DC Showcase: Adam Strange is a 2020 short animated film included in the bonus features of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War and focuses on Adam Strange.
After failing to save his wife Alanna and the rest of Rann from a Thanagarian invasion, Adam Strange (Charlie Weber) was accidentally transported by a Zeta-Beam to the Eden Corp Mining Colony where he becomes a bitter shadow of his former self after years of waiting for a Zeta-Beam that would return him to Rann. However when the miners awaken a species of alien monsters, Adam must rise to the occasion and be the hero he once was.
This short is canon in Broad Strokes to the Tomorrowverse, with Adam (being voiced by a different actor) making an appearance in Green Lantern: Beware My Power.
This short contained the following tropes
- Animated Adaptation: Sort of, as the flashbacks show that prior to getting stranded on the mining colony Rann was being invaded by the Thanagarians which was based on the Rann–Thanagar War comic.
- Broken Ace: Adam Strange is a badass space adventurer who singlehandedly defeats all the alien monsters by himself, but he's also a bitter drunk after failing to protect his wife and being seperated from his daughter.
- Deconstruction: Adam Strange's life in the comics, in particular the Zeta-Beams, is deconstructed by showing what would happen if instead of returning him to Earth he was dropped off on a random planet and doesn't return for years.
- Driven to Suicide: After the Zeta-Beam takes him away from the Rann and his missing daughter, a grief stricken Adam almost kills himself before he reminds himself that he still needs to find Aleea.
- Genre Shift: According to the commentary, the idea was that instead of being in some sort of a Star Trek type adventure Adam's life has now transformed into something from Alien.
- Old Superhero: While Adam's exact age isn't specifies, he's likely in his forties based on his appearance in the present and the flashbacks.
- One-Man Army: Once Adam is sober he absolutely destroys the aliens with little difficulty.
- Only Friend: A friend might be pushing it, but the Foreman is the only person really trying to treat Adam with respect.
- Skeptic No Longer: The Foreman, and presumably the other miners, didn't believe Adam's tales of the Zeta-Beams or how he ended up on their planet. After seeing him save all their lives by himself, they clearly realise he's more than just a drunk and the Foreman likely believes there's some truth to the Zeta-Beams.
- Space Western: The commentary points out how the aspect of a small colony made up of ordinary workers and having to defend their town from a threat brings to mind that exact plot from many Westerns, especially since Adam wandered into their town years ago and is the only one who can save them.
- Time Skip: It's unclear how long Adam was stuck on the colony especially since Adam likely looks older due to not taking care of himself, it's likely to be around a decade if not more.
- Used Future: Instead of being from present day Earth, it appears that Adam lives in one of these as it's implied the colonists are humans and the technology they use is a far cry from the technology used by the Rannians.
- What You Are in the Dark: Adam didn't have to do anything to save the colonists as he clearly doesn't care about anything but getting a Zeta-Beam back to Rann, but the second he realises people are in danger he gets his old equipment and saves all their lives.
