Susan Eisenberg, the voice of Wonder Woman in the popular “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited” television series, reprises her role for the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie, “Justice League: Doom.”

Eisenberg will join several of her voicecast colleagues for the West Coast Premiere of Justice League: Doom at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills on February 16.

The all-new, PG-13 rated Justice League: Doom will be available February 28 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet Digital Copy.

Eisenberg has focused her career in voiceovers for animation, video games and commercial use. In addition to her work for the past 12-plus as Wonder Woman for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited television series and the DCU films Superman/Batman: Apocalypse and Justice League: Doom, Eisenberg can also be heard in a variety of animates series, including Jackie Chan Adventures, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and The Super Hero Squad Show, as well as video games like Star Wars: The Ford Unleashed – Ultimate Sith Edition and Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight. She is one of nine actors returning to the booth to record their original Justice League roles for the film, Justice League: Doom.

In anticipation of the West Coast Premiere, Eisenberg gladly offered some recollections and thoughts regarding her years of voicing Wonder Woman, including flirtations with Batman, her personal memorabilia collection, and the real reason Wonder Woman flies an invisible plane. Take a read …

QUESTION: What do you recall of earning the role of Wonder Woman some 13 years ago?

SUSAN EISENBERG: I can remember it vividly – because it was a big deal. It felt like a real life-changer, so it’s a huge memory for me. It was 1999, and I remember going to the call back and being with Andrea (Romano) and Bruce (Timm). Even the dialogue is still clear in my memory. And when I got the call that I got the role, it really had an impact on me.

Most jobs in voiceover don’t make you feel like they’re going to change your life, but this one did. And in many ways, it really did. I got to work for six years on a series, and I’d never done something that long term. And I was chosen to voice this wonderful, iconic character … and through these movies, I get to continue that role. It’s been fun and kind of surprising – people obviously know Wonder Woman, but it’s wonderful when they care that much that they actually recognize and acknowledge your work as the character. I walk into other jobs and people still say, “You’re Wonder Woman, right?” That’s really a kick.

QUESTION: What’s special to you about playing Wonder Woman?

SE: Wonder Woman is truly iconic. Everyone knows her. There’s something wonderful about playing a character who is recognized throughout the world. And I love her strength. I love that she stands for something and that she believes in what she believes. She’s very, very loyal and faithful and, in the beginning, I got to play her more vulnerable, and now I get to play her more adult and stronger. She’s a wonderful character.

QUESTION: You don’t have the benefit of weekly recording sessions to keep the voice fresh in your mind. How do you jump back into this role without a hitch?

SE: Working with Andrea and Bruce is a great because they were there at the start – Andrea has always directed me in this role, so she knows what she’s looking for. Listening to her direction is the first trick. Reading the script a few times also helps, especially to find the attitude and the voice. And as a refresher, I like to go online, check out YouTube, and play some old clips, or watch some of my DVDs. That helps to get me back in that space – and then Wonder Woman is right there in my head. But honestly, it’s not a huge leap for me – she’s pretty much in there all the time, anyway.

QUESTION: How much of what you do with Wonder Woman is through a change in your voice, and how much is really acting and attitude?

SE: A lot of it’s attitude. That’s why, if I’m speaking just normally, it’s not as if somebody next to me would ask, “Do you play Wonder Woman?” But then when I do the attitude and lower the register slightly, you will see this smile of recognition on the face of a little kid … or a true fan. And that’s always fun.

QUESTION: Who recognizes you more – kids who watch cartoon, or the adult devotees of the genre?

SE: Kind of both, and the reactions are different, but similar. It’s really nice to have people who are so passionate about these characters. So you get the 6-year-old child who has watched the cartoon and their eyes get big when they recognize that you’re this person behind the voice. But then you get the 40-something-year-old who has been watching, and loves this world, and loves this universe, and reads the comic books, and cares deeply about the genre. That’s fabulous, too. Just to have fans is a very cool thing. No one can complain about that. It’s good.

QUESTION: Wonder Woman has some very long battles in Justice League: Doom with a lot of physicality required in the vocal performance. How’d you handle that?

SE: The initial recording session is pretty straight-forward – we save most of the impacts and grunts and physical action for the ADR session. But as I was reading the script, I just kept thinking of Dwayne (McDuffie) and thinking, “You really layered it on me, didn’t you!” I’m going to have to be electrocuted and hit over the head and punched over and over and punch back over and over. You often have to be physical to sound physical. So – that’s a truly exhausting day.

QUESTION: What’s it like to have the gang back together again?

SE: You know, it’s thrilling because it’s a grand reunion. I get to be reunited with Michael Rosenbaum and Kevin Conroy and Carl Lumbly and that’s like having the League back together, if you will. I didn’t that expect that to happen, and I could not be more thrilled. Driving to the recording session, I was just so excited that we’d be in a room together. It is just so comfortable coming back into this. It’s the best gig in town. And anyone who does voiceovers would say that.

QUESTION: What are the scenes that appeal most to you in this film?

SE: I always like the quieter moments. So I like my scenes with J’onn, because those two characters really can relate to each other in so many ways, and I also liked my scenes with Batman. In both cases, those were some of the quieter moments with some emotional content. I enjoy the scenes where I have to kick some butt, too. But I truly enjoy the interplay with the other characters and the actors that play them.

I’ve never been shy about my feelings with Batman and Wonder Woman because, first of all, I love Kevin and I love working with Kevin. I think he’s amazing as Batman. And I love Batman and Wonder Woman together, and I think the fans do, too. You can go on YouTube and find all these wonderful videos of the two of them – showing their romance, put to music – so you know the fans love them together.

Playing Diana gives you a lot of different angles and emotions to play. Diana is very serious – she’s not like Flash where she’s funny and throwing out the one-liners. When she’s funny, it’s not necessarily intentional that she’s funny. And so I love the other aspects of her, when she gets to be flirty with Batman or when she gets to be funny with Flash or more earnest with J’onn. I especially like to play the flirty and hint at that romance between the characters. That’s a lot of fun.

QUESTION: How much equity to you take in this character?

SE: I’m enormously proud that I get to play her – it truly is a privilege and an honor. People have definite, strong opinions of Wonder Woman, and she’s known everywhere. She is this embodiment of female empowerment, and that’s a thrill, too, because there are little girls and little boys and they’re watching this and seeing that she’s so strong and so tough and righteous. It’s great to be able to provide that example of heroics through this character. I’m a guardian of that, and I don’t take it lightly. And every time I get asked to voice the role, I feel grateful – each and every time. I hope I keep getting to do it.

QUESTION: Has playing Wonder Woman changed you?

SE: In several ways. I think I’ve grown up with this part. I got this role 10 years ago, and just working alongside my fellow Justice League actors and with Andrea and Bruce has changed the way I work. And learning about this universe has changed me. You can’t have a part like this and not feel changed by it, because it’s enviable to have this job and play this character. There’s humility attached to that. You know you’re lucky. And that changes you, also.

QUESTION: What’s your attraction to voiceover work?

