DC Showcase Collection: Superman/Shazam!- The Return of Black Adam! This release includes a fantastic new take on the origin of Captain Marvel, as well previously unreleased extended versions of the DC Showcase Shorts: The Spectre, Jonah Hex, and Green Arrow.

DC Showcase Presents: Superman/Shazam- The Return of Black Adam Poor Billy Batson…Even when he tries to do the right thing, he still can’t catch a break. Billy has suffered many hardships in his life, but his plight has not gone unnoticed. A reporter named Clark Kent has taken an interest in young Billy and his story of hope, but he isn’t the only one who has noticed young Mr. Batson. The mighty Black Adam has returned, and now Billy must uncover the truth about his fate and his connection to the Wizard known as Shazam. Witness the birth of a new hero and the origin of Captain Marvel in this brand new original short! Superman/Shazam features the voice talent of Jerry O’Connell (Sliders) as Captain Marvel, George Newbern (Justice League) as Superman, Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) as Black Adam, and James Garner (8 Simple Rules) as The Wizard.
DC Showcase Presents- The Spectre
This is the first Direct to DVD to feature DC’s new animated shorts series. The Spectre features Gary Cole (Office Space) in the title role as the Spirit of Vengeance, working to uncover the murder of an ex-girlfriend’s father. This gritty, tarantino-eque, animated take on the character is definitely something new and adds a great new element to these Direct to DVD releases. The short lasts about 11 minutes but is action packed and leaves you wanting to know more about this mysterious character.
DC Showcase Presents– Jonah Hex
An awesome animated story featuring comic book hero antihero Jonah Hex and his search for a man named Red. Jonah Hex features Thomas Jane (The Punisher) in the title role, as well as the voice talents of Linda Hamilton (The Terminator) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). This animated short is much more satisfying than its live action counterpart.
DC Showcase: Green Arrow
This short, written by Spectacular Spider-Man‘s Greg Weisman, features our favorite Emerald Archer taking on his nemesis Merlyn! On his way to pick up girlfriend Dinah Lance from the airport, Green Arrow (voiced by Neal McDonough) is distracted by an assassination attempt on Princess Perdita. Green Arrow takes on the dark archer known as Merlyn, before Count Vertigo shows up to do the job his cronies couldn’t. A battle commences and eventually Dinah (aka Black Canary) shows up and rescues both Princess Perdita and Green Arrow. Green Arrow then proposes to Black Canary, she accepts, and a makeout sequence begins. We’re not given much else in the way of character development or story here, but what can you expect in 10 minutes. Regardless, the animation is great and it’s another welcome addition to the already robust list of special features.
Special Features:
•       1080p Video
•       DTS-HD 5.1 Audio
Four additional bonus TV series episodes handpicked by Bruce Timm:
•       Batman: The Brave and The Bold– “Chill of the Night” – This episode features The Spectre and a fantastic take on the tragic origin of The Dark Knight!
•       Batman: The Animated Series– “Showdown”- This episode features Jonah Hex versus the immortal Ra’s al Ghul.
•       Justice League Unlimited– “Clash” – This episode features the Justice League teaming up with Captain Marvel as they attempt to stop Lex Luthor’s newest scheme.
•       Justice League Unlimited– “Initiation” – This episode features Green Arrow and the newly reformed Justice League.
•       Commentaries by renowned writers Steve Niles, Joe Lansdale, Greg Weisman and Michael Jelenic
Overall:
DC has gone to great lengths to bring some of their characters to life through animation, and the DC Showcase short film series has truly been an impressive way to introduce them to a new audience. The new extended cuts of the Jonah Hex, Spectre, and Green Arrow shorts add even more depth to the characters and provide an added incentive to fans who already purchased the previous DC Animated films which included the original cuts.
Check out our interview with Jonah Hex writer Joe Landsdale:
 

Check out our interview with the DC Showcase Executive Producer Bruce Timm:

ComicsOnline gives DC Showcase Animated Original Shorts: Superman/Shazam!- The Return of Black Adam 5 out of 5 hopes that we get more of these epic animated stories!
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