Batman in the JLA
In this, the second entry of my “Year of the Batmen” series, I am going to discuss the Dick Grayson Batman and the dynamic of his entry into the newly reconstituted Justice League of America.
For the longest time the JLA was led by the holy trinity of the DC pantheon, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The Batman character, specifically embodied by Bruce Wayne, was often seen as the intellectual leader of the JLA and for the most part its chief tactician. The Wayne Batman was renowned for planning for every contingency, for being several steps ahead his foes and for never being caught off guard. This served him well in the JLA as that unit was often comprised by disparate heroes, some with much less experience than Wayne but often possessing much more physical power and or abilities.
Because Wayne often dealt with these heroes of different or greater qualities, who were used to pursuing causes of their own, he often clashed with them as they chafed under his authority. And because this Batman did not suffer fools well and was often harsh and impatient he often clashed with his team mates off times coming to physical blows. The most distinct rivalry often came from Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, who was essentially an inter-galactic policeman and who quite often resented taking orders from Batman who basically was the guardian just of one city.
As most readers know now the Bruce Wayne Batman is no longer on the scene. He has been succeeded by his foremost protege, Dick Grayson. For years Dick toiled under the shadow of the Bat as Robin and is only now getting up to speed as Gotham’s premier crime fighter. In the JLA, as written by James Robinson, we see a different personality to the Batman. It’s something I call the “Winick Model” after Judd Winick, who took up the writing for the Batman series as Grayson became Batman. This particular take on Batman found the caped crusader to be more open and visible. No more lurking in the shadows or avoiding the spotlight. He even smiles.
Fortunately, Dick Grayson is no neophyte when it comes to the team concept. Something the original could not claim. As Nightwing he fought along side the Teen Titans some of which now comprise this new JLA. The Teen Titans however could be seen, unfairly or otherwise, as a second tier unit. What’s different now are the expectations of being the Batman and serving in the JLA which has historically been seen as Earth’s mightiest heroes and its foremost protectors. So how does Robinson integrate this new Batman into this new progression? By having Grayson coordinate his first major action with the team.
In JLA #42 the team is confronted with a rogue Atlas and it takes all the group members to bring him down. Each heroic character is allowed an internal dialog that speaks to the reader on how they feel it is to be part of the team. Grayson comes off as a bit callow. He seems surprised to be even included. He says, “My league, me as Batman” as if he can’t quite comprehend that he is there. Something the Wayne Batman would not think even to himself. As the battle rages Dick also has to deal with the fact that two of his team mates have had an intimate relationship with him. Something the Wayne Batman would certainly sneer at. Grayson calls out instructions to Donna Troy and Starfire and they execute his plan perfectly and when the coup de grace has to be applied, it is Dick who orders Green Lantern into play. Jordan thinks it is “weird” taking orders from Dick as does Grayson giving orders to the Green Lantern.
So that part of the dynamic stays true. Batman calls the shots while the others follow, trusting that Batman will know what is best for the team and the consummation of the outcome to be without flaw. The major difference is the hint of doubt we see from each principle even though it does not affect their performance. At least for now.
Additionally, let’s study how this particular Batman is drawn for this story. Mark Bagley does the pencils. Inks by Hunter, Rapmund, and Glapion with colors by Pete Pantazis. This new JLA Batman is not very threatening. He wears the blue and gray costume as opposed to the more Gothic black and gray as drawn by Tony Daniel. Therefore this Batman is depicted to less of a loner and more of a team player. Even the cowl as drawn by Bagley has a less threatening look to it as the ears are minimized and therefore less frightening. This Batman will not threaten the team dynamic with arrogance or force of will and is drawn to reflect that.
As constituted now the new JLA Batman is a bit green behind those nominal ears. Unsure, untested in his new team dynamic. Will he be allowed to grow in this new structure? Will doubt set in if his next plan goes awry? The original Batman led without question. Will the Grayson version be allowed the same luxury? And what of the return of Bruce Wayne? As Dick becomes more comfortable in this role will he want to let it go? There are many questions to be answered as the Dick Grayson Batman not only fills out the most iconic of roles but also steps into the rarefied air of the holiest of trinities of the DC pantheon.
Next up for the Year of the Batmen, a sneak peek into the art of the Batmen as drawn by Daniel, Gary Frank, Rags Morales and Frank Quitely amongst others.
Posted by Dark Knight Dave
The DC DTV animated movie series has had its fair share of ups and downs. It has put out awesome movies, like Green Lantern, or Wonder Woman, and it has put out very bad movies, like Superman Batman: Public Enemies. So where does JL: CTE, the latest film in this series, sit? Well, it’s at the top. This movie was fantastic!
Before I actually review it though, I want to go into the history of the film. It originally was supposed to be Justice League: Worlds Collide, and was going to be part of the DCAU. The film was intended to be released between Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. It would have served as a bridge between the two series. However, the film never got made, and Justice League Unlimited began, albeit, bridge-less. Now, many years later, the film has finally been released, but rewritten as Crisis on Two Earths. Even though The Film has been rewritten, not much has changed. We get to see the League building the new Watchtower, how the expanded roster came about, and even how Wonder Woman got her Invisible Jet. The only actual difference is that Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, not John Stewart. Other than that, CTE fits nicely into the DCAU, and perfectly fills the gap between JL and JLU.
