WEBVTT 00:00.800 --> 00:04.718 > I'm Anthony Bachman from all things good and nerdy, a geeky podcast, part of the Gonna Geek network. 00:04.814 --> 00:06.686 Just like the show you're checking out now. 00:06.838 --> 00:10.886 Shows on the network are individually owned, and opinions expressed may not reflect others. 00:11.038 --> 00:14.570 Find other fantastic geeky shows at gonnageeknetwork.com. 00:53.410 --> 00:57.322 And welcome to Play comics, where once again, we are here looking at a video game based on a 00:57.346 --> 01:00.280 comic property and how well it represents that source material. 01:00.450 --> 01:06.476 And today we've got such a great team up going on because I'm here with AJ Malacarne, and we're going to be taking a look at Justice League 01:06.508 --> 01:07.540 Injustice For All. 01:07.620 --> 01:08.796 AJ, how are you today? 01:08.908 --> 01:10.308 I'm doing great. How are you doing? 01:10.404 --> 01:12.028 I've been looking forward to this one for a while. 01:12.084 --> 01:13.500 You're one of those wonderful people that. 01:13.540 --> 01:17.228 Scheduled, like, two months ahead of time, I think so. 01:17.364 --> 01:24.028 It's nice to have so much time to look at a game and know who I'm looking at it with. 01:24.124 --> 01:33.104 And, you know, this is, the Justice League is an important franchise, so I'm glad that we've both had this kind of time to prepare for it. 01:33.272 --> 01:35.608 Me, too. Yeah, no, I'm really excited. 01:35.664 --> 01:40.384 This game is based off of one of my favorite childhood shows, so I'm really excited to get into it. 01:40.472 --> 01:50.528 That is the one thing I sadly did not have time to do because. Somebody in my house insisted on watching. One piece a lot. So she said we had to watch that. 01:50.664 --> 01:52.450 But as you said, this game is. 01:52.490 --> 01:57.770 Based on the Justice League cartoon and Justice League Unlimited. You know, they're all the same thing anyway. 01:57.810 --> 01:59.210 I don't care what the title says. 01:59.370 --> 02:08.674 And what is it about this show that makes it a absolutely, no question top five superhero cartoon? 02:08.842 --> 02:13.602 I really got into Justice League starting with young justice, the tv show. 02:13.746 --> 02:18.926 And I, even though that shows mostly about, like, the teenage superheroes, I was so into the 02:18.958 --> 02:23.142 Justice League characters as the archetypes that they are that I went back and rewatched the 02:23.166 --> 02:40.530 Justice League injustice League unlimited cartoons, and I always just, it just always stuck out to me that I think it's the first episode of Justice League Unlimited where it starts with, like, Green Arrow and just his perspective kind of set up the whole show for me. 02:40.910 --> 02:47.614 I love how the show explores these, like, big characters who are, like, there's the kind of, 02:47.742 --> 02:54.918 I don't know if it's a metaphor or allegory where it's like, the idea that the Justice League are these gods walking among humans. 02:55.094 --> 03:02.490 But I always liked that the show really humanized these characters and really made us understand who ichi's characters are at their core. 03:02.910 --> 03:06.330 It's a show that made me fall in love with the flash. 03:06.830 --> 03:11.378 There's a famous episode where WALL e goes and helps out the trickster, who's. 03:11.394 --> 03:17.682 This character that's struggling with mental illness. And it was just something I never had seen in any other cartoons when I was younger. 03:17.746 --> 03:21.938 And it's just one of the reasons chose, like, a top five cartoon for me. 03:22.034 --> 03:30.914 Justice League is like the perfect example of what DC can put together when they really have their act together. 03:31.082 --> 03:37.330 You have so many characters going, so many people in and out of the story as needed. 03:37.370 --> 03:43.844 Like, it has no business being good as it is at all. 03:44.012 --> 03:49.212 Yeah, no, it's fantastic. And, I mean, it's great because it's kind of like the culmination 03:49.276 --> 03:58.844 of so many things because you have the Batman animate series and the Superman animated series feeding into this thing. 03:58.892 --> 04:00.636 And it really feels like there's so. 04:00.668 --> 04:07.132 Much thought and care put into this. Project that you really feel like it's people who believe in it. 04:07.156 --> 04:14.684 And that's something that sometimes isn't always in a superhero adaptation, be it video games or movies or tv shows. 04:14.812 --> 04:21.000 You sometimes feel like these people don't really, like, care about these characters or these people don't really know these characters. 04:21.380 --> 04:28.200 And even though the show does take some creative liberties here and there, it feels like they really care and understand these characters. 04:28.660 --> 04:34.950 This is a show that came out in late 2001 and it always surprises me when I realize it only 04:34.990 --> 04:40.958 lasted for, like, three years because it is just so solid front to back, everything. 04:41.054 --> 04:52.750 I mean, obviously there's some episodes that are better than others, but I don't remember any clunkers in this entire run at all. 04:52.910 --> 04:58.074 Yeah, no, and it's one of those. Shows that it really treats its audience like. 04:58.242 --> 05:02.430 Even though a lot of the audience was kids, it doesn't treat them like kids. 05:02.810 --> 05:06.514 It's just good storytelling with good characters in it. 05:06.602 --> 05:09.290 It just is there to tell a good story. 05:09.450 --> 05:14.450 And I remember even looking back and watching it now, you're like, oh, I was watching this as a kid. 05:14.570 --> 05:19.910 Like, some of the episodes just deal with really, like, big topics. 