The new Batman Animated series

[Chess Piece Face]

It wasn't great. It was better than The Batman, which I found pointless, especially after the amazing Bruce Timm stuff.

I appreciate the energy and enjoy the animation style to a point but I don't see myself keeping up with the show, even though I am mildly interested in seeing who the teammates are. I am glad that they appear to be going all out with this new direction...if you're going to do it, do it all the way.

 

[Christopher]

When I keep reading that they're focusing on lesser knowns, I keep feeling that this show is just an excuse to release a new set of action figures.

Whereas I feel this show is an excuse for its comics-fan producers to play with the characters they loved reading about as kids but never got to do anything with in animation before. James Tucker has made his love for Silver Age comics and the Dick Sprang era of Batman quite clear in the past. He storyboarded the Dick Sprang-styled sequence of the B:TAS episode "Legends of the Dark Knight," and in the DVD commentary for that episode, it's clear that he was thrilled by the opportunity to pay tribute to his favorite comics. Now he gets to do a whole series like that.

Tonight's episode was pretty good. Although it featured the comical Plastic Man as Batman's partner, and embraced freaky-bizarre elements of the DC universe like Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, and Dinosaur Island, it was a surprisingly serious episode, with Batman taking Plastic Man under his wing because of his guilt at being responsible for the accident that turned him into the "freak" he is now. (The origin as depicted was basically the Joker's origin, although that does have some broad similarities to PM's origin story.) This was a different side of Batman than we saw last week. Rather than a wise and supportive mentor figure, he was a Batman more familiar to fans of TAS -- serious, hard-edged, tough to get along with, even somewhat angsty. And Diedrich Bader is still doing a very good job in the role. Tom Kenny was also pretty good as PM.

 

[RobertScorpio]

When I keep reading that they're focusing on lesser knowns, I keep feeling that this show is just an excuse to release a new set of action figures.

Whereas I feel this show is an excuse for its comics-fan producers to play with the characters they loved reading about as kids but never got to do anything with in animation before. James Tucker has made his love for Silver Age comics and the Dick Sprang era of Batman quite clear in the past. He storyboarded the Dick Sprang-styled sequence of the B:TAS episode "Legends of the Dark Knight," and in the DVD commentary for that episode, it's clear that he was thrilled by the opportunity to pay tribute to his favorite comics. Now he gets to do a whole series like that.

Tonight's episode was pretty good. Although it featured the comical Plastic Man as Batman's partner, and embraced freaky-bizarre elements of the DC universe like Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, and Dinosaur Island, it was a surprisingly serious episode, with Batman taking Plastic Man under his wing because of his guilt at being responsible for the accident that turned him into the "freak" he is now. (The origin as depicted was basically the Joker's origin, although that does have some broad similarities to PM's origin story.) This was a different side of Batman than we saw last week. Rather than a wise and supportive mentor figure, he was a Batman more familiar to fans of TAS -- serious, hard-edged, tough to get along with, even somewhat angsty. And Diedrich Bader is still doing a very good job in the role. Tom Kenny was also pretty good as PM.

I see that at the WIKI write up for this show that the JSA is listed as 'guest stars'...I am not sure what that means in today's DC..but I hope we finally see ALAN SCOTT Green Lantern!!!

Rob

 

[Christopher]

^^I don't know about Alan Scott, but it has been announced that we'll be seeing Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner in the show.

 

[RobertScorpio]

^^I don't know about Alan Scott, but it has been announced that we'll be seeing Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner in the show.

My son's favorite hero is Hal Jordan, by far, so that will be cool. It will be interesting to see how Guy Gardner is transfered to TV. I wonder if JACK BLACK will do his voice.

And DR.FATE will be on eventually too. They seem to have Batman, a main guest star, and a cameo formula. Batman/Blue Beetle cameo Green Arrow...last night it as Batman/PlasticMan and Fire for the cameo...I think next week we will see Aquaman as the main star. Will be interesting to the cameo is....Anti-Monitor??? Hah!

Rob
Scorpio

 

[LaxScrutiny]

When I keep reading that they're focusing on lesser knowns, I keep feeling that this show is just an excuse to release a new set of action figures.

Whereas I feel this show is an excuse for its comics-fan producers to play with the characters they loved reading about as kids but never got to do anything with in animation before. James Tucker has made his love for Silver Age comics and the Dick Sprang era of Batman quite clear in the past. He storyboarded the Dick Sprang-styled sequence of the B:TAS episode "Legends of the Dark Knight," and in the DVD commentary for that episode, it's clear that he was thrilled by the opportunity to pay tribute to his favorite comics. Now he gets to do a whole series like that.

