The Russo Bros. go inside Marvel vs. DC rivalry in exclusive clip from Roku's 'Slugfest' documentary

Let's turn back the clock nearly three decades to 1992...the year that Superman died. Not forever, of course, but you know where we're going with this. The Man of Steel's tragic demise at the hands of Doomsday (a villain specifically engineered by five different creatives to take out the Last Son of Krypton) in the pages of Superman #75 shocked the world and sparked a buying frenzy among die-hard comic fans and casual readers alike.

Everyone wanted to get their hands on a copy prompting DC to print the book into oblivion, which unwittingly helped facilitate the so-called "Comic Book Crash."

This notable chapter in the history of graphic novels is put under the microscope in an exclusive clip from Slugfest, a 10-part docuseries chronicling the heated rivalry between the largest publishing titans around: Marvel and DC. Originally ordered by the now-defunct Quibi, the project (narrated by Kevin Smith) will now debut on The Roku Channel next week. Roku acquired the entire Quibi catalogue of shows shortly after the platform went dark last winter.

“Audiences  will leave Slugfest with a whole new understanding of how the rivalry between two creative powerhouses shaped the iconic  storylines  and characters that fans around the world have come to know and love," executive producers Joe and Anthony Russo (the filmmaking duo behind Avengers: Endgame) said in a joint statement. " We’re thrilled to partner with The Roku Channel to unpack the fascinating, but untold, history behind  the most well-known  competition in comics.” 

“We wanted to tell the story of the creative competition that to this day continues to captivate fans across generations," added co-director Don Argott.

Watch the clip below:

Slugfest docu-series: The Death of Superman (EXCLUSIVE CLIP)

While Quibi showed off the first episode at New York Comic Con 2020, Slugfest has yet to be seen in its entirety. “It was incredible to work with the Russo Brothers to bring this project to life and we’re excited to share this series with audiences on The Roku Channel," said co-director Sheena Joyce.

“After watching Slugfest, even the most die-hard superhero fans will gain a newfound perspective on how one competitive relationship shaped fandom culture into what it is today," concluded Roku’s Head of Alternative Originals, Brian Tannenbaum. Collaborating with the Russo Brothers to tell the backstory behind one of the most epic creative battles in the history of Hollywood was an incredible experience and we can’t wait to share this story with audiences on The Roku Channel."

Todd Makurath, Peter  Rieveschl , Nick Gilhool and Jen Casey are producers.

Slugfest premieres on The Roku Channel next Friday — Dec. 24. Click here to watch the trailer.

Deadline was first to break the news of the Roku Channel premiere date

Photo: Roku Channel