Two comic books for the price of one review this month as we continue the JLA/JSA The Dark Things crossover Brightest Day tie-in event.
We start in JSA #41 where we see that a Starheart controlled Obsidian and Dr. Fate have taken out the Shade and Faust, and capture Wildcat and Jay Garrick Flash. And we see the JSA All Stars try to hold their ground while all sorts of chaos is going on. The combined JLA and JSA confer on the ruins of the JLA Watchtower Dick goes into leader mode, splits the teams up in terms of the most susceptible to magic heroes to go back to earth to handle the chaos, while the least susceptible try to save Starman (his gem was ripped out of his chest at the end of the last JLA issue) and save Alan Scott and Obsidian from the control of the Starheart. We end with Dick pulling out a big gun to help out, that of Mister Miracle.
And that brings us to JLA #47. We begin with more exposition explaining scenes of fighting on earth and in the construct that the Starheart has created as Mister Miracle tries to get the team into the center of it to face Alan Scott. While this is going on, there is a bunch of inner dialogue, mostly from Donna Troy and Mister Terrific, praising Dick Grayson’s role as a leader. Gee, I hope the Bat-Team reads this book as I’ve got a bad feeling about Dick’s future after Bruce Wayne returns to the DCU proper. But that is a rant for another day. It should also be noted that Jade can tell Alan Scott is still very much alive through the chaos of the Starheart as the team is fighting various constructs of old Golden Age Green Lantern villains and characters.
We then see that Alan Scott, now calling himself Starheart, I guess having his Parallax moment here, he and Hal Jordan could probably now have a neat discussion about being taken over by the entities that granted them their powers, has Wildcat, Faust and Garrick as prisoners. We close the issue with Jade being confronted by Obsidian in an effort to lure her into the Starheart, when all of a sudden Obsidian is blasted by none other than Jade’s old lover Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. Kyle then bluntly tells everyone that the Guardians sent him to kill Alan Scott, and we’ll continue in JSA #42.
Things do pick up this month as this was a more enjoyable set of books as opposed to the drawn out nature of the last two months worth of issues of this storyline. We do get more of the Dick Grayson as a leader that drew me into covering this series to begin with, which is a good thing, even if it feels like it probably won’t last the year. I’ll say though that it feels like the JLA issue did move the story along better than the JSA one, I’m not entirely sure why though. I know Robinson is the current JLA writer, but why should that affect the JSA side of the storytelling? I’ve seen books tie into event minis written by the same writer that flowed better. Bagley’s art is still missing for me as well, but at this point it isn’t as distracting as it was when the book was creeping along at a very slow pace.
Justice Society of America #41:
Justice League of America #47:
Reviewed by SteveJRogers
The State of Comic Book Films
“I am Iron Man. Think you are the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe, but you just don’t know it yet,” Nick Fury, director of SHIELD. “I’m here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative.”
Those words, spoken by Samuel L. Jackson at the end of 2008’s Iron Man are words that may have shaken up the way comic book movies are made. On its own Iron Man was a great comic book superhero-based film. It had just about everything you could have asked for in a thrilling, smart, and at times comedic popcorn entertainment action flick. But, those words were the lynch-pin of what Marvel Studio hoped would be the next evolution of comic book movie storytelling. Essentially taking the idea of a fully fledged “universe” and transform that into film.
For years of course comic book character films have been presented as if the characters spotlighted were the only heroes in their world. Oh sure Metropolis got named dropped in Batman Forever, and there is the “This is why Superman works ALONE” quip in Batman & Robin, but in every movie, and even live action television, for the most part (after the series ended, the Incredible Hulk TV show came back in TV movie form a couple of times featuring both Thor and Daredevil, and Smallville has the Green Arrow as a cast member, as well as appearances by other non-Superman supporting characters), done featuring a comic book character whom is part of a bigger comic book universe, it is apparent that for that movie or TV program they are the ONLY super hero on the scene.
Marvel Studios was set to change all of that, and it started in that summer of 2008. Shortly after it appeared Iron Man was a big hit, its sequels were green-lit and pre-production was full steam ahead for other projects that would all go into what will be the first Avengers movie in 2012. The plans were further cemented in that summer’s Incredible Hulk, which included a cameo by Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark telling General Ross that he and a “team” that was being formed could help with the Hulk problem. And now Iron Man 2 has given the Mighty Marvel Movie Society even more steam by being a blockbusting success, and setting the stage for next summer’s Thor film. Oh, and next summer Captain America is set to shake off the aftertaste of the 1990 flop as well.
With Ant-Man, another Iron Man film and The Avengers coming down the pipeline as well, it seems things are running smoothly in terms of Marvel Studios creating a “Movie Universe.” Even with its biggest heavyweights; Spider-Man, the X-Men and Fantastic Four, as well as Daredevil still tied up with other studios as Disney seems content with honoring pre-existing deals.
And DC? Well, there is the follow up to The Dark Knight slated for 2012. As well as the next Superman project which is being “Godfathered” by Batman Begins and The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan. Oh, and Green Lantern is coming out next year.
