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I finished watching the first season of this show. Aside from a few gripes, it's excellent! It's the best thing that Marvel has produced in years. Spoilers below.

The animation is top-notch, the storytelling is elevated to an even more mature tone that's free from the censorship that held back the original Nineties show (and that's saying a fair bit because the Nineties show was quite heavy at times!), it's full of tragedy, twists and is much satisfying than any of the live-action films that came out in the past two decades.

Bastian was a surprisingly good villain, and how his manipulation to more Mutant bloodshed reversed Magento's redemptive arc by forging him to back to villainy, how Rogue goes down a dark path herself out of grief and anger, Cyclops coming to terms that Cable is his son Nathan and the Summers family comes full circle under bittersweet circumstances, and Nightcrawler returns as a worthy member of the X-Men. Magneto pleading and threatening the UN council while persisting attempts to become a better man despite X-Cutioner robbing Storm of her powers is more poignant after the attacks on Genosha and capture by Bastian sets him off to lash out at humanity with a new-found sense of betrayal. The lighter episode of Jubilee and Sunspot stuck in Mojo's video game simulation is still a cool episode, as it contains Easter eggs of Capcom graphics and a homage of Magneto as the final boss in the 1992 Konami X-Men game.

There was one peculiar recurring thing going on with Morph in this show, however. It's heavily implied throughout the show he has romantic feelings for Wolverine, who seems unaware as the two are seen together as nothing more than buddies. The creator of the show, Beau DeMayo, confirmed that Morph is supposedly secretly in love with Logan on Twitter, but seeing as DeMayo got sacked for reasons unknown, I wouldn't be surprised if this plotline gets scrapped in the next season.

Season two is reportedly already deep in production, and the third season is in development with a new showrunner. Whatever happens next, it doesn't change my opinion the first season of X-Men '97 has been an outstanding revival.

Interesting (if somewhat a little conflicting) comments from Bruce Timm about Superman in the Justice League animated series, I found these from archive.org.

Bruce Timm on Superman #2:  "People who want him to be more of a bad-ass are missing the point.  He was raised in the heartland of America by two wonderful, loving parents who instilled in him a powerful sense of 'right' and 'wrong.'  So, for all that everyone complains about Superman's 'boy scout' qualities, that's exactly what he is:  he's not just super-strong, super-fast, etc...he's super-good, too.  He's the ultimate man.  [As a result, his morality forces him to] live his entire life under strict self-control; otherwise the results could be catastrophic (courtesy of Toon Zone)."

Bruce Timm on Superman #3:  "It astonishes me somewhat that anyone could actually think that I could 'hate Superman outright.'  I mean, no offense, but...sorry, I'm kind of at a loss for words.  I couldn't possibly produce fifty-two episodes of a series starring a character [that] I flat-out hated, or had disdain or contempt for...life's too short!  Sure, I've worked on shows in the past whose lead characters I had no love or respect for, but to put in the kind of man-hours that I did as producer / designer / what-have-you on STAS, my commitment to the character was absolute.  My comments (from Comicology, right?) were, I thought, pretty clear on the matter:  I've loved, respected, and admired Superman since I was a kid—I even dressed up as him for Halloween and brought my lunch to school in my beloved Superman lunch-box.  It's just that, by modern standards, he can come off as quaint or corny or out-dated, if not handled properly.  Batman, by contrast, is much easier to 'get right' with that outfit, the attitude, the whole mystique...he's automatically 'cooler.'  If I had to choose one over the other, sure, I'd pick Batman in a heartbeat, [but] that doesn't mean [that] I don't like Superman too.  I just like Batman better.