Tonight's episode was pretty good. Although it featured the comical Plastic Man as Batman's partner, and embraced freaky-bizarre elements of the DC universe like Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, and Dinosaur Island, it was a surprisingly serious episode, with Batman taking Plastic Man under his wing because of his guilt at being responsible for the accident that turned him into the "freak" he is now. (The origin as depicted was basically the Joker's origin, although that does have some broad similarities to PM's origin story.) This was a different side of Batman than we saw last week. Rather than a wise and supportive mentor figure, he was a Batman more familiar to fans of TAS -- serious, hard-edged, tough to get along with, even somewhat angsty. And Diedrich Bader is still doing a very good job in the role. Tom Kenny was also pretty good as PM.

I think you're being a bit naive. WB would have had any number of ideas pitched at them. The picked the one with the most lucrative possibilities, and would have set the over all parameters.

The producer may very well enjoy what he's doing, don't we all wish we had that job. But it got the go ahead for a reason.

 

[RobertScorpio]

The BRAVE AND THE BOLD is what it is...fun entertainment for kids, with some humor/writing thrown in for the adults. I could understand why some don't like it. There is no 'darkness', and there is no brooding..just fun stories with a lot of gadgets thrown in....

If you don't like it? Then you have the new Hulk cartoon and new Iron Man cartoon to satisfy your thurst for 'adult' comic book fun...so just move along because this show is good and it is entertaining my son..and for me? That is good enough..

Rob
Scorpio

 

[shivkala]

Tonight's episode was pretty good. Although it featured the comical Plastic Man as Batman's partner, and embraced freaky-bizarre elements of the DC universe like Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, and Dinosaur Island, it was a surprisingly serious episode, with Batman taking Plastic Man under his wing because of his guilt at being responsible for the accident that turned him into the "freak" he is now. (The origin as depicted was basically the Joker's origin, although that does have some broad similarities to PM's origin story.)

I kept expecting Batman to say, "No...that was the Joker's origin. Though, yours is quite similar." But, alas, it was not to be.

Seeing Gentleman Ghost was great, especially Batman referring to him as "Craddock," and hitting him with his "winning combiation" of Nth metal knuckles and handcuffs. Seeing fire with an accent was nice also. It's the little touches that get me.

Last week's episode was a lot more fun though, if you ask me. I'm glad that went with Blue Beetle, because I thought the script worked better as a "premiere" than tonight's.

Though, we did get to see Plastic Man take the shapes of a parachute and a hang-glider, so I was happy.

This was a different side of Batman than we saw last week. Rather than a wise and supportive mentor figure, he was a Batman more familiar to fans of TAS -- serious, hard-edged, tough to get along with, even somewhat angsty. And Diedrich Bader is still doing a very good job in the role. Tom Kenny was also pretty good as PM.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

The BRAVE AND THE BOLD is what it is...fun entertainment for kids, with some humor/writing thrown in for the adults. I could understand why some don't like it. There is no 'darkness', and there is no brooding..just fun stories with a lot of gadgets thrown in....

If you don't like it? Then you have the new Hulk cartoon and new Iron Man cartoon to satisfy your thurst for 'adult' comic book fun...so just move along because this show is good and it is entertaining my son..and for me? That is good enough..

Rob
Scorpio

In other words, if a McDonald's hamburger is good enough for your son, then I don't need a steak.

 

[Christopher]

I think you're being a bit naive. WB would have had any number of ideas pitched at them. The picked the one with the most lucrative possibilities, and would have set the over all parameters.

The producer may very well enjoy what he's doing, don't we all wish we had that job. But it got the go ahead for a reason.

I'm not being naive, because it goes without saying that commercial considerations went into this show. I don't lack awareness of that elementary fact, I simply dismiss its relevance. My point is that you were implying the whole thing was nothing more than a hollow exercise in selling toys, and that's clearly not the case. All you have to do is watch two minutes of this and it's obvious that it's a labor of love on the part of its creators. (I was very unimpressed with James Tucker as a producer based on Legion of Super Heroes, but he's doing much more satisfying work here. It's clear he's found his niche here.)

Besides, I think you're misunderstanding the process. WB is the content provider, the one that does the pitching. Cartoon Network is the one that accepts or rejects the pitches.

If you don't like it? Then you have the new Hulk cartoon and new Iron Man cartoon to satisfy your thurst for 'adult' comic book fun...so just move along because this show is good and it is entertaining my son..and for me? That is good enough..

My understanding is that the Hulk cartoon has been cancelled due to the lackluster performance of the movie. The two upcoming Marvel series are Wolverine and the X-Men and the CG-animated teen Iron Man show. I'm not sure whether the latter will qualify as "adult," though the former looks mighty intense and impressive from its trailers.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

I caught the ep with Plastic Man. It was better. Like I said, this show has a lot of fun energy and I get what they are doing, but it is not enough to keep me into it so far. They are just mindless adventures for kids.

 

[Christopher]

They are just mindless adventures for kids.

Again, I do not understand this cultural prejudice that "for kids" equals "mindless." Remember, many of the people making this show probably have children of their own and are making it with their own sons and daughters in mind -- surely you don't think they're putting any less than their best possible effort into it. Besides, any responsible parent watches TV with one's children, so any good kids' show should be able to hold their parents' interest as well.

