In the thrilling, animated sequel to DC/WB's "The Death of Superman" (see Aug '18 post), a pressing question rises: Who of the new Kal-Els is good and/or bad? In other words, is the second coming of Superman to our benefit, or will his "cloned" manifestations wreck havoc?
The true-blue (and red and yellow) bottom line: We wouldn't want any such entity--let alone several--to rub against the grain of our alien, all-American icon, would we? Wasn't Doomsday's cataclysmic presence a stupendous enough strike against us, not to mention all the other demonic bruisers that have come and gone through the years? And yet, here we go again, though surely for the melodramatic better.
Director Sam Liu does a trusty job as only he can, enforcing the rippling tensions which were introduced via print a couple decades back. The film incarnation, "Reign of the Supermen" (named after Jerry Siegel's Man of Steel, short-story catalyst), captures all the marvelous mystery that made this much publicized DC period one of its most discussed, ruminated and praised.
Of the Supermen who surface after Kal-El's burial, there's the zealous, visor-clad "Eradicator" (Charles Halford, but maybe Jerry O'Connell's vocals aren't so far behind--hint, hint); a LexCorp-jacketed youth, aka Superboy (Cameron "Gotham" Monaghan--how's that for a joking twist?); the enigmatic Cyborg/Terminator Superman (Patrick "Better Call Saul" Fabian); and one of the best and most underused Superman "offspring", hammer-wielding Steel/John Henry Irons (Cress "Black Lightning" Williams).
They're never completely on the same side as power-hungry Darkseid (Tony "Candyman" Todd) plans an invasion with the enlistment of zombiefied super-citizens. However, that big-time villain is but a big-time ruse in light of the identity and loyalty issues that intersect Apokolips' advent. But have no fear, for good has no choice but to burst from the fiery collisions. As Superman fans ought to know, this particular, multi-character, mythological mix only further illuminates the character's sacred legacy.
Still, despite the story's founding gleam, I must reveal that when these particular Men of Steel appeared in '92, it was hard for me to trust them: John Henry excluded, but Steel has always followed his own, noble track. It was the implied, Ubermensch thing that struck me as a wee too, well, Nazi-ish. Still, I so wanted one of these up-from-the-ashes incarnations to be the real, revived deal. Because of this, the melodrama compelled me to see the saga through.
Thanks to screenwriters James Krieg and Tom Sheridan, the animated adaptation reflects its comic-book roots, dispatching doubt and hope, which once more makes the elongated, resurrection unlike any Superman tale that's come before or since. Also, this animated edition isn't afraid to reinvent a few interludes, keeping the now familiar formula nice and fresh.
Though the story is terrific, the varied ensemble (no matter how big or small the role) plays a big part in why this epic moves so well. Just take a gander at the returning, co-starring roster: Lois Lane (Rebecca "X-Men" Romijn); Batman (Jason "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." O'Mara); Lex Luthor (Rainn "Super" Wilson); Cyborg (Shemar "Criminal Minds" Moore); Wonder Women (Rosario "Daredevil" Dawson); Martian Manhunter (Nyambi "Blindspotting" Nyambi); Green Lantern (Nathan "Firefly" Fillion); and the Flash (Christopher "Covert Affairs" Gorham), to name but a significant few. Cream of the crop all the way--and more than enough to stretch this chapter's sprawling scope a zillionfold.
Beyond question, "Reign..." presents full-fledged classic material, or at least material destined for such coveted distinction, particularly if/when teamed with the emotional Part I. To boot, it's on as high a level as any live-action counterpart, maybe more so, re-imagining "Highlander'"s "...there can only be one" and once the dust clears, inspiring viewers to jump up and cheer "Up, up and away!!!" (Awright, at the AMC theater I attended, it was more a case of energetic applause, but no less a show of indisputable respect for a job well done.)
Give "Reign..." a righteous spin or better yet, procure a disc or digital copy for those inevitable, return yearnings. Why not sit the whole family down to absorb both chapters? It's not often that folks get the chance to experience a combo this aesthetically profound.
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