For the Man Who Has Everything
From Pop-Cult Guides
For the Man Who Has Everything is both a comic book story and an animated television episode.
Contents |
[edit] Comic book
For the Man Who Has Everything is a story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons published in Superman Annual #11.
[edit] Plot
Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman visit the Fortress of Solitude on Superman's birthday, only to find him in a vegetative state, trapped by an alien vine called the Black Mercy plant.
Soon, the alien Mongul steps into the scene, revealing that Superman is in an induced coma, dreaming about his heart's desire. Wonder Woman starts fighting Mongul while Batman and Robin try to free Superman. Meanwhile, Superman dreams about an alternate life on Krypton in which he is married to an actress named Lyla and fathers two children by her. The dream also includes a sub-plot about his father Jor-El, who in Superman's vision becomes the leader of an extremist right-wing movement called the Sword of Rao which supports the use of the Phantom Zone to punish criminals like Jax-Ur. In retaliation, the Anti-Phantom Zone campaigners attack and seriously wound Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El. Jor-El refuses to visit his injured niece, however, being still bitter over his brother Zor-El's rejection of his prediction of Krypton's destruction.
Back in the fortress, Batman finally removes the Black Mercy plant from Superman’s chest just in time for him to rescue Wonder Woman, who has been defeated by Mongul and is at his mercy. As Superman and Mongul engage in battle, Batman is trapped by the plant and subsequently dreams of the night of his parents' murder, envisioning an alternate version of the event in which his father averts the tragedy.
Robin frees Batman using Mongul’s gloves; he traps the plant in one and manages to drop it on Mongul, who is promptly snared in its tendrils.
[edit] Publication
As well as appearing in Superman Annual #11 it has been reprinted in:
- DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore (trade paperback, 2006, Titan ISBN 1-84576-257-6 DC ISBN 1-4012-0927-0
[edit] Justice League Unlimited episode
| DC animated Universe: Chronology |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Superman: The Animated Series | Batman Beyond | The Zeta Project | Static Shock | Justice League | Movies |
|
| Justice League Unlimited | Characters: Heroes • Villains • Supporting • Cameos • Organizations • Evil Organizations | Settings | Episodes | Cast and crew | Movies | Comics | Video games | Broadcasting | Awards | DVD releases |
| Justice League Unlimited episode | |
|---|---|
| “For the Man Who Has Everything” | |
| |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
| Writer(s) | J.M. Dematteis |
| Story by | Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons |
| Director | Dan Riba |
| Original airdate | August 7th, 2004 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Initiation" | "Kid Stuff" |
"For the Man Who Has Everything" is the second episode of the first season of the animated series Justice League Unlimited.
With Moore's approval, the story was adapted for the animated series. Among the main differences are Robin’s absence (in the original version he ingeniously saved the day) and Superman's family in his dream. In this version, Kal-El was married to Loana (a combination of Lana Lang and Lois Lane features voiced by Dana Delaney, voice actor of the latter), and they only had one child named Van-El. The dream sub-plot was rather about Superman’s inner desires of a regular family, than about the Kryptonian conflict lead by Jor-El in the comic.
[edit] Trivia
- The animated Batman once dreamed of his perfect life when the Mad Hatter used a device for a similar scheme to Mongul's in the Batman: The Animated Series episode, "Perchance to Dream". Unlike in the comic book, Bruce dreamed of marrying Selina Kyle instead of Kathy Kane.
- This is the first time in the entire animated history of Batman (i.e. starting with Batman: The Animated Series and continuing into Justice League) that the murder of his parents is shown in any explicit detail.
- Some additional differences from the comic book version are:
- Batman gave money to Superman instead of the new breed of rose named after his birth-planet.
- Wonder Woman who presented the flower instead of the glass replica of Kandor.
- Mongul was smaller, not a three-meter giant.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| George Newbern | Superman |
| Susan Eisenberg | Wonder Woman |
| Kevin Conroy | Batman, Joe Chill |
| Eric Roberts | Mongul |
| Dana Delany | Loana |
| Mike Farrell | Pa Kent |
| Josh Hutcherson | Van-El |
| Corey Burton | Brainiac |
| Christopher McDonald | Jor-El |
