Justice League: Gods and Monsters

• Directed by Sam Liu  
• July 21, 2015 (Digital) / July 28, 2015 (Physical)

Voice Cast

• Kirk Langstrom/Batman-Michael C. Hall
• Hernan Guerra/Superman-Benjamin Bratt
• Bekka/Wonder Woman-Tamara Taylor
• Lois Lane-Paget Brewster
• Dr. Will Magnus-C. Thomas Howell
• Lex Luthor-Jason Isaacs
• Ray Palmer, Tin-Dee Bradley Baker
• Ryan Choi, Stephen Shin-Eric Bauza
• Pete Ross-Larry Cedar
• Izaya/Highfather-Richard Chamberlain
• Emil Hamilton, Lightray-Trevor Devall
• Pat Dugan-Dan Gilvezan
• Tina/Platinum-Grey Griffin
• Doctor Sivana-Daniel Hagen
• President Amanda Waller-Penny Johnson Jerald
• Orion-Josh Keaton
• Michael Holt, Cheetah-Arif S. Kinchen
• Jor-El, Jimmy Olsen-Yuri Lowenthal
• Silas Stone-Carl Lumbly
• Victor Fries-Jim Meskimen
• Victor Stone-Taylor Parks
• John Henry Irons, Granny Goodness, Punk Mugger-Khary Payton
• Steve Trevor-Tahmoh Penikett
• Jean Palmer-Andrea Romano
• Cop, Mr. Guerra-André Sogliuzzo
• General Zod, Uxas/Darkseid-Bruce Thomas
• Lara Lor-Van, Kimiyo Hoshi-Lauren Tom
• Blockbuster, Tough Guy-Marcelo Tubert
• Karen Beecher, Livewire-Kari Wahlgren

An alternate version of DC’s Trinity are framed for the murders of prominent scientists forcing the government to take steps to stop them.

Alternate versions of characters are pretty common in comics and anything inspired by them. Heck, the MCU is currently dipping its storytelling toes in that concept. Overall in any media it comes and goes as a trend. Most of those stories are okay. It’s interesting to see variations on established characters. What we get here though is a truly unique take on the Justice League but more specifically what is referred to as DC’s Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) who really are the powerhouse of the League as well as the most famous members.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters works best the less you know about the characters as traditionally presented. Once I realized who the one character was I solved the whole mystery. I still found a great deal of enjoyment in the whole story, but I probably would have had a better time without that knowledge. That little bit of data makes the other clues overt and very in your face almost like Sam Liu and pals were taunting the uninitiated. And I appreciate that.

While the variations of the Big Three are good, Darkseid not being the big evil is a shock. Kudos to the team for getting THE Richard Chamberlain to do the voice of High Father for that flashback as well as inverting expectations. And so is the presentation of Lex Luthor. What helps is not only with these but in all cases they manage to keep the characters recognizable yet unique. The connecting threat is obvious but the changes keep them separate. Drawn from DC mythology while still standing on their own.

This has numerous DC cameos. More than an MCU movie does of their film characters! Not that you need to know Hugo Strange being a Batman villain or who Doctor Sivana is the nemesis of is unimportant.

Even understanding who was behind it all, the people behind this tossed in enough red herrings and general misdirection that keeps you hooked. Plus they delve into the alternates enough that the story matters. And the action is just pulse pounding with an exciting climax.

As ‘What If’ ideas go Justice League: Gods and Monsters is a great execution of it. With familiar yet different characters it treads new territory while not being unconnected.