"I've admitted elsewhere that we dropped the ball with Superman's portrayal in Season One of Justice League, not out of malice, but merely inattention; thus we did end up temporarily with the slightly daft, bland, cornball boy scout, [but] when we all realized what was happening, we took steps to re-vitalize him in Season Two.  I, personally, may have gone a little overboard in that area, as I wrote the entire Superman / Darkseid verbal thrown-down scene in 'Twilight' myself—including the notoriously over-the-top 'greasy smear on my fist' line—I even wrote his, 'Y'know, Bruce, you're not always right,' line, allowing him to one-up Batman (my 'favorite' character, remember), in one of the rarest instances in the entire DCAU canon.  I wouldn't have gone to the trouble for a character I hated.  Anyhow, I hope this clears that up (courtesy of Toon Zone)."

https://web.archive.org/web/20190423180546/http://jl.toonzone.net/superman/superman.htm

I don't quite remember Superman in STAS being a complete boy scout. He was definitely responsible with his abilities and approachable after rescuing people, but not he wasn't corny either. I do understand where Timm was coming from with his regrets of handling George Newbern's Superman in JL seasone one, however. For example, I remember Tim Daly's Superman was completely stern and highly suspicious of Lex Luthor. In constrast, when Lex was diagnosed with cancer due to exposure to Kryptonite in JL season one, Newbern's Superman was empathetic, much to Lex's contempt. That alone showed a significant contrast between the two versions of Superman.

Timm may have reasoned that every attempt to harden Superman up was a challenge to escape from the cheesy stereotype, but the changes are quite natural, in my opinion. You look at how Superman grieved over Dan Turpin's murder at the hands of Darkseid, to Darkseid brainwashing to become his puppet in an attempt to conquer Earth, it makes sense why Superman would cut loose and unleash his rage and full power on Darkseid in both JL and JLU cartoons. Depicting him as a forgiving boy scout wouldn't be as palatable for the general audience.

The late Dwayne McDuffie reasoned the desire for Superman to be less than perfect compared to the purists' idea of the character:

Dwayne McDuffie on Superman:  "Superman constantly learns from his mistakes and, when it comes down to it, takes appropriate actions (even when they make him look bad, as in many of the situations that Luthor has engineered to that purpose).  He does what's right, not what's easiest.  Consider:  Superman is powerful enough to end Cadmus right now.  Why doesn't he?  He tells Huntress why in 'Question Authority.'  Later, in 'Panic in the Sky,' despite his understandable anger and frustration, rather than going after Cadmus he talks about it with the rest of the Justice League, who he knows will disagree with attacking.  As J'onn points out, Superman came there to be talked down.

"Our version of Superman is far from perfect.  He makes mistakes but, eventually, gets the right answer.  He might walk right up to the precipice, but he'll never fall in.  [...] I like for my heroes to be tempted, and I tend to forgive them for their mistakes, just like I do my real-life friends.  Some people see Superman as absolutely incorruptible and incapable of human foibles.  That's a reasonable way to go with him, there have been lots of terrific stories over the years that treat him that way, but we're more interested in showing him struggle to overcome his weaknesses, as opposed to not having any other than kryptonite (courtesy of Television Without Pity)."

Here's a blog entry arguing how BvS has stood the test of time than Captain America: Civil War.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN HAS OUTLIVED CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

Looking back, the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice vs Captain America: Civil War fight had a clear winner.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War both debuted in theatres around the world in 2016, and eight years later, the former has had a far more long-lasting impact.

Batman v Superman and Civil War were released in very close proximity, with the former debuting on March 25th, 2016. The latter, arriving on May 5th of that year, and their close release to each other stoked the DC vs Marvel fandom war to its boiling point. This was in large part due to the two films, each being the big "heroes vs. heroes" chapters of their respective cinematic universes.

When all was said and done, Civil War emerged as 2016's biggest box office hit with a largely positive reception. Batman v Superman, meanwhile, instantly became one of the most divisive superhero movies ever made. While it was a huge hit with its $873 million worldwide haul, the fact that it did not join the $1 billion club, along with its love-it-or-hate-it reception and never-ending lampooning of the "Martha" moment, gave Warner Bros. cold feet about Zack Snyder's vision for the DCEU.

While all of the above factors gave Civil War the crown for 2016, eight years later, it is Batman v Superman that has cemented a much greater legacy in the long run. Ironically, the polarized reception to Batman v Superman itself helps explain why that is.

THE SNYDER CUT PHENOMENON

The divisiveness of Batman v Superman led directly to Warner Bros.'s decision to pivot away from the tone Zack Snyder had started the DCEU within 2013's Man of Steel, with the studio bringing in Joss Whedon to extensively reshoot and rework 2017's Justice League. However, the massive retooling of Justice League (along with the seedy behind-the-scenes situation during the reshoots) lit the fire of the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign, which eventually led to Snyder's version of the film being released as Zack Snyder's Justice League in 2021.

