SUMMARY: Running Time: 11 Min.
Directed by Doug Murphy, this episode first aired in the U.S. on March 25, 2017. Zatanna Zatara & Batman thwart a magically-powered Harley Quinn’s hijinks. Confronting her mystical benefactor, Brother Night, at his ghastly mansion-nightclub, Batman & Zatanna defy him. They’re stunned to find that he has transformed the Batmobile into a monstrous spell on wheels. To rescue a captive Zatanna, the Dark Knight must fight his demonically-possessed ride with a Demon of his own.
Batman: Kevin Conroy
Zatanna Zatara: Lacey Chabert
Jason Blood / Etrigan the Demon / Merlin: Patrick Seitz
Harley Quinn (cameo) / Ember: Tara Strong
Brother Night: Dan Donohue
Note: For whatever reason, data re: official episode numbers and original air dates for this series vary depending upon its source, so such info should really be taken as a best guess.
REVIEW:
Ingeniously written by Paul Dini, this macabre thrill ride is the JLA’s kiddie answer to Stephen King’s Christine. Anchored by the voice cast’s spot-chemistry, this episode’s best element is Etrigan’s ‘game of chicken’ vs. the demonic Batmobile. The normally flimsy animation, which gives Justice League Action its distinctive web series-like look, gets an adrenaline boost from by Dini’s nifty script.
Since the target audience is the undemanding age 10-and-under crowd, kids should welcome this wildly entertaining episode. In terms of adult appeal, the wild “Speed Demon” likely rates among the best efforts for this series. For more of Batman-Zatanna-Etrigan’s dynamite chemistry, see Episode 15: “Hat Trick.”
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
Note: This episode is on the Justice League Action: Superpowers United! 2-disc DVD set (which collects the first half of the series).
