Comments on: Drives Us Bats http://www.showbits.net/2009/10/13/batman-animated-musical/ A blog of news, reviews, commentary, and quirks from Hollywood and Broadway, with a focus on quirky, geeky stuff like Star Wars, Star Trek, and superheroes. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:35:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: GeneD http://www.showbits.net/2009/10/13/batman-animated-musical/#comment-9980 GeneD Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:20:10 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/?p=516#comment-9980 As I've noted on my own blog, <em>Batman: The Animated Series</em> launched Paul Dini and Bruce Timm's excellent rendition of the DC universe, leading to <em>The New Adventures of Batman and Robin</em>, <em>Superman: The Animated Series</em>, and <em>Justice League Unlimited</em> (plus <em>Static Shock</em>, <em>Batman Beyond</em>, the <em>Zeta Project</em>, and to some extent, <em>Teen Titans</em> and <em>Legion of Superheroes</em>). It's also my favorite cartoon of all time, so I'm biased. In addition, <em>B:TAS</em> led to a TV animation Renaissance in the 1990s, with better writing and artwork in cartoons such as <em>Gargoyles</em> and <em>The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest</em>, as well as WB/DC's current run of direct-to-video releases, including <em>Gotham Knight</em>, <em>Justice League: New Frontier</em>, <em>Wonder Woman</em>, <em>Green Lantern: First Flight</em>, and <em>Superman/Batman: Public Enemies</em>. Timm and voice casting maven Andrea Romano are responsible for these. <em>Batman and the Brave and Bold</em> is part of another wave of animated superheroes on television -- more kid-friendly, but still self-aware and well-written. Examples include <em>Spectacular Spider-Man</em> and Marvel's <em>Super Hero Squad</em>. I don't think that <em>The Brave and the</em> Bold reaches the operatic heights of <em>B:TAS</em> or will be as influential, but it's still a fun romp (with lots of guest voice actors, including Mark Hamill, Adam West, and Kevin Conroy) for any true Bat-fan. As I've noted on my own blog, Batman: The Animated Series launched Paul Dini and Bruce Timm's excellent rendition of the DC universe, leading to The New Adventures of Batman and Robin, Superman: The Animated Series, and Justice League Unlimited (plus Static Shock, Batman Beyond, the Zeta Project, and to some extent, Teen Titans and Legion of Superheroes). It's also my favorite cartoon of all time, so I'm biased.

In addition, B:TAS led to a TV animation Renaissance in the 1990s, with better writing and artwork in cartoons such as Gargoyles and The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, as well as WB/DC's current run of direct-to-video releases, including Gotham Knight, Justice League: New Frontier, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Timm and voice casting maven Andrea Romano are responsible for these.

Batman and the Brave and Bold is part of another wave of animated superheroes on television — more kid-friendly, but still self-aware and well-written. Examples include Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel's Super Hero Squad.

I don't think that The Brave and the Bold reaches the operatic heights of B:TAS or will be as influential, but it's still a fun romp (with lots of guest voice actors, including Mark Hamill, Adam West, and Kevin Conroy) for any true Bat-fan.

]]> By: Ken Gagne http://www.showbits.net/2009/10/13/batman-animated-musical/#comment-9979 Ken Gagne Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:06:41 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/?p=516#comment-9979 <a href='#comment-9978'>@GeneD</a> - How would you say this incarnation compares with the Fox series of the mid-Nineties? @GeneD – How would you say this incarnation compares with the Fox series of the mid-Nineties?

]]> By: GeneD http://www.showbits.net/2009/10/13/batman-animated-musical/#comment-9978 GeneD Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:04:42 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/?p=516#comment-9978 <em>Batman and the Brave and the Bold</em> is noteworthy not because it parodies Batman but because it examines the lighter-hearted heroics of the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books rather than the post-Dark Knight Returns and Batman Begins sensibility of the past 25 years. It's fun, suitable for children, and merely one interpretation (granted, with tongue in cheek and numerous nods to the Finger/Sprang/Adam West versions). Batman and the Brave and the Bold is noteworthy not because it parodies Batman but because it examines the lighter-hearted heroics of the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books rather than the post-Dark Knight Returns and Batman Begins sensibility of the past 25 years. It's fun, suitable for children, and merely one interpretation (granted, with tongue in cheek and numerous nods to the Finger/Sprang/Adam West versions).

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