Bruce Timm Is Making A New, "Darker" Justice League Animated Series

[The Baconator]

[IMG]http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/pxz2hp89ruqqmprmisgf.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE]Whoa! DCAU mastermind Bruce Timm will executive producer a new digital Justice League cartoon for Machinima to debut in spring of 2015. Titled Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, [B]it will be be co-produced by his Batman: The Animated Series partner Alan Burnett.[/B]

Originally announced as another DC direct-to-home video animated movie, Gods and Monsters Chronicles will now be a three-part digital series; according to Comic Book Resources it's an original story by Timm which has nothing to do with the 2001 Justice League comic of the same name. Most tellingly (via Variety):

"Chronicles" is said to revolve around a newly conceived reality in the DC universe where Justice League members Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are much darker versions of the superheroes that people know.
I can't be upset at the idea of any Bruce Timm-led DC animation, but does it really need to be darker? I swear, if DC continues this trend, eventually we're going to get a Justice League that spends all its time murdering hoboes.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://io9.com/bruce-timm-is-making-a-new-darker-justice-league-ani-1636289292[/url]
[url]http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/machinima-justice-league-series-superman-batman-wonder-woman-dc-entertainment-1201308015/[/url]

oh my god yes

[Cloak_Raider]

original justice league cartoon had it's dark moments

ha ha! let's save the question because currently he's being tortured to fucking death

[Sonic Fan]

I hope it gets a kickass theme song like Unlimited.

[video=youtube;mpLaJFdQLag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpLaJFdQLag[/video]

[Mingebox]

Hopefully not darker in the sense where it's just bad shit happens all the time.

[Helix Snake]

[QUOTE=Sonic Fan;46014733]I hope it gets a kickass theme song like Unlimited.

[video=youtube;mpLaJFdQLag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpLaJFdQLag[/video][/QUOTE]

I was literally humming that tune to myself like half a minute before I saw this topic.

[Trogdon]

[QUOTE=Cloak Raider;46014676]original justice league cartoon had it's dark moments

ha ha! let's save the question because currently he's being tortured to fucking death[/QUOTE]

Like the episode where the flash dies in the future

[Sableye]

marvel has multi dimensional characters, tons of interconnected stories, great actors, and a fine blend of action, seiousness, grittyness, funny stuff and falafels
DC has darkness

[Firgof Umbra]

I'm super excited. JL/JL:U is right up there with B:TAS, S:TAS, and Batman: Beyond for me and all of those series are close to my heart. I expect great things and with Timm and Co. at the helm I feel confident it'll at least be a pretty OK mini-series. I'm curious how they're going to cast it VA-wise though. And I hope if it does well [b][i]DC finally reinvests in their animated universe and not just Batman[/i][/b].

I'm also interested to learn if the new Gotham series will tie in at all with all this stuff. It seems like DC is testing the waters for a coherent 'TV/Movie universe' narrative like Marvel's been doing recently(Agents of Shield, (potentially?) Ultimate Spiderman, Avengers Assemble, etc. alongside the movies). Arrow, Flash, and Gotham are definitely in that 'dark mood' they're talking about above and the upcoming Superman/Batman movie (which I've read is rumored to create the Justice League by the time the credits roll) is also said to be 'dark' with it's aged and well-seasoned Batman. At the least it all [i]seems[/i] coordinated.

I just hope they don't try to just make it evoke Miller's and Nolan's 'dark world' DC-verse 24/7. Some of my favorite episodes of JL/JL:U, B:TAS, and S:TAS were light-heartedish ("Beware the Grey Ghost", "Heart of Ice", "Mxyzpixilated", "Knight Time", "Almost Got Him", "Comfort and Joy"). I felt JL and JL:U really struck a good balance between drama, comedy, intrigue and action and it could get pretty serious and downright cruel at times too.

[Jaguar]

I hope it's not "dark and edgy" like a lot of the recent DC works have been. They get really silly or outright dumb.

[SquidsEye]

[QUOTE=Sableye;46014902]marvel has multi dimensional characters, tons of interconnected stories, great actors, and a fine blend of action, seiousness, grittyness, funny stuff and falafels
DC has darkness[/QUOTE]

DC may make shitty films but they are far better than Marvel when it comes to their animated stuff.

[Chonch]

if it's got the same artstyle but not the same voice actors i'll cry

[Curls]

[QUOTE=Sableye;46014902]marvel has multi dimensional characters, tons of interconnected stories, great actors, and a fine blend of action, seiousness, grittyness, funny stuff and falafels
DC has darkness[/QUOTE]

also DC changes stories like the damn seasons change

but JL and JLU was truly awesome... that's... really it though for me.

[DokVis]

[QUOTE=Sonic Fan;46014733]I hope it gets a kickass theme song like Unlimited.

[video=youtube;mpLaJFdQLag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpLaJFdQLag[/video][/QUOTE]

Watching JLU again, god damn you.

[Steel]

[QUOTE=Sableye;46014902]marvel has multi dimensional characters, tons of interconnected stories, great actors, and a fine blend of action, seiousness, grittyness, funny stuff and falafels
DC has darkness[/QUOTE]
Marvel has the 1986 film Howard the Duck.
DC has the Bat Credit Card.

[Worstcase]

It would actually be pretty cool to see Injustice: Gods Among Us done as an animation. Though of course that would be only feasible after Injustice finishes.

[Cuon Alpinus]

[QUOTE=Worstcase;46015246]It would actually be pretty cool to see Injustice: Gods Among Us done as an animation. Though of course that would be only feasible after Injustice finishes.[/QUOTE]

Injustice's story is just a rip of Dead Flash parallel universe from the comics.
JLU Animated Series already did an arc on that timeline.

