Justice League: Doom trailer released

Based on the Mark Waid ‘Tower of Babel’ story line from the Justice League of America comic book series, the latest animated feature from DC Animation looks to be a real knock-out. Incorporating details from ‘Tower of Babel’ in which a super villain uses Batman’s contingency plans for a rogue JLA, the team is up against the most brilliant strategist in the world, their own dark knight detective. In the comic book, the villain was Ra’s al Ghul, but the animated feature steps it up by replacing the Batman villain with the immortal Vandal Savage. In Justice League: Doom, Savage unites all of the JLA’s arch foes into a single team, the Legion of Doom, and charges them with the task of taking down the most powerful team of heroes ever assembled.

Storyboarded by the oldest animation team in Japan, TMS, the action should be very intense. If they can top the accomplishments of Crisis on Two Earths, I’ll be impressed. The animated feature also re-unites the fan favorite team of voice actors for this story; Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, Carl Lumbly as Martian Manhunter and Michael Rosenbaum as the Flash. Nathan Fillion will be returning to Green Lantern from his successful stint on Emerald Knights (I hope we hear him in the role again in another GL-feature down the road).

Green Lantern in Justice League: Doom

The latest in a long line of outstanding animated features from Batman: Under the Red Hood to Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight, All-Star Superman and the recently released Batman: Year One, Justice League: Doom will hit the shelves in 2012.

Superman in Justice League: Doom

Until then, here’s the astounding trailer.

Official press release below:

Warner Home Video has released the official trailer for Justice
League: Doom, an all-new entry in the popular series of DC Universe
Animated Original Movies due in early 2012 on Blu-ray, DVD, OnDemand
and for Download. Below you will find links to the trailer.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green
Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a
team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s
“contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The
story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion (Castle) and Tim Daly
(Private Practice), the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman,
respectively, join a group of eight actors reprising their famed
cartoon roles, including Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as
Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan
Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl
Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Also returning to
their Justice League animated series roles are the villainous voices
of Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo
(The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as
Mirror Master. David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice
League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and
directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited
as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series).
Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie
(All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and
dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano
(Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).

Footage and more from upcoming DC Animated Feature Justice League: Doom

Here’s some early footage showing character design and some animation of specific characters (included in review copies of the Batman Year One DVD).

Excerpt from official press release:

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

[Nathan] Fillion, the star of ABC’s hit TV drama Castle, made his debut as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan in the recent Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Fillion made his initial DCU bow as the voice of Steve Trevor in the 2008 hit Wonder Woman.

Currently headlining the cast of ABC’s popular Private Practice, Daly originated the title character’s voice in the landmark cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series. He has reprised the role in two DCU films: the 2009 extravaganza Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the 2010 thriller Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

In addition to current primetime stars Fillion and Daly, the cast is a grand reunion of the original group of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited. Reprising their roles are Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg.

The Justice League faces two sets of villainous teams in the film – The Royal Flush Gang and a sextet of notable evildoers. The latter group includes three voice acting alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah.

Superman in Justice League: Doom

Justice League: Doom will be a loose adaptation of the Mark Waid series, “JLA: Tower of Babel”. The movie was adapted and written by Dwayne McDuffie right before his death in February 2011, and is directed by Lauren Montgomery.

The film will feature Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy, Susan Eisenberg, Nathan Fillion, Michael Rosenbaum, Carl Lumbly, Phil Morris, Olivia d’Abo, Alexis Denisof, and David Kaufman reprising their roles of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan / Green Lantern, Wally West / The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Vandal Savage, Star Sapphire, Mirror Master, and Jimmy Olsen from Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights respectively. The film will also feature the voice talents of Bumper Robinson as Cyborg, Carlos Alazraqui as Bane, Paul Blackthorne as Metallo, and Claudia Black as Cheetah.

(via wikipedia)

The line-up is impressive, Batman vs. Bane, Flash vs Mirror Master, Wonder Woman vs. Cheetah, Green Lantern Vs. Star Sapphire, Martian Manhunter vs ? In addition, the feature will include Vandal Savage, the Royal Flush Gang and more.

The Flash Vs. Mirror Master

Bonus, official Batman: Year One trailer

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during its presentation at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. Justice League: Doom will be released on DVD, Blu-ray and instant video early next year.

Upcoming DC Animated features are Superman Versus The Elite and The Dark Knight Returns.

