A little over 25 years after the series began, Superman: The Complete Animated Series is available today on remastered Blu-ray and Digital. The six-disc set contains all 54 episodes of the series as well as hours of extras. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided KryptonSite with a copy for review, so let’s get into it, shall we?
For starters… a confession. As big of a Superman fan I have been over the years, and Batman: The Animated Series is one of my favorite adaptations of DC media, I haven’t seen a lot of Superman: The Animated Series. It came at a time when I had a very busy schedule, but also, I was still at the height of my obsession with Lois & Clark, and so I’ll just use the excuse “Teri Hatcher on the brain.” I knew that they did some very cool things on the show, introducing certain characters to animation for the first time…. I just hadn’t seen it. So, it’s a lot of fun to see these episodes with mostly fresh eyes.
The extra features on this set help “sell” the show and illustrate the talents and passion behind this project. This is best shown in the all-new featurette “Superman: Timeless Icon” featuring interviews with many of the creative folks behind the show. I found it interesting that they took time to find the right angle, especially in light of the fact that Batman was such a success, so all eyes were on them for a success. From the episodes I’ve watched since receiving this set I can agree that that “angle” is largely found. One great aspect of it all is the incorporation of several characters and concepts from Jack Kirby’s “Fourth World” lore…. even Dan Turpin is drawn to look like “King” Kirby himself.
Tim Daly and Dana Delany are perfect for their voice roles, and to be honest, I would have loved to have seen the two of them play these roles in live action. (Where were they in Crisis on Infinite Earths?) I love that, like with Batman, the core elements of many characters are on display. Perry is gruff. Jimmy is dorky. Lex is calculating. Lois is the best reporter at the Planet. Those two are scratching the surface — some very huge award-winning celebrities lent voices to the show, which also introduced some new characters to the mix.
As I mentioned before, there are a lot of extras. Multiple featurettes. Audio commentaries. There’s plenty for a Superman fan to love and take in. And as a bonus… this is a great “gateway drug” for someone younger who might not have caught the Superman bug yet. I’m going to include the press release list of extras below.
The picture quality is fantastic; as mentioned, these episodes are recently remastered. If I had any criticism at all, it would be the box art. I loved the logo used for the Superman animated show – it was a variation on the traditional look but with a new and fun angle – and to use a simple font does not have the same effect.
So is it worth getting? Yes. Sure, you can watch remastered episodes on HBO Max, but you would not get all of these extras. You can order a copy from Amazon.com here and support KryptonSite; the list of extras can be found below.
Superman: Timeless Icon (New Featurette) – An all-new bonus feature, produced specifically for the remastered Blu-ray release of Superman: The Animated Series, reveals the complicated journey of the show and those who created the new mythology for The Man of Steel, as told by producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, director Dan Riba, writer Bob Goodman, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano, and Tim Daly & Clancy Brown, the heralded voices of Superman and Lex Luthor, respectively.
A Little Piece of Trivia (Featurette) – So you think you know your Superman trivia? Wait until you hear about the series’ connection to Telly Savalas! A brain teaser to entertain every Superman: The Animated Series fan!
Superman: Learning to Fly (Featurette) – Get into the minds of the creative team behind Superman: The Animated Series as they detail the birth of this animated version of Superman and his incredible worlds. Featured speakers include producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami and directors Dan Riba and James Tucker.
Building the Mythology: Superman’s Supporting Cast (Featurette) – The characters around Superman get the spotlight in this in-depth look at everyone from Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White to Maggie Sawyer, Lana Lang, and Ma & Pa Kent. Producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami and directors Dan Riba and James Tucker give viewers the inside scoop.
Menaces of Metropolis: Behind the Villains of Superman (Featurette) – Your hero is only as good as the villains around him, and Superman: The Animated Series has a rogues’ gallery of top-grade baddies, including traditional opponents Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Bizarro, Metallo, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Toyman and Parasite, as well as new villains created for the series – like Live Wire and Luminus. Producers Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, directors James Tucker and Dan Riba and casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano give us a tour of the villains.
The Despot Darkseid: A Villain Worthy of Superman (Featurette) – Darkseid takes center stage in this examination of one of The Man of Steel’s most vicious adversaries, plus other Fourth World characters that appear in Superman: The Animated Series. The featurette includes producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami, writers Rich Fogel and Stan Berkowitz, director James Tucker and Charles Hatfield (Department of English, Cal State Northridge).
Audio Commentaries
Stolen Memories – producers Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, director Curt Geda and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
The Last Son of Krypton – Part 1 – producers Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, director Dan Riba and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
The Main Man – Part 2 – producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, director Dan Riba and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
Video Commentary
Mxyzpixilated – producer Bruce Timm, producer/writer Paul Dini, director Dan Riba and moderator Jason Hillhouse.