EPISODES #01, 02, 03 - "SECRET ORIGINS"
Real
Name: Unknown
Voiced by Gary Cole
A spy for the forces of the Imperium, this Alien Invader assumed the identity of the late astronaut J. Allen Carter and used his persona's fame to infiltrate the political arena and undermine Earth's defenses.
Bruce Timm on J. Allen Carter: “We intended for him to look like [Lee Major’s character] Steve Austin [from The Six Million Dollar Man], but I didn’t think it came across on the screen…That character is an in-joke upon an in-joke. He’s the first man on Mars, so his name is ‘J. Allen Carter,’ like John Carter of Mars. We went down a list of famous movie astronauts and thought it would be neat if he looked like Steve Austin. He has Steve’s hair and his features look a little like Lee Majors" (courtesy of Starlog Magazine).
Real
Name: Lucas "Snapper" Carr
Voiced by Jason Marsden
An intrepid reporter for Channel 3 News in Metropolis, Lucas Carr is affectionately known as “Snapper Carr” for his predilection for snapping his fingers on-air. A valued member of his news team, he provides live coverage of breaking news—which, more often than not, involves the Justice League.
Cartoon Network on Snapper Carr: “Lucas ‘Snapper’ Carr is an intrepid news reporter. He is never hesitant to get right in the thick of the nasty situations, probably because he knows the Justice League will show up nearly every time to save the day" (courtesy of Cartoon Network’s Justice League Homepage).
To pay tribute to the Justice League's teenage mascot from the Silver Age, the creative team initially decided to utilize Snapper Carr as the series' resident news reporter. As the character responsible for general exposition and scene transitions, he filled the role previously held by Summer Gleason (Batman: the Animated Series), Jack Ryder (The New Batman Adventures), Angela Chen (Superman), and the nameless talking head from Batman Beyond.
Appearing frequently as a supporting character during the course of the first two seasons, Snapper Carr received no significant scenes or character development beyond his initial appearance in "Secret Origins" and, for Unlimited, his role was completely supplanted by Sroya Bashir, presumably due to the vocal talents of the versatile (and cost-effective) Jennifer Hale. He did, however, make one final appearance as part of the crowd scene in the final minutes of "Divided We Fall."
Real
Name: General Wells
Voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
A United States General with the nation’s security in mind, Wells was uncomfortable with Senator Carter’s disarmament plan, and even less comfortable with Superman’s involvement.
Bruce Timm on General Wells: “Originally, in part one of 'Secret Origins,' General Wells’ line, ‘We can’t entrust the world’s security to one man,’ ended with ‘…especially him!’ We felt that anyone who hadn’t seen 'Legacy' would be confused, wondering, ‘Well, why not him? Why does this guy hate Superman so much?’ As it is now, it works both ways: either Wells is just being a practical military tactician, or he doesn’t trust the guy who almost conquered the world for Darkseid" (courtesy of The World's Finest).
A minor supporting character, General Wells made a cameo in "Maid of Honor" and received a bookend appearance in "Starcrossed," where he stood powerless to stop another alien invasion.
Real
Name: Hippolyta, Queen of Themyscira
Voiced by Susan Sullivan
Queen of the Amazons and ruler of Themyscira, Hippolyta was indifferent to the plight of Patriarch's World during its invasion by the Imperium's forces. Her daughter, however, was not, as Diana left under cover of night to join a resistance force that would eventually become the Justice League. Although saddened by her daughter's absence—and by her temporary banishment for bringing her male teammates onto the island during a mission—Hippolyta has remained supportive of her daughter's decision to become Wonder Woman, recognizing it as the will of the Gods.
Cartoon Network on Hippolyta: “Wonder Woman’s mother is Hippolyta, the Amazon queen and ruler of Themyscira. Because of her past relationship with the deceitful Hades, Hippolyta was charged by the Gods to guard the gates of the underworld" (courtesy of Cartoon Network’s Justice League Homepage).
Visually based upon the Silver Age Hippolyta (the Golden and Modern Age versions had dark hair, making them more physically resemble Diana), it could be argued that, instead of using her comic book origins, the creative team chose instead to adapt the character from her original story. Students of Greek mythology will remember that Hippolyta (referred to as Hippolyte in classical texts) was queen of the Amazons during the period that Heracles (or Hercules, as he was known to the Romans) arrived on the island to perform his ninth labor. Sent by King Eurystheus to acquire the Amazon Queen’s girdle, Hippolyta, surprisingly, complied with the request, as she was attracted to the Greek hero (a trait shared by her comic book incarnation millennia later). However, when she delivered the girdle to Hercules’ ship, her fellow Amazons, assuming that she was being abducted, attacked. Seeing this as a double-cross, Hercules slew Hippolyta and kept the girdle. This could be where the events of "Paradise Lost" picked up: Hippolyta, now in the underworld, had an affair with Hades, which led to her unwitting role in facilitating the Titans' uprising and her task of guarding the portal to the underworld as punishment.
Making her debut in "Secret Origins," Hippolyta became a major supporting character in Season One, making prominent appearances in "Paradise Lost" and "Fury." Her role diminished in the following seasons, however, as she made a small cameo in "Hereafter" and a final appearance in "The Balance."
Real
Name: Inapplicable
Voiced by ???
Foot soldiers for the Imperium, this is the natural physical form of the so-called Alien Invaders.
Bruce Timm on the Alien Invaders (circa 2001): “With all the alien technology, we had a really hard time trying to come up with something we hadn’t done before or something that hadn’t been seen a zillion times before. During the initial development process, we kind of keyed in on the old illustrator Richard Powers [a sci-fi illustrator from the 1950s and 60s; some of his artwork can be seen here]. So all of the stuff sort of has a slightly Richard Powers-eque look to it" (courtesy of Toon Zone).