05:20.850 --> 05:27.022 I know why the later episodes Batman has to deal with, like, potentially ending. 05:27.126 --> 05:40.246 Someone'S life because of the threat they pose to the universe. And it's like this whole big thing that it's like kids dealing with really. Big topics through their favorite cartoon characters. Which is, again, why, I think, makes the show so good. 05:40.398 --> 05:42.350 It's almost like, kids are people too. 05:42.470 --> 05:49.110 It's a really weird concept, I find, where, you know, you can talk to kids like adults. 05:49.190 --> 05:54.858 You do have to sometimes bring the language down a little bit because there are some words that, you know, a. 05:54.874 --> 06:03.242 Five year old is just not going. To understand, but the concepts of everything, you know, even if you have to simplify it, you 06:03.266 --> 06:14.898 can get really into, like, good versus evil stuff and that gray area in between and what's okay for you to do versus it being. 06:14.954 --> 06:56.320 Not okay for somebody else to do. And this is just a whole series where you've got your main group that are in almost every episode, but you. Know that anybody else that shows up for more than just seeing them walk by in the hallway kind of thing. They'Re going to be important to that episode. They're going to have something big to do. And just the way that it's treated, like they're always around, they just happen to not be in the camera as. Opposed to a lot of cartoons where. Oh, hey, look, Aquaman is here today. 06:56.660 --> 06:59.756 Let's all talk to him because he's never here. 06:59.828 --> 07:01.692 Instead, it's like, oh, hey, cool, Aquaman's. 07:01.716 --> 07:04.580 On this adventure today. That happens to be the one that they're filming. 07:04.700 --> 07:19.596 Yeah, no, and right along with that. There were so many characters. They included that. Looking back, I'm like, you actually had kids who were interested in who the. Question was as a character. And, I mean, I'm a big fan of the question because he's just this crazy character. 07:19.628 --> 07:38.944 But, like, if you had told someone reading the old, like, eighties run that they were putting him in a children's cartoon, it's, it's crazy, but they make it also, like, on a level playing field for all ages and all audiences that they can all understand what who is who and who's where everyone is. 07:39.112 --> 07:56.100 Speaking of the Aquaman thing, from what I've heard, there was actually, I don't know too much about this, but there was actually an embargo on them using Aquaman for a section of the tv show series, which is why he's not one of the main seven members of the Justice League. 07:56.220 --> 08:02.876 I'm so glad I just randomly picked Aquaman to stay there then, because I had absolutely no reason to do that. 08:03.068 --> 08:07.324 And it makes sense because when you're watching super friends, there's Aquaman. 08:07.412 --> 08:14.860 You know, when I see any old Justice League team thing, there's Aquaman, and I don't know what it is. 08:14.900 --> 08:16.830 That just didn't really click in my. 08:16.870 --> 08:21.702 Head as I was watching this before that. He's not there as much as everybody else. 08:21.846 --> 08:27.734 Yeah, it's. It's fascinating. The roster they went with, like, you have Superman, Wonder Woman, 08:27.822 --> 08:32.494 Batman, the three originals, the three that I think are pretty much every adaptation. 08:32.621 --> 08:38.333 And then you have the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawk girl, or Hawk Woman. 08:38.381 --> 08:40.530 I can't remember which version of the name they use. 08:41.220 --> 08:50.924 And the fact that Hawkwoman was a main character that I know so many people reading comics now because we'll talk about her and be like, where is she? 08:50.972 --> 09:04.560 And they only know of her simply because this cartoon, which is so fascinating that a cartoon from our youth can affect the whole pop culture of comics going forward. 09:05.740 --> 09:13.274 Anytime Hawkwoman or Hawkgirl appears, I know there's so much interest in being like, is this diversion from the tv show or something similar to that? 09:13.362 --> 09:19.402 And Martian Manhunter in there, being able. To fill so many roles, like, oh. 09:19.426 --> 09:21.202 Yeah, completely forgot that. 09:21.306 --> 09:29.162 If you're going to forget one, I think he is the best one to. Forget, not because he's a horrible character or anything, but just because the nature of his 09:29.186 --> 09:34.650 powers, he's so able to blend in so well with what's going on. 09:34.770 --> 09:40.886 Yeah, I'll just blame it on the fact that he, a version of him just mind erased me during that few seconds ago. 09:40.998 --> 09:43.166 But no, he's just such a fascinating character. 09:43.198 --> 09:50.010 And I love that in this show, as well as in some of the other DC animation that happened, especially, 09:50.630 --> 09:52.370 I think it's called new frontier. 09:53.190 --> 09:56.398 It was like a movie for DC set in, like, the fifties and sixties. 09:56.454 --> 10:06.118 And I love how they explore his character as this, like, alien, how he's like a complete alien to all of earth culture and trying to, like, fit in and find his place. 10:06.174 --> 10:11.680 And again, another character that I feel like they really fleshed out for, like, modern audiences. 10:12.060 --> 10:29.772 I know, like, even looking at, like, the last Justice League movie, regardless of your opinions on it, like, so much of those characters are, like, based on the fact that they appeared in a kids cartoon and have caused audiences to just say, this is the Justice League that should be in every version now. 10:29.876 --> 10:34.516 Yeah, we are about in that part of the cycle where these should all be coming back. 10:34.588 --> 10:39.806 So, like, somebody please make this cartoon happen again. 