Amid the Snyder Cut fan campaign, the debate about the themes of heroism, power, corruption, and sacrifice in Batman v Superman raged day in and day out online, a trend that still continues to this very day. By itself, that is testimony that Batman v Superman has maintained a presence within the zeitgeist seldom achieved by most superhero movies. Even with a split audience reaction, Batman v Superman has done anything but recede from the public's memory.

CIVIL WAR: A PASSING CHAPTER?

By contrast, Captain America: Civil War has arguably come and gone even within the context of the MCU itself. Despite its generally positive reception and box office triumph in 2016, Civil War has not left a comparably visible pop culture footprint. After all, when was the last time you saw nerds furiously debating whether they would fight on Captain America or Iron Man's side? Within the MCU, Civil War also has not been referenced or returned to much, if at all, especially after Thanos showed up to threaten the entire universe, effectively forcing the divided Avengers to put their baggage from the Sokovia Accords aside and team up again.

In measuring the impact the two films had, Batman v Superman has survived years of slings and arrows and simply seared itself into the collective consciousness. Moreover, the push for the Snyder Cut also bolstered the legacy of Batman v Superman even more.

Since its 2021 release, Zack Snyder's Justice League has enjoyed an all-around positive reception, with even many detractors being won over and the public stock of Batman v Superman noticeably rising due to the pay-off its follow-up brought – even to the point of many still hoping to see Snyder's intended conclusion to his five-movie Justice League story concluded at some point.

None of that is to say that Civil War is a bad movie or didn't help move the MCU's larger story forward. However, with eight years for both films to embed themselves in the public's consciousness, nerds and the general public alike continue to talk about, debate, dissect, and ruminate over Batman v Superman far more than Captain America: Civil War.

However many Martha jokes it may have had to overcome, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may have lost the battle of 2016, but it has clearly won the war.

https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/batman-v-superman-has-outlived-captain-america-civil-war/

Haha, BTAS was the only show that could get away with Batman disguising himself as a cop and fool everybody while still wearing the cape and cowl. I've seen Batman disguising himself like this in some Bronze Age comics, and it's the only visual that could only work in animation. It's impractical, yet a charming little shot that demonstrates Batman as a master of disguise.

[One of the things that led you to create Dark Knight Returns was a series of muggings. What happened?]

Back in 2016, Frank Miller described how symbolic Batman is in the midst of the all the chaos and political subtext in DKR, and dismissed suggestions that Batman is a fascist.

One of the things that led you to create Dark Knight Returns was a series of muggings. What happened?

There's something demeaning about the first time you're knocked to the ground and punched in the stomach and have a gun waved in your face and realize that you're completely at somebody's mercy. And they can take your life. And at that point, you'll do anything. There's something so humiliating about that. And to me that made me realize that Batman was the most potent symbol DC had in its hands. Sure, Superman can fly, but Batman turns me back into that guy who is scared and at the same time the guy who can come and save him. It's a perfect myth.

What makes him so mythic?

Batman isn't interesting because he has a cool car. It's great that he has a cool car. But he's interesting because he straightens the world out. And he brings order to a very chaotic world. Especially when you're a child. You need somebody, even if it's a fictional character, to tell you that the world makes sense and that the good guys can win. That's what these heroes are for.

Some have said you turned Batman into a fascist. Agree?

Anybody who thinks Batman was fascist should study their politics. The Dark Knight, if anything, would be a libertarian. The fascists tell people how to live. Batman just tells criminals to stop.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/a-rare-interview-frank-miller-871654/

Chris Pine on Wonder Woman 3's cancellation:

"I'm stunned that they said no to a billion-dollar franchise and decided to pivot elsewhere," Pine said to Business Insider. "I don't know what the reasoning was behind that; it's above my pay grade, but Wonder Woman is an incredible character; Patty is such a thoughtful director.

...

