Superhero Frenzy

The one problem about a cartoon like the Justice League is that there’s a lot of members. So many that you really don’t know who they are. It’s like the G.I. Joe series from the eighties. Apart from four or five major characters, you couldn’t tell from one person to another in the series.

It can be a problem.

But they found a way to resolve this matter in the DC Universe Showcase series which focuses on a minor character from the Batman/Superman stories.

Superheros are in great numbers. However, for the newest release of the animated shorts from the DC universe, we see one character at a time. That’s fine. Better for character development.

The new release has four short films on a single DVD with the first episode being clocked in at twenty-five minutes while the other three entries are somewhat shorter at twelve minutes a piece.

There is something about keeping the stories short, and to the point, which builds in greater pace while getting rid of padding. It's a good idea.

There are several literary writers such as Ernest Hemingway who liked the idea of keeping the message short and simple.

Short can be good.

You can see the same thing here with the cartoon shorts. They are almost like small movies made revolving a central character.

The first one “Rise of the Black Atom” is about Superman and Captain Marvel... a charming story about standing up for your friend. Even if it is against all odds. And this is what it is all about... showing a lot of courage.

The film really showcases on a young boy named Billy Bastian who is a small kid with a big heart. When he comes to passing the test of courage, he remains the head of the class. He learns that he has received special powers of magic which gives him all the elements of strength, power and speed. Much like Superman is. Plus Captain Marvel is a being of magic as well.

All Billy has to say is “Shazam!” And he’s Captain Marvel.

There is a nice little bit where Bastian says Shazam while he is still in mid-air. That's a little lesson he'll learn the hard way.

The animation is beautiful, stunning. In some ways, it ranks with the very best of the Japanese anime. All the details and movements are fluid in this small cartoon piece. It's a marvel to look at.

If you could guess it was James Garner playing the wizard who bestows the powers to Bastian, then give yourself a pat on the back. It's great hearing this actor's voice again.

The second episode is about the Spectre who gains his powers by being the spirit of vengeance by taking on the form of the detective Corrigan. What is most fascinating about this cartoon piece is the fact that justice and vengeance. So there is a constant moral battle between doing what is right and what is wrong.

Naturally, the Spectre throws all the rules out of the house and goes for the gusto. He isn't a very nice guy either. More than that, he plays with mortals like they are simply pieces for his amusement. This is one example of someone who has too much power in his hands.

The Spectre segment has all the right elements of horror. And the animation matches the mood of old detective stories while keeping the atmosphere of dread. It's very well done.

The voice for the Spectre/Corrigan is Gary Cole... best known for his work as the evil Sheriff from the American Gothic series. This is a very inspired choice.

Some might be put off by the character's callous attitude towards taking the lives of the guilty. But you must remember that he is a spirit of vengeance. So he takes a path of self-righteousness. He's not the same as Batman who follows a rigid code of honor. The Spectre is a different breed.

There is a great piece about the Green Arrow who is caught up with an incident at the airport. The theme here is about keeping track of time as he wants to give the engagement ring to the lucky woman. But Green Arrow falls into political swirl when there are several assassination attempts on the young princess who is yet to become queen because her father recently passed away.

Like a young Robin Hood coming into the foray to save the innocent, Green Arrow manages to go through the entire cartoon segment with his characteristic qualities: an arrogant hotshot with an excellent marksmanship.

There are a lot of nice voices for this cartoon segment including the villainous one by Malcolm McDowell. It's something to see that such well known actors could contribute their time to giving more credibility to the characters in this piece.

But it is the wonderful relationship between the Green Arrow and the little princess, both of which are going through their coming of age: the princess must take careful steps into growing up to the queen. And the Green Arrow who must prove his excellent accuracy to save the princess' life.

This one cartoon piece is NOT to be missed. It's a bullseye.

One of my favorite pieces is the last one. Jonah Hex... a lesser known characters from this comic book universe. But there are all the traits of the western setting with the blowing dust, the ragged shacks that make up a bitter, old town, and the lone stranger who rides into town like a storm. You begin to wonder if Clint Eastwood would show up anytime soon.

However, it is Thomas Jane who voices the character of Hex. And it is a brilliant casting choice. Jane is a wonderful actor and gives credibility to the role of the Hex character. Yet the actor still gives a chilling, if weary feeling to the character... as if the man is tired of violence, almost bored of it. And yet he keeps going for the sake of getting money for his bounty.

A nice piece written by Joe R. Lansdale who loves the character of Hex. The Texas writer already did a couple of comic book limited series on the renegade bounty hunter. (And also wrote a story about Jonah Hex for the Batman Animated Series back in the nineties). But now we get to see one of Lansdale's sharp witted stories once again in cartoon form. It's great stuff with a number of macabre elements regarding dead folks.

Not a kindly town. And an even less nice hero.

Any combination with Lansdale and Jane in a story is worth the trouble seeing.

All of the cartoon segments in the collection are worth seeing as every one of them has something to offer. Whether it's high flying superhero action or a low-key western setting, there is a definite variety here. And all of them made possible by one of the best producers of animation, Bruce Timm.

Check this one out next time you're renting. While you're at it, try checking out the old Batman cartoons from the nineties starring Kevin Conroy as the dark knight. You can't go wrong here.