Quick review: Justice League of America #1

Justice League of America #1

By Geoff Johns and Jim Lee

The biggest team book of all time, Justice League of America has had its ups and downs over the years. At one point it focused on the heavy hitters of the DC Universe, much like Marvel’s Avengers. This meant that for the price of one comic, readers could enjoy seeing Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman and some green bald guy from Mars all in one book! Later issues introduced supplemental ‘second stringer’ heroes to the mix such as Green Arrow, Hawkman, the Atom, Elongated Man and more. The series began to be more about the team dynamic that the heroes themselves to the point when every recognizable character except for Aquaman left the series and it changed direction completely in the ‘Detroit years’ (a period that sounds like and felt like a post-divorce period).

Since that time, the JLA has had several experimental periods followed by a back to basics approach so regularly that it is now formulaic. The 80’s JLA by Kieth Giffen and JM DeMatteis (with Kevin Maguire on art chores) remains a high point and the 90’s Grant Morrison/Howard Porter run is also very enjoyable. The latest run of the Justice League of America has been a bit of a downturn and popularity of the series has waned as editorial interference restricted the use of almost any character anyone would want to see. During Blackest Night, I read a random issue and was hard pressed to name a single member of the team.

With the new 52, DC has the chance for a ‘return to greatness’ through the tried and true ‘back to basics’ approach. This will be a traditional JLA with the heroes everyone wants to see… with Cyborg strangely standing in for Martian Manhunter who is busy in the pages of Stormwatch. Being a big Super Friends fan, maybe Johns is shooting for the ‘Galactic Guardians’ period wen Cyborg was the ‘new kid’ on the team. If so, that’s a great idea and provides readers with a through-line. The one major twist on this reboot is that, like Justice League in 1985, it is a do-over from the ground up. Starting with day one, Justice League of America #1 sees Batman and Green Lantern meet for the first time and closes with the pair being introduced to the man of steel in Metropolis. In each case, the heroes fight.

Justice League of America #1 feels like the Marvel Comics approach to a team book filtered through the DC Comics lens. On the trail of a Parademon, Batman is also chased by the police. A menace to society at large, Batman is in very real danger from a police chopper firing bullets at him as he nears his prey. When Green Lantern saves his skin with his trusty power ring, Batman asks him to tone it down rather than thanking him. This pretty much sets the tone for the entire issue. Green Lantern vainly thinks that he is the most powerful superhero around and is shocked to find that Batman is just a man in a silly costume. Batman knows that he can out-think anyone, challenging and easily berates Green Lantern at every turn.

It’s a macho contest to the highest degree and as many have said, it wouldn’t be that surprising if they just ‘whipped them out and got it over with.’

For some inexplicable reason, the heroes travel to Metropolis to confront Superman. Apparently, Supes is the only alien around and if the Parademon is from another world, the two MUST be connected. Neither Batman nor Green Lantern earn any genius points in this issue. Seeking to once again prove how macho he is, Green Lantern shoulders past Batman to fight Superman and gets his ass handed to him.

Next issue? More fighting.

Preview of Justice League of America #2

As an introduction to the new DC Universe, Justice League of America #1 is a rather sorry comic book. All style and little substance, the comic feels flimsy and vapid. Thanks to Jim Lee, it looks outstanding and rubs the collective belly the comic book general consensus looking for flashy dynamic images of DC’s best. An interlude focused on Vic Stone is somewhat confusing and serves no real purpose unless the reader knows that he will become Cyborg shortly.

Despite my negative snarky criticism, I can’t write off Justice League of America #1 completely. For what it is, the comic book equivalent of a Summer Blockbuster movie, it functions fine. I do hope that future issues flesh out the plot and characters more, and that the new attitudes of the various heroes make the series interesting. For now, it’s like a laser light show. It looks very pretty, but it’s over quickly and costs a bit too much (one of only two DC books over the $3 mark).

Judging from what I have read so far, a dual release of Action Comics and Animal Man would have been a better choice as launch titles as they both show the full capabilities of DC Comics when they get their acts together. Action Comics embraces the opportunity to re-envision established characters and Animal Man #1 could easily be one of the best monthly comics I have read all year.

Quick review Justice League International #1

Justice League International #1

By Dan Jurgens, Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Back in 1985, the Justice League of America had outlived its popularity. As strange as it may sound, the team of Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Superman, the Flash, Green Lantern and others had fallen from favor. In a desperate attempt to give the team some new personality, it was reborn in Detroit and led by Aquaman. The team was a mish-mash of heroes that would never be considered ‘League material’ from Vibe to Gypsy, Commander Steel and Vixen. The ‘Detroit JLA’ has its fans but by and large it is a laughing stock and often pointed at as a prime example of a comic book in dire need of a reboot.