While one can expect the third, and Nolan’s final, Batman flick to be a success, maybe not as wild as The Dark Knight as one could chalk a good percentage of its popularity to the “morbid curiosity” surrounding Heath Ledger’s passing, the fact that it will be the final Nolan directed film in the series should trouble a DC movie fan. Where will the Bat-Franchise go from here? Logic would dictate that the next director could pick up where Nolan leaves off, but hey this is Hollywood, and there is enough of a chance of Warner Brothers rebooting the whole darn thing as there are as them letting the next guy continue what Nolan started.
But where does this leave the various projects that have been speculated, and in some cases even gone through the pre-production stage, only to be shut down like the JLA movie? Good question. The hope is that the Green Lantern film becomes as wild of a success as the first Iron Man was. The proof will be in the pudding of course, but at the same time it was clear that Marvel had all its ducks in a row when Iron Man came out. Right now DC/WB is looking at a Batman movie universe where Batman is the only known costumed hero, and Nolan has gone on record as saying he’d like the Superman movie universe to be the same. Okay, so how are you going to rectify that with a possible JLA film? Oh sure movie audiences aren’t that stupid to realize the Batman in a JLA film isn’t the same as Christian Bale’s Batman, or even Adam West’s, Michael Keaton’s, Val Kilmer’s, George Clooney, or heck even Kevin Conroy’s and Diedrich Bader’s. But the fact is, it’s hard to sell two different continuities going on at the same time. Heck, it’s hard even for DC to sell multiple continuities in comic books! Say what you will about Batman Confidential and Superman/Batman, they probably aren’t selling nearly as much as the other Bat-Titles because they are OOC books while all the others are.
Well, that is the current state of affairs with comic book movies. While the next Batman film should bring in the dough that will make Warner very, very happy, and despite the critical responses to Superman Returns one can still say Superman is still a very profitable on-screen franchise, it does seem that DC is still light years behind Marvel in terms of innovation in crafting big screen storytelling. In some cases it might be fine, as DC still holds arguably the two most popular super heroes of all-time in its arsenal, but if Marvel is able to completely pull of what it hopes to with the Marvel Movie Universe, DC will have to change its game plan in terms of how their properties are treated by Hollywood.
Posted by SteveJRogers
In the 1960s, writer Bob Haney got the idea to take all the younger characters in the DC Universe and mash them together as a team. Not unlike the very successful Justice League Of America. And so in the summer of 1964, in the pages of Brave and The Bold #54, Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad teamed up. A year later, in issue 60 the team got its first female member in Wonder Girl, and a name, Teen Titans. And by 1966 the team would have its very own magazine. The Titans would see many twists and turns through the years, but at the core was still Dick Grayson, either as Robin or Nightwing. And as the book “grew up” from its early Silver Age roots, especially with the Marv Wolfman-George Perez 1980 relaunch of the title, it appeared writers would thrust the role of “leader” onto Grayson. Even on the animated series based on the Wolfman relaunched lineup, Robin was very much the leader of the team.
And so in 1999, when the team was renamed simply “Titans” guess who was right in front? Yup, Dick Grayson, now of course in his Nightwing personae. So in 2010 (JLA issue # 41 to be exact), now taking over, for the second time, the Batman mantle of his mentor Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson is finally a card carrying member of the Justice League of America! And once again it appears the writer, this time James Robinson, who has been on the book since #38, is angling Dick into a leadership role. This seems especially the case since in issue # 41 he assembled a team of heavyweights, drawing from former League and Titan heavy hitters and proceeded to disassemble them by issue #43! Leaving Batman with Donna Troy (Wonder Girl), Mikaal Tomas (aka the current Starman), and Congo Bill (aka Congorilla) as the current JLA lineup, the latter two from Robinson’s JLA: Cry For Justice mini-series. This is especially interesting since there is a feeling that DC wants a return of the “classic 7 (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter)” in the 75th anniversary year of the company. But that is most likely down the road this year, in the meantime it’s Dick, Wonder Girl, Starman and Congorilla as your JLA roll call.
Well, that brings us to the current story arc, which features the Brightest Day trade dress, due to the fact that it is dealing with the return of Jade, who was one of the Black Lanterns who got resurrected at the end of Blackest Night. Issue # 44 featured Jade returning to Earth in the middle of a meteor fragment, and her father, Alan Scott, Earth’s first Green Lantern of the Justice Society of America, in bad shape with emerald energy emitting from him.
And so, preamble out of the way, we begin with Justice League Of America issue # 45. Written by James Robinson, art by Mark Bagley, inks by Rob Hunter and Norm Rapmund.
We begin where #44 left off. In Germany, with Jade announcing to Jason Blood that she will not stand down, and Dick's inner monologue exposition on her. Well, it turns out the meteor was part of the Starheart, which Jade describes. Then members of the JSA, trying to follow Alan Scott, whom is in a trance, headed right towards the said Starheart fly in, but their plane gets ripped up by what appears to be a mind controlled Power Girl. The speedsters in the JSA, Jay Garrick Flash and Jesse Quick are able to save the team. The matter gets complicated when Obsidian gets taken over by whatever is drawing Alan to the Starheart.
