DC NATION (SEP 29, 2012)

It's been a long summer, but 'DC Nation' is finally, finally airing new episodes of both Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Young Justice. I'm just going to go ahead and pick up where I left off and do reviews for both shows each week in this DC NATION column. Sound good?

Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Season 1, Episode 14
"The New Guy"

The first 13 episodes of GL:TAS are a mixed bag. Some of them are dynamite examples of how well the Green Lantern universe can be adapted to TV, and some are just lame excuses at character development by way of making them ringless. I hated the episodes where Hal and Kilowog's rings wouldn't function - the whole idea behind Green Lantern is the power ring, and when you take it away as many times as this series did, it starts to get really annoying. Fortunately, Bruce Timm and this production staff must have realized this quickly, as episodes 10-13 were generally the best of the series as they focused on the invasion of Oan space by the Red Lanterns.


Now, I'm really excited for the rest of this first season going forward. Especially after "The New Guy", which is a double entendre referring not only to Earth's newest Green Lantern, but also to that GL's name, Guy Gardner. Voiced by the masterful Diedrich Bader, Guy was chosen to the the new GL of Sector 2814 while Hal was stuck in the far reaches of the universe stopping Atrocitus and his rage-filled soliders. Guy is a favorite on Oa, loved by the Guardians and other Lanterns alike, which is a huge departure from the hard-nosed stubborn Guy from the comic books. And while this show often stumbles in it's attempts at humor, the constant reign of compliments on Guy after Hal gets chewed out time and time again is very, very amusing.

While Guy is the focus of this episode, the real revelation is that the Anitmonitor has come to destroy the universe! Comic book fans know the Antimonitor as the catalyst for the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover in the 80s that streamlined DC continuity by merging different timelines and multiverse dimensions. In GL: TAS, the Antimonitor has sent a universe-wide signal to all of the Guardians' old Manhunter robots, reactivating them to slaughter any and all sentient life. It's a big, complex, and somewhat terrifying concept for a children's show, and I applaud DC, Warner Bros., and Cartoon Network for allowing such a bleak arc to be produced. It shows how much faith these companies all have in Bruce Timm's amazing ability to bring superheroes into animated form.

GRADE: A

Young Justice
Season 2, Episode 14
"Satisfaction"

While Green Lantern: The Animated Series keeps things more evenly balanced between the action and humor, Young Justice has been heavy on the story, trading in laughs for constant plot growth. Before the summer break, it was revealed that Aqualad had indeed not gone AWOL, but is instead working undercover to take down Black Manta's organization from the inside - as Manta's son, it made getting in all the easier. In tandem to Aqualad's position as a double agent, Artemis faked her own death so she could aid Aqualad in learning more about The Light, the still-unmasked big bad of the entire Young Justice series thus far. Oh, and Clone Roy finds Real Roy finally! Yes, "Satisfaction" has a lot of work to do.

Brooding is as brooding does.

Fortunately, the writers and producers are sticking to their guns and rolling out their story little by little each episode. For instance, Aqualad and Artemis are nowhere to be seen this week, Superboy gets to flirting while on a college campus, and the female members of the Team (as well as Black Canary) take on Captain Cold. But none of this comes even close to the main story, about a revived Roy Harper seeking answers about his missing arm, the other Roy Harper, and his life after being cryogenically frozen. Green Arrow tells Roy everything - from Lex Luthor's involvement, to the amount of time Roy's been frozen, as well as the fact that Ollie and the other Leaguers gave up looking after a relatively short amount of time. One-Armed Roy (which sounds like an awesome cowboy name) has a bit of a mental breakdown and sets off to take revenge against Lex Luthor.

Most of the episode is taken up by a fight between the handicapped Roy and Lex's bodyguard, the robotic Mercy, but near the end, the true meaning of this episode is revealed. Even though Luthor kidnapped Roy, cut off his arm for DNA supply purposes, kept Roy frozen for eight years, then tried to have him killed, Roy accepts the gifted offered by Luthor because at the end of the day, revenge is about making up for something lost. Usually, that something lost is totally irreplacable, meaning that taking revenge is the only option. In Roy's case, a bio-mechanical, weapons-infused arm is a new option that quickly becomes more favorable that killing one of the most powerful and influential people in the world.