In his interview, Pine noted that his character was "dead" and it would've been "ridiculous" to bring him back for a third film.

https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/movies/chris-pine-stunned-wonder-woman-115201737.html

Not that financial merit makes an ounce of difference knowing who's in charge of DC Studios at the moment, but from what I read in WW84, I wish Steve Trevor was never brought back under those story circumstances for WW84. If they had to bring him back, a cameo would've been enough. Probably have Diana wish to speak to him and say farewell one more time before moving on.

I have never seen WW84, but from what I've read this picture was in the film. If that's so then I don't know what Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot were thinking. They went from talking about how the original plan of Diana leaving humanity behind is supposedly going against the character - to have her do nothing and let the Holocaust happen? It doesn't make any sense.

Absolutely correct. They were totally tone deaf on handling this character with what was established from earlier. Totally embarrassing that someone actually photoshopped that picture. It's so frustrating that they threw away a terrific opportunity to have an immortal character like Diana be the wisest and most seasoned superhero living and fighting through atrocities throughout the 20th century and how certain events could make her hardened towards humanity and how people like Superman and Batman could convince her that people are worth saving. Instead, they got too focused on how glamorous Diana should be that just draws unwanted attention and how a superhero like her suffers because a cab will stop for a man instead of her.

Agreed on all counts. If I remember correctly, you say as somebody who otherwise wasn't a fan of Snyder's vision. The fact you still appreciate the intended arc for Wonder Woman unlike those in charge of the IP - both past and present - goes to show how shallow the management is.

I found a couple of videos reacting to the Death of Superman storyline back in 1992. The first video includes snippets of Roger Stern explaining how the concept was conceived and claimed Superman comics at the time were creator-driven, but John Byrne simply sees it as a gimmicky marketing ploy to sell comics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNJTdhLSIjo&ab_channel=crowT10

The next couple of videos are news reports gathering reactions to the storyline; one of them claiming Superman had an image problem and popularity was dwindling compared to the grittier characters at the time.

The concept for the whole saga may have been a marketing gimmick, but it still doesn't take away from some of the most emotional moments ever read in comics. Such as the scenes in Funeral For a Friend, when Ma and Pa Kent couldn't attend the public memorial so they said goodbye to Clark their own way by burying mementos in the same area they found him as an infant, and Jonathan's near-death experience finds him in an afterlife world where he fights hard to convince Clark not to give into death, culminating in Superman's coffin suddenly found empty. It's these sorts of moments that make Superman and his world greater than  even his own fans give him credit for.

The Suicide Squad game lost WBD $200 million.

https://www.businessinsider.com/suicide-squad-video-game-failed-cost-warner-brothers-2024-5

With news that WB's profits are down by 70%, I hope the bastards continue to lose more money.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2024/05/07/james-gunns-first-superman-image-looks-like-ai-and-the-suit-doesnt-fit/?sh=47eed2d54555

This mediocre costume has been memed to death, to the point that Forbes ran an article saying the photo reveal looks AI-generated. The backlash must've been a huge blow to Gunn's ego. Never mind Cavill's suits, Brandon Routh's Kingdom Come costume in the Arrowverse COIE suit looks WAY more cinematic than this. Even Hoechlin's suit in Superman and Lois is better.

I noticed that Gunn tried to pander to the Twitter crowd by showing off with him taking a picture with a group of Superman comics writers who were all wearing generic S logo t-shirts the following day, but this is just a PR attempt to distract people from the negative reaction to the costume.

However, who really gives a sh*t if the costume is good or bad? Leave it to the internet to freak out over a costume reveal, but shrug its shoulders over the creepiness and shadiness of the director.

Looking back at these commercials, I owned some of these toys. I had the original Batman with the grapple and a Bruce Wayne figure with Batsuit armour accessories you put on his body to become Batman. I even owned Two-Face, Robin and Catwoman - her cat Iris came as a plastic accessory so you could put her around Catwoman's neck.

The Bruce Wayne Batsuit armour must've been inspired by a similar toy in the Kenner Burton Batman toyline. Except this toy must've been inspired by The Dark Knight Returns. If a BTAS/TNBA revival were made today and did another take on the Legends of the Dark Knight episode, I've no doubt the animators would've drawn Batman wearing this suit to fight Superman.