And from out of literally nowhere, even several characters inner monologue the fact, Supergirl flies in to take out Power Girl. It turns out Congorilla had signaled for her help before they left the Watchtower. Batman then gets Jade to use her magic based power to take down Power Girl (Kryptonian in case you didn’t know). While Batman wonders why the Starheart affected Power Girl, but not Supergirl, Jade then goes into an explanation of Starheart via a retelling of Alan Scott’s origin.
Well, the Starheart was this rock, created by the Guardians of The Universe as a way to create order between chaos and good. A piece broke off, fell to earth where Alan Scott found it, becoming Earth’s first Green Lantern. After Jade finishes up her story, Mr. Terrific, and Batman start receiving reports throughout the world of magic wielders going crazy. It is theorized that it could be in part thanks to the chaos part of Starheart. Then Alan appears to be out of his trance, but only to talk about the Starheart bringing about the end of the world, and he is transformed into something akin to what Alan Scott wore in the Kingdom Come story.
Well, that was interesting. Right now we are dealing with a JSA story in the pages of JLA. Which is fine, but is this something needed if Robinson is trying to mold a new team? I guess since the whole Starheart/Alan Scott situation is a big enough problem that the JLA has to be present for then yeah. Obviously the DCU’s biggest team has to confront it. It should be noted that this is part one of a story, and the second part will be in Justice Society of America #41 next month.
Don’t get me wrong, its a good story, its just feels like reading a JSA story with the JLA as the guest stars in their own title! Maybe that’s just the “B-Team” feel of the team at the moment, and wanting to see that team rise or fall before getting its first team-up with a team like the JSA. Yes, DC is all about the cross branding, and since Brightest Day is the current event, the flagship team book has to be a part of it. In any case this is still a good issue.
Justice League of America #45:
Reviewed by SteveJRogers
Batman in the JLA
In this, the second entry of my “Year of the Batmen” series, I am going to discuss the Dick Grayson Batman and the dynamic of his entry into the newly reconstituted Justice League of America.
For the longest time the JLA was led by the holy trinity of the DC pantheon, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The Batman character, specifically embodied by Bruce Wayne, was often seen as the intellectual leader of the JLA and for the most part its chief tactician. The Wayne Batman was renowned for planning for every contingency, for being several steps ahead his foes and for never being caught off guard. This served him well in the JLA as that unit was often comprised by disparate heroes, some with much less experience than Wayne but often possessing much more physical power and or abilities.
Because Wayne often dealt with these heroes of different or greater qualities, who were used to pursuing causes of their own, he often clashed with them as they chafed under his authority. And because this Batman did not suffer fools well and was often harsh and impatient he often clashed with his team mates off times coming to physical blows. The most distinct rivalry often came from Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, who was essentially an inter-galactic policeman and who quite often resented taking orders from Batman who basically was the guardian just of one city.
As most readers know now the Bruce Wayne Batman is no longer on the scene. He has been succeeded by his foremost protege, Dick Grayson. For years Dick toiled under the shadow of the Bat as Robin and is only now getting up to speed as Gotham’s premier crime fighter. In the JLA, as written by James Robinson, we see a different personality to the Batman. It’s something I call the “Winick Model” after Judd Winick, who took up the writing for the Batman series as Grayson became Batman. This particular take on Batman found the caped crusader to be more open and visible. No more lurking in the shadows or avoiding the spotlight. He even smiles.
Fortunately, Dick Grayson is no neophyte when it comes to the team concept. Something the original could not claim. As Nightwing he fought along side the Teen Titans some of which now comprise this new JLA. The Teen Titans however could be seen, unfairly or otherwise, as a second tier unit. What’s different now are the expectations of being the Batman and serving in the JLA which has historically been seen as Earth’s mightiest heroes and its foremost protectors. So how does Robinson integrate this new Batman into this new progression? By having Grayson coordinate his first major action with the team.
In JLA #42 the team is confronted with a rogue Atlas and it takes all the group members to bring him down. Each heroic character is allowed an internal dialog that speaks to the reader on how they feel it is to be part of the team. Grayson comes off as a bit callow. He seems surprised to be even included. He says, “My league, me as Batman” as if he can’t quite comprehend that he is there. Something the Wayne Batman would not think even to himself. As the battle rages Dick also has to deal with the fact that two of his team mates have had an intimate relationship with him. Something the Wayne Batman would certainly sneer at. Grayson calls out instructions to Donna Troy and Starfire and they execute his plan perfectly and when the coup de grace has to be applied, it is Dick who orders Green Lantern into play. Jordan thinks it is “weird” taking orders from Dick as does Grayson giving orders to the Green Lantern.
So that part of the dynamic stays true. Batman calls the shots while the others follow, trusting that Batman will know what is best for the team and the consummation of the outcome to be without flaw. The major difference is the hint of doubt we see from each principle even though it does not affect their performance. At least for now.
