The Official DC Animation DVD Talkback, Part 6

[A.J]

My gosh...even Static Shock got a Volumen 1 DVD with 6 episodes in it!!!! Why JL/JLU is not getting at least something like that? 3 JLU episodes in a DVD??? Oh por Dios!!!

 

[Hero Supreme]

the site that must not be named has an announcement of Teen Titans: Switched Season 1 Volume 2. no other details.

 

[A.J]

the site that must not be named has an announcement of Teen Titans: Switched Season 1 Volume 2. no other details.

perfect----TT gets Season 1 Volumen 2---what does JLU gets??

a 3 episodes DVD release!!!

How cool is that!?

 

[Stu]

Could JLU's treatment be any worse?

Crap number of episode, shown in the wrong order with a Fullscreen transfer and features consisting of leftover games and 'bonus' episodes of a show I don't care about.

Not buying it. Don't see the point in wasting time/money.

 

[Fone Bone]

Chalk me up of those people. I think WB has issues with worrying about how they can market something. If it wasn't for that, they'd just throw everything they got. I mean, I think marketing is holding back "Tiny Toons" and "Animaniacs" too, because you got the suits asking "Gee, I don't think anyone is going to remember that show." And that is the problem with all of the animated properties.

WB is stupid. I hate Tiny Toons and Animaniacs but they would sell like hotcakes. I think ANY WBA project would (Even The Zeta Project). Why is it that Rhino is selling a messload of Jem, Transformers, and G.I. Joe sets and WB is still saying "Would anybody remember a show from 1993?"

I repeat, BTAS, STAS, and Superfriends sets mean nothing if we don't get the rest of the DCAU or they keep pushing back the release date.

 

[Squall]

I mean, I think marketing is holding back "Tiny Toons" and "Animaniacs" too, because you got the suits asking "Gee, I don't think anyone is going to remember that show." And that is the problem with all of the animated properties.

If that's the case, then Warner Home Video really does assume their audience is stupid. Sure, there are people out there who don't remember it now, but doesn't WHV realize that they'll go "Wow! Check this out! I remember that!" and be very likely to buy DVD box sets of these TV shows when they're casually strolling the ailes of Best Buy and they spot these DVD box sets on the store shelves?

 

[GL2k2]

I don't know guys, I know that WB is the very last BIG studio to get into the DVD market. Meanwhile, FOX (Simpsons/X-Files), Paramount (Star Trek/Twilight Zone), and other studios have been selling their television properties to DVD for years and the old saying goes, "Hey, it's in the bank". WB is late. Very late. And they are literally sitting on tons of old programming including the entire half century worth of Hanna Barbera toons. It's really sad.

What it all boils down to is, whoever is in charge of the old Home Video Department needs to be fired left and right. Whatever they got going on there is an old regime. They probably got the same people who were used to selling videos and they need new blood. These people probably know nothing about the DVD market. They don't know if that they pull old footage or something obscure and toss it on the DVD that it would be worth anything. These are literally the moms who threw out the comics and the old video game systems that are now going for hundreds of dollars on EBAY. I'll admit, they are really more on concentrating on restoring older films, which is fine, but not if it means they can't release television properties as well. They need to hit the irons while their hot, and they aren't doing it. Where is Perfect Strangers? Where is Family Matters? Where's the stars of a stupid movie that made tons of money "The Wayans Bros."?

The other reason for all of this is, WB may just be cheap. If the "Perfect Strangers" were released on DVD in a season set, Bronson Pinchot would get paid for it. Mind you, he isn't getting paid squat right now because PS isn't airing on any channels I know. Is it? The actors get cut a check for a couple of hundred dollars everytime these things go out. This is what is really meant, when they say it would cost too much to do. Plus there's the risk that no one will buy. And it's understood. But, like I said, they have a screwed up marketing team. Look what they did with Iron Giant? If they wanted to push Perfect Strangers, get a reunion show together on ABC, hawk the DVD season set release, and start playing the show regularly on a cable station. I can tell you that whoever owned "Three's Company" did this when John Ritter hit it big with "8 Simple Rules".

 

[Robin]

I've taken a point to voicing my displeasure to WHV via their website. I'm pretty sure it won't change anything but it is somewhat constructive.

http://store.warnervideo.com/static.text.asp?sys=WHV&doc_type=csp

I am glad to hear about the next volume of the Teen Titans DVD though. I was wondering when we would start hearing about the next release for that show.

 

[James Harvey]

For the past week or so, I have been trying to get ahold of some people within Warner Home Video to discuss the upcoming Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World DVD release. I had an incredibly difficult time, moreso than usual. Not only that, but it was incredibly frustrating and - eventually - a pointless endeavour. So, I wrote-up a letter which I plan to send to a host of personnel and contacts within WB and WHV. I know this letter will have little or no affect but I found that I really had to do this.

The letter is still in the works, but this is the current rough:

To whom it may concern, the creative team responsible for the upcoming Justice League Unlimited DVD,

Within the past week, Warner Home Video has announced the initial DVD release for the Justice League Unlimited animated series called Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World. Information was sketchy at first, allowing fans to get a bit excited over the news. However, when the actual content was revealed - fans were horrified.

