Batman: Caped Crusader (Series) [Prime Video]

[pengbuzz]

Looking forward to Batman, but I'm not sure about the Superman series.

[M'Kyuun]

Glad to see Bruce Timm's name attached. Tim Burton's depiction of Batman changed my perspective 180 degrees, having grown up watching the Adam West series as a wee lad, and the Superfriends as I got older.  While I enjoyed both, my impression of Batman as a character, having never read the comics, was of a cheesy guy in a cheesy looking suit who relies almost entirely on his utility belt to solve every challenge. In fact, until Burton's film, my nickname for Batman was Utility Belt Man, such was my low opinion of him. So, Batman happened, and then Batman: The Animated Series made its debut, and it was just so well done. Although Burton's film was the catalyst to put Batman back in the popular consciousness as a serious and dark crimefighter, B:TAS , IMHO, was a superior medium for telling his stories thanks to Bruce Timm and his team. We also have him and Paul Dini to thank for creating Harley Quinn, who's become one of the most notable villains in Batman's Rogue's Gallery, along with her Puddin'. The stamp of The Animated Series continues to reverberate and inform how we think Batman should be almost thirty years on. To create something that lasting and influential is a hell of a legacy.

Honorable mentions to Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin who brought Bats, Joker, and Harley to life in such memorable fashion. It's still hard for me to hear any other voices coming from these characters.

With the combined talents and experience of Timm, Abrams, and Reeves behind the scenes of this new show, I have faith that it'll be worth watching. If anything causes concern, putting it on Cartoon Network, who haven't been the best hosts for DC shows in the past, gives pause. I want the show to be on regular tv rather than subscription, but CN, with its erratic scheduling and seeming disdain for anything that isn't tactless and raunchy, as well as anything that actually has decent animation, I wonder that they wish to partner with them. There's not good history there, and I think they'd do better to put it on a different network. Guess we'll see.

[Mog]

My biggest concern is JJ Abrams’ involvement in all this.

Guy can’t develop a good story or deep characters that can survive even a minute’s worth of analysis/review.

If Timm’s truly the guy running the show, that would alleviate some of my worries.

[azrael]

39 minutes ago, Mog said:

My biggest concern is JJ Abrams’ involvement in all this.

Guy can’t develop a good story or deep characters that can survive even a minute’s worth of analysis/review.

If Timm’s truly the guy running the show, that would alleviate some of my worries.

Abrams...That means there's a conspiracy in the GCPD involving the Court of Owls who are being manipulated by the League (Ra's Al Ghul's League). Batman's creation was orchestrated by the League as a backup tool in case the Court decided to go rogue.

...Or some ridiculous convoluted BS.

[M'Kyuun]

44 minutes ago, Mog said:

My biggest concern is JJ Abrams’ involvement in all this.

Guy can’t develop a good story or deep characters that can survive even a minute’s worth of analysis/review.

If Timm’s truly the guy running the show, that would alleviate some of my worries.

Yep. I think putting Timm in ultimate control is the best move they can make. He's more than proven he knows Batman inside and out, can craft a good story, and has an amazing eye for the details that make the world of Gotham feel real, gritty, and believable.  To not give him lead would be an enormous waste of his experience.

[mcfly50]

Has the cast been announced?

[no3Ljm]

The planned series is moving to Amazon Prime.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/batman-caped-crusader-animated-show-amazon-two-seasons-1235343120/amp/

[mechaninac]

An thus CN retains its ignominious title of The Reigning CalArts Network/Dumping Ground...

[Big s]

On 3/12/2023 at 10:24 AM, no3Ljm said:

The planned series is moving to Amazon Prime.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/batman-caped-crusader-animated-show-amazon-two-seasons-1235343120/amp/

I thought for sure that since the show wasn’t cancelled that hbo max was still gonna hold on to it. Amazon isn’t as big on the cancel craze that Netflix and Max have been on, so it’s probably for the best

[no3Ljm]

The first look at 'BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER', a ‘40s-set period piece.

The series premieres on Prime Video August 1. 

https://ew.com/tv/batman-caped-crusader-bruce-timm-jj-abrams-matt-reeves/

https://ew.com/tv/batman-caped-crusader-animated-series-saved-by-amazon/

Edited May 10 by no3Ljm

[Big s]

2 hours ago, sh9000 said:

First look at Batman:  Caped Crusader.

Looks good from the still pictures

[no3Ljm]

https://press.amazonmgmstudios.com/us/en/press-release/welcome-to-gotham-city-prime-video-releases-firstl

https://press.amazonmgmstudios.com/us/en/original-series/batman-caped-crusader/1

[Big s]

It seems like a good time for comic based cartoons. For once in three or four decades, I feel more excited by American animation projects than Anime offerings. 

[no3Ljm]

13 minutes ago, Big s said:

It seems like a good time for comic based cartoons. For once in three or four decades, I feel more excited by American animation projects than Anime offerings. 

I just hope this one is better than what DC animation is currently offering. For some reason I lost interest on their recenr releases. The art style doesn’t do well for me. Outlines are too thick and clean. But that’s just me. 

I wouldn’t mind if the style ends up like the ‘Strange Days’ short.  

 

[lechuck]

This won't be considered as an addition to the original Timm-verse right?

[no3Ljm]

This is going to be interesting. An Asian-American Harley Quinn with a reverse personality from the original.

