Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
While aimed at kids, DCAU was no stranger to crossing boundaries by incorporating s-xual innuendos and double entendres into their shows in order to keep the adults hooked. AlthoughBatman: The Animated Series, which started it all, and its successor had their fair share of adult jokes packed into them, withJustice League Unlimited, Bruce TImm took it a step further.
This was a result of the plethora of romantic subplots that were incorporated into the series, which also involved a surprising romance arc between Green Lantern and Hawkgirl. Later elaborating on it, Timm revealed it was a result of their experiment with the show’s format.
Hawgirl and Green Lantern’s Romance Was a Result of JLU’s Serialized Format
In most comic iterations, Hawkman is often the match for Hawkgirl, but to fans’ surprise, inJustice League Unlimited, we witness a romantic arc between her and John Stewart. Speaking toJim Harvey,Bruce Timmexplained this dynamic was a result of their decision to adopt a more serialized approach to storytelling.
“I stand by Alan Burnett’s right to re-cast as he saw fit”: Bruce Timm Didn’t Want a DCAU Movie Recasting Iconic Batman Villain Actor But is Happy With the Results
UnlikeBTASandBatman Beyond, which followed an episodic form,JLUbranched towards telling a story over the course of several episodes, eventually leading to the romantic angle between the duo.
Timm explained:
“As for the GL/HG romance, that’s just us experimenting with the form. JL is the first show that I’ve worked on where we deliberately plotted out a long-term story/character arc. Previous shows, from BTAS to BATMAN BEYOND were much more episodic, with self-contained, ‘stand-alone’ episodes the general rule. We had fun letting their story develop gradually over the course of two seasons; leading up to the big (ahem) climax in ‘Starcrossed.’ And, I’d have to say I think the whole thing was tastefully done even their first kiss in “Wild Cards,” while certainly “passionate,” wasn’t at all “dirty” or ‘inappropriate.'”
The experiment did work out for them, as Hawkgirl and Green Lantern’s romance would be further explored later in Derek Fridolfs’sJustice League Beyond #7 and #8.
Bruce Timm on the Extent of Adult Themes Explored inJLU
Further reflecting on incorporating adult themes into the mix, Bruce Timm admitted to pushing the boundaries of Y7 rating on several instances. However, the animator said that the adult theme presented in the show was more in line with the oldStar Trekshow, stressing that it was nothing in front of other primetime“family hour”shows.
“I admit we pushed the boundaries of the Y-7 rating several times in season 2, in terms of ‘adult’ content, but it’s NOTHING compared to what goes on in primetime ‘family hour’ shows like ‘Friends,’ say. For the most part, I would roughly equate the level of ‘sex appeal’ stuff in JL to the kinds of things the old STAR TREK show might have gotten away with. And that was 30-some-odd years ago.
To this day,JLUremains the definitive portrayal of the Justice League on screen, and fans will hope the DCU takes notes from it for their own sets of heroes.
“We just happened to find some juicy ones in current events”: Bruce Timm on the 2 Justice League ‘Political Commentary’ Episodes Inspired by the Middle East
Justice League Unlimitedis available to stream on Max.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
More from Santanu Roy
Good Boy First Trailer: Will The Dog Survive in The Scariest Horror Movie of 2025?
Sydney Sweeney’s Great Jeans Can’t Save Americana From Weapons Box-Office Onslaught: Full Report
After “Kal-El, No!”, Gal Gadot Claims Snow White Failed Because of Her Israeli Roots
Recommended
Bella Ramsey’s Campaign to Become MCU’s Spider-Man: Is It Really That Absurd?
The Conjuring: Last Rites Faces Its Toughest Box-Office Battle After Rare WB Record
Bridgerton’s BTS Moment Proves the Netflix Show Is Against James Cameron’s Ways
Fallout Season 2 Release Date Confirmed: 5 Post-Apocalyptic Shows to Watch While You Wait For Peak Cinema
Kevin Hart Is Trading Dwayne Johnson for Another WWE Star in New Netflix Film
Perfect Match Season 3: How Did Ollie Propose to AD?
Bruce TimmJustice League Unlimited