The story is simple enough, a good version of Lex Luthor, from an alternate earth, comes to the Justice Leagues world, asking the league to help him defeat the Crime Syndicate of America, super powered criminals who have the country’s crime under their thumbs. The League goes to Luthor’s earth to take down the Syndicate, but soon discover a more sinister plot to destroy all of reality. The story is not to complex, but excellent nonetheless. Though the movie is made primarily of action sequences (awesome action sequences), it has some nice character development, especially a subplot involving John Jonzz. Dwayne McDuffie delivers one his best scripts with this movie.
The animation is absolutely top notch. The fight sequences are brutal, and exciting, and just look great all-around. The character designs are very good too. They seem to take some inspiration from Frank Quitley’s artwork on the JLA Earth 2 graphic novel written by Grant Morrison. I particularly liked Batman’s fight with Owlman at the end of the movie. It was one of the coolest animated fight scenes I have seen in a while. I won’t talk about it though; you just have to see it.
One of the things that makes the movie so good is the flawless voice cast. Everyone involved is great, there is no weakness in the cast (can we expect less from Andrea Romano though?) In the Justice league we have Mark Harmon as Superman, William Baldwin as Batman, Josh Keaton as Flash (he was awesome, and had the perfect voice for The Flash), Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Jonathan Adams as Martian Manhunter, and Nolan North as Green Lantern. From the Crime Syndicate we have James Woods as Owlman, Gina Torres as Superwoman, Brian Bloom as Ultraman, and James Patrick Stuart as Johnny Quick. Also from the Crime Syndicate world is Chris Noth as Lex Luthor. Focusing on Batman for a minute; William Baldwin was great! At first I was a little jarred by his voice, it’s definitely different from Kevin Conroy’s DCAU portrayal. However, as the film progressed, I liked his performance more and more. He is actually really good, and I would like him to return to the role. His last line to Owlman is awesome! Speaking of Owlman, James Woods’ performance is one of the highlights of the film. He was the perfect actor for the role, and it shows! His performance alone makes the movie worth watching!
Also, one more thing I loved; the music. The film is scored by James L. Venable, and though he is new to me, I hope I hear more of him soon. His score was very good, and had a big budget cinematic feel.
So all in all, I can’t say enough good things about his movie. It’s certainly the best of the DC DTVs, and I highly recommend that you see it.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths:
Reviewed by TheCapedCrusader
We received a copy of the DVD version of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths a little while ago and it releases today in stores. Should you head to the store and buy this right now? Well, I am going to let you know.
At first glance, this film seems like another quick story to expand the animated DC Universe, yet something feels strangely familiar. We have the Justice League battling villains in order to save the world. Does that remind you of something? Perhaps, Justice League Unlimited. Well, when this film was announced, that is exactly what I thought it was. In the podcast that you will hear on Friday, I referred to the announcement seeming as if it was another Superman/Batman mishap. Everything seemed to line up as what we saw before. The story originated from Dwayne McDuffie, who wrote many episodes of Justice League Unlimited. All of the characters that were in the film we had seen in the show. So why would you think that this was any different than the many multi-part stories we saw in episodic form for the show? Well, let me tell you why.
The basic plot of the film is that the Justice League of our earth battles the Crime Syndicate from a parallel earth. In this parallel earth, things are different. Despite the Syndicate being an obvious group of villains, they are treated with a level of respect. The heroes on this "Earth" are led by Lex Luthor. Their "Justice League" has been taken out one by one by the Crime Syndicate. We even see The Jester (a parallel version of The Joker) give his life to try and stop the Crime Syndicate. Lex Luthor travels to our universe to enlist the help of the Justice League to help him take down the Syndicate. The Justice League travels to the alternate earth to take them out. Batman stays behind, as he believes that there are enough problems in their universe. Owlman (the parallel version of Batman) is pretty much the main villain. He has created a bomb that will take out not only the the earth of his universe, but destroy Earth Prime, hence eliminating all "Earths." Batman of course comes and faces Owlman head on leading to climatic ending.
Overall, this film was a surprise to me. As I said, because it was first announced as a series of episodes that McDuffie wrote for Justice League Unlimited, I was concerned that it would have a feel of episodes put together as a film. But, it did not have that feel at all. The pace was very quick. It did not feel at any point that there was meant to be a break between acts. It had a more mature feel with the obvious violence. It wasn't overdone. We got more than we would have if this had ever aired on Cartoon Network. I applaud McDuffie for this. He took what was supposed to be a cartoon and made it a film.
On the Batman front, William Baldwin did a decent job at voicing Batman. It isn't the best job, but it fit with the feel of the film. Batman did take a back seat to the first half of the film. Although we see that while he wasn't around, he had a recruitment drive to have more heroes join the league. That kind of seemed out of place. Then again we have seen stranger things in the DC animated films. Batman not only saves the day in the end, but also proves to be smarter than most of the Justice League within the final scene with the Crime Syndicate.
For the special features, there were some interesting ones. The main feature was a piece about the various "crisises" that have happened in the DC Universe. They did a very good job getting many of the main creators that were involved in everything from Identity Crisis to Final Crisis. There was also a preview of the next DCAU film, which we know will be Batman: Under the Red Hood. There wasn't any footage from the film, but we did see the voice cast as well as some storyboards.
Also in this release, was the first DC Showcase film. It featured The Spectre. A good story that laid out his origin and told an interesting story in a very short amount of time. This was maybe even better than the main film. I look forward to more of these.
