Thursday: 20 September 2007
After work and after picking up the car, I decided to treat myself to a trip to Best Buy to acquire a copy of Superman: Doomsday. Not only was I successful in getting that, but I also picked up Scent of a Woman and S.W.A.T.

Last night, I slept pretty well. That, to some degree, makes up for Tuesday night’s poor sleep.

Four-Color Coverage: Animated Edition
I watched Superman: Doomsday knowing that it was adapted from the “Death of Superman” storyline from the early 90s. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from it, but I knew that they couldn’t do the whole story as it was presented in comic format. I remember being impressed with how well Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was executed; likewise, I was stunned with the job that Marvel and Lionsgate did with Doctor Strange… but, I still have a bad aftertaste from the abomination that was Superman: Brainiac Attacks. So, I was curious to see what they could/would do.

I wasn’t disappointed.

In fact, I was rather surprised at how well they told the story. In fact, this version exceeded my expectations quite a bit. While this movie isn’t canon, it draws on things from both the comics as well as something that I took as a nod to the “Legacy” (1, 2) of Superman: The Animated Series. And it blends them together nicely. They didn’t pull any punches (no pun intended) in telling stories revolving around:

• Superman and Lois’ relationships, personal and professional
• Lex Luthor’s genius…
• …and his desire to be the man at the top of the food chain – at any cost
• … and his ruthlessness
• Superman’s devotion to protect the people of Metropolis

The movie isn’t “dumbed down” to make it more palatable for younger audiences; it is rated PG-13. In my opinion, it earned that rating. It seems as though the writers, directors and producers came together to tell a story and, rather than churn out 70 minutes of pablum, went the opposite direction and brought their A-game to the table.

My one gripe – and it’s not a big one – is that the characters’ faces seem a little “too” angular, at least when compared to S:TAS and Justice League/Unlimited. The voice actors did a good job of bringing the characters to animated life. Adam Baldwin did a good job as Clark Kent/Superman, Anne Heche did well as Lois Lane and James Marsters turned in a nice performance as Lex Luthor.

I’m sure that I’ll be watching this again, looking for the little details that I may have missed in the first viewing. I recommend it to fans of the comic, the animated series and the Superman mythos in general.

Stray Toasters

• I had a cold glass of chocolate milk before bed.
• “I’d say, “Bunnies,” Raist…”
• Hmm… Doomsday vs. The Juggernaut.
• Preview of Justice League of America #13 – , you might want to check it out.
• “Thanks” to Acolyte Derek for pointing out this Playstation 2… made of LEGO
• posted a quiz. I took it. This was my result:
  

  Your home is a Philanthropic Gamer’s Mansion Your kitchen is stocked with chips, dips, and assorted caffeinated beverages. There’s a pantry with emergency backup caffeinated beverages. You also have some breakfast cereals in there, but you haven’t had breakfast since last Spring. Your master bedroom has blankets printed with images of Mario and Link. Your study includes unread copies of various gamer magazines, each purchased for the free demo CDs. One of your garages holds your collection of ferraris, and is measured in acreage.Your home also includes a guest wing and private quarters for your servants. Your guests enjoy your collection of every console and associated game ever made. Except the Intellivision — those controllers drive them NUTS. Outside is your hedge maze and gardens, meticulously tended by a team of world-class botanists. Below is a snippet of the blueprints:

  Find YOUR Dream Home!

This is probably the point where I should finish getting ready for work…

Namaste.