SE: I grew up doing radio commercials for my father’s business in Woonsocket, R.I., and I loved it. My father and my sister worked together – they would write the copy for me, and I would do the commercials for them. There’s something just so freeing about being behind a microphone as opposed to in front of a camera. There’s no worry about your hair or lipstick – on camera you get so self-conscious. Sure, there’s a self-consciousness in a room recording with other actors, because you want to be good. That’s just performance anxiety. I’ll take that any day over that camera and all those people staring at me. Some people are so natural with the camera – the can just pretend it’s not there. I am so aware it’s there.

QUESTION: What Wonder Woman memorabilia do you have at home?

SE: I have a lot of pictures and some beautiful cels – all gifts from the Justice League and Justice League, Unlimited. And some small things that people have sent me – mugs and little toys and notebooks with her on the cover. When we first started, we all ran out and bought our own action figures, so that’s right at the forefront of my bookshelf.

Best of all, I have all the scripts from the series. I keep them in a big bookshelf in my closet. I’m nostalgic about that stuff. It’s very sentimental to me to. It was a big deal this job – it really does mean the world to me. So I kept all the scripts.

QUESTION: Wonder Woman can fly. Why does she need an invisible plane?

SE: Because she likes to go in style. And why should she always be flying when there is a plane that can do it for her? I mean, why not have the private jet if you can have the private jet? Right? You’re going to begrudge her a private jet? I don’t think so.

It may not have been the best kept secret in the world, but Warner Bros has officially confirmed Lego Batman 2, and yes — it’ll feature some of DC’s other heroes.

Outed earlier last year by promotional materials, Lego Batman 2 will see the cubed, knight teaming up with The Man of Steel to stop the Joker and Lex Luthor from wrecking havoc in Gotham City. Other DC characters are expected to appear, Robin, Wonder Woman and The Green Lantern have already been confirmed.

The game is scheduled to be released this summer, let’s hope this is the Lego game we finally get online co-op in.

Christopher Meloni attends the 2011 Shakespeare In The Park Gala at the Delacorte Theater on June 20 in New York (WireImage)

Stabler wasn’t out of work for long.

Christopher Meloni, who just left “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” after 12 seasons on the highly successful spinoff, is moving from the small screen to the silver screen, as he joins Zack Snyder’s hotly anticipated “Superman” reboot.

Meloni, 50, said he will play a General in “Man of Steel” but did not discuss details, New York Magazine blogged.

“I can’t tell you, or I’d have to kill you,” Meloni told New York Magazine’s Vulture blog.

Meloni will not play Lex Luthor as had been rumored.

British actor Henry Cavill is playing the lead role of Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams is set to play Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner play Mr. and Mrs. Kent. Russell Crowe may be about to sign on to play Jor-El, Superman’s Kryptonian father.

With today’s Amy Adams casting news, we now have many of the principal actors in the new Superman film, “Superman: Man of Steel.”

Diane Lane will play Martha Kent, Kevin Costner will play Jonathan Kent, Adams will play Lois Lane and Henry Cavill will play the title role.

These all sound great, and I’m excited. Even Cavill, who I’ve never seen and has a different look than I was anticipating, I’m giving that a chance.

However, though more important casting looms, such as Perry White and the main villain, the main part that colors this entire film has already been cast: Zac Snyder is directing the movie.

Yeah. Zac Snyder who directed “300,” “Watchmen” and “Sucker Punch.”

“300″ was awesome action with little else, “Watchmen” deteriorated as it went on and I walked out on “Sucker Punch.”

And this is the guy directing “Superman,” who’s had no legitimate film in thirty years and is due for a relevant rehash akin to “Spider-Man” and “Batman Begins?”

Snyder was actually one of the final two in contention to direct the film. Darren Aronofsky was the other. What???? Why did they go with Snyder?

Because the film has to come out next year. Warner Brothers films will lose the rights to the Superman franchise if they don’t release a Superman film in 2012. When it came down to that , Arronofsky said he couldn’t make a good film under those deadline constraints.

So from the get-go, Warner Brothers is going with the guy who said “Sure! I can make SOME KIND OF MOVIE by then.”

Snyder has proved to have strong visuals and strong action. These likely will give some good elements to the film.

Yet throughout his directing career, Snyder has never had a realistic or relatable character. Not once.

Superman has been on the film back burner because for decades, no director has been able to create a story with him that is compelling, unlike the aforementioned superhero films that drew audiences all across the world in

So Warner Brothers hires the guy who can’t do characters at all to create a film direly in need of a relatable character.

There are some intangibles. The story was written by David Goyer, the writer of the story for “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” And the director of those films, Christopher Nolan, is producing the new Superman film.

It’s got a solid cast. But is all that enough to overcompensate for the terrible director they have driving the latest Superman vehicle?

Three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams has joined “Superman: Man of Steel,” as the iconic love interest for Superman, Lois Lane.

Adams joins a growing cast, including Diane Lane, Kevin Costner and Henry Cavill, who will play Superman. Viggo Mortensen is also discussions to play the film’s villain, rumored to be General Zod.

“Superman: Man of Steel” is hitting theaters December 2012, directed by Zac Snyder, of “300,” “Watchmen” and “Sucker Punch.”

Adams will be the fourth screen Lois Lane in the last two decades, following Teri Hatcher, Erica Durance and Kate Bosworth.

Christina Hendricks is truly enjoying the best of both worlds.

While the “Mad Men” star is grabbing the spotlight for more mature mainstream opportunities as a judge on Bravo’s upcoming season of “Top Chef” and as the new face of designer Vivienne Westwood’s “Get a Life” Palladium jewelry collection, Hendricks is also currently living her childhood dreams as the voice of Lois Lane in the all-new animated film “All-Star Superman.”

Hendricks stars alongside “Desperate Housewives’” James Denton (Superman) and “Without A Trace’s” Anthony LaPaglia (Lex Luthor) in the critically-acclaimed, hot-selling DC Universe Animated Original Movie that poignantly captures Grant Morrison’s beloved, Eisner Award-winning vision of Superman’s heroic final days on Earth.

Along with husband Geoffrey Arend (“500 Days of Summer”), Hendricks was the featured attraction at the world premiere of All-Star Superman in New York’s Paley Center for Media. The press corps and fans flocked to the event, lauding praise and adoration on the actress for her roles in everything from Mad Men to Firefly. Following the screening, the crowd gave Hendricks a resounding ovation for her performance as Lois Lane.

Hendricks is at the forefront of a All-Star Superman cast that includes Denton, LaPaglia, seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner (Up), Golden Globe winner Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under), Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds) and Linda Cardellini (ER) as Nasty.

Hendricks sat for a few questions after her initial recording session for All-Star Superman, revealing her childhood adoration for the Superman characters, the trick to understanding the Lois Lane mindset, a penchant for playing Dungeons And Dragons, and the new street cred she’s earned inside her own home. Here’s what Christina Hendricks had to say …

QUESTION: Did playing Lois Lane have a greater resonance for you than most characters?