Just three episodes? Minimal extras? Standard Format?

Labeled as a Season One, Volume One release, this DVD contains three random episodes from the shows first season. The episodes are not even in order. Teen Titans recently received a Volume 1 release containing the first six episodes in production order, something most fans were pleased with. A single episodic release with six episodes. It’s a good deal for the low price advertised. And it was labeled Season One, Volume One. In fact, I hear Volume Two is set to be announced within the next few weeks.

That release got six episodes in production order. Even the Static Shock DVD released at the same time received similar treatment. So why does Justice League Unlimited get such improper treatment? Not only are the extras weak, but one extra was carried over from a previous Justice League DVD release. With all the quality DVDs WHV is now releasing, why treat this series so poorly?

There are more problems with this release. The episodes are out of order and in Standard Format. On the packaging, it is incorrectly stated that the disc contains the episodes in original broadcast format. Untrue. All Justice League Unlimited episodes have been broadcast on Cartoon Network in the proper wide-screen format. The creative team behind the animated series has stated time and time again that Justice League Unlimited’s intended presentation format is wide-screen.

In a way I can almost understand there being just three episodes on Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World. This is three full-length adventures. On the previous Justice League DVDs, which are hear will still be released sporadically, we only received two full-length adventures. So now we get a full one extra adventure. However, since the Justice League DVDs contained four episodes, fans are getting one less episode in this Justice League Unlimited DVD.

I personally have no problem with this series being released as single volume discs. The format release has done well so far and has caused just a handful of problems. I enjoy the fact that you’ve finally given proper due to Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series in multi-disc box sets, even if you’ve given Batman Beyond the cold shoulder. Having these single disc sets released alongside the box sets seem almost fitting.

In-fact, I have bought every one of the single-disc releases. Even the releases with double-dipped episodes I have purchased. I’m overjoyed to see these shows on DVD and just can’t help to pick up these DVDs. I do acknowledge that sometimes things could be handled better. Transfers could be mastered better and extras could be a bit more in-depth. And in actuality, WHV seems to be improving in that respect. The extras for the upcoming box sets for Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series look great. The Teen Titans: Divide and Conquer had a very interesting twenty-minute featurette. Even X-Men: Evolution DVDs were adding more content. Things looked up for these releases. It looked like WHV was putting real effort into these DVDs and trying to make sure the fans are pleased.

And then we get Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World.

It looks like this will be the first animated DC DVD I do not purchase. I can accept some of the corners skipped on previous releases. I can accept the skimpy extras on previous releases. I can accept the low episode count on previous releases. I can even accept the slow nature WHV seems to be releasing these series. But Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World? I can’t accept this.

Three episodes in the wrong format and order. Slim extras, even some extras carried over from a previous DVD containing content not even relating to this release? No thank you, WHV.

This DVD is set for release in just over two months. There is still time to fix the release. Add more episodes, fix the episode format, and make sure the extras content actually relates to the feature content. These releases shouldn’t be so hard to do. The creative team for Justice League Unlimited - the same creative team WB has been working with for well over ten years - have stated time and time again how eager they are to provide extra content for these releases, for the fans.

The majority fan base for Justice League Unlimited is made up of fans who have been watching these programs for well over ten years. It’s the same fan base WHV has been slowly alienating with many of these DVD releases, rarely embracing them. Other studios have opened the doors to fan sand have gotten some amazing extra features. Disney’s Gargoyles: The Complete First Season has a featurette based solely on the loyal fan-base for the series.

The fans who have been watching the animated adventures of Batman, Superman, etc, for all these years love these characters. The creative teams for these animated series share the same passion and actually interact on several occasions at The World’s Finest and swap tales. The fan-base for the animated characters is massive, dwarfing many online communities dedicated to other characters.

Justice League Unlimited celebrates the fans by deepening the continuity between the animated interpretations of DC’s finest. Justice League Unlimited is a series done for the comic fan, for the fans who have grown up watching these animated series. And how does WHV celebrate that fan base, that fact? By completely ignoring them.

To the creative team behind the construction of this DVD, there is still time to fix the problems with this DVD. There is still time to add more episodes, add informative extras, and strengthen the overall package. I have seen a lot of negative reaction to past WHV DC DVD release, but nothing like this. I hope this is a reaction that WB is paying attention to. This is a disastrous release like nothing I’ve ever seen, and it looks like fans will be avoiding this DVD in droves.

Please, to whom it may concern, to whom has the power to fix this release, please do right by the fans and the creative team and produce a disc that both can enjoy. Not a quickie release that has little extras and content, but a real release. It looks like WHV’s track record for DVDs dedicated to the animated DC Characters (Batman, Superman, Justice League . . . ) Were improving, but this is a release that will be incredibly difficult for WHV to recover from.

You’ve asked for fans to settle for a lot when you’ve released previous DVDs based on these characters. Low episode counts and skimpy extras, but it looks like you’ve crossed the line with Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World. WHV has released many animated DVDs containing both plenty of episodes and extras content, most of which looked remarkable and are incredibly informative. Yet, when it comes to releasing DVDs based on DC’s great characters, WHV has given fans the shaft. Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World looks to be such a poor DVD that it is asking too much for fans to accept it.