10:39.918 --> 10:45.310 Or the live action version or no. Not the live action version, because this is still DC we're talking about. 10:45.430 --> 10:48.406 I want them to prove themselves on something a little less ambitious. 10:48.558 --> 10:54.326 I do know that two things spiraling out of this cartoon that are relevant now is one. 10:54.478 --> 11:06.782 In a new Superman movie, a version of Hot Girl is going to be in the movie, which I'm really excited for, but then also recently, I can't remember how many weekends ago it was. 11:06.806 --> 11:08.806 It feels, time feels so weird recently. 11:08.878 --> 11:25.590 But San Diego Comic Con, they announced that Justice League Unlimited is now going to be the main Justice League comic, where they're going to do the same premise where, like, each issue, there's always a revolving cast of the Justice League, and just every single hero is now in the Justice League. 11:25.710 --> 11:29.090 I believe that's Mark Wade and Dan. Mora who are working on that. 11:29.400 --> 11:31.920 And I trust Mark Wade and Dan Morris. 11:31.960 --> 11:33.976 Art is amazing on everything, so. 11:34.168 --> 11:43.952 But I do know that the beginning cast, they announced that, like, characters like Captain Atom, black Lightning, and even villains like Star Sapphire are going to be on this new Justice League. 11:43.976 --> 11:49.960 And it's just really cool to see, oh, everyone's still being influenced by this cartoon from decades ago. 11:50.080 --> 11:57.682 I mean, we've said it before and we're going to say it again right here. Like, this cartoon is just really, really good. 11:57.866 --> 12:03.938 And, like, if you haven't watched it, then you need to go watch it. 12:04.034 --> 12:08.522 Start at the beginning and go all the way to the end. Like, that's how good it is. 12:08.666 --> 12:12.458 Yeah. No, I think it's truly stood the test of time. 12:12.514 --> 12:16.658 There's a lot of cartoons that you can look back and be like, oh, no, that doesn't hold up. 12:16.674 --> 12:20.590 But even the quality of the animation. Like, still really holds up today. 12:21.290 --> 12:35.326 And I wishing that they would do, like similar to in the vein of X Men 97, do like a refresh or revisit this universe and like, a modern cartoon because I think that would be really amazing, especially if you could. 12:35.358 --> 12:39.782 Bring in some of the characters that. Have come about since this show ended. 12:39.926 --> 12:44.358 You know, if you could get Jessica Cruz in here, I would wet my pants. 12:44.494 --> 13:00.010 I am glad that I am not. The only Jessica Cruz fan in this. Podcast because Jessica Cruz, I think, is. One of the most interesting Green Lanterns. I remember going to the library when I was in high school, like, every week, and anytime they 13:00.050 --> 13:03.570 had, like, the new 52 Justice League run, I remember. 13:03.610 --> 13:10.586 Her character being so distinctive. She was this character who got, like, the evil version of the Green Lantern ring and then, like, 13:10.658 --> 13:12.458 ultimately becomes her own Green Lantern. 13:12.514 --> 13:27.268 And I don't think she's used enough. And I do know, I think she did actually appear in there was a Justice League animated movie. I don't know if it's set in. The same universe, the Justice League cartoon, but it did have Jessica Cruz in it. 13:27.284 --> 13:32.572 And I was so excited to see that people outside of comics now know her character because she's so cool. 13:32.676 --> 13:38.440 Well, we're gonna go dream about what else can pop up as I drop some promos for a few other things. 13:40.540 --> 13:49.590 Welcome to Shatanami, a variety podcast that discusses topics from gaming and films to anime and general interests. Previously on Chatsunami. 13:49.630 --> 13:59.334 We've analyzed what makes a good horror game, conducted a retrospective on Pierce Brosnan's run's James Bond, and listened to us take deep dives into both the Sonic and Halo franchises. 13:59.422 --> 14:03.678 Also, if you're an anime fan, then don't forget to check us out on our sub series Chatsunani, 14:03.734 --> 14:05.166 where we dive into the world of anime. 14:05.238 --> 14:09.902 So far, we've reviewed things like Death Note, Princess Mononoke, and the hit Beyblade series. 14:10.006 --> 14:27.200 If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can check us out on Spotify, iTunes, and all good podcast apps. As always, stay safe, stay awesome, and. Most importantly, stay hydrated. Do you find yourself playing older games and wishing that there were new discussions about those games? 14:27.360 --> 14:38.056 Enter tales from the backlog hi, I'm Dave Jackson, and on each episode I'm joined by a guest to break down those games that may be stuck in your ever expanding backlog. 14:38.168 --> 14:48.858 Each episode looks at one game in depth, focusing on mechanics, story, music and other aspects with no spoilers until a clearly marked spoiler wall in the middle. 14:48.994 --> 14:54.162 If you've played the game, go ahead and climb that spoiler wall and enjoy in depth story discussions. 14:54.266 --> 14:58.362 And if not, jump out when we warn you and maybe go play that game for yourself. 14:58.506 --> 15:06.340 We have over 100 episodes in the feed, everything from Disco Elysium to tunic to discussion episodes about how to get into horror games. 15:06.460 --> 15:12.972 And if games actually need to be fun or if they have more to offer, I guarantee that there's something in there for everybody. 15:13.076 --> 15:18.120 Once again, that's tales from the backlog, available wherever your podcasts are found. 