DC Comics as finally hit its stride in terms of animated films based on their superheroes. Marvel tried to do it a few years back, but the results were generally a little less than stellar. But DC started raising the bar when they released “Superman: Doomsday” in 2007. The idea was to begin to create PG-13 animated films based on some of the better graphic novels and it has really paid off. DC is now reaching a wider audience and sales of these films have been outstanding. There are now nine of these films, and each one just gets better than the last. I was actually quite shocked to see the recent release of “Batman: Under the Hood”, which was based on one of the more violent graphic novels I’ve seen. It was edited quite a bit from the original materials, but it was still masterfully interpreted.

This month, we see the release of “Superman/Batman Apocalypse”, which introduces viewers to Kara… otherwise known as Supergirl. But Earth is not the only planet that wants to welcome her; it seems that the evil Darkseid has set his sights on adding the girl of steel to his mighty army. And it’s up to Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman to keep her safe.

“Superman/Batman Apocalypse” is epic to say the least. The storyline and ensuing battles, along with the superlative animation provide an incredibly entertaining, if not dark superhero tale. From the simplicity of Kara’s learning to be an Earth girl, to the final showdown with Darkseid every moment of the film’s 78 minute run kept my rapt attention. Even at the brisk pace, it almost seemed like it were longer (and I wish it was…)

As par the course, the voice actors were terrific. Over the course of the films, there have been different Batmans and Supermans, and all have brought something new to the table, but I was thrilled to see that they brought back fan favorites Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Tim Daly (Superman). Theirs are the voices I feel the most at home with and they were perfect for this particular story. Andre Braugher was brought on board to voice Darkseid and I loved the subtle strength he was able to deliver. Summer Glau (“Firefly”) stepped in as Kara and she did an awesome job as well.

Watching these animated films on Bluray has been a treat. The transfers have been, and continue to be, exceptional. Colors and images are sharp and crystal clear, while the sound mix is perfect.

Warner’s Bluray edition includes the third edition of DC Showcase, which features different DC characters in short animated films. In the past we’ve had The Spectre and Jonah Hex, while this time around we have Green Lantern (a personal favorite character). The story is short, poignant and worth its own release.

Extra features include a featurette on Darkseid, as well as profiles on ‘New Gods’ Orion and Mr. Miracle. There is also a sneak peak of the next animated feature “All-Star Superman”, which shows promise of being as equally good as what has come before. Additionally, there is a feature on Supergirl and 4 bonus cartoons that featured Darkseid.

Finally, there is a Digital Download of the film and finally… it is compatible with iTunes. None of the previous downloads have been compatible with the exception of Wonder Woman. I’m an iPod and iPhone guy and it has driven me crazy that I couldn’t put them on either to watch. And to make matters worse, the Digital Downloads that were available (but still not for iTunes) always gave me issues when I tried to download. So kudos to Warner for finally getting in the game as far as downloads go. Let’s keep it that way.

The DC Universe Animated Movies has added another gem to its collection. Make sure you add it to yours.

Directed by: Lauren Montgomery
Starring (the voices of:) Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy, Andre Braugher, Summer Glau
Extras: DC Showcase: Green Arrow; The Fourth World – New Gods; The New Gods; Sneak Peek – All Star Superman; Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton; 4 Bonus Cartoons featuring Darkseid
Specification: Widescreen 1080p (1.78:1); Dolby Digital 5.1
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 9/28/2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13
http://www.warnerblu.com

We'll give Superman/Batman Apocalypse (Bluray) a B.