Justice League - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)
By: Warner Brothers Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 91
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 On: 2009-10-16
okay - so it wasnt really the END end, but I will always count Justice League and Unlimited as two totally different animals, and really, the season two finale was just amazing.
I could go into all the episodes that made this season great, but honestly, if you havent seen them for yourselves, and are a comics fan, I would be doing you a great disservice by giving anything away.
On: 2009-10-04
If youre a DC comics fan, this updated version of Superfriends does not disappoint. Most episodes hold your interest, and I found it pretty cool how they took characters and plots from the original Superfriends series and updated them in this new version. Definitely recommend.
On: 2009-07-03
Season One of JUSTICE LEAGUE was good. Season Two was better. All the stories were at least decent, while the three-parter that ended the season, "Starcrossed," would be a great JLA story regardless of the medium in which it was told, with Hawk Girl both betraying her league partners and then later saving them. And not just did she betray her duty, she failed to tell John Stewart, with whom things had started to warm up romantically, that she was betrothed to a fellow Thanagarian. The story was a great example of how a story, normally limited by its genre, can sometimes transcend it.
One of my favorite episodes was a standalone Christmas episode, in which we see the various members of the league celebrating in their own particular way, including Flashs attempt to bring a toy to some orphans and an obviously homesick JJ, acting as his very own ghost of Christmas present, striving in his own way to understand what Christmas is all about.
The second season continued the things it did so wall in Season One: strong writing, outstanding voice over work, high production values. Though primarily directed at kids, it was never "just" a kids show. The pace was a tad faster than I would have preferred, but it wasnt as frenetic as many kids shows.
On: 2009-06-22
My husband is a fan so I bought the videos. It was a gift for Christmas, 2008. He watches them over and over again. Great videos. Would recommend it!
 On: 2009-06-10
The 1st DVD is bad, only play for couple of minute then stall, found out there is mark on the DVD is permenat damage, could not repair or clean up. A deep mark on the DVD make that happen.
 On: 2009-06-04
i wish there were more shows, but this seems to be the end of the show.
On: 2008-09-05
Im still a kid at heart, but this is a great series for anyone who enjoys comics and heroes.
On: 2008-08-28
Simply put, this series can be enjoyed thoroughly on its own. However, for the best experience I would recommend also buying the First Season. The conclusion of this second series is masterful and moving for all fans of these characters.
On: 2008-08-01
As a fan of the Justice League series, I wanted to complete my collection; therefore, purchased the remaining item needed. As such, I take price and rating into consideration whenever I order ANYTHING. I had never purchased a product directly from Amazon and was a little skeptical but thought I would give it a try seeing as they had the best price and above board rating. My product arrived within days of ordering, was factory sealed and in excellent condition. Needless to say, I will be ordering directly from Amazon more often.
On: 2008-05-22
The JLA grew up. Its still kid friendly, but the plot points definitely have appeal for grown ups. Perhaps the best season of one the best animated super hero shows ever. Highly recommended.
On: 2008-05-21
The JLA season two was defenatelly a great buy for me. i really couldnt stop from watching it untill i finished. and even then, i saw it again and again. I would defenatelly advise for everyone that is a DC fan to get this season as soon as you can.
On: 2008-05-13
Needless to say I prefer the original Justice League over Unlimited. The original had more adventure, mystery, thrills and emotion. My friend is already sharing this and other classics with his kids. Justice League was the last good show on TV. In this season, petty differences and feelings make things difficult for the League and a traitor is among them.
Here is a list of the episodes.
Twilight(pts1&2)
When Brainiac threatens to destroy Apokolips, Darkseid turns to the Justice League for help. Superman does not trust his old foe, but his fellow superheroes convince the Man of Steel to come to Darkseids defense. Meanwhile, Darkseids longtime enemies on neighboring planet New Genesis, High Father and Orion, believe Darkseid may be fooling the Justice League.
Tabula Rasa Part 1 & 2
Jonn Jonzz has a crisis of conscience while Lex Luthor gains control of Amazo, a powerful android who can copy the powers of the entire Justice League.
Only A Dream Part 1 & 2
When members of the Justice League are trapped in a nightmarish dream world controlled by the evil Dr. Destiny, they are forced to confront their own darkest fears.
Maid of Honor Part 1 & 2
After Wonder Woman befriends a jet-setting Kasnian princess, she finds herself enmeshed in a complex plot of intrigue and betrayal masterminded by the Justice Leagues old enemy, Vandal Savage.
Hearts And Minds Part 1 & 2
When John Stewart learns that Katma Tui, his old girlfriend from the Green Lantern Corps, is missing in action, he leaves Earth to try to rescue her from the clutches of the mad prophet known as Despero.
A Better World Part 1 & 2
In a universe parellel to ours, Lex Luthor finally goes too far, Superman decides to take the law into his own hands. Ruling with an iron fist, the Man of Steel and his fellow heroes set out to eliminate all the crime from their world. However this is a team known as the Justice Lords, evil counterparts of the Justice League. The League mus fight this menace before they menace the world in our universe.
The Terror Beyond Part 1 & 2
After Aquaman frees Solomon Grundy, Hawkgirl and the Justice League are convinced that the Lord of Atlantis has gone rogue. But when the trail leads them to the mysterious Dr. Fate, they discover there is more to this strange partnership than meets the eye.
Eclipsed Part 1 & 2
When peace-keeping soldiers in the Middle East unearth an ancient hidden temple, they unwittingly release a vengeful spirit that possesses one of them. This spirits only goal is the total destruction of mankind, and even the Justice League is powerless to resist it.
The Secret Society Part 1 & 2
While the strain of working so closely together begins to tear apart the Justice League, Gorilla Grodd returns and forms a tightly-knit group of villains - a Secret Society whose only goal is the destruction of the League.
Hereafter Part 1 & 2
After Superman makes the ultimate sacrifice to save his fellow heroes, the Justice League and rest of the grieving planet must learn to live in a world without Superman.
Comfort and Joy
After saving a distant planet, the Justice League returns to Earth just in time for Christmas Eve. While Flash plays Santa for some orphans, Superman invites Jonn home to celebrate the holidays in Smallville. Meanwhile, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl share their favorite holiday traditions with each other.
Wild Card Part 1 & 2
In the ultimate reality show, the Joker pits the Justice League against the clock and against the Royal Flush Gang as the Justice League races to find and disarm all the bombs hes planted along the Strip in Las Vegas.
Starcrossed Part 1, 2 & 3
When a Thanagarian force arrives and occupies Earth, Hawkgirl is torn between loyalty to her homeland and love of her adopted planet.
On: 2008-05-08
Great product! I am VERY pleased with it! Even better than Season One.
On: 2008-05-02
I ask for the set of first and second seasons toghether, theres enough said about the Justice League first two seasons, but let me tell you, is worth to have this Set on your collection.
 On: 2008-04-12
I love the first season of this show. I was very excited to get the second season going since its widescreen. The problem: Its not anamorphic so its actually smaller on your 16:9 TV than the first season (which was 4:3). If you figure out a way to blow it up (or even if you dont) it will look bad. It has an interlaced fuzzy look. Its like there are extra lines that shouldnt be there. Its almost like you cant quite focus on the picture. It is by no means "Crisp." I love the show, but this is such a disappointment. There are a few other reviews that discuss this same issue. Read them.
On: 2008-03-18
I dont have anything bad to say about it, I enjoyed it so much that I am about to order another cartoon soon
On: 2008-03-05
Tighter writing than the first season.
"Twilight" builds on the Superman/Darkseid clash in Supermans own show.
The Batman/Wonder Woman romance hinted in season 1 builds in an action packed Batman-focussed return appearance of Vandal Savage "Maid of Honor".
Green Lanterns romance with Hawkgirl peaks in"Wild Cards", only to fall apart in the 3 part season finale "Starcrossed" (which also has a great Batman/Wonder Woman moment in pt2.
Guest stars include Aquaman, Dr Fate, New Gods, Eclipso.
"A Better World" is a great parallel universe story, showing what would happen if the core members of the JL ... (well I wont spoil it).
The xmas episode "Comfort and Joy" is included too.
Batmans butler Alfred (still voiced by Efrem Zimbalist Jr) appears in "Hereafter" and "Starcrossed".
Plenty for JL fans to lap up.
On: 2008-01-04
Well Im going to keep my review short. I think this series is one of the better ones & I enjoyed watching. Features your regular Justice League superheroes. Quick delivery and no problems with any CD. Ive not been disappointed with any Justice League series so far. Highly recommended.
On: 2007-12-24
The Justice League cartoon series presents these classic DC comics heroes at their best, building on their already iconic reputation, and giving the characters depth and realism. The variations of the different characters play well off each other. Superman is the big boyscout, Batman the dark loner, Flash the irresponsible goofball, Green Lantern the disciplinarian, Wonder Woman the warrior princess, Martian Manhunter the outsider, and Hawkgirl the hothead. This second season presents some truly interesting stories that affect the league members personally, while still delivering healthy doses of action.
I am not really a fan of the DC comic books, but this cartoon offers more complex and interesting stories than any of the major films based on the same characters. The animation is better than average, and is perhaps the best 2D animation ever made for these heroes (easily beating out the 70s Superfriends show). A truly distinguished and well done modern treatment of these classic characters. The episodes are so well done in fact, that some of the stories and action might be too intense for toddlers and younger viewers.
On: 2007-12-23
The Justice League cartoon series presents these classic DC comics heroes at their best, building on their already iconic reputation, and giving the characters depth and realism. The variations of the different characters play well off each other. Superman is the big boyscout, Batman the dark loner, Flash the irresponsible goofball, Green Lantern the disciplinarian, Wonder Woman the warrior princess, Martian Manhunter the outsider, and Hawkgirl the hothead. This second season presents some truly interesting stories that affect the league members personally, while still delivering healthy doses of action.
I am not really a fan of the DC comic books, but this cartoon offers more complex and interesting stories than any of the major films based on the same characters. The animation is better than average, and is perhaps the best 2D animation ever made for these heroes (easily beating out the 70s Superfriends show). A truly distinguished and well done modern treatment of these classic characters. The episodes are so well done in fact, that some of the stories and action might be too intense for toddlers and younger viewers.
On: 2007-10-25
The first season of JLA was a bit of a shock. Where is Hal Jordan? Why is Aquaman such a jerk? Why is Superman such a wimp? Is Hawkgirl the most powerful member of the team? By the second season of Justice League and through JLA Unlimited, this comic obssessives worries were put aside. The animation was much more refined and the stories were much more engaging. I love this show and wish it was still being made!
On: 2007-09-14
This is great Stuff. I am continually impressed with the care these guys take in bringing these aninimated stories to the big screen in an updated moderen twist while staying faithful to the original comic characters.
On: 2007-07-17
I bought these DVDs for my son who is 5. He is big fan of the Justice League after having seen many episodes of the original series. While the technical aspects and the writing are top notch, my son has not been attracted to them as much as other Justice League collections. Im not sure of the reason but I believe it has something to do with elevated thematic content -references to adult relationships- that goes over a 5 year olds head. An example of this is the development of a romantic relationship between the Green Lantern and Superwoman. I think that this relationship develops to a depth that eventually disinterests a child because it also takes time away from the development of other aspects of the story resulting in an overall weaker appeal for children.
On: 2007-07-14
A must have for any JLA fan. My daughter got all of the seasons for her 5th birthday and we watch them all the time. Its nice to talking about all the super heroes or assigning Cs to everyone in the family/friends
I personally enjoy all the commentary
On: 2007-05-25
As much as I enjoyed Season 1, its like Bruce Timm and his team got slapped with an amazing script writing genie doll or sumthin! Superman went from mediocre throw a punch here and take a punch there, to Ill bust yo face in all out brawler. Got to luv it. That fight with Darkseid in the beginning is Grade A material.All the episodes are almost all top notch. And alot of relationships between the characters develop. GL and Hawkgirl huh? Who woulda thought. I really like the flirtation with my favorite character Batman by Wonder Woman. But as always, Batman plays it cool. She was a little quick to make out with him in Starcrossed dont you think?? I do. Anyway, Flash is still our fun-luvin funny guy, Martian is still the "Im so alone" person he always was, and Hawkgirl...man what a twist in Starcrossed. Again A material. If Im talking to somebody who hasnt checked this out yet then you need to get this...Now!! No Joke. Youre only missing out on one of the best cartoons known to man!!!