Additionally, let’s study how this particular Batman is drawn for this story. Mark Bagley does the pencils. Inks by Hunter, Rapmund, and Glapion with colors by Pete Pantazis. This new JLA Batman is not very threatening. He wears the blue and gray costume as opposed to the more Gothic black and gray as drawn by Tony Daniel. Therefore this Batman is depicted to less of a loner and more of a team player. Even the cowl as drawn by Bagley has a less threatening look to it as the ears are minimized and therefore less frightening. This Batman will not threaten the team dynamic with arrogance or force of will and is drawn to reflect that.
As constituted now the new JLA Batman is a bit green behind those nominal ears. Unsure, untested in his new team dynamic. Will he be allowed to grow in this new structure? Will doubt set in if his next plan goes awry? The original Batman led without question. Will the Grayson version be allowed the same luxury? And what of the return of Bruce Wayne? As Dick becomes more comfortable in this role will he want to let it go? There are many questions to be answered as the Dick Grayson Batman not only fills out the most iconic of roles but also steps into the rarefied air of the holiest of trinities of the DC pantheon.
Next up for the Year of the Batmen, a sneak peek into the art of the Batmen as drawn by Daniel, Gary Frank, Rags Morales and Frank Quitely amongst others.
Posted by Dark Knight Dave
The DC DTV animated movie series has had its fair share of ups and downs. It has put out awesome movies, like Green Lantern, or Wonder Woman, and it has put out very bad movies, like Superman Batman: Public Enemies. So where does JL: CTE, the latest film in this series, sit? Well, it’s at the top. This movie was fantastic!
Before I actually review it though, I want to go into the history of the film. It originally was supposed to be Justice League: Worlds Collide, and was going to be part of the DCAU. The film was intended to be released between Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. It would have served as a bridge between the two series. However, the film never got made, and Justice League Unlimited began, albeit, bridge-less. Now, many years later, the film has finally been released, but rewritten as Crisis on Two Earths. Even though The Film has been rewritten, not much has changed. We get to see the League building the new Watchtower, how the expanded roster came about, and even how Wonder Woman got her Invisible Jet. The only actual difference is that Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, not John Stewart. Other than that, CTE fits nicely into the DCAU, and perfectly fills the gap between JL and JLU.
The story is simple enough, a good version of Lex Luthor, from an alternate earth, comes to the Justice Leagues world, asking the league to help him defeat the Crime Syndicate of America, super powered criminals who have the country’s crime under their thumbs. The League goes to Luthor’s earth to take down the Syndicate, but soon discover a more sinister plot to destroy all of reality. The story is not to complex, but excellent nonetheless. Though the movie is made primarily of action sequences (awesome action sequences), it has some nice character development, especially a subplot involving John Jonzz. Dwayne McDuffie delivers one his best scripts with this movie.
The animation is absolutely top notch. The fight sequences are brutal, and exciting, and just look great all-around. The character designs are very good too. They seem to take some inspiration from Frank Quitley’s artwork on the JLA Earth 2 graphic novel written by Grant Morrison. I particularly liked Batman’s fight with Owlman at the end of the movie. It was one of the coolest animated fight scenes I have seen in a while. I won’t talk about it though; you just have to see it.
One of the things that makes the movie so good is the flawless voice cast. Everyone involved is great, there is no weakness in the cast (can we expect less from Andrea Romano though?) In the Justice league we have Mark Harmon as Superman, William Baldwin as Batman, Josh Keaton as Flash (he was awesome, and had the perfect voice for The Flash), Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Jonathan Adams as Martian Manhunter, and Nolan North as Green Lantern. From the Crime Syndicate we have James Woods as Owlman, Gina Torres as Superwoman, Brian Bloom as Ultraman, and James Patrick Stuart as Johnny Quick. Also from the Crime Syndicate world is Chris Noth as Lex Luthor. Focusing on Batman for a minute; William Baldwin was great! At first I was a little jarred by his voice, it’s definitely different from Kevin Conroy’s DCAU portrayal. However, as the film progressed, I liked his performance more and more. He is actually really good, and I would like him to return to the role. His last line to Owlman is awesome! Speaking of Owlman, James Woods’ performance is one of the highlights of the film. He was the perfect actor for the role, and it shows! His performance alone makes the movie worth watching!
Also, one more thing I loved; the music. The film is scored by James L. Venable, and though he is new to me, I hope I hear more of him soon. His score was very good, and had a big budget cinematic feel.
So all in all, I can’t say enough good things about his movie. It’s certainly the best of the DC DTVs, and I highly recommend that you see it.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths:
Reviewed by TheCapedCrusader
We received a copy of the DVD version of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths a little while ago and it releases today in stores. Should you head to the store and buy this right now? Well, I am going to let you know.
At first glance, this film seems like another quick story to expand the animated DC Universe, yet something feels strangely familiar. We have the Justice League battling villains in order to save the world. Does that remind you of something? Perhaps, Justice League Unlimited. Well, when this film was announced, that is exactly what I thought it was. In the podcast that you will hear on Friday, I referred to the announcement seeming as if it was another Superman/Batman mishap. Everything seemed to line up as what we saw before. The story originated from Dwayne McDuffie, who wrote many episodes of Justice League Unlimited. All of the characters that were in the film we had seen in the show. So why would you think that this was any different than the many multi-part stories we saw in episodic form for the show? Well, let me tell you why.
