What is it about the alleys in Gotham City, Central City and Star City?
As a fan of "Batman," "The Flash" and "Arrow," I watch Fox on Mondays just to witness Bruce Wayne reliving his parents' death in the alley behind the theater in his nightmares again and again on "Gotham"; on The CW, I watch Barry Allen fighting meta-humans and opening portals behind buildings and alleys throughout Central City; and I watch Oliver Queen donning the cowl just to kick butt on darkened streets in the wee hours of the night of his city. The one thing I learned throughout the years: Pick a route that doesn't put you near ANY alleys or darkened gangways. Nothing but trouble lives there. Mari McCabe (aka Vixen) knows this firsthand because she's the heroine of Detroit's streets.
"Vixen: The Movie," recently released on DVD, is a full-length feature comprising both seasons of the animated web series found on CW Seed, The CW's online streaming platform. The series has existed online since 2015 as a supplement to the network's Arrowverse _ the same universe as superheroes Green Arrow, the Flash and DC's Legends of Tomorrow. Often a character in team scenarios like the Justice League, this is Vixen's origin story in one sitting. The set of serialized adventures also includes a behind-the-scenes featurette and bonus episodes of "Justice League Unlimited."
McCabe, voiced by Megalyn Echikunwoke (of "The 4400" fame), is a young woman trying to get into the world of fashion when she's not keeping the citizens of Detroit safe from crime. Yes, she has family issues, but what DC Comics superhero doesn't? But that's what happens when you're an orphan whose parents died in a village raid of the African town of Zambesi.
It seems Anansi, the Trickster God, provided totems to the people of Zambesi in West Africa eons ago to protect them from neighbors and nature _ the totems representing fire, earth, water, air and spirit. McCabe is keeper of the Tantu totem (the spirit), which gives her the powers of animals like an elephant, falcon, dolphin, spider, etc. A warlord killed her family to keep that power, putting McCabe's life on a trajectory that pits sister against sister and has her seeking answers about her past while aiding neighboring crime fighters like the Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Firestorm and the Atom. McCabe keeps searching for answers about her biological family and the power of the totem necklace (that is bound to her) with the help of professors, archeologists and animal behaviorists. So, crime fighter at night, fashion designer during the day _ who says a woman can't have it all?
Even though the five-minute episodes were promoted while watching my favored CW shows, I never felt compelled to go to the Seed app to view. Perhaps five minutes just felt too much like a long commercial for my taste. The movie, however, is the proper way to see McCabe in her crime-fighting glory _ no interruptions. The strength of the writing also proves the series worthwhile. The sarcastic quips from McCabe make the animation feel more three-dimensional. That coupled with the voices of the live-action equivalent from the CW shows (Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow, Grant Gustin as the Flash) give "Vixen: The Movie" better continuity. Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg (executive producers on "Arrow," "The Flash," "Supergirl" and "DC's Legends of Tomorrow") serve in the same capacity on this project.
Vixen is a heroine in need of worship, if not for anything but this: While other superheroes are trying to hide their identities, McCabe is just herself. No cowl, no mask. Stylish suit, yes. Hidden identity, not so much. This woman fights crime in her own skin. There's something about owning it that makes her seem braver than the other heroes trying to fight for their city.
As a weekend DC Comics fan, I may not know the nuances of Vixen's whole story, but don't hate. I'm subsisting on Black DC Comics characters like Mr. Terrific on "Arrow" (aka Curtis Holt) and Spartan (John Diggle, "Arrow") and Wallace West (Kid Flash on "The Flash"), until "Black Lightning" hits the airwaves on The CW in the fall. The 2017-18 midseason show featuring Cress Williams ("Living Single" and "Beverly Hills, 90210") in the title role centers on a father of two who has the ability to fire electrical blasts at his enemies, create impenetrable force fields around his body and even levitate himself. "Black Lightning" is really Jefferson Pierce, a high school principal coping with the burden of a secret identity while trying to keep his family and community safe. Online opinions are varied for the show, but there's more hope than dismissal thus far _ which leads one to hope that African-American crime fighters will become more prevalent on the screen. Netflix's "Luke Cage" is doing his part, but that's mixing apples and oranges or DC Comics with Marvel. Either way, we need more black heroes onscreen to raise the bar even higher.
