The Superman Doomsday DVD is Best Watched with No Expectations

It's been fifteen years since The Death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday, a virtually indestructible super villain, played out in the pages of DC comics. Now the story becomes available in an animated film from Warner Brothers and DC. Surprisingly, it is the Special Feature documentary "Requiem and Rebirth: Superman Lives!" that makes this DVD worth the purchase price.

The in-depth effort into how the DC comics team decided Superman's fate, how it played out in the comics and in real life, and how the turn of events impacted the characters in the comics and the comic industry as a whole is engrossing. The story is told not only by the people who lived it, but is highlighted with personal stories, and graphics from the actual comic books. It's a wonderfully told story worth watching more than once, and only increases one's enthusiasm to read the comics again.

If only the same could be said for the animated film. For those totally unfamiliar with the story, this is an adequate Superman adventure, but any true fan will be disappointed, as this story over simplifies and trivializes this brilliant story.

What existed in the comics as several issues leading up to the epic battle, the actual death, and is followed by series entitled Funeral for a Friend and Reign of the Supermen, is jammed into seventy-five minutes that just leaves out far too much out. Most noticeably missing are the other DC superheroes. In the version of the story told in the comics, the Justice League is defeated by Doomsday prior to Superman hooking up with him and meeting his demise. The funeral for Superman is attended by the entire superhero universe, and watching other heroes deal with the loss of an ally and a friend is one of the best features of the storyline, all of which is omitted in this animated feature. Even the fight between Doomsday and Superman is far too brief and less than spectacular.