02.06
First off, Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash decide that they’re sick of being the Garfunkel and go off on their own in order to fight evil. And what a better first mission than to go face-to-face with Cadmus? However, the three have bitten off more than they can chew as they discover secret projects with mind-controlled staff and armies of artificially created beings. And above it all, they uncover a plot to usurp the Man of Steel. Thus, the former sidekicks have to take things in their own hands and learn how to fight off everything without the help of their benefactors.
And despite it sounding like a sausage fest, don’t worry. Future episodes won’t have any of that.
So that’s the first episode of Young Justice, DC’s latest venture into animation, as guided by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. If the synopsis sounds familiar, it should given how it has a few ties to the original Teen Titans comics. If you consider that a detriment to the show’s quality for being even vaguely connected to the series from a few years ago, then you will be vastly mistaken, because it serves to be much different by lacking super-deformed scenes and the penchant for theatrics in favor of something more encompassing. Though admittedly, the Robin here could fit rather well in the former series.
Those familiar with Weisman’s work know full well that this show is absolutely assured to be good. With a diverse ensemble cast (the premiere already introduces more than twenty characters), decent animation, and an already interesting interpretation of the source material, the opening explodes at the viewer with the scope of a supernova. From seeing the heroes fight off ice-themed villains, to showing the Justice League in their entire splendor, this show is affectionately sprinkled with characters and references from the DC Universe without it being contrived like in Under the Red Hood or in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.
So far, my only gripe is that Robin’s acting is a bit off, with the character giving a rather dissonant Jokeresque laugh in his opening scene. With that aside, the rest of the voices are pretty good, such as Khary Payton giving a pretty stoic performance as Aqualad and how Nolan North does pretty good playing both the inexperienced Superboy and the weatherworn Superman. As for the actual characters, Robin’s behavior and actions are a bit reminiscent of Ed from Cowboy Bebop, with lucidity and shoes being the only things keeping him from being a complete mirror in personality. Aqualad and Superboy come off as quite distant and a bit submissive, while Kid Flash gives off a few undertones of previous Wally West interpretations. Also, the Justice League is portrayed in a pretty balanced way, being protective of the characters while not being too stuffy about it. As for the main villains—enigmatically known as the Light—it’ll be interesting to see how they quickly reveal themselves as the episodes go on.
Overall, it’s a well-done start that shows great promise for the series at large. I really—and I mean really—hope that this show will last a while. Weisman’s never been known for pulling off a hat trick, so it’d be nice for that habit to be broken.
Originally posted on Sunday, November 28, 2010.