GRADE: A

(DC NATION) JUNE 2, 2012

Young Justice
Season 2, Episode 6
"Bloodlines"

"Your name is Tim? And yours is...Dick?" -- Beast Boy

The writers saturated "Happy New Year!" with a host of new characters. Since then, they've been slowly building up these characters - including Blue Beetle, Wonder Girl, Batgirl, Tim Drake Robin, Lagoon Boy, and others - while not really introducing any new ones. That changes this week with the arrival of Bart Allen, a.k.a. Impulse.

That's right: IMPULSE! AND HE'S VOICED BY JASON MARSDEN!

Impulse was Barry Allen's descendent and one of the founding members of Young Justice in the comics who came from the 30th century to meet his ancestor and make a name for himself in the past. Young Justice edits this backstory a bit - Bart is now Barry's grandson from a post-apocalyptic world 40 years in the future. It's some pretty heavy stuff. And if that wasn't enough, the writers finally tie up the 'Real Roy Harper' storyline. The inclusion of Impulse to the Team's lineup shows that the writers intend to stock this show full of characters - old and new - that represent the idea behind 'Young Justice'. It's not a show strictly about the team from the comics, and it's not a rehash of the Teen Titans, no matter how much it may have seemed throughout the first season. Also, Bart reveals Nightwing and Robins' secret identities to Beast Boy, who responds with the quote at the top of the review.

While Impulse might be the focus of "Bloodlines", this really is a Flash-centric episode. When mysterious new villain Neutron attacks Central City, Flash is forced to team up with Impulse and Kid Flash - coming out of early retirement for his in-costume season two debut - and later on Jay Garrick doning the iconic tin helmet and blue pants. Until the final few minutes of the episode, Neutron is your basic faceless villain in place only to get these heroes together. He wears a power suit that shoots energy, but also emits cascading rings of energy - one after the other and overlapped - so the Flashes cant run up to him. It's a pretty far-fetched premise, even for a comic book series like this. There must have been an easier way to get the speedsters working together without crazy pseudo-science. How do the energy waves dissipate?

Flash and Impulse end of creating a funnel to stop the energy waves and Neutron overloads and explodes. But his body reconstructs itself into a confused and scared man who has no idea who he is and can't control his radiation. Bart ends up curing the man of his 'metagene' affliction using science from the future before anyone can see, chalking it up to coincidence when asked about what happened by the others.

On the Red Arrow side of things, 'Ray' Harper and Cheshire are in Tibet to follow their final lead to find the read Roy Harper. The unfortunate thing about this B-story is that it's pretty small considering the amount of time dedicated to Impulse's origin story. Red Arrow and Cheshire's plot all probably takes place within a ten minute window (in YJ-universe time), while the Central City plot takes the better part of an hour or two. So while they RA/Cheshire scenes are shorter and less abundant than the Flashes, it doesn't feel like we're missing much. The duo (with their dumb baby) end of actually finding Roy Harper, missing arm and everything. It's a little anti-climactic, but there's no doubt that next week's episode will be the fallout of Roy's return.

The big 'whoa' moment of the episode was the flashback to Bart Allen's future where the world has been burned and ash fills the skies. Like I mentioned earlier, it's pretty dark. Fortunately, the writers do a little full-circle action and reveal that Neutron knows Bart in the future and it was Neutron himself - who'd rather be called Nathaniel - who supplied Bart with the means to take away his powers as Neutron.

I wrote this review extra-long this week because Green Lantern: The Animated Series has ended it's first season and there is no announcement even for a second. I'm sure there will be, as Cartoon Network plans of releasing the season one DVD, inferring that there will be more seasons. Until then, I'll keep things going with Young Justice.

GRADE:

A

(DC NATION) MAY 26, 2012

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 13

"Homecoming"

SAINT WALKER!!!!!!

I know I've ragged on GL: TAS before. Multiple times, actually, and with some pretty solid malice behind my words. And honestly, this show struggled for the first six or seven episodes before it really shifted into it's groove and became comfortable with Hal and Kilowog actually using their power rings. Fortunately, the latter half of this group of episodes has been getting better and better each week. Bruce Timm, the show's Executive Producer, obviously has a lot of love for Green Lantern, as evidenced by his various fan service inclusions this season like the Zamarons, the episode about killing a GL for his ring, Saint Walker, Mogo, the Thanagarians, and oh so much more. "Homecoming" is by and far the best episode of GL: TAS, marking a turning point in quality and content.

