Steve Presents: Reviews of Batman Animated Series and others

[JME2]

Patrick Degan and JME2, thank you for your input. It's always nice to learn something new about these shows.

I look at it like this: The Little Mermaid may have been the first piece of animation I can remember seeing, but I credit the DCAU with kickstarting an interest in comics, animation production, and the voice-over industry.

'Only A Dream'

Doctor Destiny. I didn't expect to see Skeletor pop up in this episode. But he did and when he did, a chill went up my spine. The scene where he 'performed surgery' on his wife? Chilling. Especially since we didn't see what he did that eventually lead to her death. And in case some of you aren't familiar with Doctor Destiny, he's a super-villain capable of invading your dreams and turning them into nightmares. He sees your worst fears and exploits them in the cruelest way possible. Seeing what our heroes fear was unsettling to say the least. Superman's worst fears were predictable but executed well. Hawkgirl's nightmare reminded me of the X-Men, Storm. Every hero has a fear. Except maybe Batman who kicked some serious ass in this episode.

Easily one of my favorites.

I was always pleased with how this one turned out, too. Destiny's a classic League foe, but tricky to use -- especially since Neil Gaiman set the bar so high when he used him in the 80's for Sandman. It's also amusing that Dee's voiced by William Atherton, who will always be Walter 'Dickless' Peck from Ghostbusters for me.

'Maid of Honor'

Vandal Savage is the main reason why I really like this episode. Phil Morris perfectly conveyed the super-villain. I enjoyed all his lines. Phil just has that kind of menacing voice, one that oozes with charisma, power, and intelligence. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Batman and Wonder Woman. How they flirt and tempt one another was amusing. Oh, and this scene speaks for itself:

'You can't understand a word I'm saying and I wouldn't tell you anything if you could.'

Batman: "I can... and you will."

Interestingly enough, Morris originally played the Gorilla general in Season 1's "The Brave and the Bold". It was that performance that convinced the creators to bring him back later. He was great as Savage.

I remembering wishing at the time that Savage had been utilized more. As a global conqueror with immortality and experience spanning all of human history, he had the potential to be the League's most dangerous opponent and become to that series was Ra's and Darkseid were to BTAS/STAS.

As it is, I do like that Savage's episodes form a temporal trilogy, spanning past, present, and future.

And Batman's interrogation of the Kaznian operative is one of my top 5 favorite Batman moments in JL/JLU. I crack up every-time I see it.

[JME2]

Where to begin? Darkseid brainwashed Superman and turned him loose on Earth. That about sums it up. Anyone who knows and likes Superman will instantly understand how big of a deal this is. Superman is an alien and was adopted by humans. I'm adopted and can relate on some level. It's one of the biggest reasons why I'm a fan of his. So the idea of being brainwashed and instructed to destroy the very people who took me in really hits home.

If you liked "Legacy", I recommend the Elseworlds story "Superman: The Dark Side".

Same basic plot -- Kal-El's rocket lands on Apokolips -- but without the brainwashing.

[Molyneux]

Thanks in part to this thread, I watched "Only a Dream" last night, and it was every bit as creepy as I remembered...especially the very first time we see him as Dr. D. You know the part I'm talking about.

[JME2]

Thanks in part to this thread, I watched "Only a Dream" last night, and it was every bit as creepy as I remembered...especially the very first time we see him as Dr. D. You know the part I'm talking about.

"And now that I'm a doctor...I think I'll perform some surgery..."

[Molyneux]

Thanks in part to this thread, I watched "Only a Dream" last night, and it was every bit as creepy as I remembered...especially the very first time we see him as Dr. D. You know the part I'm talking about.

"And now that I'm a doctor...I think I'll perform some surgery..."

Eeeeugh. Yes. That.
Also, I'm going to be watching "Crisis on Two Earths" sometime soon, so I might try to write up a brief review of that here, if that's all right with everyone.

[Steve]

Sure.

[Tomzilla]

As it is, I do like that Savage's episodes form a temporal trilogy, spanning past, present, and future.

Well said.

'Hereafter' deserves special mention for keeping the story and pacing interesting, even though most of us knew the premise beforehand (Superman 'dying'). Vandal Savage's surprise appearance was both a real treat and made perfect sense (Brainiac 5 would've been my second choice). How he was portrayed, as a depressed-immortal-former-conqueror-of-the-world searching for redemption, helped parallel Superman's importance to the world. Even with all that power, Savage's greed could not be quenched. His lust for power could not be shackled. Too late did he realize this. Only in his last fading moments did he finally find the peace he deserved. I'd say he redeemed himself in the end.