15:24.420 --> 15:25.828 Those are some great things to check out. 15:25.844 --> 15:27.360 But first, let's finish up here. 15:27.740 --> 15:30.940 AJ, we do have to get around to the game eventually. 15:30.980 --> 15:35.720 I know we could probably talk about the show for hours because that's just how good it is. 15:36.060 --> 15:46.148 But the people are here to hear about Justice League injustice for all, which is a game that was released on the Game Boy advance in November of 2002. 15:46.284 --> 15:55.572 It was made by Midway and Sapphire. Which somehow I have not looked at any games from either company on the show so far. 15:55.716 --> 15:58.760 So Sapphire, smaller company like. 15:58.800 --> 16:01.088 I'm not that surprised about that one. 16:01.184 --> 16:12.992 Midway is a company that makes a. Lot of stuff, so it's a bit surprising to me that we've come this far into the show and this is. The first Midway game. 16:13.136 --> 16:16.536 Yeah, I would. I thought it was really cool looking at. 16:16.568 --> 16:20.896 And I, of course, Will, unfortunately, forget their names unless you know them. 16:20.928 --> 16:22.848 But there was so many cool creative. 16:22.984 --> 16:30.840 Names that were involved in this project and it. It wasn't a relatively, like, large cast of creators from what I could find. 16:31.140 --> 16:32.476 But there were some really cool names. 16:32.508 --> 16:38.204 Like, two of the big producers were people from Warner Bros. 16:38.252 --> 16:41.860 Games which I thought was really cool because, I mean, it is Warner Bros. 16:41.900 --> 16:45.012 Property but the fact that they were actually having cross. 16:45.076 --> 16:56.368 Connection between their different game companies because. I know so much now is, like, especially with comic book video games or. Ip esque video games. It's so much under, like, a few different umbrellas. 16:56.424 --> 17:08.352 But this was back during an era where comic book characters all of a sudden, like, blew up and every video game company was just wanted to buy up the rights to whatever they could to make their own little small video games. 17:08.496 --> 17:17.112 It surprises me how many games but also how few games came out in this time period because like 17:17.136 --> 17:19.656 you said, you had everybody buying up rights to stuff. 17:19.768 --> 17:26.199 You had people that had had rights. For a while that realized, oh, gosh, I gotta put out a game or I'm gonna lose these rights. 17:26.739 --> 17:36.839 When you've got things like the cartoons that were happening when I was younger hand feeding you these stories that you could make into a game, then. 17:37.139 --> 17:46.599 I mean, writing is important in a game and everything but when you get to basically skip that part and just do the game mechanics part of it. 17:46.979 --> 17:48.961 That does make things a lot easier. 17:49.115 --> 17:54.766 Yeah. And it was fascinating because this game is actually shares the title with the actual 17:54.838 --> 18:01.566 final, I believe, either final or final two episodes of the series which I thought was really interesting. 18:01.598 --> 18:12.334 And of course, you gotta wonder if the injustice name came back later on because we all know that DC comes and uses that again which when. 18:12.422 --> 18:17.286 When you told me about this game and said to me, I was like, oh, is this, like, related to that? 18:17.318 --> 18:18.710 And it's just completely different. 18:18.750 --> 18:23.742 But it's fascinating that the word the Justice League alongside injustice just always stuck. 18:23.766 --> 18:25.230 In the heads of DC's mind. 18:25.350 --> 18:35.118 I have to think, though, that the. Injustice fighting games, which we'll get to. Eventually and the comic series that went with that they had to have been fans of the show. 18:35.214 --> 18:36.926 There's no way they weren't. 18:36.958 --> 18:40.198 The timelines are just too perfect there for that to not be true. 18:40.294 --> 18:45.382 Yeah. And they pay so much respect to, like, I mean, respect's relative because we all know 18:45.406 --> 18:47.142 that Superman turns evil and. 18:47.166 --> 18:59.534 Does so many terrible things in that. Game, but they pay so much respect. Through characters to this earlier era. Even I know, like, Supergirl is a big part of, like, parts of the arcs of the Justice League 18:59.582 --> 19:02.270 cartoon, and then she goes on, and the injustice. 19:02.310 --> 19:05.110 Games is, like, practically a big part. Of plot of the second game. 19:05.150 --> 19:13.210 And even the idea of building a bigger justice league than just the seven members is like a whole arc of the second game, which I thought was really cool. 19:13.310 --> 19:20.922 Well, speaking of plot, the plot of this game here is that the Justice League, as we have the 19:20.946 --> 19:30.266 team here, which is mostly our core cast of everybody, they're alerted to a bunch of robots that Lex Luthor made. They're going after Metropolis. 19:30.418 --> 19:35.010 So people go and confront Luthor, and then there's different things happening in other. 19:35.050 --> 19:39.226 Places, and other people fight them, and. There'S different things happening in other places. 19:39.298 --> 19:40.370 And, I mean, who cares? 19:40.410 --> 19:42.794 Because you're playing as your favorite characters. 19:42.962 --> 19:45.554 And you're getting to run around and. Use their powers, and it's just cool. 19:45.602 --> 19:47.554 So I don't care why. It's fun. 19:47.682 --> 19:54.162 Yeah, no, the plot is not exactly what, it's not bad, but it's not what you're coming here for. 19:54.346 --> 19:59.050 You're coming here to place the Justice League members and just beat up robots. 19:59.090 --> 20:06.730 And aliens in that way that late nineties, early two thousands games, it's all robots and aliens 20:06.810 --> 20:09.350 because, of course it is kind of thing. 