Some highlights of the Justice League Panel from SDCC. These are just bunches of information all over the place, so apologies for not sorting it right:
>The Justice League returns to Cartoon Network this Fall in a new quarter-hour animated series, but fans at Comic-Con International in San Diego are getting an early look at the upcoming show from Warner Bros. Animation. Producers Alan Burnett and Butch Lukic, voice actors Kevin Conroy and Diedrich Bader, and character designer Shane Glines are on hand to answer fan questions and reveal the pilot episode of "Justice League Action." Warner Bros.' publicist Winson Seto CBR will have live updates throughout the hour, so keep refreshing your browser!
>The panel began with a screening of the debut episode of "Justice League Action."
>The show opens with Superman and Wonder Woman fighting off giant toys -- dinosaurs and stuffed animals respectively, while batman takes out some flyers. Meanwhile, Cyborg sits on the couch playing video games.
>"Aren't you supposed to be guarding the tower?" Superman asks.
>No surprise, the villain behind it all is Toyman, who arrives on the scene to subdue the heroes -- and transport them into a video game. Batman seems oddly familiar with it...
>"Robin plays it all the time."
>Cyborg makes his comrades a bit uncomfortable with how much he's into the Toyman's scheme.
15:06
Numerous characters included in cameos images included Plastic Man, Lex Luthor, and more.
15:07
Cyborg controlled Batman's moves, making him say "I...AM...BATMAN" over and over.
15:07
Fans of Injustice will find many easter eggs in this episode when it airs.
15:08
Unlike Injustice, the focus is on blending action and comedy with fluid, sharp animation based on designs from Shane Glines, who will also be present on the panel.
15:08
Batman defeated Superman with a Kryptonite ring. Superman is shocked - "You just... Carry that with you?"
15:09
Batman now has to take on Wonder Woman, who seems pleased with her video game catchphrase.
15:10
Wonder Woman hurled a Batmobile at Batman that resembled the car from the '66 TV series.
15:11
Wonder Woman won by knocking Batman all the way to Apokolips. Batman chided Toyman saying "Robin's better!" at the game.
15:11
Lobo and Firestorm also seen in cameos.
15:12
Cyborg defeated Toyman by taking over some of his toys.
15:14
Mongul, Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill), Red Lanterns, Hippolyta, Firestorm & Dr. Stein, Lobo, Lex Luthor, Plastic Man, Harley Quinn, Vixen, Mr. Freeze, and more were seen in a sizzle reel that is funny and action packed.
15:17
Burnett said that the goal for Justice League Action was to bring top notch action that appealed to both younger and older viewers.
15:18
Burnett made it clear the focus is on action, and that the comedy is a natural extension of the format. They'll focus heavily on the characters as well.
15:19
Krieg said that they like putting serious characters in zany situations, and silly characters in serious situations. "The threat is always real, but there may be a few left turns." Sometimes the action is precipitated by "Something ridiculous."
15:20
Lukic said some episodes will have more humor than others, but that there will always be serious stakes.
>A preview also showed characters like Firestorm, Luthor, Dex-Starr, Hawkman, Lobo, Brainiac, Grundy, Plastic Man, Vixen, Mr Freese, Booster Gold, and more.
>The audience loved the show. The panel is now kicking off with moderator Eric Goldman taking the stage. Goldman invited the panelists to the dais, including designer Shane Glines, producers Alan Burnett and Butch Lukic, and voice actors Kevin Conroy and Diedrich Bader. Both Conroy and Bader have voiced Batman previously, but Bader voices Booster Gold in Justice League Action. Also joining the panel is Jim Krieg.
>Burnett said that the goal for Justice League Action was to bring top notch action that appealed to both younger and older viewers.Burnett made it clear the focus is on action, and that the comedy is a natural extension of the format. They'll focus heavily on the characters as well.
>Krieg said that they like putting serious characters in zany situations, and silly characters in serious situations. "The threat is always real, but there may be a few left turns." Sometimes the action is precipitated by "Something ridiculous."
>Lukic said some episodes will have more humor than others, but that there will always be serious stakes.
>Glines said that his designs started with Bruce Timm's classic animated work, combined with his own stylized ideas.