J. M. De Matteis, Kieth Giffen and Kevin MaGuire assembled the most unlikely team of heroes as their new Justice League. It wasn’t just the line-up that was peculiar, the tone was humorous and absurd. The team members hates each other, were very inexperienced and more often than not stumbled their way through a problem. It was a massive hit with readers and remains a touchstone of the superhero team for modern fans of comics. When the comic transformed into Justice League International, it found its own identity at last and the series really took off.

The new JLI series is an attempt to recapture that rare commodity and in most cases it accomplishes that. An international team of heroes assembled by the United Nations, each member represents a different nation (or in the case of Green Lantern Guy Gardner, a different alien power). Booster Gold is team leader, but from behind the scenes, Batman advises (just as he had in the 1980’s run). There is a refreshingly large portion of female characters here, something that DC Editorial realizes that they must address. I can’t think of another book where the team is split down the middle gender-wise.  Hopefully that situation will remain constant in the months to come.

The team is an odd one, consisting of Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Vixen and Rocket Red. Even I have little knowledge of most of these characters which can be distracting, but it is their personalities and not their super abilities that are key here. For super powers, look at Justice League of America. Dan Jurgens (one of the chief architects of the Death and Return of Superman) is a workman like author, but he is no J. M. De Matteis nor is he a shadow on Kieth Giffen. Fortunately, he has no interest in impersonating the previous JLI run and instead offers up straight forward superheroic action with some added quirks.

I wasn’t bowled over by this comic, but it did just what it claimed on the wrapper and that’s not bad. With many of these new reboots I fear the need to start from square one and inject the authors’ own take on the way things ‘should be,’ but that is not the case here. This is by the books Justice League action. If you enjoyed the cartoon, you’d probably like this.

I remember when I picked up the 1st issue of the Justice League back in the day and was delighted at how bizarre and unique it felt. This series is just getting started but it is a perfect example of the 1st issue done right. Nothing is unexplained, everything is new and it’s all very appealing for a reader looking for a superhero team with a little something new.

I have been looking outside of my local comic shop where these issues are sold out and finding a few copies of the new 52 at scattered bookstores. If you don’t feel as adventurous, Justice League International #1 can be downloaded at Comixology.

Superman and Green Lantern cast in Justice League: Doom animated movie

Official press release below:

Primetime Television Stars Nathan Fillion & Tim Daly join heroic cast of Justice League: Doom

Warner Home Video to distribute DC Universe Animated Original Movie in early 2012; Eight Justice League TV series alums featured in voice cast

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion and Tim Daly, the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman, respectively, join an exciting group of actors reprising their famed cartoon roles in Justice League: Doom, an all-new entry in the popular series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies due in early 2012 from Warner Home Video.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Superman in Justice League: Doom

Fillion, the star of ABC’s hit TV drama Castle, made his debut as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan in the recent Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Fillion made his initial DCU bow as the voice of Steve Trevor in the 2008 hit Wonder Woman.

Currently headlining the cast of ABC’s popular Private Practice, Daly originated the title character’s voice in the landmark cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series. He has reprised the role in two DCU films: the 2009 extravaganza Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the 2010 thriller Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

In addition to current primetime stars Fillion and Daly, the cast is a grand reunion of the original group of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited. Reprising their roles are Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg.

The Justice League faces two sets of villainous teams in the film – The Royal Flush Gang and a sextet of notable evildoers. The latter group includes three voice acting alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah.

David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

Green Lantern in Justice League: Doom

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series). Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie (All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano (Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during its presentation at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. Also premiering during that session will be the Catwoman animated short that is attached to Batman: Year One, the next DC Universe Animated Movie (streeting October 18).

Next DC Animated project announced, JLA: ‘Doom’

The DC animated straight to DVD feature films have been a massive hit with fans. In most cases, they have adapted stand-out storylines from the classic comics, such as New Frontier, Death of Superman and Under the Hood. Just announced for release comes another great story for adaptation, Mark Waid’s ‘Tower of Babel’ from his first year as head writer following Grant Morrison on JLA.