Overall, the film was good. I would not place it in the top three of DCAU films, but it was definitely better than I expected. One thing that many do not know is that the film will be released at Best Buy with an exclusive Owlman figure. This will be in limited quantities and only be with the Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD version. So you may want to get that right away and not wait until the end of the week to pick it up. I think if you are questioning it, rent it on iTunes or at your local video store. You will see that the film is worth adding to your collection of DC films.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths:
Reviewed by Dustin
Batman joins the newly reformed Justice League of America in issue number 41 of the JLA written by James Robinson, penciled by Mark Bagley and ably inked by Hunter, Alquiza, and Wong.
First and foremost, what is the most striking detail about this issue? The continuity problem! Not only does this issue take place after Blackest Night is over it also spoils the ending to “Justice League: Cry for Justice”. So anyone who wants an advanced look at how that series ends, help yourselves! (Not that “Cry” has exactly set the world on fire. Also written by Robinson, it is now running late.)
Batman does not take a central role in this book as it is, of course, a team up affair. The story starts out with a disconsolate Donna Troy ready to walk away from it all. Burnt out and “beaten down” Troy happens across a crime scene where children are being held hostage in a hospital and she is forced to act. After securing the children and stuffing the bad guys, she openly questions herself, lashes out at Wonder Woman and proclaims, “I am done.”
Or not.
After a short lecture from Wonder Woman and a brief interlude through America’s colonial period (with a sidebar trip to the Smithsonian, which serves as a future JLA storyline) Troy relents and starts the recruitment process. Starfire and Cyborg quickly sign up and Troy takes off to Gotham City. Here we catch up with the Caped Crusaders in the middle of a beat down of some poor Killer Moth wannabe’s. The new Batman and Robin are at their acrobatic best and seem to be following the Judd Winick model. Lighter in attitude and much less grimmer in tone. The action stops as Troy appears on the scene and says not bad to "Batman". Batman, in quotes, as she knows it is Dick Grayson beneath the cowl. She compliments the duo and refers to Damian as a kid. Cue comedic retort from the new Damian Robin, “Kid?” he says, “How dare you Harlot.” Funny and not too far off as Donna Troy is sporting a skin tight cat suit that might be more appropriate to the bedroom than a back alley.
The two exchange some small talk and catch up quickly. Batman tells Donna that he just put down “Yellow Wasp” and is on the trail of a bigger evil doer called” The Broker” who has been setting up hideouts and putting together groups for what may be a larger storyline in the future. He correctly deduces Donna hasn’t arrived for chit-chat and asks her if her visit means she wants him to join the Justice League. She is amazed at his deductive prowess (he cheated) and the seal the deal with a groan inducing “fist bump”. Again, from the Winick model? Of course if she had asked me to join the League I would have told she had me at revealing, skin tight jump suit that barely covers her ample, um, attributes. Just sayin’. (Oh yes, Damian says he's in too.)
The story continues as Donna goes off to recruit the new Dr. Light, Mon-El as the Superman sub, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow. The final panel is a full pager and is a nice portrait of the Hal Jordan Green Lantern and Batman.
The artwork seems a bit rushed but the inking was fine. Like I said, the last panel is pretty cool and Mon El gets a nice action splash page. The story? Well, it is a reboot of the JLA series, so Robinson had to fit in a lot threads just to pull each character in. Hopefully future plots will be tighter. I’m curious how large a role the Dick Grayson Batman will play in this series and if he will continue the lighter tone discussed earlier. I’m actually hoping he’ll keep the cape and cowl and stay on as Batman in the JLA even after Bruce Wayne returns. There is more than one Green Lantern after all. Anyone think DC has the guts to allow that angle?
Yeah, I didn’t think so either.
Justice League of America #41:
Reviewed by Dark Knight Dave
Green Lantern featuring Batman
Well, the comic starts off with a man being chased through Gotham City by some a saber-tooth tiger and a skull with wings that can breathe fire. The man is later killed by a man holding a Tattoo gun. After killing him, the unknown man writes a message on the dead man’s chest and the media claims this murder was done by a Green Lantern villain known as The Tattooed Man.
So Batman calls in Hal Jordan to help, as we all know Batman doesn’t like other hero’s villains in his city. So Green Lantern comes to the Batcave. He asks Bruce why he didn’t just call him, instead of getting Green Arrow to pass on the message. This leads to Hal and Bruce having a little argument as Bruce still doesn’t trust Hal (Continuity Note: Before coming back to life, Hal Jordan was affected by the evil Avatar of the Sinestro Corps Parallax). Bruce shows Hal the crime scene photos and says that they are dealing with Tattooed Man. Jordan thinks different as the Tattooed Man he knows of is locked up in prison. So they go out looking for this new Tattooed Man, but not before Bruce punches Jordan in the face and says that they are now even.
