(DC NATION) APRIL 21st, 2012

*Apologies for missing (DC NATION) last weekend. I could say it was because there was a family emergency or some work thing, but the truth is that I simply forgot. Again, sorry for the missed week!*


Young Justice
Season 1, Episode 26
"Auld Acquaintances"

When Cartoon Network put Young Justice on a four month hiatus to prepare for 'DC Nation', it irked many fans. Primarily, people were upset because the first season was being cut in half, a mistake very prevalent in this final episode. What made this first season so great was the overarching storyline involving 'The Light' - some unseen entity/group that was controlling the villains connected to the Justice League and, by proxy, the Team. The writers did a fantastic job of creating self-contained episodes that all connected to a single endgame. By splitting the airing of episodes by a large amount of time, a lot of the momentum the show had built on the first 2/3 of the season was lost on the final run of nine.

The good news is, this is stilla fantastic episode of Young Justice. Last week, Vandal Savage was revealed to be one of the masterminds behind the mole within the Team, Red Arrow. Turns out ol' Roy Harper isn't actually Roy Harper at all, but a clone created and programmed by Cadmus Labs. Savage (and Klarion) have taken the entire Justice League hostage using Starro mind-control technology. Though it's never actually explained, it can be inferred that the tech comes from the alien Starro, famous for once taking control of Superman in the comics (and in "The Call, Part 1 & 2" from the Batman Beyond animated series). Savage goes on a little 'info dump' monologue explaining the season's worth of events and how they all connect back to him.

Vandal Savage sports some tiger claw scratches...? and some giant lips. whoa.

What makes this finale less than satisfying is the anti-climactic end. In conversation, Aqualad explains how it's a miracle that S.T.A.R. Labs was able to create an antidote to the Starro-tech, thus allowing the Team to fee the League of Savage's control. With such a build-up to the use of this mind-control against the Justice League, you'd think the writers would give more than (technically only) half an episode to the fight against the world's most powerful superheroes. Also, Clone-Roy's mini-breakdown is a little too 'mini' and fast-paced to feel authentic. Within minutes, it seems, the clone has come to terms with the grand questions of life and has resolved to find the real Roy Harper. It just feels forced, and that's always a bad thing when it comes to superheroes.

And then, we see a group of villains - led by Ra's al Ghul - breaking into Cadmus to steal not only the psychopathic first attempt at a Superboy, but the real Roy Harper as well (apparently sporting an amputated arm). This little vignette is necessary after Savage and Klarion escape and the immortal man explains how all this was just "phase one".

GRADE:

B+

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 8

"Fear Itself"

After last week's stellar "Reckoning", I was hoping Green Lantern: The Animated Series would start some sort of roll and air a string of great episodes. I was half-right. While this week's "Fear Itself" doesn't devolve all the way back to the likes of "Into the Abyss", it also doesn't have as much awesome ring-play and Red Lantern action as "Reckoning" did.

Bruce Timm & Co. did something in "Feat Itself" that many TV shows - no matter if they're for kids or adults - neglect to address: food. Hal and Kilowog are stuck in deep, deep space with no means of receiving supplies from Oa, or any Lantern at all for that matter. In their efforts to secure rations, Hal lands the Interceptor on a planet that seems to have edible stuffs for them. Hal and Kilowog separate immediately because 'Wog wants to follow his nose while Hal wants to use a fancy machine Aia made for them. It's the stupidest, most forced reason to separate these two Green Lantern Corps members with (supposedly) years of training and experience that would tell them to stay together on a new planet.

Hal has a grilled cheese sandwich....from a can.

Maybe part of my beef with Green Lantern: TAS is that instead of employing actual stories from Green Lanterns 60+ years of history, the writers insist on jamming cliched kid show storylines into narratives about space cops with the most powerful weapon in the universe. It doesn't really work. This week, the cliche conflict comes when Hal and Kilowog meet the two species occupying the planet. Hal's species mines the yellow crystals that caused the GL rings to stop working. This jellyfish-like race of mutes feeds on the yellow crystals, but they also know that it's harmful to other living things. Kilowog, on the other hand, meets the more sentient-seeming race that thinks the jellyfish are out to get them, trying to steal their crystals, which they become dependent upon for a variety of uses. Soooooo forced.

