The DC Animated Universe Thread (The Timmverse & Beyond)

Update about the upcoming Legion Of Super-Heroes series.

During a panel at the recent San Diego Comic Con, "Legion of Super Heroes" cartoon story editor Rob Hoegee revealed that the how and why of young Superman finding his way to the future to join the LSH would be dealt with early in the show's first season. Here are some quotes from Rob during the Comic Con panel...
"The Legion of Super-Heroes are a relatively new organization and they get in a little over their heads with an organization that calls themselves the Fatal Five. They decide they need some help in a big way, so Brainiac-5 decides, 'Hey, let's just go back in time and get the greatest super-hero ever.' Only they don't end up in Metropolis Justice League-era. They get there a little too soon and find Clark Kent, who is certainly aware of his power but now quite yet of his grand destiny."

"So, after convincing him, 'Pop in the time bubble and we'll bring you back in the past at the exact same moment you left,' he decides, 'Yeah, I think I will go. I think there's something else in this life for me and I want to find out about it.' And he goes to the future."

"It's a nice little synergy between this up-and-coming hero, who's certainly going to leave his mark on the universe, and a group of ideological kids who essentially have looked up to this person all of their lives."

"Legion of Super Heroes" will debut on September 23rd on the new CW Network.

So it definately seems that it will tie into the Timmverse, taking place not long after Clark has left home and started going to Metropolis University.

 

Yeah. Good points all around, sinister. Knowing how the Timmverse operated, I bet it would've been epic and awesome, myself, if done right.

 

They would've done it right, but they were going to base it on the older Pre-Crisis stories. With all the bells & whistles. The way the Justice Guild was portrayed was how those stories were done for the JSA and the JLA. The most recent title and the new relaunch, is more like the modern day comics.

 

It's official, my Timmverse fandome is genetic and has been passed on to my three-year-old. We went to Build-a-Bear the other day and she picked out a dog, bought him a Superman T-shirt to wear, and named him Krypto Scrypto. I guess that makes her a fan too.

 

It was confirmed at Wizard World this past weekend that the reason why these new films aren't going to be drawn in the Timm style, is because Bruce Timm wanted to do something new. He's been doing this style for 17 years and felt it was time for a change. As well as to take a bit of a break, since he's been working almost non-stop. That doesn't mean that we won't ever see this style again, but for the moment, it's done.

 

Superman Homepage has a bit more about the Doomsday DVD

September 26, 2006: ?Superman: Doomsday? DVD Coming September 2007

A few months ago Warner Bros. announced that they had launched a new Direct-to-DVD Animation division that would be producing two Superman related projects in 2007.
The Superman Homepage has the following details regarding these two animated features...

Superman: Doomsday

In an epic tale of sacrifice, Superman battles an intergalactic serial killer in a superpowered Armageddon - "Superman: Doomsday".

After Superman makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Metropolis by giving his life to defeat the foe, those who loved him the most mourn their fallen hero and friend. But a world without Superman proves to be short-lived when the Man of Steel mysteriously returns. Or does he?

Based on the best-selling graphic novel of all time, The Death of Superman.

Director: Duane Capizzi
Producer: Bruce Timm

Release Date: Sep 2007

Justice League: New Frontier

Live the intense tale of the founding of the greatest band of superheroes ever - "Justice League: New Frontier".

In this origin epic, a virtual who's who of superheroes featuring not only Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, but also Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Flash, these very different heroes must overcome their fear and suspicion of one another to forge an alliance against a creature so formidable that it will take all of their powers combined to prevail!

Inspired by the best-selling graphic novel and produced by the multiple Emmy-winning animation legend Bruce Timm ("Batman: The Animated Series").

Writer: Stan Berkowitz

Release Date: Fall 2007

We'll bring you more details as they become available.

 

I am so excited about these. But September 2007 is so far away from here.

 

An animated doomsday film sounds fantastic! Very long wait though...

 

So, the new thing Timm is doing is translating storylines from the comic into animated features right? Any idea which story the Justice League movie is about?

 

My question is if the films will be in the Timm/Dini style we've all gotten used to with Batman TAS, and Justice League? That would be great for Doomsday as I'd love to have it fit into DCAU continuity. But I think the New Frontier has such a unique look and style that I hope they translate it almost perfectly into animated form.

 

I think the only one Timm is going to have direction over is the Superman one. But yes they are taking some of the classic stories and making direct to DVD movies like Marvel has been doing recently. Justice League: New Frontier is being done by Darwyn Cooke who also did the comic. It was billed as a telling of DC's silver age in real time. GL and MM are the real focus though.

From what little there is out there I don't think that even the Superman one is going to be in the exact same style. Timm is supposedly going to try some new things. I'd imagine some of his style would show through but it won't be exactly what we were used to on the other shows.

Like I said Cooke is doing the art direction on New Frontier so while it might not be an exact copy of his style in the book I think its going to capture the spirit of the artwork on the book. Simalarly I imagine that Judas contract won't just look like the titans animated series but will follow Perez's style.

 

None of these films will be in Timm's style from the previous ventures. They're all based on the animation of the original artists involved and they do not reflect the continuity of what has come before.

-The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is based on George Perez's artistic style from 1982-84. The story is being adapated by Marv Wolfman himself, who wrote the comic series at the time.

-New Frontier is based on the comic series by Darwyn Cooke. It was Cooke's tribute to the dawn of the Silver Age. The animation is based on his designs.