20:09.880 --> 20:21.096 Yeah, no, and, like, even going over the plot, I mean, aliens are a. Big part of this plot, and so are robots. Like, Lex's main, your main villain you're fighting throughout the game is Lex's robots. 20:21.208 --> 20:27.960 I mean, of course there are big, like, the boss enemies that you fight, which are various, like, super villains that, you know from the show. 20:28.080 --> 20:37.248 But, like, robots are a huge, like, the main enemy of the whole game, which I thought was really interesting just to kind of set, like, a standardized enemy for everything. 20:37.304 --> 20:43.084 Instead of making, like, oh, let's make a subsection of villains of, like, henchmen villains for each villain. 20:43.132 --> 20:49.268 I thought it was definitely a time saving mechanic for them, but it was a really good way to standardize everything. 20:49.324 --> 20:51.484 And just set one enemy across the board. 20:51.612 --> 21:07.560 Yeah. Getting that cohesiveness there is so important. Because that's one of the things that. I found that kind of brings down just the ability to get sucked into these really large ensemble games before. 21:07.680 --> 21:13.704 Is that why do you have henchmen from everybody's thing going? 21:13.832 --> 21:20.460 So solving that in a super easy way, especially on a Game Boy, cartridge where you still have to worry about space and stuff. 21:21.160 --> 21:23.100 It was a really smart move from them. 21:23.520 --> 21:37.680 And as far as villains go, we've mentioned Luthor, but you've also got the Joker, the ultra humanite, Star Sapphire, Cheetah, Solomon Grundy, the Shade, Felix Faust, and. 21:37.760 --> 21:40.816 Random aliens, of course, because it wouldn't. 21:40.848 --> 21:50.088 Be a superhero game without just random aliens that you throw on there. I did think some of the villain. Choices were interesting, though, because you do have a lot of the typical ones, like Joker, 21:50.144 --> 22:00.248 of course, Lex Luthor, but then you have ones like Shade and Felix Faust, which I thought was so interesting because, I mean, I didn't know that many people that knew about Shade. 22:00.304 --> 22:03.440 I know he is a part of the cartoon, which, again, was an interesting. 22:03.480 --> 22:13.912 Choice by the cartoon to include these characters you know less about. But Shaden, especially Shaden, Felix Faust being main characters as villains was a really, like, 22:13.976 --> 22:30.242 interesting concept for the video game developers to be like, we could use one of the bigger, well, more, well, more well known names, but let's bring in these characters who aren't as well known for the kids who are just buying the video games that have no idea that the show exists to meet these characters. 22:30.386 --> 22:49.548 I have to think that the show having so many random characters on it on both sides of the fight there. That'S just a giant invitation to let's. Go down and get the deepest cuts we want to pull out of here because, like, you know, cheetah. 22:49.604 --> 22:58.436 Okay, that's, I mean, that's not the first person you think of when you think of Justice League villains, but we're all going to get there eventually. 22:58.588 --> 23:00.668 Star Sapphire kind of the same way. 23:00.804 --> 23:11.676 But, you know, getting these lesser known villains and just getting to have fun with them as well is, oh, I mean, the show was great at it. 23:11.748 --> 23:15.276 This game is great for doing it. I just love it. 23:15.388 --> 23:21.440 Yeah, I was so excited to see just especially the lesser known ones, and even if they're like, 23:22.020 --> 23:27.540 they weren't like, the perfect, like, oh, let's just get the evil version of one of these superheroes. 23:27.620 --> 23:34.920 It was really cool to get to see, like, I, of course, had to throw the Joker in because it's not going to be a game with Batman without a joker in it. 23:35.220 --> 23:43.968 But it was cool to see these lesser known characters get to play around and see how their battle mechanics are, like, different than the other villains you. 23:43.984 --> 23:54.632 Might face and the powers you get to use when you're playing as everybody, everybody has their own unique powers. 23:54.736 --> 23:59.312 They're kind of parsed down in a lot of aspects because, again, it's a Game Boy card. 23:59.336 --> 24:03.912 There's only so much you can do, but the powers are there and you get to use them. 24:03.976 --> 24:09.932 And it's not like Batman runs up a wall because of this and flash. Runs up a wall because of that. 24:10.076 --> 24:16.580 And Superman flies, so he runs up a wall, except there's pixels between him and the wall, so he's not really touching it. 24:16.700 --> 24:20.028 Like they're actually distinct differences in there. 24:20.164 --> 24:33.376 Yeah. And that was, I think one of. The most important things this game had. To do was it had to differentiate each character to their core elements without. With, again, the storage. It all comes back to storage as a Game Boy game. 24:33.508 --> 24:50.856 So I thought it was so cool how each character just is so dynamic on this very limited console because you can't expect, like, flash to be just zipping around like you would in a open world game on a game Boy game. 24:50.888 --> 24:52.992 And Superman's flying, again, has to be. 24:53.016 --> 24:59.352 Limited because it's a side scroller. But they did the amazing job with what they had. 24:59.456 --> 25:16.536 And especially knowing that Game Boy advance screens, it was common enough that you had to think about it when you. Were developing these games. The edges of that screen sometimes just didn't exist because you had kids playing with them and messing it up. 25:16.688 --> 25:20.704 So you even had things like that. 25:20.832 --> 25:26.608 Whether taken into account on purpose or not. Because, you know, kids are going to be getting this game. 25:26.664 --> 25:28.710 They're going to be rough with their game, Boyd. 25:28.780 --> 25:38.754 And you have a game that still. Works when you've got the messed up. Screen with the corner that doesn't light. Up anymore and the crack going down the right side because your brother pushed you in the hallway 25:38.802 --> 25:40.194 trying to get to it first. 