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Justice League: Doom
Justice League: Doom is a 2012 direct-to-video animated superhero film, loosely based on "JLA: Tower of Babel", a 2000 comic book storyline by writer Mark Waid that ran in the DC Comics series JLA. The film's script was adapted by writer Dwayne McDuffie, and it is directed by Lauren Montgomery. A sequel to Crisis on Two Earths, the film uses the same character designs by the lead character designer, Phil Bourassa as well as footage from the film in the opening. It was released on February 28, 2012. The film also features various actors reprising their roles from the DC animated universe and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights respectively. It is the 13th film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies.
The Justice League and Cyborg stop the Royal Flush Gang's attempted robbery of a diamond vault using complex technology that allows them to pass through solid objects. Vandal Savage plots to start a new civilization by exterminating two thirds of the population; he gave the technology to the Gang for testing. Savage hires Mirror Master to hack into the Batcomputer and steal contingency plans devised by Batman to incapacitate his League teammates, in case they go rogue. Savage assembles Cheetah, Star Sapphire, Bane, Metallo, Mirror Master, and Ma'alefa'ak and pays them to simultaneously attack using the plans, altered to be lethal. When the supervillains agree, he welcomes them to the Legion of Doom.
Batman is informed by Alfred Pennyworth that the bodies of Thomas and Martha Wayne have been exhumed and are missing. At their graves, Bruce is ambushed by Bane, who brutally beats Bruce to near death, before simply rendering him unconscious and burying him alive in his father's coffin with a tape recorder playing Bane's message to taunt him, which only motivated him to break out. He realizes the League has been attacked using his contingency plans. Batman sets out to save the League, whilst Cyborg hears of the trouble and starts out on his own.
The film was first announced at WonderCon 2011 that the JLA: Tower of Babel storyline will be adapted as a direct-to-video movie, which was written by Dwayne McDuffie right before his death. The character designs were done by Phil Bourassa, the lead character designer of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Young Justice. Storyboards were overseen and animated by Telecom Animation Film. During the casting process of Justice League: Doom, voice director Andrea Romano expressed an interest for the cast from various media to reprise their roles as members of the Justice League.
IGN gave the film a 7 out of 10, calling it "An immensely enjoyable thrill ride, but also an occasionally frustrating and short adaptation." It earned $6,543,809 from domestic home video sales.
The Blu-ray combo pack includes Featurettes only for Blu-ray called “Guarding the Balance: Batman and the JLA”, a mini-Featurette called “Their Time Has Come: Cyborg and the DC Universe’s New Diversity”, while both Blu-ray and the 2-Disc DVD edition has "A Legion of One: The Dwayne McDuffie Story", a Sneak Peek at Superman vs. The Elite, and two bonus episodes of Justice League: "Wild Cards" part 1 and 2.