CHRISTINA HENDRICKS: It’s incredibly special for me to get to play Lois Lane because when I was growing up in Oregon, the first movie I ever went to see at a drive-in movie theater – and I think second overall — was Superman II. I can remember thinking, “This is amazing.” That was my first impression of what movies were – the adventure and action –and so this is me coming full circle. Now, I get to be Lois Lane. (laugh)

And I have been talking about playing Lois Lane for weeks now. I’ve been telling everyone that I get to be Lois Lane. It’s a big deal. There’s a few characters throughout your life that everyone knows and you’ve known your whole life. This is one of them. So to play Lois was really exciting.

QUESTION: Did you have any preconceptions about this role before entering the recording booth?

CH: I think I probably had preconceived ideas about the role because I grew up watching Margot Kidder. She’s my Lois Lane. So I wanted to make sure that I did some research to know as much as I could about the character and where she originated. I grew up on Superman and Lois Lane, so a lot of the questions were already answered in my head. But I just wanted to get a little bit more background, and think about the original Lois Lane, and the intention behind the character. I didn’t want to be copying someone.

QUESTION: Did you have any favorite scenes or lines?

CH: I love the scene where they’re flying. I mean, everyone loves a Superman scene when they’re flying, and Lois Lane gets to fly. It was really fun to do something like this because anything can happen in animation. You can dance underwater or fly over Metropolis. And as the actress, you just are along for the ride. So that was exciting.

QUESTION: What it is about Christina Hendricks that made you the right choice for Lois?

CH: I think I’m a good Lois Lane because I think I’m tough, and I think I’m up for adventure and curious and spontaneous. And I’d like to think that Lois Lane is all those things.

QUESTION: There’s a lot of Lois in this film – she’s the emotional barometer of this film, and she gets to do a lot of things she’d never done before on film. How did you approach visualizing those emotional and surreal aspects of playing Lois?

CH: I think in order to play the emotions of Lois Lane in a situation where all sorts of fantastical things are happening, you really have to know that this is a world this woman already lives in. For Christina, these things are crazy – flying and going under water and seeing the Titanic sitting there are foreign to me. But Lois Lane already lives in this world. So you have to be true to her and know that this isn’t her first time seeing all these things. And you have to keep reminding yourself of that.

QUESTION: When you were performing the role and going through these fantastical scenes and images, what are you envisioning to authentically act the role?

CH: The script is so descriptive – it’s so beautifully written and the images are so perfect that it’s very easy to jump in and imagine. It’s like being a child and just going along with the flow. It’s very fun. And it’s all spelled out for you, so as long as you’re open to taking the trip, it’s quite easy.

I closed my eyes several times while I was doing the lines because I thought, “Oh, I can’t think about these people looking in here at me. Let me imagine what this really would feel like.” And you just have to feel the wind on your face. (laugh)

QUESTION: How does Lois Lane compare with other characters you’ve played?

CH: I identify with Lois Lane in other characters that I’ve played and, of course, in my own self. She is strong and determined, but she also has a vulnerable side. She’s a woman, so she can take care of herself, but every once in a while, you know, Superman’s got to come and save her. I currently play Joan on Mad Men, who some might say is an incredibly strong character, which is what’s so fun about her. But like Lois Lane, you see moments of vulnerability and a softness to her. She’s still a woman, but she’s a strong woman.

QUESTION: You didn’t record with Anthony LaPaglia, but you have played opposite our Lex Luthor previously. How was that experience?

CH: I worked with Anthony LaPaglia some years back. I don’t know if he would remember me, but I did and episode of Without A Trace where I played an agoraphobic lesbian. Check it out. (she laughs) One of my better roles (laughs harder). I had scenes with Anthony LaPaglia where my character was stuck in a bowling alley. But not just stuck in the bowling alley, stuck underneath where they lift the pins. I had to lay under the machinery and Anthony’s character had to talk me out of it. Hopefully he’ll watch this and go, “That was that girl?” (laughs)

QUESTION: This was your maiden voyage in voiceovers for animation. Did it meet your expectations?

CH: It was kind of what I expected, and it was really fun. One thing you don’t get to do (in live-action) is say the line a couple different times with different ideas behind it. So it’s fun to actually get to experiment with all those choices all at once. I think it’s incredibly liberating to be able to go in and make three choices instead of one. And give them all equal time, and then let the director choose what they decide best suits the animation.

I think the enticement for voiceover is that you get to become a different person entirely. No one’s looking at your physicality, so you’re much more aware of your voice, and the power that your voice has. And it’s really learning to act in a very different way. If you love acting, which I do, it’s just another venue, another way to tell stories. And that’s exciting. I want to do more. This was fun. This was really fun.

QUESTION: Did you grow up with comic books or any of the current fanboy fascinations?

CH: I grew up with my brother being a huge fan of comic books fan and sci-fi and fantasy. So even though I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on, it was always on the peripheral, just around the corner (laughs). I don’t know that I did sneak a look at my brother’s comic books. I don’t know that he would have let me. He was very protective of those.

But we played everything. My brother wants to be a director, and I’m an actress. So we played “Dungeons And Dragons” and “Top Secret” and all those things. We would get up and act everything out. We were oftentimes spies. There was a lot of James Bond spy stuff going on, and a lot of “Dungeons And Dragons” fantasy. To this day, I’m surrounded by the people who watch these things. My husband watches films like this. (laughs) You kidding me? This is my life. (laughs)

QUESTION: What is your impression of comic books?

CH: I think not only are comic books incredible entertainment, but they’re great art. I got some comic books for my husband for Christmas during the first year we were together, and when you open the page you really have to retrain your mind to read a story in that format. It took me a few pages to sort of be able to look at the grand picture, and see this story and read in that style, and in the order that you’re supposed to read it. You’ve got to really train your mind to see everything. And it’s amazing, beautiful art.

QUESTION: With your days as Saffron on Firefly, you are obviously no stranger to the fanboys. What’s your best anecdote dealing with the fans?

CH: I have been to many, many Cons over the years, and it really has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Firefly opened up this world to me and it’s been absolutely amazing. Not only have I been able to travel to all these incredible places, but I’ve met people who are just so devoted and so excited about these projects, and really unite together. I like the Cons because they’re places where everyone is into the same thing – it’s this family of people who completely understand one another, and a lot of them know each other because they’ll go from one Con to the other. I’ve been amazed that I’ll see someone in Scotland, and then I’ll see them in Texas. These people are passionate about it, and you don’t see that very many places. It’s really nice.

I’ve had a lot of weird questions (laughs), but for the most part everyone’s just incredibly respectful and really nice. I had someone make a Barbie of me from Firefly, and dressed it up and sent it to me. The most fun was a contest to see who could write the best song about Saffron — and they asked me to be one of the judges. You could not believe how talented these people were. It was really fun to listen to – I still have the CD at home. Every once in a while I’ll put it in and be amazed. That was really cool.

QUESTION: You’re impressed with playing Lois Lane. How are those fanboy friends of yours reacting to you playing the role?

CH: During the recording session, my husband was sending me text messages all afternoon saying, “I love you, Lois Lane.” It’s so fun. My father, my brother, my husband, so many of my friends are gamers and into animation and comic books. So I’m going to be the most popular kid in town for at least a week. (laughs)

QUESTION: We’ve got you as Lois Lane. What do you think of casting Jon Hamm as Superman and John Slattery as Lex Luthor?