As written in the comic, Tower of Babel involves Batman’s ‘doomsday protocols’ designed to take down each super-powered member of the team. When the protocols fall into enemy hands, the team finds themselves battling the most brilliant schemes of the dark knight detective. The piece below claims that Tower of Babel will serve more as an inspiration than as a source for adaptation, so it is unclear what will be changed, but with the talented Dwayne McDuffie involved (he has written for the Justice League animated series as well as the Crisis on Two Earths movie, Teen Titans, Static Shock and All-Star Superman) I am sure it will an excellent adventure. McDuffie’s final animated project (sadly he passed away earlier this year), the feature will see release after the hotly anticipated Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and Batman: Year One films arrive on DVD this Summer.

Via Spinoff Online:

Warner Bros. Animation will follow Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and Batman: Year One with an animated feature “loosely inspired” by the 2000 JLA story arc “Tower of Babel.”

Announced Friday at WonderCon in San Francisco by executive producer Bruce Timm, the tentatively titled Justice League: Doom is the last work of respected writer and producer Dwayne McDuffie, who passed away on Feb. 22.

Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Howard Porter, Drew Geraci and others, “Tower of Babel” centers on the perceived betrayal of the Justice League by Batman, whose secret files detailing the weaknesses of his colleagues fall into the hands of Ra’s al Ghul. He uses the information to incapacitate the League while distracting Batman with the theft of the bodies of Thomas and Martha Wayne. The revelation that the Dark Knight had devises contingency plans to defeat each of his teammates naturally creates friction, leading the JLA to consider expelling him from their ranks.

Elements of “Tower of Babel” were incorporated into “Starcrossed,” the 2004 three-part series finale of the Justice League animated series.

Justice League: Doom is set to be Warner Bros. Animation’s first direct-to-DVD feature of 2012. For more details about Warner Bros. Animation’s next release, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, check out Comic Book Resource’s WonderCon panel report.

Also available:

Batman Gotham Knight

Superman: Doomsday

Justice League - The New Frontier

Wonder Woman

Green Lantern: First Flight

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Batman: Under the Red Hood

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

Dcu All-Star Superman

The All-New All-Different Justice League of America

Readers may recall that when I first started this blog back in 2007 there was a glut of comic book movie news. Chief amongst those rumors was a live action film based on DC Comics’ flagship superteam The Justice of America utilizing state of the art CGi animation similar to what was used on Beowulf. Happy Feet and Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome producer George Miller was set to helm the project, a casting call was made to fill the parts of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash (rumored at the time to be played by Ryan Reynolds) and two unknowns cast as Batman and Superman. The movie was gearing up for production in Australia, but the WGA writer’s strike killed the project.

Fast forward to 2010 when the newly formed DC Entertainment has stated that they had no plans to produce a movie based on the JLA and seemed miffed that reporters were comparing the project to Marvel’s Avengers franchise.

Just this week, all of that changed. Apparently the JLA movie is back in the works along with a reboot of Superman and Batman (post Batman The Dark Knight Rises).

There is currently a tentative 2013 release date.

The Justice League of America (by Alex Ross)

Via CBR.com:

Erasing doubts about the Justice League movie mentioned in its profile of incoming Warner Bros. President Jeff Robinov, the Los Angeles Times reports a new script is the works, with the aim to have DC Comics’ top characters together onscreen in 2013.

That film would potentially serve as a launching point for other superhero movies — an approach mentioned in 2007, before director George Miller’s Justice League was shelved — including The Flash and Wonder Woman, a character whose NBC television pilot is being shot at this moment. Robinov doesn’t see the David E. Kelley revival as a conflict, though, pointing out that Superman Returns coexisted with Smallville.

But perhaps even bigger than the Justice League is Robinov’s acknowledgment that Warner Bros. will “reinvent” the Batman franchise following the release next year of The Dark Knight Rises — with Christopher Nolan and wife Emma Thomas remaining involved as producers.

It sets Nolan up as the architect, or godfather, of DC’s big-screen “universe” — he’s already producing Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot — a role that stands to benefit everyone involved.

As we noted earlier, Warner Bros. pulled the plug on Justice League even as it neared production in early 2008 because of a confluence of issues: the writers strike, Australian tax-credit uncertainties, the possibility of an actors strike and, the LA Times adds, concerns that another version of Batman might conflict with Nolan’s films. Some of the central cast was already in place, including Adam Brody as The Flash, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman and a then-relatively unknown Armie Hammer as Batman.