They take the Batmobile to the last known whereabouts of the new Tattooed Man. In the Batmobile, Hal tries to make Batman laugh, but he has a hard time doing so. He even makes a joke about Robin and asks if any of sidekicks ever grow because the seat is so far forward. Bruce tells him to buckle up which Hal jokes it off. Bruce hits a speed bump which in turn makes Hal hit the roof of the Batmobile. This is my favorite part of the issue because you see that Bruce does have a funny side to him. Soon afterwards, they are both attacked by the Tattooed Man, who calls them both sinners. Hal then gets the Tattooed Man attention, Bruce knocks him out with one punch, and the police come and arrest him. Bruce and Hal go back to the Batcave, where Jordan gives Bruce his power ring and asks him to put it on. Bruce refuses until Hal begs and tells Bruce it will help him overcome his greatest fear like it did for him with the death of his father. Bruce puts it on and his costume changes to a Green Lantern costume mixed with the Batsuit, which is pretty cool! Then Bruce creates an image of his parents with the ring and starts to cry. He takes off the ring and tells Hal that he is not ready got overcome his fear. Before Jordan leaves Bruce smiles and tells him that it’s good to have him back. Hal smiles and replies, “It’s good to be back”.
This issue is pretty good. The story is very solid and doesn’t feel like random team between two superheroes. Geoff Johns portrays the bad blood Bruce has towards Hal throughout. Johns also shows in this issue that he is a Batman fan and knows how to write Batman. This was really good. Didn’t feel like a pointless team issue. It made me glad that I picked it up last year at a comic book traders market. Also the back and forth banter between Hal and Bruce was priceless. Another thing I have to give Johns credit for is reminding us that Jordan and Bruce both saw their loved ones and they each handled it in their own way. The only problem I had with this issue was the fight they had with Tattooed Man. The fight was only two pages long and felt like it could have been longer. But hey, that's just me. I can’t wait and see what Johns bring to Batman: Earth One. The penciling by Ethan Van Sciver who not only draws a good Batman, but his art is amazing.
Green Lantern #9:
Reviewed by Johnny Impulse
Here is our final episode for the reboot of BBFB, The Ring, The Arrow and the Bat. This introduces Bruce to other DCU heroes in an adventure that overlaps two stories involving Oliver Queen. It's fairly entertaining and a good introduction to the Green Arrow and Hal Jordan as well as giving us an idea of Batman's attitude to teaming up. If you would like to see more BBFB episodes on this blog please comment below and we can arrange it otherwise thanks for keeping up and please keep listening to the comic podcast for future BBFB episodes. I still have plenty more to review as I read through the dark knights career. Keep reading!
Posted by Nick
From all of us at The Batman Universe, we wish you a Merry Christmas! We hope that you spend time with loved ones and receive the gifts you really wanted. As you head to family and friends houses today to celebrate the holidays, please stay safe.
Batman sings?
Posted by Dustin
The fate of Batman finally revealed? Bruce Wayne rises from the dead? The latest horror from the Blackest Night is none other than our own Caped Crusader?
In a stunning development from the ongoing DC universe series “Blackest Night” the skull of Bruce Wayne (that was ripped from its resting place by the villain Black Hand) has now been used as the instrument to induce the deaths of some of Earths greatest heroes.
You heard that right. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. In the latest issue of “Blackest Night” (number 5) the arch villain, Nekron, stands astride the resting place of seven million souls that once populated Coast City the home of Earth’s Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Seemingly, only Barry Allen stands between Nekron and the fate of our world but he is soon aided by Wally West and Earths mightiest heroes the Justice League of America. The battle hangs in the balance until these heroes are joined by the seven “New Guardians” of light (read Green Lantern #48 for more back story) led by Hal Jordan. As victory is within their grasp the grimmest manifestation of the “Darkest Knight” we have ever seen is resurrected.
People, you have to see this Cadaverous Crusader to believe it. In a two page splash Ivan Reiss, ably assisted by inkers Prado and Albert and colorist Sinclair, the guardian of Gotham takes on his most hideous incarnation ever. This Batman is both compelling and repellent. Truly, it is one of the most stunning representations of Batman to date. Worse yet, in this story Batman is used as the emotional tether that Nekron needed to bring about the deaths of Wonder Woman, Superman, Conner Kent, Bart Allen and the Green Arrow Oliver Queen. As this unholy Batman regurgitates Black Lantern rings Nekron calls those heroes to their deaths as he has held them from their everlasting demise all along.
As soon as this new gothic horror of Gotham descends upon us he is gone. Having served his purpose, “Bruce Wayne” as Nekron calls him, is banished to the afterlife once again and his connection is severed. In his wake stands a new dark vision of the JLA and the fates of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan hang by a thread.
Was this truly “Bruce Wayne”? Is Red Robin/Tim Drake wrong about his fate? What answers will be given in the delayed “Batman and Robin” issue #7 and how does it tie into Blackest Night #6? If you haven’t picked up the magnum opus that is Geoff Johns “Blackest Night” I urge you to do so. This series that was once a bit slow paced and frustrating has really taken off and may be one of the best story lines we seen in comic books in years.
Written by Dark Knight Dave
If you are viewing this site, I think it is safe to say that you have probably seen this show at one point. The show started off by focusing on the Big Seven of the DCU. They were Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter. Now you might argue if these seven should be the main seven, but that is besides the point. Justice League ran two seasons and then was renamed Justice League Unlimited, which also ran for two seasons giving the series a total of four seasons. Justice League Unlimited still featured the "Big Seven," but it also featured a lot of lesser known DC characters. And when I say lesser known, I mean that. I don't think as a casual reader of DC Universe comics, you would have came across Waverider or Vibe. But the series introduced new characters that casual fans and even some seasoned fans may never have known about.