On: 2007-05-24
As much as I enjoyed Season 1, its like Bruce Timm and his team got slapped with an amazing script writing genie doll or sumthin! Superman went from mediocre throw a punch here and take a punch there, to Ill bust yo face in all out brawler. Got to luv it. That fight with Darkseid in the beginning is Grade A material.All the episodes are almost all top notch. And alot of relationships between the characters develop. GL and Hawkgirl huh? Who woulda thought. I really like the flirtation with my favorite character Batman by Wonder Woman. But as always, Batman plays it cool. She was a little quick to make out with him in Starcrossed dont you think?? I do. Anyway, Flash is still our fun-luvin funny guy, Martian is still the "Im so alone" person he always was, and Hawkgirl...man what a twist in Starcrossed. Again A material. If Im talking to somebody who hasnt checked this out yet then you need to get this...Now!! No Joke. Youre only missing out on one of the best cartoons known to man!!!
On: 2007-05-14
I really liked watching season one so I decided to get season two. Season two was fantastic! Some of the story lines were incredible. I was hooked. Next step...Justice League Unlimited!
On: 2007-05-12
The first season was great fun, but the second season of Justice League shows how much the writers and animation has progressed. Watch the first season, and then watch this, and then watch all the commentary. You wont be sorry.
On: 2007-05-12
Justice League just kept getting better. Too bad it had to end. No problems with shipping. I got it right away.
On: 2007-05-09
...as the system does not permit such a rating, I will settle for 4.
After having seen all of the Batman: TAS seasons, all of the Superman:TAS seasons, and Justice League SEason 1, I was expecting something similar to those. A little more progression of some plots, but litte more. How wrong I was!!
I think I did not like about 2 o 3 episodes, top. The rest kept me glued to the TV, just wanting to see what the next episode will take into the ongoing storyline/continuity. As much as I have loved the other DC animation seasons I have just mentioned (specially Batman), this definitely was the BEST season!!! Until, Justice League Unlimited Season 1 arrived!!! And I am going to keep the 5 stars for that one, in my next review!!
Make yourself a favor, and pick JL Seasons 1 and 2, and if you enjoy them, then dig into JLU: Season 1 (I have not purchased JLU: Season 2, so I cannot tell if has kep the level of excellence, or not).
Enjoy!
by: jdsmooth On: 2007-05-08
Ive ventured along side some of my favorite DC characters steadily since the beginning of Bruce Timms amazing run of animation. As good as the first season of the Justice League was Season Two simply outshines it in every single category.
Like always, the animation itself is beautifully done and the voice work is spot on. Whereas Season 1 struggled to balance a cast of such incredible power and range, Season 2 has all of the bugs worked out. The set ends with the Starcrossed trilogy which somehow manages to upstage the Origins alien invasion (from season 1) and even ends on a cliffhanger with regards to one of the members loyalties.
Best of all, this entire cast transitions beautifully from the Justice League into the equally impressive Unlimited seasons which followed. Highly, highly recommended.
On: 2007-03-14
I had to buy this - my 9 year old loves Justice League. Season 2 was better for me as I watched Season 1 for a few years before Season 2 came out. In Season 2 the creative team listened to the viewers and decided that Superman needed to be tougher and could actually finish a fight without help. He is the Man of Steel after all.
Although the DVD states widescreen, the collection is not progressive scan enhanced for 16x9 TVs. The menu is, but the episodes arent, so youve got to tweak your TV. If you adjust the image to fill the screen, youve still got the interlaced, fuzzy scan that just doesnt look good.
Disk 3 lists two episodes (Hereafter Parts 1 & 2) that are actually on Disk 4 and likewise, Disk 4 has two episodes (Secret Society Part 1 & 2) that are actually on Disk 3. Nice Job Warner Brothers, you should have caught this. I get the feeling WB just slapped this collection together and threw it out there. I do wish that on the DVD collection, they could have removed Episode 1 credits, Episode 2 recaps of Episode 1 and the Justice League intros for episode 2. The episodes are good, but Im disappointed in the quality of the product. I counted off one star for the goof up on the episodes in disk 3 and 4.
On: 2007-03-12
This season of Justice League delivers exactly what one would want from a second series of a seriously entertaining animated series. The characters develop emotionally individually and their bond as a team is also galvanized through rigorous testing and an unexpected twist at the end of the series. As a childhood fan of the comic book I was thoroughly pleased with this product and it even renewed my interest in chasing up some trade paperback comic collections featuring my favourite Justice Leaguers. My hat goes off to the producers of this series and hope that it continues to get better. I live in Australia and they only showed a few episodes of this show at about 2:30 in the morning, which was murder for it and it gained no popularity, so being able to buy the complete series from the US is a huge bonus.
Definitely a winner for fans of the comic book!
On: 2007-02-17
Let me start off by saying I bought JL: Seasons 1 and 2 and JLU: Season 1 and 2 and I am very pleased with the overall series. You have very talented fans that actually cared about their craft (animation) and have the skill/free reign to do this franchise justice. My only dissatisfaction comes from the fact that the 3 episodes printed on the interior CDs Table of Contents that comprise the Starcrossed Movie were not on CDs. I thought this had to be a joke like "Endless, Nameless," the hidden track on Nirvanas Nevermind LP...hmmm...but in reverse!
Commercialism: 1, Consumer: 0; I was hoping to save money and not buy the "extra" movie, but ended up buying the movie anyways.
On: 2007-02-01
With Justice League Season 1, Bruce Timm and his compatriots from the Batman, Superman, and Batman Beyond animated series showed a talent for fun stories packed with action and super-powered heroes. With Season 2, everything suddenly gets turned up, and Justice League evolves from a fairly-simple and enjoyable series into a powerhouse of fantastic DC character animated storytelling.
Just about everything that was wrong with the first season is both copped to (these guys freely admit to their mistakes) and fixed in S2, from the sometimes-bland characters to the de-powering of Superman to the point where seemingly any thug with a lazer gun could hurt Big Blue. But all this is a thing of the past - starting with a bang of cosmic proportions with the brilliant "Twilight" episode (featuring an anlikely alliance against Braniac with Darkseid that shows the Man of Steel in rare form), and continuing through episodes both monumental ("Hereafter", "A Better World") and fun and enjoyable ("Maid of Honor", "Comfort and Joy"), Season 2 starts to dig into the relationships of the characters, and to really pump up the action to show what they can do.
The voice work again is great, easily besting Season 1. George Newbern really steps up to the plate as Superman (he must have been studying Tim Dalys work, because at times, hes a dead ringer), giving the character some really clout and an edge inherited from some of the events of his past (theres still baggage left over from "Legacy" from the Superman TAS). Kevin Conroy is consistently great as the Dark Knight, with hints throughout Season 2 of romantic tension between him and Wonder Woman. Supporting characters are equally impressive, including the always-enjoyable Mark Hamill as The Joker and The Mummys Oded Fehr as Dr. Fate. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl really start to come into their own as characters, and their relationship (first hinted at in "Legends" in S1) is explored more fully, and, in fact, a hinge element of the climactic three-part episode "Starcrossed" - a heart-breaking story of betrayal, survival, and one that will change the League forever.
Bruce Timm, Dan Riba, James Tucker, and the rest of the DCAU vets keep to the two- and three-part episode format piloted by JLS1 (except for their holiday episode), and manage to push even more content into their stories. Not only will characters change (Lex Luthor is still just as slippery as always, but remember that saying about "the enemy of my enemy"), but events in Episodes like "A Better World" will have long-reaching ramifications for the League that even stretch into the Justice League Unlimited seasons (one word: Doomsday). There are a lot of great concepts that the writers play with in Season 2, both original and adapted from the comics, and they consistently have brilliant execution.
Sharp viewers will also notice that the animation is also much-improved, featuring smoother integration between CG visuals and hand-drawn animation (lending itself to some fantastic action sequences involving alien vehicles, military war machines, and Batmans flying wing in various episodes throughuot the series). The characters also have more personality in their animation - are more expressive, giving more hints at their strength, their fear, uncertainty, anger, or inner turmoil.
In short, Justice League Season 2 perfects the format first seen in Season 1, and delivers on the potential of the concept in spades from beginning to end. The featurettes and commentaries that accompany the episodes on the DVD set really show the writers and producers desire to "ring that bell" when it came to delivering for the fans and really giving the series their all. The only real drawback to the set is the presentation - while JLS2s episodes are all in the 16x9 widescreen format of their original broadcasting, the DVDs arent anamorphic (which the stand-alone released like Starcrossed: The Movie were). Its a small caveat, but one worth noting.
However, if youre a fan of the Justice League or Justice Society in any form, or of any of the 7 League members, or just like watching buff dudes and hot chicks in tights causing massive damage, then this is the set for you.
On: 2007-01-31
With Justice League Season 1, Bruce Timm and his compatriots from the Batman, Superman, and Batman Beyond animated series showed a talent for fun stories packed with action and super-powered heroes. With Season 2, everything suddenly gets turned up, and Justice League evolves from a fairly-simple and enjoyable series into a powerhouse of fantastic DC character animated storytelling.
Just about everything that was wrong with the first season is both copped to (these guys freely admit to their mistakes) and fixed in S2, from the sometimes-bland characters to the de-powering of Superman to the point where seemingly any thug with a lazer gun could hurt Big Blue. But all this is a thing of the past - starting with a bang of cosmic proportions with the brilliant "Twilight" episode (featuring an anlikely alliance against Braniac with Darkseid that shows the Man of Steel in rare form), and continuing through episodes both monumental ("Hereafter", "A Better World") and fun and enjoyable ("Maid of Honor", "Comfort and Joy"), Season 2 starts to dig into the relationships of the characters, and to really pump up the action to show what they can do.
The voice work again is great, easily besting Season 1. George Newbern really steps up to the plate as Superman (he must have been studying Tim Dalys work, because at times, hes a dead ringer), giving the character some really clout and an edge inherited from some of the events of his past (theres still baggage left over from "Legacy" from the Superman TAS). Kevin Conroy is consistently great as the Dark Knight, with hints throughout Season 2 of romantic tension between him and Wonder Woman. Supporting characters are equally impressive, including the always-enjoyable Mark Hamill as The Joker and The Mummys Oded Fehr as Dr. Fate. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl really start to come into their own as characters, and their relationship (first hinted at in "Legends" in S1) is explored more fully, and, in fact, a hinge element of the climactic three-part episode "Starcrossed" - a heart-breaking story of betrayal, survival, and one that will change the League forever.
Bruce Timm, Dan Riba, James Tucker, and the rest of the DCAU vets keep to the two- and three-part episode format piloted by JLS1 (except for their holiday episode), and manage to push even more content into their stories. Not only will characters change (Lex Luthor is still just as slippery as always, but remember that saying about "the enemy of my enemy"), but events in Episodes like "A Better World" will have long-reaching ramifications for the League that even stretch into the Justice League Unlimited seasons (one word: Doomsday). There are a lot of great concepts that the writers play with in Season 2, both original and adapted from the comics, and they consistently have brilliant execution.
Sharp viewers will also notice that the animation is also much-improved, featuring smoother integration between CG visuals and hand-drawn animation (lending itself to some fantastic action sequences involving alien vehicles, military war machines, and Batmans flying wing in various episodes throughuot the series). The characters also have more personality in their animation - are more expressive, giving more hints at their strength, their fear, uncertainty, anger, or inner turmoil.
In short, Justice League Season 2 perfects the format first seen in Season 1, and delivers on the potential of the concept in spades from beginning to end. The featurettes and commentaries that accompany the episodes on the DVD set really show the writers and producers desire to "ring that bell" when it came to delivering for the fans and really giving the series their all. The only real drawback to the set is the presentation - while JLS2s episodes are all in the 16x9 widescreen format of their original broadcasting, the DVDs arent anamorphic (which the stand-alone released like Starcrossed: The Movie were). Its a small caveat, but one worth noting.
