Title: Justice
League Unlimited: Series Finale: “Ancient History”, “Alive”,
“Destroyer”
Starring The Voices
Of: Kevin Conroy, George Newborn, Michael Rosenbalm, Phil LaMarr, Carl Lumbly,
Clancy Brown, Powers Boothe, Juliet Landau, Michael Ironside, Corey Burton, Bud
Cort, Jennifer Hale, Lex Lang, Daniel Dae Kim, Maria Canals, James Remar, Gina
Torres, Hector Elizando, and Robin Atkin Downes
Writers: Geoff
Johns, Matt Wayne, and Dwayne McDuffe
Based on DC Comics
Characters
Batman Created By:
Bob Kane
Superman Created By:
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Wonder Woman Created By: William Moultan Marston
Voice Director And
Casting: Andrea Romano
Directors: Joaquim
Dos Santos and Dan Riba
Producers: Dwayne
McDuffie, Bruce Timm, and James Tucker
Running Time: 23
minutes each without commercials
Media: Cartoon
Network Original Series (NTSC VHS Screeners)
“Ancient
History” Premiere: Saturday, April 29, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT)
“Alive”
Premiere: Saturday, May 6, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT)
“Destroyer”
Premiere: Saturday, May 13, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT)
Network: Cartoon
Network (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)
TV Rating: Not
Available At The Time Of Review
Reviewer: Mark A.
Rivera
It is the end of an era. “Justice League Unlimited” will complete it’s series run with three final episodes beginning on Friday, April 29, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT) with an episode entitled “Ancient History” that resolves in as much as can be in 23 minutes, the love triangle between Hawk Girl, Hawk Man, and Green Lantern. Then comes the two-episode series finale that will air on Saturday, May 6, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT) and Saturday May 13, 2006, at 10:30pm (ET/PT) with two episodes entitled “Alive” and “Destroyer.” These two episodes are nothing short of all out superhero and super villain action with the Justice League and the Legion Of Doom, (what’s left of it…), having to team up to fight an old enemy that threatens them all. If you are a loyal viewer or comic collector familiar with the storylines, you can guess who the villain is and what is at stake and you might also be able to guess just by reading the list of actors above who provided voices for the characters in these episodes. Unfortunately, because of spoiler issues, I cannot disclose exactly what happens, but at the very least, fans will be cheering as they watch Superman let loose and they will see certain characters meet their fate, at least for now.
This is also the end of the Bruce Timm era of superhero animation with “Justice League Unlimited” concluding approximately 15 years of work bringing DC Comics characters to life on both the small and big screens. I should note though that Bruce Timm’s possible hiatus from DC Comics characters might only be a rumor since I have not been able to get any official word on how true this really is. However I hope I am wrong because Mr. Timm has by far created the paradigm for how DC Comics characters should look and behave and in many ways he has been more faithful to the comics than the live action movie and television counterparts have been. It may just be a generational thing, but by far he is my personal favorite animator for animated shows based on DC Comics.
While viewers will
be thrilled at all the action, there is little in the way of character
development in the finale episodes or for that matter character story arc
resolution. Some threads that occur in the story are never firmly explained and
it is easy for a passive viewer to get lost with the amount of characters and
action on screen simultaneously. However considering the finale collectively
runs a little over forty minutes without commercials, it is amazing that how
streamlined the two-part finale actually is. Remember that regardless of what
happens, these adventures will continue onward in our imaginations forever and
maybe sooner rather than later, on Cartoon Network once again also.
© Copyright 2006 By
Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.