There is nothing bad to say at all about this series. The stories were well written and the animation was high quality. The only downfall of the series was that it ended. The first two seasons featured many multi-part episodes were the story carried over between two and sometimes three episodes. JLU didn't have the multi-part episodes, but it did have an overarching storyline through both of the seasons. The show hasn't been aired regularly on Cartoon Network for quite some time. I personally own the entire series in individual season form.
As for this set there are a couple of negatives, but we will get to that in a minute. Let's cover the series as a whole collected. The entire series has ninety-one episodes. The price tag may seem steep depending on where you are going to buy it from, but even $99.99 as the suggested retail price, is well worth it. Let me put it into perspective. If you were to sit down in front of your TV and start watching the series, it would take you more than two days to watch the entire series. Now I don't recommend you do that, but you may find yourself doing exactly that once you start watching the series. It is just that good.
Now for the negatives. I don't know if it is just the copies that I get sent or what, but there is always some sort of packaging error. With this series, I know it isn't just mine. The fifteen discs are packaged in two plastic DVD cases. One having all of the discs for Justice League and the other one having all of Justice League Unlimited. The two plastic cases are then enclosed in a steel case. Now, the problem with this steel case is that it has lips around the edges, which makes it difficult to get the plastic cases out without having to bend the steel. If someone was going to spend close to one hundred dollars on the series, I would imagine that they do not want to damage the casing. Once you figure out how to get the cases out, you might notice (or this was just mine) that the cases are mis-marked. They are labeled Volume One and Volume Two, but when you open the Volume One case, you find Justice League Unlimited, which many know is actually Volume Two. The paper inserts describing what is on the discs is also mis-placed in the wrong cases. Now, it may seem that I am making a big deal about nothing (and I probably am) but I can't understand why something that gets designed by a person and sent to a factory never gets checked to see if it makes sense. On top of all the that, the discs are labeled as if you bought separate seasons instead of one through fifteen.
I know I am spending way too much time covering the packaging of the series, but the thing is that this is the exact same thing that you might already have if you own the separate seasons. The special features are the same except for one new one. It is on the fifteenth disc and has the series creators discussing challenges and opportunities that the different characters presented.
Overall, the series is remarkable. It is up to par with Batman: The Animated Series. And I would even say that the writing for this series is actually a little better since it as an overall story plot. If I put aside the packaging mishaps, this is the perfect gift for a DC Universe fan for the holidays.
Justice League: The Complete Series:
It would have been a perfect five if not for the packaging and lack of new special features. Keep in mind that this rating is not what the show itself would be rated. I am rating the series collected in this new form. I can't stress enough that the show is amazing. The series was released on November 10. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Warner Bros. sent over this clip to show with the review. Take a look:
Posted by Dustin
So the final episode of season one has aired and did it go out with a bang or just sizzle? We hear from normal BTBTB reviewers Tiggerbrown and rhine1784. Starting off with rhine1784:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Fate of the Equinox
Synopsis: Batman teams up with Fate to stop the balance obsessed Equinox from remaking the Universe in his own image.
The teaser, well it was good and bad. BMBATB fans finally have the privilege of seeing Harvey Dent against the Dark Knight. True to his colors, Two Face keeps his own world fair and balanced with a flip of the coin.
For a third time Batman is after Equinox and his goal of keeping the universe in perfect harmonic balance. But Fate lends a hand, Doctor Fate. With Fates mystical powers the two heroes take on Equinox by evening the playing field in a Brave and Bold manner. Batman takes on the powers of many of his super friends. Blue Beetle, Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Lantern just to name a few, have all their powers transferred to Batman for one final epic battle with Equinox.
This episode is very fantastical, but it works, and with all the DC characters that make an appearance, it very much had a Justice League vibe to it. I really enjoyed the way this story played out. The Fate of Equinox truly felt like the end of a three part story arc since he first appeared in the episode “Mystery in Space”. As usual the animation is first rate and the voice talents are absolutely wonderful. Although the title remains “Batman” The Brave and the Bold, skewing off into a Justice League vibe certainly won’t hurt my feelings!
BTBTB: Fate of the Equinox:
Moving on to Tiggerbrown:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Fate of the Equinox
Season one of Batman the Brave and the Bold has mostly consisted of stand alone episodes; each one focusing on a different team-up with the Caped Crusader. The dynamic between the different hero match-ups is more often than not the predominant focal point of each story. Batman's "partner of the week" usually has some moral or behavioral conflict that impedes him from bringing the episode's bad guy to justice. There have been few repeat appearances, Green Arrow being one of the exceptions amongst the heroes, and the tone of the stories are usually light and kid friendly.
The season finale attempts to break the mold by bringing back Equinox as a serious arch villain and Dr. Fate as Batman's partner. The writers make a valiant attempt at creating an exciting hero vs. villain battle that explores the complex theme of chaos vs. order.
But before the main action begins, we are treated to a little crime noir vignette starring Two-Face. My favorite moments of this series have been when they use the classic villains; the golden age Joker being my particular favorite. This fun scene, highlighted by a great music score right out of an Elmore Leonard or Dashiell Hammett film adaptation, is a simple but classic confrontation between Harvey Dent and the Dark Knight. My only gripe is the detail on the evil side of Harvey's face. I like the almost Dick Tracyesque style given to Harvey, but his Two-Face look is too simplistic. The decision to only use the color green and limit the deformity took away from the fierceness of his character. I hope we get to see full length Golden Age style episodes in season two. The cheesy dialogue and square-jawed animation really lend well to that era.