CH: Awesome. Fantastic. Jon Hamm would be good as any superhero. He’s kind of a superhero now, right? Everyone wants to be Jon Hamm right now. (laughs) Don Draper is like a superhero gone bad. (laughs) And John Slattery would be a great Lex Luthor. He’s just an incredible actor – that guy can do anything. And he’s got a great voice. He’d be wonderful.

Henry Cavill at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival (Media credit/David Shankbone)

Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures announced Sunday that Henry Cavill has been cast as Superman in the next film based on the iconic comic book hero.

Cavill is 27 and is relatively unknown. He plays Charles Brandon on Showtime’s “The Tudors.” He also stars in “Immortals,” another superhero flick, due out this fall.

Zack Snyder is directing the new Superman film, which is a reboot of the series.

“In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen,” Snyder said in a statement. “I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”

E! reports that Jon Hamm and True Blood’s Joe Manganiello were also considered for the Man of Steel role.

“Superman: Man of Steel” is slated for release in December 2012.

Award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia returns to his villainous roots as the voice of Lex Luthor in “All-Star Superman,” the highly anticipated 10th entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies coming February 22.

LaPaglia is best-known for his Golden Globe-winning lead role in the CBS drama “Without a Trace” and won an Emmy for his role as Simon on “Frasier.”

LaPaglia takes the villainous lead in an “All-Star Superman” cast that includes James Denton (Desperate Housewives) as Superman, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) as Lois Lane, seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner (Up) as Perry White, Golden Globe winner Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) as Ma Kent, Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds) as Jimmy Olsen and Linda Cardellini (ER) as Nasty.

In the feature, the Man of Steel rescues an ill-fated mission to the Sun (sabotaged by Lex Luthor) and, in the process, is oversaturated by radiation – which accelerates his cell degeneration. Sensing even he will be unable to cheat death, Superman ventures into new realms – finally revealing his secret to Lois, confronting Lex Luthor’s perspective of humanity, and attempting to ensure Earth’s safety before his own impending end with one final, selfless act.

QUESTION: What were the challenges of creating Lex Luthor as an animated voice?

AP: You have to understand the medium that you’re in. As opposed to (on-camera) acting with another individual where it requires listening in order for you to respond, here you’re having to create the question the other person would ask you in your head and then respond to it. It’s a much more difficult process because there’s a line between it being real and it being animated. There’s a slightly different tonal quality to the way you say things, or in the way you have to make it bigger sometimes than you would naturally do in order to sell it. But not having the visual in front of you – you’re kind of shooting in the dark a lot.

QUESTION: Did you enjoy this incarnation of Lex Luthor?

ANTHONY LAPAGLIA: Yeah, I did actually. I found it surprising that Lex Luthor was getting a bit spiritual (laugh). I guess it’s kind of like a sign of the times where he’s trying to get in touch with the inner Lex. (laugh)

QUESTION: Can you talk about the journey Lex goes through in All-Star Superman?

AP: The journey Lex Luthor takes in this film – in the beginning it’s what you’d expect: he’s interested in power and world domination and Superman is the bane of his existence. And then as it progresses, there’s a slight injection of humanity, which is surprising to Lex Luthor that he’s even experiencing feelings that are remotely human. So it kind of gives him an unusual arc. He definitely has more dimension to him in this film.

QUESTION: What do you bring to Lex Luthor?

AP: As a kid, I loved comic books. It’s basically how I learned to read as a kid because my mother would buy them for me to keep me quiet, I think. I remember one time particularly – I was 4 or 5 years old, and I was sick and I had to stay in bed for three weeks, and so she would buy me comic books every second or third day. And I just created my own world, sitting under the covers reading Superman, Batman, Silver Surfer, a lot of the great comics.

QUESTION: What is it about Lex Luthor that most appeals to you?

AP: There’s a kind of sarcastic streak in Lex Luthor that comes from that extreme confidence in his ability to do what he does. I like the attitude of him. I like that nothing really fazes him, that he feels like he has complete control over everything, therefore, he can be relaxed enough to be a smartass. A good Lex Luthor makes or breaks it for me, I think.

QUESTION: As you’ve played so many villains, do you prefer being the bad guy?

AP: I’ve always liked playing the baddy. Some people have a problem with getting typecast. I’m quite happy with being typecast. I don’t care, as long as you’re working. The truth is you could play every bad guy in a one dimensional fashion, but it’s like everything else in life – everything’s different and everyone’s unique, so you have to find the uniqueness in the character to bring it to life.

QUESTION: You’ve obviously performed in every medium available, but voiceover is relatively new for you. Does voiceover work offer you challenges or joys of acting that you don’t get elsewhere?

AP: I like the isolation part of it. I like that there’s a certain amount of freedom, and that you’re not waiting for somebody else to find their motivation. It’s more challenging to come up with a believable character doing animation work than it is (in live-action). Acting is relatively easy because you have a personal one-on-one interaction with someone, therefore whatever you’re doing is a lot smoother. This requires a bit more patience and you have to suspend the fact that you’re in a sound stage and really commit to the material.

QUESTION: You had a moment where you weren’t understanding Andrea Romano’s direction on a particular emotion, and Bruce Timm was able to draw Lex Luthor with an expression that depicted that emotion. Have you ever gotten direction via artwork before?

AP: That made me laugh. We were trying to get that particular passage done right and I didn’t quite know how to get it. It’s not an uncommon issue where you have three or four people that have three or four different takes on what it should be – it gets a little confusing sometimes if you’re doing it and you’re taking in all the different stuff. You want to deliver what they want but sometimes you’re not sure how to quite get there. And I thought that was ingenious, actually, showing me the picture through the glass of the expression on Lex Luthor’s face. It made perfect sense – Bruce is an animator. That’s what he does – so he was able to show me visually what he was looking for in my voice. I could actually see Lex’s mental state of anguish. It actually made me think of doing it a different way and that ended up working.

QUESTION: You’ve earned a Tony Award, an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe — does one of those honors mean more to you than the others?

AP: To be honest, after a certain period of time they’re just kind of like objects in your closet. I think that, of all of them, the one that kind of means (more) was the Tony Award because doing theater is way, way, harder than doing anything you’ll ever do on film or television. It’s about real discipline. You have to go in and do eight shows a week whether you feel like it or not and, in the case where I won the Tony, it was in one of those shows where you could never phone it in. It just didn’t work if you phoned it in. So, come hell or high water, I did it for a year – which is a long time to do eight shows a week. I think I missed about five in a year. Also, I think (the Tony Award) meant probably the most because it’s where I started. It’s kind of what I admire the most. Theatre is what I find the most challenging. So I would say that the Tony kind of meant more. But the others are nice, too, you know (laughs).

QUESTION: How much does a background in the theatre help in the voiceover booth?

AP: The theatrical background helps you in doing (voiceover) because you’ve already been through a hundred different acting classes where you’ve had to sit on a black box and pretend that you were a lemon or an imaginary cup of coffee or whatever. There’s always a part of that program that requires you to strip yourself bare and be an idiot. And if you’re not prepared to do that, then you have no place being there.