>Conroy said part of his challenge as Batman is keeping his voice consistent, while also finding fresh angles for new iterations of the character. "Batman's audience is wildly loyal. They know him inside and out like I do, so if there was a false note, they'd hear it. Batman is so dark, and so screwed up, that if you just tweak it a little bit, there's real humor there. They find little tweaks in the story, and Batman will just raise his eyebrow or something, and it's really funny. For 20 years, you've been fantasizing about his sense of humor, and you get it."
>Burnett says the only time Batman smiles in the whole series is when he "Kicks Mr. Freeze's ass."
>Bader said the writers gave him a lot of rope for Booster Gold.
>"I made him French. I'm gonna change accents every episode. The Slovenian one is a lot of fun," he joked.
>Bader says Conroy is his favorite Batman. Bader said he had a good time because he got to do the jokes, as opposed to The Brave and the Bold where he had all the set up lines while other actors got the punchlines. Booster looks up to Batman, and feels hurt when Batman chides him. Bader praised the character designs, and Conroy said he loves that they found a sense of humor without sacrificing the action or character development.
>Burnett said the episodes will almost always start with action, and that the details of the Justice League will be filled in as the series goes on.
>Burnett's work on DC animation began in 1983 with Super Friends. "All the things I couldn't do on Super Friends, I can do on this show...It's better than I ever expected. It's like coming home."
>Krieg said they manage 15 minute episodes by "cutting out act one," and jumping right to the action stories.
>Lukic talked about bringing in a wide variety of characters, saying they were able to bring in a lot of new guest stars that previous Justice League series hadn't capitalized on.
>Glines said he only read Marvel Comics as a kid, but that he went deep into DC history to synthesize different design elements from various eras of the characters for his designs.
>Conroy talked about working with Hamill as the Joker again, saying "I wish people could see him in the booth. He becomes so animated, he becomes the Joker."
>"It's a little over the top when he actually attacks you," joked Bader.
>Conroy said Batman and the Joker define each other. "One wouldn't be complete without the other." Conroy said working with Hamill is perfect. "He's very generous as an actor. He gives me so much, and I try to give it back." "When you have that history, it's like seeing old friends. We get a script and we go in the booth, and it's like we never left. It's a very fresh relationship." Conroy joked that Bader only "played" Batman. "There's PLAYING Batman, and there's BEING Batman."
>Bader said Conroy is the real Batman, so he doesn't feel weird working with him, though other Batmen have put him off. "My Batman was just a bad impression of Kevin's Batman." Bader said he loves how Justice League Action reaches into "the lexicon of DC," and will appeal to deep comic book fans.
>James Woods will voice Lex Luthor.
>Dana Snyder is playing Plastic Man, while Patton Oswalt is on the show as well.
>Several other voice actors are in the audience.
>Hannibal Buress plays Mr. Terrific.
>Patton Oswalt will play Space Cabbie
>Burnett cited the original Teen Titans cartoon, saying they took some influence from that show's action. Several Teen Titans animators are working on Justice League Action.
>A fan asked if there would ever be a musical epsiode of Justice League Action.
>Conroy joked that Batman would have a solo musical episode, clarifying that there were no plans for a musical episode.
>A fan asked about Ted Kord, but Krieg said he does not appear in season one. "He can appear in season two, when you demand him in season two, when you demand that there be a season two."
>Conroy is singing his Batman song from the "This Little Piggy" episode of Justice League Unlimited.
>Krieg said that the 11 minute format didn't leave as much time to focus on large casts, so they single out a few characters each episode. He said the Legion of Doom could show up in a potential movie.
>Skeets shows up in a Booster Gold episode, but that he may not have any lines - though he does have sound effects.
>A fan asked Conroy and Bader to each order lunch as Batman.
>"I'll have a roast beef on rye," Conroy intoned in his famous voice.
>Krieg said Terry McGinnis could show up "down the road."
>Conroy deflected questions about his role in The Killing Joke animated movie to tomorrow's panel. "I'm not bad in it, but Mark Hamill is incredible."
>A fan addressed "Mr. Batman," with Conroy and Bader joking "Which one."
>Conroy said he doesn't voice every DC animate Batman movie because different directors want different takes, and different movies call for different styles. "80% of the time I get to do it, other times I don't. It's just directors making that choice."
>Lukic said if the show gets a second season, "a couple different Robins."
>Patton Oswalt's Space Cabbie might be a full member of the Justice League.
>Conroy said Hamill's Joker and Luke Skywalker couldn't be more different. "Luke Skywalker was this nice young man. But there's so much more to Mark than that - he's basically a character actor."
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