Recently DC has released three 6 minute episodes to promote and set the context for the new animated adventure - Justice League: Gods and Monsters - which is set to hit shops on 28th July, 2015. It is set on an alternate world (DC just love their multiple universes) which features Superman as the son of General Zod, Batman as a scientist who turned himself into a creepy vampire and Wonder Woman who is Bekka, a New God created by Jack Kirby.
I have grown up with the DC animated universe and I have mixed feelings about these clips. They are definitely made for an older audience but being that older audience I don't think they're hitting the target. In a way, I feel like the creative team are trying to create the exact opposite of classics such as Batman Adventures or Justice League Unlimited. Sure they are giving us something new but the cartoons seem to be following the same dark pattern that is featured in the New 52 and somehow I feel like DC are forgetting the fun side of their characters. I do like the Wonder Woman and Superman clips but I believe the Batman one goes WAY too far!!
Warning, spoilers below!
Wonder Woman - Big
- This is actually the third episode I saw but I want to order these chronicles in order of how dark I found them.
- In this clip Wonder Woman is barely recognisable. With the use of boom tubes, she reminds me more of Big Barda. However her love interest, Steve Trevor, is clearly himself.
- The pair come across an Ultron like Giganta, set free by the guards they were fighting. At first, Trevor wanted to defeat Giganta himself while Wonder Woman stood by and watched. However, she knew (and we knew) that soon she would have to step in, save Trevor and save the day. I thought this was pretty funny and I am glad she stayed true to her character.
- Overall, I liked this chronicle because of it's funny moments. The only reason it is for mature viewers is because of the flirting between Wonder Woman and Trevor.
Superman - Bomb
- This Superman chronicle starts with Amanda Waller debating whether to use nuclear weapons against the dome Brainiac has created which is destroying the city.
- As she gives the signal the pilot gets ready to use the nuclear missile and just as he was about to shoot, Superman etches onto the plane's window "Give me 5 minutes".
- As Superman enters the city, you see flashes of his classic blue and red colours and a 'S' on his belt. While he enters the zone you prepare yourself for a fight but then you see something unexpected.
- In this parallel world, Brainiac is a little child who cannot control his powers. He is curled up and crying and this is when it gets worse. The city will be destroyed in a matter of minutes if Brainiac is not stopped and Superman does not seem to have the 'boy scout' attitude he does in the comics.
- He asks mini Brainiac if he can turn off his powers which he cannot. Superman tells him that he knows a way and Brainiac looks up and asks him to do it. You then see Superman use his heat vision and the force field is destroyed.
- I found this episode very upsetting but it was a good story. I felt so sorry for mini Brainiac and it would have been nice if Superman taught him how to control his powers but I guess there wasn't enough time and Brainiac didn't want to live in fear of his powers.
Batman - Twisted
- So this is the clip which I am not happy about and puts me off Justice League: Gods and Monsters. If it was like the Wonder Woman and Superman chronicles then I would be excited for this film.
- I was actually shocked by this episode. It is the first episode I saw and I hated it!
- Firstly, Harley Quinn's costume is barely a costume. She's not really wearing anything. Her neck and face are painted white and it looks like her head is attached by black stitches.
- Secondly, Harley lives in an actual house of horrors. We follow Batman through her lair as he opens her fridge to reveal heads and body parts, as he opens a jack in box which is half a human and through to a living room which has corpses sitting around with flies buzzing around them.
- It then gets worse. Much worse. Harley is angry at Batman for freeing her prisoner and starts chasing him around with a saw, this saw cuts through one of the corpses' head. Bleh.
- At the end of the mini clip, Batman (remember he is a vampire) bites her neck and you see all the blood. It's not nice.
- This version of Harley Quinn cannot possible be redeemed like our Harley can be. She takes on the persona of the Joker with a massive grin and crazy eyes. On the other hand, Batman has an interesting back story. He was a scientist who accidentally turned himself into a vampire whilst trying to cure himself from cancer. The story is good but it's not Batman. Not at all. I think they should have used this story for a new character.
- I cannot express how much I didn't like this clip. It was way too violent, way too creepy and you cannot see glimpses of the real Harley Quinn and Batman at all like you can with Wonder Woman and Superman. The language is also not appropriate.
Overall I believe this film has potential but it really depends how they go about it. Yes, it is another parallel universe story and yes it is very dark. But I know this may not be a bad thing for some viewers as comics aren't all about the kids. However, I look at these films with kids in mind as the DC animated films always seem to end up in the children's DVD section at Target and at Wal-Mart. This really shouldn't happen as there is no way young people should see this as I think, mostly based on the Batman clip, it is going to be completely inappropriate. I would much rather see another DC film inspired by the classic DC cartoons I grew up watching - something light heated with an amazing story to it! I am getting a bit fed up with gruesome DC animated films such as this and Batman: Assault on Arkham.
Let me know what you think about these clips below and whether you will be watching the DVD or not! :)
Thanks for reading,
Ellie x
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