QUESTION: You had quite a lengthy list of unglamorous jobs before becoming an actor. Pro soccer player, teacher, shoe salesman, furniture restorer, sprinkler installer. And now you’re an award-winning star voicing a super villain for an animated film. How does it all tie together?

AP: Well, that’s glorification. I used to dig the trenches for the guy who actually installed the sprinklers. I just did the digging (laughs). I had no idea that I would be doing what I’m doing now when I was a kid. When I was a kid you could’ve said that I was going to be an astronaut and that would have been more realistic than doing this. So I think it ties together in that I don’t really have any expectations or feelings of how things should go anymore. They go how they go and you’ve just got to roll with it. And I think it’s your ability to roll with it that keeps you in the game. It’s also your ability to recognize when it’s changing and how you need to change with it if you want to. And I’ll tell you that from the minute I decided what I wanted to do, it’s all been gravy from there. It’s what I want to do. Whether I’m successful or not at it, it’s what I chose to do. It wasn’t what somebody told me to do, so everything that comes out of it is just a bonus.

QUESTION: OK. But if you could do it all over again, what would you choose – acting or soccer?

AP: That’s a tough one. What level of football? (laugh) Well, if I could play in Italy for a five-year career, I’d swap it. Absolutely. People don’t realize how huge football players are in other parts of the world – compared to them, actors and musicians are nothing. They’re doormats. You walk through Rome with Francesco Totti and I don’t care who you are – nobody’s going to notice you because Francesco Totti is God. It’s hard for people to conceive in this country just how important the game of football is culturally in Europe and South America, and even Asia. It’s religion; it’s life; it’s everything.

A meteor just crashed in Fawcett City causing a fiery explosion to interrupt a teen make-out session. Out of the flaming wreckage steps a villain with mythic power that springs straight from the gods, Black Adam.

This Tuesday “Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam” hits shelves on Blu-ray and DVD.

Comic fans know the face of the villain, but uninitiated have no idea the powerful forces at command of the black-clad powerhouse. Voiced by Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy), the newcomer lets the viewer in by clapping to create a sonic concussion and level a diner where the unsuspecting reporter Clark Kent interviews the poor orphan Billy Batson.

After being slapped through a series of buildings Kent reveals his identity to the newcomer. Reprising his role as Supeman, George Newbern (Justice League) announces that he has no intention of letting the rampaging sociopath kill the boy.

The titanic battle that ensues highlights that what animators can accomplish these days is limited only by their own imaginative powers.

Just as Black Adam capitalizes on his realization that Superman is weak against magic, Billy Batson goes through a Harry Potter-like train sequence where he meets the wizard Shazam.

When the wizard grants him powers similar to those of Black Adam, Billy jumps at the chance to save The Man of Steel.

As he first attempts to return the favor, it becomes very clear, very quickly that Black Adam is quite comfortable in his own powers. In the ensuing throw-down Black Adam demonstrates the battle prowess of a 5,000-year-old warrior. Needless to say, it’s awesome.

This animation presents the master-crafted jewel for the crown of animated shorts from Warner’s DC showcase. The Blu-ray retails for $29.99, and the DVD for $19.99, featuring The Spectre, The Green Arrow, and Jonah Hex. Even though these are 10-12 minutes each, the 22 minute title feature makes it worth the cash. Checking out producer Bruce Timm’s favorite picks from previous Warner Bros. shows adds nostalgia value, for fans of Justice League Unlimited, or Batman: The Animated Series.

DC Universe Online MMO won’t be making its scheduled release, as Sony has announced that the game has officially been delayed until sometime in 2011.  The official canned reason is that Sony wants to use the time to “address player feedback.”

“As the game heads into external beta testing, this extra time will allow us to address community feedback in a meaningful way,” said Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley. “When we get deeper into external beta, we’ll be able to share more information regarding the new launch date.”

“DC Universe Online is the first game of its kind, and a truly massive undertaking — the first action MMO set in the DC Universe, the first MMO on the PlayStation 3, and the first time the entire DC Universe will be accessible to the millions of fans who are eagerly anticipating its release,” said Smeadley.

There is good news however. Players that have pre-ordered the game, or do so before November November 15 will have access to the beta before November 30th. Those who have a VIP invite card will get beta access as early as next week.

The CW Network today announced that its series "Smallville" will return in the fall of 2010 for a 10th season.

"Smallville," a modern retelling of the Superman legend, stars Tom Welling as Clark Kent. The series moved to Friday nights this season, where it currently ranks as network television’s No. 1 show in its time period among men 18-34 and men 18-49.

It averages more than 3 million viewers per week.

"Smallville" joins "The Vampire Diaries," "Gossip Girl," "90210," "Supernatural" and "America’s Next Top Model" as shows renewed for another season on The CW.

Gina Torres mixes equal parts evil, sexy and powerful of conjure the hypnotic voice of Superwoman in “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,” an all-new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie arriving today from Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation.

In “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,” a "good" Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villainous characters with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and puts the balance of all existence in peril. Torres plays Superwoman, the evil doppelganger to Wonder Woman and one of the leaders of the powerful Crime Syndicate.

Torres had an unanticipated assist in bringing about the powerful, yet sultry voice of Superwoman, coming into the booth in the final days of a bad flu that slightly lowered her vocal range and added a smoky sexiness to the outstanding performance. Even more impressive is her perfect match with the voice of Owlman, James Woods — considering the two actors recorded on opposite coasts, weeks apart, and have never met each other.

She is well known throughout the fanboy realm for her standout roles in Joss Whedon’s Firefly/Serenity and Angel, her performance at Cas in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, as well as 28 episodes in Cleopatra 2525. Torres has since been a mainstay across primetime television with recurring roles on 24, Alias and Standoff, in addition to guest appearances in CSI, Without a Trace, Boston Legal, Bones, Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, Criminal Minds, Dirty Sexy Money, The Unit, FlashForward, Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries, to name just a few.

Torres has also spent some time in the animated world, working with Warner Bros. Animation as Vixen on Justice League.

Torres spent a few minutes after her recording session — and last week during the Los Angeles premiere of the film at the Paley Center for Media — to chat about her performance as Superwoman, the importance of strong female role models, the acting strengths of Whedon alums, her childhood obsession with Wonder Woman, and the fun of allowing her evil side to come out and play. Listen up … or else.

QUESTION: As you stepped into the sound booth to voice Superwoman, were you actually feeling wickedly sexy, delightfully cruel and ultimately powerful … or was that all just acting?

GINA TORRES: I’m so glad they called me to do Superwoman, (she laughs) because I was in the mood to get back in there and be a badass. Superwoman is one of those super heroes that knows her power, and is very comfortable in her power. And it’s all cat — it’s no mouse with her. She likes to bat around her prey and she really enjoys what she’s doing.

In the booth, you sort of have to become this person. When you’re not on stage with other actors and you’re not on camera, you really get to free up your body and do all kinds of things that maybe aren’t as pretty on camera. You get to have a good time getting your whole body involved in the interpretation.

QUESTION: Have you ever had a relationship with comic books?

