The Kryptonian frenzy for Kal-El is about to hit its zenith, and the hullabaloo for all things Superman will finally come to fruition on July 11. Everything Warner Bros. Discovery and the newly minted DC Studios have built comes down to this—the success of James Gunn's seminal superhero film.
To help amp the frenetic anxiousness and intrigue, Max... eh, HBO Max has quietly loaded its library to the hilt with animated and live studio projects. Many of these are regaled by Superman aficionados worldwide as some of the most important stories ever told about the Man of Steel. Those tales include Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009), The Death of Superman (2018), Reign of the Supermen (2019), Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020), and Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons (2022).
Among them are two more epic stories rarely found in streamers that deserve to be watched by all of the Superfans: Superman: Unbound (2013) and Superman: Red Son (2020).
Superman: Unbound
Geoff Johns gets some flack for his handling of DC properties and stories in film, but as it relates to comic book storytelling, few are any more skilled. Directed by James Tucker who follows the Unbound story fluidly with the 16th DC Animated Universe movie, the story centers around Lois Lane being taken hostage, Supergirl/Kara Zor-El rescuing her, and how Superman seeks revenge in the most humane way possible.
If you ever heard or wondered why Matt Bomer of White Collar fame was considered Superman in film, Unbound is why. He portrays a stellar and vexed version of Superman here. Along with Stana Katic (Castle) as Lois Lane, John Noble (Fringe) as Brainiac, and Molly Quinn (Castle) as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl, Bomer leads a compelling cast through a complex story to tell for America's Boy Scout.
Perhaps the singular standout was Noble's work as Brainiac. When Syfy brought the world the progenitor origin of Krypton, fans were riveted to the tapestry of Superman's grandpa and how he blazed a trail of righteousness that became the Last Son of Krypton being sent to Earth. In that series, fans got a glimpse, a real unveiling of what Brainiac was capable of doing. It was mesmerizing and short lived.
It took an unbound story to inspire that fascination five years prior in 2013. Go watch it! Both of them.
Superman: Red Son
How would the world have reacted if Kal-El landed in Moscow? And, not just present day, but during the height of the Cold War when tensions were high, diplomatic talks were low, and everyone was worried sick about whose hand was on that dreaded button.
Mark Millar writes a masterful story to this alternative take on Superman. What makes it so appealing is that the shadows of Lenin and Stalin and Gorbachev were merely backdrops. The real story is how the U.S. and the U.K. dealt with the fact that this living superpower made the Soviet Union even scarier.
Adding to the mix of foreign relations is Pyotr Roslov, the Russian Superman's best buddy and the fictional son of Joseph Stalin. The story is a chef's kiss to the brilliance required to create an all-time great comic book. Marvel or DC and any label in between, it's literally one of the best ever, and this 2020 animation proves it.
The Rest of the Catalog
Let's just pour out some on the curb for that genius. Sigh.
Those DCAU classics and the Zack Snyderverse are appetizers for what Warner Bros. hopes will become a paradigm shift for the beleaguered WB/DC union. But those aren't the only Superman stories you can find on the WarnerMedia streaming service, as the collection also features some of the Man of Steel's most iconic stories on both the big and small screen, from the classic days of Christopher Reeve to the CW's critically-acclaimed Superman and Lois, there is something for every Super-fan!
The menu for the Supes buffet is enough to fill the belly of the most casual of Superman fans. Featured in the Superman collection on HBO Max are:
- The original collection: Superman I - IV
- Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
- Justice League movie (Gray, Snyder Cut, and the theatrical release)
- Animated Justice League movies (Doom, War, Warworld, vs. Teen Titans, and Throne of Atlantis)
- Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
- Superman Returns
- Injustice
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
- Superman & Lois
- My Adventures with Superman
- Superman: The Animated Series