Jump to content
DVDVR Message Board

The Action Cartoons Thread


Recommended Posts

Kix, a UK kids channel in the UK started showing the first series of Justice League last month (they previously showed Batman of the Future). I accidently came across it when sat with my Mum as she was flicking through the channels. Good timing that as they were showing Secret Origins, the first three episodes of the first series. I haven’t watched Justice League since the first series aired in 2001-2002. Even back then with the episodes either two or three parts, I either managed to see both, one of the two parts or none at all.

 

I really enjoyed watching Justice League, so did my Sister who watched it with me and she’s not into comics. My favourite episodes from the first series are Secret Origins, Injustice for All and Paradise Lost. My least favourite are The Enemy Below and Metamorphosis. I like all the characters in Justice League, Batman’s the best and then The Flash, certain lines of his made me laugh.

 

I had hoped after showing the final episode of the first series, The Savage Time that Kix would show the second series of Justice League but they’ve gone back to repeating the first series.

 

I rented Starcrossed from my local library which collects the last three episodes of the same name from Justice League so I could watch it with my Sister, it was a fitting farewell to Justice League.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am about halfway through season two of TF Prime.  The second season is a HUGE improvement over the first, but I think it still pales next to TF Animated in overall quality.  Looking forward to Michael Freaking Ironside as Ultra Freaking Magnus when I get to season 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just watched Predacon Rising. I thought it served as solid finale with a nice surprise or two. Really wish the show was still going though as there were something interesting plots they could have picked up on and gone through had the show continued.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

And just as I pull into the final six eps of TF Prime, they add Preds Rising to Netflix today.  Hooray.

 

Season 3 has been pretty enjoyable, but man was Ultra Magnus a letdown.  He's got all the current G1 comics' martinet tendencies with none of the warmth and pathos underneath.  He exists solely to be a dick to Wheeljack and Miko, and is a waste of Michael Ironside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate that there were never any real consequences when Miko would disobey orders and get in the way.  Someone really should've died because of her.  At the very least, Bulkhead could've lost a hand or something because of her.  Instead you're left with the message that being an irresponsible nuisance pays off and saves the day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That voice actor comparison site is gonna rock!  I just know it. 

 

Yeah to our surprise we saw Predacon Rising on Netflix, overall I liked it. Despite the comments picking apart which seasons were better, this is how I feel about Prime in general.  THIS is what the Bayverse should have been...a happy medium between G1 and the more "alien" like modern TF's.  And humans who do not take over the plot. I'd love more, but I guess they have to discontinue a series whenever a new movie is on the horizon. 

 

 Animated was great too, more as a geekfest for fans of the older series, though.  I still want my Season 3 DVD!  Or...is TFA on Netflix or.....? 

(Heck I'd love to see a release of Robots in Disguise finally, without the 9/11 edits...hey, it's been 12 years.  RUINATION....AWAKENS!)

 

Back to TFP: PR...

 

- With the veiled Galvatron transformation (come on, you KNOW everyone wanted to call MegaCron that!), I was surprised that they didn't try to pass the Matrix to Bee...and perhaps make him Goldbug?  They made a to-do about him acting like a leader, after all. 

 

- Megs making peace with the Bots and the Matrix being drained, however, are good callbacks to The Return of Optimus Prime, aka what should have been G1's proper ending. 

 

- "Instrument of destruction."  (anyone hearing Megs yell, "Die Autobots!" in their heads upon hearing that line?  Or seeing Brawn (not-)dying? 

 

-  The other Preds had Bay Syndrome, ironically...hard to tell apart.  And just tacking a G1 name on a new character in Sky Lynx. 

 

Onto other topics: is JL on Kix uncut, or do they have Vortexx edits too?  Speaking of which, I am now officially a believer in Spectacular Spider-Man. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Random thought that popped into my head: has the Heath Ledger version of the Joker appeared in any medium other than The Dark Knight?  Like comics or video games or anything? 

 

I was thinking it's a shame that version of the character will never be seen again.  It would be too weird to have somebody else essentially impersonate Ledger in a live-action movie, and a comic book wouldn't capture the weird tongue thing and the voice, etc.

