http://news.toonzone.net/articles/30721 ... er-24-2009
It's just a re-release of the 1996-2000 animated series starring Tim Daly as the title character. This is the Dini/Timm series, not the recently announced 1988 Ruby Spears show.
Seven-disc set with bonuses that weren't on the original releases.
Great for those who don't have the original 3-set releases but basically a retread for everybody else who already has the show on DVD.
So far, the year's been a bust for animation on home video. So many re-releases but hardly anything new or noteworthy.
Superman
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Yeah, it may be hard to make a Best of 2009 list for the year, aside from the G.I. Joe and Transformers sets (not my thing, but exciting for fans). Not even a Looney Tunes or Disney Treasures set of note! (Zorro is great, but not animated.)
I did spring for the Batman Complete Series set, but don't know if I'll bother for this one. It's my least favorite Timmverse show. In fact, it was just two nights ago that I finally finished watching the third volume... you know, where they leave off with Superman feared by Earthlings. Yeah, good way to end the show.
I did spring for the Batman Complete Series set, but don't know if I'll bother for this one. It's my least favorite Timmverse show. In fact, it was just two nights ago that I finally finished watching the third volume... you know, where they leave off with Superman feared by Earthlings. Yeah, good way to end the show.
I don't know...
I liked Superman better than Batman Beyond, and certainly better than Legion of Super-Heroes or The Batman. The Batman was beyond the pale awful!
As for Transformers and GI Joe, they never made an effort to disguise the fact those shows are just TV commercials for toys. There's been considerably better writing for both properties in comics but again the shows themselves aren't really that great. The animation and drawing are creaky as heck and the writing is on the level for retarded children to be honest. They are not what I would call anything like the top 20 best of the 1980s, period. The quality of animation and writing for TV has improved considerably since the worst of the 1980s -- not that most of what was on air in the 1960s and 1970s was great, either.
GI Joe and TF really should be better known as showcases for classic voice talent and the proving grounds for some of today's top animation artists and producers. GI Joe was actually among Bruce Timm's earliest work.
I liked Superman better than Batman Beyond, and certainly better than Legion of Super-Heroes or The Batman. The Batman was beyond the pale awful!
As for Transformers and GI Joe, they never made an effort to disguise the fact those shows are just TV commercials for toys. There's been considerably better writing for both properties in comics but again the shows themselves aren't really that great. The animation and drawing are creaky as heck and the writing is on the level for retarded children to be honest. They are not what I would call anything like the top 20 best of the 1980s, period. The quality of animation and writing for TV has improved considerably since the worst of the 1980s -- not that most of what was on air in the 1960s and 1970s was great, either.
GI Joe and TF really should be better known as showcases for classic voice talent and the proving grounds for some of today's top animation artists and producers. GI Joe was actually among Bruce Timm's earliest work.
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Well, I wouldn't include The Batman as a Timmverse show. I didn't mind the last couple seasons of that one, though. I liked the first and third seasons of Batman Beyond, but haven't watched the second season--- a season that I'm told was not as good.
I dunno... Timm's Superman just didn't really grab me. Some episodes were pretty good, sure; but overall I find the show to be a bit of a miss.
I dunno... Timm's Superman just didn't really grab me. Some episodes were pretty good, sure; but overall I find the show to be a bit of a miss.
Ah c'mon!
The show wasn't that bad!
The episodes it ended on were among the best Superman stories told in the last 20 years!!
Blame Batman: The Animated series and the show's writers for how Superman ended.
It takes a positive-minded person to write a character like Superman or Captain Marvel. Most writers today are too cynical to handle Superman on a consistent basis... that's why a lot of them find Batman easier to write!
It took them a while to get consistent quality out of the show and frankly it's obvious the bulk of the writers were more comfortable writing Batman!
Also, when Batman restarted production in 1996 for the 1997-1999 series Superman lost out in the number of episodes produced. I recall hearing Superman: TAS was supposed to run closer to 65-70 episodes but that the order got slightly cut in favor of doing new Batman episodes.
At any rate, Superman suffered for more Batman.
Still, that animated Superman series puts all the live-action Superman TV series and films to shame... in addition to the previous Superman animated series. They still nailed the character for the most part. It just seems to pay off more to play Superman off of other characters rather than do episodes centered around him all the time. My favorite Superman episodes were definitely the Kirby Fourth World episodes followed by the team-ups with Supergirl, Batman, Green Lantern, and The Flash.
The show wasn't that bad!
