The first episode of Justice League Unlimited cropped up on YTV last night, and I have to say, the show made me giddy like I was 8 years old again.
Back when the Superfriends were on (later becoming “Challenge of the Super Friends” and then “Superfriends” again, and then the “SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show” tying in with the toy line) I liked the episodes enough but there weren’t enough obscure characters for me. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are great and all but, man, when it went into it’s last season, pimping heavily the toy line and they used the new gods characters like Darkseid and Orion, bringing in Firestorm and Cyborg… jeesus that was cool.
Well, as cool as that was, Justice League Unlimited is even better. No more made up for tv characters like Samurai, Apache Chief, and Black Vulcan. Instead we get dozens (if not more) obscure characters taking the spotlight away from the “core” lineup (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter)… this first episode had Green Arrow, Supergirl, and Captain Atom (CAPTAIN FUCKING ATOM!!! Who ever thought he’d be on a cartoon show??? Voiced by formery CSI’s George Eads) working together to fight Brimstone, a gigantic lava creature in the comics, here turned into an enormous nuclear robot. FUN!
But not just that, the opening scenes had the Justice League hosting a welcome session to a whole host of new heroes. I took some time with the pause button and captured the majority of who was there.
Big geek fun ensues:
The major players
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Captain Atom, Supergirl, Brimstone
Brief glimpses
Hawk and Dove; Dr. Fate; Hourman (from curren JSA comics); Aquaman; old school Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt; the female Dr. Light; Wildcat; Blue Devil; Rocket Red; B’wana Beast (!); Aztek; Vixen; The Question; Booster Gold; Vigilante (classic western version); Crimson Fox; Red Tornado; The Demon; Metamorpho; Huntress; Star Spangled Kid and Stripes the Robot (recent version); Gypsy; Mr. Terriffic (curren version); the Atom (the shrinking guy); Elongated Man; Fire; Atom Smasher; The Creeper; Waverider; Dolphin; Zatanna; Orion; Black Canary; Vibe; Nemesis; Steel (80’s Justice League version) and one or two I couldn’t get a good look at.
As you know, I’ve been bit-torrenting the episodes and have watched the first seven so far, and let me tell you - it just gets better. Best comic book cartoon series, ever. A gotta-have on DVD…
The Batman, however, is just ‘meh’.
Comment by frank — 12/09/2004 @ 6:49 pm