Kind of a weird move by Cartoon Network to show the pilot for Young Justice the day after Thanksgiving when the series doesn't even begin until January, but I'm glad I caught it. It's real good.
Set in a completely different continuity from any of the other DC Universe cartoons, Young Justice is about Robin (Dick Grayson), Kid Flash (Wally West), Aqualad (who's black and the son of Black Manta), Superboy, and later Miss Martian and Artemis. Although the pilot episode was mainly about the first four, with Miss Martian joining the team at the end while Artemis was only mentioned in the ads and previews for the series proper.
Animation-wise, it's excellent. One of the most beautifully animated DC cartoons. Voice acting is also excellent (Bruce Greenwood as Batman and Rene Auberjonois were standouts, but the actors voicing Young Justice were very good). And so was the writing. The main plot involves Project Cadmus (again with Cadmus! They're also playing a major role in Smallville. Project Cadmus has never been so popular) and the young sidekicks meeting Superboy while rebelling against their mentors in the Justice League.
As a DC supermark, the arrival of the full League at the end was bad ass. I'm talking Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, two Green Lanterns (Hal Jordan and John Stewart!), Flash, Hawkman and Hawkwmoman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Captain Atom(!), Captain Marvel(!), Black Canary, Red Tornado, Zatara(!), and I think there may have been others. Good Lord, so much power. I read that 135 DCU characters will eventually appear in season one.
Also, Speedy (Roy Harper) is a dick. I assume it's 'cause he's on the heroin.
Big thumbs up. I was quite "whelmed" by Young Justice.
(edited by John Orquiola on 28.11.10 1343) @BackoftheHead
Originally posted by John OrquiolaAlso, Speedy (Roy Harper) is a dick. I assume it's 'cause he's on the heroin.
Yeah, I'm underwhelmed (ha!) on Speedy. I guess this show needs at least ONE angsty teenager, but I can already tell Roy's going to be an obnoxious prick throughout the series.
Animation's top-notch, voice acting's top-notch, the plot surrounding the mysterious "Light" doesn't feel like anything ground-breaking, but it shouldn't have to be. I still wish they could have gotten around the legal wranglings to get Wonder Girl on this show, because the implication at the end seems to be that they're going to push Superboy and Miss Martian as an item and that's...awkward (logical, yes, but no less awkward).
Even if it isn't necessarily better, it's at least on par with Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, in terms of quality, and that's good company to be mentioned with.
Originally posted by John OrquiolaAs a DC supermark, the arrival of the full League at the end was bad ass. I'm talking Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, two Green Lanterns (Hal Jordan and John Stewart!), Flash, Hawkman and Hawkwmoman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Captain Atom(!), Captain Marvel(!), Black Canary, Red Tornado, Zatara(!), and I think there may have been others. Good Lord, so much power. I read that 135 DCU characters will eventually appear in season one.
Having Zatara around is a head-scratcher. I realize that Zatanna has a lot of sex appeal, but she was never purposely provocative, so why keep her out when she's got the higher profile? It would have made more sense to me to keep her around so they could eventually have cousin Zachary Zatara make a guest spot.
Originally posted by It's FalseI still wish they could have gotten around the legal wranglings to get Wonder Girl on this show, because the implication at the end seems to be that they're going to push Superboy and Miss Martian as an item and that's...awkward (logical, yes, but no less awkward).
I was wondering why Wonder Girl wasn't on the show. What are the legal problems? Could Starfire, Raven, Changeling, Cyborg and other Titans show up?
Anyway, Miss Martian is a shapeshifter, I presume, so she could look like Wonder Girl, or Supergirl, or anyone, really. Also, there's always Artemis as a love interest.
I really like that Superboy didn't have all of Superman's powers on the outset. And what about Superman's reaction upon meeting him: "Gotta go!"
I liked a lot of things about this show. Superman getting his cape in a knot over cloned Superboy was great. Cadmus is getting a bit old, but Guardian's appearance was a nice touch. I am curious to see where they go with the council of Light as well who they are. Its a nice touch adding Red Tornado and Canary as well as Bats to the group. Roy won't be in much from the looks of it and it wouldn't surprise me if they Red Hood him at one point. Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad all had some good moments and touches of their mentors. The Superboy/Superman storyline had better continue all season and lead to a giant fight.