However, if youre a fan of the Justice League or Justice Society in any form, or of any of the 7 League members, or just like watching buff dudes and hot chicks in tights causing massive damage, then this is the set for you.
 On: 2007-01-21
You know the old saying, film sequals never surpass the first release, and the same goes for this second season of Justice League. I am not sure what the producers were thinking when they attempted the new story lines this season. The commentaries were really lackluster and very disapointing. Unlike the first season, the charm and originality took a dive with comibinations of too many cliches and dreadful dialogue. The best of the series were Maid of Honor and the three part Starcrossed which were by far the best of this season and showed much promise. What I do not understand is the inconsistency and continuity errors of characters personalities and powers - namely Wonder Woman, and Martain Manhunter, who were depowered in some episodes and changed personalities dramatically in others. I do see that writers need to research better to achieve consistency. Never mind, the season did complete with a decent story at least, much in part to the Green Lantern - Hawkgirl relationship.
As for the DVD itself, Waner brothers appeared to have rushed this compilation which appears tacky in presentation and rushed. Overall I was far more happier with season one which again, is far superior to this season.
On: 2007-01-10
The second season was the final work of the Justice League and the birth of the Justice League Unlimited. And what a combination to superheroes from the depths of DC Comics. Some of the episodes were introducing us to heroes we may not have known, others were light and humorous what ifs, but the main storyline remained the struggle between good and evil. And sometimes it became hard to figure that out too. But at the end, our heroes are victorious... but not without a price to pay. Better animation and a wonderful storyline. The only thing that would have made this a better DVD set was to include the final 13 episodes, but never fear as the folks at Amazon will be bringing this to us (the faithful) in the near future. A highly recommended sequel for sure.
On: 2007-01-05
I for one believe in finding ways of letting children have fun learning. This movie teaches many things that can be used in the church setting. I cant think of a better way to get our children to be better in more ways than one. When we can get our children looking at thinks in a positive way, we have a good start. Thank you for this and I will be looking a more for positive massages.
On: 2007-01-05
Great storytelling and characters with depth rather than the usual one dimensional heroes that is common in the past attempts at this series. Well worth the investment for any fan. There is a sense of continuity between episodes, with developing plots that sets this series apart from most before and since.
On: 2007-01-04
I for one believe in finding ways of letting children have fun learning. This movie teaches many things that can be used in the church setting. I cant think of a better way to get our children to be better in more ways than one. When we can get our children looking at thinks in a positive way, we have a good start. Thank you for this and I will be looking a more for positive massages.
On: 2007-01-04
Its nice when I can watch well produced super hero movies or shows. Both the Justices League and Teen Titans were a blast. Justice League is fun for all ages. Theres nothing quite like epic Superhero battles accompanied fun witty dialog.
This second volume comes with the movie star crossed and well directed cartoon laced with action and betrayal. Youll find no shortage of excitement watching Justice League season 2.
On: 2007-01-03
Justice League Season Two was a huge hit with my son!! He loves it!!
On: 2007-01-03
One has to question why DC and Time Warner didnt do this the first go around as opposed to doling out stories piecemeal. That being said, this is an excellent collectiion of some of the best artwork and storytelling around. This collection is excellent for both the avid fan and the first time viewer. Buy this collection and enjoy a fantastic rollercoaster ride of fun and adventure. It will be worth it.
On: 2006-11-18
the title says it all. compelling storylines, interesting heroes, everything worked great on justice league and jlu (the only bad thing which i noticed (referenced in season 1 extras) was that superman got dominated non-stop in season 1. to the point where you just waited for him to rush in and give his crazy schwarzenegger-like yell as he got stomped. his main superpowers in those days were absorbing lots of pain. but it changed...)
john stewart was a great choice as green lantern. i know everyone loves hal jordan but with the new twist as an ex-marine it worked out well.
the flash is great, and keeps it light.
hawkgirl was an inspired choice, and the relationship between stewart and her builds well.
martian manhunter is a jla rock, and fits in well in a couple of episodes but is mostly reserved as befits his character.
the big guns wonder woman, batman, and superman are the greatest superheroes of all. the big three. its a cant miss type of deal.
the greatest thing was having this jl and jlu series. the worst thing is they arent making any new ones. and so ends the best run of an animated series ever...
BRING IT BACK SOMEBODY PLEASE!!! (like futurama)
On: 2006-11-14
This box set is great. My kids love it and my wife and I will watch an episode after the kids are in bed. Its addictive!
On: 2006-11-12
After viewing Season One, Season Two was exactly what we were craving. My three sons and I have watched these episodes over and over again. They enjoy Justice League so much, that I use it as an incentive for them to try their best on their homework. If they miss three or more problems on their homework, they are not allowed to watch Justice League after their bath. Guess whose three sons made "A" Honor Roll two periods in a row?
On: 2006-11-11
Most of the episodes are really good; there are a couple that are a bit stupid or boring, but thats not the fault of the animators--its the fact that DC simply doesnt have as many good villains as Marvel, so some of the threats make you roll your eyes. Nonetheless, its great to see the Big 7 working together. My biggest gripe would be that the Flash is portrayed as being *a lot* slower than he is/should be. There are times when villains can visually follow him or can act in advance of an attack. In fact, the Flash would have finished his attack before they even got to finish a single breath. I also prefer Kyle to John as the Green Lantern, but the overall characterization of all the characters is really good, and the stories are intelligently written. They dont dumb it down in order to appeal to very young children--someone actually got a clue and realized that kids are much smarter than people give them credit for. This is a worthwhile purchase, and I can highly recommend Justice League Unlimited Season 1, which is actually better again!
On: 2006-11-10
Outstanding job re-vamping the heroes I loved as a child with personas more in touch with todays times. My boy watches this at least once a month; and it is done well enough that it is a cartoon I enjoy watching with him
On: 2006-11-03
Justice League is not just an updated copy of the "Superfriends", if you learn anything from this review, know that.
If youve ever picked up a comic book, or know of the genre, you know that any of the superman, batman, flash, etc, all have a dark side to them. From the pain of Bruce Waynes loss of family to Martian Manhunters realization that he is the last of his kind, you know theres drama there.
These stories captivate an older audience and delight the younger ones too. They face some real problems, including politics.
The best episode is "The Savage Time", which deals with the very real death of Superman. While not a twisty plot, you can feel that the superheroes have true grit, namely Batmans refusing of acceptance of Supermans death. And, where Superman goes, he learns he no longer has super powers, and must battle in an environment where humans are no longer the top of the food chain.
I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I have.
On: 2006-10-24
I tell my wife that I buy the Justice League season-releases for myself AND the kids. But it is me who sits most captivated in front of the TV with the kids as the episodes roll.
Shushing the kids so I can hear "cartoons" on TV is the joke my wife likes to make. I quickly correct her, "Justice League is NOT cartoons. Its an animated series." This clarification for some reason always seems to bring on even more chuckles over a bottle of wine with friends than it does clarify the matter.
Anyway, indeed the kids sit captivated too. The Justice League stories are very well put together with a lot of detail. Im not sure that my kids (age 3 - 7) appreciate or understand all of the emotion (sometimes pretty deep), heroism (of course), betrayal and just great story telling that goes into these Justice League productions. But rest assured, Justice League is definitely for kids too.
As far as I know, there are no single episodes in Seasons 1 & 2 with the exception of the Christmas episode, Comfort & Joy; all the rest in Seasons 1 & 2 are two and three parters. This means on DVD you have the opportunity to watch a 3 parter in one sitting, which is as good as sitting down with a full length feature. Ill take Secret Origins (Season 1) and Starcrossed (Season 2) over Tom Cruise in War Of The Worlds any day. (And are the alien war machines in War of the Worlds deliberate imitations of those in Secret Origins or is that just too much of a coincidence?!)
There are hours of entertainment on the Justice League Season 1 & 2 releases...and no dang gong Cartoon Network commercials! Well worth the purchase price.
On: 2006-10-20
In a nutshell, JLA Season 2 pretty much has it all: nuanced animation, sharp dialogue, gripping storylines, and an interesting cast of characters with a wide, diverse array of personalities and superpowers (plus, not to mention, the voice cast with their superb talent, like Lex Luthor from "Smallville" doing the Flash and Mark "luke Skywalker" Hamill as the Joker).
by: jiangliqings2 On: 2006-09-09
Season Two Rating: 4.5/5
Ive recently found myself hooked to the DC animated universe, thanks to the engaging dark atmosphere and engrossing mysteries of Batman and the rousing sci-fi adventures of Superman, and after watching the amazing Supes series finale Legacy (one of the greatest episodes of television ever), it was only natural that I eagerly sought out Justice League to see what happened next. Imagine my crushing disappointment as I watched the mediocre first season (which Id rate a 2.5/5).
The flaws were just too prevalent; too many episodes were far too action-oriented, there was barely enough character development for the individual JL members, the dialogue just didnt have the maturity Id come to expect from Timm and Dini, and my favorite character, Superman, was poorly rendered in every sense, both visually (what was up with the cheek wrinkles?) and auditory (George Newbern just sounded off compared to Tim Daly). So its with an equal mix of relief and geeky jubilation when I say that season two seemed to acknowledge all my complaints and almost all the problems have been rectified.
The stories are better, Superman has been improved in every possible manner over the first season (the character design was wisely reverted back to the same one as in the Superman animated series and Newberns voice work is now mostly solid and even sometimes as good as Dalys, as was the case in episodes like Twilight, Hereafter, and Comfort and Joy; as a basis of comparison, Daly in his entire Superman run: A+, George Newbern in JL Season One: C-, Season Two: B+), and as a whole the show has just gotten a lot more fun to watch (overall, I give Season One: C, Season Two: A-).
Twilight- A. This is the episode Ive been waiting for ever since Legacy. This rematch between Superman and Darkseid is a rousing sci-fi epic, with awesome battles and a more in-depth look at the planets of Apokolips and New Genesis. Though Twilight doesnt match the emotional impact of Apokolips...Now! or Legacy, it does deliver the same epic thrills, and we get another intense and exciting battle between Supes and Darkseid, which is almost as good as the one in Legacy.
Tabula Rasa- B. This ones mostly intriguing because it adds another facet to the relationship between Mercy Graves and Lex Luthor. There are also some good action scenes, especially the sequence where Superman takes on the android.
Only a Dream- B+. The Justice League finds themselves trapped in the their dreams by an evil new villain. This ones much better than the typical dream episode, mainly because these dreams are actually quite imaginative and the writers do a good job of mining equal parts drama, horror, and humor from these scenes.
Maid of Honor- B-. This ratings a bit kind since there really isnt much in the way of interesting action or plot in this outing. But its still quite watchable and I liked learning about Vandal Savages backstory.
Hearts and Minds- C. Ive never been a big fan of the Green Lanterns and with an episode that lacks both Batman and Superman, this ones just pretty dull throughout.
A Better World- B+. Cool episode that introduces an intriguing alternate universe where the Justice League (calling themselves the Justice Lords) have become planetary dictators. Theres also a great battle scene between the Justice Lords and Doomsday, and alternate Supermans costume is pretty slick if you ask me. The endings concludes things a little too pat, though.
Eclipsed- C. This episode has one really cool flashback scene that shows how ancient Earth used to be populated by humanoid snake creatures. Aside from that, its a boring piece that lacks intriguing conflict and a good villain.
The Terror Beyond- A. One of the seasons best episodes, this one gives us lots of great action (loved the climactic battle and Supermans fight with Solomon Grundy) and an imaginative adventure set in another dimension filled with nasty-looking creatures that appear to be inspired by H.P. Lovecraft.
Secret Society- B+. Though nothing special plot-wise, its fun to see a wild bevy of supervillains take on the Justice League, even if one suspects the JL shouldnt really have any trouble taking them down (which was explained away by Gorilla Grodds mental influences). Hell, Superman could probably take them all on by his lonesome.