[JME2]

Thanks in part to this thread, I watched "Only a Dream" last night, and it was every bit as creepy as I remembered...especially the very first time we see him as Dr. D. You know the part I'm talking about.

"And now that I'm a doctor...I think I'll perform some surgery..."

Eeeeugh. Yes. That.

Again, kudos to William Atherton for an absolutely scary delivery as John Dee.

And I'd love to see your review

[Tomzilla]

In light of Dwayne McDuffie's passing, I thought I'd discuss my favorite Justice League Unlimited episodes written by the Man himself.

Before I do that? The Justice League episodes 'Hereafter' and 'The Terror Beyond' deserves attention on his behalf. We discussed 'Hereafter' a little bit above. But 'The Terror Beyond' was a big nod to Lovecraft fans everywhere. What would happen if Earth's mightiest heroes clashed with 'Cthulhu' and his ilk? This awesome episode.

Here are my favorite Justice League Unlimited episodes Dwayne McDuffie wrote.


'The Doomsday Sanction'

From the opening scene with Batman confronting Amanda Waller in her own home... To the last scene of an injured Bruce Wayne questioning who's side he's really on... With the future looking grim I might add? It's a grand slam, folks. This episode has everything comic book fans could ever like. None of us are mind readers but seeing the expressions and actions of these characters? It speaks for itself. We have a good idea what was on their minds. And yes, the clash between Superman and Doomsday in an active volcano took the action up a notch. It'd be really hard to top this fight.


'Clash'

Okay, so Superman's fight with Doomsday has now been contested. We'd seen Superman and Captain Marvel trade blows before. But not like this. They went all out here and caused immense collateral damage in their wake. Captain Marvel also provided a nice contrast to Superman and how much he's changed as a character. At this point Superman was on the edge. He was one dead friend away from becoming his Justice Lord counterpart. Captain Marvel, however, was much like how Superman started out. That's what makes this an exciting episode to watch. Because not only is the episode loaded with bone shattering hits and building crumbling blows, it allows us to witness the clash of two sides of the same coin.


'Task Force X'

There are so many great things about this episode. But no matter how many of them you can list, every scene with Deadshot stands above them all. His exchanges with Flagg? How he pwned Green Lantern in an elevator? Showing no remorse after shooting Plastique? What a cruel, witty monster. I enjoyed every scene he took part in. I also liked the return of the Annihilator armor. Martian Manhunter was given a real chance to shine here, too. How he clobbered and knocked the Annihilator off its feet? Badass.

I really liked how this was all from the Suicide Squad's POV. That's really what made this episode unique.


'The Once and Future Thing Parts 1-2'

Yeah, I liked this episode mostly because of Terry McGinnis's return as the Tomorrow Knight, Batman. I enjoyed his exchanges with 'past' Batman. This is the stuff fans had been writing about in fan-fics for years!


'The Great Brain Robbery'

Doctor Polaris: "Ahem. Are you going to wash your hands?"

Lex Luthor: "No... Because I'm EVIL!"


'The Cadmus Arc'

Too many episodes to list here. Might as well discuss them all here. I'm talking about: 'Question Authority', 'Flashpoint', 'Panic in the Sky', and 'Divided We Fall'. What an epic storyline! How do you write a great story without bastardizing your superheroes, especially after depicting them fighting off cosmic threats? You bring them more down to Earth. What if the very people they had sworn to protect stopped believing in them? What if they had every reason to defend themselves from these self-proclaimed heroes?

Regardless, the underlying message of this fantastic tale speaks for itself: justice isn't always the answer.

This is truly one of Dwayne McDuffie's crowning achievements. It's a testament to his imagination how everyone in these episodes had a chance to shine.


'Epilogue'

The true ending to the DC Animated Universe we all know and love. That's all I can really say. My words can't do this episode justice. Hell, my words can't do Dwayne McDuffie's work justice. That didn't stop me from trying.

[JME2]

Yeah, McDuffie was really influential in the final years of the DCAU.

While JL/JLU had Team Timm veteran writers like Rich Fogel and Stan Berkowitz, McDuffie played a key part in developing it's quirky humor, long-term planning, and excellent characterization. You could consider him Paul Dini's successor in many respects and he will be missed.

[Molyneux]

I knew that he was the mind behind Static (and indirectly, behind the cartoon that I enjoyed far more than I had expected to), but I never knew that so much of the brilliant righting in JLU was also thanks to McDuffie. We've lost a great mind.

[JME2]

I knew that he was the mind behind Static (and indirectly, behind the cartoon that I enjoyed far more than I had expected to), but I never knew that so much of the brilliant righting in JLU was also thanks to McDuffie. We've lost a great mind.

