the Dad from That 70's show.

You almost don't even need the live action versions. I honestly have a hard time imagining the live action Wonder Woman and Green Lantern being any tighter and truer to the comics than the direct to DVD features. The game has been tight on these projects.