When I first heard about Green Lantern: First Flight months ago, I've been anxiously looking forward to its release in home video and Blu-Ray. Being a fan of the DC Universe Animated films, I've found their string of movies to be exceptional, with every project improving for the better and showcasing some of the best artwork ever to grace an animated feature. Keeping up with the latest updates, I finally found out that First Flight is due by the last week of this month, but at the same time, another revelation came up that shows how DC Universe Animated seems to be pulling all the stops and releasing more action packed mayhem one after the other intentionally! Another highly anticipated film, which has been teased in the past few months during the build up of the GL movie, finally gets a release date, as Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies has been officially announced for September 29, 2009!
Does the title seem familiar to any of you? If you're a comic fan, then it definitely should be. "Public Enemies" is based on the storyline of the same name, also known as "World's Finest", that birthed the Superman/ Batman comic book series in the first place, taking place in the first six issues of the book. Originally written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Ed McGuiness, the story places Superman and Batman on the world's most wanted list, branded as fugitives by Lex Luthor, who happens to be President Of The United States. The trouble stems from a Kryptonite asteroid making its way to earth, with Luthor framing Superman and placing a $1 billion bounty at the same time. The heroes are thus chased by every superbeing imaginable, which include allies and villains, and the two have no choice but to evade and outwit these obstacles in order to stop Luthor's schemes and clear their names once and for all.
I remember picking up this storyline in 2003, and it was during a time of renewed interest for Superman and Batman, especially with the latter when Jeph Loeb did his seminal run on Batman with the Hush storyline alongside artist extraordinaire, Jim Lee. Loeb's writing on Supes/ Bats actually reminded me of his work on Hush, which I enjoyed to a certain extent for being a simple storyline to follow even if the ending was kind of diappointing. Here, he takes advatage of his constant use of "thought bubbles" to play around with the sometimes complicated relationship between The Man Of Steel and The Dark Knight. Each hero has known the other for a long time, and Loeb uses that chemistry by showing how they regard and think of one another, regardless if it's positive or negative. Add dramatic retellings of their origins and upbringings that establishes the obvious differences between the two, and you have a book that works out as the "Odd Couple" wearing superhero spandex, and that is what it always was intended to be. The artwork by Ed McGuiness only adds a cartoony yet welcomed energetic element to everything, and that's why this book came out great back in the day. It's the type of artsyle that reminds me of the Justice League animated series, and I find it quite ironic that it now gets the animation treatment to which it was compared to in the first place. Fitting.
With a few months to go before the release of this hot movie, Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies is a good read to prepare for those looking for good comic book hero action. It's the kind of story that shows the heroes in a bind, yet even in the face of danger they manage to overcome all odds, and ultimately come out triumphant in the end. Overall, it's a solid hardcover/ graphic novel worrth purchasing if you come across it in your regular bookstore. However, if you're patient and willing enough, the very same book will be packaged with the special edition of the Public Enemies animated movie, so there's your collector's item set there. Also adding to the sweetness of watching this movie is that Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Clancy Brown reprise their roles as the voices of Batman, Superman, and Lex Luthor, respectively! With this to look forward to and with Bruce Timm producing, this may be the finest DC animated movie yet. If you're a fan of Superman and Batman, then this is one film you won't want to miss out on. Count on it. - Timster
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