The basic plot of the film is that the Justice League of our earth battles the Crime Syndicate from a parallel earth. In this parallel earth, things are different. Despite the Syndicate being an obvious group of villains, they are treated with a level of respect. The heroes on this "Earth" are led by Lex Luthor. Their "Justice League" has been taken out one by one by the Crime Syndicate. We even see The Jester (a parallel version of The Joker) give his life to try and stop the Crime Syndicate. Lex Luthor travels to our universe to enlist the help of the Justice League to help him take down the Syndicate. The Justice League travels to the alternate earth to take them out. Batman stays behind, as he believes that there are enough problems in their universe. Owlman (the parallel version of Batman) is pretty much the main villain. He has created a bomb that will take out not only the the earth of his universe, but destroy Earth Prime, hence eliminating all "Earths." Batman of course comes and faces Owlman head on leading to climatic ending.
Overall, this film was a surprise to me. As I said, because it was first announced as a series of episodes that McDuffie wrote for Justice League Unlimited, I was concerned that it would have a feel of episodes put together as a film. But, it did not have that feel at all. The pace was very quick. It did not feel at any point that there was meant to be a break between acts. It had a more mature feel with the obvious violence. It wasn't overdone. We got more than we would have if this had ever aired on Cartoon Network. I applaud McDuffie for this. He took what was supposed to be a cartoon and made it a film.
On the Batman front, William Baldwin did a decent job at voicing Batman. It isn't the best job, but it fit with the feel of the film. Batman did take a back seat to the first half of the film. Although we see that while he wasn't around, he had a recruitment drive to have more heroes join the league. That kind of seemed out of place. Then again we have seen stranger things in the DC animated films. Batman not only saves the day in the end, but also proves to be smarter than most of the Justice League within the final scene with the Crime Syndicate.
For the special features, there were some interesting ones. The main feature was a piece about the various "crisises" that have happened in the DC Universe. They did a very good job getting many of the main creators that were involved in everything from Identity Crisis to Final Crisis. There was also a preview of the next DCAU film, which we know will be Batman: Under the Red Hood. There wasn't any footage from the film, but we did see the voice cast as well as some storyboards.
Also in this release, was the first DC Showcase film. It featured The Spectre. A good story that laid out his origin and told an interesting story in a very short amount of time. This was maybe even better than the main film. I look forward to more of these.
Overall, the film was good. I would not place it in the top three of DCAU films, but it was definitely better than I expected. One thing that many do not know is that the film will be released at Best Buy with an exclusive Owlman figure. This will be in limited quantities and only be with the Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD version. So you may want to get that right away and not wait until the end of the week to pick it up. I think if you are questioning it, rent it on iTunes or at your local video store. You will see that the film is worth adding to your collection of DC films.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths:
Reviewed by Dustin
Batman joins the newly reformed Justice League of America in issue number 41 of the JLA written by James Robinson, penciled by Mark Bagley and ably inked by Hunter, Alquiza, and Wong.
First and foremost, what is the most striking detail about this issue? The continuity problem! Not only does this issue take place after Blackest Night is over it also spoils the ending to “Justice League: Cry for Justice”. So anyone who wants an advanced look at how that series ends, help yourselves! (Not that “Cry” has exactly set the world on fire. Also written by Robinson, it is now running late.)
Batman does not take a central role in this book as it is, of course, a team up affair. The story starts out with a disconsolate Donna Troy ready to walk away from it all. Burnt out and “beaten down” Troy happens across a crime scene where children are being held hostage in a hospital and she is forced to act. After securing the children and stuffing the bad guys, she openly questions herself, lashes out at Wonder Woman and proclaims, “I am done.”
Or not.
After a short lecture from Wonder Woman and a brief interlude through America’s colonial period (with a sidebar trip to the Smithsonian, which serves as a future JLA storyline) Troy relents and starts the recruitment process. Starfire and Cyborg quickly sign up and Troy takes off to Gotham City. Here we catch up with the Caped Crusaders in the middle of a beat down of some poor Killer Moth wannabe’s. The new Batman and Robin are at their acrobatic best and seem to be following the Judd Winick model. Lighter in attitude and much less grimmer in tone. The action stops as Troy appears on the scene and says not bad to "Batman". Batman, in quotes, as she knows it is Dick Grayson beneath the cowl. She compliments the duo and refers to Damian as a kid. Cue comedic retort from the new Damian Robin, “Kid?” he says, “How dare you Harlot.” Funny and not too far off as Donna Troy is sporting a skin tight cat suit that might be more appropriate to the bedroom than a back alley.
The two exchange some small talk and catch up quickly. Batman tells Donna that he just put down “Yellow Wasp” and is on the trail of a bigger evil doer called” The Broker” who has been setting up hideouts and putting together groups for what may be a larger storyline in the future. He correctly deduces Donna hasn’t arrived for chit-chat and asks her if her visit means she wants him to join the Justice League. She is amazed at his deductive prowess (he cheated) and the seal the deal with a groan inducing “fist bump”. Again, from the Winick model? Of course if she had asked me to join the League I would have told she had me at revealing, skin tight jump suit that barely covers her ample, um, attributes. Just sayin’. (Oh yes, Damian says he's in too.)
