Topic: The Dwayne McDuffie Memorial DC Animation Thread (Read 16500 times)

Thad · « **Reply #220 on:** January 13, 2013, 10:03:14 PM »

Wish I could say Cornered was worth the wait, but it wasn't; it was a Big Fight Episode with a legitimately boring version of Despero, punctuated with some much better slow build on the season arc.

Some of the nods were up to Weisman's usual standard of clever references -- such as [spoiler]Mal putting on the Guardian suit[/spoiler]. But others...well, one was Virgil Hawkins explaining that the aliens had given him static shocks. I groaned. And then I said the word "Groan." And then I said "Baaaaad." And then I had to explain the reference to my fiancee.

Still, nice to see the kids back. And nice to see Virgil at all. Hoping things warm up a bit next week.

Thad · « **Reply #221 on:** January 27, 2013, 04:46:59 PM »

Something that's been bothering me all season:

The two other teammates who showed up when Artemis "died" were Superboy and Miss Martian.

All morality plays about the destructive nature of secret-keeping aside, how the FUCK did they fool a telepath and a guy with super-hearing?

I would settle for a single line of technobabble explaining that they masked her heartbeat and she found some way to resist Miss Martian's telepathy. But to the best of my observation, we've gotten no such thing.

Ocksi · « **Reply #222 on:** January 27, 2013, 05:01:23 PM »

They did address it. When they reveal the conspiracy at the end of the episode, they discuss a drug they gave her to slow her heart rate to low enough that it wouldn't beat for Superman to hear and the fake coma also made her a mental blank.

EDIT: That's off the top of my head, but I'll check and make sure it was that ep and that the explanation is the one they gave.

EDIT: Ok, I was half-right. They don't say it, but in the episode (S2, E07, "Depths") when they do the reveal scene, they actually show her bite a capsule and immediately you hear her heart rate drop off completely, followed by Superboy saying, "I can't hear her heartbeat." No explanation on the Miss Martian part, but I'm sure it has to do with the drug, as well.

Thad · « **Reply #223 on:** January 28, 2013, 01:24:09 PM »

YJ and GL not listed as returning for next season.

No surprise there. Guessing they don't even get an official cancellation, they just sort of end with no announcement, like Thundercats (which is still not technically cancelled, it's just kinda gone).

In the plus column, at least Scooby Doo's confirmed as returning.

Thad · « **Reply #224 on:** February 18, 2013, 07:16:47 AM »

I'm a bit disappointed in this season's focus on Big Fight Episodes, knowing the clock is ticking and every episode gets us closer to the end.

Did we really need TWO team-spends-most-of-the-half-hour-getting-their-asses-whooped-by-a-big-alien-warlord episodes? At least Mongul was voiced by Keith David.

(And speaking of Gargoyles: ah, so THAT'S why Slade's got a ponytail: so he can look exactly like an older, one-eyed David Xanatos.)

Nice to see the plot moving forward, though. Took three weeks to get back to M'gann, but hey, progress. Both the Light and Reach plots seem to be moving toward a climax.

I don't see any episodes announced past Intervention in two weeks. Season 1 ran a full 26 episodes and I'm betting 2 does too, but we could be looking at another damn months-long break.

Ocksi · « **Reply #225 on:** February 18, 2013, 11:31:33 AM »

I'm a bit disappointed in the big fight episodes, as well. Season 2 felt like it was starting very slowly with the Rann saga and all, but now it feels like there isn't enough story to fill out the season and so they're overloading it with action sequences.

That said, I really liked the Mongul episode. I like Vandal Savage clearly playing Mongul for the Reach and I like the possibility of the War World. I also liked the display of just how powerful Fate is. The Despero episode feels even more out of place, now that a real cosmic enemy has shown up to actually advance the story by way of just being Big Bad of the Episode.

Everything has felt fairly by-the-numbers so far, so I'm looking forward to the (potentially nonexistent) twist explaining what the Light is using the Reach for, and how that bit of intrigue works out. Luthor and Savage have both been set up as long con villains, so them just being patsies at this point doesn't make any sense.

I really do love Sportsmaster versus Deathstroke in their current characterizations, as well. Deathstroke as marginally less talented in the assassin biz, but definitely more ambitious. Their brief conversation made it feel like they have a history and that it has always played out similarly. I liked that bit a lot.

Also, Nightwing appears to be on the brink of actually doing something now. That seems good.

Thad · « **Reply #226 on:** February 18, 2013, 04:38:29 PM »

Yeah, I think Luthor's totally sincere in wanting to recruit Static and co to double-cross the Reach. Luthor allying himself with aliens promising to make the world better is, of course, 100% the opposite of what Lex Luthor is about.

Ocksi · « **Reply #227 on:** February 18, 2013, 06:00:28 PM »

I like the development of the Runaways a lot, for how little screen time they've gotten. In fact, as action-heavy as season two has been, there has been a lot of very good development. Arsenal is probably the best example of them taking a character with very little screen time and clearly showing he's got a different attitude towards everything going on. Tim as Robin is so very different from Dick as Robin, M'gann being a true powerhouse that even the big villains are hesitant to cross, Superboy having stepped up as a real successor to Superman, etc. There haven't been nearly as many character scenes in the second season, but they have fleshed out the characters amazingly well, anyway. Very good "show, don't tell" method.

Which makes the show ending even more disappointing. If they could combine the less action-y style of the first season with the subtle bits of development from the second in a season going forward, and if they had the balls to do something as ridiculously far-reaching as the CADMUS arc of JLU, it could be some of the best DCU content in a very long time. Sadly, it's just not going to have the time to develop. Stupid CN.

