What lessons can the DCU learn from Superman: The Animated Series?

The animated series balanced cosmic scale battles with the everyday struggles of Superman's alter ego Clark Kent, creating high stakes and making audiences care about the hero. It also pioneered a structure that delivered satisfying standalone stories while building a cohesive larger narrative, and avoided one-dimensional villains.

How can the DCU's upcoming Superman movie learn from the animated series?

The upcoming sequel Man of Tomorrow is reportedly as much a Lex Luthor story as a Superman one, which is a sign the franchise is heading in the right direction by taking a nuanced approach to its villains.

What made Superman: The Animated Series so timeless?

The series' Bruce Timm art aesthetic, with its bold lines and retro-futuristic style, as well as Shirley Walker's sweeping score, have allowed it to age gracefully and remain visually striking even 30 years later.

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Animated Series Offers Blueprint for Reviving DC Universe

4 Oct

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Summary

Superman: The Animated Series nailed a formula that still feels fresh 30 years later
Series balanced cosmic scale with human heart, a key to making audiences care
Showed how to deliver standalone stories while building a larger narrative

Animated Series Offers Blueprint for Reviving DC Universe

As the DC Universe undergoes a major reboot, a 1990s animated series may hold the key to its future success. According to a recent analysis, Superman: The Animated Series, which premiered in 1996, nailed a formula that still feels fresh and compelling almost 30 years later.

The series, which followed the "boy scout" hero in a post-Tim Burton, grunge-inflected era, succeeded by leaning into what made Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent distinctly human. By balancing the character's cosmic scale battles with his everyday struggles, the show created high stakes and made audiences truly care about the hero.

This blend of spectacle and heart is exactly what the new DCU, led by co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, should aim to emulate. The animated series also pioneered a structure that let casual viewers enjoy standalone episodes while rewarding fans who followed the larger narrative. This approach of delivering satisfying individual stories while quietly building a cohesive universe is a model the live-action franchise would be wise to follow.

Additionally, the series avoided one-dimensional villains, giving even campy characters like Livewire real-world thematic weight. This nuanced approach to the rogues gallery is another area where the DCU can learn from the past. With the upcoming Man of Tomorrow reportedly as much a Lex Luthor story as a Superman one, the franchise seems to be heading in the right direction.

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