Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - The End of an Era

Seven years ago, the DC New 52 Animated Movie Universe was born. I remember it well because I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox at Comic-Con International 2013. I was writing for Comic Vine at the time, and I absolutely loved the movie. In fact, I liked it so much that I rushed back to my hotel room and began writing my review right away. While so many people at the convention met with friends, networked, and enjoyed being in San Diego on a Friday night, I sat in front of my laptop and started to type away. The Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox premiere wrapped up around 9:30pm, and my glowing review was live on Comic Vine just a few hours later.

Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert's Flashpoint comic book event kicked off DC's slate of The New 52 comics back in 2011, but at the time of the animated movie's release, I had no idea that Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox would actually spawn an entire universe of animated movies as well. While the ending did tease the creation of a whole new reality, I figured this would be a standalone adaptation, just like Superman: Unbound or Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Instead, it completely changed the direction of DC Universe Animated Movies for more than half a decade.

While this animated universe's beginning was inspired by The New 52, what followed pulled from so much of DC's history. They were able to breathe new life into the Death of Superman before having some superpowered fun with the aftermath in Reign of the Supermen. Marv Wolfman and George Pérez's classic Deathstroke story received a highly entertaining adaption in Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. The adaptation of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's fan-favorite storyline Hush was solid and took a risk by subverting expectations in the final act. And the entire heart of this animated universe revolves around a dynamic that was created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert back in Batman and Son.

It also pulled from some of the best that The New 52 had to offer. Batman vs. Robin blended Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's epic Court of Owls with Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's massively underrated Born to Kill. Justice League Dark drew from Jeff Lemire, JM DeMatteis, Mikel Janín, and Peter Milligan's supernatural tales. Justice League: War delivered the same kind of action-heavy and comedic popcorn entertainment that appeared in Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's opening arc in Justice League.

The universe grew and new characters were given the spotlight in projects like Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Batman: Bad Blood, Justice League vs. Teen Titans, and Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay. Connections between the movies didn't occur very often, but when they did, they were often a nice surprise for fans following every movie, like Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay's connection to Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox or a new and improved Slade Wilson returning in Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. Would I have loved to see certain characters get more development? Absolutely, but considering the limited runtime with every film, I'd say they covered a lot of ground.

Now, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War has arrived and capitalizes on the seven years' worth of worldbuilding. Fans that have followed this universe since Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox will likely catch several nods sprinkled throughout and really feel the impact behind some of the movie's heartbreaking moments. I have no shame in saying there were two scenes that got my eyes a little watery.

Seeing these characters and teams all appear in the same film provides plenty of thrills and memorable moments - especially in the final act - but I wouldn't be surprised if the relentlessly dark tone is a little too much for some fans. Seeing your favorite heroes meet a savage end certainly isn't easy to watch. There's a cruel moment with a certain Green Lantern that really shows just how effortlessly Darkseid can crush hope, but hope is also sprinkled throughout the fast-paced film. Superman is depowered and constantly in pain, yet he hasn't given up... he's still trying to fight for what's right against seemingly impossible odds. And even though she has no superpowers and can no longer make a difference with her writing, Lois Lane is continuing to fight for what's right by leading the Suicide Squad. Who can honestly say they saw that one coming? Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that the ending certainly implies that no matter how bad things may look, there's always hope for a better tomorrow. For a universe that started with the shocking and bloody Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the tone of this final film feels appropriate.

The New 52 Animated Movie Universe has ended and the future of  DC Universe Animated Movies has yet to be revealed. We know Superman: Man of Tomorrow is on the way and it looks like a standalone film, but what will come after that? Will we see a slate of more standalone films and two-parters (or even trilogies?), or will the conclusion of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War actually lead to a Rebirth Animated Movie Universe? We'll just have to wait and see, but right now, I'd much rather spend time reflecting on what they've accomplished instead of speculating on the future. Thanks for the memories, and I'll definitely enjoy rewatching these movies for years to come.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is currently available on digital platforms and 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD. It was co-directed by Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, and co-written by Ernie Altbacker and Mairghread Scott. Obviously, I recommend checking it out!