The episodes it ended on were among the best Superman stories told in the last 20 years!!
Blame Batman: The Animated series and the show's writers for how Superman ended.
It takes a positive-minded person to write a character like Superman or Captain Marvel. Most writers today are too cynical to handle Superman on a consistent basis... that's why a lot of them find Batman easier to write!
It took them a while to get consistent quality out of the show and frankly it's obvious the bulk of the writers were more comfortable writing Batman!
Also, when Batman restarted production in 1996 for the 1997-1999 series Superman lost out in the number of episodes produced. I recall hearing Superman: TAS was supposed to run closer to 65-70 episodes but that the order got slightly cut in favor of doing new Batman episodes.
At any rate, Superman suffered for more Batman.
Still, that animated Superman series puts all the live-action Superman TV series and films to shame... in addition to the previous Superman animated series. They still nailed the character for the most part. It just seems to pay off more to play Superman off of other characters rather than do episodes centered around him all the time. My favorite Superman episodes were definitely the Kirby Fourth World episodes followed by the team-ups with Supergirl, Batman, Green Lantern, and The Flash.
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I didn't say it was a bad show. I just didn't care for it, with a number of exceptions. They got a lot right for sure, but it seemed kind of flat. For every great episode, I felt like I had to sit through a few mediocre ones. The writing seemed simplistic a lot of the time, and I never cared for some of the character designs.
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Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali finally gets reprinted!
One of the classic crossover team-up comics finally gets reprinted for the first time in over 30 years!
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=24172
Numerous rights issues plagued the comic since it features tons of celebrity likenesses. I'm guessing DC paid off a lot of celebrity estates to finally clear the road for the reprint.
The link details two hardcover editions -- sort of like the recent Rocketeer HC collections released by IDW.
The deluxe will be closer to a "regular" HC size and have lots of sketches and development art by Neal Adams in addition to a new cover.
The Treasury Edition HC reprints the story at full size (think Life Magazine and you'll get an idea how big this is!).
Pricing has not been set yet but I'd be surprised if either edition streets for much less than $40...
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=24172
Numerous rights issues plagued the comic since it features tons of celebrity likenesses. I'm guessing DC paid off a lot of celebrity estates to finally clear the road for the reprint.
The link details two hardcover editions -- sort of like the recent Rocketeer HC collections released by IDW.
The deluxe will be closer to a "regular" HC size and have lots of sketches and development art by Neal Adams in addition to a new cover.
The Treasury Edition HC reprints the story at full size (think Life Magazine and you'll get an idea how big this is!).
Pricing has not been set yet but I'd be surprised if either edition streets for much less than $40...
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I'm definitely in for this one. I have a number of the old DC Treasury comics (including Supes/Shazam and Supes/Wonder Woman), and all the Marvel/DC crossovers, but I've never picked this one up. If I read things right, the larger edition will have a lower page count. If so, I'll likely go for the smaller but fuller volume.
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They didn't fight on Earth, Eddie.
That would have been against Superman's ethos!
They fought on a planet that counteracted Superman's power (Red Sun neutralizes his superpowers) where the odds were more evenly matched. In other words, Ali was going to cream anybody outside of Joe Frasier or George Foreman on that planet!
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I honestly haven't read this story -- don't have the money to buy the original copy and DON'T want to spend that kind of money on the magazine, either -- but my understanding is that is how the plot unfolded.
There's a 1950s or 1960s Superman comic where he also fought Luthor under similar circumstances.
That planet's red sun gave Luthor an even chance of beating Superman without resorting to hi-tech or Kryptonite.
Just goes to show you that every plot has been used 3-4 times by now in comics. Nothing new left to show! Just new art and spiffed-up scripts sometimes.
That would have been against Superman's ethos!
They fought on a planet that counteracted Superman's power (Red Sun neutralizes his superpowers) where the odds were more evenly matched. In other words, Ali was going to cream anybody outside of Joe Frasier or George Foreman on that planet!
********
I honestly haven't read this story -- don't have the money to buy the original copy and DON'T want to spend that kind of money on the magazine, either -- but my understanding is that is how the plot unfolded.
There's a 1950s or 1960s Superman comic where he also fought Luthor under similar circumstances.
That planet's red sun gave Luthor an even chance of beating Superman without resorting to hi-tech or Kryptonite.
Just goes to show you that every plot has been used 3-4 times by now in comics. Nothing new left to show! Just new art and spiffed-up scripts sometimes.
SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI: The Return!