Butch Lukic on the Alien Invaders (circa 2005): “The alien designs were all influenced by Richard Powers’ stuff; he’s a paperback science fiction cover artist. We wanted that style. It really didn’t have much to do with any H.G. Wells’ material, except for the alien walkers” (courtesy of ToyFare Magazine).
Real
Name: J'onn J'onzz
Voiced by Carl Lumbly
In addition to being his first appearance, "Secret Origins" is also the first appearance of J’onn J’onzz in his Martian form.
For more information, see the J’onn J’onzz—The Martian Manhunter entry.
Additional
Details:
J.
Allen Carter’s name, in addition to resembling John Carter of Mars,
also pays tribute to three Golden Age DC heroes:
Jay Garrick (The Flash), Alan Scott (Green Lantern), and Carter Hall (Hawkman).
The
scenes of Superman working to disarm nuclear missiles is reminiscent of Superman
IV: The Quest for Peace, the
critically-reviled 1987 film that featured the Man of Steel eliminating the
world’s nuclear stockpiles at the height of the Cold War.
Many references
to H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel The War of the
Worlds occur here, including the use of tripod fighting machines, the use of
“Wells” as the General’s name, and the use of a simple native resource to
defeat the Alien Invaders (sunlight replacing the germs of Worlds).
The plot device
of the Alien Invaders copying specific human forms and encasing the originals in
cocoons is
reminiscent of the 1956 film Invasion of
the Body Snatchers.
The Flash’s reference to the proposed League
being “like a bunch of super-friends” is a reference to Justice
League’s
antecedent program Super Friends; a
series that ran under a variety of titles from 1973 to 1985.
EPISODES #04, 05 - "IN BLACKEST NIGHT"
Real Name: John Stewart
Voiced by Phil LaMarr
Taking a stroll down
the streets of
For more information, see John Stewart's Green Lantern entry.
Real Name: Al McGee
Voiced by Garrett Morris
A
Real Name: Chris
Voiced by Ricky D'shon Collins
Al McGee's grandson, Chris was impressed to find out that his grandfather knows Green Lantern personally.
Both Al McGee and Chris were designed to be supporting characters for Green Lantern, and were meant to act as a link to his past and to his roots. After "In Blackest Night," they made one more appearance in this series: during Stewart's nightmare sequence in "Only a Dream," where Dr. Destiny played upon the shock that Stewart saw Mr. McGee express when he discovered exactly why Stewart was away from Detroit for so long.
Real Name: Unknown
Voiced by Kurtwood Smith
As the prosecutor during John Stewart's trial, he sought to prove Stewart's guilt and cast doubt on the unsanctioned actions routinely taken by the Green Lantern Corps in intergalactic society.
Some may recognize the prosecutor's voice as belonging to Kurtwood Smith, an actor probably better known as Red Forman on That '70s Show.
Additional Details:
“In Blackest
Night” was inspired by at least two Green Lantern stories from the comics:
Justice League of America #140-141 (March-April 1977), in which
the Manhunters orchestrated a plot to make Green Lantern Hal Jordan believe that
he destroyed a populated world (a plot foiled by the Justice League; see here), and Cosmic
Odyssey, a four-part 1988 miniseries that featured John Stewart failing to
save a populated planet through his arrogance.
Many of the
aliens used for crowd scenes in this episode (and for much of Season One) are
leftover character models from Superman.
John Stewart’s
civilian clothing is reminiscent of the style of the fictional black hero John
Shaft, who made his first appearance around the same time as Stewart. Appearing
first in the 1970 novel Shaft, which
was soon adapted for the 1971 film, it is more than likely that some of his
characterization filtered its way into Stewart’s, whose debut comic, Green
Lantern #87, was dated December 1971 / January 1972.
Add that to the fact that “Night” was in production around the time
that the 2000 remake, starring Samuel L. Jackson, was in theaters, it’s likely
that the creative team sought to pay Shaft tribute by incorporating that look
into Stewart’s wardrobe.
The Flash’s
groan-inducing line, “If the ring wasn’t lit, you must acquit!” is a joke
referencing attorney Johnny Cochran’s defense of O.J. Simpson during his
infamous murder trial.
EPISODES #06, 07 - "THE ENEMY BELOW"
Real Name: General Brak
Voiced by Xander Berkeley
A high-ranking officer in Atlantis' military, General Brak supported Orm's palace revolution, as Orm's rhetoric reinforced Brak's distrust and hatred of the "surface-dwellers" and promised action against them.
Real
Name: Mera, Queen of Atlantis
Voiced by Kristin Bauer
As Queen of Atlantis and wife of Arthur, Mera serves as the monarch’s closest confidant and friend. In addition, she is capable of holding court in Arthur’s absence and even assisted the Justice League in preventing Orm’s attempted coup d'tat.
In addition to her appearance here, Mera also appeared in "The Terror Beyond" and in "Hereafter," where she made a cameo at Superman's funeral.
Real
Name: Arthur, Prince of Atlantis
Voiced by ---
The infant son of Aquaman, his father sacrificed his own hand in order to save him from a deathtrap devised by his uncle, the evil Orm.
Additional Details:
The use of
“Brak” for the name of Aquaman’s general may be a reference to Brak, the villain from the Hanna-Barbera animated series Space
Ghost (1966-1968) and, later, the comedic character from Space
Ghost: Coast to Coast (1994) and
The Brak Show (2001).
A woman
resembling Summer
Gleason, the
EPISODES #08, 09 - "INJUSTICE FOR ALL"
Additional Details:
Lex Luthor’s
escape from his penthouse office is near-identical to his escape during the
climax of the Superman episode
“Brave New Metropolis,” including identical vehicles (see here),
the escape through Metropolis (see here
and here), and
the pursuit by Superman (see here).
The only major difference is the outcome—whereas
Luthor here succumbs to his kryptonite-induced cancer, Luthor in "Brave New
Metropolis" crashed his damaged vehicle into one of his giant statues (see here).
