The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 trailer

I welcome the release of The Hobbit movie this December as a great excuse to re-read one my favorite books of all time, even though Peter Jackson has seen fit to somehow stretch a 320 page book into three full-length films.  Much the same can be said for this new animated version of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, part 1 slated for release in September, part 2 sometime next year.  I have always hoped for a live action adaptation, but that's more doubtful than ever with The Dark Knight Rises touching on similar themes and story points.  The good news is that DC's best products are not coming from the print side of the company, but rather from their animation division which has put out a slew of solid, entertaining films the last few years, including Justice League: New Frontier, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and Batman: Year One.  The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 definitely looks the part, with several familiar and iconic images from the 26-year-old story.  The choice of Peter Weller to voice the aged Caped Crusader sounds, at first impression, spot on.  I'm excited to see how they handle Superman and his conflict with Batman, as well as the social and political elements that were influenced by Cold War America in the 1980s. If nothing else, perhaps it will give kids who've never read the original an opportunity to discover one of the classics.