» Justice League Options

[sef]

Scott Patterson? What character did he voice?

Agent King(?) Faraday.

I didn't recognize his voice, but I recognized his name in the credits.

[Schroeder]

Oh, I thought he said "Ken Faraday".

And in case you were wondering, Supergirl lost her powers because the sunlight in Skartaris is different than Earth's sun.

I wasn't. But thank you for explaining that. I mean, she's immune to Kryptonite anyway, right? But I always hate Center of the Planet stories anyway. I mean, where do they get their light? And their wind? And their rain? It just can't happen, people.

The second episode was even better. Glad to see Black Manta back, or is his name Manta Ray now? I haven't been keeping up with all of Aquaman's foes.

I'm pretty sure Gorrilla Grodd called him "Devil Ray." Although I'm not sure why the slight name change.

[Rai]

I have a feeling they worried about using the "Black Manta" name would seem like too much of a throwback to the days of "identify ethnic heroes by their codenames" a la Black Vulcan. "Devil Ray" does kind of make more sense for a villain's name as is, and avoids any potential moral outrage from those not familiar with the character's history.

In other words, PC strikes again, but enh, it happens.

[mrow]

I like watching Justice League, it gives me a glimpse into the DC universe. It's a pretty groovy place and just getting a glimpse is so much fun because it all comes off as pretty weird. Talking gorillas, man. Talking gorillas.

I liked both episodes, but I have some questions. First, is the DC earth really hollow, or does that hole actually lead to a another dimension or something? I don't know why I can suspend my disbelief for robot dinosaurs and faster then light travel but a hollow earth just rubs me the wrong way. Second, did it bother anyone else that the viking ship seemed to light on fire as it neared the sun? Doesn't there need to be oxygen for that to happen?

[sef]

I assumed she had lesser powers because of the lack of a yellow sun. I was okay with them never explaining it -- although I was curious how she seemed to have varying strength.

How is Kara immune to kryptonite? Oh, let me expand on that a bit -- on a discussion over on UseNET, I found out that Kara isn't really Kryptonian, but from a nearby star. Something like that. So I immediately concluded that she should not be affected by kryptonite, but I never really got an answer to that. So... is she? It would seem that she is partially affected by it, anyway?

where do they get their light? And their wind? And their rain?

It's magic, of course.

[Schroeder]

t would seem that she is partially affected by it, anyway?

True dat. Good deduction skills.

She's from Argos, which is another planet. Sister planet to Krypton. (and I'm going on pre-Crisis learnings, because I didn't even know what Crisis was until last year in this thread, and it's possible her planet's name/status as a moon to Krypton could have changed, but the general gyst is below).

So, it's not exactly the same planet, therefore it's not exactly Kryptonite that makes up her former planet. It's probably something called Argonite, or something. But it's close enough. Like Earth/Mars, or something. The planets are similar enough, but they're not the same planet. Therefore, Kryptonite affects her differently than it does Superman, who is an actual Kryptonian. I'm sure that if some Argonite made its way here, it's do to Supergirl what Kryptonite does to Superman, and it would do to Superman what Kryptonite does to Supergirl.

Get what I'm saying?

(Does that mean she's an Argonot? Argonian?)

It's magic, of course.

Well, then. I'll shut up. I've always wanted to be a magical DC creature. I mean, magic kicks even Superman's ass.

First, is the DC earth really hollow, or does that hole actually lead to a another dimension or something?

I think it's a pocket city. With the sunlight coming in through the ice, which is a cover over the land. It's not exactly and entirely hollow Earth, just has a great big ice-covered crater.

This post has been edited by Schroeder: Sep 24, 2005 @ 11:14 pm.

[monsterzero]

Actually, she was affected by kryptonite in The Return, when she followed Luthor into his secret tunnel lined with the stuff. I think they were suggesting that when kryptonians lose their powers due to red sunlight, kryptonite affects them less severely. It doesn't make much sense IMO, but that's the best I can figure from what they said.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

I have a feeling they worried about using the "Black Manta" name would seem like too much of a throwback to the days of "identify ethnic heroes by their codenames" a la Black Vulcan. "Devil Ray" does kind of make more sense for a villain's name as is, and avoids any potential moral outrage from those not familiar with the character's history.

In other words, PC strikes again, but enh, it happens.

You call it "PC," in my day we called it "manners" but either way it's moot. We changed Black Manta to Devil Ray and removed Aquaman from this script because the rights to Aquaman were no longer available. I think he's doing a movie with Mandy Moore.

Supergirl is from Argos but on our show she's always been just as vulnerable to Kryptonite as Superman.

Earth isn't hollow, Skartaris is in a pocket dimension, illustrated by both Green Lantern's ring insisting they were still at the North Pole and by the glowy dimensional interface the ship passed through (GL buried it at the end).

[Schroeder]

You call it "PC," in my day we called it "manners" but either way it's moot

I don't mind the change, but I always thought he was called Blank manta because Devil Rays are black. I never thought it was racial, at least, not in the way that Black Vulcan/Lighting sure as hell was. So, I'm not too sure how not calling him "Black" Manta is "manners", unless the Big Unspoken Truth out there is that he really is African-American. Which, I guess by your response, saying it's manners not to call him that, explicitly means that he's African-American. I mean, all kinds of super heros/villians have colors in their names, and I never think it has anything to do with their race. But by Dwayne's remark that it was manners and not PC (a term I hate myself) that suggests to me that Devil Ray is African-American, and it would be considered rude to treat him to the '80s affirmative action/forced diversity intent of the original show.

We changed Black Manta to Devil Ray and removed Aquaman from this script because the rights to Aquaman were no longer available.