It comes down to a misunderstanding made violent by the ogre-looking race's use of the yellow crystals, which technically poisons their minds and makes them go nuts. So obviously, Hal and Kilowog fight a bit before Hal is finally able to get through to him. Another cliche. Unless GL: TAS takes a hard right turn and starts up with some inter-connected episodes and Red Lantern business, I'll stop watching this show.........who am I kidding? I love Green Lantern and I'm going to keep watching whether it gets better or stays the mediocre series it seems to be content with being right now.

GRADE:

C

(DC NATION) APRIL 8th, 2012

Young Justice
Season 1, Episode 24
"Performance"

I've been consistently impressed with Young Justice since I started watching it last fall. In what I dreaded was a precursor to cancellation, Cartoon Network put the series on indefinite hiatus lasting over four months. Now it's obvious that they simply wanted to save episodes to air during 'DC Nation', but that would have been much more useful information to disappointed fanboys like myself last November. During the hiatus, I re-watched every episode and started picking up on connecting clues. With Young Justice winding down it's first, stellar season, it's time to start looking at the series as a whole forest more so than at it's individual trees (or episodes, as it were).

"Performance" deals with a deeply personal issues for Robin; Haly's Circus. The show is touring Europe, yet each city on the circuit is experiencing criminal activity tied to power plants and the like. Mr. Haly himself is under scrutiny from Interpol, and Robin insists Batman sent them to figure out what exactly is going on. DC animated shows are not know for their subtly, and blatantly asking Robin if their mission is legitimate is a real big tip-off that something isn't right. Nonetheless, Dick's connection to Haly's isn't about revealing some plot twist; it's about showing that Robin has an emotional core that exists outside Batman's shadowy dogma. The team infiltrates the circus as a family of trapeze artists who magically showed up knowing all the same moves and techniques as the Grayson's did, all those years ago.

The b-story revolves around Superboy's continued use of Lex Luthor's 'Shields' that suppress Conner's human DNA, allowing him access to all his Kryptonian powers. After three episodes where Conner sneaks around behind the team's back to use his Shields, it's starting to feel a lot like an after-school special. He's basically freebasing drugs and getting away with 'roiding out and totally messing up Robin's plan to stop the Parasite. It's pretty obvious that Conner's heroine Shield addiction is going to get worse then there's going to be some intervention, possibly as the season finale.

GRADE:
B+

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 6

"Lost Planet"

At this point in Green Lantern, the actual 'Green Lantern' aspect of the premise has become somewhat of an off-screen persona. The Corps exists mostly to give Hal and Kilowog a reason for acting and not much else. It's like a sitcom about a family, oh, and the dad works at a bank. Their status and Green Lanterns is talked about a whole lot, but it is rarely ever seen, which is surprising for an ANIMATED TELEVISION PROGRAM. Green Lantern on a screen doesn't seem to work. 2011's live-action version was a pile of poop, and the DC Universe Animated Original Movies starring GL have only sold modestly compared to other titles. Green Lantern: The Animated Series makes a cardinal sin when adapting a work of print; it doesn't keep the essence of the source. Without regular, consistent ring use, Green Lantern ceases to be interesting. I understand the cost associated with CGI ring constructs, and the desire to characterize Hal and Kilowog (and Razer, at this point...I guess) as much as possible for a younger audience. Cartoon Network has sacrificed quality of program for simplicity of content and that's just unfortunate.

This episode is called "Lost Planet" and it's about how Hal and Kilowog use up all their ring energy (grrrrroooooaaannnnn) trying to slow down an asteroid heading for a planet with a potential new Green Lantern living on it. Instead of re-directing the asteroid's trajectory, the boys in green try to slow...it...down. Why would competent, trained SPACE police not understand this concept? It's mind-boggling how frustratingly condescending this show is, and how much it insults it's viewers' intelligence. So Hal, Kilowog, and Razer are forced to walk around the planet looking for the new GL. Let's remember that Razer is a Red Lantern and his ring (or battery) is in no way drained, so there's no reason for him to schlep in the trenches with the other two. So. Stupid.

The Christmas-colored lanterns go down to try and rescue a small group of crash-landees who have (maybe) been living on the planet (surface, underground?) since they became stuck. This loose affiliation of three random aliens is never more concretely explained, so it's infuriating when Hal and Kilowog just go off with some of them without a second question! They could be evil! They could want to hurt Hal and Kilowog! Turns out, they are evil and totally want to hurt them all!