The episode itself had its moments. I appreciated the writers trying to give the viewers a finale that is a bit more epic in scope than normal. The series has developed Equinox as its principal antagonist, and the apocalyptic potential of his success created needed tension in an often fluffy first season. Dr. Fate is relatively one dimensional in this issue, with the real focus being on Batman and Equinox. It was refreshing to see a villain in this series use their intellect to outsmart the world’s greatest detective.
The dialogue and the flow of the scenes created some confusion for me, and unfortunately, the episode climaxed by resorting to its often pre-teen plot resolutions. Having many of the heroes from previous episodes reunite was fun, but having Batman turn into a Transformers styled giant to defeat Equinox was exciting to some I’m sure, but a disappointment to me considering where the episode seemed to be heading.
The production values and acting were solid as always. However, I’m still hoping that next season will see a different choreography style for the fight scenes. The animation is top-notch as always, especially compared to the Marvel animated shows currently airing. The bright colors and grandiose settings suit the cartoon to a tee. Deidrich Bader has proven himself to be a lot more capable a Batman than anyone thought. I’m looking forward to seeing if he is able to develop the character a little deeper. If I could ask the producers one thing in regards to this Batman, is to have him take off the mask and introduce Bruce Wayne and maybe Alfred to the series. I think it would add a very interesting dimension for future stories. Oh, and match him up with Superman….that’s always a classic.
Overall, this was a serious step in the right direction for the series. Season one had some surprisingly memorable moments, and if the creative team behind BTBTB is going to give us efforts like Fate of the Equinox, this version of our favorite crime fighter will continue to gain fans both young and old.
BTBTB: Fate of the Equinox:
So there you have it. An average score of three and a half batarangs. The new episodes for the new season are right around the corner. And TheBatmanUniverse.net will be there to review them as well.
Posted by Dustin
Batgirl’s first meeting with the Justice League. Or first time taking LSD, I’m not sure. Either way it happened in Justice League of America issue 60.
Posted by Josh
Blackest Night Batman vs. Blackest Night Superman
Round 2
Hopefully you’ve all had a chance to read Blackest Night Batman and Superman parts two of three. My aim here is not to recap the issues but to engage in a little friendly competition between two of DC’s greatest heroes as they tangle with the latest threat to the DC universe, the Black Lanterns! In round one of this competition I divided the battle into four parts. Cover Art, Reveals, Raw Emotional Impact and Supporting Cast and Villains. As we complete the second issue of each I’ve added, Cliffhangers, as a way of rounding out the competition.
Cover Art
The cover of Blackest Night Batman #2 by Andy Kubert and Alex Sinclair pictured here reminded me of the classic Bill Murray comedy, “Ghostbusters”. While the movie made you howl with laughter this scene is of a grimmer nature. Here we see Damian, Dick and Tim unleashing torrents of hell fire from their weapons as they are besieged by legions of demonic Black Lanterns. Our heroes’ bodies are aglow with weapons fire as they stand amidst the gathering gloom and the city topples around them. Their desperate faces grimace with fear and rage knowing that this could be their last stand.
Over on Blackest Night Superman #2, we have a cover by Eddy Barrows and Nei Ruffino. This cover too could come from some classic horror movie but perhaps of a much earlier era. Pictured here we have the standard tableau of the vulnerable heroine held in the clutches of the dastardly villain. It looks like any movie poster from a vampire flick of the 20’s or 30’s where the young and innocent female is about to be violated by a nightmarish monster. Only in this case the young lady is Kara, also known as Supergirl, and the monster is her once dead father out to kill her and destroy Kandor.
Decision=Blackest Night Batman
-While both covers depict and evince the horror of the monster movie genre I’m giving the nod to Batman. The Superman cover, while classic, has been done a million times. The Batman cover is dynamic and lends itself to famous last stand movies like the Alamo or Zulu where the odds were insurmountable.
Reveals
In this section I’m looking for clues to see how the overall Blackest Night storyline is to proceed. In Blackest Night #3, Ray Palmer, the Atom, theorized that the Black Lanterns’ power rings are made possible by some amalgamation of dark matter coupled with microscopic worm holes that channel energy. A pretty significant step, whether it is true remains to be seen. In these two books unfortunately we don’t learn too much. Zombie Lanterns are shredded and re-form in both books and the heroes realize quickly that their weapons and powers are near useless. At least Supergirl confirms what Green Lantern Kyle Rayner comes to know that their loved ones would never speak to them or acts like their current evil incarnations (Green Lantern Corps #40).
Decision=Tie
-When there isn’t much to go on from each issue I’m not going to split hairs and force a winner.
Raw Emotional Impact
Certainly there is no shortage of emotional impact in either book. In the Batman book we find Priests, Cops, Firefighters, and Civilians are being torn to shreds by the Black Lanterns. Commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara are trapped together in seemingly their last moment as they try to blast their way free in utter futility. As this happens, the Black Lanterns taunt their victims with bitter memories and make a mockery of their lives and loves. Red Robin comes to the rescue with low altitude high speed pass that temporarily decimates the Black Lanterns. But the grotesque icing on the cake is when Tim and Dick are confronted by their dead parents, the Drakes and the Graysons.