And Aquaman wasn't available? I used to love him. Sad we won't get to see him. Are you serious about him making the movie? Because I've heard they're trying to do one. I thought it was Marky Mark whom I've heard in the title role. Of course, this was on Ain't It Cool, so I'm not too sure.

Supergirl is from Argos but on our show she's always been just as vulnerable to Kryptonite as Superman.

So, if Supergirl is just as vulnerable to Kryptonite as Superman, why didn't it affect her as much, like Metallo pointed out?

illustrated by both Green Lantern's ring insisting they were still at the North Pole and by the glowy dimensional interface the ship passed through

And I'm watching at work. I'm posting at work, actually. So I missed the first 10 minutes and got there at the end. I just guessed it was pocket city, because Hollow Earth makes me go... err.

but then I realized that if they were actually inside the earth, they could still be "north pole-ish" enough to confuse GL's ring

Well, they could have been under the North Pole, too.

---
I for one am really, really, REALLY liking the new Doom Squad, or Legion of Doofuses. I'm a big fan of throw-back, remembering where we came from.

I like seeing Grodd in charge, because it shows that, while the creators are going back to pre-written ideas, they're chaging them up a bit, making it new.

The only thing I wish there was was a role call. I'm having trouble figuring out who everyone is. But that's just 'cause I'm not a DC geek; just a fan boy.

I hypothisize that there isn't a creature shorting out the bad people's brains. It's Lex Luthor somehow, with a Fail Safe or something to keep the goons from revealing too much.

This post has been edited by Schroeder: Sep 24, 2005 @ 11:23 pm.

[sef]

Whoah! The script author? Neat! Anyway.

Skartaris is in a pocket dimension, illustrated by both Green Lantern's ring insisting they were still at the North Pole and by the glowy dimensional interface the ship passed through (GL buried it at the end).

Not conclusive as shown, I'm afraid. That was my first thought, but then I realized that if they were actually inside the earth, they could still be "north pole-ish" enough to confuse GL's ring.

I've only caught two episodes of Entourage, and yet I still thought of that. (And Diana being all princess-y gives me hope for an Aquaman show -- I mean, he is a king.)

magic kicks even Superman's ass Schroeder

Yeah, but then you get to deal with the likes of Fate (Dr Fate? whatever :)), and worry about the various gods directly intervening, as they are wont to do.

Of course, that leads to the whole discussion about Superman being a demigod.

And Aquaman wasn't available? I used to love him. Sad we won't get to see him. Are you serious about him making the movie? Because I've heard they're trying to do one. I thought it was Marky Mark whom I've heard in the title role. Of course, this was on Ain't It Cool, so I'm not too sure.

Over on the show Entourage, the character with the entourage is signed up to star as Aquaman in the James Cameron version of the movie. The costar is set to be Mandy Moore. I assume that's what he was referring to. It's funny :).

[Schroeder]

Oh, thanks. That is funny.

Thank god our show's script writter really does have a sense of humor and quick wit.

[Rai]

You call it "PC," in my day we called it "manners" but either way it's moot. We changed Black Manta to Devil Ray and removed Aquaman from this script because the rights to Aquaman were no longer available. I think he's doing a movie with Mandy Moore.

I'm actually down with being PC, but since it's become apparently uncool to be such (or be well-mannered), I was softpedaling my hunch. Thanks for clearing that up!

As you say, it's moot. But to answer Schroeder, Black Manta was first established in Aquaman's stories as a mysterious guy in a diving suit, and then it was eventually revealed he was, in fact, black. He was also known as just plain "Manta" at one point, but I don't know when that was in relation to his identity being known.

[Skyblade]

I think he's doing a movie with Mandy Moore.

Heh...you are kidding, right? That's just an Entourage plot, isn't it?

Anyways, Black Manta/Devil Ray was very much an African American in the comics (at least until he turned into a blue monster thing) and definitely sounds like he's one on the cartoon. I don't know mind it so much, except for this guy I knew named Ray, who was a huge Jersey Devil's fan. We called him "Devil Ray". He never tried to to defile the corpses of vikings or drown Wonder Woman, but he would insist we all split the bill, when he clearly ordered the most expensive thing. Whichever one is more sinister, I'll leave to you folks.

Good call on Warlord's part. There, he's a king who gets to hang out with scantily clad babes. On the Surface World, he'd be some military guy Eclipso blew up just to prove how evil he is.

I don't see J'onn going undercover (he already did that after a fashion) I actually have my theories on who J'Onn would go in disguise as, but a certain episode of a caped crusader's cartoon has led to me to that train of thought.

This post has been edited by Skyblade: Sep 24, 2005 @ 11:41 pm.

[Schroeder]

Oh, well, there you go. So he really is African-American, and Dwayne reasons it's manners to not call him that anymore. Which means he was actually called Black Manta because he was black and not just that he happened to be black. And therefore, manners.

Which I'm down with. I just always thought it was an assumption he was African-American just because he was called Black Manta.

I used to love Aquaman, but from what I gleened over the years, he's a really annoying loaner. So his city was sent back in time 3,000 years. Get over it. You know?

[Rai]

Well, I really can't say as to whether that was the original intent for the character or not in the comics. I think the revelation of his racial identity came years if not decades after the introduction of the character, and then someone got the bright idea, "A-ha, he's named Black Manta, therefore he must be actually black." Then again, I might be misremembering and the "Black" got tacked on to "Manta" after the racial revelation. Either way, it was done in such a way as to be unecessarily forced the way Black Goliath and Black Vulcan were named.

Going back to the episodes tonight, I just loved the inclusion of the Viking Prince story, especially with the Sword and Sorcery style of art used to tell it. I hope that was modeled on Joe Kubert's work?