Lex Luthor’s
costumes from “Injustice for All” are meant to pay homage to the varying
attire worn by Luthor during his lengthy criminal career.
For example, his business
suit, the outfit worn by him during the Superman
series, refers to his post-Crisis
reimagining, when John Bryne’s 1986 Man
of Steel miniseries recast him as a corporate
shark.
His gray prison fatigues reference his simple wardrobe from the
1960s,
and the purple-and-green Super Friends
uniform harkens back to his costuming from the 1970s.
Finally, the body
armor, which would be worn for the majority of his Justice
League appearances, refers to his look from the early 1980s.
It has been
suggested that the opera watched by Ultra-Humanite in his prison cell is Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, an opera set in Japan
and first performed in
In a somewhat
awkward use of stock characters, the little blond girl saved from the fire by Batman
looks (and sounds) incredibly similar to the girl rescued by Wonder Woman in “Paradise Lost.”
The building that
served as the Injustice Gang’s hideout appears to be a closed-down
animation-themed store, and is probably an in-joke referring to the massive
closings of the Warner Bros. Studio Stores, which went out of business in 2001.
Zan and Jayna—the
Wonder Twins of Super Friends fame—make an appearance as
statues in the Injustice Gang’s
hideout.
They would later reappear
as analogue siblings Downpour and Shifter in the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Ultimatum."
Green Lantern’s
reference to the Ultra-Humanite as “Magilla” refers to Magilla Gorilla, a
Hanna-Barbera character who had a series of animated shorts in the 1960s.
Lex Luthor’s
words, “Et tu, Humanite?,” referring to the Ultra-Humanite’s betrayal, is
a play on Julius Caesar’s parting words to his betrayer Brutus, from the
William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar
(“Et tu?” is Latin for “And you?”).
The Joker’s
last line to Batman, “You’re despicable,” is a reference to the famous
Daffy Duck catch phrase, and also makes light of their long-running rivalry
(referring to Daffy’s own long-running rivalry with fellow Warner Bros.
character Bugs Bunny).
EPISODES #10, 11 - "PARADISE LOST"
Real
Name: General Phillipus
Voiced by Andrea Romano
General of the Amazon guard, Phillipus is responsible for the security of Themyscira. In addition, as Queen Hippolyta's friend and most trusted advisor, she was chosen to teach Diana how to control her powers and utilize them to their fullest potential.
Treated mainly as a background character (referred to as "Amazon Officer" in the closing credits), her design nonetheless draws heavily from the character Phillipus from George Pérez's Wonder Woman series. While only referred to by name in passing, General Phillipus is prominently featured during any scene that take place in Themyscira (organizing Wonder Woman's farewell salute in "Paradise Lost," capturing Hawkgirl in "Fury"). Sadly, she did not appear in the Unlimited episode "The Balance," which featured the final appearance of Themyscira and its Amazons.
Additional Details:
“Paradise
Lost” was inspired by Justice League of
America #10 (March 1962), in which Felix Faust mentally took control of
members of the Justice League in order to obtain three mystical artifacts—the
Red Jar of Calythos, the Green Bell of Uthool, and the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath—which
he intended to use to free the Demons Three—Abnegazer, Rath, and Ghast (see here).
The title of the
episode is a reference to John Milton’s epic poem Paradise
Lost, which chronicled the Christian Satan and his war against God.
The Bernie’s
News newsstand may be a reference to Alan Moore’s seminal Watchmen
series, which featured a newsstand with a proprietor named Bernie as a recurring
location. This venue would later reappear (and be "destroyed"
again) in the Justice League episode "Hereafter."
Hurricane
Cassie, the
little girl Wonder Woman saves during the hurricane, is a reference to Cassie
Sandsmark, the second (and current) Wonder Girl.
The amulet that
Faust’s uses to transform the Amazons to stone has the head of Medusa
imprinted on it. Medusa, of course,
is the woman from Greek mythology who was cursed by Athena to have the ability
to transform humans into stone. Medusa
herself would later appear in the Justice
League Unlimited episode “This Little Piggy.”
In the museum,
the vase Wonder Woman recognizes as having been created by an individual named
Menalippe is a reference to her comic book counterpart, who was the priestess who initially told Hippolyta to shape an infant out of clay,
which the gods later transformed into Diana.
Flash’s comment
to J’onn J’onzz that “he must really be from Mars” (referring to his
disinterest in Flash’s Amazon fantasy) is a reference to John Gray’s
relationship-themed advice book Men Are
from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The
Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex.
The decoration
topping the magic wand Flash handles in Felix Faust’s office resembles the Eye
of Agamotto, the most powerful magical artifact possessed by Marvel Comics’
character Dr.
Strange.
EPISODES #12, 13 - "WAR WORLD"
Real
Name: Unknown
Voiced by Maria Canals
An unemployed resident of War World, this individual befriended J'onn J'onzz during his first gladiatorial game.
Additional Details:
“War World”
was inspired by a 1989 Superman story
arc where the Man of Steel, during a period of self-imposed exile from Earth,
was abducted by a slave ship and sold to Mongul, ruler of the artificial planet
War World, who forced him into gladiatorial combat for his own amusement.
Notable issues of this arc include Adventures
of Superman #454 (May 1989), the first post-Crisis
appearance of Mongul, and Action Comics Annual #2 (1989), which featured
the first appearance of Draaga (see here).
In addition to
the above, another influence in the creation of “War World” was likely to
have been Gladiator, the Academy
Award-winning 2000 film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe.
Mongul’s
robotic sentries
resemble Brainiac’s robotic sentries in the Superman episode “Stolen Memories.”
John
Stewart's "one man's trash is another man's treasure" comment (in
regards to the alien girly calendar) reveals Stewart's interest in alien women,
as evidenced in later episodes by his relationships with Korugarian
Katma Tui and with the Thanagarian-born Hawkgirl.
