Superman vs. The Elite

• Directed by Michael Chang
• July 12, 2012
• Based on the comic book story What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way? in Action Comics #775 (March 2001)

Voice Cast

• Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman-George Newbern
• Lois Lane-Pauley Perrette
• Manchester Black-Robin Atkin Downes
• Young Manchester Black-Grey DeLisle
• Nathan Jones/Coldcast-Catero Colbert
• Pamela/Menagerie-Melissa Disney
• The Hat-Andrew Kishino
• Joseph Martin/Atomic Skull-Dee Bradley Baker
• Terrence Baxter-Ogie Banks
• Pa Kent-Paul Eiding
• Pundit-Troy Evans
• Kid Playing Superman-Jennifer Hale
• Jimmy Olsen-David Kaufman
• Abigail-Pamela Kosh
• Falling Man-Jeff LaPensee
• Vera Black-Marcella Lentz-Pope
• Young Vera Black-Tara Strong
• Shocktrooper-Dave B. Mitchell
• Newscaster-Sumalee Montano
• Newscaster #3-Laraine Newman
• Pokolistani Ambassador-Nolan North
• Efrain Baxter-Henry Simmons
• Bialyian Ambassador, Cartoon Superman, Manchester Black’s Father-Stephen Stanton
• Perry White-Fred Tatasciore
• MI-5 Agent-Bruce Timm
• Cowering Woman-Julie Wittner
• Desiccated Man-Rick Zieff

Superman faces a new group of ruthless superpowered individuals that hold his ideals in contempt.

Like all good animated DC features, Superman vs. The Elite dives into the comic book lore. The Atomic Skull shows up. That character turns two people to dust with his powers. Overt murder is a bit unusual in the DC cartoons at least outside of Batman. It is a little more than some lesser known characters.

Much like Marvel, DC has its share of fake politics and it uses them here while also touching on some authentic human reactions. Superman is an individual of high morality but The Elite have no qualms about getting their hands dirty. The easy solution requires a lack of morality. The tougher and more enduring solution requires you to hold to your ideals. Even Superman falls a little bit to it. Guess which one the public gravitate towards in this film.

I love how this movie uses superheroics to ask moral along with ethical questions in a way that doesn’t rub your face in it. Even if you don’t get what it is trying to say or analyze, you can still enjoy this for the action and story. Superman is the moral opposite of The Elite. They believe the ends justify the means while Superman does not believe in becoming as bad if not worse than those he is fighting against to achieve a positive goal. Superman vs. The Elite is surprisingly deep and authentic. It never comes down heavy on one side but rather displays opposing viewpoints while showing the merits of and flaws in both.

They spend very little trying to establish Superman as a hero. The story opens with Superman/Clark Kent already active in his career and having moved past the step of Lois not knowing that Clark and Supes are the same person. He even has a kid friendly animated series on TV. This relies largely on your general knowledge of Superman to help you understand where the characters stand.

The story plays into his occasionally derisive nickname of the Big Blue Boy Scout. Even in a brief moment that didn’t necessarily need to be in the film they drive home where his strong moral core comes from. He may be an alien from another planet, but his morality is based in Middle America.

There’s some adult tinged humor in this. Nothing that you need worry about if your kids hear it. It is a moment where Lois ends her line with “and I am the Martian Manhunter” with Clark’s response of “There goes all my fantasies” was as they say a hoot. I don’t know who still says that beyond me but anyway…

Alot happened in the story but the film never rushes. There’s just enough time given for you to breathe in a development and then they move on. At one point live action DC was aiming to be the adult version of superhero films. I felt then and I still feel now that’s the people behind the animated features should’ve been put directly in charge of the live action films. This being a meaty story involving superheroes is proof of that. 

This was perhaps one of the first times we saw Superman’s robot assistants. They never featured in a live action film prior to the upcoming James Gunn movie and I don’t think they made too many appearances in anything animated. Context would’ve helped there. If there are any flaws with this it’s that Lois doesn’t get too much screen time but mostly acted as a shortcut for Clark to get information.

Minor issues aside, Superman vs. The Elite is an excellent movie. It’s exciting and philosophical. For Superman fans or superhero fans it’s worthwhile viewing.