Justice League: 5 Things The Original Series Did Well (& 5 That Unlimited Did Better)

For many, the DC Animated Universe is the gold standard when it comes to comic book adaptations. Starting with Batman: The Animated Series and ending with Justice League Unlimited, the DCAU introduced some of the best comic book character adaptations of all time.

Two of the most famous shows in the DCAU were Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. While Unlimited is technically a sequel to Justice League, the show had changed its focus greatly from Justice League.

10 Justice League: Opening Story

Without a doubt, one of the strongest stories, not only in the Justice League, but the entire DCAU was the opening three-parter to Justice League. The story brings together the 7 members of the League as a mysterious alien race attacks Earth.

Not only does this episode have all the action any fan could want, it also features one of the most emotional and poignant storylines in the DCAU, with Martian Manhunter’s tragic past being explored.

9 Unlimited: Strange Partnerships

Justice League Unlimited helped to really stir things up the DCAU. While the wider DC Universe had always been hinted at, Unlimited introduced scores of new characters, with episodes being dedicated to some of these new characters.

The huge number of new characters also lead to some interesting team-ups, with Batman and Orion being one of the most memorable instances of this. Not only was it fun to see some of these team-ups, but it also allowed the audience to see different sides to their favorite characters.

8 Justice League: Character Exploration

The limited cast size of the original Justice League allowed for far more character exploration than was possible in Unlimited. Often, several episodes were dedicated to exploring the character of a League member.

The most notable examples of these character explorations were Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter. This not only showed us their origin stories but also their motivations and their values.

7 Unlimited: Standalone Episodes

This isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing, but it does certainly help decide whether or not you watch Unlimited or Justice League. Perhaps due to the larger cast size, many episodes in Unlimited were one episode stories, focussing on a new character.

This makes it far easier for viewers, either returning or new, to jump straight into an episode without having to watch prior episodes or several episodes to finish the story.

6 Justice League: Longer Arcs

As with the prior entry, this is a preference that could even change depending upon one’s mood. The Justice League focussed on telling longer stories over several episodes, allowing for more complicated and drawn-out stories.

This isn’t necessarily better or worse than having standalone episodes, but some certainly prefer this style of storytelling as it allows for more time for character development and universe building.

5 Unlimited: Bigger Stories

The sheer volume of characters in Justice League Unlimited allowed for far bigger and more reaching stories than the Justice League. This isn’t only due to the volume of characters either, but also the genre they fit into.

For instance, Zatanna and Doctor Fate allowed for more magical stories to be told; whereas the Question allowed for more mystery adventures to be explored. Additionally, the nature of these stories also led some other characters to be pushed out of their comfort zone to great effect.

4 Justice League: More Grounded

While the Justice League may have fewer characters than Justice League Unlimited, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to feel more restrictive in terms of its storytelling ability. Sometimes, less is more.

Having fewer characters allowed for the series to be far more focussed and grounded than Unlimited, focussing on the relationship of the 7 members and how the group connected and bonded with one another.

3 Unlimited: Tied Off The DCAU

The DCAU started in 1992 with the release of Batman: The Animated Series and continued through into the early to mid-2000s before concluding with Justice League Unlimited. consequently, it fell to Unlimited to deliver a serviceable ending to this beloved franchise.

For many, the ending of Unlimited was incredible, with the series not only tying off the loose ends of Unlimited but also wrapping up Batman Beyond in the process.

2 Justice League: Chemistry Of The Main 7

This has already been hinted at throughout this list, but the biggest strength of the Justice League series was its focus on the 7 main heroes. This allowed for a dynamic and bond to grow and mature between the characters during the show’s run.

The audience got to see a group of relatively unrelated heroes decide to work together to overcome an invasion, before then ultimately forming the Justice League and becoming friends in the process.

1 Unlimited: More Heroes

The DC Universe is gigantic. Due to the sheer size of the universe, it isn’t always guaranteed that your favorite character will get its own TV or film adaptation, particularly if that character isn’t a notable member of the Justice League.

However, Unlimited helped introduce some new characters to the wider public, giving fans new characters to love, while also giving fans of some of the more obscure characters a chance to see their favorite character on screen.

About The Author

Sam Hutchinson
(374 Articles Published)

See also  How To Get The Choice Band In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Writer living in Adelaide, Australia. Long-suffering post-graduate student and lover of pop culture from Game of Thrones to DC.
Twitter: @samchinson

More From Sam Hutchinson