Hereafter- A. Possibly the seasons best episode (or at least tied with Twilight and The Terror Beyond), Part 1 is a great look at how the world reacts to Supermans apparent death. Part 2 is arguably even better, with Superman finding himself stuck on another planet that orbits a red sun. He must rely on his wits and survival skills to brave the harsh environment and its hungry inhabitants. This second half is a particularly imaginative and adventurous piece of science fiction, and it even finishes things off on a surprisingly poignant note. A great episode, to say the least.
Comfort and Joy- B+. Purely a character-oriented episode, and I enjoyed seeing Clark spending Christmas with Jonn and his folks.
Wild Card- B. Not the best Joker episode, but it delivers solid action and interest throughout.
Starcrossed- A-. A mostly terrific feature-length episode (runs close to 70 minutes, including the credits) that details Hawkgirls betrayal and the Thanagarian invasion of Earth. The first 2/3s are spectacular, particularly the initial epic battle between the Justice League and the Thanagarians.
The climax isnt entirely satisfying, with action scenes feeling a bit repetitive (too many shots of Thanagarians being tossed about by the JL) and GLs groan-inducing "You can kiss my ax!" line. Still, I liked the stuff afterward, particularly how the writers handled the Justice Leagues feelings towards Hawkgirl and her ultimate decision.
On: 2006-08-30
I BOUGHT THIS DVD FOR MY 5 YEAR OLD GRANDSON. HE LOVED IT.
HE WATCHES IT OVER AND OVER. IF YOU CHILD IS INTO HEROES
THEY WILL LOVE THIS DVD.
On: 2006-08-29
I enjoyed this Justice League - Season Two DVD set as much as I had enjoyed the first one. Then again, I am a big fan of Justice Leagues. However, the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 stars is because they dont put Subtitle in English (Only in Spanish and French). If only they add subtitle in english, it would be perfect!
On: 2006-08-29
I BOUGHT THIS DVD FOR MY 5 YEAR OLD GRANDSON. HE LOVED IT.
HE WATCHES IT OVER AND OVER. IF YOU CHILD IS INTO HEROES
THEY WILL LOVE THIS DVD.
On: 2006-08-26
Why did the dunderheads cancel this show ?
It had brains and great writing. Hawkgirl took off her mask.
When does JLI DVDS come out?
On: 2006-08-14
Season one of Justice League had one of my favorite episodes, The Savage Time (because it featured the Blackhawks), but it is true that the second season improved over-all in both story telling and character development. Comic book superheroes have seldom been better portrayed in either animation or live action. The series improved even more in the last season of JLU, but this season should not be missed.
On: 2006-08-09
Justice League Season 2 magnificently realizes its potential and soars to the top of the animated world, elevated by explosive, plot-driven stories of top-notch quality. All the episodes are pulse-pounding, well formulated, and lives up to the mythological grandeur implicit in these seven iconic heroes. The stories are so superbly written. The shows writers gleefully mine the rich decades-old history of DC comics to produce diverting episodes varying in tone from light-hearted romp to apocalyptically cosmic.
The writers obviously took the viewers few complaints about Season 1 to heart. Gone, for example, is the prior seasons sissy Superman who had a tendency to have his butt handed to him over and over. Instead, we have the Man of Steel in all his unparalleled might, and in "Twilight," he even cuts loose a bit. Theres also more screen time for Wonder Womans innocent crush on the Dark Knight. While Batman, though ever focused on his war on crime, finds himself not insusceptible to Dianas charms. Meanwhile, little is left to doubt about the romantic interest between Green Lantern and Hawkgirl. In a series full of top flight episodes, "Only A Dream," "Secret Society," and "Wild Card" stand out, while the seminal "A Better World" and "Starcrossed" prove to have long-standing repercussions.
The show also did away with the stifling full-screen treatment. The new wide-screen format greatly contributes to a more stunning and epic presentation. With the regular cast of voice actors going as strong as ever (with the indispensable Kevin Conroy, as usual, mezmerizing as Bats), and all-star guest voices Michael Ironside (Darkseid), Clancy Brown (Luthor), Dana Delaney (Lois Lane), Brad Garrett (Lobo), Ian Buchanan (the UltraHumanite), and voice chamelion Mark Hamill (Solomon Grundy, Joker) ably hitting their mark, Justice League Season 2 is decidedly superior animation making.
The special features contain commentaries by Bruce Timm & company on 3 episodes: "Twilight" Part 2, "A Better World" Part 2, and "Starcrossed" Part 3. Theres also "Justice League Declassified" - where Phil Lamarr (voice of GL) hosts a behind the scenes feature with the shows creative team. Heres a disc by disc breakdown of the seasons 26 episodes:
Disc One:
"Twilight" (episodes 1 & 2) - Season 2 starts with a bang as Darkseid calls upon the Justice League to aid him against Brainiacs incursion on Apokolips. Superman (still stewing over past run-ins with Darkseid), Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter take a boomtube to Apokolips to take the battle to Brainiac, while Batman and Wonder Woman head out to New Genesis. Episode 2 showcases a no-holds-barred throw down between a furious Man of Steel and Darkseid, while episode one has Batman chastising Superman: "We know he used you...humiliated you, brainwashed you, wound you up like a tin soldier and turned you loose against Earth - cry me a river!"
"Tabula Rasa" (episodes 3 & 4) - A desperately wounded Lex Luthor finds a new, all-powerful ally in an innocent automaton who has the capability to mimic superpowers. Meanwhile, Jonn Jonzz suffers thru a period of crisis as he questions the worth of defending Earths citizens.
"Only A Dream" (episodes 5 & 6) - Very atmospheric episode as mind-bender Dr. Destiny first puts his ex-wife out of commission then tries to take out the Justice League, trapping all but one in their own worse nightmares. This episode alone is worth viewing to see Batman patronize a Starbucks-like coffee shop in a desperate attempt to stay awake.
Disc two:
"Maid of Honor" (episodes 7 & 8) - Diana babysits the carefree Princess of Casmia, who is engaged to Vandal Savage, who, as usual, is up to his ancient shenanigans. Meanwhile, Batman investigates suspicious incidents involving Casmian military special forces. In this one, Wonder Woman goes clubbing!
"Hearts and Minds" (episodes 9 & 10) - Its GL to the fore as the beleaguered Green Lantern Corps ask his and the Leagues assistance in battling the tyrant Despero and his Legion of the Third Eye. Theres also a subplot involving Hawkgirl, Stewart, and Katma Tui (Stewarts mentor and, er, more). Also nice to see one of my favorite poozers, Kilowog.
"A Better World" (episodes 11 & 12) - Classic, seminal episode which directly ties into the main story arc of Justice League Unlimited Season 2. The League chances upon an alternate world whose version of the Justice League (called the Justice Lords) has taken a darker, more authoritarian persona.
Disc three:
"Eclipsed" (episodes 13 & 14) - As Flash predictably puts his foot in his mouth and sends the Leagues public image careening downwards, an inimical presence with the ability to invade peoples bodies is released from imprisonment. When the JL members are taken over one by one, its up to the sole remaining JLer Flash to save the day. This episode unveils for the first and only time: the Flash-Mobile.
"The Terror Beyond" (episodes 15 & 16) - Dr. Fate, Inza, Aquaman, and Solomon Grundy team up with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Hawkgirl to fend off the long-banished mystical Old Ones.
"Secret Society" (episodes 17 & 18) - As internal strife consumes the League and ultimately causes the groups disbanding, Gorilla Grodd takes full advantage and assembles the third incarnation of the Injustice Gang, with new members Sinestro, Parasite, Killer Frost, Giganta, Shade, & Clayface.
Disc 4:
"Hereafter" (episodes 19 & 20) - Superman falls in battle against a plethora of his personal foes and is believed to be dead. As the League and the world mourns, a powerless Superman, in reality, is alive and trapped under a red sun in the far-flung future, with no way of getting back until he finds help in the person of an unlikely, old-time foe. Meanwhile, The Main Man, Lobo, joins the League.
"Comfort and Joy" (episode 21) - A feel-good Yuletide episode as the League gets some down time. The Flash runs all over the city in search of a DJ Rubber Ducky toy for an orphanage, Clark takes Jonn Jonzz home to Smallville for Christmas, and GL and Hawkgirl bond.
"Wild Card" (episodes 22 & 23) - In a funny take on reality TV shows, the action takes place in Las Vegas, where Joker and the Royal Flush Gang have planted various explosives set on timers, forcing the League to desperately scurry around on a bomb-disarming mission.
"Starcrossed" (episodes 24, 25, & 26) - These are epic, emotionally-charged episodes as betrayal strikes the team from within and secret identities are revealed. Thanagarians come to Earth to ostensibly warn the League of an imminent alien invasion by the Gordanians. The Thanagarians offer their aid, but do they have an ulterior motive? This is the defining storyline that opened up the Justice League roster to other superheroes in the next season.
On: 2006-08-08
Justice League is a worthy successor to the 70s/80s series Superfriends. Superior animation, voice talent, and well-placed CGI make this series deep, well-thought-out, and great entertainment for both kids and adults.
The two-part episode A Better World was the main reason I got this collection in the first place. It involved an alternate dimension where their version of the Justice League, known as the Justice Lords, took control of the world with a very Machiavellian approach, for what they perceived was the greater good. It is a great moral story, which asks a great moral question: How far is too far?
As I got further into the collection, I found that the other story arcs were just as well-thought-out. The two-part episode Hereafter, for example, injects elements of the death of Superman into a good time-travel story. The scene where Superman, flung into a far distant future, first sees the wrecked remains of an all-too-familiar structure, is a great tribute to a similar scene from a popular 1968 movie. (The one with Grodds cousins.)
All the episodes include DC universe villians, well-known and not-so-well, throughout the season, making the series anchored enough to the comics to pay them homage, yet free enough to have its own fun with the players. A great balance.
This collection is a must for anyone young enough to like cartoons, and anyone old enough to call it animation.
On: 2006-08-07
Cant wait until Season three Justice League Unlimited.
thanks
On: 2006-07-31
Friends working together towards evil threats upon Earth. These show provided to be a great change of our Super Friends. The best so far. The "Justice League - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)" is a great. This four disc twenty six episode edition is just as amazing as most comic fans hoped it would be. My husband has been waiting for this set to come out and ever since he received it hes been hooked. The kids enjoy the adventures as well especially my son.
All the voice actors are pretty good, Kevin Conroy is without a doubt the best in his role as Batman, which has become his career more or less, but Michael Rosenbaum, Phil Lamarr, and Carl Lumbly are also standouts as Flash, Green Lantern, and Jonn Jonnzz/Martian Manhunter, respectively. However, I miss Tim Daly as the voice of Superman, who for once has some gray hair and some wrinkles in his face (maybe hes been caught up in with something). George Newbern is okay as Superman, but whenever he talks he sounds like he has a cold, and he sounds a bit too young. Also I think Daly had a better understanding of Supermans character, although George did get better as the show went along. But other than that, this show is worth it.
Watching this animation doesnt make you feel like you are watching a series of TV episodes but rather a movie. The second season is extremely entertaining and contains great action and humor. Highly recommend for those who enjoy the superheroes.
On: 2006-07-31
What can I say BatMan is the Man... We need to see More DarkSide but all in all this is a great Season, much better that Season 1. The Animation is better and plot/char development is coming along. If your a original 1970-80 Justics League fan you will like this set..
On: 2006-07-30
Friends working together towards evil threats upon Earth. These show provided to be a great change of our Super Friends. The best so far. The "Justice League - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)" is a great. This four disc twenty six episode edition is just as amazing as most comic fans hoped it would be. My husband has been waiting for this set to come out and ever since he received it hes been hooked. The kids enjoy the adventures as well especially my son.
All the voice actors are pretty good, Kevin Conroy is without a doubt the best in his role as Batman, which has become his career more or less, but Michael Rosenbaum, Phil Lamarr, and Carl Lumbly are also standouts as Flash, Green Lantern, and Jonn Jonnzz/Martian Manhunter, respectively. However, I miss Tim Daly as the voice of Superman, who for once has some gray hair and some wrinkles in his face (maybe hes been caught up in with something). George Newbern is okay as Superman, but whenever he talks he sounds like he has a cold, and he sounds a bit too young. Also I think Daly had a better understanding of Supermans character, although George did get better as the show went along. But other than that, this show is worth it.
