DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 28, 2018

High quality boxed sets, even high quality boxed sets that only hold collections of (mostly) previously released content, hold a special place in movie collectors' hearts. There's nothing like an attractive, durable set filled with favorite content to occupy a centerpiece on a bookshelf or display area, and for DC animation fans there's certainly nothing better out there than the 10th Anniversary Collection, a 32 disc, 30 film colossus filled with amazing movies and countless hours of supplemental content, including a brand-new supplements disc exclusive to this set. This review includes a listing of everything that's included, a breakdown of the new supplemental content, and several packaging photos.

Note that the scores above, with the exception of the extras score which is a "5" considering all of the carryover content and the wonderful new supplements on the included dedicated bonus disc, are rounded averages of all of the previously issued scores for the individual releases calculated from inputs in a spreadsheet (for the sake of total accuracy, the "movie" scores average 3.383, the "video" scores average 3.716, and the "audio" scores average 4.300). The values are fairly rangy, and the discs were reviewed by no less than four different Blu-ray.com reviewers over the years.

The following thirty films are included in the set. Links direct to each film's Blu-ray review. The listing is the order in which the films appear in the set, which is based on the release date of the disc issue included in the set, not each film's debut date (hence why a couple of the early films are listed near the end; they are more recently released "commemorative editions" rather than the discs released way back when). The numbering in which the films actually appear in terms of chronological order by release date is also reprinted below.

• Superman: Doomsday: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #1/Review.
• Batman: Gotham Knight: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #3/Review.
• Green Lantern: First Flight: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #5/Review.
• Superman/Batman: Public Enemies: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #6/Review.
• Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #7/Review.
• Batman: Under the Red Hood: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #8/Review.
• Superman/Batman: Apocalypse: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #9/Review.
• Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (Includes the Shorts: The Spectre, Green Arrow, and Jonah Hex): Review.
• All-Star Superman: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #10/Review.
• Green Lantern: Emerald Knights: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #11/Review.
• Batman: Year One (Includes the Short Catwoman): DC Universe Animated Original Movie #12/Review.
• Justice League: Doom: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #13/Review.
• Superman vs. The Elite: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #14/Review.
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Deluxe Edition/Discs One and Two): DC Universe Animated Original Movie #15 & 16/Review.
• Superman: Unbound: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #17/Review.
• Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #18/Review.
• Justice League: War: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #19/Review.
• Son of Batman: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #20/Review.
• Batman: Assault on Arkham: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #21/Review.
• Justice League: Throne of Atlantis: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #22/Review.
• Batman vs. Robin: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #23/Review.
• Justice League: Gods and Monsters: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #24/Review.
• Batman: Bad Blood: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #25/Review.
• Justice League vs. Teen Titans: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #26/Review.
• Batman: The Killing Joke: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #27/Review.
• Justice League Dark: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #28/Review.
• Teen Titans: The Judas Contract: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #29/Review.
• Wonder Woman: Commemorative Edition: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #4/Review (Movie), Review (Commemorative Edition Reissue).
• Batman and Harley Quinn: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #30/Review.
• Justice League: The New Frontier: Commemorative Edition: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #2/Review (Movie), Review (Commemorative Edition Reissue).

The following DC Universe Animated Original Movies have released since this boxed set was assembled for the collection's 10th anniversary:

• Batman: Gotham by Gaslight: DC Universe Animated Original Movie #31/Review.
• Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay: DC Universe Animated Original Movie # 32/Review.
• The Death of Superman: DC Universe Animated Original Movie # 33/Review.

There are several DC animated films -- such as Batman Ninja , Batman vs. Two-Face, Batman Mask of the Phantasm (which will be included with the upcoming animated series set), Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, and Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero -- which are not included as part of this set, and that's actually a question that is addressed in the Comic-Con panel supplement included on this set's bonus disc.

DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For full video reviews of any or all films, please click through the appropriate links above. Note that a couple of the films in this set -- Batman: The Killing Joke and Batman: Assault on Arkham -- are receiving the 4K treatment in the coming weeks, though if recent history is any indicator, that may not mean much.

DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For full audio reviews of any or all films, please click through the appropriate links above.

DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

DC fans really are in for a treat with this set. The presentation is first-class. The box measures a foot long, 8.25 inches high, and two-and-a-quarter inches deep and weighs in at a fairly meaty 4 pounds, 13 ounces. The front image -- highlighted by a collage of the most popular DC characters including Batman and Superman most prominently as well as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman -- features excellent embossing work. Not only are character raised, but there are layers and varying heights to various components. Elements closer to the viewer, even if the character is set further back, are more aggressively elevated than some content that appears further behind. The blue DC logo situated top-left and the "DC Universe 10th Anniversary Collection" lettering are also embossed. The heroes emerge from a rather dark background which lightens considerably in their immediate rear vicinity. The rear side, underneath the removable info cluster sell sheet, is blank beyond a small, non-embossed DC logo center-bottom. On both sides appears the same non-embossed DC logo and the "DC Universe 10th Anniversary Collection" lettering. The top includes the same, though everything is embossed. The bottom offers Warner Brothers and DC logos, some small-print legalese, and a sticker announcing the individual number of the set in the run of 20,000 (I own #455).

Box construction gives the impression that a tray holding the discs and goodies inside would simply slide out of either side of the outer box, but this is actually a flip-open box that opens from the bottom front flap. There's nothing underneath the front cover; it's a simple black, empty slate (imagine a Batman or Superman symbol emblazoned there) but the benefit is the eyes draw to the large book that carries over the same artwork seen on the front outer package. The book comprises most of the set's weight, and that's no surprise. Not only does it hold 32 Blu-ray discs, but the stock it's made from is very thick and heavy duty. The front and rear covers are hardback, and the presentation practically passes for a high quality coffee table book. Each "page" holds two discs. Movie titles are printed clearly, but unobtrusively, in a vertical orientation along each page's edges. But the draw inside is the amazingly high quality, full-spread artwork that appears on every page. Beautiful and nearly larger-than-life hand-drawn and full-color representations of characters like Batman, Flash, Superman, The Joker, Cyborg, The Teen Titans, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and others adorn each page. One could spend the length of one of these movies -- an hour so -- flipping through and appreciating the artistry. And with the book's thickness and sturdiness, it'll undoubtedly hold up to intensive use over the years. The one drawback is that the discs are slotted into built-in "sleeves" at the top of each page. Disc removal is not necessarily difficult, but it does require one to grab it by both sides with thumb and forefinger and pull. That'll invariably lead to significant disc edge fingerprinting. Returning the discs to their homes is easy and they "click" into place as they draw into their snug alcoves.

Underneath the book are several additional items, including an "adult coloring book" featuring artwork from the films that fans can fill in with their own unique artistic flair. The artwork therein consists of title sheets for each film. There are also three silver coins depicting Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, with fairly substantial texturing; each character is prominently raised above the rest of the coin, and the characters' names also appear. All three coins feature identical DC Universe animation 10th anniversary logos on the flip side.

In addition to all of the supplemental content spread across the 31 discs comprising the 30 films and their respective releases, this set contains a new, exclusive supplemental disc with hours of added bonus content, reviewed below. See the linked individual reviews above for coverage of any given film's on-disc extra content. This set does not ship with DVDs or digital copy vouchers, the later of which would have certainly made an already irresistible set an absolute must-own.

