Superman: The Complete Animated Series Blu-Ray review

October 26, 2021 Jeffrey Lyles 0 Comments Batman, Clancy Brown, Dana Delany, Michael Ironside, Superman, Superman The Animated Series, Tim Daly

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-Ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

Following the breakthrough success of Batman: The Animated Series, it was just a matter of time before DC’s other main icon got his own show. Like its predecessor, Superman: The Animated Series was an instant hit with its take on the Man of Steel.

Packed with the same level of quality storytelling, a distinct art style and excellent voice cast headlined by Tim Daly, Dana Delany and Clancy Brown, Superman’s series reflected a lighter, more hopeful take on the Last Son of Krypton.

This didn’t mean the series didn’t have its share of action with foes ranging from Lex Luthor, Braniac, Toyman, Bizarro, Parasite, Livewire and Darkseid. And in seemingly every instance, voice director Andrea Romano had the ideal actor for the characters.

For fans of Superman and the greater DC, the series further teased a larger connected animated universe. Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe began making blockbuster records, Superman incorporated more characters from the DC beyond the Batman and Superman family umbrellas.

Characters like Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate and Lobo had fans hyped about a series where all the main heroes could be united.

Superman probably could have lasted longer than four years, but the enthusiasm for a Justice League series won out.

After years of waiting and making due with DVD copies, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released the full series on Blu-Ray. Spread across six discs, all 54 episodes are included.

The bouncy and smooth animation style has never looked better and the colors boast a vibrancy that fully takes advantage of Superman’s brighter color palette.

This set also includes a generous amount of bonus content including an original new feature.

Special Features

Superman: The Complete Animated Series – Enhanced Content

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.