DC’s Injustice: A Dark Side of Superman

Finally, this long-awaited animated feature has become available, and it doesn’t disappoint. For those familiar with the video game, you already know the premise to this movie. For those who don’t, let’s just say it’s the flip side of Superman’s decision in the seminal Kingdom Come series written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Alex Ross. Though people tend to compare him here with Omni-man as he appears in Invincible, he is more of like Plutonian in the comic book Irredeemable also written by Mark Waid (hmm…).

What would happen to Superman if Lois Lane were murdered? This movie answers that question, and provides a side of Superman probably only seen in the darkest corners of the elseworlds universe. And, the film paints a scary picture. As is found in many epic Superman stories, the movie wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the other two members of the DC Trinity: Batman and Wonder Woman. Having said that, ‘Injustice’ also includes an array of supporting super hero characters that form part of the DC comics mythos with most of them coming from the Justice League bevy of characters.

With the characters set, and the premise plotted, we get to see how far Lois’s death can darken (strenghten?) the moral compass of the Man of Steel. The result is a police state not far from the imagination of Batman himself, though one can argue that a Superman police state is far scarier than one envisioned by the Dark Knight himself. Most especially since Superman has the raw power to carry it out without need of a lot of prep time. As we see just how far Superman can take his new moral compass, we can also see the heroes themselves take sides on the world Superman wants to enforce. There is no in-between here as battle lines are well-defined, and even Superman gets help from an unexpected, but unsurprising source.

Amidst the chaos, and destruction there is an apt order established; and one wonders if this is the way the way the world should have always been from the beginning yet it took so long to realize. However, even though the title of the film reveals its nature, let us not forget that this is still a Superman story, and the very best Superman stories are when he is at his best. This is the question the movie seeks to answer with its resolution: what indeed is the best version of Superman?

The answer is found in the vast multiverse that is the DC mythology though the answer still posits more questions. In the end, it is Superman himself who decides if this injustice done to him is worth the price of his ideal Earth or betrays the memory of his wife Lois. Even if the video game doesn’t provide any real ending to this madness, the film does provide the closure warranted. And, Superman is revealed as the hero we deserve even from the darkest depths of his soul. However, you still get to wonder how long before this tragedy happens again in the vastness of the DC Multiverse. Still, ‘Injustice’ shows Superman as he is: the best of everything we hold dear.

Amazon Prime’s’Invincible’ Delves into Responsibility and Relationships

You’ve heard it so many times before: with great power comes great responsibility. ‘Invincible’ highlights this in spades, and you get to see two versions of responsibiltiy at the center of this adult animated series. The story focuses primarily on the relationship of father, Omni-Man who is also Earth’s greatest superhero, and son, Invincible. Omni-Man aka Nolan Grayson is a Viltrumite who came to Earth to protect it from evil. Or so the story initially goes. Invincible aka Mark Grayson got his powers upon turning seventeen, and is being schooled by Omni-Man to use his powers properly. Between them and with them is Debbie Grayson, wife to Nolan and mother to Mark, who serves as the apparent moral barometer for both characters. The dynamic of these three characters serve as the lynchpin for the development of the series’ plot as it drives the story forward tackling on the responsibility and burden of being, for Omni-Man and Invincible anyway, the most powerful heroes on the planet.

However, not everything is as clear cut as it seems. Later on we find out that Omni-Man’s initial story of protecting Earth was all a big lie. In fact, he came to Earth to prepare it for conquest by the Viltrumite Galactic Empire. More so, Omni-Man doesn’t see humanity as a race worth the time to save, but rather, not only does he see them as beneath him, he also sees humanity as, in his words ‘pets’. Of course, this doesn’t rub well with Invincible since he is part human, and this builds a burning tension between father and son on their responsibilities: Omni-Man to his Viltrumite origins, and Invincible to his love of the human race. This difference in priorities inevitably leads to a massive conflict that takes all of Earth into the battle, an it’s a scary sight to behold. By the end of season one, the future of the Earth is placed in these two characters hands while the rest of humanity can do nothing but watch the resolution of the conflict. Indeed, the battle brings a lot of tension considering that humanity’s survival will be determined by beings who, though they call Earth their home, are not even completely human.

If you’re familiar with Robert Kirkman, then you know that he has already had success wiht a series also based on a comic book, ;The Walking Dead’. Unlike the zombie series, “Invincible’ focuses on super heroes and not a zombie apocalypse. Similar to ‘The Walking Dead’, the story also focuses on a father-son relationship. Additionally, ‘Invincible’ takes the same liberties using violence as an integral part of the storytelling, and it benefits from it as a means to highlight important elements of the story. This is not a series for children. Yes, it is a superhero series, but the show is catered to a much more mature audience. In spite of this, the series is also a coming of age story with Mark Grayson growing into his powers as he realizes that the life of a superhero is not all fun and games. Mark aka Invincible had to make many decisions that often cause moral and emotional dilemmas in his daily life. This continues till the end of season one, and he learns that having powers like his father is not as simple as having them and using them as he wishes.

As a teenager, Mark Grayson also encounters difficulties in his personal life, particularly with his romantic relationships and his schooling. This was seen in his interactions to both Atom Eve, a fellow superhero, and classmate Amber Bennett. Mark finds his relationship with both quite challenging. However, it is his relationship with Amber that takes a big hit due to his time as a superhero. Though the conflict between Amber and Mark resolves positively, the growing friendship between Invincible and Atom Eve provides a better anchor to Mark’s superhero life. Moving forward, this romantic triangle will provide some interesting dynamics in the future.

All in all, ‘Invincible’ is a story about power, responsibilty and maturity. Though the relationship of Mark and Nolan take center stage, how Mark adjusts to his new status quo as a teenager with powers cannot be ignored. More so, Mark’s growing pains into the person he wants to be will determine the ultimate fate of the Earth. The challenge for Mark will be his acceptance of the responsibility that accompanies his powers. Invincible has already taken a stand on what he wants to do. Now all that is needed is for Mark to follow through. As such, season one of ‘Invincible’ has provided enough hooks for future stories to tell.

If you’re up for a more mature take on the superhero genre, give ‘Invincible’ a try. You’ll find that there are many layers to its storytelling. The series uses the comicbook superhero backdrop to talk about family, relationships and responsibilty. These elements makes it stand out from other superhero series.