• The Hero in All of Us (1080p, 49:17): A large number of individuals discuss what makes a hero a hero (more in real life than in the comic book realm) and the impact of Superhero characters in their lives. Individuals discuss the characteristics that describe everyday heroism and how DC's Superheroes are positive influences in the lives of people who have taken inspiration from them to engage in real-life heroics. There's in-depth discussion about the role of heroic individuals in society and the history of "super heroes" in various cultures from different periods in history. This is not directly a study of DC's most iconic characters but rather a discussion of how they positively impact on and reflect in society. This is an engaging piece that moves quickly despite the nearly 50-minute runtime.
• Mark Hamill: Finding the Laugh (1080p, 9:33): From a June 2016 interview, Hamill discusses landing the lead role in Star Wars. He continues to discuss his role in the Batman Animated Series and lending his own vocal signature to the character. He reflects on other actors who have voiced the Clown Prince of Crime, the character's history in the comics and battles against Batman, his work on The Killing Joke, his love for the character and the DC Universe, and more. This is a wonderful interview that sees Hamill uncover the character through many iterations and share his long-lasting draw to him.
• DC Universe 10th Anniversary Panel, San Diego Comic-Con 2017 (1080i, 45:01): Moderator Gary Miereanu hosts the voice of Flash Chris Gorham, the voice of Wonder Woman Vanessa Marshall, the voice of The Joker (in some movies including Under the Red Hood) John DiMaggio, the voice of Batgirl and Barbara Gordon Tara Strong, the voice of Batman Kevin Conroy, Co-Producer and Writer for several films Jim Krieg, Writer Alan Burnett, Producer James Tucker, and Producer Bruce Timm. After a brief retirement celebration for Alan Burnett, the panel covers a number of subjects, including performing material that is slightly more adult oriented, voicing their characters, and answering audience questions about future plans for the animated universe, sales figures, collaborating with original DC visionaries, and much more.
• A Tribute Panel to Darwin Cooke (1080p, 33:39): Illustrator Michael Cho hosts a panel celebrating the life and work of the DC artist who passed away at age 53 in 2016.
• 2008 San Diego Comic-Con: DC Universe Animation Panel featuring Wonder Woman (1080i upscaled, 4x3, 33:46): Moderator Gregory Noveck hosts President and Publisher of DC Comics Paul Levitz, Casting and Voice Director Andrea Romano, Producer Bruce Timm, Director Lauren Montgomery, and Actor Nathan Fillion. Discussions include the evolution of the animated program, casting and voice work, and female character representations in the DC Universe. They answer various audience questions, mostly about future projects.
• A Comic Book History of Justice League Dark (1080p, 6:15): Jason Inman and Tiffany Smith, hosts of DC All Access, deliver a spoiler-filled exploration of the storylines through the years.
• Justice League: Gods & Monsters Chronicles (1080p): A trio of short films that originally debuted on the web. Included are Twisted (5:47), a film in which Batman and Harley Quinn go at it in her house of horrors; Bomb (5:58), a film in which there is no choice but to destroy the East Coast in an effort to stop Brainiac in Superman's absence; and Big (5:53), a story depicting Wonder Woman rescuing Steve Trevor and battling Giganta.
• Lookbook (1080p): A character, location, and animatic image gallery with mention of the movie in which viewers can find the exact design depicted. Included are Batman, Blue Beetle, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn, Joker, Nightwing, Poison Ivy, Raven, Swamp Thing, Trigon, Wonder Woman, a carnival from Batman: The Killing Joke, the Owl Statue from Batman vs. Robin, the Citadel from Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, the House of Mystery from Justice League Dark, the Hall of Justice from Justice League Dark, Justice League Headquarters from Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Asian Mountain Temple from Son of Batman, Tower of Justice from Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Brainiac's Ship from Superman: Unbound, and animatic images from Batman: The Killing Joke, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Son of Batman, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, and Superman: Unbound.
• UHD 4K Brand Trailers (1080p, 1:05): A 4K/HDR promo reel in 1080p and SDR.

DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection is a colossus of a boxed set. It's built like a tank, it looks amazing, and it holds a treasure trove of DC animated content. Of course the set is a little outdated at this point; three new movies have released since this set hit the market, but it'll be many years, if ever, until these films and future DC animated endeavors find their way into another collection of this scope and scale. The only drawback is that discs are a little difficult to remove from the pages, and it's impossible to do so without fingerprinting the platters. Otherwise, it's a beauty. Very highly recommended, though it's obviously more for newcomers, those with only a few of these films in their collections, or fans with deep pockets.