 

[exodus]

They are just mindless adventures for kids.

Again, I do not understand this cultural prejudice that "for kids" equals "mindless." Remember, many of the people making this show probably have children of their own and are making it with their own sons and daughters in mind -- surely you don't think they're putting any less than their best possible effort into it. Besides, any responsible parent watches TV with one's children, so any good kids' show should be able to hold their parents' interest as well.

Best effort has nothing to do with the dialog & scenarios being less complex for the younger crowd to grasp. So yes, the creators are making a show of characters they love but geared toward their children.

 

[Johnny Rico]

I've only read articles about it... I'm concerned its going to be embarrassingly juvenile. Hopefully that won't be the case! I certainly like the idea of seeing lots more animated DC heroes and villains.

Yeah, it does look kinda juvenile.

While I understand the artistic style, it still reminds me of those JL toys for younger kids made by Playskool. Still, I hope it's better than that god awful "The Batman".

That's funny, this new show is making The Batman look absolutely genius. Seriously. I recorded the second episode and I'm not sure I'll record another. The throwback look of the '60s style Batman just doesn't work for me. I feel like I'm watching more episodes of the Superfriends...I'm just waiting for a purple monkey to show up.

 

[Christopher]

But "less complex" doesn't mean "mindless." It just means the clever parts are more subtle, Easter eggs for adults to find and appreciate even while they go clear over the kids' heads. It's naive to think that a kids' show is only meant to function on one level. As I said, it's assumed that parents will be watching it with their children.

I can think of at least one moment of fairly smart satire here -- where Grodd was talking about how his super-apes had transcended evolution, and we then saw them picking fleas out of each other's fur. Kind of deflates our own arrogant assumptions that our species has transcended its animal self. And it's a joke that would go right over the heads of 7-year-olds who haven't learned what evolution means. There was also Batman's line in the teaser about a celebration for El Dia de los Muertos being an appropriate setting for Gentleman Ghost, with no translation or exposition being given about the Day of the Dead or its accompanying celebrations. That's a reference you have to be fairly knowledgeable to understand. On a different level, there are the in-jokes and references aimed at viewers familiar with DC comics, such as the idea of Nth metal being able to stop Gentleman Ghost, or the merging of Plastic Man's origin with the Joker's somewhat similar one.

 

[exodus]

But "less complex" doesn't mean "mindless." It just means the clever parts are more subtle, Easter eggs for adults to find and appreciate even while they go clear over the kids' heads. It's naive to think that a kids' show is only meant to function on one level.

So exactly what answer would you accept by adults that don't care for the show?

 

[Christopher]

So exactly what answer would you accept by adults that don't care for the show?

"I just don't care for it." It's enough simply not to find something to your tastes. It's unnecessary -- and frankly rather arrogant -- to try to justify personal dislike for something in terms that try to paint it as objectively bad. Especially when such justification is based on false blanket generalizations like "kid stuff is intrinsically mindless." It's possible to accept that something is well-made and worthwhile even if it isn't to your personal taste. For instance, I can't stand Asian cuisine, but I have no doubt that there's great imagination, skill, and dedication that goes into its creation, and I would never suggest that people who love Asian cuisine are somehow blind to its intrinsic flaws. It's simply a matter of individual preference, and all you need to say is "I just don't care for it."

 

[davejames]

I really liked the latest episode. It was exactly the kind of fun, cornball adventure story I remember reading as a kid (I mean, come on, Batman trapped on Dinosaur Island? How freakin cool is that?). I also love the dry sense of humor they've given Batman, and how annoyed he always is with everybody ("If I just push this eject button..."). lol

I was a huge fan of TAS too, but come on, it's nice to see that nutty, off the wall Dick Sprang Batman again.

People just take this comic book shit way too seriously nowadays. When I grew up, comics were supposed to be fun. Now it's all dark and grim as hell.

 

[exodus]

So exactly what answer would you accept by adults that don't care for the show?

"I just don't care for it." It's enough simply not to find something to your tastes. It's unnecessary -- and frankly rather arrogant -- to try to justify personal dislike for something in terms that try to paint it as objectively bad. Especially when such justification is based on false blanket generalizations like "kid stuff is intrinsically mindless." It's possible to accept that something is well-made and worthwhile even if it isn't to your personal taste. For instance, I can't stand Asian cuisine, but I have no doubt that there's great imagination, skill, and dedication that goes into its creation, and I would never suggest that people who love Asian cuisine are somehow blind to its intrinsic flaws. It's simply a matter of individual preference, and all you need to say is "I just don't care for it."

I'm sorry but you can't tell people what to think or what to say, that's why it's personal opinion. Regardless of how you feel about it, they're adult enough to tolerate your opinions in return and not openly judge you by them because frankly, I think you're taking it a little too far.

After all, this is just a cartoon we're talking about.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It's a great show so far, and anyone who doesn't like it deserves to be killed by badgers.

In my opinion!