Listen up, DC Comic’s most recent animation feature, Superman vs the Elite is being released on both Bluray and DVD today.
This animated feature is based on Action Comics issue 775, “What’s so funny about Truth, Justice and the American Way?” which was written by Joe Kelly. For those who are unfamiliar with the work the story can be summed up really easily if you know how Supes works; Similar to Batman he simply will not kill another person. This takes a great amount of self control seen that this is Superman and the majority of mortals on Earth are basically putty in his hands.
Anyway Superman comes under heavy criticism when the villains that he encounters are not killed but instead are locked up in what are supposedly maximum security facilities (yet they always escape, how does that happen?) and to remain their to serve out the remainder of their days. In Superman VS The Elite they focus on a lesser known super villian; Atomic Skull. Atomic Skull is a villain who has always had a troubled but brilliant life yet only to have an issue so severe that it lead him to become the person we see battling Superman and I actually loved it as this is one of the few exceptional villains that can go toe-to-toe with the “Man of Steel”.
Superman and Atomic Skull battle, cause some damage to the city and eventually Skulls is captured and detailed. This prompts a UN World hearing that places Superman in the spotlight, criticizing him on why he does not kill super villains. Of course Big Blue informs them that all live is good regardless of who it is and basically tells them that he won’t kill another person. Shortly afterward we are introduced to the opposite of the feature, the Elite; Manchester Black, Menagerie, Hat and Cold Cast. The Elite believe in that if you’re a bad guy then you deserve everything that you get coming to you, they have no rules and everyone is fair game, which of course is everything that Superman is against.
Superman VS The Elite is all about views, whose view is right and who’s is morally incorrect. One end of the spectrum is Superman and the other is The Elite. Each side holds valid points but what happens when the means to an end get out of hand? When views become distorted how can they be put correct?
I definitely recommend that if your a fan of Superman or animation in general that you give Superman vs The Elite a buy. While the animation is not up to par with DC Comic’s previous animation features (Batman / Superman: Public Enemies, Justice League: Doom) it more than makes up for it with it’s engaging storyline and it’s conflict with morals that is so abundant in our lives today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xo1HnuovilE