JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 The Gauntlet

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with RED JUSTICE and WILD AT HEART.]--Comic books are a medium in which the images are as important as the words. These adaptations of three stories featuring the Justice League--Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl--test this truth, with mixed results. The production uses the deft voice of narrator Erik Bergmann, nearly constant background music, and a bevy of sound effects to build excitement throughout the stories. Bergmann creates unique and distinct voices for minor characters, particularly the villains, but his voices for Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Batman, and Superman are too similar. This is problematic in stories with so many characters, and it becomes even more so for listeners new to the Justice League as characters are often referred to by alternate names. In spite of its weaknesses, the production is fun and will win fans among older children and teens looking for action. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]