The short answer
is obviously as a straight-to-video production, a simple diversion for younger
fans of DC Comics’ iconic superheroes. And while that’s true, I can’t quite figure
out where this idea came from. This 52-minute feature is a stand-alone
production, even if its title suggests a whole series. Granted, it ends with a
sequel hook befitting the style of that title. But, this seems more like a
failed pilot for a TV show.
If
you watch, it becomes clear that Trapped in Time has lower ambitions than other
DC animated productions. Much of it is presented in broad strokes, in
particular plot points meant to be more exciting than complex. The basic setup is
the black-and-white dynamic of a team of superheroes fighting a team of super
villains – the Justice League versus the Legion of Doom, the exact same setup
as the 1978 cartoon series Challenge of the Superfriends.
But what’s more,
this movie shares the same premise as one particular episode of this show. Lex
Luthor comes across a time traveling device and ends up using it to alter
history so the Kents never find baby Superman. The Legion of Doom does the same
thing in “Secret Origins of the Superfriends”, Challenge’s eighth installment.
In many ways, Trapped in Time seems like a throwback to the Superfriends cartoons of
yore. If you try and compare it to the standard modern animated DC fare, yes it
does seem like a lesser, safer production. But if you actually compare it to
the much older cartoons, significant differences do come up. I recall “Secret
Origins of the Superfriends” also crammed in Wonder Woman and Green Lantern
along with Superman, and even then the Justice League was merely
inconvenienced. Here, the Justice League ceases to exist just because Superman
does. And on top of that, all of existence is threatened because two heroes
from the future’s Legion of Superheroes tried to create a paradox. There are
higher stakes here than in the Superfriends show. And because of its quicker
pace, there are more twists and turns, including the afore-mentioned paradox.
The point I am
trying to make is, there is only so much a 2014 animation team can do to
emulate a 1978 cartoon. And yet, Trapped in Time still feels like a lighter, more
kid-friendly production. It was meant as a counterpoint to stand out from the
style the Batman animated series influenced as the standard. There is only
brief explanation for each plot point, but nothing particularly complex.
While I can see
merit in making a series of DVDs from this, I can’t help but think this would
work better as a TV series. This would provide middle ground between the likes
of the Adult Swim-bound Beware the Batman and the straight-up Nickelodeon
antics of Teen Titans Go! If this were a show, I think it could nudge the DC
cartoons in the right direction, potentially reversing the damage the more
serious shows have taken as of late.
