Unlimited Justice League!  Holy Moley!!

  • Title: Justice League Unlimited – Season Two
  • tv.com: link

justice-league-unlimited-season-one-dvdAfter two seasons on Cartoon Network Justice League was revamped into a series not only about the seven greatest heroes of the DC Universe, but including all the super-heroes who gave their lives to the pursuit of justice.  Fans of any incarnation of the Justice League will find something to enjoy here as the series tries to give a nod to each incarnation.

After the events of Starcrossed, where the league battled the invading Thanagarian army, Hawkgirl is no longer a member of the team, and, now aware of larger threats, the remaining six original members decide to open up the ranks of the Justice League and recruit more heroes.

Gone, for the most part, are the two episode story arcs.  Instead we get individual episodes that pair up original members with some of the new members of the team which include Supergirl, Green Arrow, The Question, Black Canary, The Huntress, Red Tornado, Ray, Rocket Red, Dr. Fate, Captain Atom, the Atom, Atom Smasher, and more.

Of all the seasons of Justice League this is my favorite.  How could it not be?  We get two of my all-time-favorite heroes making their only appearance in the series – Captain Marvel (in a city destroying fight with Superman no less) in “Clash,” and a cameo by Hal Jordan in “The Once and Future Thing Part 2: Time Warped.”

Fans of the Giffen run on the Justice League comics will enjoy some of the light-hearted episodes and some familiar faces from his ranks including Fire and Ice, Maxwell Lord, and Booster Gold who earns his own episode in “The Greatest Story Never Told.”

The season also leans more to examining the relationships of it’s characters as it looks at love – with Black Canary and Green Arrow, The Question and The Huntress, Batman and Wonder Woman, and the love triangle between John Stewart, Hawkgirl, and Vixen.  We also get some JSA members like Atom Smasher, Mr. Terrific, and Wildcat who gets his own episode in “The Cat and the Canary.”

How good is this season?  Well I haven’t mentioned the adapted story from Alan Moore “For the Man who Has Everything,” the sheer awesomeness of The Question (who knew the Girl Scouts were responsible for crop circles?), and the series’ attempt to honor the Super Friends (watch closely for the Hall of Justice) with the Ultamen, who were designed off characters from the show.  See if you can figure out who each one is based on.  All that and there’s still the final episode, “Epilogue,” where fans of Batman Beyond get a special treat, and a huge revelation, courtesy of Bruce Timm and friends.

Oh and Braniac returns, Wonder Woman goes to Hell, Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad (even if they are given a different name), the return of Bizarro and Solomon Grundy, Lex Luthor runs for President, the truth behind Doomsday, the JLU‘s own version of Power Girl, Mister Miracle and a trip to Apocalypse, and much, much more.  Damn, this set rocks!!

Of all the seasons of Justice League this one is action packed with so many vibrant characters it easily ranks as the best.  Not all the new characters work, (Vigilante and Shining Knight?), but the effect of opening up the DC Universe is dazzling.  It’s a must have for any fan of the show.

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