This episode, the Red Lanterns are moving in full-force toward Oa as Atrocitus has stolen the GL Interceptor, and the rest of the fleet moves toward the path through the asteroid field and into Oan space. Oh, and Hal, Kilowog, and Razer are stuck at the edge of Guardian space, and 18-month flight away from the Guardians and Oa. It's not looking too good for the Green Lanterns right now.

Hal and Razer travel to Zamaron to get help teleporting across a great distance like the Sapphire's did to Carol Ferris in "In Love and War", while Kilowog stays at the asteroid field to stave off the Red Lantern invasion fleet all by himself. Though Hal is able to travel to Earth - based on his base emotions for Carol - and therefore much closer to Oa, he loses his memory in the process. This sequence seems somewhat unnecessary since amnesia usually lasts a long time, and it takes Carol all of ten minutes - after she realizes Hal doesn't even know what a Green Lantern is - to find Hal's power battery and "reboot" him. Again, it simply feels unnecessary. Why couldn't Hal just come to Earth and fly off? That's what ended up happening anyway, it just took longer.

Kilowog, on the other hand, has a very necessary role and is soon joined by Saint Walker, complete with his new Blue Lantern ring and the ability to super-charge Green Lantern power rings. Of course, "two soliders won't change anything," as Kilowog points out. That's when Mogo shows up. Like I mentioned earlier, this is my favorite episode of the series thus far and part of it comes from this scene. Seeing Kilowog, Mogo, and Saint Walker ripping up some Red Lantern armadas was breathtaking and something that should have been on the screen years ago. It's such a compelling scene that I had to pause my DVR and just sit for a moment and think about how awesome it was.

Atrocitus succeeds by landing on Oa and nearly bringing the Guardian's to their knees. I was a bit confused by this scene at first. I kept wondering, "where are all the GL's?" Of course, they've all been sent toward the asteroid field to prepare for Atrocitus' armada. But this is a plot point that was only glossed over a few times in the past couple of episodes, and it just kind of felt like a way to get rid of the Green Lantern Corps so the animators wouldn't have to render 3,600 GL's at the same time. Salaak - the Guardians' right-hand-man/secretary/assistant - makes a fantastic appearance and even throws his computer module aside in favor of four energy daggers that seriously make Salaak cooler than he's been in years in the pages of the comic books.

I really have loved watching Green Lantern: The Animated Series grow from a childish, non-ring-having show that could be about any old space travelers, to a solid series that takes the legacy of Green Lantern and molds it into a more digestible form for a wider audience. If Blue Lanterns, Mogo, and Villius Vox as the leader of the Red Lanterns doesn't excite you for second season (which, at the time of this writing, hasn't been announced), then this just might not be the show for you. If space odysseys, the Rainbow Brigade, and action is your thing, I'll see you right here when season two begins!

GRADE:
A+

Young Justice

Season 2, Episode 5

"Beneath"

So far, what's made Young Justice: Invasion compelling has been the deft way the writers balance the A and B stories each episode. In the first season, there was a group of six main characters to follow, so splitting them up was usually confined to one-on-one interactions. This season, however, the extended cast gives writers room to create diverse teams that can be interchanged whenever they want. At the same time, more characters means more character development, which is never a bad thing. This week, Blue Beetle stars in his own solo adventure, while the Team's female furies - Miss Martian, Bumblebee, Batgirl, and Wonder Girl - gather to investigate one of Queen Bee's many illegal military compounds for signs of alien technology.

The girls, the girls.

Jaime Reyes' background has been tweaked a bit (as seen in last week's "Salvage"), but he's still the same character at his core - constantly fighting with the voice of the Scarab in his head. This episode, though, Jaime spends little time as Blue Beetle, instead forced to keep the Scarab at bay as he attempts to investigate the disappearance of his friend, Ty. It's not the most interesting plot, but it's nice to see any character in street clothes and it gives Jaime more personality that simply being the crazy kid who seems like he talks to himself.


On the other side of the globe, the girls' mission in Bialya takes a turn for the worse when Wonder Girl is spotted and taken down by a group of metahumans led by Psimon - who was thought to be safely under watch in an induced coma. Again, this is not a very plot-heavy tale. I would even argue that it was simply a narrative designed to bring the female members of the Team together in some meaningful way. There didn't need to be a very deep story, so there wasn't.