Solicitations for DC Comics and Marvel are out today... Haven't looked at Marvel yet, but I see TWO DC hardcover reprints that are interesting.
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/DC-June ... 00319.html
First off, the long-awaited Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali comic book reprint!
Ali was the top heavyweight fighter of the 1970s and arguably one of the five most iconic boxers of the 20th Century. That's why he was drawn in a comic with Superman.
There are two way to buy the Superman/Ali reprint -- full-size facsimile (80 pages, no extras that I can see) for $40, or deluxe standard-size HC for $20. The deluxe edition comes with the extras. I can see people springing for full-size just to have the facsimile (as close-as-possible to the newsstand original magazine size) but I'm not that much of a purist myself. I'll settle for the lower-price edition with the goodies!
The other neat hardcover is another DC Comics Classics Library edition. It's volume two of the Batman Annuals. This features work from the Sprang/Moldoff era of Batman -- you know, when the character was still fun and far from being the ultra-tortured jerk he was turned into after 1986...
Besides this, there are tons of statues tying into the DC Online game/MMORPG and Batman Beyond becomes the latest casualty of DC Comics adaptations from animation... Move over Harley, here comes another character that's going to be misused and abused for a few years before the editors give up on him!
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/DC-June ... 00319.html
First off, the long-awaited Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali comic book reprint!
Ali was the top heavyweight fighter of the 1970s and arguably one of the five most iconic boxers of the 20th Century. That's why he was drawn in a comic with Superman.
There are two way to buy the Superman/Ali reprint -- full-size facsimile (80 pages, no extras that I can see) for $40, or deluxe standard-size HC for $20. The deluxe edition comes with the extras. I can see people springing for full-size just to have the facsimile (as close-as-possible to the newsstand original magazine size) but I'm not that much of a purist myself. I'll settle for the lower-price edition with the goodies!
The other neat hardcover is another DC Comics Classics Library edition. It's volume two of the Batman Annuals. This features work from the Sprang/Moldoff era of Batman -- you know, when the character was still fun and far from being the ultra-tortured jerk he was turned into after 1986...
Besides this, there are tons of statues tying into the DC Online game/MMORPG and Batman Beyond becomes the latest casualty of DC Comics adaptations from animation... Move over Harley, here comes another character that's going to be misused and abused for a few years before the editors give up on him!
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I'm leaning towards the cheaper Ali book, mostly to get the extras. I love Adams' work. (Just finished his 3 Batman hardcovers.) But, the full-size one is tempting.
I'm actually looking forward to the 2 Batman Beyond comics (including Paul Levitz's Superman-Batman Annual). As usual, though, I'll wait for the hardcover compilation. I haven't picked up the first Batman Annuals HC, so I can resist the 2nd. I'm more keen to try out JMS's Brave and the Bold HC; I hear he's doing good things on that book.
Additional DC HC's coming that I want: Creeper by Ditko, Newsboy Legion by Simon and Kirby, and the classic Superboy HC. All are long-awaited by me.
I'm actually looking forward to the 2 Batman Beyond comics (including Paul Levitz's Superman-Batman Annual). As usual, though, I'll wait for the hardcover compilation. I haven't picked up the first Batman Annuals HC, so I can resist the 2nd. I'm more keen to try out JMS's Brave and the Bold HC; I hear he's doing good things on that book.
Additional DC HC's coming that I want: Creeper by Ditko, Newsboy Legion by Simon and Kirby, and the classic Superboy HC. All are long-awaited by me.
Re: SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI: The Return!
I'll probably get some of the Simon & Kirby stuff myself.
Huge, huge fan of Captain America (I've got the original 2-volume reprint of their run) and the sense of fun they brought to their comics. That is sorely missing from most comics today.
Ideally, I'd like to have the Sandman book that was published with their stories, too.
Not so much a huge fan of what's going on with Marvel and DC right now.
Wish I could say I was a fan of JMS, but I'm not. Babylon 5 left me feeling cold and I just haven't cared for what he did with Spider-Man and Thor, too.
Huge, huge fan of Captain America (I've got the original 2-volume reprint of their run) and the sense of fun they brought to their comics. That is sorely missing from most comics today.
Ideally, I'd like to have the Sandman book that was published with their stories, too.
Not so much a huge fan of what's going on with Marvel and DC right now.
Wish I could say I was a fan of JMS, but I'm not. Babylon 5 left me feeling cold and I just haven't cared for what he did with Spider-Man and Thor, too.