The story continues as Donna goes off to recruit the new Dr. Light, Mon-El as the Superman sub, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow. The final panel is a full pager and is a nice portrait of the Hal Jordan Green Lantern and Batman.
The artwork seems a bit rushed but the inking was fine. Like I said, the last panel is pretty cool and Mon El gets a nice action splash page. The story? Well, it is a reboot of the JLA series, so Robinson had to fit in a lot threads just to pull each character in. Hopefully future plots will be tighter. I’m curious how large a role the Dick Grayson Batman will play in this series and if he will continue the lighter tone discussed earlier. I’m actually hoping he’ll keep the cape and cowl and stay on as Batman in the JLA even after Bruce Wayne returns. There is more than one Green Lantern after all. Anyone think DC has the guts to allow that angle?
Yeah, I didn’t think so either.
Justice League of America #41:
Reviewed by Dark Knight Dave
Green Lantern featuring Batman
Well, the comic starts off with a man being chased through Gotham City by some a saber-tooth tiger and a skull with wings that can breathe fire. The man is later killed by a man holding a Tattoo gun. After killing him, the unknown man writes a message on the dead man’s chest and the media claims this murder was done by a Green Lantern villain known as The Tattooed Man.
So Batman calls in Hal Jordan to help, as we all know Batman doesn’t like other hero’s villains in his city. So Green Lantern comes to the Batcave. He asks Bruce why he didn’t just call him, instead of getting Green Arrow to pass on the message. This leads to Hal and Bruce having a little argument as Bruce still doesn’t trust Hal (Continuity Note: Before coming back to life, Hal Jordan was affected by the evil Avatar of the Sinestro Corps Parallax). Bruce shows Hal the crime scene photos and says that they are dealing with Tattooed Man. Jordan thinks different as the Tattooed Man he knows of is locked up in prison. So they go out looking for this new Tattooed Man, but not before Bruce punches Jordan in the face and says that they are now even.
They take the Batmobile to the last known whereabouts of the new Tattooed Man. In the Batmobile, Hal tries to make Batman laugh, but he has a hard time doing so. He even makes a joke about Robin and asks if any of sidekicks ever grow because the seat is so far forward. Bruce tells him to buckle up which Hal jokes it off. Bruce hits a speed bump which in turn makes Hal hit the roof of the Batmobile. This is my favorite part of the issue because you see that Bruce does have a funny side to him. Soon afterwards, they are both attacked by the Tattooed Man, who calls them both sinners. Hal then gets the Tattooed Man attention, Bruce knocks him out with one punch, and the police come and arrest him. Bruce and Hal go back to the Batcave, where Jordan gives Bruce his power ring and asks him to put it on. Bruce refuses until Hal begs and tells Bruce it will help him overcome his greatest fear like it did for him with the death of his father. Bruce puts it on and his costume changes to a Green Lantern costume mixed with the Batsuit, which is pretty cool! Then Bruce creates an image of his parents with the ring and starts to cry. He takes off the ring and tells Hal that he is not ready got overcome his fear. Before Jordan leaves Bruce smiles and tells him that it’s good to have him back. Hal smiles and replies, “It’s good to be back”.
This issue is pretty good. The story is very solid and doesn’t feel like random team between two superheroes. Geoff Johns portrays the bad blood Bruce has towards Hal throughout. Johns also shows in this issue that he is a Batman fan and knows how to write Batman. This was really good. Didn’t feel like a pointless team issue. It made me glad that I picked it up last year at a comic book traders market. Also the back and forth banter between Hal and Bruce was priceless. Another thing I have to give Johns credit for is reminding us that Jordan and Bruce both saw their loved ones and they each handled it in their own way. The only problem I had with this issue was the fight they had with Tattooed Man. The fight was only two pages long and felt like it could have been longer. But hey, that's just me. I can’t wait and see what Johns bring to Batman: Earth One. The penciling by Ethan Van Sciver who not only draws a good Batman, but his art is amazing.
Green Lantern #9:
Reviewed by Johnny Impulse
Here is our final episode for the reboot of BBFB, The Ring, The Arrow and the Bat. This introduces Bruce to other DCU heroes in an adventure that overlaps two stories involving Oliver Queen. It's fairly entertaining and a good introduction to the Green Arrow and Hal Jordan as well as giving us an idea of Batman's attitude to teaming up. If you would like to see more BBFB episodes on this blog please comment below and we can arrange it otherwise thanks for keeping up and please keep listening to the comic podcast for future BBFB episodes. I still have plenty more to review as I read through the dark knights career. Keep reading!
Posted by Nick
From all of us at The Batman Universe, we wish you a Merry Christmas! We hope that you spend time with loved ones and receive the gifts you really wanted. As you head to family and friends houses today to celebrate the holidays, please stay safe.
Batman sings?
Posted by Dustin
The fate of Batman finally revealed? Bruce Wayne rises from the dead? The latest horror from the Blackest Night is none other than our own Caped Crusader?