GT: Do the Archies count? (laughs) I was a big Archie fan. I love Veronica — I want to look like Veronica. Betty was great, but Veronica was the girl. And that whole "Sugar, Sugar" (singing) thing was great. I’m telling my age — I’m really only 28. My sister is older (laughs). I was listening to her 45s.

I don’t want to disappoint any comic book fans out there, but I’m a girl so I really wasn’t reading the super hero comic books much. But it’s done great things for my marriage. The husband loved the idea of me playing Superwoman. And my girlfriends said, "Well, that’s just kind of you every day, isn’t it?" So I’m happy.

QUESTION: So there was no super hero role playing games when you were a kid?

GT: I absolutely played Wonder Woman when I was a kid. I had the lasso, the whole bracelet thing, I even had my twirl down. I just knew that I was going to be taken back to Paradise Island, because that’s really where I belonged. I was this small little Amazon just waiting to express myself, waiting for my true mother to come and get me. (laughs)

QUESTION: Can you give us an idea of what Superwoman’s motivations are in this film?

GT: Let’s see. Superwoman is motivated by power and money and sex, and sex and money and power. Who can’t relate to that?

QUESTION: Good answer. Not that Superwoman is a role model, but do you feel like women have enough super hero representation these days?

GT: What do you mean Superwoman is not a role model? Isn’t she a role model? She rules the world (laughs). She’s Superwoman! (laughs). What I love about super heroes, and Superwoman in particular, is that in that comics world they’re all curvaceous. There aren’t really any skinny bitches in the world of comic books. They’ve got muscle. I like that. I appreciate that. They’re strong. And it’s important to have strong images of women out there, women who aren’t afraid of expressing themselves, women who aren’t afraid of taking chances, women who aren’t afraid of their own power. Unfortunately, being a woman in society means that sometimes you have to sort of quell what is instinctually broad and magnificent and magical about you. I think a lot of people feel that way. I don’t know if that’s necessarily relegated to being a woman, because we’re all so worried about fitting in and not sticking out. So what’s great about this whole genre is that it’s all about sticking out. It’s all about being magnificent to the highest power.

QUESTION: You’re a terribly nice person by everyone’s perception. What’s your trick for turning on the villainy in a performance?

GT: Oh, there is no trick to capturing villainy. (laughs) The rumor is that I’m a nice person. I love that rumor. Everybody has different sides to them. Everybody has that inner villain that you want to break out and express. It’s a good time going out there and letting her come out. Lock good Gina in the closet … and have evil Gina come out and play.

QUESTION: You’ve been in this universe before, most notably as Vixen for Justice League. Do you have an attraction to the medium or just when the situation presents itself?

GT: I love voiceover work. It’s wonderful, it’s expressive. It’s a way of using a part of my instrument that I’m comfortable and familiar with. The voice is such a vital part of crafting a character. I’m so pleased that I have the kind of voice that prints well and that people want to hear. I’ve had friends actually say, "You know, I was in the kitchen, and the television was on and I heard you." I love hearing that there’s something familiar about my sound, and that to some people it’s soothing.

QUESTION: The DC Universe animated original movies have been blessed with numerous members of the Joss Whedon alumni association — from Adam Baldwin and Nathan Fillion to David Boreanaz and James Marsters, to name just a few. Is there something about the Joss experience that lends itself to this universe?

GT: Joss has an attraction to a certain kind of actor. Obviously, we’re all so very different in our own way. But when he’s choosing a world, he really does inhabit it quite completely. I mean, it is an entire universe. It is a Whedonverse, which is why I believe he’s so successful when he creates these worlds that one can get lost in. All the inhabitants in it require, without sounding self-serving, a kind of intellectual whimsy. You have to understand where you are and be true to it and at the same time let it go and let it fly and enjoy it for what it is — for the maniacal, for the fantasy, for the tragedy of it. I think all of these actors have lent themselves to these kinds of projects because we’ve been in that place. And so we can come here and say, "Yeah let’s have fun. I know where we are and let’s just go and have a good time."

QUESTION: You’ve got significant sci-fi fantasy experience. Is that by choice or happenstance?

GT: I would say that I was dragged into the sci-fi genre. (laughs) I wouldn’t say kicking and screaming. I actually went willingly. But it wasn’t something that I sought out. I grew up in New York, born and raised, and cut my teeth in the theatre. I did a lot of off-Broadway, and some Broadway. Sci-fi was certainly not where I thought I’d be making my bread and butter for this period of time. It’s been a pleasant surprise, certainly. I find that it’s a niche that I’m comfortable with. What else are you going to do with a strong, almost six-foot girl? Give her a gun. Give her superpowers. (laughs) And you give her a hefty belt with things attached to it. Yeah!

QUESTION: Can you quantify the passion of the fanboys out there?

GT: That passion of the fanboy is immeasurable. And it is priceless. And it is necessary when you’re doing these things because you don’t quite realize while you’re doing the work that you’re in a bubble. And it’s not until you’re released into the world that you realize that you’re making an impact and that you’re making somebody’s day brighter and someone’s universe broader. It is great fun to be confronted with these guys and gals.

I’ve never met anyone, anywhere who watches the CW’s “Smallville,” but if you do, then you witnessed Microsoft market its Project Natal motion-sensing technology on the show over the weekend.

The video is embedded below, but I just don’t know. It’s a kind of awkward segment. Certainly didn’t rescue me from the waters of uncertainty about Microsoft’s new technology. Also, could only find a French-subtitled version, so there’s that.

But you decide.

The new Justice League DVD deals with two worlds, and it took two directors to make it happen. “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” is an all new PG-13 movie from Warner and DC.

Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, the animation directors of the past three DC Universe films, have combined their talents to bring “Crisis on Two Earths” to the screen as a blockbuster tale of super heroes and super villains engaged in the ultimate battle of parallel worlds and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman, puts the balance of all existence in peril.

The film will be released by Warner Home Video on February 23 as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray, as well as single disc DVD, and On Demand and digital download.

QUESTION: How did you two go about co-directing Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths?

LAUREN MONTGOMERY: We kind of just went over the whole film together and it was really good to get two different points of view as a check and balance for each other. If we disagreed, we found compromises that would work. If one of us felt strongly about something, we just traded off — Sam would take a sequence he felt strongly about, then I’d take one I wanted. But for the most part, we agreed. We both work in such different ways, it was interesting to see how someone else works and learn from it.

SAM LIU: We went through the film front to back, and if we ran into a problem or an area where either of us had an issue, usually where we thought it could be stronger or could be playing better, we usually solved it right on the spot. If we got to a section that was requiring a lot more revisions, one of us would jump on it and the other would move the rest of the film forward until we hit another rough spot. So that was our process.

QUESTION: What have you learned from each other?

LM: Sam breaks things down a lot, he’s very analytical. I tend not to. He spends a lot of time thinking about the story and getting into all the nooks and crannies of it, and I like to work with the general story. He’ll read the whole book, I’ll read the back of the book. I try to get the emotional points down so people can understand them, but Sam will go even deeper to use shots and set-ups to drive the point home, sometimes metaphorically. He thinks harder than I do.

