3. Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
I was and am an admirer of Darwyn Cooke’s mini-series, upon which this movie has been so carefully and painstakingly based. Visually, this is a rare treat. Cooke’s art style, which beautifully echoes the line-work of the likes of Jack Burnley, Wayne Boring and Jack Kirby, has been skillfully imitated and animated. The plot takes our heroes closer to their chronological roots; we see the traditional values that won WWII being challenged; we witness Superman and Wonder Woman debating politics in the midst of the Korean War; we behold the dawning of demiurgic global threats, for which there may well be no adequate response. What was originally a six-issue printed epic has been elegantly condensed, whilst retaining much of its charm and exuberance. Most importantly, it distils the positivity and hope for the future that defined the 1960’s and the Silver Age.
2. DC Showcase: Animated Shorts Collection (2010)
Variety is the spice of life, they say. This collection undoubtedly supports that tenet.
Warner Premiere and DC Comics experimented with giving exposure to certain lesser known DC characters by producing short animated bonus segments, added to a string of releases including Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010). Quite sensibly, they subsequently released this collected edition.
The main feature, running at 22 minutes, is Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam. This is a muscular, energetic retelling of the origin of Captain Marvel, with much added value provided by the voice-acting talent of James Garner as the wizard, Shazam. This is followed by a fast and furious display of the martial talents of Green Arrow interrupting a kidnapping and battling with arch-nemesis, Merlyn, played with verve and vigour by Malcolm McDowell. The Spectre’s chapter, starring Gary Cole as hard-boiled detective Jim Corrigan, is an exceedingly cool homage to the pulp detective movies of the 1970’s, combined with the supernatural menace of a darkly imaginative spirit of vengeance. The Jonah Hex short is also superbly rendered. Thomas Jane is perfect for the role in this brutal, mature western.
It makes for the perfect Saturday morning, with a big bowl of rice-crispies whilst outside, the gale force winds blow unheeded.
1. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts I and II (2012/13)
Contentious is a word commonly used in reference to adaptations of beloved comic book stories. This particularly film, split between two DVD releases, takes on perhaps the most beloved Batman epic of modern times:Â Frank Miller and Klaus Janson’s The Dark Knight Returns.
The greatest weakness of previous reworkings from printed page to small-screen has been the toll taken by cutting content, in order to achieve a commercially viable running time. So, producing a two-part release was the only way to accommodate this classic.
This is a great animated film. It faithfully recreates Miller’s vision of a twisted version of the 1980’s and his overriding Cold War theme that’s this tale’s backbone. Whilst there are storytelling amendments to suit the medium and a compression of certain elements, it’s a lively and engaging ride, that’s not lacking depth. This is still a package that can satisfy devotees and first-timers alike.
So, there you have it chums, my top six from seventeen. And there’s more to come: Justice League: War, Son of Batman and Batman: Assault on Arkham have each been announced as forthcoming. Yes, DVD sales are dropping but that’s an issue of medium, not content. The overall trend of DCU Animated films is gradual improvement. I hope it continues.
What are your favourite DCU animated films?