How McDuffie got involved with the DCAU is an interesting -- and funny -- story:

"I had done a few Statics, and I got a call from Rich Fogel, who was the story editor on Justice League, asking me if I wanted to finish a Justice League script that Paul Dini couldn't finish because of a hand injury, and—my lawyer says that I can't stress this enough—I can prove I was nowhere near Paul when his injury occurred"

That script was Season 1's "The Brave and the Bold" and the creative team's reactions can be summed up as so:

That was my first time I’d read any of his work and I instantly fell in love with his take on the characters and his dialogue especially. I realized that this was a guy we could use...

So, the creators brought him back for other Season 1 episodes. By the time Season 2 rolled around around, he'd officially become a staff writer and then a producer and story editors by Season 3.

Obviously, McDuffie wasn't the main guiding force; the DVD commentaries show that Timm, the writers, and the artists are a collaborative bunch and enjoyed working together and refining ideas. But he was still influential. You can see a lot of what become JL/JLU's style in "The Brave and the Bold", with its humor and characterization.

It was a good portrayal of the league. Makes me even more pissed at how his run on the JLA book got screwed over by executive meddling.

[Batman]

I unsurprisingly have never heard of the guy before (I generally don't pay much attention to the people involved in creating superhero comics, just in the results), but I love JL/JLU, and didn't particularly mind Static Shock either, so the demise of anybody who was that involved with those leaves the superhero comics industry decidedly diminished.

[JME2]

McDuffie's a loss to comics and to animation. Unfortunately, he's also not the only DCAU alum we've lost recently. Both Boyd Kirkland and Shirley Walker passed away in the last few years.

Kirkland was one of BTAS' main directors. He oversaw some of the series best episodes, such as "Beware the Gray Ghost", "Perchance to Dream", and my personal favorite, "Read My Lips".

Walker, of course, was the main composer for most of the DCAU. I can't imagine the shows without the musical style she established or the distinct leitmotifs she created for Batman and Superman.

[Crazedwraith]

[quote='Tomzilla']

'The Once and Future Thing Parts 1-2'

Yeah, I liked this episode mostly because of Terry McGinnis's return as the Tomorrow Knight, Batman. I enjoyed his exchanges with 'past' Batman. This is the stuff fans had been writing about in fan-fics for years! [/quote]

And yet, I was generally disappointed with Terry's post BB performances. I suppose Static and the JL had to save the day on their shows put still... Terry didn't really get enough time to shine on his own show. Old Bruce generally got to out awesome him most of the time. And The Once And Future Thing Terry started out being a wuss and trying to run away via boom tube, generally got treated like a noob by Warhawk and then had an inglorious death by Dee Dee. 'Bruce Wayne, Batman. Batman, Bruce Wayne. Or have you met?" is practically Terry's only redeeming part of that episode. Once again, Old Bruce out awesome's at every turn.

Meh, just whining from a Terry fanboy really.

Also, no Max in Epilogue. Granted there was no real role for her to play but it would have been nice to see what became of her. DCAU Oracle perhaps?

[JME2]

And The Once And Future Thing Terry started out being a wuss and trying to run away via boom tube, generally got treated like a noob by Warhawk and then had an inglorious death by Dee Dee. 'Bruce Wayne, Batman. Batman, Bruce Wayne. Or have you met?" is practically Terry's only redeeming part of that episode. Once again, Old Bruce out awesome's at every turn.

To play devil's advocate. Terry's retreat was justified for a couple of reasons:

1. The entire League had been KIA against Krona; they were the world's last hope.

2. Bats, Diana, and GL had been transported to the future. If any of them had been killed there, it would have done even more damage to the time stream.

But yeah, Terry's interaction with young and old Bruce was the best part.

[Batman]

Yeah, technical necro but I had to get this off my chest. Teen Titans may have its downs (the anime tripes sure got on my nerves from time to time-well, a lot of the time) but at its best, it's easily up there with the best the Timmverse has to offer.
I just finished watching the finale of season four (The End 1 through 3), and it was just Valendamned awesome. Possibly better than anything I saw in the Timmverse (though I can't discount the possibility that this is merely due to Teen Titans being new to me, while I've known what went on in the Timmverse for ages).

[Molyneux]

Yeah, technical necro but I had to get this off my chest. Teen Titans may have its downs (the anime tripes sure got on my nerves from time to time-well, a lot of the time) but at its best, it's easily up there with the best the Timmverse has to offer.
I just finished watching the finale of season four (The End 1 through 3), and it was just Valendamned awesome. Possibly better than anything I saw in the Timmverse (though I can't discount the possibility that this is merely due to Teen Titans being new to me, while I've known what went on in the Timmverse for ages).

