Justice League: The Complete Series

This signature superhero offering on the Cartoon Network was developed by Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) as a more mature take on an all-star team that includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter as charter members—attracting a loyal following of adult as well as adolescent viewers. This is no happy-go-lucky group of ‘70s-era “Super Friends” saving the world with a smile and a chummy sense of togetherness; on the contrary, choppy relationships, clashing personalities, and lots of suspicion make these characters an often contentious but interesting bunch. Each adventure spans multiple episodes, allowing for more complicated stories, like “Blackest Night,” in which Green Lantern is on trial for destroying a planet, and “The Enemy Below,” in which the Justice League clashes with Aquaman (reborn as a warrior king). The series added new members when it morphed into Justice League Unlimited in 2004, among them Green Arrow, Supergirl, and Black Canary, although this incarnation backed off the multi-episode approach. This 15-disc set collects all 91 episodes from 2001-06, with DVD extras including eight audio commentaries, and eight featurettes (such as “And Justice For All,” which discusses the revamping of the show to Justice League Unlimited). A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)