SL: Our processes are very different. I like getting into a script and breaking things down. Maybe I don’t have the best ideas, but I’m pretty good at recognizing where things are needed. I really liked the back and forth process (with Lauren), talking about ideas and batting it back and forth to find a good solution. Lauren is more instinctual, she works more from the gut. And I think she works off reaction rather than an intellectual breakdown. I’m the other way by process. But I do feel like sometimes I over-analyze things, when sometimes it’s almost like the emotional flow of the movie is good enough. Lauren gets that. Sometimes logic can be bypassed if the scene is engaging enough, or interesting enough. It’ll bridge gaps and you don’t need to analytically fix all those gaps.

QUESTION: What do you think you might have taught each other?

LM: I think Sam stresses out slightly less when I’m around. He stresses and I don’t. I think I calm him down a little bit. But when he’s alone, he stresses out just as much. Hopefully I helped with that.

SL: I don’t think I taught her anything (he laughs). She’s a free-flowing, shoot-from-the-hip kind of person, and I’m kind of an angster — I nitpick things. I like getting into the story, and from there some things do need working out — things related to the emotional journey of a character that need to be highlighted or punctuated to set something up for later. I’m a stickler for things like that. And I think she saw those things.

I do stress, though — and there are times when I’m freaking out about something and she puts me at total ease. And then there’s times when I’m freaking out and she’s fighting me on it, and it makes it worse. I think we’re both control freaks in our own way, it’s just a difference in approach. I fixate on a lot of things, and she thinks things are just good enough, so let’s move on. We have an innate concept about the overall picture, but she focuses more on the acting and poses and timing and movement, and I think more on structure. I guess there’s a good balance.

QUESTION: Do you have a favorite scene in “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths?”

LM: There’s a fight between Wonder Woman and Olympia that I thought was really beautifully animated. That’s always fun to watch. It was boarded well, but the overseas animators took the drawings from the boards and really plussed it out. I think they just enjoy animating girl fights overseas because those scenes always come back looking good.

SL: More than one scene, I like the overall relatability of the Justice League characters. There was great character interaction. When I watch movies, I like something that has an emotional connection, and this film definitely does.

Specifically, I think the spectacle of these evenly matched supers fighting was really cool. Superman versus Ultraman. Flash fighting someone equally as fast. Strengths against strengths. Jay Oliva boarded the last fight sequence and the Superwoman-Wonder Woman fight is great. They’re both strong, super powerful women and I think it was brutal enough as is, but the way Jay made Wonder Woman use the lasso to slam Superwoman to the ground is pretty amazing.

The battle between Owlman and Batman is awesome, too, because it’s sort of this weird intellectual standoff. Owlman is so far into his psychosis as to how the universe operates, it’s very existential. His concept is crazy, but the way he reasons out the technology of how things work and the way he thinks, it gave us great room to improvise Batman’s reaction. And then when they actually fight, it’s brutal. They do these gadget fights, sort of a modern ninja battle. The sound effects on the planet, the colors, the way it’s animated, it all works really well. And James Woods’ voice is perfect — most of the Crime Syndicate is very thuggish, they’re all about stealing money. But Owlman has created the ultimate plan to annihilate everybody, and James Woods does this great build-up. It’s great acting. He plays Owlman as a little bit off and kind of creepy, but not sinister creepy. His cadence is great, and his voice is almost charming in a way. It was a good mix of all the things I thought we’d have a problem with if we went too far one way or the other. It’s a great, tight sequence and I’m very happy the way it all came together.

QUESTION: What were the challenges of directing this film?

LM: It was a challenge because we had a really large cast of characters — lots of main characters — and they all needed a decent amount of screen time. Both the good guys and the bad. We had to make sure the audience got to know each of those characters and make sure they had a presence in the film that was important, and that was a challenge.

SL: Definitely the size of the cast and how to give enough screen time to everyone. At one point, Green Lantern was a little light on having enough important things to do. We needed to add a bit for Lex Luthor, too, and I still don’t think we did enough. We added a fight to show that Lex can fight, too, and tried to beef him up a bit. But there just wasn’t enough screen time to accommodate everyone.

QUESTION: Do you have a favorite character?

LM: Superwoman … just because she’s so wrong. She’s a bully, but she’s got the muscle to back it up. She’s everything you shouldn’t be, but is fun to work with.

QUESTION: What skills you learned or developed on past projects were you able to apply to this film?

LM: We had the same animation studio that did Wonder Woman, so we were able to draw from the work done on Wonder Woman and improve on that. Overall, the animation was good in Wonder Woman, but there was some poor stuff, too. I think they really improved — they saw what we responded to in Wonder Woman and they tried to do what they knew we liked, and it was good.

SL: I think, this whole process was better for me this time, especially working with Bruce (Timm) and Lauren. I was able to let go a little bit and not have to over-think things, and still know that things would work out. I generally stress over everything until the very last minute. With Lauren, I sort of learned that you can say "that’s enough" and move on to the next thing. I appreciate Lauren and her patience, and that we’re still friends. In the end, you take care of the important things and everything will work out.

If Sex In the City fans were confused over their see-saw love affair with Chris Noth’s Mr. Big, comics fans will endure an equal amount of trepidation over Noth’s latest performance as the voice of a "good" Lex Luthor in “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,” a new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie coming February 23 from Warner.

In “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,” a "good" Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villains with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman, puts the balance of all existence in peril.

“Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” is an original story from Dwayne McDuffie (Justice League). Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday) is executive producer, and Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies) are co-directors. The full-length animated film will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray Hi-Def, as well as single disc DVD, and On Demand and Download.

Noth is best known as Mr. Big in “Sex and the City” and as Mike Logan in “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” He can currently be seen starring opposite Julianna Margulies in the CBS drama “The Good Wife.” “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” is his first animated role.

He took some time to discuss the role:

QUESTION: You’ve had an extensive career in a number of acting mediums — is this really your first animation voiceover experience?

CHRIS NOTH: I think I did about three lines of Mike Logan on Family Guy. That was a quick little gig. The character (Stewie) on the show carries a picture of Mike Logan in his wallet, so I was very flattered by that. But that was just a few lines — so Lex is pretty much my first real animated role.

QUESTION: In that case, can you describe what your first "actual" animation voiceover experience was like?

CN: I felt I had an instinct for it, and it was a lot of fun. It’s an interesting technique and, like any medium, whether you’re doing radio or certain kinds of narrative voiceovers for stage or movies, it has its own sort of rules and performance values. I think the choices had to be bold and succinct and clear. To me, it appears that super heroes have to be powerful, but it also has to be real. You have to make bold choices and go all the way through with them. That’s true with a lot
of acting anyway. But with animation, it seems to me there’s nothing coy about it. The acting has its own subtleties. So you have to find that balance. And as long as you go with that instinct, it’s a blast.

QUESTION: Did you take a different approach to this Lex Luthor -a good guy Lex — than you would’ve taken with a typically villainous Lex?