Watching this animation doesnt make you feel like you are watching a series of TV episodes but rather a movie. The second season is extremely entertaining and contains great action and humor. Highly recommend for those who enjoy the superheroes.
On: 2006-07-20
...cant the people currently writing DC comics do this? Why cant they make the comics more like this show? Its not like itd be that hard, since the show essentially distills down the very best elements of 60 or so years of the comics. Why cant the comics be this good? Why cant Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and the other masterminds behind this show, "Batman the Animated Series," "Superman the Animated Seres" and "Batman Beyond" be made editors-in-chief over at DC and give us comics every bit as engaging, thrilling, touching and fun as this show was?
But we were talking about a DVD set. The whole anamorphic watchamacallit business might be important to people with widescreen TVs, I guess, but I aint anywhere near that tax bracket. All I know is I put my DVD set for "Justice League Season Two" in my DVD player and I get distinctive animation, top notch voice work and, most importantly, brilliant scripts that deliver razor sharp dialogue, memorable characterization and thrilling plots. Five stars, and that only because Amazons system wont let me give more.
On: 2006-07-11
Some DVD sets Ive walked away satisfied but wanting more; this time around, we get an additional bonus that we hadnt seen before: a featurette that showcases the voice talent on the show and is even hosted by Phil LaMarr (Green Lantern). But, more on that later--lets dig into the show itself.
With season two of Justice League, the crew behind the show decided to go bigger, bolder and even deeper into the characters that make up the principle cast of the show. As a result, we get a massive season opener in "Twilight", deeper character relationships in "Hearts and Minds" and the rousing finale in "Starcrossed" which culminates in fights of epic proportions that center around Hawkgirls betrayal. With such a shaky start in season one, season two has easily surpassed its younger self and even eclipsed seasons of the other shows in the DC animated universe.
The cover to the set is the raised type weve received on previous releases with the back art displaying all you need to know about the set. Also of note is the back now states "Widescreen" in the video information, despite what the previously released back cover image displayed ("Standard").
This season of Justice League was the first to be animated and aired in widescreen. On this set we get the full image, but it is presented in a 4:3 matted frame, which means forced widescreen bars (even on a widescreen TV screen) and a non-anamorphic image; some fans were up in arms about this when it was first released (I will admit, I was upset as well), but after some investigation it turns out this was done because the transfers used for this DVD were from the same master copies that aired on Cartoon Network. The producer (Bruce Timm) prefers it this way, so that was how it was released.
Stepping into the special features, we have a nice robust lump this time around. Three commentaries that are all interesting and have very, very few silent moments. There is a ton of insight given into the original drafts and scenes of "Twilight" and "Starcrossed"; "A Better World" gets some extra light dropped on it due to its massive impact on the second season of Justice League Unlimited.
Aside from the trailers, we have two other special features: "Justice League: Declassified" and "Voices of Justice." "Declassified" picks up where the first season set left off with a round table interview with Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Butch Lukic and Dwayne McDuffie. At the end, Hillhouse and Timm walk us through some exclusive looks at uncluttered background images. All total the feature runs briefly under eight minutes, but its informative and entertaining every second of the way.
"Voices of Justice" is the real cream of the crop in this release, however. Phil LaMarr ("Green Lantern") sits down with voice talent of the show and voice director Andrea Romano and interviews them on their experiences with the show. The voice actors in this sit down are Jennifer Hale ("Giganta", "Killer Frost"), George Newbern ("Superman"), Maria Canals ("Hawkgirl") and Susan Eisenberg ("Wonder Woman"). Theyre all very chatty throughout the featurette and while theres nothing really all that informative given, it is just a lot of fun to watch them record their lines, flub a few and talk about making the punching and grunt noises. The featurette reaches back into the early seasons, with Eisenbergs shyness to perform the sound effect grunts and Newberns voice being pitched down at first.
There is a bit of Superman history on this disc as well (found on the first disc) which is more or less a history akin to the Batman one on the Batman Anthology DVD; this isnt the full featurette, merely a preview of it. Also, it is worth noting that the packaging and menus show something different for the special features. This is a printing mix-up; the "Voices of Justice League" is on disc one and "Declassified" is on the third disc.
Overall this is another solid set with very few disappointments. The lack of anamorphic transfer is a downer to be sure, but the pristine transfer of both audio and video and the special features make for one hell of a release. Heres hoping the wait until Decembers Justice League Unlimiteds release isnt too unbearable!
On: 2006-07-02
The best thing about season two are the incredible stories that are established. In fact many of the stories that are completed by the end of the JLU run are established here in Season Two.
Waiting for Time/Warner to collect the sets was definitely worth it!
Due to some intense scenes I wouldnt recommend letting your little ones watch each episode.
On: 2006-06-29
This season especially has made me a Justice League lover. It was so good in writing, directing and voice acting that at the end I wanted to take take a time warp to season 3. I truly feel this is one of the best shows ever made and Bruce Timm/ Butch Lukics best work! If you see it you will love it, its too good not too!
P.S YES, IT HAS STARCROSSED!!! ( simply select" MORE" on the bottom of the episode screen) Starcrossed has its own menu page, and so it should.
On: 2006-06-26
as usual the seasons of justice league are great and worth the price but i dont know how Warner bros marketing lets this one get by. the pakcaging details are all messed up. the episode listing is off. episodes on disc 4 are actually on disc 3. which may cause a panic for some thinking they got a defective disk. dont go by the back written details. also there are actually 2 behind the scenes discussions. one with the creators and another with the actors about voice acting. the voice acting one is not on the packageing but is on the menu. very slapdash packaging. but its worth looking for. very informative and awesome to see the faces behind the voices.
On: 2006-06-23
I am not going to talk much about the flaws of this volume as theyve pretty much been pointed out in other reviews (in some cases beaten like a dead horse) so here is a review of the eppys:
Disc 1
Twilight, Pt. 1 - In a surprise move, Darkside comes to the Justice League for help against Braniac! Superman, however, still harbors a major grudge from his last encounter with the lord of Apokolips!
*Twilight, Pt. 2 - The JL has been duped as Braniac set a trap for our heroes. Also, witness a fight to the finish between Superman and Darkside that ends up with Batman playing "good cop" in the situation!
Tabula Rasa, Pt. 1 - Needing serious help, Lex Luthor evades the JL only to find his old bodyguard/mistress Merci has taken over his old company and has turned her back on him. Desperate, he befriends an android that was a creation of one of his old scientists......an android that can evolve both in intelligence and in power.
Tabula Rasa, Pt. 2 - Seeing the sincere friendship his android ally has for him, Lex Luthor manipulates him into attacking the JL as he can mimic all their powers and uses them against them!
Only A Dream, Pt. 1 - A lowly criminal gains the power to enter peoples dreams and turn them into their worst nightmares!
Only A Dream, Pt. 2 - With the rest of the team fighting their own dreams, only Batman remains to stay awake to battle this new menace!
*Twilight, Pt. 2 contains optional commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Butch Lukic and Dwayne McDuffie
Disc 2
Maid Of Honor, Pt. 1 - During a rare civilian appearance, Wonder Woman attends a ball in Paris (and dances with Batman in his civilian identity of Bruce Wayne) and uncovers a plot against the princess of Kaznia.
Maid Of Honor, Pt. 2 - With aid from Batman, Wonder Woman discovers the plot is instigated by Vandel Savage! The conclusion leads to another sign of WWs affection for The Dark Knight. Also stars Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter.
Hearts & Minds, Pt. 1 - Green Lanterns former mentor and a group of other Lanterns are in danger. John Stewart (the GL from earth) goes to rescue them but ends up needing help himself!
Hearts & Minds, Pt. 2 - Hawkgirl, Flash and Martian Manhunter find GL and help him and the other GLs complete their mission. Also, some new foreshadowing of the romance between Hawkgirl and GL.
A Better World, Pt. 1 - One of the best episodes of the series as The Justice League meets up with The Justice Lords! Alternate versions of themselves from another universe, only this version has taken the law into their hands and plans on doing the same in their world!
*A Better World, Pt. 2 - The Justice League battle to save Hawkgirl and return to their own universe to stop the Justice Lords. Interesting battle (both physically and mentally) is between the Batmen of both groups!
*A Better World, Pt. 2 features alternate commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Stan Berkowitz and Dwayne McDuffie.
Disc 3
Eclipsed, Pt. 1 - A crazed warrior that has lived for centuries fails to keep "The Dark Heart" from being taken by a group of military soliders. This "crystal" is actually a living spirit of a race of snake-men that takes over the minds of whoever touches it!
Eclipsed, Pt. 2 - With most of the Justice League under the Dark Hearts power, The Flash is on his own to save both his teammates and the sun from destruction!
The Terror Beyond, Pt. 1 - A missunderstanding brings Superman, Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl into conflict with Soloman Grundy, Dr. Fate and Aquaman!
The Terror Beyond, Pt. 2 - Cooler heads win out as the JL discover there is a bigger threat to earth with links to Hawkgirls anscestors on Thanagar!
Secret Society, Pt. 1 - Grod forms The Secret Society with Shade, Giganta, Clay Face, Sinestro, that dude from Superman: The Animated Series that can absorb powers and a woman who can generate intense cold to take on the JL. To this end, Grod sets up a way to turn the JL against each other!
Secret Society, Pt. 2 - With the JL divided, the SS stage a final battle at a football game! In spite of their anger towards each other, the JL unites for their own survival.
Special Feature:
Justice League Declassified - A round table discussion with the creators of the Justice League. Despite what the packaging says, this DOES NOT include Phil Lamarr (voice of the Green Lantern).
Disc 4
Hereafter, Pt. 1 - The JL and many others mourn the death of Superman (including even Lex Luthor), not knowing that the Man Of Steel is still alive!
Hereafter, Pt. 2 - Blown many years into the future, Superman meets up with a more benevalent Vandal Savage who helps him return to the his past.
Comfort And Joy - Special holiday episode featuring Superman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and The Flash.
Wild Card, Pt. 1 - The Joker returns to not only challenge Batman but the JL too by planting bombs all over Las Vegas. He doesnt come alone this time as he has both Harley Quinn and The Royal Flush Gang (NOTE: this is the early version of this Gang as they were actually introduced first on Batman Beyond in the future)!
Wild Card, Pt. 2 - In a race against time, the JL fight to find the bombs while taking down the Royal Flush Gang! Also, the payoff with Hawkgirl and GL finally comes to ahead with Hawkgirl taking off her mask for the first time in the series!
Starcrossed, Pt. 1 - In another classic, Hawkgirls own people come to earth to warn them of a new danger but all isnt what it seems.
Starrcrossed, Pt. 2 - Betrayed by Hawkgirl, the JL is forced to go underground to regroup. They are also forced to reveal their identities to each other and there is another Batman/WW moment during this chapter.
*Starrcrossed, Pt. 3 - With the JL fighting to save earth and the Thanagarians looking to destroy it for their own needs, Hawkgirl is forced to choose not only between the JL and the Thanagarians but also between Ro Talak and Green Lantern.
*Starcrossed, Pt. 3 has alternate commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Butch Lukic and Dwayne McDuffie.
The packaging also has a misprint as they have Hereafter and Secret Society in the wrong places! Only other thing I wouldve liked to have seen is the Static Shock/JL crossovers (including the solo Batman, GL and Superman ones)! Still, overall, I have no major complaints about this set! Worth the money despite the flaws!
On: 2006-06-23
If you have a wide-screen tv, dont buy this set. The picture will look the same if you just use your DVR and tape them the next time CN reruns thems. What a waste of a great show. WB is clueless.
On: 2006-06-23
Justice League is a great cartoon featuring the team-up of seven iconic DC Comics Superheroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and the Martian Manhunter as they team up to save to world from intergalactic threats and supervillians. It it a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond and furthers plots developed on those shows.
This second season set of Justice League features some of the best episodes of the series. I have heard elsewhere about how much the series improved in its voice performances and fight scenes but it also has really witty dialogue which is a first for the DC Animated Universe.
