Injustice For All | Episode 8
Aired: September 6, 2002
Heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl and J'onn Jonzz
Supporting: Snapper Carr
Villains: The Joker, Solomon Grundy, Lex Luthor, Cheetah, The Shade, Star Sapphire, Ultra-Humanite, Copperhead
Objects: Kryptonite, Power Ring, Utility Belt (Recorder, Grappling Gun, Batarang, and Tracking Device), Luthor's Plane, Batmobile, Justice League Communication Link, Night Stick, Sapphire Gem, Nth Metal, Novelty Weapon, and Lasso of Truth
Places: Metropolis, LexCorp, Striker's Island, and Justice League Watchtower
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Directed By: Butch Lukic
Injustice For All | Episode 9
Aired: September 13, 2002
Heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl and J'onn Jonzz
Villains: The Joker, Solomon Grundy, Lex Luthor, Cheetah, The Shade, Star Sapphire, Ultra-Humanite and Copperhead
Objects: Sapphire Gem, Night Stick, Utility Belt (Batarang, Exploding Batarang, Bat Grenades, and Watchtower Transmitter), Javelin, Lasso of Truth, Power Ring, Nth Metal, Containment Vest, Novelty Weapon, and Battlesuit
Places: Metropolis, Striker's Island, and Justice League Watchtower
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Directed By: Butch Lukic
Summary
Summary written by VortexInfiniteIt appears as if Superman has finally been defeated by Lex Luthor. The Man of Steel's greatest foe holds a piece of kryptonite over his weakened body as he taunts and boasts. Of course, as all great villains do, he reveals just how he committed his illegal acts right before he strikes the final blow. But the blow never falls. Superman changes into the Martian Manhunter and it is revealed that Luthor was duped. Other members of the Justice League break in to put Luthor in shackles now that they have a confession of sorts. But Luthor will not go down easily. He escapes in a convenient getaway jet and is chased by the real Superman. At first, Lex has the upper hand but when he experiences sudden pain in his chest, he blacks out and the jet crashes.
In the hospital, Luthor learns that he is suffering from kryptonite poisoning. Having the glowing green stuff around constantly has contaminated his bloodstream and his days have become numbered. In jail he contemplates his last moments of life and decides that they shall be spent accomplishing his greatest ambition: destroying Superman and the Justice League. Making a ridiculously easy jailbreak, he and the Ultra-Humanite recruit five other members to take on Earth's finest heroes. However, the Injustice Gang isn't exactly a well-oiled machine. It seems the members would normally be killing each other doing other nasty things if they weren't being paid to be buddies.
Their first battle with the League results in a failure, though Copperhead does manage to poison Batman at the expense of his own freedom. Batman is forced to recover quietly while Superman tries to get information from the stubborn Copperhead. Batman finally gets tired of being still and heads toward the Gang's hideout, convinced he can take them on by himself. He doesn't count on the addition of his arch nemesis, the Joker, to their ranks. Anticipating the Bat's return, he conks him out with a bag full of rocks and has a good laugh afterwards.
Placed in titanium bonds, Batman is now the Gang's hostage. Refusing to co-operate, he tries to charm his captors instead. He even manages to steal a kiss from the lonely Cheetah. Meanwhile, Lex and the Joker have found Batman's key to the Watchtower and hand it Solomon Grundy, Star Sapphire, and the Shade so they can place a bomb in the JL's Satellite. They even get a wide screen TV to see the fireworks. Their fun is spoiled, however, when a traitor alerts the heroes. Luthor uses conveniently placed cameras to discover that Cheetah has been sucking face with Batman. He gives her to Grundy for an unspecified (thankfully) punishment.
The damage is done, however, when the JL arrives to clean house. Superman is having a fun time beating Grundy back to a swamp puddle when Luthor, in his new and improved Kryptonite-controlling/zapping suit, comes in and does what he loves best: torturing Superman. But once again, his plans are thrown in a trash can and torched when the Humanite shows his true colors. He was the traitor all along and it is his electric staff that defeats Luthor for good. The rest of the gang is taken care of. As a reward, Humanite gets double what Luthor was already paying. But what can he possibly do with that money in jail? Why, donate it to public television of course.
Review
Review written by VortexInfiniteThis had all the makings of a classic JL episode. And I guess you could call it that, considering the massive amount of characters. Still, it wasn't as if the Injustice Gang was ever a big threat to the Justice League or the world. They couldn't make it work from the first minute. Whether it was Copperhead and Grundy sexually harassing Cheetah or the Shade bleeding Luthor for more money, the dynamics of this super villain team sputtered and died. Ironically, the most cultured and grounded of the bunch, the Ultra-Humanite, is the one who ruins them all.
The tone of this episode was major camp. Especially when the Joker showed up. While Mark Hamill's performance as the Clown Prince of Crime deserves an A+, it sure didn't detract from the silliness of the episode as a whole. There were plot holes and gimmicks straight from Superfriends. Luthor uses dynamite to distract the police after escaping from prison. Where'd he get dynamite in a max security incarceration facility? Batman "could have escaped any time" from the titanium bonds, he says. I like Batman, but not when he pretends to be Superman. It takes an eternity to find a bomb in a yellow suitcase even with the aid of Superman's X-ray vision and Flash's super-speed. It must has been a real good hiding place...yeah, behind a control panel near the hatch. But then, that was just to add suspense.
Animation was good most of the time, but the blur effect was over-used with the Joker. He didn't acquire cartoonish zipping powers, did he? Music wasn't all that memorable except for one spot: when Batman pounds the crud out of Joker and the old Batman theme plays. Classic.
Overall, it's still a fun ep to watch. Giant team-ups like these give us to see many interesting characters create interesting battles. While this isn't the counter-team for the League I was hoping for, watching Grundy and Joker banter (coincidentally, they're both played by Hamill) definitely gets high ratings. However, the next big villain team-up had better have the proper dynamic to make this something other than a play on the baddies from Superfriends.