Additionally, there’s this missive from MTV’s Splash Page confirming that Warner Bros. is thinking of a complete reboot of Batman after the next Chris Nolan film:

The Many Faces of Batman

“We have the third Batman, but then we’ll have to reinvent Batman,” Jeff Robinov (president of the Warner Bros. motion picture group) told the L.A. Times. “Chris Nolan and [producing partner and wife] Emma Thomas will be producing it, so it will be a conversation with them about what the next phase is.”

Could Batman be headed for yet another reboot? It certainly seems that way.Nolan has made it clear on various occasions that “The Dark Knight Rises” will be his last Batman film behind the camera, but the filmmaker doesn’t appear to be done with Gotham’s vigilante. Robinov’s comment would seem to indicate that Nolan will replicate his role in the upcoming “Superman” reboot, and serve as a producer and shepherd to whatever big-screen incarnation of Batman follows his blockbuster three-film franchise.

Still, it’s worth noting that this timeline doesn’t leave much room for a new Batman to be introduced to audiences ahead of the “Justice League” team-up in 2013. While current “Superman: Man of Steel” star Henry Cavill might be persuaded to return for “Justice League,” it’s unlikely that Ryan Reynolds’ schedule will allow for another turn as Green Lantern — especially if “Green Lantern 2” gets the (*ahem*) green light.

All things considered, it looks like one fact is abundantly clear: fans should probably prepare themselves for a new Batman in a few years.

Secret Origins of the Superfriends

(or how I learned to stop worrying about continuity and love nostalgia)

The Justice League of America gather for the first time (as drawn by Alex Ross)

Alex Ross exploded onto the comic book scene in 1996’s Kingdom Come, a series crafted with Mark Waid set in the possible future of the DC Comics Universe. He remains one of the most important artists of the modern comic book world, his paintings of iconic characters serving as a shorthand version for the term ‘superhero.’ As a child of the 1970’s, he was strongly influenced by the Super Friends cartoon that he had viewed in his youth and includes many references to the cartoon in his work. In fact, much of his design work includes a massive dose of the Super Friends, as drafted by the dear departed master, Alex Toth (the same man behind Space Ghost, Johnny Quest and much more).

An unbeatable team made up of the biggest and best superheroes in comics, Super Friends was very important for many members of my generation regarding comic books. I enjoy the first few years, but for many the cartoon really came into its own with the 1978 run, Challenge of the Super Friends. Beset by an assembly of their greatest foes, the Super Friends met the brilliantly twisted schemes of the Legion of Doom week after week.

The Legion of Doom

Back when there was a reason to get up early on Saturday mornings that did not involve diapers, the Super Friends served as a kind of gateway to the world of comic books. The cartoon had been on for a few years previously, but Challenge of the Super Friends was the real deal. It featured somewhat obscure heroes and villains crossing swords with the fate of humanity in the balance. Where else would a kid see Gorilla Grodd, Solomon Grundy, the Riddler, Cheetah, the Riddler, Black Manta, Giganta, Captain Cold, the Toymaker, Braniac, Sinestro, the Scarecrow and Bizzaro threaten the peace? Likewise, Green Lantern, the Flash and Hawkman were welcome additions to the animated world (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman were already mainstays of the 70’s zeitgeist), even if Green Lantern sounded like he was voiced by Sir Laurence Olivier.

As a unique twist, the Challenge of the Super Friends was mainly centered on the villains and their madcap schemes to defeat their enemies. The plans were varied and bizarre (one dealt with a ‘Living Monolith’ that rested in a Hellish part of the underground, another dealt with a demonic entity that granted the Legion of Doom power over the dead), but one of the oddest involved a subject that comic book fanatics hold dear, the he Secret Origins of the Super Friends.

Lex Luthor, Superman’s arch enemy and leader of the Legion of Doom, has found a way to view the origins of the three most powerful members of the Super Friends. How? Who knows. Through the use of his unknown technology, Luthor reveals the seminal moments of Wonder Woman, Superman and Green Lantern (betcha thought I was gonna say Batman, right? Wrong. In Super Friends Batman is useless without his utility belt). By sending himself and Cheetah into the past, he wrecks history, thus removing Green Lantern and Wonder Woman from the equation that has presumably kept them from conquering the Super Friends.

A brief trip through time and space allows Luthor to divert the interstellar crib/space craft delivery little baby Kal-El to Earth where he would have been found by the well-meaning country folk, Martha and John Kent. The pod continues to a nameless planet orbiting a red sun where Superman will never be born.