Overall, this might be one of the weaker episodes of the season plot-wise, but as far as fan service and character inclusions, this one's a winner.

GRADE:

B-

(THE WEEK) MAY 15-21, 2012

COMIC COVERAGE

Avengers vs. X-Men #4 (of 12)
(Hickman, Romita Jr.)
Wolverine is out of the Avengers! And his relationship with Cyclops is no better. What's next for everyone's favorite claw-snapping anti-hero? Find out!

AvX: VS #2 (of 6)
(McNiven, Gillen, Dell, Larocca)
The premier tie-in to Avengers vs. X-Men continues this week with Spider-Man vs. Colossus and Captain America vs. Gambit!


Birds of Prey #9
(Swierczynski, Foreman)
Bonus coverage as part of the "Night of the Owls" crossover event! I'll tell you if Gotham's premier all-female team fares better than Batgirl when it comes to engaging stories.
[featured as a mini-review with Catwoman #9]

Catwoman #9
(Winick, March)
Even MORE bonus "Night of the Owls" coverage following Selena Kyle as she gets her fur in a twist when owls infest her city!
[featured as a mini-review with Birds of Prey #9]

Green Lantern Corps #9
(Tomasi, Pasarin)
The "Alpha War" begins with John Stewart on trial for murder!

Justice League #9
(Johns, Lee)
Geoff Johns and Jim Lee begin their second arc, "The Villain's Journey".

Nightwing #9
(Higgins, Barrows)
This week is just chock-full of "Night of the Owls" coverage, and it continues with this month's Nightwing. More mysteries are abound when Dick meets another Talon with a connection to the Graysons.

Red Hood and The Outlaws #9
(Lobdell, Rocafort)
Last month brought Red Hood, Arsenal, and Starfire to Gotham City and "Night of the Owls" is keeping them there!

Supergirl #9
(Green, Johnson, Asrar)
Supergirl must team up with the all-new, 'New 52'-revamped Silver Banshee against the evil Black Banshee!

Wonder Woman #9
(Azzarello, Chiang)
Apollo and Ares have plans in store for Diana as she continues battling her way through Hell.


OTHER COVERAGE


DC Nation for May 5
- Young Justice Season 2, Episode 4 - "Salvage"
- Green Lantern: The Animated Series Season 1, Episode 12 - "Invasion"

(DC NATION) MAY 12, 2012

Young Justice
Season 2, Episode 3
"Alienated"

Last week, Young Justice followed Superboy, Miss Martian, and newcomer Beast Boy to planet Rann on a mission to discover how the Kroloteans stole and developed their own Zeta beam technology. While not a bad episode, per se, taking audiences to another planet to focus on three team members kind of stalled the momentum from the season premier. Fortunately, "Alienated" brings us back to Earth in a big way with an episode stuffed with revelations, reappearances, and new mysteries about the Krolotean invasion. Honestly, Young Justice may as well be called DC Comics: The Animated Series because the writers have integrated the Justice League so tightly. This is not a bad thing! In the comics, all these heroes would be crossing over into each others' books anyway, so why not go wild?

The Bat Family comes out in force this episode.

"Alienated" introduces a host of new elements that help get the ball rolling for this second season. M'gann, Superboy, Beast Boy, and Adam Strange return from Rann with information regarding the six Leaguers who went missing five years ago, and Aqualad returns in a surprising way. Also, the Legion of Doom makes a cameo.

The story goes that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkwoman all savagely attacked the planet Rimbor into submission, claiming themselves the Justice League of Earth and to beware their might. In essence, the Kroloteans began to invade Earth in response to the League's declaration of dominance - a fine twist if there ever was one. Often, plotlines like this can feel cheesy or forced, but the writers are pacing themselves well so as to make it feel organic.

In the season premier, Martian Manhunter explained that the Kroloteans' language is so alien, it would take days to psychically pierce their language. Last week, Miss Martian basically lobotomized a Krolotean to procure information and does so again this week to extract info about a rendezvous point in case of discovery by the humans. The volcanic Malina Island houses a new ship being built to take the remaining Kroloteans on Earth off-world to retreat. This is where Aqualad fits in.

