Batman: Death in the Family

DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock

• Directed by Bruce Timm
• Written by Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, and Tim Sheridan
• Based on Sgt. Rock created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert as well as Lt. Matthew Shrieve and The Creature Commandos created by J.M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick
• August 6, 2019

Voice Cast

• Sgt. Rock-Karl Urban
• Lt. Matthew Shrieve-Keith Ferguson
• The Iron Major-William Salyers
• Nurse-Audrey Wasilewski

Waking up after his squadron was killed, Sgt. Rock is sent to capture a Nazi scientist with the aid of The Creature Commandos.

It’s a bit refreshing to get a World War II set piece of animation. All too often cartoons head into the present day with hints of science fiction or some far-flung point in the future. Seeing something set during WWIII is great.

While entertaining DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock is not all it can be. It feels like the first act of something longer to me. It was weird and strange but the conclusion came off as leading into something else more. And he takes to his new squad as implied in the closing is never given a starting point. You could say that point is in the disposition of the Iron Major and his cohorts, but Rock just happens to have somebody that will give these people as terrible a fate as was given to Rock’s previous squad.

It is 14 minutes and we get just enough to understand Rock but not his connection to the Iron Major though they are clearly familiar with each other or even much about The Creature Commandos. Unless you know something about them you will be a bit lost.

I swear the male scientist encountered when the Creature Commandos get to the facility takes on three or four different appearances. In other words this Nazi slips through a few ethnicities and waffles between black and brown hair.

It’s a nice bit of action with a horror twist. An exciting and different story in comparison to many other DC animated offerings. Worth your time to check out the Blu-ray of Batman: Hush or Batman: Death in the Family.

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There were several other pieces of DC animation available for viewing on the disc. I chose to discuss DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock since that was the only one I cannot recall viewing.

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Batman: Death in the Family

• Written and Directed by Brandon Vietti
• Based on Batman: A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo and Batman: Under the Red Hood by Judd Winick
• October 13, 2020

Voice Cast

• Bruce Wayne/Batman-Bruce Greenwood
• Jason Todd/Robin/Red Robin/Red Hood/Hush-Vincent Martella
• Joker, Thomas Wayne, Reporter #2-John DiMaggio
• Talia al Ghul, Reporter #3-Zehra Fazal
• Police Officer #1, Reporter #1-Kimberly Brooks
• Young Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake-Nick Carson
• Commissioner Gordon, Two-Face, Reporter #4-Gary Cole
• Gangster #1-Keith Ferguson
• Clark Kent, Police Officer #2-Nolan North

Believing that Jason Todd is becoming too aggressive Bruce decides to suspend him from being Robin.

There are multiple possible branches in Batman: Death in the Family. I chose the “Robin Dies” option because I recall that’s what happened in the comics. I have little interest in going back and taking the other paths since that feels like work and I watch movies to relax. Strike one against this.

There is just a great deal of talking in the “Robin Dies” option. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the animated version of Batman: Under the Red Hood which this connects with, but the “conversation” covers much of what was presented there rather than giving the viewer a story leading up to the explosion that kills Robin. Much of the story we have is largely covered in exposition via Bruce with accompanying animation. Show, not tell. Strike two.

That also makes it a bit boring. Sometimes shorthand can be helpful, but it was not the best choice for a version of what was such a groundbreaking story at the time. I’m guessing the extra animation needed to do other storylines is what ultimately led to this cost saving measure.

The choose-your-own-adventure style of Batman: Death in the Family is a clear homage to the reader poll that occurred when the storyline was originally published. DC gave readers the option via a 900 number of whether to let the character die or for Batman save him.

This might have been more entertaining or just engaging if it had been an exchange between Bruce and Clark rather than a narrative dump. Two associates intellectually working something out. That would have made Clark’s ultimate compliment concerning Bruce’s internal strength much stronger.

Not terrible but Batman: Death in the Family is certainly a downturn in comparison to DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock k. Not a must see but not a complete disappointment. It rates a ‘meh.’