Animation can be one of the most dynamic mediums around. You can see it in the frenetic energy of a Looney Tunes cartoon, or the incredible range of topics and emotion in Fantasia. DC has used this to great effect in series like Batman: The Animated Series and Young Justice, or films like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and All-Star Superman.
This will continue in 2019 and 2020 with five new DC Showcase animated shorts. These are Sgt. Rock, Adam Strange, Death, The Phantom Stranger and Batman: Death in the Family. Each will open with a new, live action branding sequence, featuring “a few Easter eggs specially added for observant fans.” More info on long form Batman: Death in the Family coming next year.
Sgt. Rock is written by Louise and Walter Simonson and Reign of the Supermen writer Tim Sheridan. Karl Urban, Judge Dredd in 2012’s Dredd, will voice the Sergeant. In it, WWII Sgt. Rock is assigned leadership of legendary monsters in battle against an “unstoppable platoon of Nazi zombies.”
Adam Strange is written by J.M. DeMatteis, with How to Get Away with Murder‘s Charlie Weber voicing Adam Strange. In it, Strange’s backstory is shown through flashbacks. On an asteroid mining colony, he’s viewed as the town drunk, with few knowing his true nature. This is revealed when miners open a fissure into the home of a horde of deadly alien insects.
Death is also written by DeMatteis and features Death from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. In the short, Vincent is an artist with unresolved inner demons. He meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy, and eventual death. Jamie Chung, Blink in The Gifted, will voice Death, with Westworld’s Leonardo Nam voicing Vincent.
The Phantom Stranger is written by Ernie Altbacker, writer of the Teen Titans: Judas Contract film. Peter Serafinowicz, voice of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, will voice Phantom Stranger. Set in the ’70s, it follows young adult Jess joining her friends at a party in a dilapidated mansion. When strange things start happening to the group, the Stranger gets involved to save Jess from a dreary fate.
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