Justice League Unlimited’s intended presentation is wide-screen? WHV makes it standard, cutting a good portion of the onscreen animation.

Justice League Unlimited first season is made up of both stand a lone tales and connected episodes? WHV randomly selects three episodes, ignoring both air date and production order.

Justice League Unlimited is steeped in animation and cartoon history, worth a wealth of information. WHV ignores all of that history on their extras, settling on trivia and games.

Please. Fix this mess.

Signed,

Jim Harvey
Co-Creator, reporter, and administrator of The World’s Finest: The #1 Animated DC Universe Resource
http://wf.toonzone.net
Reporter and Moderator for Toon Zone, Toon Zone News
http://www.toonzone.net, http://news.toonzone.net

One final note: Green Arrow has no bow to go with his arrow. You might want to fix that.

 

[Supremus]

For the past week or so, I have been trying to get ahold of some people within Warner Home Video to discuss the upcoming Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World DVD release.

While you're at it, you might mention the problems with the Teen Titans DVD being advertised as widescreen, as well as the mess-up regarding the non-existent Starcrossed soundtrack. How difficult would it be to proof read those damn covers?

 

[Robin]

I hope your letter makes an impression, Jim. They gotta realize they're doing something wrong when the big guy around Toonzone and Worlds Finest is sending them a letter. I hope the people behind the cartoon see this letter and get behind it. I can't imagine they are happy, either, with what WB DVD is doing with their show.

 

[Fone Bone]

Thank you Jim Harvey! I think it is too late to fix this release but if WHV actually gets around to the Toon Zone forums they can see there is a built in audience for the DCAU. I would love them to realize that season sets of Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Static Shock, and The Zeta Project would sell very well.

 

[Dogbert]

Great work Jim Harvey. I just hope it gets through to them... I'm afraid they'll dismiss it because we are not the target audience for the release.

 

[Hero Supreme]

hopefully poor saves of this piss-poor JLU release sends the right message to the suits. I could just see them interpreting poor sales as a lack of interest in further JL releases rather than acknowledging that the source material is gold, but their DVD treatments are very lackluster.

 

[Stu]

If that doesn't work, we'll have to bombard them with our complaints at the Home Theatre Forum again.

I realise there's a lot of money to be made from a successful cartoon, but I won't be ripped off. I though 4 episodes was harsh treatment for my money. 3 single episodes is a waste of time.

 

[EJill34]

Great job, Jim. I thought you covered all the bases really well but there might be something else worth pointing out: the episode selection. If WHV had picked episodes such as "FTMWHE" and "Fearful Symmetry," fans might have been a bit more forgiving when it came to this release. Its certainly not necessary, as your letter is extremely convincing, I just thought I'd make note of it. It probably doesn't matter as I doubt WHV actually cares about something like acclaim among the fanbase which is why they picked some of the lowest rated episodes of the season.

 

[A.J]

I certainly hope that letter makes them change their minds at WBHV...but for now even Amazon has the DVD for pre-order

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006U3SJO/qid=1103147428/sr=8-10/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i10_xgl74/102-1723823-0100131?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

Gosh, i cant believe we are getting such a crappy release!

 

[EJill34]

TV Tome (obviously an unreliable source) had this to say about future B:TAS box sets:

• Volume 3 DVD Release
  
  WB plans to release Volume 3 of Batman: TAS on DVD sometime between July and October, and then any other releases will be released under the title "The Adventures Of Batman & Robin."

Well...it doesn't make much sense. July and October is a pretty big span of time and the 4th Volume would probably be called "The New Batman Adventures" since...that's what the last 24 episodes were called. If any volume were to be called "The Adventures of Batman & Robin" it would be Volume 3 since 20 of the 29 episodes left were produced under that moniker.

Besides, where are they getting this information from? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter.

 

[Supremus]

Well...it doesn't make much sense. July and October is a pretty big span of time...

Why doesn't it make sense? July to October is Q3, and that's usually how preliminary release information is presented until an exact date can be nailed down.

Also, it seems consistent with other releases. I think the next Samurai Jack (Vol2) has been announced as Q2, and Vol 3 is Q4, so that's pretty similar to what the Batman schedule would be like, just 1 month offset. That's not to say TVtome are definitely right, but it sounds perfectly reasonable.

 

[EJill34]

Why doesn't it make sense? July to October is Q3, and that's usually how preliminary release information is presented until an exact date can be nailed down.

Also, it seems consistent with other releases. I think the next Samurai Jack (Vol2) has been announced as Q2, and Vol 3 is Q4, so that's pretty similar to what the Batman schedule would be like, just 1 month offset. That's not to say TVtome are definitely right, but it sounds perfectly reasonable.

Well, I guess was getting at the fact that the 3rd set being released 9 months after the 2nd wouldn't be consistent with the amount of time between the 1st and 2nd sets. Besides, they recorded commentaries last week if I'm not mistaken and last time we had news of commentaries being recorded, the set was released approximately 4-5 months later. The 2nd set had a delay, though, so that kind of throws everything off.