JOURNEY INTO COMICS: A JLU LAMENT

[MattBrady]

by Michael San Giacomo

I'm totally bummed that Justice League Unlimited is canceled, but there are four episodes left and JLU is going out with a bang.

Writer and editor Matt Wayne said working on the unfettered Justice League stories has been a gas, but The Cartoon Network did not renew the series. It will be the 39th episode.

My opinion here, but the people at Cartoon Network did not help the series by airing it 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday night. Could there be a crappier time to air a show? If they were going for a young audience it was on too late. If they were going for an old audience, it was the wrong night and time.

At least we can appreciate the last four episodes.

This weekend’s “Far From Home” features Supergirl, Green Lantern and Green Arrow traveling to the future to meet the Legion of Super-heroes and battle the Fatal Five. This is a prequel to the Legion show.

“I’ll be writing a new Legion of Super-heroes show on the Kids WB for the fall or summer (2007),“ said Wayne. “It will be a takeoff on the classic Legion, but like the JLU, we’ll pick and choose characters to use.“

“The series will end with a two-parter, May 6 and May 13,” Wayne said, noting there will be new episodes tonight (April 15) and April 29th. “The April 29th episode

The April 29 JLU episode was written by Geoff Johns, of the brightest talents of modern comics. “Ancient History” stars Hawkman battling the Shadow Thief.

Wayne was quiet about the last two episodes, but said that anyone who has enjoyed the show will love them.

“Alive” (written by Wayne) and “Destroyer” feature a “knock-down drag out battle on Earth and in space, the power moving behind the scenes of the villains is revealed leading to the most unexpected team-up in Justice League history,” according to the Cartoon Network website.

“This is the end, but Bruce Timm is not done with the DC universe of characters,” Wayne said. “He’s doing some direct-to-video stuff starting with ‘Superman: Brainiac Attacks‘ and a couple others I can‘t talk about.”

Wayne is writing the screenplay for a Hellboy feature “Hellboy and the Sword of Storms” for Cartoon Network that will quickly go to video feature. The story was written by Mike Mignola and Tad Stones.

Wayne, who only came on board the JLU team this past season, said that everyone on the staff pitched ideas for episodes, but that Timm ran the show.

“I guess it’s pretty clear that we all love Shining Knight and Vigilante since we showed them in the background every chance we could,” he said. “The character I regret never having written a word of dialogue for was Superman. I also wanted to do more with Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate and Blue Beetle, The Beetle never appeared on the show.”

The beauty of the JLU was that it was such a wild west show. The writers could pull any DC character out of the mothballs they wanted since virtually every hero on Earth was a member.

They deliberately did not get bogged down with hero histories.

“We don't want go into everyone's history, explain too much,” he said. “We told viewers everything they needed to know about the key players. We counted on those interested in knowing more about the characters to find out for themselves, and most people did.”

Wayne, who cut his comic chops writing Milestone Comics titles like Shadow Cabinet and The World Needs Heroes. His animation credits include Poochini, Static Shock, Danny Phantom and What's New Scooby Doo?

[JoeZhang]

EH??? The show finished months ago?

[CaptainTemerity]

This show will be sorely missed.

[Mr.Scarcrow]

Originally posted by JoeZhang
EH??? The show finished months ago?

Not in America.

[The Funketeer]

Originally posted by JoeZhang
EH??? The show finished months ago?

No. It was taken off the air months ago for unexplained reasons and those of us with DVRs were left with recordings of bobobobobo bobobobo instead. There are still a handful of episodes left that for some reason, CN thought needed to be held back in favor of reruns of a crappy anime show.

[Sean Walsh]

And JLU won't be on AGAIN next weekend - CN's airing the ULTIMATE AVENGERS movie at 9:30pm.

[implikian]

well, the direct-to-video/dvd stuff is a consolation of sorts... but I have to say that it is sad that the episodic nature of the Timm(/Dini) cosmos is at an end...

I have the feeling that JLU should be funded by DC itself indefinitely, just like the comic books... sort of fulfilling an "obligation" towards the fans... alas, the whole market thing does not work that way...

simply put, JLU was quite often the best face/plateau put forth for these fictional characters...

cheers...

[amazingdavidman]

You people should really move to Canada :P

Having seen it all, I can tell you you have a lot to look forward to. Dini and co certainly don't disappoint.

[JamesJesse]

JLU was a great, brilliant show that was horribly managed by its handlers at Cartoon Network.

From the onset, it had uber -confusing timeslot allotments and yet it survived five seasons.

I can only hope the DVD sales make Warners reconsider this show but that's grasping at straws.

I personally think seasons two and three/four (or cumulutively: JLU season 1) were the best.

Season 5, with the "Legion of Doom" was still better than other cartoons in this genre, but not as good as past seasons. A victim of its own high standards. But it was still great! I actually got goosebumps with the closing sequence curtain call at the last episode which Americans have yet to see! It was cool, but sad at the same time knowing it was the last sequence.

[BatWolverine]

Didn't this series finish already? I've seen all those 4 episodes......and as with the rest of the series, they are GREAT.

BW

[gypsynuke]

Originally posted by JamesJesse
JLU was a great, brilliant show that was horribly managed by its handlers at Cartoon Network.

From the onset, it had uber -confusing timeslot allotments and yet it survived five seasons.

I can only hope the DVD sales make Warners reconsider this show but that's grasping at straws.

I personally think seasons two and three/four (or cumulutively: JLU season 1) were the best.

