Yes this column is back! I didn’t review the awful Wonder Woman: Bloodlines or the stellar Superman: Red Son. I should double back on that one actually. But I’m back to tackle one I think deserves the attention. Time to look at Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020, 86 minutes)

Plot: A young Superman faces his first great challenges when Lobo comes to Earth and Parasite emerges shortly thereafter.

Source Material: Not American Alien. Let’s be clear. It’s not AA. A design is lifted from it and a scene or two but it’s not. It’s just as much every other version of the origin synthesized and modernized. It’s got a bit of everything from Byrne to Waid to Loeb to Wolfman to yes Landis. But it’s its own thing.

Animation: This was mocked early on as looking very Archer. But I love it. It does have a very specific look. There’s no house style. This is a unique, cool looking film with fantastic animation. The character work is probably the best since Under the Red Hood. The action beats even the action in The Death and Return of Superman. This is a truly beautiful film. Play it big.

Script. Writer Tim Sheridan stands a good chance of seeing this since we’re mutual follows. Good. Because this is a contender for the best script the line has had. It’s UTRH good. It’s as satisfying as Death and Return (which Sheridan cowrote) was. If that was the Doomsday saga, this is The Man of Steel in effect. It’s air tight but expansive. Every character gets moments of nuance and depth. It has pacing to admire. Fantastic script.

Voice Acting: Superb. Darren Criss is a modest Superman but he definitely gets the job done. Brett Dalton is a poignant, tragic Parasite. Alexandra Daddario is an impossibly perfect Lois Lane. Zachary Quinto nails Lex Luthor. Neil Flynn is the funniest, warmest Pa Kent yet. But the film is stolen at every moment by Ryan Hurst’s deliciously gross Lobo. Hurst gets the exact note of comedy the character needs.

Final verdict: Easy 5/5. This is the big exciting comic book movie we needed this summer. It’s an optimistic blast.