This set contains 26 episodes most of which are two or three parters AND most of which are really good or better. If you are a fan of Batman: The Animated Series, youll really dig this show.
The special features are standard but informative (there is a deleted scene Easter Egg on disc three) and the commentaries are probably about as entertaining as any Ive ever heard. The menus are kind of static and bland though. There are also no chapter stops during the episodes so that is something else to be aware of.
Disc One contains:
"Twilight"--the first rematch of Superman and Darkseid since the old Superman cartoons bittersweet Finale "Legacy". A lot of people love the fight scenes here which are bone-crunching but I personally have a soft spot for both Batman and Darkseids snarky one-liners.
"Tabula Rasa"-- The episode is only decent (the Martian Manhunter stuff is boring) but it sets up some neat stuff with Lex Luthor in the Cadmus arc on Justice League Unlimited.
"Only a Dream"-- Dr. Destiny as a villian is kind of lame but the episode has some really scary animation. Also great is Batman trying to stay awake in some very funny scenes.
Disc Two:
"Maid of Honor"-- This was the Justice League episode that got me hooked on the series. It features the return of a James Bondish villian and lines witty enough to belong in a screwball comedy.
"Hearts and Minds"-- One of the few duds on the set it never-the-less features great music and a magnificent performance by Keith David (Gargoyles Goliath) as the villian.
"A Better World"-- A really disturbing episode not only because a lot of things that happen in the alternate universe of the Justice Lords happen in JLU but because the alternate Gotham and Arkham Asylum are so clean and ordered its jarring. Great episode.
Disc Three
"The Terror Beyond"-- Really moving ending that explores issues of faith which is kind of rare on a kids show. The first three quarters of the episode is just one long pointless fight scene however. Stiil you get to see Superman clobber Aquaman.
"Eclipsed"-- Mediocre episode more memorable for the Flash gags than the actual story.
"Secret Society"-- MUCH better villian team-up than season ones Injustice For All (Gorilla Grodd is great) with a geeky Superfriends homage at the end.
Disc Four
"Hereafter"-- Probably the best episode of the series and the ONLY movie/comic/book/cartoon/show Ive seen that begins with the fake death of a major character where the resolution is NOT a total cop-out. Also the most delighfully bizarre and unpredictable twists and turns of the series.
"Comfort and Joy"-- Holiday fluff.
"Wild Cards"-- Final appearance of the Joker and Harley Quinn (grumble grumble, Bat Embargo) is a mixture between a reality show and "24". REALLY hard to describe but a really fun episode. The end is a beautiful pay-off for fans of Hawkgirl and Green Lantern.
"Starcrossed"-- Watershed episode that turned everything we thought we knew about the series upside down. I wont go much deeper than that so as not to spoil the plot twists but one of the finest cartoons the DC Animated Universe has ever produced.
About the non-animorphic wide-screen: If you dont have a wide-screen TV (I dont) its a non-issue. If you do, whether or not to buy it is your call but if you have an older TV set, not buying it as some sort of "fan solidarity" is stupid. If you are a fan of this show and would like to see future DC Animated Universe projects or DVD sets not buying it will insure they will never happen. I feel bad about folks with widescreen sets, I do, but if you dont HAVE one you really should buy this set if youre a fan of the show or just a fan of great cartoons in general.
On: 2006-06-22
I am not going to talk much about the flaws of this volume as theyve pretty much been pointed out in other reviews (in some cases beaten like a dead horse) so here is a review of the eppys:
Disc 1
Twilight, Pt. 1 - In a surprise move, Darkside comes to the Justice League for help against Braniac! Superman, however, still harbors a major grudge from his last encounter with the lord of Apokolips!
*Twilight, Pt. 2 - The JL has been duped as Braniac set a trap for our heroes. Also, witness a fight to the finish between Superman and Darkside that ends up with Batman playing "good cop" in the situation!
Tabula Rasa, Pt. 1 - Needing serious help, Lex Luthor evades the JL only to find his old bodyguard/mistress Merci has taken over his old company and has turned her back on him. Desperate, he befriends an android that was a creation of one of his old scientists......an android that can evolve both in intelligence and in power.
Tabula Rasa, Pt. 2 - Seeing the sincere friendship his android ally has for him, Lex Luthor manipulates him into attacking the JL as he can mimic all their powers and uses them against them!
Only A Dream, Pt. 1 - A lowly criminal gains the power to enter peoples dreams and turn them into their worst nightmares!
Only A Dream, Pt. 2 - With the rest of the team fighting their own dreams, only Batman remains to stay awake to battle this new menace!
*Twilight, Pt. 2 contains optional commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Butch Lukic and Dwayne McDuffie
Disc 2
Maid Of Honor, Pt. 1 - During a rare civilian appearance, Wonder Woman attends a ball in Paris (and dances with Batman in his civilian identity of Bruce Wayne) and uncovers a plot against the princess of Kaznia.
Maid Of Honor, Pt. 2 - With aid from Batman, Wonder Woman discovers the plot is instigated by Vandel Savage! The conclusion leads to another sign of WWs affection for The Dark Knight. Also stars Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter.
Hearts & Minds, Pt. 1 - Green Lanterns former mentor and a group of other Lanterns are in danger. John Stewart (the GL from earth) goes to rescue them but ends up needing help himself!
Hearts & Minds, Pt. 2 - Hawkgirl, Flash and Martian Manhunter find GL and help him and the other GLs complete their mission. Also, some new foreshadowing of the romance between Hawkgirl and GL.
A Better World, Pt. 1 - One of the best episodes of the series as The Justice League meets up with The Justice Lords! Alternate versions of themselves from another universe, only this version has taken the law into their hands and plans on doing the same in their world!
*A Better World, Pt. 2 - The Justice League battle to save Hawkgirl and return to their own universe to stop the Justice Lords. Interesting battle (both physically and mentally) is between the Batmen of both groups!
*A Better World, Pt. 2 features alternate commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Stan Berkowitz and Dwayne McDuffie.
Disc 3
Eclipsed, Pt. 1 - A crazed warrior that has lived for centuries fails to keep "The Dark Heart" from being taken by a group of military soliders. This "crystal" is actually a living spirit of a race of snake-men that takes over the minds of whoever touches it!
Eclipsed, Pt. 2 - With most of the Justice League under the Dark Hearts power, The Flash is on his own to save both his teammates and the sun from destruction!
The Terror Beyond, Pt. 1 - A missunderstanding brings Superman, Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl into conflict with Soloman Grundy, Dr. Fate and Aquaman!
The Terror Beyond, Pt. 2 - Cooler heads win out as the JL discover there is a bigger threat to earth with links to Hawkgirls anscestors on Thanagar!
Secret Society, Pt. 1 - Grod forms The Secret Society with Shade, Giganta, Clay Face, Sinestro, that dude from Superman: The Animated Series that can absorb powers and a woman who can generate intense cold to take on the JL. To this end, Grod sets up a way to turn the JL against each other!
Secret Society, Pt. 2 - With the JL divided, the SS stage a final battle at a football game! In spite of their anger towards each other, the JL unites for their own survival.
Special Feature:
Justice League Declassified - A round table discussion with the creators of the Justice League. Despite what the packaging says, this DOES NOT include Phil Lamarr (voice of the Green Lantern).
Disc 4
Hereafter, Pt. 1 - The JL and many others mourn the death of Superman (including even Lex Luthor), not knowing that the Man Of Steel is still alive!
Hereafter, Pt. 2 - Blown many years into the future, Superman meets up with a more benevalent Vandal Savage who helps him return to the his past.
Comfort And Joy - Special holiday episode featuring Superman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and The Flash.
Wild Card, Pt. 1 - The Joker returns to not only challenge Batman but the JL too by planting bombs all over Las Vegas. He doesnt come alone this time as he has both Harley Quinn and The Royal Flush Gang (NOTE: this is the early version of this Gang as they were actually introduced first on Batman Beyond in the future)!
Wild Card, Pt. 2 - In a race against time, the JL fight to find the bombs while taking down the Royal Flush Gang! Also, the payoff with Hawkgirl and GL finally comes to ahead with Hawkgirl taking off her mask for the first time in the series!
Starcrossed, Pt. 1 - In another classic, Hawkgirls own people come to earth to warn them of a new danger but all isnt what it seems.
Starrcrossed, Pt. 2 - Betrayed by Hawkgirl, the JL is forced to go underground to regroup. They are also forced to reveal their identities to each other and there is another Batman/WW moment during this chapter.
*Starrcrossed, Pt. 3 - With the JL fighting to save earth and the Thanagarians looking to destroy it for their own needs, Hawkgirl is forced to choose not only between the JL and the Thanagarians but also between Ro Talak and Green Lantern.
*Starcrossed, Pt. 3 has alternate commentary from Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Butch Lukic and Dwayne McDuffie.
The packaging also has a misprint as they have Hereafter and Secret Society in the wrong places! Only other thing I wouldve liked to have seen is the Static Shock/JL crossovers (including the solo Batman, GL and Superman ones)! Still, overall, I have no major complaints about this set! Worth the money despite the flaws!
On: 2006-06-22
all the prerelease reviews and even the actual boxs episode list has hearafter on disc 3 and secret society on disc 4;
they are actually vice versa (note the seasons actual episode guide [...].
also, unless i missed him phil lamarr does not in fact host "jla declassified"....its the same host from the roundtable discussion from season 1s box set i believe!
anyone else slightly disappointed with the lack of bonus material included?
any chance theyll ever include the 2-part a league of their own static shock episodes in jl box sets?
that said, cannot WAIT for the jlu releases...guessing we can expect a season 3 and then seasons 4 and 5 or will they do separate box sets a la superman the animated series and sex and the citys last seasons?
-adolfo
kyliedawg@aol.com
-adolfo
kyliedawg@aol.com
On: 2006-06-21
Many reviewers seem to be offended by the fan outrage at the lack of anamorphic encoding. Many who dont seem to know what anamorphic encoding is. On a standard 4x3 television it means nothing both will look 100% identical but for the millions of consumers who own widescreen HDTVs non-anamorphic DVDs offer the consumers two choices. Watch the film with black bars on four sides of the screen or zoom the image in and reduce the quality. Anamorphic DVDs expand to fill the widescreen television at full quality. Today at least 99.9% of widescreen DVD releases are anamorphic. Theres good reason for this its because anamorphic widescreen provides a vast video improvement. Its a cheap and easy process that costs hundreds not thousands of dollars for the studios to implement. Not going anamorphic causes fan unrest and numerous boycotting and thus even the cheapest releases have gotten it. Gigli got an anamorphic transfer for crying out load. Which is why there is outrage at the fact that Justice League isnt. Justice League Season two has possibly the best superhero cartoons ever made and have a huge following. So why when so many cheap DVDs over the years have recieved anamorphic treatment so routinely do these great cartoons get such poor treatment. Whats even more outragous is that the 3 episode final Starcrossed was released on DVD in anamorphic encoding yet appears without on this set. Never in the history of the DVD format has any film ever been released anamorphic first only to be downconverted to non-anamorphic on a latter release. The stupidity of that is just unbelievable. Fans have every right to be outraged over this. Justice League deserves much better. I hope an anamorphic or high definition version is released soon but until then I can not purchase this set. I cant stand to see the show I love treated so poorly.
On: 2006-06-21
When Justice league first premiered, I was less than thrilled. I even thought it was just a rip off of Superman and Batman. That is until on vacation I had a chance to watch Only a Dream Parts 1 and 2 one Saturday evening. I was hooked from then on. I could not wait until the next Saturday when two new episodes were unveiled. Soon later came A Better World and later I would see Hereafter without a doubt the series marquees.
However, as evidenced by my response tonight to The Terror Beyond, it seems no matter how many times I have this seen these episodes, I end up in tears when Solomon Grundy meets his fate. In the episodes cited above, I can share moving experiences of the same caliber. For me as a fan of Superman, Batman and the DC Universe in general this is top-notch storytelling, animation and now presented in widescreen.
If you have bought previous sets (Batman, Superman et al) the special features are what you would expect from the previous sets.