Viewers are presented almost immediately with an alternate history that, to be honest, barely differs from the world that they knew. None of this makes any sense, of course. If the most powerful members of the Super Friends (or Justice League of America) never existed, how could the Legion of Doom have altered history? Surely, tampering with the time stream would produce catastrophic effects! Yet the Legion of Doom is exuberant and capture the remaining members, ordering them to engage in a battle to the death! Batman, Robin, the Flash and Black Vulcan (a kind of flying version of Black Lightning) steal what appears to be an important computer tape and return to their HQ to plot their next move.

Somehow the tape contains the original, unaltered history in which Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman are alive, prompting the team to travel back in time and undo the interference in the proper course of time (thus introducing a further temporal paradox). Apparently, the JLA is now an integral part of the secret origins of their own members. That’s not a headache or anything…

Before you can say ‘Blinovitch Limitation Effect,’ the Super Friends attack the Legion of Doom with their old members back in action. Green Lantern forms massive emerald anchors that stop the Legion’s flying HQ, Superman burns a hole in the hull of the craft to free the remaining team members (Hawkman, Aquaman and Samurai) only to see Green Lantern also one of the captured teammates!

Huh??!!

Well, things like this happened all the time in Super Friends. Hawkman would spontaneously lose his wings, Batman’s symbol would revert colors and Green Lantern would suddenly have three arms. The sudden appearance of a second Green Lantern is to be expected, I guess.

Super Friends remains an important part of the comic book experience. The plots are frantic, the dialog stilted and the animation shaky, yet they perfectly presented the origins of the JLA! Very few of the animated versions of comic book characters showed as close an eye to detail as this one did. They even presented Batman’s origin in its final year! Just imagine if the Legion of Doom had disrupted Batman’s origin! I can just picture Gorilla Grodd getting in the path of Joe Chill’s hand gun… fast forward to Bruce Wayne dressed as a man-gorilla fighting crime.

Currently there is nothing remotely like the Super Friends on the air and frankly I think that kind of thing has a direct impact on comic book readership. The Bruce Timm Justice League/Justice League Unlimited came close to drawing people back to the realm of superheroes, but somehow failed to have as strong an impact as Super Friends had (despite being much better made). I wonder what a world without these campy cartoons would be like and I shudder.

Then I think of Gleek the space monkey… and I know real fear.

Part One

Part Two

buy 'Challenge of the Super Friends - The First Season (1978)' on DVD

Superboy goes rogue in Young Justice ‘Schooled’

The latest weekly animated series from DC Entertainment has successfully taken up the mantle formerly held by the fondly remembered hit series Justice League. Following the adventures of the sidekicks of Batman, the Flash, Aquaman and Green Arrow, Young Justice focuses on the young heroes attempts to carve out a place for themselves in the superhero universe. After uncovering the devious experiments of the Cadmus group, the team has come under the leadership of Batman as a black ops team, sent to investigate threats that the high profile JLA would be unable to confront.

The series is somewhat under the radar of some fans and may have been mis-interpreted by some as a replacement for the anime-influenced Teen Titans cartoon. But this is something entirely new. The writing and animation is high quality and the overarching plot hints at a complex plot involving a shadowy organization pulling the strings. If you have missed it on the first four episodes, make sure to set your DVR to record the series starting this week.

Preview of Young Justice- episode five- ‘Schooled’

Official Synopsis

SUPERBOY’s anger over his non-relationship with SUPERMAN is getting out of control. He refuses to train with BLACK CANARY, and when THE TEAM faces an opponent that even the JUSTICE LEAGUE had trouble defeating, the Boy of Steel goes rogue.

The latest episode premieres Friday, February 4th on Cartoon Network.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/aod62

Young Justice returns January 7th

I’m a Marvel Zombie at heart, but the new Young Justice series hits all the right cylinders for me. Tight scripting, fluid animation and a cast of characters that is just immense (in addition to the Young Justice team is the biggest JLA line-up I have ever seen in animated form, including two Green Lanterns!).

The two part premiere ‘Independence Day’ screened the day after Thanksgiving was a blast, leaving many wondering when the program would begin its regular run. Finally, a start date is here along with with the answer to the anxiously asked question ‘is Speedy really not in this series?’

If you missed out on the two parter, you may be able to catch it here.