The Death of superman

Lois & Carked

released Out NOW! 2018 | 12 | Blu-ray/dvd/download Directors Jake Castorena, sam liu Cast Jerry O’Connell, rebecca romijn, rainn Wilson, rosario dawson

At the time, The Death Of Superman was the biggest comic story ever told. A crossover between DC’s early ’90s superbooks, it made headlines for killing off one of the greatest icons in American fiction, and Superman #75 alone – the issue where Doomsday did the deed – sold more than six million copies.

This animated feature covers the first third of the three-act original. Lois and Clark are dating, but she doesn’t know his secret. When she tries to meet Ma and Pa Kent, he freezes up on her and it’s down to the Justice League to talk him into letting his guard down. At the same time, the monstrous Doomsday is smashing his way across America and Lex Luthor has grand plans to capitalise on the ensuing carnage.

This is a solid, if unmemorable, adaptation that feels unnecessarily stretched. There’s some nice character work, especially between Clark and Lois, but the decision to end the film with Superman’s death means that most of the juicy material is being saved up for next year’s sequel, Reign Of The Supermen.

The big scrap with Doomsday is certainly impressive, a highimpact finale that delivers on the promise of the Man of Steel taking on a near-indestructible foe, but this story has been told before: in comics, in Batman V Superman, even in a previous animated feature from 2007. Superman, mate, stop dying already.

Extras “The Brawl That Topped Them All” looks at the big fight with help from martial artists. You also get a preview of Reign Of The Supermen and both episodes of the Legion Of Superheroes story “Dark Victory”. Will Salmon

Supes’ death was originally conceived to delay his wedding to Lois until after Lois & Clark aired their wedding episode.