Justice League Unlimited was the follow up series to the original animated Justice League series. There were many intriguing characters who could have become blockbusters. But Justice League Unlimited somehow let the heroes down according to fans.
Hourman
There have been three different people who have taken up the mantle of Hourman. Rex Tyler was the first. He was followed by Rick Tyler and then Matthew Tyler, an android who believed himself to be Rex Tyler. The Justice League Unlimited series had the Rick Tyler version. Hourman uses Miraclo Pills to gain temporary superhuman physical attributes for one hour. Rick Tyler’s addiction to the Miraclo Pills could have been a way for the show to explore substance abuse.
Sand
Sanderson “Sandy” Hawkins is a hero from the Golden Age of comic books. He wears a double breasted man of mystery gas mask outfit. As one of DC’s original heroes dating back all the way back to 1941, Sand has been a part of many Golden Age teams like the all Star Squadron Justice Society of America. Like his name suggests, Sand’s body is made up of a silicon based compound that makes him extremely resilient. He also gets frequent prophetic visions.
Blue Devil
Daniel Cassidy was just a stuntman who had a genius level intellect. He was contracted by a filmmaker to make an exo-suit for a movie called The Blue Devil. In an freak accident, he encounters the demon Nebiros and gets permanently stuck in the suit of his own design. He later turns into an actual demon. A highly popular supernatural themed DC hero from the comics, the show didn’t even bother giving him enough screen time.
Wind Dragon
Once part of the Super Friends show, Wind Dragon was originally known as Samurai. The way he was portrayed in Super Friends is viewed as every racist stereotype about Japan rolled into a character. After being updated to Wind Dragon in Justice league Unlimited, he could have given the show some much needed representation. Sadly Wind Dragon was a vey forgettable character.
Shining Knight
A popular character from the legacy years of DC Comics, Sir Justin a Knight from King Arthur’s Round Table. After being frozen for a thousand years, he wakes up to a whole new world of technology. Along with his winged steed and his vastly superior superhuman abilities like animal control and super strength, Shining Knight joins the famed Seven Soldiers of Victory.
The Question
Most of current DC projects tend to focus on Renee Montoya. While she is indeed a force of nature, our hearts shall forever go to Vic Sage, the original Question. The show did do some episodes where his character was explored in detail. But a character like The Question shouldn’t be restricted to one or two episodes where he plays supporting roles. A genius and a master detective with a knack for “crackpot” conspiracy theories is sheer blockbuster recipe.
Vigilante
Gregory Saunders is the son of a Wyoming Sheriff and a Native American fighter. He is an expert marksman and a very capable fighter. But it is his cunning and strategic mindset in the battlefield that really makes him an awesome hero. He once tricked and captured a Thanagarian patrol using nothing but a simple rope trap. He was part of Shining Knight’s Seven Soldiers of Victory. We hoped after his history with the Thanagarians was revealed, we might see more of him. Sadly that wasn’t the case.
Steel
John Henry Irons is Superman‘s biggest fan. A brilliant weapons designer, he designs a suit of armor to emulate the powers of the Man of Steel. His comic book history is extremely rich and full of adventures. But the show relegated him to the position of a handyman. He was mostly the League’s go-to person for repairs and technical expertise. Steel deserved better, much better.
Atom
While the MCU uses the quirky Scott Lang aka Ant-Man to the fullest, the DCAU has failed to so with their very own snarky, size changing superhero – the Atom. Doctor Ray Palmer uses white dwarf star matter tech to shrink to microscopic levels. He was instrumental in more ways than one to the Justice league in many episodes of the show. But sadly, just like Streel, he remained mostly a handyman to the League.
B’wana Beast
A cocky, brash womanizer, B’wana Beast is a hero seldom explored by DC Comics. They had a real chance to do so in Justice League Unlimited. But a hero whose powers are talking to animals and expertise in tracking didn’t appeal to the DC overlords much. Such a shame.
