Future Shock as Legion Villains Battle the Justice League

Just when I was getting used to the idea that every DC Animated Universe release was going to be a continuation of the New 52 paradigm, they throw us a curveball and give us another chapter in JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED -- and a most welcome one at that!

The voice acting trinity of Kevin Conroy, Susan Eisenberg, and George Newbern return as Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, with Kevin Michael Richardson joining the team as Mr. Terrific and Daniela Bobadilla as potential League recruit, Miss Martian.

The action begins in the future, when three of the Fatal Five -- Mano (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez), The Persuader (Matthew Yang King), and Tharok (Peter Jessup) -- steal a time sphere from the Legion so they can go back in time and free their fellow FF members, Validus (Bruce Timm) and the Emerald Empress (Sumalee Montano). To do this, they require the forced assistance of Green Lantern Jessica Cruz (Diane Guerrero), a new recruit who battles anxiety after having survived while her friends were murdered beside her.

This film is really Jessica's story of overcoming fear and coming into her own as a hero -- a rather bad-ass hero when she finally does so. But it's also the story of another hero, Tom Kallor, aka Star Boy (Elyes Gabel) of the Legion of Super-Heroes, from the 31st century. Star Boy can control the density of objects, making them extra light or extra heavy. He also has a mental condition that requires constant medication, a medication that hasn't been invented in the 21st century when he chases after the Fatal Five. His jumbled memories and paranoid-schizophrenia land him in Arkham Asylum, where he spends the better part of a year until the Fatal Five are awakened from their stasis booby-trap and he sees them on television terrorizing the city.

There's a lot of action to be had here, perfect for JLU fans. There's also a lot of language, which I've become accustomed to in the New 52 DCAU, but was grossly unnecessary in this JLU animated story.

The story is a moving one, and the obstacles are seemingly insurmountable. When the Emerald Empress unleashes her final threat which causes the sun to go unstable, there's a nice throwback to old Legion fans who remember the original Ferro Lad. All in all, this new adventure of the JLU is an entertaining--albeit PG-13--superhero adventure.