Sometime in the last five years, Aqualad defected and joined his father as the second Black Manta. Both Mantas are working with the Kroloteans in some regard and Aqualad is furious with the League and the Team. Aqualad's allegiance is a great game changer and his appearance in general finally brings some answers to the question of Aqualad's whereabouts. Then, just when you thought this episode couldn't get any better, the OG Black Manta contacts the rest of the Legion of Doom - including Vandal Savage - to discuss the invasion and the Light's involvment. Intense.

GRADE:

A

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 11

"Fight Club"

Sorry! I was unable to watch this week's episode in time. I've been told Thanagarians are involved, so I'm a little peeved. I'll have next week's episode here, I hope.

(DC NATION) APRIL 28th, 2012

Young Justice
Season 2, Episode 1
"Happy New Year"

Young Justice is an animated superhero show done right. One of the reasons I generally dislike more contemporary animated superhero shows is because the writers and producers tend to coddle the audience, assuming children aren't able to (or simply don't want to) understand more complex story elements. Fortunately, Young Justice is the exception to the rule, proving that taking a big leap with audience expectations can greatly pay off, especially when it appeases the hardcore comic book fans, too.

Looks like Cassie Sandsmark is YJ's Wonder Girl of choice!

"Happy New Year" starts off five years after the events of "Auld Acquaintances" and things are different. Dick Grayson has become Nightwing, allowing Tim Drake to take the Robin mantle (and join the Team); Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, Wonder Girl, Batgirl, Lagoon Boy, and Bumblebee have all joined the Team; M'gann and Superboy are no longer an item (but M'gann and Lagoon Boy are!); Aqualad, Artemis, and Kid Flash have apparently left the Team (they are nowhere to be seen); while Zatanna and Rocket are full-fledged members of the Justice League. WOW! I think that about covers it.

Most networks wouldn't dare allow a show (technically) aimed at children to deviate so harshly from the core framework of it's first, highly successful season. But just like the comics, the Team is has an ever-changing roster, and the writers have conveyed this fact excellently. It very much feels like this second season of Young Justice comes from the heart - the producers obviously hold these characters in high regard and want to use as many of them as possible. How much cooler is it to write a episodes with Robin and Nightwing? Or to include the under-appreciated, rather interesting second incarnation of the Blue Beetle? It's a win-win situation, as Cartoon Network now gets to sell soooo many more toys.

The second season of Young Justice is subtitled 'Invasion', a concept that comes to ahead when Wonder Girl and Batgirl take on Lobo, who himself is looking to complete a job by retrieving a Krolotean criminal. Lobo rips apart a seemingly innocent diplomat to reveal the small Krolotean operator inside. Video footage makes its way into the media and the question becomes, "How can we trust who is and isn't an alien?" While this story element may harken to Marvel's Secret Invasion event a few years ago, it remains to be seen if the Kroloteans have infested the superhero community.

At the end of last season, six superheroes went missing for 16 of the 24 hours that the Justice League was under Vandal Savage's mind control. In the present (or five years in the future if season one was 2011) Adam Strange - a scientist accidentally Zeta Beamed to the planet Rann - explains that the same six missing heroes are wanted criminals on Rann and across the galaxy. This revelation sets into motion the major arcs for 'Invasion': how do the Missing Six connect to Rann, why have the Kroloteans invaded Earth, why are they afraid of the Blue Beetle, and finally; who will we meet next?

Overall, "Happy New Year" is about 80% showcasing for the new faces audiences will be seeing going forward in Young Justice, and about 20% fantastic plot that moves the story forward while making connections to a bigger malice.

GRADE:

A+

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 9

"In Love and War"

Zamarons! Yes! Green Lantern: TAS seems to really be picking itself up by the bootstraps - with three great episodes in a row, this show may just be an acceptable Green Lantern enterprise yet! By incorporating two new Lantern groups (and a technical third with the cameo from Saint Walker a few episodes back), Bruce Timm is really bringing Geoff Johns' multi-colored Corps dream to life. Of course, just like in the comics, the Sapphires mostly use love instead of have it, per se. I mean, their entity is the Predator, who infects hosts who use love as an excuse to commit vile actions. It came as no surprise when Kilowog's girlfriend from last episode showed up as a new Sapphire, then froze ol' 'Wog in pink ice.