EPISODES #14, 15 - "THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD"
Real
Name: Solovar
Voiced by David Ogden Stiers
The chief of security for Gorilla City—an advanced, hidden civilization of intelligent gorillas—Solovar followed the escaped Grodd into the human world, where he met and later helped members of the Justice League stop the criminal.
Cartoon Network on
Solovar: “Solovar
is chief of security for
It would appear that Solovar’s
role has been diminished in the
Justice League series—originally
he was ruler of Gorilla
This is not the first time that David Ogden Stiers has been involved in a Justice League-related project, as he starred as Martian Manhunter in the 1997 live-action Justice League of America pilot.
Real Name: Dr. Sarah Corwin
Voiced by Virginia Madsen
Encountering an imprisoned Gorilla Grodd through the Internet, Sarah Corwin fell in love with the simian criminal and agreed to aid him in his plot of world domination.
Adding the character of Sarah Corwin into "The Brave and the Bold" provided Grodd with a henchman and a window into the villain's depravity (he prefers human women to his own kind, despite his low opinion of humanity), which added additional depth to the classic villain. However, it would appear that Grodd has since dumped her, considering his later relationships with both Giganta and Tala.
As for Virginia Madsen, the Academy Award-nominated actor, she returned as Roulette in the Justice League Unlimited episodes "The Cat and the Canary" and "Grudge Match."
Real Name: Unknown
Voiced by Phil Morris
A general in Gorilla City's military, this unnamed ape attempted to interrogate the Justice League, but grew to respect them when they saved the city from nuclear attack.
Voiced by Phil Morris, it was on the strength of this performance that he was cast to voice Vandal Savage in Justice League episodes "The Savage Time," "Maid of Honor," and "Hereafter."
Additional Details:
The title of the
episode, “The Brave and the Bold,” was also the name of an anthology series
published by DC Comics, which ran from August 1955 to July 1983.
Also, in 1999, there was a six-issue miniseries entitled Flash
& Green Lantern: The Brave and
the Bold, which featured a series of team-ups between the Silver Age Flash
(Barry Allen) and the Silver Age Green Lantern (Hal Jordan).
During
Solovar’s escape from the authorities of Central City, he races through a
playground where he, ironically enough, uses the monkey bars of a jungle gym.
The Flash’s
reference to Solovar as “Mojo” refers to Mojo Jojo, the simian villain from
Cartoon Network’s animated series The
Powerpuff Girls (which
aired from 1998 to 2005).
Solovar’s
retort to the Flash, “Get your
stinking paws off me, you filthy human," is a play on Charlton Heston's
famous line from the original 1968 version of Planet of the Apes, “Take
your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”
During the
Flash’s dream sequence, we get a glimpse of the Flash’s origin, revealing
that this version of Wally West received his speed powers from the same type of chemical and lightning-induced accident that produced the Silver Age
Flash.
In addition, the
Flash’s dream sequence featured a collage of the Flash’s most notable
physical transformations. The
overweight Flash appeared in The Flash
#115 (September 1960), in a story entitled “The Day Flash Weighed 1,000
Pounds!” The mirror-distorted
Flash could be from any number of issues featuring his arch-enemy Mirror Master,
and the puppet Flash appeared in The Flash
#133 (December 1962), in a story entitled “Plight of the Puppet-Flash!”
The Flash with the giant head appeared on the covers of The
Flash #177 (March 1968), Green Lantern
#13 (June 1962), Justice League of America
#7 (October-November 1961), and Adventures
in the DC Universe #9 (December 1997). Finally,
the scene with Flash as a gorilla appeared in Flash
Annual #12 (1999), which was part of the JLApe:
Gorilla Warfare! story arc.
In retrospect,
the scene with the Flash dreaming that he’s been transformed into a gorilla is
a nice bit of foreshadowing for the events of the aforementioned “Dead
Reckoning,” where Grodd reveals that his plan for world domination involves
transforming everyone into apes, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and
Lex Luthor.
In another
awkward use of stock characters, the blond guy wearing the vest in Flash’s
jail cell resembles the adult version of the actor who played Cousin
Spunky,
from the Batman: the Animated Series
episode “Baby Doll.”
The police
detectives who interrogate Flash return again in the episode “Eclipsed,”
where they aid Green Lantern in his interrogation of the general dressed as
Eclipso. The “good cop” of the
duo, seen here, is also notable for his passing resemblance to Barry Allen.
The
The enclosure
Grodd is caged in at the end of the episode is of
the same design as the monkey cage from the Superman episode “Monkey
Fun.”
EPISODES #16, 17 - "FURY"
Real Name: Helena Kosmatos
Voiced by ---
Shown during Hippolyta's recounting of Aresia's life, this is what Helena Kosmatos looked like before her life began anew on Themyscira.
For more information, see the Aresia entry.
Real Name: Unknown
Voiced by ---
The captain of the doomed refugee ship, this unnamed man was responsible for keeping Helena Kosmatos alive while they were adrift at sea. He died of a heart attack shortly after washing ashore on Themyscira, and was honored by Hippolyta by being the only man to receive burial on the enchanted island.
Additional Details:
The title of the
episode, “Fury,” refers to the original name of the DC character(s) that
Aresia was based upon (for more information, see the Aresia
entry).
Aresia’s use of
a plague to decimate her enemies brings to mind Dr. Poison, a longtime Wonder
Woman adversary known for her use of toxins as weapons.
EPISODES #18, 19 - "LEGENDS"
Real Name: Ray Thompson
Voiced by Neil Patrick Harris
A victim of the nuclear holocaust that destroyed his planet, this is the visage Ray Thompson created for himself using his mental powers.
For more information, see the upcoming Ray Thompson entry.
Real Name: Music Master
Voiced by Udo Kier
The first supervillain encountered by the reality-displaced Justice League, the Music Master proved to be a formidable threat with his sonic energy-generating accordion.