CN: I was extremely excited to be playing the ultimate villain from my youth. I remember how Gene Hackman portayed Lex Luthor with such great delight in the films, and I thought I’d be getting that Lex. So I was surprised to see that in this script, Lex is actually on the right side of the law. It required a whole new thinking on my part on how to approach him. I mean, he’s a super hero who’s in this very complex, parallel universe. He’s actually trying to save all of reality from being destroyed. So I just took that adjustment and said, "Wow, I need to get up to date on my super heroes." I’m guess I’m a little bit retro. (he laughs)

QUESTION: Do you feel any special significance to be joining the canon of actors — Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, Michael Rosenbaum, Clancy Brown — to have brought Lex Luthor to life?

CN: Initially when I heard about the role, I thought about that great tradition of actors associated with Lex. And I really feel honored to be a part of that group. But this is a complete departure from those performances. This time, Lex is on the right side of the law. He’s worlds away from the old Lex.

QUESTION: You’ve done your share of Shakespeare. Can you characterize Lex within the context of some of the great literary or stage heroes/villains?

CN: Not this Lex. I find super heroes to be more archetypes of values of courage and fortitude and things like that. It’s interesting to me that the new world of animation, compared to when I was growing up, is so much more diverse in its characters. There’s so many more of them, and it’s a much more complicated world. The old comic books that I grew up on had these characters that were in many ways Shakespearean.

They were very big with their evilness in the same vein as Richard III in Shakespeare. Those characters relished being bad, and that’s always fun to play.

QUESTION: How did you find working alone in a sound booth versus playing off other actors?

CN: It presented a different challenge in the same way that a radio play is different from being on stage, and being on stage is different than being in the movies, and the movies are different than being on a TV series. They all have different values that are fun to explore and to take a crack at. So I found it challenging and interesting to jump into that world.

QUESTION: Did it get easier when Bruce Davison joined you at the microphone?

CN: That was even more fun because I know Bruce and it’s always more fun to work off another person. Sandy Meisner, the great acting teacher, used to say that what you do doesn’t depend on you. It depends on the other fellow. In other words, they make you respond. So when Bruce came in, there was a new kind of energy that I sort of relished. I didn’t have that many scenes with him, but he was a lot of fun and I think he made a great President.

QUESTION: As you are new to animation voiceovers, you’re also new to the direction involved. How did you find Andrea Romano’s direction?

CN: (Animation) is very quick, it’s to the point, and very on message, and you have to just go with it. Andrea was extremely helpful to me to get some of the tone and in knowing what you have to keep in mind with what’s happening to the character in the scene. Whether it’s an intimate scene or there’s a lot of action, she keeps you on point. So she’s a very good field marshal.

For more information, images and updates, please visit the film’s official website.

More than 20 years after it delighted TV audiences, the Ruby-Spears Superman series finally hit DVD yesterday.

In addition to the thrills of Superman’s weekly adventures, each episode included a mini-segment called Superman Family Album that told the “real” story of what it was like to grow up as the most powerful boy in Smallville.

Joe Ruby and Ken Spears talked about the DVD and series recently, and the studio sent the interview over:

QUESTION: How was the title character developed for your Superman series?

JOE RUBY: “We went through a lot of different directions in development as to what kind of Superman we wanted. We had several different models – the crying/feeling Superman, the lecturing/do-gooder/save-the-day Superman, then there was the hip Superman and even the long-haired Superman. And, of course, there was the old straight-as-an-arrow Superman. Ultimately, we settled on the Christopher Reeve model – he had personality and a sense of humor, and yet he was still Superman. We figured that it worked for the films, so it would work well for us.”

QUESTION: Why were there only 13 episodes to the entire series?

JR: “I think the problem for us was our timeslot. It turned out 8:30 in the morning was a killer for Superman. Only the little kids were up, and they don’t understand Superman as well as the older kids. It wasn’t for 4- to 5-year-olds”

QUESTION: Was there a guiding theme to the series?

KEN SPEARS: “I think we were true to Superman to begin with – we produced a show that the audience expected Superman to be. He was the tried and true Superman, That’s who they wanted to see – that’s the feedback that we continue to get today.”

JR: “We basically had Superman tackling anything and everything, with the marching orders to have bigger-than-life fights.”

QUESTION: What did you see as the strength of your Superman series?

KS: “We had the best talent in the business at the time – that was our strength. They were excellent. When you first create a show, you hope your talent will be able to plus it – and they really plussed it. There are so many shots in the show that weren’t written into the script – those kind of great additions come straight from the artists and the storyboarders.

JR: “We had a pretty amazing crew – and an especially great crew of artists – including some of the best comic book guys in the business, and that made for good filmmaking. Guys like John Dorman and Gil Kane – we had an army of great talent on that show. Give credit to John Dorman – he’s a filmmaker and that’s the difference. He made sure the show had all the creative shots, the movement, some of that great left-to-right or down-angle camera moves. The show was well paced, well boarded, and I think John really put these things together well.”

QUESTION: Did splitting the production between two overseas studios in Japan and Korea cause any problems?

JR: “It was an experience for us, from a production standpoint, traveling overseas and working with two different interpreters having to translate in three different languages. They’d be answering before I’d get done with my question. It was the worst torture I ever had in my life.”

QUESTION: Looking back now, can you see how Ruby-Spears Superman fits in the canon of productions surrounding the Man of Steel?

JR: “As a kid, we all grew up with Superman. He’s the favorite, always. Your heroes stick with you. So we wanted to make the best Superman show we could, to really set it apart. I think everyone that worked on it felt that way. He’s Superman.”

KS: “It was like an honor to do something that classy and classic as Superman. He’s the No. 1 guy. We wanted to do it justice.”

A slight whimper was heard the world over when Microsoft officially canned the highly anticipated Marvel Comics MMORPG. Luckily, fan boys the world over will still have a chance to realize their spandex clad dreams – just in another universe entirely.

This week, Sony Online Entertainment released details on its upcoming DC Universe Online in the newest issue of Edge magazine. While the PS3 and PC game was officially announced earlier this year, little was known about it besides the fact that it would be the first online title to be set in the fabled universe home to Batman and Superman, even though players will not be able to directly control the legendary heroes.

Much like long running action title City of Heroes; gamers will create their own hero or villain from scratch, setting everything from your character’s look to his superpowers. Much like any other RPG, players will level up as they progress through the game but unique to DC Online – leveling up will give players access to new moves and abilities based on their original choices. Choosing flight as your ability will give you immediate access to the skies, but only through leveling up will you be able to pull off unique acrobatic maneuvers mid-air.

Although you won’t get to actually control any of the DC heroes or villains, they will show up – and play a major role in the game’s events. Wannabe heroes could end up teaming up alongside one World’s Finest, while a villain looking to make a name for himself may be able to force a showdown with big blue by causing enough carnage.

With an ever expanding and changing universe, DC Comics is well aware of the marketing potential it has on its hands. “We can tie-in future DC tent-pole events and translate the stories for the gaming world, and have them occur simultaneously,” said executive creative director Jim Lee. “The possibilities are numerous and very exciting.”

While no release date has been set for the superhero sim, it’s widely believed that gamers will have take to Metropolis, Star City and Gotham sometime in 2009. DC Universe Online is expected to be on display at this year’s E3.