So you may have heard of SMALLVILLE’s “Absolute Justice” special. Just maybe.
There were doubts, particularly regarding Hawkman’s costume, but the proof’s in the pudding and the two-hour long episode has proven an “absolute” smash.
According to Comics Continuum, “Absolute Justice” scored the CW’s best Friday night performance for adults and men ages 18 – 49, since September ’08 (adults and men? I suppose they're factoring for man-childs). It was the highest-rated telecast in those same demographics for this season of SMALLVILLE and “built-in” a good 14 % of viewers for the second hour.
Not too shabby. The episode, of course, was written by fan-favorite Geoff Johns and marked the first live-action appearance of the Justice Society of America. If you’re beating yourself up over missing the show last week, we’ve got you covered. Peep some choice clips of the JSA in action here and here.
I’ve never gotten into the SMALLVILLE, but I’ll tip my hat and do a curtsy to Johns and the people behind the show. How long has this show been on the air, now? Since 2001? Sheesh… the CW was UPN and the WB back then, and I was still in high school. To have a show going for nine years straight is a feat in itself, let alone for it to be performing as well as this. But feats are what Superman's all about (even if he isn't Superman, yet).
I do also find it ironic that the Justice Society’s beaten the Justice League to getting their own officially televised live-action turn on screen. You might recall that ridiculous, unused JLA pilot from ’97 that never got picked up. Previously, you could only witness it on degraded bootlegs at conventions. But, now, through the magic of the internet, you can see it for yourself.
Compare and contrast the two. It’ll be fun.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics. Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.