Superman

This feature-length tape began as a three-episode story line on the animated TV series, a superhero crossover where Bruce Wayne visits Metropolis and the Dark Knight meets the Man of Steel for the first time. The two heroes mix like oil and water, the law-and-order Superman suspicious of Batman's rather ruthless methods; but they form an uneasy partnership when Lex Luthor and the Joker team up to take on the duo. To add a personal dimension to the already edgy rivalry, Wayne romances Lois Lane under Clark Kent's very nose. The stylized animation and sharp design of the TV series give the limited animation a sleek, smooth quality and an energetic sense of movement. Timothy Daly supplies the voices for Clark Kent and (in a deeper register) Superman, with Kevin Conroy performing the same vocal trick for Bruce Wayne/Batman; but Dana Delany only has to worry about one persona as Lois Lane. The once-and-future Luke Skywalker, cult film star turned voice actor Mark Hamill, provides the Joker's cackling banter. --Sean Axmaker.