25:40.362 --> 25:48.738 Yeah. As someone who grew up with a. Bunch of DS's that have been broken. By me and my siblings, I mean, we all. 25:48.834 --> 25:55.730 It was great that the developers, like, actually think about their target audience because, yes, is this like a fighting game? 25:55.770 --> 25:58.452 And yes, do adults also watch this show? 25:58.516 --> 26:00.700 But it's a game made for kids. 26:00.740 --> 26:03.364 And they, like you said, the little. 26:03.412 --> 26:07.220 Pixels along the screen that might no longer be there. The kid can't see what they're doing. 26:07.260 --> 26:10.120 They're just going to take the game and never play it again. 26:10.820 --> 26:16.404 I mean, yes, they've already made their money by that point, but they still want to give a good gaming experience. 26:16.492 --> 26:18.236 As best they can to their audience. 26:18.388 --> 26:22.868 And going through this game, you've got kind of a combination brawler platformer thing going 26:22.924 --> 26:25.632 on, which I really like. 26:25.816 --> 26:38.744 You're basically just going through every level, trying to get to the end and beating up people along the way, which, yeah, it simplifies it a lot, but the way that you're getting to do it is what makes this one fun. 26:38.872 --> 26:42.032 Yeah, no, I think the Flash was. 26:42.136 --> 26:50.382 I mean, I'm a big flash fan, but even in this game, I thought the Flash was the coolest character to play as just the way he played through everything. 26:50.446 --> 26:57.286 And, like, it's hard to make super speed look dynamic in, like, a game. 26:57.318 --> 27:01.050 Where you can't just make him run. At the speed of light back and forth. 27:01.510 --> 27:11.050 And I feel like they did a pretty good job of making him feel like the dynamic character that he is and not just like, oh, he's just gonna be Batman with punching, but faster. 27:11.510 --> 27:14.450 I feel like they actually gave him some really dynamic abilities. 27:15.240 --> 27:25.740 And what else I really liked was. You had to use certain characters in certain levels. And, I mean, this is something that's really easy to screw up. 27:26.120 --> 27:35.140 But the way that they did it here, I think, actually works because it makes sense in the plot of the story, even with what little plot there is. 27:35.440 --> 27:38.608 And it means you can't just Superman your way through the entire game. 27:38.664 --> 27:41.140 You have to actually use everybody. 27:41.490 --> 27:44.002 Yeah, no, and I think that's a thing that the. 27:44.106 --> 27:46.738 Again, I know we've said it like, a billion times at this point, but. 27:46.754 --> 27:51.362 That'S the thing that cartoon did really. Well, was making each character essential. 27:51.546 --> 27:58.370 And, I mean, all storytelling has to make each character essential, but especially in a video game where you can just. 27:58.410 --> 28:11.746 Be the most powerful character and smash every single wall. But really getting into the mechanics of. Why do we need Wonder Woman for. This level or why do we need Green Lantern makes, I think makes her a more interesting play throughout the whole game. 28:11.938 --> 28:19.258 As we start to wind things up, what do you think are the highlights for what this game gets 28:19.314 --> 28:26.106 right about both the comic version and the cartoon version of the Justice League? 28:26.258 --> 28:28.442 Well, one thing I'll say is that the. 28:28.546 --> 28:34.340 Is that shade is actually an interesting villain. I love him. There's a. 28:34.380 --> 28:40.644 I can't remember the exact writer and artist combo team, but they did a run of Starman, and one. 28:40.652 --> 28:47.756 Of his main characters is the shade. And who, I think the fact that they included him in this game was one of my favorite bits, but 28:47.788 --> 28:58.444 the fact that they have the heroes fighting against, like, what you might not even see as their opposite, but a character who's in a rogues gallery and the. 28:58.532 --> 29:05.908 Team ups, again, was one of my favorite parts. Wherever it's just characters splitting off into teams, which I felt was so accurate to show 29:05.964 --> 29:09.748 because the show couldn't always do, like, seven heroes versus seven villains. 29:09.804 --> 29:16.460 They did a really good job of breaking it into these compartmentalized, adjustable little battle scenes. 29:16.500 --> 29:19.996 And I feel like the game grabbed that idea and used it to their. 29:20.028 --> 29:21.716 Advantage in the game design. 29:21.868 --> 29:31.418 That's something I hadn't even really thought about. It just makes perfect sense in the. Show because you can cut between different little plot lines and stuff going, but even here 29:31.554 --> 29:41.506 in the game, you've got your reason why you're fighting this villain, and with everybody spread out like they are trying to take everything out. 29:41.538 --> 29:43.610 Of course, you can't have everybody go. 29:43.650 --> 29:48.354 Fight the one villain because then the. Other six are going to win and you're done. 29:48.402 --> 29:50.818 And what was the point, even if. 29:50.834 --> 29:59.500 You'Re not playing co op? That's what I love most about team. Games, is they always have to find a story reason to break up the team and then bring them back 29:59.540 --> 30:09.220 together at the end, which is, again, pulled right from the show because the show always found the best way to say, why are we going to send these characters here when we could just send Superman? 