fter taking on three robbers in a grocery store, the Green Arrow (Kin Shriner) finds himself whisked away to the Watchtower by the Green Lantern (LaMarr). It seems he was the one superhero who didn't respond when he was offered a chance to join the new Justice League.
Superman (Newbern) addresses the dozens of superheroes gathered on the Watchtower, telling that each of them has special skills, and if they work together as a team they'll be more effective in their efforts to protect the people of Earth. J'Onn J'Onzz (Lumbly), the Martian Manhunter, will stay on the Watchtower and coordinate the League's efforts.
The Green Arrow tells Batman (Conroy) he wants to focus on helping the little guy instead of fighting monsters and aliens. Not wanting to have his molecules messed with again, he hitches a ride back home on the Javelin with the Green Lantern, Supergirl (Nicholle Tom) and Captain Atom (George Eads), who are on a mission to check out a possible nuclear accident in Asia.
When they arrive in the area, they find an enormous amount of destruction and get a hostile welcome. General Kwan (James Sie) tells them that their help is not welcome and that they should leave. Even though things appear to be getting worse, J'Onn tells the Lantern they need to respect the wishes of the local authorities. However, the Green Arrow believes hundreds of people may be at risk, and he sneaks out to check out the situation.
The team members are right behind him. The Green Arrow discovers that the local population is on the run from something. When he saves a truck driver's life, he ends up in the path of an enormous rampaging nuclear monster. The others join the Green Arrow in his fight, but they quickly discover that if they have any chance at all of stopping the monster, they are going to have to work together as a team.
A fresh take—but will it work?
The Cartoon Network's new incarnation of Justice League should add some life, if not depth, to the series. While many of the characters return to the series, Justice League Unlimited sets up a larger scope, with a rotating pool of superheroes to draw from. As is evident in the series premiere, "Initiation," this will be both a benefit and a detriment to the evolution of the series.
First, the good. The setup quickly digs into new revolving characters Supergirl, the Green Arrow and Captain Atom. The characters are well defined, especially the Green Arrow, who is the primary focus of the episode. Much of the fun of Justice League has always been the interplay among these superheroes, and there's plenty of snappy dialogue among the main players. While "Initiation" could offer a better explanation for the rampaging nuclear monster, the action scenes are exciting and the monster is pretty cool.
Now for the potentially not-so-good. Justice League focused on the main seven superheroes, allowing for depth of character over time. Justice League Unlimited has some challenges ahead. Introducing new heroes and new villains leaves scant little time for story, and it shows in "Initiation." While the new characters will add some freshness, it's going to take us some time to get to know them, especially if they show up only occasionally. While Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman will be on hand, it remains to be seen whether they'll get much screen time with a revolving door of superheroes to incorporate.
Justice League Unlimited has a lot going for it, with the major voice actors reprising their roles from Justice League and good guest turns from the likes of George Eads (CSI) as Captain Atom. The animation has been souped up a bit, but there are no significant differences in the look of the characters, so fans should feel comfortable with the new series. However, in the end, all we can do is hope Justice League Unlimited lives up to its name.
