"Death" DC Showcase Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

From the creative forces behind the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line, DC Showcase puts the spotlight on favorite characters from throughout the annals of DC Comics in fascinating, short-form tales sure to entertain longtime and new fans alike. DC Showcase Presents...Death!

DC Showcase: Death
Included On: Wonder Woman: Bloodlines Home Entertainment Release
Release Date: Digital HD - October 5, 2019; Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - October 22, 2019

Synopsis: Vincent, an artist with unresolved inner demons, meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy … and eventual death.

Death is produced & directed by Sam Liu and written by J.M. DeMatteis. Leonard Nam provides the voice of Vincent, and Jamie Chung is the voice of Death. The voice cast includes Darin De Paul, Keith Szarabajka and Kari Wahlgren.

Comments?

Please post all discussions and comments about the Death animated short in this thread! Please discuss the other aspects of the home video release of Death in the proper talkback, as linked below.

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Note: Remember, this talkback thread is for discussion of the animated short only. If you wish to talk about the home video release, please click on the appropriate link (s) above. We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Troy Troodon]

About time we got Death from the Sandman comics in animation!

 

[Otaku-sempai]

About time we got Death from the Sandman comics in animation!

Yeah, especially since it doesn't look like the movie adaptation of Death: The High Cost of Living is getting made any time soon.

 

[Yojimbo]

Loved it. Excellence. Poignant. Bittersweet. J.M. DeMatteis and Sam Liu really found the correct emotional core of the tortured artist in Vincent Omata in rediscovering pure joy in death and overcoming his inner demons before moving on. And ending on what the firefighters think is a miracle. Just beautiful. I really, really hope shorts out of the Sandman series are on their way. I mean, name dropping the Book of Destiny? Please more.

Using Noonan's as the bar was an amusing surprise (as well as Arkham Asylum). For a hot second, I thought Vincent was going to see the barkeeper as Baytor but I guess that would have been self-indulgent, lol.

That had to be a close if not the closest depiction to drug use I can recall in DC animation. But even with Death and souls being ferried away, it felt like a story any adult could really relate to or at least one of the elements of it. A DC story with no super heroes or super villains, how novel. I think we've all dealt with people who grind us down with their words, relatives telling you you're not good enough, loved ones who give up on you, hitting rock bottom, trying to recapture what you once had. Or simply, what we have here is a story that depicts a character, who is mentally ill, sympathetically, not turning him into a psycho costumed supervillain, and ending his story in a redemptive tone. This is without a doubt my new favorite story of all time in DC animation.

 

[Otaku-sempai]

So far, the short is the only thing on the disc that I've actually watched (things are a bit hectic right now). I want to nominate "Death" for awards!

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Any ideas on the time period this takes place in? New 52? Pre 52? Rebirth? Just curious.

 

[Troy Troodon]

This was something that really hit close to home for me, as an aspiring, un-employed artist.

 

[Yojimbo]

Any ideas on the time period this takes place in? New 52? Pre 52? Rebirth? Just curious.

Based on Death's design, pre-52 seems like a safe bet. Has she even appeared in New 52 or Rebirth yet?

 

[Frontier]

I think this story pretty well encapsulated the character of Death and the kind of style of Gaiman's Sandman work both thematically and visually, which is all the more of value sine this is really the first time this stuff has been adapted in such a form .

Vincent is kind of typical for a human protagonist in Gaiman's Sandman...at an emotional crossroads, crushed under personal and societal expectations, and just generally unsatisfied with their lives until they end up crossing paths with The Endless. He's not a perfect person, as seen by how he reacted to Catherine leaving him, but you can still understand and empathize with him enough to where you want to see him regain the passion and joy of art that he lost .

Death was Death, and Jamie Chung captured her caring, serene, and youthful nature quite well. The thing people misunderstand about Death the most is that she has no control over who lives or dies, but she makes sure that before someone moves on that they are at peace and content with themselves. I think the only thing missing was seeing her being best big sister to The Endless, though hopefully we will get to see that someday .