John, don't forget Cadmus had a HUGE role in the existing Dini/Timm verse as well. And you're right; that is one INSANELY powerful league. Markout moment for me was seeing Hal AND John as GL's, which is awesome.
Anyway, totally whelmed. Especially by the characterization of Dick Grayson which was outstanding.
Desmond: "He hacked the motion sensors". *cut* Robin: "I totally hacked the motion sensors!".
It just struck me as "that's how Dick Grayson rolls - crime fighting is fun and filled with puns". Also, Kid Flash was a Young Wally West. I approve of Young Wall West being impatient, because that's how he was in the comics.
Superman's reaction was totally understandable. And some how, in a couple of scenes, they really really made J'onn seem human.
Can't wait for more episodes!
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I really want to like this series, but I'm gonna have a problem with Dick Grayson as Robin and Wally West as Kid Flash.
They are staying current with the DC Universe using Miss Martian and having Aqualad be Black Manta's son, but why the fuck couldn't they use Tim Drake and Bart Allen. This bothers me in the way Comic Book Guy hates everything and I'm just gonna hate this cause they are doing it wrong, character wise.
Originally posted by CerebusI really want to like this series, but I'm gonna have a problem with Dick Grayson as Robin and Wally West as Kid Flash.
They are staying current with the DC Universe using Miss Martian and having Aqualad be Black Manta's son, but why the fuck couldn't they use Tim Drake and Bart Allen. This bothers me in the way Comic Book Guy hates everything and I'm just gonna hate this cause they are doing it wrong, character wise.
I will give them a chance though.
It takes place on Earth-16 if that helps.
I can't wait to see more of this show though I miss (like, a lot) guys like Michael Rosenbaum.
Originally posted by CerebusI really want to like this series, but I'm gonna have a problem with Dick Grayson as Robin and Wally West as Kid Flash.
They are staying current with the DC Universe using Miss Martian and having Aqualad be Black Manta's son, but why the fuck couldn't they use Tim Drake and Bart Allen. This bothers me in the way Comic Book Guy hates everything and I'm just gonna hate this cause they are doing it wrong, character wise.
I will give them a chance though.
If I'm not mistaken, they don't actually refer to each other by anything other than code name on the show. The references to Dick Grayson and Wally West have all been external. So far, I've just been pretending it's Tim Drake until a character on the show itself proves me wrong.
Originally posted by El NastioJohn, don't forget Cadmus had a HUGE role in the existing Dini/Timm verse as well. And you're right; that is one INSANELY powerful league. Markout moment for me was seeing Hal AND John as GL's, which is awesome.
I get the feeling Zatara being in the league as well as Roy walking out are designed to be future plot points for the series. I can't wait for the origin of Aqualad storyline, I am hoping they reference Arthur losing his son to Black Manta. Dick and Wally are the best version of Robin and Kid Flash, so I am ok with it. Hell, I thought the Flash was Wally then stick in the mud Barry Allen, his rant in the GL comic book last month reminded me why I could care less if he came back and I am ok with him getting killed in the future.
Originally posted by El NastioJohn, don't forget Cadmus had a HUGE role in the existing Dini/Timm verse as well. And you're right; that is one INSANELY powerful league. Markout moment for me was seeing Hal AND John as GL's, which is awesome.
For me, it was Zatara in the JLA.
Yeah, that was pretty cool. The whole episode was cool, I'll be re-watching it later today. They can do so much with this since they established it is on another universe. You want Zatara? That's cool, we can include him. You want Captain Marvel? Hey, lets throw him in too. You want to keep the animated tradition of John Stewart but keep the silver age feel? Lets use Hal as well (you noticed how they weren't in the same shot? It's almost as if they were doing a "GOTCHA!" moment there. Loved it). I won't be shocked if Kyle and Guy show up too for a GL centric episode. Having Guy Gardner on this show being a total douche with a heart of gold could turn this into awesomeniuim.