-The Death & Return Of Superman is based on the trilogy of stories from 1992-93; by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kessel, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazelwood, Brett Breeding, Art Thibert, Jackson Guice, Dennis Rodder, Jon Bogandove, Dennis Janke, M.D. Bright and Gerard Jones. They'll have to settle on one artist's rendition. Most likely it'll be Dan Jurgens, since he got the most attention from this storyline.

 

Yes but like I said as the guy doing the artistic direction I wouldn't be surprised to see some of Timms style show through.

Like how even when Alex Ross is drawing in a "Timm" style it still looks like Alex Ross.

 

Except, Bruce Timm said that his style was not going to be used. He wanted to avoid doing that since he's done it all. He only agreed to do these on the basis that the animation be anything but what he's done for the DCAU.

[image=http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/darth-sinister/Avatars/New-Frontier-poster.jpg]

"New Frontier" by Darwyn Cooke.

[image=http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/darth-sinister/Avatars/PEREZ80sposter.jpg]

"The Judas Contract" by George Perez.

[image=http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/darth-sinister/Avatars/866d6cf8.jpg]

"The Death Of Superman" by Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding.

[image=http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/darth-sinister/Avatars/e00e8ee5.jpg]

"Reign Of The Supermen" by Dan Jurgens, Tom Grummett, Jon Bogandove, Jackson Guice, Dennis Rodder, Doug Hazelwood, Dennis Janke & Brett Breeding.

 

Except you keep saying the same thing which has nothing to do with what I'm saying (since you just repeat what I've already said).

Ok, Cooke is artistic director on New Frontier so yes it will look like New Frontier did (probably a bit different here and there just because animation doesn't always work out that way)

Perez is artistic director on Judas Contract so yes it will look like Perez (again with undoubly little differences here and there)

Jurgens et al. Not working on the Death of Superman. Bruce Timm is. Yes he has said that he isn't going to do it in the same style as JL, STAS, or BTAS and rather a combination of the other artists styles but some of his style will undoubtly show through.

They won't have the squared off shoulders or anything like that but I'm sure when all is said and done when you look at it you'll be able to say, yep, thats Bruce Timm. I don't know if you've ever seen it (I couldn't find it online) but its like the example I used of when Alex Ross draws in a Bruce Timm style. He does the squared off shoulders, the dynamic poses, all of it but when you look at it you still know its Alex Ross. Its completely different from everything thing else that he has ever done but it still has his distinct look to it.

Here is a less good example of Timm doing Thor in a Kirby-esq style.
[image=http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/1277/01timmthorbt9.gif]
While it isn't as dramatic a difference as some one like Ross doing something in a completely different style but I think you can see what I'm talking about. While he was going for something retro-ish in kind of a Jack Kirby style you still look at it and know that its Bruce Timm.

I imagine thats how the the Death of Superman DVD will look as well. It will have a more realistic, 90's, look to all of the characters like what Jurgens and the others were doing at the time yet when you see it on screen you'll still know that it was Timm doing it.

 

Hopefully in 2008 we'll get a Flash and a Green Lantern movie.
Flash could definetely carry a movie, and a Green lantern Corps going at it a la "The Return" but better would be great.

 

Well I think that like Marvel DC is doing this as more of a niche thing. Adaptations and what not that would appeal to comic fans but not necessarily the general public. I guess its more so a Marvel thing but they seem to be doing them for characters that aren't going to be getting theatrical movies any time soon.

Flash and GL both have theatrical movies in the works (of course one is supposed to be a vehicle for Ryan Reynolds but NHNT). I definitely wouldn't mind seeing them this way though. GL you could do Emerald Dawn or Emerald Twilight but what would you do for Flash

 

What can't you do for Flash? That boy has more drama in his life then Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner and John Stewart put together.

You can have him getting involved in a Rogue War for example, or having to fight Savitar, or Dr Doom, or traveling to the future like Barry Allen. There's plenty of Flash epic storylines.

 

I just meant that I couldn't think of any classic Flash stories off the top of my head.

Not that you couldn't do it.

 

Oh, and I meant to say Zoom instead of Dr Doom. I'm not a complete retard.

 

I was kinda hoping that they'd try to fit The Death of Superman into DCAU continuity. It would have worked rather nicely.

 

Flash they could do "The Return Of Barry Allen", "The Trial Of Barry Allen", Black Flash and "Rogue War".

The DCAU already did the death and return with "Hereafter". Dini, Timm and Burrnet said that when they would do certain characters and stories from the 90's, they wanted to do it their way. This was why Bane was done totally differently. Same with Scarface, Maxie Zeus, Mxy, Brainiac, Parasite in season two of Superman, Aquaman in his first appearence, Green Lantern, J'onn J'onzz and so on.

 

See, "Rouge War" is the only one of those I'm familar with.

I really hope they eventualy get around to doing a couple of crisis adaptations.

 

I finally caught Justice League: Starcrossed over the weekend and I have to say it was a fantastic episode. Really well made. The best scene is when the Hawk sodliers are invading the Bat Cave and are mocking Batman for hitting them with seemingly useless batarangs. The Batman replies smugly "wait for it." When suddenly they're enveloped in a cloud of angry bats.

More good news, Justice League Unlimited, the complete first season is due on October 24th.

 

See? I still feel that A better world was the best story in the Justice League. A perfect circular piece of animation, with a begining, middle and end. It's made even better by the fact that is wasn just an alternate universe story and it truly did change the course of future events.

The only thing that comes close is "For the man who has everything".