Random Arkham Asylum appearance, along with Noonan's. I guess the former was a part of Gaiman's Sandman run .

Obviously in a story about Death the protagonist is going to end up dead...but I thought they handled the reveal pretty well, especially when you look at how Vincent killed himself .

I also liked the depiction of Vincent's emotional demons as actual demons badgering him incessantly with all his failures and doubts. Really made you feel for him .

That's cool they brought in Jae Lee to do the portrait of Death. It was a really nice piece .

Based on Death's design, pre-52 seems like a safe bet. Has she even appeared in New 52 or Rebirth yet?

Continuity-wise I think the second Dream is the only Endless who've appeared in a proper DC continuity during Rebirth, but I believe Death popped up in one of the books under Gaiman's personal comics line.

 

[Yojimbo]

Random Arkham Asylum appearance, along with Noonan's. I guess the former was a part of Gaiman's Sandman run .

10/24: Monarch Theater appeared as well in the short.

11/1: Neil Gaiman wasn't consulted on the story but he was supposed to have been and there appears to have been a miscommunication.

 

[Troy Troodon]

Dang it this makes me want to see more of Death and Neil Gaiman's Sandman in the mainstream DC universe, on top of animation. I could easily see her in universal role in an up dc coming DC crossover film, or an episode of an animated series.

 

[Frontier]

11/1: Neil Gaiman wasn't consulted on the story but he was supposed to have been and there appears to have been a miscommunication.

Well, that's...mildly disconcerting. Especially since Gaiman is generally pretty open to this kind of stuff .

I'm sure he would've enjoyed it .

 

[Yojimbo]

Well, that's...mildly disconcerting. Especially since Gaiman is generally pretty open to this kind of stuff .

I'm sure he would've enjoyed it .

It gets me curious who screwed up but we'll likely never know. lol.

 

[EmaHalJordan]

Beautiful short! Nice story and great soundtrack! It is superior to all current animated movies!
Hopefully this time everyone buys the Showcase and we don't have to wait years for the next one.
I want to see Atom, Hawkman, Mr. Miracle, Dr.Fate, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), Shazam, Donna Troy, Martian Manhunter

 

[Otaku-sempai]

I want to see Atom, Hawkman, Mr. Miracle, Dr.Fate, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), Shazam, Donna Troy, Martian Manhunter

I'll see your Blue Beetle and raise you one Blue & Gold (Beetle & Booster)!

 

[Frontier]

I'll see your Blue Beetle and raise you one Blue & Gold (Beetle & Booster)!

I'll see your Blue & Gold and raise you a full-on JLI Showcase short .

 

[EmaHalJordan]

Hopefully we have one of the entire JLI! They could introduce them to some of them and then get the whole team! And the longest short should always be team-up!

my wish list:
DC Showcase Vol.3
Atom Ray Palmer (20 min)
Blue Beetle Ted Kord (20 min)
Dr.Fate (20 min)
Superman & Mr.Miracle (40 min)

DC Showcase Vol.4
Shazam (20 min)
Donna Troy (20 min)
Firestorm (20 min)
Green Lantern & Green Arrow (40 min)

DC Showcase Vol.5
Aquaman and Mera (20 min)
Robin (20 min)
Hawkman (20 min)
Justice League International (40 min)

 

[Yojimbo]

Let's stay on topic, please.

 

[Frontier]

Let's stay on topic, please.

Yeah, it's not like we're Death's sister Delirium (that's kind of on-topic, right?) .

 

[Fone Bone]

DC Showcase "Death"

That was amazing. My favorite DC Showcase short. And the painting at the end lived up to the hype.

I love Death. I love that she's kind, and understanding, and relates to the people she helps individually, and makes them know they are special and important. That is way cooler to me than the other characters in these shorts. I like Death. And I like that I like Death.

That was great. *****.