Thad · « **Reply #228 on:** February 19, 2013, 02:25:11 PM »

Yeah, good use of Fate and Captain Atom as legitimate powerhouses. Would have liked to see Hal or Guy join the fray -- I don't buy John's explanation that the Guardians declared Earth off-limits; they're not exactly known for following orders.

Thad · « **Reply #229 on:** February 25, 2013, 07:37:14 PM »

Watching a Green Lantern where Kilowog remarks that the rings just translate, they can't make words rhyme.

I understand why the line's in there -- it's foreshadowing for when the rings fail a few minutes later -- but it doesn't make a lick of goddamn sense. The Oath rhymes. Are we to believe it was written in English? (I guess that WOULD explain why every fucking Green Lantern from Sector 2814 is from America.) Hell, Kilowog was reciting a military cadence literally FOUR LINES EARLIER, and ITS ring-translation rhymed.

Just one of those little things that takes you out of the moment.

EDIT: Okay so at the end of the episode Kilowog recites the Oath in his native language and it doesn't rhyme and he clearly says "Green Lantern" in English. So yeah the Guardians are just native English speakers apparently.

Lottel · « **Reply #230 on:** February 25, 2013, 08:13:48 PM »

Well, if the guardian of life is buried beneath earth and earth is always the most important planet in the universe and America is the only place on earth...

Thad · « **Reply #231 on:** March 16, 2013, 07:21:51 PM »

Well, as disappointed as I am to see Young Justice end, that was sure a high note to go out on.

The final reveal was a bit predictable, and frankly I was pleased that [spoiler]they HADN'T busted out Darkseid up to this point. I love him but he's so very, very overused. But I guess the irony of Darkseid being in charge of the Light was too great to pass up.[/spoiler]

Bit of a twist having [spoiler]Wally die instead of Barry. Pretty grim, but it gives him a better sendoff than his current limbo status in the official DCU.[/spoiler]

On the whole, great stuff. I'd have loved to see the show continue, either with the new lineup or with another time jump, but you know what? I'll be happy to see whatever Weisman winds up doing next. Even if IT gets cancelled after two seasons too.

Plus, I still haven't read the tie-in comic. And from what I understand, it's canon and was overseen by Weisman -- so there's actually a full 25 issues of material I haven't seen, should I care to revisit this universe.

Niku · « **Reply #232 on:** March 16, 2013, 08:26:39 PM »

I started out enjoying the show, but I stopped following it pretty quickly. Does it end in a fairly coherent fashion instead of just flat out stopping? If so, I might have to go back and work my way through it. I have a hard time getting invested in shows with no sense of resolution once I know that's the case, though.

Thad · « **Reply #233 on:** March 16, 2013, 08:42:08 PM »

It ends about like Spider-Man did: the major arc of the season is resolved but the Big Bad is still out there. I was satisfied; the reviewer over on AV Club was disappointed; on the whole I don't think it was as good an ending as Justice League but it was solid.

Weisman's had plenty of practice at having his shows cancelled two seasons in (and I'm counting Gargoyles because he got kicked off it after the first 5 episodes of season 3); he's good at leaving the door open while still tying up the major threads. I definitely think that happened here.

Royal☭ · « **Reply #234 on:** March 16, 2013, 08:50:57 PM »

It resolves in a way that the most of the ties and character arcs are tied up, but it's clearly an episode that was meant to start new arcs for season 3. So the way it works out is one of those "The Universe just keeps on moving along" kind of endings.

Thad · « **Reply #235 on:** March 29, 2013, 07:48:26 PM »

Timm steps down from DC Universe. James Tucker of TB&TB is taking over, so the division would seem to be in good hands.

Quote

As for Timm, VFK didn't elaborate on what his future projects might be, but given that the artist has been such an integral part of Warner Bros. Animations's superhero line for so long, it wouldn't be surprising to see him pop up as the director or an executive producer of a new DC-inspired project somewhere down the road.

I'd love to see him do another TV series. Preferably back to the hand-drawn look, though I liked Green Lantern just fine. (Problem with GL's animation style, I think, was that it was expensive but looked cheap.)

If it were up to me I'd fire Johns, Lee, and Didio and put Timm in charge of DC. But obviously that's just cloud talk.

Büge · « **Reply #236 on:** April 17, 2013, 08:06:50 AM »

http://www.darkknightnews.com/justice-league-the-flashpoint-paradox-blu-ray-and-dvd-cover-art-press-details/

Oh boy, Flashpoint!

Wait, why Flashpoint and not something better?

Thad · « **Reply #237 on:** April 17, 2013, 12:36:51 PM »

It IS the thing that led directly into the New 52.

Which leads me to wonder what the breakdown is going to be, under the new DC management, of recent stories they want to sell, classic stories that are already selling a bunch that they want to mine for more money, and actual original content.

And movie tie-ins I guess but they've really only got one movie coming up. (Maybe TV tie-ins? Is Green Arrow popular enough now to get a starring role in a DVD?)

Rico · « **Reply #238 on:** April 17, 2013, 01:29:28 PM »

Oh please oh please oh please animate "Speedy's on dope!"

Bal · « **Reply #239 on:** April 17, 2013, 02:00:18 PM »

I want the "Clark, those were for charity *ZOOOOOOM*" scene.

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Author Topic: The Dwayne McDuffie Memorial DC Animation Thread (Read 16500 times)