Then it turns out the new Green Lantern is the planet itself and Bruce Timm just repurposed Mogo's origins. THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING. Mogo is one of the coolest Green Lantern's ever. He's been around for thousands of years, and he creates the actual rings. It's totally disrespectful to downgrade the distinguished planet-lantern to one of Hal Jordan's recruits.

GRADE:

D

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

- How much older is Roy Harper from the rest of the Young Justice team? It's a bit weird.

- The only reason Green Lantern didn't score an 'F' - Saint Walker makes an appearance! While not wielding the Blue Lantern ring, he easily parries Razer's persistent attacks without batting an eye. I'm sure he'll be back later on and that's actually something to look forward to in this dismal show.

- I found out Robin is voiced by teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney, so that is actually real. Also, Winnie Cooper voices Ms. Martian. Whoa.

- Is Razer going to become a Green Lantern eventually? Because if so, bleh. No redemption stories for shallow characters needed here, thank you very much.

(DC NATION) MARCH 31st, 2012

Young Justice
Season 1, Episode 23
"Insecurity"

"Insecurity", like many Young Justice episodes, gives audiences a general idea of what the story will be about with the title. Artemis begins to doubt her worth on 'the Team' when a second archer, Green Arrow's old sidekick, Red Arrow, joins the ranks, so she begins to act out. The writers of Young Justice are doing a fine job incorporating teenage melodrama into the thick of superhero action. While careful not to overpower the hero-oriented story, teen 'issues' are rarely handled subtly (and even in this episode, there are some real clunkers), so it's refreshing to see a show that can effortlessly combine action and drama without seeming too preachy or cheesy.

"I wear my sunglasses at night."

Young Justice seems to be getting better each week. Even though I somewhat disliked this Earth-16 version of Cheshire, she's grown on me and this episode, she shines without stealing the spotlight from agitated Artemis. Another dollop of teen drama comes into play when Artemis' mom admits she spoke with the League before coming to Artemis about joining 'the Team'. It's a little unnecessary in the grander scheme of things, but it succeeds in establishing more characterization between Artemis and her mom, who used to be Huntress.

Of course, this week's big reveal is that Sportsmaster is Artemis' American father. Honestly, I've found it weird that a third-tier villain like Sportsmaster has been so prominently featured among higher-caliber names like Hugo Strange, Anthony Ivo, and Lex Luthor. Either way, this revelation finally shows why Artemis has been so jumpy around 'the Team'.

GRADE:
A

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 5

"Heir Apparent"

Another weak episode of Green Lantern: TAS. Yes, I said another weak episode. Last week, I went on a small rant about the non-use of power rings in a show about characters who wield power rings. Well, things get no better this week, even when the writers lifted a story straight out of the comics! Hal and Kilowog travel down to an alien planet to recruit a Frontier GL in the fight against the Red Lanterns. 

"Seriously, use your ring, dude."

Upon reaching the planet, Hal and Kilowog become entangled in the local politics of the monarchy, and soon, Hal is wearing armor and fighting the planet's mightiest warrior to save the Queen's hand from a loveless marriage. It get's super wacky super fast. And with NO RING USE. I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but if Batman didn't ever use his gadget's or Superman never used his powers, fans would be pissed. There needs to be more ring use or this show doesn't make any sense, from a logistical or biased point of view.

The story descends into a murder mystery when the planet's GL turns up dead. Soon, Kilowog falls over, apparently poisoned, and his rings flies to the weird, GL-loving Prince of the planet whose greatest dream is to be a Green Lantern. It was the Prince who killed his world's GL so the ring would be his, and it was the Prince who poisoned Kilowog when the other ring flew away. Of course, Hal and Kilowog set a trap and 'Wog was just fine in the end. Turns out the Queen of the planet became the new Lantern after the Prince killed the old one. See - didn't even need to use names or places to explain this episode! That's how disconnected it feels.

With all ring use apparently sidelined (except for flight and force fields), Green Lantern: TAS is little more than a CGI cartoon about space travel. You could honestly re-color their uniforms and give them a name like the Dinosaur Squad and the show would be no different.

GRADE:

D