Over in Blackest Night Superman Black Lantern Kal-L continues to provoke Superman into rash action while dead Earth 2 Lois holds Ma Kent hostage. Kal-L orders Lois to kill Ma Kent and this is only narrowly averted by the actions of Suberboy Conner Kent. The most obvious contrast in raw emotion between the two books comes from the manipulations of the dead Psycho Pirate. Suddenly, the citizens of Smallville are turned against each other or in one particular frame forced to kiss each other in a decidedly non heterosexual way!
Decision=Blackest Night Batman
-If only Pa Kent was resurrected as a Black Lantern! Now, that would have been horrific. I have no doubt that it would have pushed Superman right over the edge and I would have loved to see that. Unfortunately, this was an opportunity missed. That act would have only been superseded by seeing Bruce Wayne rise from the grave. (Hmmm, or maybe not?) The combination of the Drakes and the Graysons trumps Supergirl’s newly risen father since he is not a character that carries the same emotional impact in the DC universe.
Supporting Cast and Villains
Much of the characters we saw in the first issues of each series return in the second. In Batman, Red Robin takes on a larger role however briefly. The Drakes and Graysons get some speaking roles but they are regulated to the end of the issue. Deadman reanimates a paralyzed Barbara Gordon and they all pile into Red Robins jet powered flying bus.
But over in Blackest Night Superman #2 we have Psycho Pirate! This addition was a real hoot. Not only does he turn staid and sweet Smallville into a maelstrom of emotion he does it with hilarious and bold results not often seen in comics. We also get to see Connor Kent turn on Big Blue and lastly it’s the totally b**chin’ Martha Kent telling us, “it’s on!”
Decision=Blackest Night Superman
-This was a no brainer. (Hey, just like a zombie.) The addition of Black Lantern Psycho Pirate easily tipped the scales. I loved the interaction of the Gordon father daughter team but the citizens of Gotham are strangely absent. Smallville’s populace on the other hand, writhe together in an orgy of violence and lust not meant for our younger readers. Throw in the torch wielding Ma Kent and like the lady said, “it’s on!”
Cliffhanger
Speaking of that crazy lady in the cornfield, I wouldn’t put any money on her chances against the Black Lantern Lois. The lady’s got grit, but, please, someone has to bail her out and it doesn’t look like its going to be Conner Kent. (My guess would be Krypto to the rescue!) Kara also has her hands full with her malevolent father. And exactly how is Superman going to take on Earth 2 Kal-L, Psycho Pirate and Conner Kent? Oh yeah, there’s that whole orgy thing going on in the town square too.
Over in Blackest Night Batman our heroes have crash landed in a cemetery. No crazy citizenry to contend with unless we include the ones buried below and that is not out of the question. No, their battle seems to be isolated to the graveyard. Who knows what mayhem will go on in Gotham without the heroes around? The Graysons and the Drakes should take front and center here. Will Tim and Dick turn their fry-o-laters on their own parents?
Decision=Blackest Night Superman
-This was a tough call. Dick Grayson’s Batman seems to have his head screwed on right but Damian’s Robin and Tim Drake seem a little uneasy. I don’t think the Gordon’s will be too much help either. Deadman? We’ll see. It looks like the new Batman could be on his own and that will be toughest test for our hero.
Similarly, Superman is on his own unless we count Ma Kent and the recovering Krypto. As much as I like to see Batman battle it out in a rain soaked and darkened graveyard I am really jonesing to see Martha Kent “git it on.” The whole town spinning out of control with Psycho Pirate and Supes battling two super powered antagonists is too much to ignore.
So, much as we found in Blackest Night Batman #1 versus Blackest Night Superman #1 we have a tie. It looks like the third and final issue of each series will have to serve as the tie breaker. I promise you one will win over the other. (I hope!) Will anything come of these short series? Probably not, as the overall series will go on into next year. It’s been fun so far to see these two heroes deal with the Blackest Night in their own books and they will return in such incarnations as the JLA Blackest Night, Blackest Night Superman/Batman and the over arching Green Lantern-centric Blackest Night series. Until we meet in round three.
Posted by Dark Knight Dave
So another week has past and we move into the very last week of September. We know that October will not only bring cold weather, but also a ton of new Batman books. But today isn’t October, so let’s see what September ends with.
Batman: The Black Glove
$17.99
Last year when this story was released in the main Batman series, I started to question what Morrison’s intent really was. A lot of this was off the wall and most didn’t flow correctly. When the story ended, we were left with more questions than we started with. Why were there three Batmen? Why was Bat-mite suddenly making appearances? Why are there so many references to the Silver Age stories? One thing I did enjoy was the Club of Heroes. Even though it was a reference to a bunch of characters that had not appeared in some time, it was a breath of fresh air. Looking back on that issue, I compare it to what Morrison is doing in Batman and Robin. The major downfall was revisiting Joe Chill. I don’t think it is worth buying, but if you have not read it, go ahead and READ IT.
