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Oh my god, a Justice League that doesn’t place its focus on Superman or Batman (or both), but on another member of the league’s expansive roster? We haven’t seen that since way back in 2008 when The New Frontier placed a stronger emphasis on players like the Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter over the big trinity. Of course, it would be near impossible to tell The Flashpoint Paradox without, you know, the Flash, but still! Let’s celebrate DC doing something slightly different!
I must admit that by this point, I feel fatigued by the omnipresence of dystopian hellscapes as alternate realities for superheroes. Watching the Amazons and Atlanteans fight each other grows wearisome after a certain point. Same goes for the gruesome violence and never-ending parade of distracting cameos. (Hey Grifter, whatcha doin’ here?) I mean, do I really need to glimpse the hole that Batman blows through Reverse Flash’s head? It’s sub-Tarantino at best, complete with his nihilistic violence without deeper meaning or context. There’s a point at which something just becomes merely excessive for the hell of it, and The Flashpoint Paradox hits that point and just continues running right on through it.
Despite some moments of truly glorious animation, The Flashpoint Paradox does suffer from inconsistency. All of the female characters look like cheap anime knockoffs with soft, blurry features and gigantic eyes while the male heroes are bulky, hulking brutes with ornate designs. You know when the animation is at its most consistent? In scene after scene of stabbings, shootings, neck snapping, and blood artfully flying across the screen.
And once more the abbreviated running time leaves little real time for developing the cavalcade of heroes and villains that pop across the screen. Cyborg gets no development, while the war between Aquaman and Wonder Woman feels rushed in beefing up to it, Superman is a mere afterthought, but this twisted Batman is fascinating, and the Flash is a solid translation. If nothing else, this just works as a temporary satiation for the deep hungry I feel in seeing more of these expand beyond Batman, Superman, and the Justice League. Would a solo Aquamna, Flash, Batgirl, another Wonder Woman, a Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Gotham City Sirens, or the Demon Knights not be awesome to watch? C’mon, expand beyond the safe, comfortable waters and into the wilder territory.
Of course this thing ends up a stinger that points towards the inevitable sequel, the first official entry in the New 52 adaptations, Justice League: War. Can’t say it didn’t make me smile, but I’m hoping future entries will drop the oppressive nature of the Superman and Batman, focus more on character, and maybe tone down the excessive violence a bit. I may be the only one asking for any of this, and I acknowledge that.