I'll agree that Teen Titans was a great show in its own right, but in general, it did work better when it had a slightly silly feel to it.

I don't think the Mumbo musical would have worked nearly as well in JLU as it did in TT, for instance. Then again, there was "Kid Stuff"...

[FaxModem1]

I could never get into Teen Titans, it felt like it was trying to insult my intelligence most of the time. I only stayed for the first season because of Slade.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Teen Titans was sometimes ok, but it could REALLY get on your nerves. Mad Maude, anyone?

[Steve]

Teen Titans was sometimes ok, but it could REALLY get on your nerves. Mad Maude, anyone?

Oh come on, "Revolution" was awesomely funny.

[Vendetta]

Teen Titans was sometimes ok, but it could REALLY get on your nerves. Mad Maude, anyone?

Mad Mod? A walking talking Clockwork Orange reference, voiced by Malcom Mcdowell?

I think you missed something about the character....

[JME2]

Teen Titans was sometimes ok, but it could REALLY get on your nerves. Mad Maude, anyone?

Mad Mod? A walking talking Clockwork Orange reference, voiced by Malcom Mcdowell?

I think you missed something about the character....

Yeah, he was one of my favorites, too.

[Batman]

Was Revolutions silly? This is a trick question, right? Of course it was. It was also very funny and for what was for all intents and purposes a pure comedy episode, it was very well done (IMNAAHO, as always). I'm sorry, but 'We've been Union Jacked!' and 'So this is what George Washington felt like when Napoleon beat him at Pearl Harbour'?
Or how about s5's 'For Real'?

Yes, TT was often silly, and yes, the Anime gimmicks got on my nerves too (though I think they toned that down a lot from s4 on, if not earlier-I think 'Cyborg the Barbarian' would have worked quite well as a JLU episode). But to dismiss the series because of those gimmicks (as I, and apparently Steve and his brother have done) deprives you of a very enjoyable superhero animation experience, one with a few unique twists the other DCAU installations don't have.

Are there things about it I dislike? Absolutely. As I said, the Anime gimmicks annoyed the hell out of me, I think the title theme is too long (though them switching to the japanese version from time to time made for a nice WTF moment the first time I heard it ), and whenever I see Aqualad I can't help but wonder why the guy is wearing Lighning Lad's uniform. The Titans standard MOO bothered me too-get their asses handed to them, possibly repeatedly, until they find a way to finally take the villain down. I don't think we ever see them clearly dominate even a minor villain until they take on Terra in Aftershock pt 2, and they don't do it without having gotten their asses handed to them by that same villain before until Ultranerd Control Freak gets eaten in the abovementioned 'For Real', and that was the Titans East for Valen's sake.

But there's also some great character definition and development. The friendship the Titans share is presented in a very touching way, especially the Robin/Starfire relationship (I so don't want to be in Starfire's way when she's going to rescue/protect Robin, and I've taken on Superman), or what might have been a budding Beast Boy/Raven angle (still might be, I haven't finished watching the series yet).
At the same time, while quite possibly being the most physically powerful of the Titans, Starfire is also the most emotionally vulnerable. As Steve pointed out earlier, she's so sweet and innocent it almost hurts-she always sees the best in everybody, she always tries to help everybody, I mean upon depositing overgrown Silkie on an isolated island (said Silkie having eaten a considerable portion of the Titans Tower earlier) she puts up a 'Please be nice to monster' sign. Screw throttling anyone who hurts her into unconsciousness-the No Killing rule just went the way of the Dodo (no, Beast Boy probably being able to turn into one doesn't count). Not to mention I loved her weird way of using english, and the surprising consistency (however incromprehensible) of the way her Tamaranian sounded.

The Terra story arc was heartbreaking on several levels-first, her initial betrayal of the team after having been taken in, wherein she still shows affection for Beast Boy so we know she hasn't gone all bad, Beast Boys devastation over it, Terra finally turning on all the Titans for keeps, and then, at the end, as she finally decides to oppose Slade-and save the city in the process (do we ever find out what the Valendamned name of that city is?), she pays for it with her life. Yes, they say they'll try to find a way to turn her back...but the way the sequence plays out, it's pretty clear they don't expect to be able to.

Everybody who skips Teen Titans because of the stupid Anime graphics shenanigans and the superficially silly tone is missing out on a darn good to possibly great bit of superhero animation.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I agree with you on Cyborg the Barbarian. That was probably the best stand-alone episode of the entire series.