30:09.300 --> 30:29.630 Because, I mean, obviously Superman is usually the answer to every single problem, but if you can find a creative way to go, no, I think, like, some random character, like, I know there was a cowboy who was part of the Justice League, which as a kid, I always wanted to, like, what's he going to do against, like, Lex Luthor or, like, reverse Flash when he just has two little pistols? 30:29.670 --> 30:33.894 But the show always made a reason to have each character matter, which, again, is something 30:33.942 --> 30:35.486 I think the game nailed. 30:35.678 --> 30:40.430 What do you think this game gets wrong looking at the comparison there? 30:40.550 --> 30:47.486 I think on a story level, I think some of the villains, while I love some of the lesser known 30:47.518 --> 30:58.374 villains, I do think it's sometimes as a comparison to show, I think they don't always get the villains right. Like the big. 30:58.542 --> 31:01.078 Do you care if I spoil the climax of the game? 31:01.174 --> 31:02.086 Have at it. 31:02.198 --> 31:20.912 Okay, so in a big. The big climax of the game is. That you find out that Lex Luthor. Is intending to give the world over. To extraterrestrials, which always felt a weird. Bit to me and out of character. Because he's always this guy who thinks. I can save the world. I'm actually saving the world from Superman. 31:21.056 --> 31:24.936 And he kind of used the Justice League as this, like, ultimate problem that. 31:24.968 --> 31:32.232 He needs to solve. And the aliens basically say, you can have the Justice League if we can have the earth. 31:32.336 --> 31:44.346 And it's like, this very weird thing that feels very out of character for him because it feels like, oh, he would want both because ultimately in the show, he does become president and like, an alternate future, which is a whole. 31:44.488 --> 32:01.686 Plot line in the show. But I feel like that's the version of Lex Luthor that I know from the show. I feel like the game kind of. Was like, oh, he's just so focused on getting rid of Justice League that. He doesn't care about anything else. But I feel like getting rid of Justice League is just a check mark on Luther's checklist of 32:01.718 --> 32:13.100 things he has to do to save the world in his mind, and that he won't just give it over to aliens, especially because as far as I know, the alien race is never named. 32:13.220 --> 32:14.812 So it just feels very out of. 32:14.836 --> 32:19.140 Character for him, especially as someone who. Doesn'T trust Superman because he knows he's an alien. 32:19.180 --> 32:22.188 Why would he trust random aliens? He doesn't know. 32:22.284 --> 32:27.780 I could have understood them doing that if you also saw that he was planning on double crossing 32:27.820 --> 32:37.172 those aliens, because then, I mean, that's a luthor thing to do, but to have that be his actual goal and everything, I mean, you're right. 32:37.276 --> 32:39.698 I, that just seems like, it seems. 32:39.754 --> 32:48.450 Weird that that's the direction they would go. But honestly, other than that, I think your biggest gripe at all is they don't have my favorite 32:48.490 --> 32:55.042 version of insert hero here, and you're not going to win with that with everybody ever. 32:55.146 --> 33:06.738 No, I know, I know a bunch of friends who will, who I was talking to about this game, and they're. Like, ah, I wish Green Arrow was. In it, or, oh, I wish, like you said, insert character here, and it's like, it's a game boy game. 33:06.794 --> 33:13.594 Like, maybe if it was on, like, a more advanced, like, console, you could have had more characters, but you really. 33:13.642 --> 33:20.586 Do have such a limited cast. And I really think they hit all the, all these seven essentials that you really need to pay 33:20.618 --> 33:24.722 respect to the show without going too crazy overboard. 33:24.866 --> 33:31.230 If you had somebody that you knew wanted to get into the Justice League comics, like, forget 33:31.270 --> 33:37.886 about the show because obviously you're going to show them the show, but would you give them this game as well as a bit of a primer course? 33:38.038 --> 33:44.598 I would be hesitant because even though this game is connected to a really great tv show, I 33:44.614 --> 33:52.694 think there's a lot of specifics with this game, especially with the way that we just said a few minutes ago about how it treats Lex Luthor. 33:52.862 --> 33:57.150 I think I would, I think there are definitely other comics, I would recommend them. 33:57.230 --> 34:00.932 Although I would recommend this game over injustice. I do. 34:01.046 --> 34:10.580 I have met so many people who. Played injustice as one of their first. DC games and now have completely messed. Up ideas about how Superman and Wonder Woman should act. 34:10.920 --> 34:12.967 So I think this game definitely gets. 34:13.103 --> 34:16.623 Most of the characters right. I think they're just little bits that the comics do. 34:16.712 --> 34:18.312 Comics and tv show do better. 34:18.416 --> 34:20.856 I think you've really hit on the big one with this one. 34:20.967 --> 34:23.648 Like, it's a great game. It's wonderful. 34:23.704 --> 34:27.530 I want to give it to people if they're already into the comic side of things. 34:27.560 --> 34:33.406 Things like, this is not your intro course, but it is something that you. 34:33.518 --> 34:35.717 Have on your list of required classes. 34:35.853 --> 34:37.333 Yeah, no, absolutely. 34:37.422 --> 34:43.550 And finally, if you could add one person to the hero side and one person to the villain side. 34:43.670 --> 34:45.942 And when I say person, I really mean Muppet. 