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Two of the Best 2017 Comic Book Movies Weren’t in Theaters


2017 was a really good year for comic book movies, wasn't it? The LEGO Batman Movie, Logan, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Kingsman: The Golden Circle were all entertaining and for totally different reasons, too. We all have our favorites - Logan's my pick - but there are two comic book movies from 2017 that also deserve some major praise: Justice League Dark and Teen Titans: The Judas Contract.

Director Jay Oliva's Justice League Dark - written by Ernie Altbacker and J.M. DeMatteis - brings actor Matt Ryan back into John Constantine's selfish mind. That alone should sell most of you on checking it out. While Batman (Jason O'Mara) does stand front and center on the cover, the Dark Knight is mostly along for the ride in this one and all of the attention is rightfully placed on Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, and Etrigran the Demon. Swamp Thing plays a brief but memorable role, too. I love how WB Home Entertainment and DC took a risk by putting this team in the spotlight. Sure, the Caped Crusader is there to attract attention and he's got some great scenes, but again, he's not the focus of the story and he's definitely not the one who saves the day. 
John Constantine and "friends"
Fans of the comic series will notice that Black Orchid's role is very different and Madame Xanadu is nowhere to be found - unless there's an Easter Egg I've missed - but seeing as these animated movies have short runtimes and take place in an already established universe, it's totally understandable that changes need to be made when adapting these stories. While the movie does technically follow the typical superhero story formula, its execution makes it stand apart. Justice League Dark has such a good mix of horror and comedy and unique action because of the team's unique abilities. Okay, I guess Oliva also deserves credit - guy's got a gift for making energetic action scenes. Throw in the character dynamics - it's always going to be amusing when Constantine's around - and this is a superhero movie that feels different despite following familiar beats.

"If you attempt to make Etrigan dead, you shall lose your head!"
Justice League Dark is proof that WB Home Entertainment and DC are listening to the fans. They're still offering plenty of Batman stories - the Caped Crusader sells and he has plenty of excellent stories to choose from - but Justice League Dark breaks away from the world of the Justice League (for the most part) and Teen Titans to offer a look at all of the twisted fun that this team can offer. Here's hoping we eventually get a sequel because this group of characters definitely deserves one. Oh, and Robert J. Kral's theme song is a great fit.

Director Sam Liu's Teen Titans: The Judas Contract - written by Ernie Altbacker - is inspired by Marv Wolfman and George Perez's memorable Deathstroke (voiced by the late Miguel Ferrer) story arc. What I love about this animated movie - aside from Beast Boy (Brandon Soo Hoo), obviously - is that it focuses on how pain can mold a person and the importance of having supportive people in your life. Brother Blood (Gregg Henry) has an elaborate plan but it's still a character-driven adventure. Brother Blood's really just there to move the plot forward with DC's deadliest mercenary and provide a very entertaining final battle which refuses to let him complete his monologue.

Deathstroke's GQ cover
Just like in Justice League Dark, this film makes several changes from the source material. Some are mandatory since the Teen Titans roster - and the world they live in - is obviously not just like the source material. Some of the mandatory changes are things like Blue Beetle (Jake T. Austin) being on the team (Cyborg's with the Justice League) and Damian Wayne (Stuart Allan) is also on the roster. To be fair, Damian is on the DC Rebirth team! Changes like these are totally understandable to hold on to this shared universe's continuity, but in order to accurately adapt The Judas Contract, you'd need a pretty long runtime. So, the film makes some key changes - like significantly reducing Jericho's role - and some of the changes were absolutely the right call and certainly benefit the story. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that one of the most despicable parts of the classic story arc is altered and Terra's (Christina Ricci) role is undoubtedly more sympathetic. These changes really help make the final act more impactful. There are also some pretty funny changes to help lighten the mood just a bit, like the way Deathstroke targets Beast Boy and an interview after the dust has settled.

The Judas Contract keeps significant parts of the source material and molds it into something that feels new while also showing a lot of blatant love for Wolfman and Perez's work. It's got heart, humor, and some really solid action sequences. Oh, and did I mention that it has Deathstroke vs. Nightwing and Robin?  
That face you make when you get no retweets
You can order Teen Titans: The Judas Contract here and Justice League Dark here. Obviously, I think you should click those links if you love DC and haven't seen the movies yet. It's also worth noting that both of these animated films are in the mega-sized DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection.

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter here.

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