Hello all, I am back again with a new review and this time
we are tackling cartoons. Yeah I know those are for kids. Don’t care.
Today I am touching base on DC Comics biggest triumph on the little
screen. So grab your tights, do some stretches to limber up and get ready to
save the day. This is Justice League.
Spoilers make Batman
paranoid…
Growing up in the era of the Superfriends and Super Powers,
DC superheroes came off as hokey, overbearing and frankly kind of a joke. In 1992 with the first appearance of Batman
the Animated Series, we saw a broken man remake himself to better himself and
his city against forces of the absurd and insane. In 1996 we see the shining city of Metropolis
under siege by similar villains of Gotham but a champion from another world,
Superman approached this bizarre men and women with super powers and tempered
by compassion of honesty and courage.
Throughout both these series, a myriad of more obscure DC characters
appeared but you never really got the full scope of whom they are and why they
stood for justice. 2001 changed all of
that in introducing characters that have been on the comic book pages for more
than 60 years. DC Comics writer Gardner Fox (Justice Society of America,
Mystery in Space, Amazing Stories, Planet Stories and Justice League of America)
gathered a cadre of different men and women all hailing from unique backgrounds
with a common goal. To dispense justice
towards villainy and protect the innocent no matter the cost.
Animators Bruce W.
Timm (Blackstar, G.I. Joe, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Batman the
Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Superman the Animated Series) and Paul Dini (Creator of Harley Quinn, villainess sidekick to the Joker) set out
on a venture to create a cohesive Justice League for kids and adults to
enjoy. Dipping into more than 60 years
worth of comic history as well as stories of their own; the duo managed to
bring about some of DC comics greatest heroes and villains all under a 25
minute cartoon and a cornucopia of voice actors under the wing of veteran voice
casting director Andrea Romano (Batman
the Animated Series, The Adventures of Batman and Robin, The New Batman
Adventures, Pinky and the Brain and Static Shock) Reigning in actors
from previous series, Romano had her pick of the litter if you will. Batman (Kevin Conroy of Batman the Animated Series, The
New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Batman: Arkham City and
Justice League: Doom) Joker (Mark Hamill of Star Wars, Empire Strikes
Back, Return of the Jedi, Batman the
Animated Series, Justice League, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! and The
Super Hero Squad Show) as
well as newcomers to the voice acting gig like Phil LaMarr (MADtv, Clerks Animated Series, Invader ZIM,
Static Shock, Samurai Jack, The Proud Family and Wolverine and the X-Men)
Susan Eisenberg (Justice
League, Golden Axe: Beast Rider, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, The Super Hero
Squad Show and Mass Effect 3).
The main issues Dini and Timm had was to make these
superheroes more human in the eyes of their viewers by giving them the very
strengths and flaws we all have, deliver a thought provoking story and plenty
of action all under one name. No easy
task when the fans are this demanding for their hero or heroine not getting
enough lines or always deemed in reserve.
While you cannot please everyone, I think Justice League fans of whatever
incarnation they grew up reading will be proud of this product and want to
share it with other like minded folk.
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