When I was first really getting into comic books as a kid, one of the big things DC had going on at the time was Reign of the Supermen, a story that spanned multiple titles and featured four possible replacements for Superman following his demise at the hands of Doomsday. And now that it’s being adapted as an animated movie, you’d better believe that I’ll be checking it out for the sake of nostalgia alone.
Similar to its literary counterpart, the flick will pick up shortly after the events seen in the recently released The Death of Superman, effectively making the tale a two-parter of sorts. Actually, the last time WB Animation did such a thing was when they put out Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, so trust me when I say we’ll be in for a real treat if this bad boy proves to be even half as good.
Of course, it makes sense that a ripple effect be felt throughout the DC Universe when Big Blue bites the dust. As such, we should all expect to see more of his key supporting characters and Justice League cohorts. And as luck would have it, character designer Phil Bourassa was generous enough to share some Yuletide gifts in the form of three new images taken from the film on his Instagram page.
Seen in the gallery below are up-close looks at the Flash, Wonder Woman and Lois Lane. Voiced by Christopher Gorham, Rosario Dawson and Rebecca Romijn, respectively, each will no doubt give us insight into how the world is reacting to the loss of the Man of Steel – and how it’ll respond to his inevitable return.
For more of what to anticipate from the Blu-ray release, be sure to check out this full rundown of its special features:
Lex Luthor: The Greatest Nemesis (Featurette) – Evil Genius. Archenemy of Superman. Misunderstood hero? This documentary will look at one of the most renowned villains in literature and debate his ethics and motivations throughout his publication history and as the calculated anti-hero of Reign of the Supermen. We’ll also explore how Lex Luthor is emblematic of technology without limit, often demonstrating what effect unbridled power, resources, and influence can have on humanity. We’ll discuss the affinity for storytellers to associate Lex Luthor and with the field of science as they challenge our morals and integrity with real world issues such as cloning and what can happen if science fiction became science reality.
-A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Justice League vs. The Fatal Five – An entertaining, insightful exciting look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.
-From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “Heavy Metal”
-From the DC Vault: Justice League Unlimited, “Panic in the Sky”
Reign of the Supermen arrives on Blu-ray on January 29th, 2019.