Music Master is based upon the Fiddler, a supervillain of the Golden Age Flash. The real Fiddler later made a cameo, however, in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Flash and Substance."
Real Name: Dr. Blizzard
Voiced by Corey Burton
A malicious criminal made of ice, Dr. Blizzard won the Injustice Guild's contest by bringing in the biggest prize: Black Siren and the Flash.
Corey Burton on voicing Dr. Blizzard: “It was kind of simmering—kind of Clint Eastwoody—[and] slightly British tinged. I must have had a bit of a whisper to it for the iciness. Actually, the most difficult voices to do are whispering ones…it puts so much stress on your voice to whisper loudly and you dry out your vocal chords. It’s amazing how a stage whisper can be the hardest thing you can do to your voice. That and hysterical laughter. [...] I wasn’t asked to audition for Dr. Blizzard. I’m sure they were already sold because of Brainiac—the iciness in his characterization" (courtesy of Comics2Film).
Described in the "Legends" script as "a cold-hearted villain made of ice" (according to Comics2Film), Dr. Blizzard is based upon the Icicle, a supervillain of the Golden Age Flash. The real Icicle never appeared on Justice League or Unlimited, but traces of his character can be found in Killer Frost and Captain Cold.
Real Name: The Sportsman
Voiced by Michael McKean
Obsessed with sports, the Sportsman is at his most dangerous with a baseball bat, a golf club, or a ping-pong paddle.
The Sportsman is based upon the Sportsmaster, a supervillain of the Golden Age Green Lantern. The real Sportsmaster, however, later made a pair of cameos on Justice League Unlimited, appearing as an opponent to Wildcat in the Meta-Brawl ring in "The Cat and the Canary" and as a background character in "The Great Brain Robbery."
Real Name: Sir Swami
Voiced by Jeffrey Jones
Combining actual magical powers with the slight-of-hand of a stage illusionist, Sir Swami may just be the most powerful member of the Injustice Guild.
Sir Swami is based upon the Wizard, a supervillain of the Justice Society of America, and Sargon the Sorcerer, a turbaned mystic who operated as a villain for part of the Silver Age.
Additional Details:
“Legends” is
loosely based upon the old Justice League / Justice Society crossovers of the
1960s, where an enemy threatening both Earth-1 and Earth-2 would necessitate a
team-up. The first of these
crossovers occurred in Justice League of
In addition to
the above, “Legends” also borrows concepts from the short story “It’s a
Good Life,” written by Jerome Bixby and published in 1953; this story was
famously adapted for the classic television show The Twilight Zone in
1961. The story centers on a six
year old with phenomenal telepathic and reality-warping powers, who uses these
powers to manipulate and terrorize his family and neighbors; forcing them to
live their lives according to his whims.
Lex
Luthor’s remote-controlled robot
appears to be an amalgam of Ultron
(an adversary of Marvel Comics’ Avengers) and the piloted robots
from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It
would appear that Bruce Timm is a fan of the anime import, if these Timm-drawn
pictures of Asuka
Langley Soryu (pilot of EVA Unit-02) and Rei
Ayanami (pilot of EVA Unit-00) are any indication.
The
quaint, retro 1950s town of
The
use of the song “Pop Goes the Weasel” in the ice cream truck may be a
reference to The Prisoner (1967-1968), a British television series
featuring a protagonist held prisoner in a small seaside town.
The song was used as a recurring theme on the show.
The
violin stolen by
Music Master during his first encounter with the Justice League is a nod to his
precursor the Fiddler, as it was his instrument of choice.
In addition, his “Clarinet
Car” is similar to the fiddle-shaped car that the Fiddler drove in his
earliest adventures.
The
stolen violin was also identified as a Stradivarius, a type of violin created by
either Antônio Stradivari (1644-1737) or his family; these instruments are
considered to be incredibly valuable and are considered by many to be the finest
violins ever created. The comic book Fiddler’s violin has been
previously identified as a Strad.
The
Justice Guild’s headquarters appears to be a tribute to both the Justice
Society’s brownstone building and to Avengers Mansion.
The
Justice Guild’s crest is nearly identical to the one utilized by the Justice
Society of America (seen here).
The
Justice Guild’s circular meeting table harkens back to the tables used by the
Justice Society and the Avengers, right down to the team's logo affixed to its
surface.
The red phone
under glass is reminiscent of the Batphone from the campy, 1966 Batman
television show.
The portrait in
the Injustice Guild’s headquarters appears to be of Vandal Savage.
Officer
O’Shaughnessy, the cop with the thick Scottish accent, is obviously a homage
to Chief O’Hara (played by Stafford Repp) from the 1960’s Batman
series. Also, much like
O’Shaughnessy himself, Repp played up the “Irishness” of the accent when
the cameras were rolling.
The ruby that Sir
Swami steals may be a reference to the Ruby of Life, the artifact that gave
Sargon the Sorcerer his powers.
The Flash asking
Dr. Blizzard if he was going to turn Black Siren and himself into snow cones may
be a reference to a two-part Batman episode:
“Green Ice” and “Deep Freeze” (both aired in November 1966).
As part of the “Green Ice’s” cliffhanger, Mr. Freeze (here played
by Otto Preminger) trapped Batman and Robin and at attempted to turn them
into…giant snow cones (for those who care, Batman would have been pineapple
flavor, and Robin would have been lime).
We may snicker at
the concept of a crime syndicate using a blimp as getaway vehicle as part of
their crime, remember that this is not the first DCAU episode where the criminal
has used one as part of a caper: the Scarecrow made
use of a blimp in the Batman episode “Nothing to Fear,” and the Joker
used one in his abduction of Lois Lane in Part Two of the Superman
episode “World’s Finest.”
The robot that
attacks Justice Guild headquarters was modeled after one found on the cover of Doom
Patrol #93 (February 1966).