[Zuimzado]

[QUOTE=Firgof Umbra;46014940]

I'm also interested to learn if the new Gotham series will tie in at all with all this stuff. It seems like DC is testing the waters for a coherent 'TV/Movie universe' narrative like Marvel's been doing recently(Agents of Shield, (potentially?) Ultimate Spiderman, Avengers Assemble, etc. alongside the movies). Arrow, Flash, and Gotham are definitely in that 'dark mood' they're talking about above and the upcoming Superman/Batman movie (which I've read is rumored to create the Justice League by the time the credits roll) is also said to be 'dark' with it's aged and well-seasoned Batman. At the least it all [i]seems[/i] coordinated.[/QUOTE]

No, it won't. It's been said multiple times that the DC TV projects are not connected, apart from Arrow and Flash. Also, those two aren't that dark. Arrow has that dark vigilante feel but it also has superpowered people. Flash is going for a more lighter feel, as is befitting of the character.

[Sgt. Napalm]

Now we just need Paul Dini and we're set.

... :(

[Nullianac]

oh boy oh boy [B]oh boy[/B]

[Firgof Umbra]

[quote]It's been said multiple times that the DC TV projects are not connected, apart from Arrow and Flash[/quote]
Ah, just a coincidence then.

[quote]Also, those two aren't that dark.[/quote]
I beg to differ on Arrow. Arrow's had some of the darkest moments of any comic-related show of the past several years I've seen. [sp]That moment with Slade and Queen near the end of the last season is one of the darkest, full-bore, moments I've seen in any comic-related show - and in general for TV shows as well. It didn't even cut away to save the dignity of those present - it was played straight. Perhaps it doesn't feel dark for you but it certainly feels dark to me. It doesn't stoop to the level of 'dark' of, say, Nolan's TDK but for TV it was pretty extreme even if it wasn't particularly 'bloody'.[/sp]

Flash might not be, sure, but it hasn't aired just yet. From what I've seen they seem to be going the way of the old 1990s Flash TV series (or at least they seem to have been inspired by it in ways) which had its dark moments as well. Looks can be deceiving though and maybe I'm reading too much into it from what I've seen. It could definitely be much more light-hearted than I'm expecting.

[Dr.C]

JLU 1st season was amazing. Like holy shit I put that up there with House of Cards and the first 2 seasons of Dexter.

Young Justice season 3 never :(

[Mio Akiyama]

I hope it's not beware the batman bad

[NuclearJesus]

. . .I just came.

Also, PLEASE, bring back Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Michael Rosenbaum as The Flash.

[Discofex]

But how mch question and vigilante will we get?

[Zuimzado]

[QUOTE=Firgof Umbra;46015755]Ah, just a coincidence then.

I beg to differ on Arrow. Arrow's had some of the darkest moments of any comic-related show of the past several years I've seen. [sp]That moment with Slade and Queen near the end of the last season is one of the darkest, full-bore, moments I've seen in any comic-related show - and in general for TV shows as well. It didn't even cut away to save the dignity of those present - it was played straight. Perhaps it doesn't feel dark for you but it certainly feels dark to me. It doesn't stoop to the level of 'dark' of, say, Nolan's TDK but for TV it was pretty extreme even if it wasn't particularly 'bloody'.[/sp]

Flash might not be, sure, but it hasn't aired just yet. From what I've seen they seem to be going the way of the old 1990s Flash TV series (or at least they seem to have been inspired by it in ways) which had its dark moments as well. Looks can be deceiving though and maybe I'm reading too much into it from what I've seen. It could definitely be much more light-hearted than I'm expecting.[/QUOTE]

I think Arrow immediately set itself on a less dark level with the inclusion of superpowers. I think they're gonna get to that nice pace, that nice balance between dark and light. If Oliver is more Green Arrow and less Batman on this next season, I think it'll have hit the right spot the recent DC movies have really missed.

Also, Flash is gonna be lighthearted by nature. It's about a guy who can run super fast, and from the get go is gonna have superpowered foes. The showrunners have said that they're going in a much more colorful direction, and I'm super happy with that choice. The approach they have for Arrow wouldn't work for Flash, and I'd love a more colorful superhero show on TV (SHIELD is getting there. Have someone on a costume and I'll be doing flips).

Man, this conversation has made me realize this upcoming TV season is gonna be great for superhero fans.

[editline]18th September 2014[/editline]

[QUOTE=Mio Akiyama;46015934]I hope it's not beware the batman bad[/QUOTE]

Ah, come on. That wasn't bad. I liked the approach it had to the Batman mythos. It just got punched in the dick due to CN suddenly giving up on broadcasting it on its 9th or so episode. Couldn't even finish its first big arc.

[Beardy]

too bad it's only a 3-parter.

[Polymorph]

[QUOTE=NuclearJesus;46016176]. . .I just came.

Also, PLEASE, bring back Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Michael Rosenbaum as The Flash.[/QUOTE]

At the same time?

[Sgt. Napalm]

They're still floating around, and they still do work for DC. I would honestly be more surprised if those voice actors [I]weren't[/I] involved.

[Reds]

[QUOTE=squids_eye;46015050]DC may make shitty films but they are far better than Marvel when it comes to their animated stuff.[/QUOTE]

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was so fucking good until Marvel got a new head of animation who thinks that animation is stupid and kids can't understand serialised storytelling so every episode has to be self-contained. The show went to shit after that.

[Deunan]

[QUOTE=Sableye;46014902]marvel has multi dimensional characters, tons of interconnected stories, great actors, and a fine blend of action, seiousness, grittyness, funny stuff and falafels
DC has darkness[/QUOTE]

While DC does tend to fuck up a lot of their live action movies, their animated series and even movies tend to be top notch. I'd say much better than marvel's.