 

But you could put him in an animated feature.  And given that Hamill is pretty much done playing his Joker, DCAU needs a new direction there.  Seems like a good fit.  Is it still too soon?  It's been almost 6 years.  And I think the Ledger-Joker would be a good fit if they did something like Killing Joke (which has been discussed).  For me it would be too weird to have Hamill-Joker (or a pseudo-Hamill-Joker) from BTAS in that story; you'd need a different take.

 

Not sure if they'd have to pay rights to Ledger's estate to use a similar voice or to Nolan or anybody else for the design.  I'd think DC would own it, but IANAL.  Anyway, just curious if this has already happened and I missed it or if there's some reason I didn't consider that it would be an awful or unworkable idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that with cartoons they generally lend themselves to a G rated audience and I'm not sure that character even the presentation of that character would merge well with a G rated audience. Not too mention I wouldn't want anyone impersonating someone else's interpretation of a character. It is a shame though although from the sounds of it the plan was always a one and done for the Joker and with the Nolan Verse essentially done it seems like no matter what that was going to be the only time that version of the character appeared somewhere. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that with cartoons they generally lend themselves to a G rated audience and I'm not sure that character even the presentation of that character would merge well with a G rated audience. Not too mention I wouldn't want anyone impersonating someone else's interpretation of a character. It is a shame though although from the sounds of it the plan was always a one and done for the Joker and with the Nolan Verse essentially done it seems like no matter what that was going to be the only time that version of the character appeared somewhere. 

 

I guess they're working on something related to the Arkham video games, which are rated T.  I believe that's essentially equivalent to an PG-13.  Not sure if the animated feature will be, though.  Dark Knight Returns didn't feel like it was directed at a G-rated audience to me.  Batman fought a topless woman with swastika pasties, for instance. 

 

Animated "impersonations" aren't unprecedented.  I'd say the Tony Stark of Avengers: EMH owes a lot to the RDJ version.  And then there's Clone Wars and other SW stuff which reprises familiar live-action characters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://io9.com/paul-dini-superhero-cartoon-execs-dont-want-largely-f-1483758317
 

Hey, want to get furious about the cartoon industry for a while? Read this bit from Kevin Smith interviewing Paul Dini on why so many awesome shows that appeal to both boys and girls get cancelled. It's honestly fucking infuriating.

 

EDIT: Another great quote from Dini not in that link.

 

 

"But then, there’s been this weird—there’s been a, a sudden trend in animation, with super-heroes. Like, ‘it’s too old. It’s too old for our audience, and it has to be younger. It has to be funnier.’ And that’s when I watch the first couple of episodes of Teen Titans Go!, it’s like those are the wacky moments in the Teen Titans cartoon, without any of the more serious moments. ‘Let’s just do them all fighting over pizza, or running around crazy and everything, ’cause our audience—the audience we wanna go after, is not the Young Justice audience any more. We wanna go after little kids, who are into—boys who are into goofy humor, goofy random humor, like on Adventure Time or Regular Show. We wanna do that goofy, that sense of humor, that’s where we’re going for.'"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Animated "impersonations" aren't unprecedented.  I'd say the Tony Stark of Avengers: EMH owes a lot to the RDJ version.  And then there's Clone Wars and other SW stuff which reprises familiar live-action characters.

 

 

Except they're better actors than Hayden Christensen, of course. 

 

Now I know there's been a lack of clearance for animated likenesses...see: the incomplete Tick DVD set due to Cindy Crawford vetoing a character that looked like her.  And this is also why we will never get a complete New Scooby Movies set.  And this is why Ginger never looked like Tina Louise on either Gilligan cartoon.  So it wouldn't be a surprise if Ledger's estate DIDN'T want to clear an animated Joker that looked, sounded, and acted like his. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Dini needs to lay off Adventure Time and Regular Show.

He doesn't bash them . He just says that Cartoon Network wants every show to be them now.

 

 

Moreover, they want every show to be just like them without understanding what the thing is that ACTUALLY makes them work.

So y'know...'random' humour minus plot, character, or actual quality. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard that interview, I think he pointed out that he thought Adventure Time did a smart thing by sort of doing the female versions of Finn and Jake to sort of give girls characters to latch on to.

 

We saw those characters like once or twice though and they turned out to be fan fiction characters created by the Ice King.

 

I think stronger examples of this would be Princess Bumblegum and Flame Princess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...