Without a doubt, Warner Brother's team-up with DC Comic has created some of the best super-hero animated series to ever hit TV screens. The show that started it off was the superlative "Batman: The Animated Series", which I have written about countless times in reviews for all of the websites I write for. It still stands as the benchmark (as much as I hate using corporate euphemisms) of what a superhero animated series should be. Everything from the style of the animation to the stories to the perfect voice casting, came together to create something unmatched to this day. (The full series is now available on DVD, and I highly recommend it, by the way.)

But I'm here today to talk about a different series that benefited from what was done right, even to the point of carrying over the voice casting of Kevin Conroy as Batman. The series is, of course, "The Justice League." Created for Carton Network back in 2001, brought together Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, J'onn J'onzz and Hawkgirl to form the team known in comic books as "The Justice League of America." Previously, we had a similar incarnation back in the 70's called "Super Friends", but where that series fell prey to the campy style that was so pervasive in comics at the time, this new series took things much more seriously.

What little humor could be found here came mostly in the glib one-liners spouted by the Flash, but other than that it was all action. I still remember seeing all the promos for the first episode (which was in 3-parts) and I could not wait for the first night it was going to air. I kicked back, ready to be impressed and at first… I'll have to admit I was a little less so. This first episode brought the heroes together to tackle an alien invasion with a storyline ripped directly out of "War of the Worlds." That was my first complaint. I wanted something a little more original to start the series off with a bang. Then there was the matter of voice casting. I was thrilled to hear Kevin Conroy as Batman, but I had a real problem with George Newbern as Superman. For some reason his voice just sounded to… weak… to be coming from the Man of Steel. He sounded a little more like the Man of Aluminum. The other voices were perfect however, Michael Rosenbaum (The Flash), Carl Lumbly (J'onn J'onnz), Phil LaMarr (Green Lantern), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman) and Maria Canals (Hawkgirl) all did a great job with the voiceover work, but Newbern just didn’t work for me. So much so that it made me cringe every time he spoke.

That said, I opted to keep watching the series to see if I would be any more impressed. Happily, not only did the series get better, but it got so much better that Newbern's voice work no longer bothered me. (To his credit, he really did start to do a better job as the series wore on eventually growing into the role.) All of the episodes were a half hour, but they were in 2 parts so in essence all the stories were an hour long. This made for some great stories, some of which were adapted and updated from some of the comic books I read as a kid.

Over time, the series not only got better (as I mentioned), but it began to change a little during the 3rd season. The title was changed to "Justice League Unlimited" and the membership roster was expanded in order to include a lot more than just the core heroes. We were treated to the likes of Green Arrow (a favorite of mine as a kid), Zatanna, Black Canary, Atom, Elongated Man, Supergirl, Dr. Fate, and even Jonah Hex (another fave of mine…even if he wasn't a superhero). They also stopped making 2 part episodes, which was the only step backwards I thought they made, but admittedly there were times that Cartoon Network wouldn't air them in the right order and it was hard to keep up.

Warner Brothers began releasing the Justice League episodes in small DVD sets, each with its own 2-part episode. I didn’t really think this was a very good idea, and certainly did not want to spend that much money to collect an entire season's worth of episodes. But last year, the announcement was made that they were finally going to release a full first season set This was the news that holdouts like me longed for while those who bought the earlier releases dreaded.

When I received the 1st season set, I was pleased to see that my wife was just as excited about watching the episodes as I was (she usually rolls her eyes) and we set off on our little Justice League adventure. It took a couple of days to get them all in, but it was worth the ride. I had missed a few of the episodes in this season due to Cartoon Network's schedule, so I was glad to catch what I had not seen.

A couple of weeks ago, we received the 2nd season, and my wife and I once again sat down to watch as many as we could in just a couple of days. The episodes in this season, were even better with many of them questioning the role of the superhero in the world and what lines should be drawn. And in the best of the episodes, 'Hereafter", the Justice League suffers the death of Superman… or at least what they think is his death. He is actually transported into the far future where he meets one of his foes, the only survivor of a catastrophic disaster that he caused. Realizing that his thousands of years of isolation can be changed, even if it means his own demise, this foe becomes friend and help Superman return to the past with the knowledge he needs to avert the disaster.

The one thing I did notice, and thought was a little strange was that the episodes listed on the case were in the wrong order. "Secret Society" is listed as being on disc 4, and "Hereafter" is listed on disc 3, where actually they are switched. You see it when the onscreen menu comes up.

Along with the 26 episodes in this set, Warners opted to include some nice extra features. There are commentaries on 3 of the episodes, all of which offer some great insight into the creation of the series, as well as the writer's reverence for the characters. You'll also find a short featurette where the creators of the series sit at a table and talk about the show in terms of its direction and animation style. The DVD case lists Phil Lamarr as being the host, but he does not appear at all in the featurette. Oh yeah, and there's a ticket inside to see the new "Superman Returns" movie due to hit theatres June 26th.

Warner Brothers has been releasing some great sets for its animated superhero line, and the ones for the 1st and 2nd seasons of "Justice League" have lived up to expectations. I understand there are already plans for the rest of the episodes to be released and all I can say is, "Bring 'em on!!"

Episodes:
Twilight, parts 1 & 2
Tabula Rasa, parts 1 & 2
Only a Dream, parts 1 & 2
Maid of Honor, parts 1 & 2
Hearts and Minds, parts 1 & 2
A Better World, parts 1 & 2
The Terror Beyond, parts 1 & 2
Eclipsed, parts 1 & 2
Secret Society, parts 1 & 2
Hereafter, parts 1 & 2
Comfort and Joy
Wild Card, parts 1 & 2
Starcrossed, parts 1, 2 & 3

Extras: Commentary by creators on three episodes, "Justice League Declassified" - Phil Lamarr (the voice of Green Lantern) takes you behind the scenes with the show's creative team
Specifications: Full Screen, English Dolby Surround Stereo
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 6/20/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Justice League: Season 2 an A.