Justice League: Gods and Monsters takes the DC Trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman and drops them in an Elseworld's story with a classic tale of good struggling against an ever-present evil both from within ourselves and from without. At the same time, new origins for the three main characters explore the topic of nature vs. nurture. Is Superman a time bomb of dictatorship waiting to go off because Zod's genes course through his veins? Or will Superman do what is right as his adoptive migrant farm worker parents taught him -- what Kal-El truly intended before Zod ambushed his plans. Gods and Monsters explores these dynamics in fun, new ways while remaining true to the core of what makes these characters so great and timeless.
The concept is to wrap different characters around the original's core beliefs. Superman is Zod's biological son, but Lara-El's as well, and raised by people with not much more than their hard work and each other which instills Superman with the ideal that this world can be great even though many horrors lay within. Much like Superman himself -- a god who can become the world's greatest monster, like his father. Batman is scientist Kirk Langstrom (Man-Bat in previous incarnations) who in a desperate search to cure himself of one disease gives himself another affliction with gifts that he can use to help mankind while struggling not to succumb to the curse attached to the newfound gifts -- a monster with god-like abilities. Wonder Woman is Bekka, a god, more specifically a New God, granddaughter to Highfather and bride-to-be to Darkseid's son Orion. Will she give into the hubris of her god status like many before her and act like the monster or will the lost love for Orion show her a better way?
Surround this trinity with imaginative looks at Zod, Steve Trevor, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Amanda Waller, Ray Palmer, and Darkseid with the New Gods and you have a modern myth that can teach current comic iterations a lesson or two in quality. Speaking of quality, we would be remiss to not mention the solid voice acting by Benjamin Bratt, Michael C. Hall, and Tamara Taylor as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Their voice work, led by the great Andrea Romano, immerses the viewer in this novel tale rather than standing outside or above the myth. Add in some great action and intrigue, with the direction of Sam Liu, giving Timm and Burnett another classic for the list. If DC could produce animated features like Justice League: Gods & Monsters consistently we would be well satiated with DC comic lore. Now imagine if they had some free time to nurture some animated Marvel Comic character adventures.
The Guy in the Hat