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5 Justice League Characters Improved by the Animated Series
The popular DC animated shows Justice League and Justice League Unlimited introduced a new legion of superhero fans to DC’s premiere team of heroes, while also improving on several members of the roster. Justice League first debuted on November 17th, 2001, as a follow-up and a pay-off to the popular shows Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, helping to establish the interconnected continuity of the DC Animated Universe. Justice League was followed by the sequel series Justice League Unlimited on July 31st, 2004, which vastly expanded the League’s hero roster, along with taking viewers on many other epic animated adventures until the show’s epic finale on May 13th, 2006.
Collectively, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited comprise five seasons of 91 episodes, with many of the League’s traditional members like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash helping form the League. With the vast collection of heroes on the two connected Justice League shows, many newly added as well as classical members of the Justice League were also portrayed in ways that greatly elevated their public profile and improved upon elements of their backstories. Here are five heroes on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited who particularly benefited from their roles on the two shows.
5) Green Arrow
DC’s Emerald Archer Green Arrow has long been a hero with a tertiary relationship with the Justice League, primarily linked through his connections to members like Batman and Green Lantern. Justice League Unlimited gave Oliver Queen prominence outside of the comics he had never known before by making him a full-fledged member of the Justice League, while giving Ollie plenty of runway to drop one-liners and pull trick arrows from his quiver, including his trademark boxing glove arrow. Green Arrow’s role on Justice League Unlimited was instrumental in helping him to establish a wide mainstream fanbase, laying the groundwork for Oliver’s subsequent live-action appearances on Smallville and Arrow, both of which showcase Green Arrow as a big team-builder.
4) Zatanna
DC’s master sorceress Zatanna Zatara was first established in the DC Animated Universe as a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne’s on Batman: The Animated Series, which made it a great gesture of continuity and heroic ascendency when she was featured as a member of the League on Justice League: Unlimited (voiced by Jennifer Hale in the episode “This Little Piggy” and Juliet Landau in the episode “The Balance”). While far less prominent on the two shows than Hawkgirl (voiced by Maria Canals-Barrera), Zatanna’s role as part of the League’s highly expanded hero roster gave her greater exposure as a magically inclined heroine, and gave many young viewers a deeper glimpse into the supernatural and sorcery-based sides of DC. As a minor member of the League on Justice League: Unlimited, Zatanna nonetheless brought her magic to splendid results.
3) Aquaman
Arthur Curry was once the butt of every fish joke thanks to his role and perceived uselessness on the Hanna-Barbara animated series Super Friends, but Peter David’s ’90s comic book run on Aquaman gave the King of Atlantis an edgier makeover that has defined Arthur ever since. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited took that template and ran with it, introducing Arthur (voiced by Scott Rummell) as a gruff ruler of the seven seas, complete with his new harpoon hand, and reestablished Aquaman in a whole new light for modern viewers. Aquaman’s role on Justice League Unlimited was, sadly, one of the limited elements of the show due to he embargo placed on his use by the then-in-development (and ultimately never produced) live-action Aquaman TV series with Smallville’s Justin Hartley. Nonetheless, despite Aquaman’s role on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited ending after the latter’s first season, he helped cement Arthur Curry’s no-nonsense Atlantean warrior makeover long before Jason Momoa embodied Aquaman on the big screen.
2) Green Lantern
Many humans have wielded the Power Ring and taken the oath of the Green Lantern Corps in DC Comics, and for an entire generation, none was more widely known than Hal Jordan. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited passed that mantle onto another Lantern with John Stewart (voiced by Phil LaMarr) as the show’s primary Lantern and member of the Justice League. The impact of John Stewart’s role on the two Justice League animated series was immeasurable, elevating John to not just equal but arguably even greater prominence than Hal, with the show establishing John as the Green Lantern of an entire new generation. Even with John’s established Green Lantern legacy in the comics, his role on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited made him a more revered hero than ever for millions of young DC fans.
1) Martian Manhunter
J’onn J’onzz is the most underappreciated DC hero, often presented as a font of wisdom on the Justice League without ever being truly brought center stage. Considering J’onn’s vast power set that includes invisibility, telepathy, shape-shifting, flight, and super-strength comparable to Superman’s, his second fiddle status has been one of DC’s biggest question marks, which is why his very central role on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited is perhaps the first time he’s truly been done justice outside of the comics. Voiced by Carl Lumbly, Martian Manhunter is the empathetic soul of the two Justice League animated shows, his tremendous power balanced with a kindness and gentleness that absolutely nails the heart of J’onn J’onzz as a hero with a big heart and even bigger love of chocos. Martian Manhunter is easily one of the greatest character achievements of both Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, and an absolutely indispensable character for both shows.
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