It’s been awhile since I’ve done a movie review, but I just finished yet another DC animated movie, that I think deserves another chance from critics. It’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow”. You might think it’s another generic superman movie, and you would be right, however I need to applaud the use of Lobo and Parasite, two of my favorite rogues in Superman’s gallery. Both are really fitting villains for him to face.
Superman is just starting out and is just the news office coffee boy / intern. Lobo wants to bring him in for a bounty of some sort. Their fight results in the creation of Parasite from an organic EMP coming into contact with an ordinary janitor. Parasite is taken to the hospital where he’s having multiple organ failures, but by feeding on some staff he becomes active. Eventually he feeds on superman, and in the process we are made to think he killed Martian Manhunter. It all climates in drawing Parasite to a power plant and trying to use Superman’s weakness against him, because Parasite receives all the powers and the weaknesses of his victims. However the power plant is damaged and might go out of control. Superman luckily convinces Parasite to sacrifice himself to save the city by appealing to his morality. As this version of Parasite is not a hardened criminal, but a victim of the cruel world with a family and a veteran.
Lobo is your standard in your face portrayal of him. The same crude loud mouthed satire of everything fans want the heroes to be, while showing that they would be wrong. My absolute favorite version is still the one shown in the Justice League animated series. This one is a close second, but no replacement. He leaves some cruel jokes about the possibility of their being other martians out there for the Martian Manhunter, but with no promises. He’s a great bounty hunter character.
Parasite is a very sad story. He is a devoted father and a veteran. He seems to gain the knowledge, skills and power of every person he absorbs. However this also seems to include the morals of the victim. This is how superman manages to breakthrough to him at the end, by appealing to his own love for his family and friends.
Overall, I like this movie, it’s very similar to Batman: Year One. There’s some great action scenes, and I enjoy the characterization and voices of all the characters here. However there’s not really a hero’s journey for Superman or anyone else here. We see some maturation of Lois’s relationship with Superman and how she thinks Superman’s psyche works to get an interview, but little does she realize she’s telling Superman her strategy and it’s not very nice. So overall, I give it about 3 stars.