You know, I think that's why this show is going to be awesome. They've got some silver age elements with some modern age stuff. It's a sandbox for them, and I think it will serve them well.
"Young Justice is an animated television series created by Greg Weisman (Gargoyles, The Spectacular Spider-Man, W.I.T.C.H.) and Brandon Vietti (Batman: Under the Red Hood, Superman Doomsday, The Batman), produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, and distributed by Cartoon Network. Other notable creative team members include Sam Register (Teen Titans, Ben 10, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) as executive producer, Phil Bourassa (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) as lead character designer, Jamie Thomason (Gargoyles, Hercules) as voice and casting director, and Peter David as one of the scriptwriters — with Geoff Johns overseeing the process as DC's Chief Creative Officer. "
That's pretty close to an all-star team. The amount of Gargoyles alum in this project is even more promising!
Also, I'm almost certain that Kid Flash called himself Wally West when introducing himself to Miss Martian.
(edited by El Nastio on 30.11.10 1029) After a (very) long hiatus, I have begun to write again. And this time, I'm not alone!
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Originally posted by El Nastio They can do so much with this since they established it is on another universe. You want Zatara? That's cool, we can include him. You want Captain Marvel? Hey, lets throw him in too. You want to keep the animated tradition of John Stewart but keep the silver age feel? Lets use Hal as well (you noticed how they weren't in the same shot? It's almost as if they were doing a "GOTCHA!" moment there. Loved it). I won't be shocked if Kyle and Guy show up too for a GL centric episode. Having Guy Gardner on this show being a total douche with a heart of gold could turn this into awesomeniuim.
You know, I think that's why this show is going to be awesome. They've got some silver age elements with some modern age stuff. It's a sandbox for them, and I think it will serve them well.
I have to admit, I'm as excited as everyone here. After the first season of Batman: The Animated Series, I never watched the DCU cartoon series. (Because cartoons were beneath me.) Last year I started watching the DCU animated movies out of curiosity and for the purposes of reviewing them for Back of the Head. I've just started watching Justice League: Season One because of a rave review I read on The Onion A/V Club.
I haven't collected comics for a decade now but I still keep up with that's going on. Ever since Identity Crisis, which I despised, I've been generally repulsed by the DC Universe in comics. I love the DCU. The post-Crisis DCU was my universe growing up, much moreso than Marvel. The DCU in the comics now is unrecognizable to me. Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, Blackest Night, Brightest Day, what the fuck is all of that? I can't even read that shit (I've tried.)
But the DCU animated universes are much cleaner and more enjoyable, much more in the spirit of what I liked about DC when I was collecting. And the Young Justice "Earth-16" (stupid - I hate the Multiverse and 52 Earths) version of the DCU looks to be the best animated DCU yet.
Originally posted by John OrquiolaI've just started watching Justice League: Season One because of a rave review I read on The Onion A/V Club.
Don't stop there; the Justice League Unlimited series is even better if you have not watched them yet. I downloaded them all before they were released on DVD, and then proceeded to go to the store and buy the DVD's to reward them for the outstanding job they did on the series.
This is a rave review. If there was something beyond a rave review, then this would be it. 13/10, highly highly recommended. Get them immediately.
After a (very) long hiatus, I have begun to write again. And this time, I'm not alone!
Click Here (basisgames.blogspot.com) to check out Basis Games - Video Game/Console Reviews, Commentaries, and Analysis. Check it out!
Originally posted by John OrquiolaI've just started watching Justice League: Season One because of a rave review I read on The Onion A/V Club.
Don't stop there; the Justice League Unlimited series is even better if you have not watched them yet. I downloaded them all before they were released on DVD, and then proceeded to go to the store and buy the DVD's to reward them for the outstanding job they did on the series.
This is a rave review. If there was something beyond a rave review, then this would be it. 13/10, highly highly recommended. Get them immediately.
The rave review at the Onion I read was actually largely for JLU, but I figured I'd start at the beginning.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but isn't the Thing supposed to be a scientist? Him and Reed planned the space mission that gave them their powers, right?
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