Season 5, with the "Legion of Doom" was still better than other cartoons in this genre, but not as good as past seasons. A victim of its own high standards. But it was still great! I actually got goosebumps with the closing sequence curtain call at the last episode which Americans have yet to see! It was cool, but sad at the same time knowing it was the last sequence.

Cartoon network is going to start airing a FF cartoon so I think they're done with DC for the foreseeable future.

[Luthor]

It's sad that the DCAU, as we know it, is coming to an end.

But the direct to video ideas sounds pretty bad ass.

It'd be cool if they did a Crisis kind of deal for one of them or a return of Bats Beyond.

[Clem]

If only they would take a hint from Marvel's direct to dvd plan. The films themselves suck, but its a good plan in theory.

Just take a well known character from the DCAU and spin them off into their own DTV movie and release one every few months, theyd make a killing.

One month you could have Batman, then another month Green Arrow and so on.

I'd especially love a Nightwing DTV, just so we could get some closure on Dick. The poor guy got dumped by Babs and shipped off to Bludhaven never to be seen again apart from a 2 second cameo and the odd snarky comment 50 years down the line.

Hal Jordan and the GL Corps would be another fav of mine. Sure we got to see him for a minute in the season 1 finale, but how cool would a movie be. They kinda screwed up initially by giving Kyle Rayner his orgin with Abin and the crashed ship, but its not beyond salvage.

[johhnypanic]

Darn Canadians trying to put it in are face! I say blame canada for the cancelation of JLU, it has to be there fault!

[SeamusMcClernan]

Originally posted by Clem
If only they would take a hint from Marvel's direct to dvd plan.

BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM was direct-to-video years ago -- and that BTAS "Catwoman" movie too.

[samnoir]

With the final four episodes, JLU does end on a high note. I enjoyed them a great deal, particularly the closing moments we get to seel almost all the heroes who appeared in the series heading out to fight their neverending battle. I quite liked the fact that they were seen in their various DCU team groupings.

Looking forward to the direct to video features. I hope they will resolved the Luthor/Darkseid storyline in one of them.

___________________________________

ROBERT CRUMB UNDERGROUND COMICS and ART BOOKS for sale on EBAY!!!!

JAPANESE ANIME and MANGA TOYS and MEMORABILIA for sale on EBAY!! GIGANTOR! CAPTAIN HARLOCK! BATTLE OF THE PLANETS! GHOST IN THE SHELL! much more!

[razorwing77]

Originally posted by SeamusMcClernan
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM was direct-to-video years ago -- and that BTAS "Catwoman" movie too.

Actually Mask of the Phantasm was released in theaters. I saw it when it came out.

[MrThatGuy]

Originally posted by Clem
Hal Jordan and the GL Corps would be another fav of mine. Sure we got to see him for a minute in the season 1 finale, but how cool would a movie be. They kinda screwed up initially by giving Kyle Rayner his orgin with Abin and the crashed ship, but its not beyond salvage.

best Hal Jordan was his guest appearance in Duck Doger's "Green Loontern" now that was a great episode!!!

[Nobody]

Actually, Mask of the Phantasm was a theatrical release.

But the rest were all direct-to-video.

[Hobgoblin238]

I so hate the Cartoon Network for getting rid of a quality show like JLU but continue to air other crappy toons instead!

[gypsynuke]

Originally posted by samnoir
With the final four episodes, JLU does end on a high note. I enjoyed them a great deal, particularly the closing moments we get to seel almost all the heroes who appeared in the series heading out to fight their neverending battle. I quite liked the fact that they were seen in their various DCU team groupings.

Looking forward to the direct to video features. I hope they will resolved the Luthor/Darkseid storyline in one of them.

___________________________________

ROBERT CRUMB UNDERGROUND COMICS and ART BOOKS for sale on EBAY!!!!

JAPANESE ANIME and MANGA TOYS and MEMORABILIA for sale on EBAY!! GIGANTOR! CAPTAIN HARLOCK! BATTLE OF THE PLANETS! GHOST IN THE SHELL! much more!

You just spoiled the ending of the show for everyone in America. Thank you.

[Squashua]

I live in the US and accessed these episodes via file sharing about 2-3 months ago. They're "eh". I'm pissed that CN didn't give this show a better shot.

[NotSuper]

Originally posted by Hobgoblin238
I so hate the Cartoon Network for getting rid of a quality show like JLU but continue to air other crappy toons instead!

I deeply regret Justice League Unlimited being cancelled too, but I also think it's irrational to get mad at other shows because of it. After all, it's not their fault the show was cancelled. Besides, most of the stuff Cartoon Network shows is quite good (with a few exceptions of course).

In any case, we haven't seen the last of DCAU and that makes me happy.

[holtom2000]

Originally posted by gypsynuke
You just spoiled the ending of the show for everyone in America. Thank you.

that's hardly spoiling it. it's a great ending actually, a perfect way to send them off, onto their next adventure (that we all desprately want, sniff), in sub teams (aka SSOV, JSA, BOP, JLDetroit, etc...).

I remember when this series started to long years ago. I never thought they could pull it off. Simply put, it rocked.

[Mark Shaw]

Originally posted by SeamusMcClernan
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM was direct-to-video years ago -- and that BTAS "Catwoman" movie too.

I think you mean "Mystery of the Batwoman". In addition to that movie, "Sub-Zero" and "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" were also direct-to-video/DVD.