Superman: Red Son and Superman: Man of Tomorrow Animated Feature Films

[Vakanai]

I'd like to apologize earlier in this thread when I said they'd never "stealth in" a new shared universe. I overestimated their intelligence. I won't make that mistake again.

They'd better not **** up The Long Halloween making it fit into their new universe. Although it'll never look as good as it could have if they based their art on Sale.

[Vordan]

I'd like to apologize earlier in this thread when I said they'd never "stealth in" a new shared universe. I overestimated their intelligence. I won't make that mistake again.

They'd better not **** up The Long Halloween making it fit into their new universe. Although it'll never look as good as it could have if they based their art on Sale.

Lol they’d never be able to replicate Sale’s art on their current shoestring budget.

[Frontier]

Lol they’d never be able to replicate Sale’s art on their current shoestring budget.

At least I think they'd have to animated in a very specific way to capture Sale's art.

[Vakanai]

Lol they’d never be able to replicate Sale’s art on their current shoestring budget.

They don't have to make it a 1 to 1 interpretation. Just do the best they can to approach that style while still making something that they can afford and looks good. There's a lot of space between "perfectly replicating" and "not even trying". Instead of finding that middle ground however they woefully chose the "don't bother trying" option. And that's a shame.

[DochaDocha]

Imitating the source material art used to be one of the fun-filled features of these animated movies, but that philosophy was tossed aside for the Young Justice style for the previous continuity of movies. It's too bad, really.

[Frontier]

I'm fine with whatever art style so long as it fits the tone and content of the story at this point.

[Gaius]

Lol they’d never be able to replicate Sale’s art on their current shoestring budget.

Yeah, I think they tried with TKJ with Bolland's style and it just looked drab/undercooked in comparison.

Imitating the source material art used to be one of the fun-filled features of these animated movies, but that philosophy was tossed aside for the Young Justice style for the previous continuity of movies. It's too bad, really.

Yeah, honestly one of the reasons I'm interested in these movies is they've moved on from YJ as their seeming house style.

[DochaDocha]

Yeah, I think they tried with TKJ with Bolland's style and it just looked drab/undercooked in comparison.

Yeah, we also got McGuinness and Turner (RIP) recreations for the Superman & Batman movies, and while they really don't come close to being 1-to-1, the homage is very tangible. If you read the comics and were a veteran of DC animation, you can see the effort put into place, and more often than not effort is appreciable.

I don't think there's any adaptation with bad designs, but the extra touch in trying to emulate the art style just feels right. The monotonic art of the previous continuity makes things feel more like an assembly line output compared to making bespoke designs for individual movies.

[Robanker]

Imitating the source material art used to be one of the fun-filled features of these animated movies, but that philosophy was tossed aside for the Young Justice style for the previous continuity of movies. It's too bad, really.

It would help if there YJ style (which comes from one of the JL DTV movies) looked good. It's fine, but inspiring... But I'd argue that for the whole of Young Justice.

[Frontier]

It would help if there YJ style (which comes from one of the JL DTV movies) looked good. It's fine, but inspiring... But I'd argue that for the whole of Young Justice.

I guess it depends on taste. I know people who prefer a more stylized art style but I also like the serious and (I guess anime-esque) figures of Bourassa's designs.

It takes all kinds.

[Gaius]

I guess it depends on taste. I know people who prefer a more stylized art style but I also like the serious and (I guess anime-esque) figures of Bourassa's designs.

It takes all kinds.

I don't mind the YJ/Bourassa-influenced designs but I just didn't need for it to become the default style of DC animation for decade. Same way I was a happy when DCAU has gradually stopped being the default DC style.

[Vakanai]

It would help if there YJ style (which comes from one of the JL DTV movies) looked good. It's fine, but inspiring... But I'd argue that for the whole of Young Justice.

I liked it a lot more than this new design which is just...pointlessly bold lined for some reason, and otherwise plain. But still, there should never have been a house style with any of these films to begin with. They should have kept making tailored designs for each film. It was appreciated.

[Robanker]

I liked it a lot more than this new design which is just...pointlessly bold lined for some reason, and otherwise plain. But still, there should never have been a house style with any of these films to begin with. They should have kept making tailored designs for each film. It was appreciated.

I prefer the new designs to YJ or the New 52 movies and their widescreen shovel-faced Superman.

[Vakanai]

I prefer the new designs to YJ or the New 52 movies and their widescreen shovel-faced Superman.

Difference of opinion then - outside the not very well thought out costume designs, I'd take them over these new flat as hell designs any day of any week of any year of any century. This new design just doesn't have any visual appeal to speak of, much less watch. Basically, it's the sort of art style where one comes for the story not the art.
Also, it's cheap looking. Mainly because it looks flat, with no need for shading.

[Robanker]

Difference of opinion then - outside the not very well thought out costume designs, I'd take them over these new flat as hell designs any day of any week of any year of any century. This new design just doesn't have any visual appeal to speak of, much less watch. Basically, it's the sort of art style where one comes for the story not the art.
Also, it's cheap looking. Mainly because it looks flat, with no need for shading.

While I'll agree with you there, it reminds me of flat coloring from classic comics (many of which I love to revisit) and it pops in a way that screams "comic books" to me as opposed to "budget anime" like the N52 movies did.

That said, the lack of shading requires additional lines be used to add age or definition and when the style is so simplistic, it can really look bad. I think they should reexamine going forward-- or better yet, let the films have their own art styles!