Created/Produced by Greg Weisman & Brandon Vietti
The resurgence of the superhero genre in entertainment is certainly something to be excited about. Franchises like Spider-Man and X-Men began pushing for more presence on the big screen, while Justice League brought back almost everything that cartoons like X-Men: The Animated Series did for comic book properties in the 90’s. When I was growing up, there were only about three superhero shows to watch, and probably never at the same time.
Then, when the 21st century hit, I’m assuming the creative professionals in the field started to realize there was a market in people like me, and hopefully you. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited carried the weight of having a critically and commercially successful property. Then Teen Titans came along and reinvigorated the range of viewership that a superhero cartoon could attract. They were all great, and I wasn’t even a little kid—well into my teens, and I was still hooked on those characters.
So coming back to the animated comic book universes, after dipping my feet into the actual comic book universes, is a good feeling. To see how everything’s developed since the 90’s when I first got my childhood glimpse into those worlds, till now, when the demand and ability for animation to reach new heights is, well, higher than ever.
The premise of a show like Young Justice isn’t new. Like the names I just dropped above, superhero teams strike a cord with wide-eyed kids and nostalgic comic book fans alike. When the announcements for this series first hit the net, people were either screaming foul, or screaming it’s been done before. Little was there the notion that it could a breath of fresh air. And fifteen episodes in, that’s exactly what it’s become.
The show follows a new team of teenage heroes from the DC universe, not explicitly the Teen Titans, and not something you’ve seen together before. The roster consists of Robin (Dick Grayson), Aqualad, Kid Flash (Wally West), Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis (Tigress in the DC Universe). Existing on what the producers call Earth-16, as in not the actual main DC Universe, the show features many familiar DC characters amidst a slew of classic villains that the team has faced since their pilot episode.
The problem with team-based anything from a production standpoint is establishing distinct characters that the viewer has to care about, and especially in a superhero cartoon, those characters have to balanced both narratively and with their action. This is where my biggest praise comes to this show. As it’s travelled from pilot episode to where it is now, the character development has been nothing short of phenomenal, and it culminates in the most recent episode, “Failsafe”, which many fan sites, and critics, are citing as the best episode of the season.
When you compare it to a show like Teen Titans, the levels of competency in establishing and fleshing out character relationships is on par with is predecessor. The archetypes are played with throughout the season, keeping it direct and accessible to its demographic, yet there’s enough substance for even older viewers to latch onto. At least that’s how I see it. Teen Titans was aimed at a pre-teen crowd, while Young Justice’s more ambitious visuals and older characters are to attract the more mature teenage audience. With that, the producers understand the necessary steps to take in order to present their characters. They know their stuff.
The examples can be found if you dedicate yourself to watching the show. I’ll admit, it’s kind of a rocky start from the beginning five or so episodes, but the over-arching plot and classic cliff-hangers sure do give enough incentive to come back. But, it’s the characters that are at the core of the show.
The voices, while at the start of the season, may seem even grating to some (it did to me for a while), they collectively pull of convincing teenage tones. Each cast member brings a vibe to their voices that helps distinct personalities from one another, that only builds upon the strength of character for Young Justice. They have a pretty good writing team to work from too, including comics great Peter David on board. The plot they’ve hashed out, that recently has finally reared its head, is worthy of a fist-pump, but still, the crew has taken the narrative for this team in new directions.
They work with an established universe, and distil it into how a team of kids fighting for validation are slowly becoming the centre of it. It’s the ultimate fantasy for any teen watching it. I find myself now hooked on seeing how they triumph too.
An equally praiseworthy element of the show is the extensive action that it packs into every episode. Again, like Teen Titans, this one’s got its fair share of fights. While the stylistic choices of Teen Titans were very angular and simple, Young Justice finds its stride in the incredible movement it puts into its sequences. And the costume designs are a kicker—they’re a chance to see familiar faces in different outfits—perfect for the comic book geek (stop whining, haters).
The animation is headed by an overseas production company, MOI Animation Inc, in collaboration with Warner Bros. Animation studios. The combined effort gives, if anything, a satisfactory amount of superhero badassery in showcasing all the talents of the team members, including the antics of the 150+ other characters that have shown up since the premiere.
The acrobatics of Robin, the dynamics of Artemis’ archery, digital effects showing off Miss Martian’s abilities, Kid Flash’s speediness, and Aqualad’s water constructs are all juicy visual treats that any kid, and any adult, can get down with.
If the witty quips from Robin or the catchphrases from Miss Martian throw you off, their battle sequences will get you back on, trust me on that. It’s got the features you want, and the cameos a show like this needs. There’s something for everyone.
So if you want to ignore the challenge of writing team-based superheroes on television, and that Young Justice achieves its goal in representing them in a way that works (wait till you get to “Failsafe” to see that in action), then the impeccable animation should hook you in for when the series really gets rolling. It’s worth the wait.
This is a show for a comic book fan, or a comic book cartoon fan, if you want to get back the nostalgia from the 90’s or just miss Teen Titans and all its glory. Give it to your kids to watch, and watch it with them cause it will probably hook both parties.
There’s enough in this show to quell the fears of doubters who seem weary for another superhero cartoon, but really, where else can superheroes be successful off the panel? Young Justice is doing its fair share of introductions into comic book universes for potential fans, and that gets my respect any day.
Don’t do a disservice to comics and superheroes and the fantasy of capes, go watch Young Justice.
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