Wanted: A Justice League Movie 10-25-12

I finally got to see the Avengers movie last week. I'm not an avid movie-goer or even renter (or downloader, whatever). I've seen part of the first Ironman movie on TV, so I'm not even really familiar with this bumper crop of Marvel superhero movies. I do know the characters fairly well from the comics, so I would be the worst audience for an Avengers film; a fanboy who doesn't care about the movies.

Needless to say, it's a great movie. Duh. Whether you're a comics shop hanger on or have never read a comic book or someone in between, you'll like the movie. There's no point in even writing a review of the film. All I'll say is for a two-and-a-half-hour film, there wasn't one wasted minute.

I have a friend who also loved the film, but is definitely more of a DC fan. "Do you think they'll be able make a Justice League movie?" he asked. Off the top of my head, I answered, "No." I didn't feel the need to even really justify that response at the time.

The possibility was still intriguing. The next day, I spent an hour with my DC encyclopedia (though only about five years old, it's out of date twice over due to all of their continuity reboots) and thought about how to make a JLA movie.

First, my lineup: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash. That's it. These were the most recognizable, coherent, non-dopey major characters that DC's got. I'd use the current JLA as a model for their organization in these ways: they only come together when needed, they're not answerable to any earthly authority, and they're basically a bunch of superd*cks, in that they don't allow in any other, lesser heroes.

The plot riffs off a comic book story, which I admittedly haven't read and don't remember the name of. (This is a great elevator pitch, so far.) Batman villain, Ras al Ghul gets into the Bat-Computer (sorry, too Adam West Batman there). This is done through taking over Oracle's computer. Yes, Oracle no longer exists in the DC universe, but she's such a great character. Ras steals Batman's master plan to take out the rest of the Justice League if they ever try to take over the world or are comprised somehow. We'll add to this that he has files on every other superhero as well.

Okay, Ras recruits a bunch of other villains, a Legion of Doom of sorts. I'm looking at Ares, Cheetah, Bizzaro, Professor Zoom, Grodd, Soloman Grundy, and a recently jilted by Batman, Catwoman. Wait. Where's Lex? Where's the Joker? No. Too overexposed in the movies already. Besides, Ras is going to work with people he can control somewhat, not people way more cunning or crazier than him.

Unfortunately to enact the plan the Doomsters need certain things that they don't have, that Batman does. (The plan Ras has has some frustrating gaps in it that presumably Batman has kept to himself.) They're going to have to steal these items. Also they need some special items and to drain the powers of several lesser heroes.

Batman eventually sees the pattern. Unfortunately, at that critical moment, he becomes reluctant to tell the rest of the league what's going on and tries to fix it himself. Obviously Batman's Justice League plan doesn't include anything for taking himself out, which is why Ras has recruited Catwoman and her grudge. Batman gets knocked out first and never sees it coming.

Robin, not part of the League, figures out what's going on right after this. Good thing. He grabs Batman's Kryptonite rock and takes off as the Doomsters raid the Batcave. With Batman out of commission (Catwoman, of course, didn't kill him), the Doomsters are committed now, with or without the Kryponite, and enact the rest of the plan.

The League members are attacked separately and are taken out, except Superman, who isn't able to save the rest of them. The league members are held as captives. Ras finally catches up with Robin and the Kryptonite and takes it from him. He doesn't even bother to kill him, dismissing him as boy, in over his head. In a public venue, the captive League is held out as a trap for Superman, who has to respond.

Robin, meanwhile, has turned to Oracle for help. She blames herself for all this as she feels she had betrayed Batman's trust by sneaking around in his computer to begin with. "We need some more heroes, Babs. Not more self-pity." Superman is fighting valiantly, but is about succumb to the Kryptonite. A cavalry of lesser heroes, like Zantanna, Starman, Black Canary, Atom, Aquaman, etc, show up to try and save him. They are totally overmatched, but their real purpose was as a distraction. Robin is able get Batman loose, who immediately challenges Ras to single combat. The result doesn't matter. It's just another distraction as Robin and a repentant Catwoman free the rest of the League.

The Legion is subdued. Ras manages to implicate Batman as the source of his plan to take out the Justice League. Batman and the rest of League decide to open up membership to any hero, to always have members on call, and to meet regularly. They have to trust each other.

Okay, what else is going on here? Robin is our everyman character. He observes the power and majesty of the League from the outside, but also their snobby, elitism, and questions it. I'd also like to see Dick and Barbara hooking up, but that might be tough to squeeze in.

Our actual romance here is a love triangle between Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Clark can't have Lois for a variety of reasons. Bruce, in spite of his attraction, just can't morally go out with a known criminal in Selina. Diana, has lost her first love, Trevor, and given her general lack of experience with men, isn't sure about getting into another relationship. Put these three super people with broken hearts together and see what develops. (Sounds like a sitcom actually.)

The other heroes and villains are going to get a bit of a short-shriff. I'd have the Barry Allen Flash, married with kids, and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern as the playboy. These two provide interesting contrasts in homelife with each other and the rest of the League.

Of course I've got ideas for sequels! Justice League vs. the Crime Syndicate (evil version of the JLA) from Earth-3, and vs. Darkseid and the other Fourth World characters. It's a franchise in the making.

To be continued.