However, I will say nothing more but only to buy this set if you are any bit of a fan and find those special moments, that make you laugh, cry, despair and enjoy Justice League over and over again.
On: 2006-06-21
First the person who said that they had every right to complain you do. But its just been said before so many times. This wont be able played on HDTV or whatever you guys own, or I wont get a clear picture. I understand your angry but why waste your time on amazon.com when you guys can go and complain to WB. I doubt it that WB even reads reviews on here. People aint gonna listen because its been like 1000 people complaining and it may not stop alot of fans from buying this set. Hey it is F&cked up that Gigle got the special treatment and not Justice League. Justice League is one of the best shows out there. Sorry but I just cant give this show a one star, it deserves all five and neither should the loyal fans give it a one star treatment. Hopefully WB will fix the problem. Untill then amazon cant to a damn thing so please quit the complaining its getting annoying and its useless. Write a letter or send an email or something to get WBs and the creators attention. Hey do a pettition, I sign it anyday. And one day Justice will be served.
On: 2006-06-20
Season 2...where to begin...
Season 2 is the best season of the show. PERIOD. (Season 4 a close second). The first season is a "getting to know" the heroes, where they come from, who they are, ect. Season 2 is where it the show goes from good to epic. From Twilight to Starcrossed, every episode is worth the price of the DVD set. From "twilight" the season kicks off with a bang as Superman/Braniac/Darkseid have-it-out in space. Followed by Tabula Rasa, where AMAZO is intruduced. Stories go from the epic "Hereafter" and " A Better World", to the outright creepy as "Only a Dream" and "Wild Cards", to the just plain fun of "Secret Society" and "Comfort and Joy". This season is important as events here lay the ground work for the entire rest of the JL and JLU show (ex: "A Better World" leads to Season 4 and "Secret Society" and "Twilight" lead to Season 5).
Best about this season is the characters themselves are given much more depth then previously (Hawkgirl and Green Lantern a great deal more), as well as a better understanding of the dynamic of the Batman/Superman freindship (ex: "Twilight and "A Better World"). If you liked Season One, you must see Season Two (and without it, JLU would make NO sense). Enjoy.
On: 2006-06-20
When a crisis arises to threaten mankind, the worlds greatest superheroes come together to save the day in "Justice League: Season Two". Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter and the Flash are the seven members of the mightiest crime-fighting force, the Justice League. In this collection of 26 action-packed episodes, the Justice League faces new challenges and more formidable enemies like the ruthless warlord Darkseid, the power-duplicating android Amazo, the menacing psychic Dr. Destiny and the fearsome Secret Society of Super Villains. Though the animated hit series had a rocky start, the second season shows some considerable improvements over the first. The stories are better structured and the characters are well developed. The second season features exciting comic book action, great voice acting, sharp animation and the highly entertaining series finale "Starcrossed". The second season of "Justice League" also includes guest voice stars like Dennis Haysbert, Ron Perlman, Lisa Edelstein, Alfred Molina, Mark Hamill, Enrico Colantoni, Powers Boothe and Brad Garrett.
"Justice League: Season Two" is a welcome addition to your comic book DVD collection. Though the 26 episodes are presented in a 1.78:1 letterboxed frame, the video transfer on these discs is truly great and free of dust and other minor blemishes. Its 2.0 Dolby Digital sound is very dynamic. The 4-Disc set includes informative audio commentaries by the shows creators on three key episodes (Twilight Pt.2, A Better World Pt.2 & Starcrossed Pt.3), "Justice League: Declassified" panel discussion, "Voices of Justice" behind-the-scenes featurette and trailers of other Warner animated titles. Despite its obvious downside, "Justice League: Season Two" scores an "A-".
On: 2006-06-20
Justice League Season 2 is definately the best DC Animated series before it went Justice League Unlimited. Season 2 of Justice League is what every fan of DC comics could ask for: Beautiful animation, excellent character development, awesome fights and unexpected changes and twists. 7 heroes united plus some guests characters are The Justice League. Joker is back, Luthor is back and so is the Secret Society leaded by Gorilla Grood. If you want to have fun get this set asap. Oh yeah, the season finale of this set is mind blowing, totally awesome. Now bring on JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED!
On: 2006-06-19
Season 2...where to begin...
Season 2 is the best season of the show. PERIOD. (Season 4 a close second). The first season is a "getting to know" the heroes, where they come from, who they are, ect. Season 2 is where it the show goes from good to epic. From Twilight to Starcrossed, every episode is worth the price of the DVD set. From "twilight" the season kicks off with a bang as Superman/Braniac/Darkseid have-it-out in space. Followed by Tabula Rasa, where AMAZO is intruduced. Stories go from the epic "Hereafter" and " A Better World", to the outright creepy as "Only a Dream" and "Wild Cards", to the just plain fun of "Secret Society" and "Comfort and Joy". This season is important as events here lay the ground work for the entire rest of the JL and JLU show (ex: "A Better World" leads to Season 4 and "Secret Society" and "Twilight" lead to Season 5).
Best about this season is the characters themselves are given much more depth then previously (Hawkgirl and Green Lantern a great deal more), as well as a better understanding of the dynamic of the Batman/Superman freindship (ex: "Twilight and "A Better World"). If you liked Season One, you must see Season Two (and without it, JLU would make NO sense). Enjoy.
On: 2006-06-19
Justice League Season 2 was broadcast in widescreen. This does not mean that they arbitrarily added black bars to the picture to make is look that way and in no way are they removing part of the picture. Think of an envlope. You cant fit a rectangle into a square box, but if you cut off the ends to make it square then it will fit. Such is pan and scan or 4:3. But if you pull the envelope back until the ends fit into the box you are left with space at the top and the bottom, hense "letterbox" or 16:9. Instead of just leaving static there the producers filled them in with black bars. An anamorphic transfer would eliminate those bars on widescreen tvs and fill the entire screen, but because this is not an anamorphic transfer the black bars are part of the signal and therefore will never go away. I feel this is a small price to pay for having one of the greatest cartoon series ever produced out on DVD. Stop bitching.
On: 2006-06-18
Those wide-tv owners w/ VCRs could hook the VCR into the tv, hook the DVD player into the VCR, play the DVD, and reformat it to fit and it may work.
On: 2006-06-18
I see a lot of people complaining about the lack of widescreen, which is understandable, however this show was not made to be shown in widescreen. It was sometimes shown on TV in widescreen, but that was just them adding black bars to the top and bottom prior to broadcast, therefore, if the dvds were presented in widescreen, you would actually be losing part of the picture. Isnt the main reason people want widescreen for movies because pan and scan removes part of the picture? If these were widescreen the same thing would happen, wed lose part of the picture. For people who claim to be "disgusted" by this, get a life.
On: 2006-06-18
Justice League Season 2 was broadcast in widescreen. This does not mean that they arbitrarily added black bars to the picture to make is look that way and in no way are they removing part of the picture. Think of an envlope. You cant fit a rectangle into a square box, but if you cut off the ends to make it square then it will fit. Such is pan and scan or 4:3. But if you pull the envelope back until the ends fit into the box you are left with space at the top and the bottom, hense "letterbox" or 16:9. Instead of just leaving static there the producers filled them in with black bars. An anamorphic transfer would eliminate those bars on widescreen tvs and fill the entire screen, but because this is not an anamorphic transfer the black bars are part of the signal and therefore will never go away. I feel this is a small price to pay for having one of the greatest cartoon series ever produced out on DVD. Stop bitching.
On: 2006-06-17
Those wide-tv owners w/ VCRs could hook the VCR into the tv, hook the DVD player into the VCR, play the DVD, and reformat it to fit and it may work.
On: 2006-06-14
First off will people please stop b!tc#ing abot how this DVD wont play on HDTVs or widescreens. We heard the first 100 people man. If your not gonna buy this great set then thats your problem.I understand your pissed but come on we dont need another person being a crybaby about this. If your gonna review the show than review the show. I am gonna buy this set and I will be glad to own this great set. One of my favorite episodes on here is A better world. The evil Supermans costume looks crazy. Its a black and white suit with the red symbol. Other great episodes on here is starcrossed, only a dream, and the secret society. Plus a Justice League member will turn their back on the group in this season. Wont tell you, youll have to wait. After this season its off to JLU with more super heroes coming to join the Justice League. Great season and I will be proud to own it on June 20th.
On: 2006-06-09
Justice League is possibly the best superhero cartoon on television and this season is probably the best. I cant believe in 2006 we are getting a non-anamorphic release. Anamorphic is everything. For those with widescreen televisions the picture is absolutly awful. Fuzzy and grainy. Bruce Timm apparently likes this better. He is either unbelievably technologically ignorant or a liar. I have lost all respect for him. Hopefully we will soon get an anamorphic release (even better would be a high def release) but this current set isnt worth your money.
On: 2006-06-09
Im appalled that this is going to be a non-anamorphic release. Its great that were getting the episodes in their original aspect ratio, but theres just no excuse for making it non-anamorphic. I *LOVE* this show, and Ive already bought Season 1. But I wont buy Season 2 until there is a proper anamorphic release.
On: 2006-05-30
Im the biggest fan of this show out there, but a non-anamorphic transfer in this day and age is simply an insult to any widescreen television owner. If you own or plan on owning a widescreen display or a HDTV, youll be forced to watch this beautifully animated show in a small box in the centre of your screen. Or worse, stretch the picture and end up with sub-VHS quality. Justice League deserves much, much better than this shoddy treatment.
Ive never been so let down by Warner Home Video and I very much hope a corrected anamorphic version of this set is released soon so that those of us with modern television sets can enjoy the greatest superhero show of all time.
On: 2006-05-24
Season two of Justice League managed to improve on the first season in some aspects (the use of CGI, voice acting, etc.), but for the most part its on par with the more than solid first season. The Leaguers are back: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and the Martian Manhunter are all here, and each one gets their share of the spotlight. Classic DC villains also make their mark this season as well, including Brainiac, Darkseid, and the Joker, including a big highlight of the season that occurs when the League meet their evil alternate universe counterparts (in a delicious ode to Grant Morrisons JLA: Earth 2 comic). As you all know by now, the second season concludes with the 3 part "Starcrossed" (which was previously released as a single DVD), in which the League face an alien invasion of from Hawkgirls home planet, and endure a startling betrayal as well. All this sets the stage for the revamped Justice League Unlimited series, which expands the League to include members and characters from the comics. All in all, season two of Justice League is another fine season of animated DC Comics action, and while its nothing truly great (like the original Batman: The Animated Series), its still better than a lot of animated crud out there today (The Batman anyone?).
On: 2006-05-06
I believe WB knows the future is HD. They have sold (most of) the episodes out of season-box-sets first, then they sell them in boxsets, but in a quality (non-anamorphic) that will be unacceptable to most people in the near future, and then they can sell an HD version as well. Its nothing if not effective marketing! That said, and feeling cheated by WB, I must have these DVDs all the same, cuz the episodes are so ... great! I also give the episodes 5 stars - but I do feel let down by WB ...
On: 2006-05-04
I love this series and Season 2 was amazingly well done, but I cannot purchase this product. It is just not HDTV friendly. Someone should let WB know what the future will look like. It will be, and is, HDTV. Forcing a large majority of users to zoom in and degrade the presentaion just to view it properly is silly to say the least.
If WB thinks that their demographics for this product are people who dont care about widescreen and are 10 - 16 years old, then they are quite wrong.
Fix the aspect ratio issue, or release a widescreen version, and I will scoop this up immediately.
On: 2006-04-24
High above the Earth in the great Watchtower of the Justice League, there are assembled the worlds seven greatest heroes created from the cosmic legends of the universe - Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl. Their mission: To fight injustice, to right that which is wrong, and to serve all mankind.
Despite the colossal success of season one, the "Justice League" creators wisely went back to formula on some elements from the show. Most notably Supermans "scaled back to his Superman: TAS- look", and the direction of George Newberns vocal performances, both to much better results. The shows suspense and drama gets amped up several notches as the producers up the ante in terms of plot and character development, forcing the heroes to deal with issues of deep-rooted feelings of mistrust, insecurities, internal strife, affairs of the heart, and betrayal. These self-examinations of the heroes are just as engaging as watching them do battle in action scenes. Not to mention several surprise guest-appearances from classic characters from DC Comics.