In a stunning development from the ongoing DC universe series “Blackest Night” the skull of Bruce Wayne (that was ripped from its resting place by the villain Black Hand) has now been used as the instrument to induce the deaths of some of Earths greatest heroes.
You heard that right. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. In the latest issue of “Blackest Night” (number 5) the arch villain, Nekron, stands astride the resting place of seven million souls that once populated Coast City the home of Earth’s Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Seemingly, only Barry Allen stands between Nekron and the fate of our world but he is soon aided by Wally West and Earths mightiest heroes the Justice League of America. The battle hangs in the balance until these heroes are joined by the seven “New Guardians” of light (read Green Lantern #48 for more back story) led by Hal Jordan. As victory is within their grasp the grimmest manifestation of the “Darkest Knight” we have ever seen is resurrected.
People, you have to see this Cadaverous Crusader to believe it. In a two page splash Ivan Reiss, ably assisted by inkers Prado and Albert and colorist Sinclair, the guardian of Gotham takes on his most hideous incarnation ever. This Batman is both compelling and repellent. Truly, it is one of the most stunning representations of Batman to date. Worse yet, in this story Batman is used as the emotional tether that Nekron needed to bring about the deaths of Wonder Woman, Superman, Conner Kent, Bart Allen and the Green Arrow Oliver Queen. As this unholy Batman regurgitates Black Lantern rings Nekron calls those heroes to their deaths as he has held them from their everlasting demise all along.
As soon as this new gothic horror of Gotham descends upon us he is gone. Having served his purpose, “Bruce Wayne” as Nekron calls him, is banished to the afterlife once again and his connection is severed. In his wake stands a new dark vision of the JLA and the fates of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan hang by a thread.
Was this truly “Bruce Wayne”? Is Red Robin/Tim Drake wrong about his fate? What answers will be given in the delayed “Batman and Robin” issue #7 and how does it tie into Blackest Night #6? If you haven’t picked up the magnum opus that is Geoff Johns “Blackest Night” I urge you to do so. This series that was once a bit slow paced and frustrating has really taken off and may be one of the best story lines we seen in comic books in years.
Written by Dark Knight Dave
If you are viewing this site, I think it is safe to say that you have probably seen this show at one point. The show started off by focusing on the Big Seven of the DCU. They were Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter. Now you might argue if these seven should be the main seven, but that is besides the point. Justice League ran two seasons and then was renamed Justice League Unlimited, which also ran for two seasons giving the series a total of four seasons. Justice League Unlimited still featured the "Big Seven," but it also featured a lot of lesser known DC characters. And when I say lesser known, I mean that. I don't think as a casual reader of DC Universe comics, you would have came across Waverider or Vibe. But the series introduced new characters that casual fans and even some seasoned fans may never have known about.
There is nothing bad to say at all about this series. The stories were well written and the animation was high quality. The only downfall of the series was that it ended. The first two seasons featured many multi-part episodes were the story carried over between two and sometimes three episodes. JLU didn't have the multi-part episodes, but it did have an overarching storyline through both of the seasons. The show hasn't been aired regularly on Cartoon Network for quite some time. I personally own the entire series in individual season form.
As for this set there are a couple of negatives, but we will get to that in a minute. Let's cover the series as a whole collected. The entire series has ninety-one episodes. The price tag may seem steep depending on where you are going to buy it from, but even $99.99 as the suggested retail price, is well worth it. Let me put it into perspective. If you were to sit down in front of your TV and start watching the series, it would take you more than two days to watch the entire series. Now I don't recommend you do that, but you may find yourself doing exactly that once you start watching the series. It is just that good.
Now for the negatives. I don't know if it is just the copies that I get sent or what, but there is always some sort of packaging error. With this series, I know it isn't just mine. The fifteen discs are packaged in two plastic DVD cases. One having all of the discs for Justice League and the other one having all of Justice League Unlimited. The two plastic cases are then enclosed in a steel case. Now, the problem with this steel case is that it has lips around the edges, which makes it difficult to get the plastic cases out without having to bend the steel. If someone was going to spend close to one hundred dollars on the series, I would imagine that they do not want to damage the casing. Once you figure out how to get the cases out, you might notice (or this was just mine) that the cases are mis-marked. They are labeled Volume One and Volume Two, but when you open the Volume One case, you find Justice League Unlimited, which many know is actually Volume Two. The paper inserts describing what is on the discs is also mis-placed in the wrong cases. Now, it may seem that I am making a big deal about nothing (and I probably am) but I can't understand why something that gets designed by a person and sent to a factory never gets checked to see if it makes sense. On top of all the that, the discs are labeled as if you bought separate seasons instead of one through fifteen.
I know I am spending way too much time covering the packaging of the series, but the thing is that this is the exact same thing that you might already have if you own the separate seasons. The special features are the same except for one new one. It is on the fifteenth disc and has the series creators discussing challenges and opportunities that the different characters presented.
Overall, the series is remarkable. It is up to par with Batman: The Animated Series. And I would even say that the writing for this series is actually a little better since it as an overall story plot. If I put aside the packaging mishaps, this is the perfect gift for a DC Universe fan for the holidays.