More and more, the writers for Green Lantern: TAS are bringing elements from the comics into the show, however slowly. Carol Ferris hasn't made an appearance since the first episode, so it was nice to see her return, not only for continuity's sake, but also as a mirror image of her comic book self: a Star Sapphire. Carol's ability to resist the Sapphire's power shows another young Sapphire that the Zamarons have a fundamental misunderstanding of the meaning of love. Unfortunately, the show squanders a chance to build a "Rainbow Brigade" of its own (a la Green Lantern: New Guardians) by sending Carol back to Earth by the end of the episode.

"In Love and War" is definitely one of better episodes of the series so far. While not as strong as "Reckoning" (an episode I still regret not covering), it gives this animated GL universe even more depth without going overboard with colors quickly.

GRADE:

B+

(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

(THE WEEK) APRIL 18-24, 2012

COMIC COVERAGE

Avengers Vs. X-Men #2
(Aaron, Romita Jr.)

Marvel's premier event barrels forward with it's second bi-weekly issue! Last time, Cyclops eye-beamed Captain America right in the shield and now, the Cap has called in the cavalry: The New Avengers!


Batman #8 
(Snyder, Capullo)

"Night of the Owls" begins here! Acclaimed creative team Scott Snyder and Greg Capulo takes us head-first into the 'New 52's first major crossover event! The Court of Owls has unleashed the Talons upon Gotham City and it's up to Batman and his allies to stop them.

Green Lantern Corps #8
(Tomasi, Pasarin)

John Stewart arrested by the Alpha Lanterns?!?! Yep! The Guardians continue their plans to replace the Green Lantern Corps - but with what? Or whom?

Justice League #8
(Johns, Frank)

Green Arrow wants to join the Justice League, but a certain someone (Aquaman) is against it! Read the review to see why. Also, back-up tale "The Curse of Shazam" continues to portray Bill Batson as a little shit instead of the lovable lil' guy we used to know and love.

Nightwing #8
(Higgins, Barrow)

After last month's revelation about his great-grandfather (and his own connection to the Court of Owls!), Dick Grayson must face the "Night of the Owls" in this special issue coverage! See how Nightwing fares against the Talons.

Red Hood and The Outlaws #8
(Lobdell, Rocafort)

An "Endless Reel" premiere! Issue eight starts our ongoing coverage of Red Hood and The Outlaws with a "Night of the Owl" prelude that features a guest cameo from Jason Todd's "bat brother", Tim Drake, otherwise known as Red Robin!

Supergirl #8
(Green, Johnson, Perez)

Silver Banshee makes he 'New 52' debut in a story about Supergirl's new friend, Siobhan. With artwork by industry legend George Perez, this special issue introduces one of DC's most classic villains into it's relaunched universe!

Wonder Woman #8
(Azzarello, Chiang)

Down into Hell! Diana and her compatriots descend into Hades to rescue the soul of poor Zola.


OTHER COVERAGE


DC Nation for April 21st

(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

(NEWS) COMING SOON [update]

Hello Readers!

About a week ago, I outlined some of the new additions coming to "The Endless Reel" in the coming months. In last week, I've launched both the (DC NATION) segment of the site, and reviewed Avengers Vs. X-Men #0. Of course, next month Marvel's main event between Earth's mightiest heroes and the the protectors of all mutantkind starts it's bi-weekly run!

Starting in May, DC's second wave of 'New 52' titles launches. Previously, I announced that "The Endless Reel" would be covering both Dial H and Earth Two. At the time, I didn't want to overload myself with content to cover. As this site continued to grow, I realized that more content is better. In the spirit of jumping in head first, I've decided to add a few more titles to the lineup. Along with the already announced Dial H and Earth Two, I'll also be covering Grant Morrison's experimental series, Batman, Incorporated; and the adventures of Huntress and Power Girl in World's Finest.

 I'd like to add a third new title from the upcoming second wave, but I'm having trouble deciding between two books. I'm split between The Ravagers, a spin-off from Teen Titans and Superboy featuring Deathstroke's daughter, Rose Wilson, and G.I. Combat, the replacement series for Men of War which re-imagines classic DC military stories for the modern age.

I want the readers to decide which title for "The Endless Reel" to cover.

In the comments section, leave your decision for which of these two series I should cover when they launch in May. I'll tally up the results and make a final decision.

Until next time,
- Jay

(NEWS) COMING SOON

Hello Readers!