Just three months after the release of the first JL season set, Warner Home Video delivers the highly-anticipated Justice League - Season Two DVD on June 20th! This 4-disc (593 min.) set features all 26 episodes (multi-part arcs) from the second season; "Standard Version" Widescreen (1.78:1) video; English Dolby Surround audio; and English, Spanish, French subtitles. (Note: If you own all of the original JL volumes then you already have the Justice League - Season Two 3-part "Starcrossed" episodes, and should consider the remaining 23 episodes plus the exclusive EXTRAS on this set before deciding.) Here are the contents of this 2nd extraordinary set:
Disc 1:
Twilight Part 1
Twilight Part 2
Tabula Rasa Part 1
Tabula Rasa Part 2
Only A Dream Part 1
Only A Dream Part 2
Disc 2:
Maid of Honor Part 1
Maid of Honor Part 2
Hearts And Minds Part 1
Hearts And Minds Part 2
A Better World Part 1
A Better World Part 2
Disc 3:
The Terror Beyond Part 1
The Terror Beyond Part 2
Eclipsed Part 1
Eclipsed Part 2
Hereafter Part 1
Hereafter Part 2
Disc 4:
The Secret Society Part 1
The Secret Society Part 2
Comfort and Joy
Wild Card Part 1
Wild Card Part 2
Starcrossed Part 1
Starcrossed Part 2
Starcrossed Part 3
Special Features:
Commentary: On "Twilight Part 2", "A Better World Part 2" and "Starcrossed Part 3" with the series creators and directors
Featurette: "Justice League: Declassified": Phil LaMarr (the voice of Green Lantern) takes you behind the scenes with the shows creative team
Easter Egg: "Not too Savage": A Never Seen Before deleted scene with an introduction by producer Bruce Timm
Highly Recommended!
On: 2006-04-18
The reviewer below is being too polite. I am, frankly, disgusted with the mistreatment of this release. This boxset will not be anamorphic widescreen, which means that anyone watching it on an HDTV or widescreen TV will have to use zoom mode, and the image quality will suffer considerably. After all the fuss and lobbying about getting the proper aspect ratio, I cant believe Warner would screw this up so badly. Non-anamorphic transfers of widescreen material are just about unheard of nowadays in 2006, when millions of people own widescreen TVs. Anamorphic material plays fine on 4:3 sets without any necessary adjustments, so there is no need to skip this feature for people that dont own HDTVs. They wouldnt even know the difference. The people that really cared about the widescreen issue are the people who own widescreen televisions! Even in the early days of DVD, Warner was doing anamorphic transfers of all their films. This incompetence is inexplicable. Justice League is a beautifully animated series, Warner you really messed this up. As someone that owns a widescreen HDTV, I can tell you that zoom mode always looks like crap. I sincerely hope Warner is smart enough to correct this problem with JLU season 3. I was planning on buying season 2 on June 20th. Now I will be waiting until Warner announces its plans for season 3, and if they dont do a correct anamorphic transfer, they have lost a customer for all subsequent JL releases. And Warner, if I feel cheated, you can bet there are hundreds of other fans who feel cheated as well. But to be fair, if you dont own a widescreen TV, go ahead and buy this release, because all of you watching it in 4:3 will not suffer any loss in picture quality. However, if you hate to see fellow consumers get ripped off, dont buy it.
On: 2006-04-16
Ok, so this season contains some of the best multipart episodes Ive ever seen. It starts off with a bang in the two-part episode Twilight. Darkseid returns in this episode and it seems that he needs the Leagues help defending his planet Apocalypse against Brainiak who wishes to obtain all the knoledge from Darkseids homeworld and then to destroy it. So Superman must put aside the past and work with one of his most dangerous enemies, but not all is as it seems.
The Terror Beyond is also included in this set. Aquaman, Dr. Fate, Solomon Grundy, Hawkgirl, and others must work together to stop Icthultu, an ancient evil, from demolishing our dimension. But theyre victory will not be won without sacrifice. The end of this two-parterll tug at your heartstrings. Thats all I got to say about this one. And you got to love Aquamans line to Hawkgirl at the end of Part Two. Helps me when times get tough. Says something like,"Its faith, Hawkgirl. You dont have to understand it. You just have it."
Hereafter is excelent. Superman is aparently killed in a battle and the League is wondering how they can go on without him. A better world is another memorable episode. The League face off against elseworld versions of themselves. Love how this two-parter sets up events in following seasons. Secret Society is another one of my favs. Grod is back and he pairs some of DCs greatest villains against the League. Clayface makes a comeback in this two-parter as well. And this season ends with a three-parter thatll keep you on the edge of your seat. We finally get a look at Hawkgirls race. Never seen this multiparter, but I hear its a goody. So buy this set. Preorder it! I know I will. June 20th is gonna rock!
On: 2006-04-10
First of all the 3-star rating is NOT for the quality of the show, for from what I hear this season is really top-notch. The 3-star rating is for the lackluster mastering of this set by Warner Home Videos Family Division.
As many know, Season 2 onwards of JLU was animated in 1.77 widescreen. And prior to Season 1s release in March, there was discussion on what aspect ratios this show was going to be released in. Well, the first season was released in its AOR of fullframe 1.33. The it was confirmed that Season 2 onwards would in fact be released in 1.77 widescreen. Well, the good news is that they will be, but apparently not in 16x9 anamorphic enhancement. Itll just be shown in a matted non-anamorphic widescreen, which I guess is to be friendly to families that are just buying these for their children to watch on a non-anamorphic squeeze 4:3 TV.
On: 2006-04-03
Season 1 of Justice League helped kicked things off. However, its the 2nd season where things really shine. Season 2 went on and improved the shows animation, added on excellent subplots that carry on such as a growing relationship between Green Lantern and Hawkgirl, and increased eye-candy such as numerous guest appearances from characters from both the Superman and Batman toons, from supporting characters like Lois Lane, Ma and Pa Kent, and Alfred Pennyworth to classic villains like Lex Luthor, Brainiac, The Parasite, The Joker, and Clayface. New villains arrive as well, such as Eclipso, Dr. Destiny, Desparo, and even Doomsday, the monster that became infamous for killing Superman in the comics.
The quality of the stories increased as well. It starts off with Twilight, as the Justice League faces Darkseid and Brainiac(Ron Perlman and Corey Burton reprising their roles from the Superman cartoon).
In the center we have highlights such as Hereafter, in which the Justice League deals with the possibility that Superman is dead. Superman, however, is trapped in an apocolyptic future, with a former enemy now his only friend, ally, and hope of getting home.
A Better World is a 2-parter that helped set up the main storyline of the 4th season. It features the Justice League battling evil, alternate dimension versions of themselves, led by a ruthless dictator version of Superman you will love to hate. However the true highlight of the episode is an intense psychological faceoff between the two Batmen.
Wild Cards features the League facing off against the Joker in Vegas in a hilarious reality TV show homage, as they try to disarm bombs hes planted while also fighting off his henchmen, the Wild Flush Gang, who in a clever touch happen to be voiced by the main cast of Teen Titans. It ends with hands down the best Batman/Joker battle ever, even putting ones seen in the comics to shame.
It all ends with the 3-part smash bang finale, Starcrossed, which end with an alien invasion(only fitting since thats what got them together) and a shattering betrayal between one of the Leagues members.
Since the debut of Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, the WBs series of superhero shows that have since been known as the DCAU have continued to prove that animation can be intelligent, thought-provoking, and enjoyable for kids AND adults. Justice League season 2(which is released on the same day is Superman vol. 3!) is no different. A definite must buy.
On: 2006-04-02
Its been one year since seven of the greatest heroes of the DC universe joined forces to protect the world. They have assisted allies, saved planets from monstrous tyrants and even protected Earth from their own arch enemies. In the second season of `Justice League the league is faced with even greater challenges that put their own lives and their own trust towards one another to the test.
I have been a true fan of this show since the first year it aired and I cannot wait for this season to be released. What makes this season so incredible are the stories that come with each epic episode. This season features the heroes going through alternate dimensions to discover a horrible future as well as even more terrifying versions of themselves. (Foreshadow! Foreshadow!) Another alliance of super villains is forged, even more powerful than the alliance in the first season with Gorilla Grodd leading the pack. (Foreshadow! Foreshadow!) After many angry e-mails and letters send to Bruce Timm and company about the extreme downgrading of Superman, Timm comes back with two fantastic stories about Superman that will truly leave you satisfied. However, with the good comes bad. The now infamous `Batman rogues gallery of villains ban takes effect with the Justice Leagues final showdown with The Joker. This episode is by far my favorite because it takes place in real time and Mark Hammil delivers his greatest performance as the clown prince of crime since `Mask of the Phantasm.
This entire season leads up to the final episode featuring the original seven with a spectacular three part finale in `Starcrossed I will not give anything away in this episode, especially if there are first time fans reading this. I will say this, get this DVD set and prepare to be blown away by fantastic stories and unforgettable moments that will only keep you drooling for more. Have patience because the word `more with this television show is not to be taken lightly.
On: 2006-04-01
I cant believe that season 2 is already being released in June. I just picked up season 1 and that dvd collection was simply amazing. I cant wait for this season to come out. DC and Warner Bros. didnt take much time in releasing season 2. Make sure that you put a reserve on your copy. I know I am. My birthday is coming up around that time. Probably ask my girl to go get it. She gonna be mad. She hates this cartoon but I love it.
On: 2006-03-31
Justice League season 1 was good, but flawed. Characters lacked depth, dialogue was occasionally cliche, plot holes were everywhere, stories felt padded to fill the running time. With season 2, the creative staff went back and did some major tweaking. The end result is not only a much better season all around, but one that almost feels like a brand new series.
Where to begin? Superman is finally back to his super-powered self, and the season opener pits him against his long-time nemesis Darkseid in an epic-yet-personal space opera. Green Lantern begins to get more imaginative with his energy ring, and Wonder Woman is less a powerhouse barbie and more a rounded character. Continuity has a heavy role this season, with plot threads from both season 1 and the prematurely cancelled Superman series finding continuation here.
The stories themselves are an interesting yet strong mix. You have your standard action stories, but also some downright creepy moments (Only a Dream, Wild Card) and others that are just randomly bizzare (Hereafter). A holiday-themed episode lightens the mood just before everything hits the fan with the season finale "Starcrossed," which if youve bought the previous dvd already know what it means for a certain Justice Leaguer. Overall theres definitely some stories fans will prefer more than others, but theres really not a dud in the bunch. It helps that strong character moments really hold everything together and give the stories a more personal edge. That and the tons of unexpected cameos and nods to the source material.
Animation is much improved over season 1, and the distracting CG elements are better implemented. It helps that the season is animated in true widescreen, and if Warner Bros. keeps its promise, thats what well be seeing on this set. Beyond all that, this is really a show that appeals to both kids and adults. Cartoon Network had a great hands-off policy, and season 2 pulls no punches. Kids will love the action and costumed characters, adults will do double-takes at the implied deaths, veiled innuendo, and all-around maturity. Bravo.
Below is a list of the 26 episodes for those interested. If you have any interest in superhero-related material, you will not be disappointed with this set. By far the best of American animation.
Twilight (2 parts)
Tabula Rasa (2 parts)
Only a Dream (2 parts)
Maid of Honor (2 parts)
Hearts and Minds (2 parts)
A Better World (2 parts)
The Terror Beyond (2 parts)
Eclipsed (2 parts)
Secret Society (2 parts)
Hereafter (2 parts)
Comfort and Joy
Wild Card (2 parts)
Starcrossed (3 parts)
On: 2006-03-31
I cant believe that season 2 is already being released in June. I just picked up season 1 and that dvd collection was simply amazing. I cant wait for this season to come out. DC and Warner Bros. didnt take much time in releasing season 2. Make sure that you put a reserve on your copy. I know I am. My birthday is coming up around that time. Probably ask my girl to go get it. She gonna be mad. She hates this cartoon but I love it.
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