 DVD Review: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
By Craig Byrne - KryptonSite Webmaster
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is based on the first story arc of DC's Superman/Batman comic book by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. It takes place at a time in comic book continuity where Lex Luthor has recently become President of the United States and has decided that the only way to make himself appear to be a hero is to make Superman an enemy of the state.
For Smallville fans, this is a treat for numerous reasons. Jeph Loeb - who wrote the story that inspired the film - wrote some of Smallville's best early episodes, including "Red" and "Insurgence" back in Season 2. The villain Metallo, seen in Smallville's October 2 episode, is featured. And that blond superheroine that interacts with Clark, Lex, and Batman? That would be Power Girl, voiced by Smallville's Chloe, Allison Mack.
Visually, the producers and the folks at Warner Premiere have done an excellent job of bringing the comic to life. It's been a while since I read the original story, but so much of what I did remember made it all the way through the process. We might not see the entire "Superman family" or "Batman family" as we did in those books - but considering we see the likes of Black Lightning, Power Girl, Captain Atom, Hawkman, Katana, and even Captain Marvel, I'm willing to overlook that. (As an aside - is this the first time we saw Black Lightning animated as Black Lightning? Back in the Superfriends days he was replaced by "Black Vulcan...") The art style is also a good mixture between Ed McGuinness's original artwork and the animation style used in the recent Green Lantern and Wonder Woman features.
Story-wise, the feature is a lot stronger than the recent Green Lantern movie. The dialogue is sharp and the voice talent is sharper. Conroy, Daly, and Brown are, in my mind, the only "real" voices of Batman, Superman, and Lex - any imitations have just distracted me. It's nice to hear voice director Andrea Romano commenting in one of the bonus features that she'd cast Kevin Conroy every time if she could, because he is how Batman should sound.
Supporting characters are, as previously noted, played by great actors as well. Allison Mack here is voicing one of her most "adult" voice roles to date. Even though Power Girl has her own vulnerability, she can stand up for herself. Just like when we'd hear Michael Rosenbaum on Justice League, it was also fun to hear how she'd interact with the animated versions of characters we see on Smallville. It's SO weird to hear Allison say "Lu-thor" as they do in the cartoons.
It seems as though a lot of time, love, and effort was put into adapting this to animation. Even the opening credits are a top-notch affair, evoking a look reminiscent of a 1960's feature film.
While there is a bit of violence and some minor language getting this a PG-13, it's still something older kids will especially enjoy. Adult fans of the comics will find little to dislike in this too.
Extra features include a "dinner sit-down" with many of the creative folks behind the movie as well as Kevin Conroy, as they talk with him about many things dating back to Batman: The Animated Series. There's a history of Superman/Batman comic book team-ups also within, and there's a "sneak peek" of the next DCU animated feature, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, which looks to be really good, although (boo!) they're not using Conroy, Daly, or Brown for the voices.
One thing that I realized while watching this story is how much the "President Lex" storyline has been appropriated by Marvel Comics for their "Dark Reign" storyline, in which Norman Osborn is at a high level of power and using his own gang of "heroes" to beat the good guys into submission. I guess it worked so well the first time, the competition had to take it.
Either way you send up seeing it, this feature is highly recommended. It's a great way to see how Superman, Batman, and others are presented in the comics, or at least as they were six years ago. Check it out! DVD - Blu-ray - On Demand - Read the original graphic novel!
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Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Warner Premiere
Available September 29, 2009
Featuring the voices of Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Clancy Brown, Allison Mack, and CCH Pounder
2 discs
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