Batman: The Widening Gyre #2
$2.99
Issue #1 was nothing to be excited for. The issue was littered with references that Kevin Smith makes in all of his comics. The art, although has become better since Batman: Cacophony, still is not very good. I am looking forward to seeing who makes some guest appearances, and judging by the first issue we will see plenty of them. There are a lot of Bruce Wayne as Batman fans out there that need their fix. To them I say here it is. But honestly nothing to be proud about. READ IT
Gotham City Sirens #4
$2.99
Paul Dini finally found his groove in Batman: Streets of Gotham this month. Could this series make the needed change as well? I don’t think the art will suddenly change significantly, but by the looks of the preview, we will see the Joker. Dini knows how to write Harley Quinn. Think about it. He created her after all. If the Joker can play a good role in this series and bring it out of the rut that it has been in, this series might still have a chance. Now if we could only get past the continuity issues with Hush. BUY IT
Superman/Batman Vol. 1: Public Enemies-New Printing
$14.99
This was a excellent way to launch a new series. Great story. Perfect art. I will warn you though. If you have not read this before and you plan on picking it up because you just watched the film, don’t. The film took a lot of liberties changing things around. The comics were much better. If you want to know more about what I mean, check out my review of the film. So if you want to see a better story than the movie, than this is the one for you. BUY IT
That wraps up this week’s comics. What does the rest of the DC Universe have in store for us this week? Well, there are a couple that I believe are worth at least a read. If you have been following Blackest Night, Blackest Night: Titans #2 and Green Lantern #46 are out this week. Batman: The Brave and the Bold has a new issue for those of you with children. Teen Titans has a new writer starting with this issue and it looks to feature a number of Titans from past and present. Justice League of America 80-Page Giant also sounds to be a classic as well. So get out there and read some comics. Be sure to save up your money though because next month is going to be a expensive month for Bat-fans. ‘Til next time, keep reading.
Posted by Dustin
Yesterday, some very big news was announced over at Warner Bros. and DC Comics. If you didn’t read the official press release, head over to the news post here. To summarize a really long PR statement, WB is creating a new company called DC Entertainment, Inc. This division will still obviously be owned by Warner Bros., but will report directly to Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The main job of this new company is to prioritize the DC properties into all forms of media by specifically focusing on them alone.
I know a lot of people are going to immediately associate this announcement as a reply of what happened last week with Disney and Marvel. For those of you who strictly stick to the DC Universe, let me inform you of what happened. Disney announced that they were buying Marvel for around $4 billion. Now while the internet blew up all over the place about that, the range of feelings towards that announcement ranged in every direction. Some thought that Disney could ruin what Marvel has been doing, while others believed it was just a way for Disney to reconnect with the younger male audience. My thought is that we probably won’t see very much come out of this for awhile, mostly because Marvel has things spread all over the place with all kinds of different studios. While the marketting giant that is Disney will probably help Marvel in an area that they need little help in, we are still years away from seeing any kind of major impact.
The reason why I tell you all of this, is so that you understand why some have immediately made this out to be a counter measure of that deal. While at first glance it seems that it just might be, according to Deadline.com it has something that has been in the works for awhile:
I know what everybody is thinking: that this move is in response to the announcement August 31st that Disney is buying Marvel. You can think that, but you would be wrong. This change has been in the works quietly for two years ever since Robinov moved into the top slot. "It was Jeff’s idea to have DC Comics reporting to him, and DC will be his direct responsibility with Diane Nelson," an insider confided to me. I’ve also learned that Robinov for months has quietly gone to producers like Chuck Roven and Joel Silver and Akiva Goldman and "called back" all their high profile DC titles in development like The Flash and Wonder Woman. Not only was that shocking to the producers, but even more so when they found out this was part of Robinov’s strategy to severely limit the number of gross participants on the projects. Because the producers were told that they may get the titles back to develop, but with far less rich deals. "Jeff always wanted some kind of oversight of DC, and now he wants Warner’s to hold onto ownership," my insider explains.
Now with all of that said, could this be the reason why so many DC properties have been announced and then have completely fallen of the map? It just may be. It seems as if this was something that they may have been planning for awhile and be that it just comes off the heels of the Disney/Marvel announcement. If so what does it all mean?
First, let’s go over what this means for the DC Universe in general before we get to Batman. Basically, what I interpret out of the press release is that DC Entertainment will get a lot of our favorite superheroes on to the silver screen, the small screen, or into video games. We have been wondering for quite some time why WB has not been working with comic book characters, especially since there are so many they could capitalize on. WB has owned DC Comics for over 40 years. It all started with Superman back in the seventies. Batman came into the late 80’s. But besides the two big names, there really has not been much in terms of use of the rest of the Universe. We are just now starting to see more heroes come out. Putting aside the animation aspect of things for a moment, we will finally be seeing some other characters break on to film. With Green Lantern and Jonah Hex already underway and announcements last week about Deadman and Lobo attaching key production members. We also know that Human Target is getting it’s own show that will start airing in January. Could more things be announced in the future? Only time will tell, but my money is that we hear some big news about a truckload of properties come Q1 of 2010.
That all being said, what does this mean for us Bat-Fans? In my opinion, not much at all. Batman is currently the most successful property coming out of DC right now for WB. Batman has the billion dollar plus film franchise, a critically acclaimed video game, and a TV series that is being adored by fans of all ages. I don’t think that the new DC Entertainment will be super concerned about what Batman needs to do to become more successful. They just need to get Chris Nolan and his team back, make a sequel to the now world-record holding video game, and keep making more episodes of BTBTB. Could we see more? Yes. But I think their focus will be more on the under used properties over at DC. Wonder Woman. Flash. Aquaman? Well, maybe not all of them.
In closing, I think this is a great thing for all DC fans. This will be what most have been waiting for in one way or another. Many fans have asked themselves, "Why are we not getting the same treatment for our characters as Marvel is giving their characters?" Wait for the announcement coming in January 2010. Then DC fans, we will.
Posted by Dustin