Superman vs The Elite
A Review By: BLACK SUPERMAN
Foreword: Wondercon was awesome. For anyone who has never attended a comic book convention, if you are a comic book lover, it is a must that you attend one. There are many exclusives and previews which make the cost, very much so, worthwhile. One of the Wondercon exclusives was a screening of the new DCU animated feature, Superman vs The Elite. What follows is an, almost, spoiler-free review.
Have you ever wondered if, perhaps, you were a bit out of touch? You notice that what you think matters no longer matters to the people around you even though, at one time, they seemed to share common goals and ideals? Or have you, perhaps, found yourself at odds with people who, at one time, had your back, while you cannot remember the moment when you went from friends- or they from fans- to rivals? This is the plight of our favorite “big blue boyscout” in the newest DCU animated movie, Superman vs. The Elite.
Based on the classic Superman #775, “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?”, Superman vs. The Elite is an exploration of the very core ideals of Superman. In it, we get to explore, not only what values make us believe in Superman, but also, we get to see a glimpse of the hero, or anti-hero, so many of us clamor to see him become.
The story is simple enough, Superman must stop a villain he has put in prison multiple times, but, after the countless break-outs and after so many lives have been lost to this monster, the people begin to turn on Superman, thinking his old-fashioned values are too dated for the violent times they live in. Enter The Elite, a group of super-powered vigilantes who have no problem with flexing their muscles, causing collateral damage, or taking a life to get the job done. This puts them, almost, instantly at odds with the ever moral Superman. The problem for him, however, is that the public is on The Elite’s side, having come to the conclusion that their approach- declaring themselves judge, jury, and executioner- is the solution to the ever worsening supervillain problem. Superman begins to question whether the world, as it is, can ever be the place he envisions it to be- a place where good overcomes evil and fear- or if, perhaps, the world truly has passed him by, and he is living a fantasy.
Written by Joe Kelly, and starring George Newbern as Superman, Pauley Perrette as Lois Lane, and Robin Atkin Downes as Manchester Black, Superman vs The Elite almost flawlessly tells the tale of a Superman in turmoil as the world which once believed in him completely seems to have left him behind in favor of a new kind of hero, whose respect for life borders on being as low as the villains they execute. We get a glimpse into the mind of Superman and get to see, and hear, how he views the world and why he refuses to cross the line of taking lives- of virtually taking the law into his own hands. Just as important, I believe, however, is that we get a glimpse of the man- not just the Superman- as he evaluates the world around him and the values he holds most dear; and we get to see his fears for the world and even a glimpse of his own self-doubt, as he wonders if he is still the Superman the world needs. And the best part… spoiler alert… we get a glimpse of what the anti-hero Superman might be like if he were to push those boundaries, and in my opinion, he was both cool and unsettling.
There is a reason Superman holds himself in check: a Superman who is willing to win at all costs is more dangerous than the villains he battles. Also, it is hard to trust a hero you fear. And that is the crux of who Superman is, he is the one man in the DC universe that, good or evil, everyone trusts.
Superman vs The Elite, in my opinion, is one of the best animated movies ever created. It is well-written and brilliantly voiced. While the art, to me, is a bit elementary, the script and action immediately pull you in and you become engrossed in one man’s battle to hold on to what he believes in against a world that thinks he is deluded. Watching this movie made me, an avid Superman fan, incredibly happy. Everything I love about this character is in full display here, and I believe this movie will garner him new fans, as even the most die-hard Superman haters came away from the screening confessing to a new respect for Big Blue. Buy this DVD, you’ll be glad you did.