As the cold slowly gets more and more scarce, and the flowers start to bloom, summer is rapidly approaching which means we'll soon be kicking off coverage of Marvel's Avengers Vs. X-Men, DC's Night of the Owls" crossover, and Before Watchmen. This week's release of Avengers Vs. X-Men #0 marks the start off all the special coverage coming to "The Endless Reel" and I couldn't be more excited.

Regular readers will have seen last week's (DC NATION) coverage of both Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series, one of which I enjoyed, the other I didn't. Check out the post to see which is which! I'll be continuing to cover Cartoon Network's "DC Nation" shows, including thoughts on the various shorts being offered up, from The New Teen Titans to Plastic Man and Superman in Tokyo. I'll be writing monthly compilation reviews for these shorts.

And remember to stay tuned to "The Endless Reel" into May for the addition of Dial H and Earth 2 to the site's list of regularly covered material! I'm looking forward to seeing China Mieville's take on the Dial H for Hero concept, and Earth 2 brings with it the Justice Society, something most fans have been clamoring for since the 'New 52' relaunch.

I would also like to thank everyone who reads "The Endless Reel". I know this might be a small, somewhat insignificant accomplishment, but recently, the site hit 100 page views in a single day. I usually get around 25-50 views per day, so reaching 100 in 24 hours was big for me. Again, it's not much, but in the humble few months of this site's existence, I'm proud of it. So again, thank you all for reading!


- Jay

(DC NATION) MARCH 24th, 2012

Young Justice
Season 1, Episode 21 - "Agendas"

Most of the 'Team' takes some time off this week while Superboy runs off to brood, then get right back into the thick of things with the Genomorphs and Double-X and a mysterious 'other clone.' Meanwhile, the Justice League takes some time to discuss new membership into the League - including nominations for Aqualad and Kid Flash.

Conner must fight a second clone of the Man of Steel who apparently has no brain function beyond 'Kill Superman'. The fight sequences are well animated and never feel half-asked. While I'm a little wary that the writers have decided to make Conner less powerful than in the comics, but that's a biased choice based on my love of Conner in the comics (not the 'New 52' Superboy).

It was interesting getting to see images of a bevy of new DC characters animated, some of whom have never been so. The membership drive for the JLA is important because they discuss not only Doctor Fate's recent actions, but the truth that Captain Marvel is actually a ten-year-old boy. Both Fate and Marvel are there for the discussions, which makes the whole thing very awkward and Marvel even mentions it! I feel like the writers could have found a less clunky way to bring up a restructuring of the League and it's ranks. In the end, it seems like some decisions were made, but the audience is never made privy, so it feels like a big waste of time.

GRADE: B-

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Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Season 1, Episode 4 - "Into the Abyss"

Is anyone else as disappointed with GL:TAS as I am? Being a huge Green Lantern fan, this new animated incarnation is sorely lacking, both in tone and content. Why don't they use their rings? Why do the Red Lanterns have coherent thoughts instead of being their rage-filled selves? In this week's episode, a transport cruiser is stuck in the gravitational well of a black hole. The writers try to gussy up the language by calling it a "pinhole", but it's a black hole. 

So basically, this cruiser is slowly heading toward the black hole and one of it's engines is busted. Hal and Kilowog (who I'm now fearing will be the only featured players, at least for some time) try to pull it back with their super-awesome-Green-Lantern-plane thingy. The final episode of Batman: The Brave and The Bold poked metafictional fun at the integration of toys into an animated series and the Lantern spaceship is definitely a blatant example of this practice at work. I'm sure the producers will say that they had this idea for ages and it's a part of the show and blah, blah, blah. The ship is in the show because it would make a great toy.

My biggest gripe about this episode - and the show at large - is the nonexistent ring use. At one point during this episode, Hal and Red Lantern Razer are trying to escape the transport ship that's slowly being crushed by the gravitational well. Instead of using their rings to blast through the ship or create constructs to dig their way out, they both simply crawl out, squeezing through tight spots and avoiding debris. OH MY GOD, YOU BOTH HAVE POWER RINGS! This was pretty much my sentiment throughout the show's 22 minutes, as it seemed that nearly every obstacle could be overcome with ring use, yet it was only used a few times throughout the episode.

Unless Bruce Timm & Company seriously step up their game, Green Lantern: The Animated Series is doomed to cancellation. The fanboys won't think it's authentic enough and new viewers won't understand it enough.

GRADE: D+