Justice League: The Complete Series:
It would have been a perfect five if not for the packaging and lack of new special features. Keep in mind that this rating is not what the show itself would be rated. I am rating the series collected in this new form. I can't stress enough that the show is amazing. The series was released on November 10. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Warner Bros. sent over this clip to show with the review. Take a look:
Posted by Dustin
So the final episode of season one has aired and did it go out with a bang or just sizzle? We hear from normal BTBTB reviewers Tiggerbrown and rhine1784. Starting off with rhine1784:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Fate of the Equinox
Synopsis: Batman teams up with Fate to stop the balance obsessed Equinox from remaking the Universe in his own image.
The teaser, well it was good and bad. BMBATB fans finally have the privilege of seeing Harvey Dent against the Dark Knight. True to his colors, Two Face keeps his own world fair and balanced with a flip of the coin.
For a third time Batman is after Equinox and his goal of keeping the universe in perfect harmonic balance. But Fate lends a hand, Doctor Fate. With Fates mystical powers the two heroes take on Equinox by evening the playing field in a Brave and Bold manner. Batman takes on the powers of many of his super friends. Blue Beetle, Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Lantern just to name a few, have all their powers transferred to Batman for one final epic battle with Equinox.
This episode is very fantastical, but it works, and with all the DC characters that make an appearance, it very much had a Justice League vibe to it. I really enjoyed the way this story played out. The Fate of Equinox truly felt like the end of a three part story arc since he first appeared in the episode “Mystery in Space”. As usual the animation is first rate and the voice talents are absolutely wonderful. Although the title remains “Batman” The Brave and the Bold, skewing off into a Justice League vibe certainly won’t hurt my feelings!
BTBTB: Fate of the Equinox:
Moving on to Tiggerbrown:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Fate of the Equinox
Season one of Batman the Brave and the Bold has mostly consisted of stand alone episodes; each one focusing on a different team-up with the Caped Crusader. The dynamic between the different hero match-ups is more often than not the predominant focal point of each story. Batman's "partner of the week" usually has some moral or behavioral conflict that impedes him from bringing the episode's bad guy to justice. There have been few repeat appearances, Green Arrow being one of the exceptions amongst the heroes, and the tone of the stories are usually light and kid friendly.
The season finale attempts to break the mold by bringing back Equinox as a serious arch villain and Dr. Fate as Batman's partner. The writers make a valiant attempt at creating an exciting hero vs. villain battle that explores the complex theme of chaos vs. order.
But before the main action begins, we are treated to a little crime noir vignette starring Two-Face. My favorite moments of this series have been when they use the classic villains; the golden age Joker being my particular favorite. This fun scene, highlighted by a great music score right out of an Elmore Leonard or Dashiell Hammett film adaptation, is a simple but classic confrontation between Harvey Dent and the Dark Knight. My only gripe is the detail on the evil side of Harvey's face. I like the almost Dick Tracyesque style given to Harvey, but his Two-Face look is too simplistic. The decision to only use the color green and limit the deformity took away from the fierceness of his character. I hope we get to see full length Golden Age style episodes in season two. The cheesy dialogue and square-jawed animation really lend well to that era.
The episode itself had its moments. I appreciated the writers trying to give the viewers a finale that is a bit more epic in scope than normal. The series has developed Equinox as its principal antagonist, and the apocalyptic potential of his success created needed tension in an often fluffy first season. Dr. Fate is relatively one dimensional in this issue, with the real focus being on Batman and Equinox. It was refreshing to see a villain in this series use their intellect to outsmart the world’s greatest detective.
The dialogue and the flow of the scenes created some confusion for me, and unfortunately, the episode climaxed by resorting to its often pre-teen plot resolutions. Having many of the heroes from previous episodes reunite was fun, but having Batman turn into a Transformers styled giant to defeat Equinox was exciting to some I’m sure, but a disappointment to me considering where the episode seemed to be heading.
The production values and acting were solid as always. However, I’m still hoping that next season will see a different choreography style for the fight scenes. The animation is top-notch as always, especially compared to the Marvel animated shows currently airing. The bright colors and grandiose settings suit the cartoon to a tee. Deidrich Bader has proven himself to be a lot more capable a Batman than anyone thought. I’m looking forward to seeing if he is able to develop the character a little deeper. If I could ask the producers one thing in regards to this Batman, is to have him take off the mask and introduce Bruce Wayne and maybe Alfred to the series. I think it would add a very interesting dimension for future stories. Oh, and match him up with Superman….that’s always a classic.
Overall, this was a serious step in the right direction for the series. Season one had some surprisingly memorable moments, and if the creative team behind BTBTB is going to give us efforts like Fate of the Equinox, this version of our favorite crime fighter will continue to gain fans both young and old.
BTBTB: Fate of the Equinox:
So there you have it. An average score of three and a half batarangs. The new episodes for the new season are right around the corner. And TheBatmanUniverse.net will be there to review them as well.
Posted by Dustin
Batgirl’s first meeting with the Justice League. Or first time taking LSD, I’m not sure. Either way it happened in Justice League of America issue 60.
Posted by Josh