Justice League Dark, Coming to Tubi

If there is an asteroid or a kaiju threatening Earth, the Justice League can handle it. Dark magic is a trickier business. Fortunately, Marvel’s Dr. Strange does not have a monopoly on magical superheroing. However, Batman must look outside to League to recruit several specialized “consultants,” including John Constantine, Zatanna, and Deadman, to stop an evil mystical force in Jay Oliva’s Justice League Dark, one of several animated DC films coming to Tubi this Saturday.

Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman have all encountered several otherwise law-abiding citizens committing heinous violent crimes, while claiming to be defending themselves from demonic monsters. Unfortunately, this epidemic is magical in origin, but Batman is skeptical, until Boston Brand, a.k.a. Deadman, sends him an unsubtle message, suggesting he seek out Constantine.

Of course, the comic and animated Constantine is considerably more British than Keanu Reeves. He might even be more difficult to deal with. Fortunately, he quickly enlists Zatanna, the magician with actual magical powers, who helps moderate the supernatural detective’s prickliness. Constantine also helps facilitate communication by casting a spell allowing Batman to see Deadman, the deceased acrobat granted the ability to possess bodies.

Together, they take a wild tour of DC’s occult underbelly, starting with Alec Holland, a.k.a. Swamp Thing, who would obviously be quite an informed source regarding happenings in Gotham and Metropolis. Frankly, it is not always clear how all the dots connect (or if they even do) in JLD, which is somewhat ironic, since it is an original story rather than an attempt to condense a multi-issue story-arc into less than 90 minutes.

However, it is highly entertaining to watch DC’s darker heroes “assemble.” Clearly, JLD must be fun, since it was the first animated DC film to carry an R-rating. Even if the causal relations are murky, it is very cool to watch them plum the occult depths, which Oliva and the animators render with surprising clarity. The fiercely materialistic Batman (voiced with utter dead seriousness by Jason O’Mara) makes a perfect skeptical foil, due to the darkness of his soul.

Indeed, Zatanna’s stock has risen considerably since its release (at least in the LCS world). Fans will also appreciate hearing Constantine’s English snarkiness, the way his creators intended, but those who really dig the film will be happy to hear Jeremy Davies reprising his role as Constantine’s creepy friend Ritchie Simpson.

Nicholas Turturro hams it up appropriately as the theatrical Brand. Of course, it is always great to see a vintage Jack Kirby character like the Jekyll-and-Hyde tandem of Jason Blood and the Demon Etrigan, but Ray Chase’s silky elitist voice really helps the bodily cohabitating duo steal multiple scenes. Parents should note, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the John Stewart Green Lantern makes appearances, but they are minor characters, at best. JLD is not exactly horror, but they are not kidding around about the dark part.

So, forget logic and just relax and enjoy the occult heroics. Oliva and screenwriter Ernie Altbacker do a nice job balancing some of DC’s most intriguing characters. In fact, you might want to read some Zatanna and Etrigan comics after watching it. Highly recommended, Justice League Dark makes its Tubi premiere this Saturday (11/30).