34:46.085 --> 34:48.574 Which Muppet would you add on each side? 34:48.702 --> 34:54.648 Okay, so it's funny because I was actually talking about the Muppets earlier today about Pepe 34:54.704 --> 34:57.920 the prong king, because he's one of the wackiest characters. 34:58.040 --> 35:02.592 So Pepe is definitely a villain. He's just. 35:02.736 --> 35:08.224 I was recently watching Muppets haunted Mansion, and he's just such a bizarre character. 35:08.272 --> 35:16.776 And I think he has that classic villain like self obsession, but also obliviousness that I think he would be a. 35:16.848 --> 35:24.286 Perfect villain in this game. And I think you have to go with Gonzo as your hero because I think his, like, chaotic nature, 35:24.438 --> 35:27.150 I think it would be better in a more modernized game. 35:27.190 --> 35:30.406 But I think even on the game Boy, they could get his chaotic nature. 35:30.478 --> 35:36.022 I think him launching himself out of a cannon would be one of the most hysterical moves. 35:36.046 --> 35:39.510 If you just line him up against, like, the Joker, I think. 35:39.630 --> 35:44.254 I don't even think the Joker would. Quite know what to do with it with a flying Muppet coming at him. 35:44.302 --> 35:46.622 And I think it would be absolutely amazing. 35:46.726 --> 35:55.192 Oh, I mean, the only notes I have on that at all are maybe possibly you do super Grover instead 35:55.216 --> 35:59.024 of Gonzo, but it's all the same reasons. Anyway, yeah. 35:59.152 --> 36:01.880 AJ, it has been great talking to you about all of this. 36:01.920 --> 36:03.112 If people want to hear more from. 36:03.136 --> 36:04.904 You, where else can they find you? Around the Internet? 36:04.992 --> 36:08.088 So I'm on pretty much every social media. 36:08.184 --> 36:11.260 I'm on Twitter and Instagram. 36:12.160 --> 36:16.984 Alicia, there's sometimes an underscore everyone's a bit different. 36:17.032 --> 36:26.616 But if you just search up aj malekarney, I'm on Twitter, Instagram, bluesky threads, I think that's most of them. 36:26.768 --> 36:36.552 And I do have a newsletter on substack that I'm planning on getting more into now that I'm just graduated, and. 36:36.576 --> 36:43.280 Getting more into that. It's called Gamma head press, and you can find it all on my Twitter bio. 36:43.660 --> 36:48.364 Just go to Twitter and pretty much there's a way to get to everything I have on there. 36:48.492 --> 36:50.748 But, yeah, thank you so much for having me on. 36:50.884 --> 37:11.392 You're very welcome. And just like always, we'll put this. On easy mode for everybody. And there will be links down the show notes because clicking links are so. Much easier than trying to remember how. To spell things or which ones have which punctuation. And as always, the best place to find me is over@playcomics.com. Dot there's links to all the social media things still, mostly Twitter, sneaking blue sky in. 37:11.496 --> 37:13.000 You know, I'm going to do this one at a time. 37:13.040 --> 37:16.848 I'm going to break the Twitter addiction, which is really more of a Twitter. 37:16.904 --> 37:22.080 Kidnapping situation or hostage situation, maybe, I. Don'T know, but we'll see how it goes. 37:22.200 --> 37:25.928 If you want to come on the show yourself and be like AJ, be like all the other cool guests that 37:25.944 --> 37:27.272 I've had, there is a link down. 37:27.296 --> 37:39.486 In the show notes to a page on the website where I have a list of what I am looking to. Get booked the soonest. I don't know what's on there right. Now because I forgot to, and I don't feel like looking at it because I'm a loser who just doesn't 37:39.518 --> 37:42.726 feel like looking at it, so I'm not going to. 37:42.918 --> 37:48.958 Plus, the list is always updating, so you can just look at it and, you know, see up to date what there is. 37:49.094 --> 37:59.054 If you want to help support the show, then you can be like, oh, no, lit class or Dan McMahon and give the show money, because making podcasts does cost money. 37:59.222 --> 38:09.746 But you can also just share it with a friend, leave reviews, all that fun stuff, and, you know, tell people about it because you love it and it's wonderful. 38:09.818 --> 38:12.034 I guess, something like that. 38:12.122 --> 38:22.762 Don't forget that play comics is a part of the Gonadgeek.com network, home to such wonderful shows as legends of S h I e l d, where you may or may not get to hear me talking about X Men evolution for a while. 38:22.866 --> 38:31.004 And then when Agatha, after all, comes. Out, you can say, hey, Chris, we can hear you want Agatha, too, talking about that one, because 38:31.092 --> 38:32.260 that's what's gonna be happening. 38:32.300 --> 38:36.892 If you like the music that I'm rudely talking on top of right now, head on over to backietrack GG to. 38:36.916 --> 38:39.556 Check out all the great music that. They'Re putting out over there. 38:39.668 --> 38:44.880 Most of all, just grab a game, grab a stack of comics, go find yourself and do a favorite character. 38:48.100 --> 38:49.508 And welcome to Play comics. 38:49.564 --> 38:52.292 Oh, there is the one dumb thing. I forgot to ask you. 38:52.396 --> 38:53.626 Can you say your name for me? 38:53.708 --> 38:55.598 Yes. My name is AJ Malekarney. 38:55.694 --> 39:00.558 All right, cool. Malicarney. The e at the end is important. I need to remember that. 39:00.574 --> 39:08.830 Yeah, I know. It's. It's hard to like. No, you're. Thank you for asking, because I've had so many people just butcher it before, and I really appreciate you asking. 39:08.910 --> 39:14.838 Well, thank you. It was made by Midway and Sapphire. 39:15.014 --> 39:16.590 I forgot to scroll the page.