EPISODES #20, 21 - "A KNIGHT OF SHADOWS"
Real
Name: Morgaine Le Fay
Voiced by Olivia D'abo
Not yet wearing her signature golden mask, this is how Morgaine Le Fay appeared during the Fall of Camelot.
For more information, see the Morgaine Le Fay entry.
Real
Name: Jason Blood
Voiced by Michael T. Weiss
A nobleman in the service of King Arthur, this is how Jason Blood appeared before his betrayal of King Arthur.
For more information, see the Jason Blood and Etrigan the Demon entry.
Real
Name: Merlin
Voiced by W. Morgan Shepphard
Born of the demonic Archduke Belial and a mortal woman, Merlin grew to be a powerful sorcerer and a trusted advisor to King Arthur of Camelot. Following Jason Blood's betrayal, Merlin cursed the nobleman by bonding his spirit to that of his half-brother, the demon Etrigan, in an attempt to both punish Blood and to utilize the demon's power towards more constructive ends.
No stranger to mythic characters, W. Morgan Shepphard also provided the voice for Odin on the Gargoyles animated series.
Real
Name: My'ria'h
Voiced by Pam Grier
The wife of J'onn J'onzz, My'ria'h was killed during the Imperium's invasion of Mars. Centuries later, her memory was used to tempt J'onn into aiding the witch Morgaine Le Fay.
While not a recurring character, My'ria'h's presence in "A Knight of Shadows" is important, as it reinforces the isolation felt by J'onn J'onzz. Traditionally, the loss of his wife and children adds an extra dimension of melancholy to the character, an aspect which Superman—another last son of a dead world—lacks. While Superman feels the loss of Krypton, he has little to nothing personally invested in it other than losing the parents that he barely knew. J'onn, however, experienced life on his homeworld firsthand. He grew up there among its people. He found a mate and sired offspring there. It's these memories that fuel J'onn's character arc during both Justice League and Unlimited, as he struggles with his feelings of culture shock and isolation.
Real
Name: Professor Henry Moss
Voiced by Michael Gough
One of the surviving archeologists who excavated Castle Branek, Professor Moss had no knowledge of the Philosopher's Stone's presence among the ruins, or that Harv Hickman pocketed it for his own gain.
Real
Name: Harv Hickman
Voiced by Dave Thomas
Upon discovering the Philosopher's Stone during the excavation of Castle Branek, Harv Hickman used the stone's magic to build an entertainment empire, as well as fund his hedonistic lifestyle.
Considering his physical appearance and predilection for wearing silk pajamas, it's painfully obvious that this character was modeled after Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy Magazine and the subsequent Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Butch Lukic on Harv Hickman: “Hickman could’ve been an amalgam of different guys like Larry Flynt, that whole smut peddler attitude. I wouldn’t say it was a real personal attack on Hugh Hefner. It was just the stereotype" (courtesy of ToyFare Magazine).
Real
Name: Goody Rickles
Voiced by ---
The superheroic alter ego of famous insult comic Don Rickles, his presence at Harv Hickman's costume party poses a host of questions. Was he Don Rickles in costume? His identical twin? A clone? Doppelgänger? Don't ask, just buy it!
Evan Dorkin on Goody Rickles: "The episode we were initially hired to work on [before STAS' "Livewire"] was the basis for the first pitch, [...which] used the beloved / despised old Kirby characters of Funky Flashman and Goody Rickles. Paul Dini had asked us about working on the show, and the first thing they wanted us to work on was a plot involving those characters, with the intention to get Don Rickles to voice his namesake. Dorkin and Dyer said, 'Don't ask, just write!' And so we wrote. We knew we needed something more than the cameos and the gags, so I worked up a story [that] involved the Toyman and mob leader [Bruno] Mannheim.
"Unfortunately, nobody at WB went for the pitch, and the overall idea to do a Funky Flashman episode was ultimately dropped. [...] I would think that perhaps Goody Rickles [...] wasn't worth perusing as a character because A) many viewers / readers might not know / remember Don Rickles, and B) Don Rickles might have wanted compensation, or worse, nixed the idea" (courtesy of Evan Dorkin's LiveJournal).
Created by Jack Kirby, Goody Rickles made two appearances during DC Comics' Silver Age, in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139 (July 1954) and #141 (September 141), where he helped Superman, Jimmy Olsen, and Don Rickles himself battle the menace of Intergang. As recounted by Evan Dorkin above, his proposed appearance on Superman was scrapped, but the creative team found an innovative way to slip this Kirby footnote into "A Knight of Shadows."
Additional Details:
Morgaine Le
Fay’s orcish henchmen resemble the
Neo-Men from DC Comics’ Camelot
3000 miniseries (December 1982-April 1985).
The gray-haired
night watchman killed by Morgaine Le Fay resembles the late British actor and comedian
Benny Hill.
It’s worth
noting that, while J’onn was revealed to have been the father of two children
in “A Knight of Shadows,” he only fathered one child in the comics:
a daughter named K’hym (as shown in the 1998-2001 Martian Manhunter series). K'hym was named after Martian
Manhunter writer John Ostrander's late wife, writer / editor Kim Yale.
Hickman’s
enormous mansion, its grotto, and its lavish parties are homage to the famous
Guests at Harv
Hickman’s costume party include an array of both reused character designs and
obscure Jack Kirby characters. Featured
among the crowd include Edward Lytener in his pirate garb (from the Superman episode “Solar Power”)
and an altered Lorraine Tate (from the Batman Beyond episode "Spellbound"), Darkseid henchmen
Dr. Bedlam
(first appearance: Mister Miracle #2 [May-June 1971]; seen here) and
Devilance the Pursuer (Forever
People #11 [August-September 1972]; seen here), Etrigan foe the
Phantom of the Sewers (The
Demon #8 [April 1973]), Forever People member
Vykin the Black (Forever
People Vol. 1 [February-March 1971]; he would later appear in "Twilight"), Penguin henchwoman
Lark (from The
New Batman Adventures; seen here
in "The
Ultimate Thrill"), Goody Rickles, Maxie
Zeus (from the BTAS episode "Fire
from Olympus"), Gsplsnz in her Carmen Miranda
outfit from the Superman episode “Mxyzpixilated,”
and the Batman, Harley
Quinn, and Catwoman actors from the Batman
Beyond episode “Out of the Past.”
