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                  Justice 
                  League 
                  Comfort and Joy 
                  Original Airdate - 12/13/03 
                  This week, 
                    on a very special Justice League, our heroes are just 
                    finishing up another exciting adventure. They have prevented 
                    a planet habited by space lemmings from crashing into Earth.
                    Just 
                    then the giant superhero whistle blows and everyone splits 
                    for winter break (minus Batman and Wonder Woman who were absent). 
                    Flash is off to an orphanage. Superman is going home to Smallville. 
                    Green Lantern and Hawkgirl are going to go make out in the 
                    snow. Martian Manhunter doesn't have any plans for the holidays, 
                    but you can tell he really wants to go watch Green Lantern 
                    and Hawkgirl have sex. Before he can, Superman invites MM 
                    home for Christmas. It's a cartoon, so he goes with Clark.
                    Flash 
                    pays his annual visit to the Central City Orphanage. He offers 
                    to bring the kids any present they want. This year the kids 
                    all want DJ Rubba Duckie, an animatronic duck that raps and 
                    farts. Yes, it farts. Soon Flash is racing literally all over 
                    the world to find one. 
                    Meanwhile 
                    Martian Manhunter and Superman reach the Kent farm and J'onn 
                    is greeted with open arms. MM grimly introduces himself to 
                    the Kents and explains that he is a Martian. They explain 
                    that aliens are always welcome. Later Ma Kent present J'onn 
                    with an over sized sweater which the shape changer proudly 
                    proclaims he can grow into.
                    Back 
                    on the planet of space lemmings, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl 
                    have the ultimate snowball fight. Hawkgirl suggests that they 
                    retire to a cozy little spot she knows where they can unwind. 
                    Since they are still dating, Green Lantern blindly agrees.
                    Flash 
                    finally locates a DJ Rubba Duckie, but it gets damaged on 
                    the way back to orphanage in a fight with the Ultra Humanite. 
                    On thing leads to another…yadda yadda yadda…and Ultra Humanite 
                    learns the spirit of Christmas. Awwwww 
                    Martian 
                    Manhunter, however, hasn't quite caught the spirit. He has 
                    to go on a journey though Smallville peeping in on people 
                    celebrating (told you he was a voyeur) and learns the joy 
                    of Christmas through Clark's child-like eyes. Awwwww.
                    Last, 
                    Green Lantern and Hawkgirl end up in a rowdy bar on a distant 
                    moon. Hawkgirl starts a barroom brawl and she and Green Lantern 
                    have a rip roaring time. In the end, she plants another wet 
                    one on her special guy. Awwwww. 
                   Not an 
                    eventful episode but it was "very special." The half hour 
                    show was mostly just some easy on the eyes character moments 
                    that can be a nice break from the mace slamming action. 
                    Both 
                    Batman and Wonder Woman were left out of the holiday episode. 
                    Wonder Woman was probably home baking cookies and I hear that 
                    the Batmobile lost its wheel, unfortunately causing the Joker 
                    to get away. 
                   It's a 
                    shame Batman couldn't be added to the episode. His dark demeanor 
                    is the biggest contrast to the holiday spirit which provides 
                    the best storytelling fodder. When Batman's mood changes, 
                    it's a big swing. 
                    Derek's 
                    Continuity Corner: 
                    John Stewart actually debuted with the Justice League in a 
                    Christmas-themed story, way back in 1973. While going to answer 
                    the JLA distress signal, Hal Jordan slipped on a bar of soap 
                    and knocked himself unconscious. His ring then placed him 
                    in a "healing aura" and went out in search of alternate 
                    GL (as he was in those days) Stewart. 
                   The Justice 
                    League had to face down the villainous Key, who had taunted 
                    them by killing an actor playing Santa Claus. 
                    If the League did not agree to submit to The Key's traps, 
                    he would level a city block. Though the League beat the villain, 
                    he still blew up the block in an inner-city neighborhood. 
                    Of course the Justice League got everybody out of the buildings 
                    in time, and Stewart used the ring to rebuild the tenements, 
                    brand-spankin' new and rat-free. A merry Christmas was had 
                    by all, including the Red Tornado, who got his bizarre new 
                    duds at the end of the story.
                   Why is 
                    all this worth mentioning? It's probably not, but hey, it's 
                    the Christmas episode, and my favorite babysitter gave me 
                    that comic book as a Christmas present -- the first issue 
                    of Justice League of America I ever got. So it's also 
                    my first Christmas with the Super-Heroes memory.
                   Next 
                    Week 
                    Tabula Rasa: 
                    J'onn J'onzz has a crisis of conscience; Lex Luthor gains 
                    control of a powerful android. (Repeat)  
                  
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                     
                   
                   
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