It's a wonderful DC weekend for my family and I. Attended five hours of revision lectures taught by a gay professor yesterday. Thankfully, I got to pick up the second half of Smallville: Season 9 on DVD in the evening. Saw the first two episodes and the Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths DVD (that I picked up some weeks back). I haven't had the chance to watch the animated film earlier and was surprised by how good it was - especially I wasn't really in much of a "DC"-mood over the past several weeks. After all, I spent several weeks reading old X-Factor issues (aside from my countless hours working and preparing for my LLB exams).
If you're wondering, the animated film is done in the classic Bruce Timm style with voice direction by Andrea Romano. It's a cross between the over-the-top stuff by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely a few years back but mixed with the Silver Age "Crisis on Multiple Earths" flavour. Former JLA scribe, Dwayne McDuffie, is responsible for scripting it. My kids and I agree that it's the best DC animated feature film so far - even better than their previous GL, Wonder Woman and New Frontier stuff. Especially Owlman - a very frightening villain whose real struggle was with his own existential questions. He reminded me a lot of Ozymandias from "Watchmen".
You'll love this animated film if you like any of the "Justice League" cartoons on TV. Continuity-wise, it's somewhere between the earlier "Justice League" stuff and the later "Justice League Unlimited". In fact, this is the one where Batman and the others finally recruited new members such as Black Lightning, Black Canary, etc.
All in all - highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in superhero stories. :)
Visited my grandma this morning. Nearly all the other family members are back here already. She's really getting weaker by the day due to her illness but she's very happy that everyone is back to visit her.
My kids got to watch "The Brave And The Bold" on TV. The episode featured Batman teaming up with the Outsiders and also Jonah Hex against Despero and Mongul. I was spending time talking to my grandma so I wasn't paying much attention to what was going on in the episode. It's good to see that she's facing everything in a very peaceful manner. Spent about 3-4 hours with her.
In the afternoon, my family and I got to see the double-length Smallville episode entitled "Absolute Justice". It features my favourite superteam of all time, the JSA, so that alone is reason to watch it. It's also written by Geoff Johns, who's responsible for some of the best JSA stories ever - including the under-rated "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.S" series that first featured Courtney Whitmore (Stargirl). Johns was able to add in a lot of detail to delight longtime comic fans - like he did with the "Legion" episode that he also scripted (see my review here). Some highlights include:
Hawkman and Green Arrow dukin' it out. The ultra-conservative versus the flamboyant-liberal!
Courtney (Stargirl) telling Chloe Sullivan how the JSA is more of a family than just a group that meets for missions. Then, Chloe, Ollie and Jonn reflecting on how the Watchtower could be more homely.
Dr. Fate's helmet - Nabu and everything!
Flashbacks showing Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Ted Grant, Al Pratt and even Ma Hunkel resisting the government (while not openly referring to McCarthyism - every comic fan recognises the reference).
Jonn getting his powers back again - with Dr. Fate's help.
Star-Spangled Kid (the original Sylvester Pemberton) fighting Icicle. Then Wesley Dodds as well. Stripesy is also mentioned, possibly for the first time ever on prime time TV.
The JSA Brownstone and Museum is a central feature throughout.
Hawkman explaining his origins - and Shiera Hall's as well. If you thought that Geoff Johns should be commended for streamlining Carter Hall's convoluted past in the comics, you'll hold him in even higher regard that he actually dared incorporate the entire thing into 2-3 minutes of prime time TV!
A glimpse of the Superman cape in the vision that Dr. Fate shares with Clark - another push towards his destiny as the Man of Steel.
Lois Lane as the one clearing the criminal accusations hurled against the original JSA members.
Pam Grier as Amanda Waller and the revelation that Tess Mercer is also an agent of Checkmate!!!
In short, this is as close as the Smallville series actually got to embracing the entire history of the DC universe. It's unbelievable that Geoff actually injected in so much of the delightful history that have thrilled comic readers for close to a century into two hours of prime time TV. Here's hoping for an even better Season 10 (if Geoff agrees to write more episodes, that is).
Here's a small video featuring scenes from "Absolute Justice":