At Hickman’s
party, the man in the Batman costume performed the Batusi, the dance craze made
popular by Adam West in “Hi Diddle Riddle,” the first episode of the 1960s Batman television series.
EPISODES #22, 23 - "METAMORPHOSIS"
Real
Name: Simon Stagg
Voiced by Lane Smith
An unscrupulous businessman and overprotective father, Stagg was responsible for the transformation of Rex Mason into Metamorpho, the Element Man.
Len Uhley on Simon Stagg: "Simon has an unhealthy affection for Sapphire...[It's] truly creepy...I mean, this guy really needs some therapy" (courtesy of Toon Zone and [website name removed]).
Real
Name: Java
Voiced by Richard Moll
A frozen caveman thawed and revived by Simon Stagg, the slow-witted Java serves as Stagg's henchman. He harbors an attraction to his boss' daughter, Sapphire.
Real
Name: Rex Mason
Voiced by Tom Sizemore
An old friend of John Stewart, this is how Rex Mason appeared before he was transformed into Metamorpho.
For more information, see the Metamorpho entry.
Real
Name: Sapphire Stagg
Voiced by Danica McKellar
The daughter of Simon Stagg, Sapphire met Rex Mason through his employment at her father's company, which led to an affair between the like-minded, passionate individuals. Initially deciding to keep their relationship secret from her father, they reluctantly revealed that secret as she announced that she was going with him to Chicago. It was then that Stagg realized who his Metamorpho subject would be, as to eliminate Mason as a potential suitor for his precious daughter.
Despite her initial shock at his transformation, Rex's transformation into Metamorpho has only drawn the couple closer together, much to the chagrin of Simon Stagg.
Len Uhley on Sapphire Stagg: “Let's face it—a lot has changed since Metamorpho started out in the comic books. You simply couldn't play Sapphire as a spoiled little rich girl (she's still rich in this version, but that whole whiny cutesy-poo routine she did in the comics is long gone). Sapphire is [still] a babe, but in a self-actualized, 21st Century way" (courtesy of Toon Zone).
Real
Name: Inapplicable
Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker
The result of a chemical accident, the consciousness of Simon Stagg merged with a chemically-altered version of the Metamorpho formula to become a monster with a single mission: find Sapphire Stagg.
DarkLantern on Chemo's "appearance": “The creature's appearance was definitely inspired by Chemo, but it isn't called Chemo […] I always thought Chemo would have been a great Metamorpho opponent back in the day" (courtesy of Toon Zone).
Dan Riba on “Chemo”: “That monster [...] was kind of a nod to the Jack Kirby monsters from the 1950s and ‘60s. His climb on the building was my nod to Kong. I couldn’t help it; I love King Kong" (courtesy of ToyFare Magazine).
An old foe of the Metal Men from DC Comics' history, Chemo was adapted for "Metamorphosis," becoming less the cartoonish, semi-sentient lava lamp and more an amalgam of the Silver Age Chemo and the Kirbyesque monsters from the 1950s and 1960s. Ironically, a more comics-accurate Chemo made an appearance in the test footage used to sell Justice League to Cartoon Network.
Additional Details:
According to Len
Uhley (the author of Part One), the train accident was originally supposed to be
a plane crash, but following 9/11 changes were made to the script, presumably
out of sensitivity to the American audience.
“Metamorphosis”
shares many parallels with episodes of Batman:
the Animated Series. For
example, the initial reaction on behalf of Mason and his fiancé (lover faints,
victim flees into the night) is reminiscent of Harvey Dent and Grace's
respective reactions
from “Two-Face, Part One.” Likewise,
Metamorpho’s anger at his transformation, violent outbursts, desire for
revenge, and flight from the authorities (complete with
melting into the sewer) harkens
back to the pains of Matt Hagen (otherwise known as Clayface) from “Feats of
Clay, Part Two.”
Metamorpho’s
reference to Java as “Flintstone” refers to Fred Flintstone, the prehistoric
everyman from Hanna Barbara’s animated series The
Flintstones (1960-1966).
The Chemo-like
monster’s rampage through Metropolis—complete with damsel in distress—is
reminiscent of the classic film King Kong
(1933). Of course, the creature’s
explosion at the end has more in common with the climax of the film Ghostbusters (1984).
EPISODES #24, 25, 26 - "THE SAVAGE TIME"
Real
Name: Resistance Leader Bruce Wayne
Voiced by Kevin Conroy
As a boy, Bruce Wayne witnessed his parents' gruesome murder by members of Vandal Savage’s oppressive regime. From that day forward, he swore to avenge his parents and honor their memory by fighting against the World Order that Savage commanded. Organizing and training a private army, Bruce Wayne fights for his cause with an obsession that equals that of the Batman, his alter-ego from the Justice League’s reality.
DarkLantern on Batman in "The Savage Time": “‘Future Batman’ is really ‘Alternate Present Batman’—caused by the fact that he was the only Leaguer not shielded from the time distortion by Green Lantern's power ring" (courtesy of Toon Zone).
Vulnerable to the time distortions of "The Savage Time," Batman made an appearance early in the episode as a guerrilla fighter opposed to Vandal Savage's administration. While only limited to a single appearance, it was interesting to note that, given the circumstances, Bruce Wayne would develop into a similar kind of champion, albeit one that uses guns.
Real Name: Vandal Savage (World War II Era)
Voiced by Phil Morris
Armed with knowledge from his future self, this era's Vandal Savage was able to take over the armies of Nazi Germany and use them in his bid for world conquest.
