DC Universe: All about superheroes streaming service

DC Universe, the new streaming service for all things Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and more, launches Saturday.

Our first practical look at DC's big foray into streaming services, DC Universe, took place in San Diego in 2018. Although the service will not initially offer upcoming DC movies like Aquaman and Wonder Woman 2, The CW , DC has highlighted what is exclusively reserved for DC Universe. rather puts forward a library of action and animation films, television shows, documentaries, a comic book library and exclusive toy offers.

So, if you're excited by the first trailer of the gritty new Titans series, want to explore the depths of a Swamp Thing show or check the just advertised Stargirl Seriesyou will need a DC Universe subscription.

But what distinguishes this subscription service from the Netflix, Hulu and HBO subscriptions you already have? Let's break down …

That's $ 7.99 per month

Let's start with the price. DC Universe will cost about $ 8 a month, but annual subscriptions are currently available for $ 74.99 and are accompanied by an additional three months free.

For comparison, this is as much as the introduction level of Hulu and the Basic option of Netflix. So, why should you be interested in adding DC Universe to your subscription stack?

Note: Preorders are only available in the United States. International awards coming soon …

Where can I watch?

When DC Universe is launched, it can be accessed using apps for iOS and Android phones and tablets, as well as streaming boxes such as Roku, Android TV, Apple TV and Chromecast. The service will also be available with the help of a web browser.

Titans launches a big focus on the original programming

DC has been very successful in adapting properties such as Flash and Supergirl on television, the two series anchoring a whole universe of DC television that is broadcast on the CW network and is aimed at other streaming partners. But, even fans will recognize, these programs focus more on pleasure than on seriousness.

That's where Titans comes in. Take a look at the trailer shown at Comic-Con.

Yes, Robin said "F *** Batman." This is a much more adult shoot of Teen Titans than fans can expect, but this fits with DC's vision for Universe. Instead of creating a largely interconnected universe, DC chooses to place its characters in their own settings. Which brings us to …

We know what DC's first batch of original programming looks like

With Stargirl's announcement at a panel centered on Geoff Johns, DC's original lineup expands into six broadcasts:

• Titans
• Swamps thing
• Doom Patrol
• Stargirl
• Harley Quinn
• Young Justice: Outsiders

Until now, only Titans and Doom Patrol are known to take place in a shared universe. Swamp Thing, on the other hand, will be inspired by horror. Harley Quinn and Young Justice: Aliens are animated. And Stargirl "reinvents Stargirl and the very first superhero team, the Justice Society of America."

These are not just original shows

We have seen several older series and films included in our first DC Unlimited demo, from Batman Beyond to Batman's first two seasons: The Animated Series and The Adventures of Lois and Clark, the 1970s Wonder Woman, and yes, the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. Although we do not have a complete list, the launch of DC Universe Saturday coincides with Batman Day, and with that there will be a lot of Batman content, including:

Live-Action Movies:

• Batman (1989)
• Batman forever
• Batman Returns
• Batman and Robin
• Batman begins
• The black Knight

Animation Movies:

• Batman Ninja
• Batman: bad blood
• Gotham By Gaslight
• Batman: Mask of fantasy
• Batman: the black knight returns

Animated series:

• Batman Beyond
• Batman: the courageous and the bold
• Batman: the animated series (remastered in HD)

Comic books:

• The return of the black knight
• Batman: first year (1987)
• Batman: second year
• Batman: Shaman
• Batman: Mad Love
• Batman: Year 100
• Batman # 1
• Detective Comics # 27

Comics will live alongside original shows and movies

No, we do not know exactly how many comics will be available and which series will be included. The president of Warner Bros. Digital Networks, Craig Hunegs, told CNET that thousands of books will be available at any time over 80 years of comics.

"Members can watch a show or movie and then read comics instantly," said Hunegs, noting that comics included in the library could sometimes be aligned with stories in DC TV series and movies. .

So, maybe a complete archive of Shazam / Captain Marvel to associate with the upcoming Shazam movie? This is totally a possibility.

All comics will be available both online and offline, with a particularly interesting TV viewing capability that will bring pages to resolutions of up to 4K.

This comic book archive puts this $ 7.99 price tag in a new perspective, since Marvel's digital comic book service, Marvel Unlimited, costs $ 9.99 per month. This service has a larger library, with over 20,000 books currently available, but it does not exceed the world of pages and panels.

What about toys?

DC Universe will also include a store with merchandise exclusively available from the service. At launch, there will be a series of action figures based on the animated series of the Justice League from 2001 to 2004, with Batman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl available for launch. In October, Aquaman and Wonder Woman will be available, followed by The Flash and Superman in November. Each figure will sell for $ 28 or eight can be purchased in a package shipped in November for $ 200.

We'll see if that's enough to convince fans beyond the hardcore to spend an extra $ 8 a month to access their favorite superhero universe. Until there, Discover our deeper impressions of DC Universe, and follow with all of our coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2018 here.

Released for the first time on July 20, 2018 at 11:03 Pacific Time and updated as more details appear.

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