For more information, see the Vandal Savage entry.
Real Name: General Hoffman
Voiced by Grant Albrecht
Vandal Savage's second-in-command during his tenure as Führer, General Hoffman often took the brunt of Savage's temper. In addition, he was responsible for reviving Adolf Hitler following Savage's disappearance.
Real Name: Steven Trevor
Voiced by Patrick Duffy
An American spy during World War II, Trevor was sent across enemy lines to crack Vandal Savage's code. It was during this mission that he encountered a time-displaced Wonder Woman, whom he fell in love with. There romance ended when she returned to the future, but he always remembered his encounter with the powerful champion.
DarkLantern on Wonder Woman’s romance: “The ‘romance’ with Steven Trevor…was really well done. Trevor has some great lines, and it’s interesting to see Diana’s responses to his…er…charms. I especially like how she returned Trevor’s impulsive kiss in Part Three" (courtesy of Toon Zone).
Although largely overlooked in today's comics, Steve Trevor was one of the original supporting cast members from the Wonder Woman comics. An Air Force pilot who crash-landed near Paradise Island, it was Trevor's presence that motivated Diana to journey out and explore "Man's World." They later married and had a child, who would eventually grow up to become a superhero known as the Fury (in Earth-2, Golden Age continuity); but this connection became dissolved in 1985 with the continuity-changing Crisis on Infinite Earths.
In terms of Justice League continuity, Steven Trevor's relationship with Diana reflects her changing perceptions regarding men (the Wonder Woman of "Secret Origins" would probably have been more likely to throw Trevor through a wall than let him kiss her). Her interest in men sparked by her encounter with Trevor, it could be argued that this meeting was indirectly responsible for Diana's ongoing flirtation with Batman.
Real Name: Adolf Hitler
Voiced by ---
Having had his position and armies usurped by Vandal Savage, Adolf Hitler found himself cryonically frozen and stored in a facility deep within Savage's military base. He would later be thawed out and restored to power, following Savage's defeat and disappearance, in order to fulfill his destiny.
Real Name: Ernst
Voiced by Dave Thomas
Steven Trevor's German contact, this code-breaker made the discovery of Vandal Savage's plan to invade the United States.
Additional Details:
The scene where
officers show up to arrest the Justice League minutes after landing on the
altered Earth is reminiscent of the Superman
episode “Brave New Metropolis,” where Lois Lane was approached minutes after
her arrival. In addition, the
uniforms of the officers are similar in design.
An altered
version of the BTAS Batmobile (now with mounted cannon) can be seen in some
scenes.
Among the
alternate Bruce Wayne’s army are Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, and possibly
Tim Drake. In addition, it would
appear that Dick and Barbara are still a couple in this reality.
The scientist’s
uniforms in the time portal room are similar to the uniforms used in the Superman episode “Where There’s Smoke.”
It is heavily
implied that the Justice League arrived in June 1944 during the Battle of
Normandy, which was the crucial battle in which
The War Wheels
made their first appearance in Blackhawk
#56 (September 1952), and have made frequent appearances in their stories.
It would later be revealed in the Justice
League Unlimited episode “I Am Legion” that the Blackhawks later
acquired a few of these for their
The energy
gauntlet worn by Vandal Savage resembles the gauntlet worn by Sgt. Rock foe the
Iron Major (first appearance: Our Army at War #158; September 1965).
The scenes
revealing Adolf Hitler to be cryonically frozen pay homage to the conspiracy
theories describing similar circumstances involving Hitler post-World War II.
Two
scenes
featuring a soldier wearing bandages on his face reference the Unknown Soldier,
a DC Comics’ character who first appeared in Star
Spangled War Stories #151 (June / July 1970).
An unnamed man whose face was destroyed while serving in the Pacific, the
Unknown Soldier became a master of disguise and performed many anonymous
missions during World War II.
The scene with
Superman ignited by jet fuel (caused by flying through one of the Luftwaffe’s
planes) pays tribute to the Marvel Comics’ original Human Torch, who was first
seen in Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939).
Bulldozer,
Green Lantern’s biggest critic among Easy Company, was voiced by Ted Levine
who, coincidentally, also provided the voice for Sinestro, Green Lantern’s
greatest enemy.
Vandal
Savage’s reference to the “Übermensch” refers to the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche,
which the Nazis distorted to propagandize the German nation as the superior
“Aryan” race. In addition, it
was revealed in the Justice League Unlimited episode “Patriot Act”
that German scientists were working on an Übermensch
of their own, which would have been code-named “Captain Nazi.”
During
the video shown on Vandal Savage’s laptop, one of the images used is
reminiscent of “Raising the Flag on
While dressed in
military uniform during his tenure with Easy Company, John Stewart resembled
Jackie Johnson, the team’s only black member.
A former heavyweight boxer (a tidbit referenced by his fight with
Bulldozer), Jackie Johnson is notable for being one of the first
non-stereotypical black character in comics (for more information, click here).
The planes Savage
used to prepare for the invasion of
The reference to
“Stryker” (the one Savage’s henchman claimed was repairing Stewart’s
damage) may have been a reference to “Sgt. Stryker’s Death Squad,” an
Atlas Comic book feature first published in Savage
Combat Tales in February 1975 (for more information, click here).
The nurse at
Steve Trevor’s retirement home resembles longtime Wonder Woman nemesis (and Nazi) Baroness Paula Von Gunther.
Images courtesy of Toon Zone, the Grand Comic Book Database, CineMasterpieces - Vintage Movie Posters, Movie Spotlight, Heroic 'Toons!, Who's Whose in the DC Universe?, DC Comics, The Bruce Timm Gallery, Film Junk, Guide to Neon Genesis Evangelion, Batman UK: 1966 Batman Series Tribute Website, Playboy.com, BBC News, Comic Book Resources, and Wikipedia.