Bruce Timm:
“I co-created the character, so I have a lot of love and affection for her, but I thought there might be something interesting about bringing her on the show, just not as Joker’s girlfriend,” Timm says. “So how do we do that? A big part was just doing a basic flip. The original Dr. Quinzel was a little bit more serious, and then when she became Harley, she got really goofy and weird. So we thought, what if we reverse that? When she's Dr. Quinzel, she's a little bit more whimsical and fun, and then when she's Harley Quinn, she's scary.”

https://ew.com/batman-caped-crusader-exclusive-first-look-asian-american-harley-quinn-8645683

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

20 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

I just hope this one is better than what DC animation is currently offering. For some reason I lost interest on their recenr releases. The art style doesn’t do well for me. Outlines are too thick and clean. But that’s just me. 

I feel the same way.  I just saw the first part of Crisis on Infinite Earths and the style reminded me of Archer.

But this new Batman series looks promising.

[Big s]

I’m personally a bit tired of Harley being in everything. But having Harley with no attachment to the Joker is just weird. Hopefully things don’t just end up stupid and the show ends up good.

[Big s]

5 hours ago, lechuck said:

This won't be considered as an addition to the original Timm-verse right?

It’s not connected to the old series at all. It has too many differences. Although since all these comic things think we all love multiverses, there could be an odd cringy crossover 

[azrael]

6 hours ago, lechuck said:

This won't be considered as an addition to the original Timm-verse right?

Not connected to the original Timm-verse in the same sense. While Bruce Timm is producing, this is actually period-set in the 1940s rather than using the 1940s-style with modern technology as with Timm's original Batman: TAS.

[no3Ljm]

4 hours ago, Big s said:

It’s not connected to the old series at all. It has too many differences. Although since all these comic things think we all love multiverses, there could be an odd cringy crossover 

I hope not. As much that crossover is so cool by seeing other counterparts, hope they don't do it here.  

[Big s]

2 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

I hope not. As much that crossover is so cool by seeing other counterparts, hope they don't do it here.  

I personally hate the multiverse and the trend of constant multiverse overuse going on sucks

[M'Kyuun]

Agree with the crossover consensus: let this be its own thing detached from prior shows. Divorcing it from any other continuity allows for more creative freedom with the characters, and that's the most interesting aspect of this show thus far. Heck, they could even change Bruce's origin story or his motivation for becoming the Batman; maybe his parents are still alive but some other tragedy touched his life at a young age leaving a profound impression. Perhaps changing the family dynamic such that Bruce's parents are cold and aloof businessmen and social elites who alienate their precocious son who finds solace in a fatherly Alfred. Alfred is murdered while protecting his young charge during an outing (ironically with Bruce buying a Christmas gift for his detached parents to try and curry attention and favor). Bruce grows up with that void and an ever-growing separation from his family but uses his genius to make his own way forging a rival company to his parents, eventually surpassing them. But Alfred's loss remains heavy on Bruce and the Batman is born out of that grief. Perhaps his parents are the first corrupt people the Batman takes down. With his parents in prison, Bruce then takes over the Wayne Foundation, the manor, and establishes his Batcave. I just made all this up off the cuff, but I wouldn't mind seeing this revised story in a new telling of the Batman story. 

[Big s]

2 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

Agree with the crossover consensus: let this be its own thing detached from prior shows. Divorcing it from any other continuity allows for more creative freedom with the characters, and that's the most interesting aspect of this show thus far. Heck, they could even change Bruce's origin story or his motivation for becoming the Batman; maybe his parents are still alive but some other tragedy touched his life at a young age leaving a profound impression. Perhaps changing the family dynamic such that Bruce's parents are cold and aloof businessmen and social elites who alienate their precocious son who finds solace in a fatherly Alfred. Alfred is murdered while protecting his young charge during an outing (ironically with Bruce buying a Christmas gift for his detached parents to try and curry attention and favor). Bruce grows up with that void and an ever-growing separation from his family but uses his genius to make his own way forging a rival company to his parents, eventually surpassing them. But Alfred's loss remains heavy on Bruce and the Batman is born out of that grief. Perhaps his parents are the first corrupt people the Batman takes down. With his parents in prison, Bruce then takes over the Wayne Foundation, the manor, and establishes his Batcave. I just made all this up off the cuff, but I wouldn't mind seeing this revised story in a new telling of the Batman story. 

To me the origin of Batman is something that shouldn’t be messed with. It doesn’t matter if it’s shown or just implied, but it’s such an iconic thing about the character that if it’s changed then it may as well be any other character, like Batman beyond or whoever 

[sh9000]

Official Trailer.

 

Edited June 26 by sh9000

[Old_Nash_II]

Batman from Old Testament

 

[sh9000]

New poster.

[Dynaman]

I'd like to see a live action Batman set in the forties, same for Superman and WW.  WITHOUT it being a setup for bringing it to modern day.

[Big s]

4 hours ago, Dynaman said:

I'd like to see a live action Batman set in the forties, same for Superman and WW.  WITHOUT it being a setup for bringing it to modern day.

Yeah, a basic hero in a time with limited technology would make for a more interesting Batman. And a Superman in an era without doubt post WW2 like very late 40’s or early 50’s would be great as well. I do think Batman would work better int the 20’s or 30’s though in an era of recovery from the depression that’s still has some rampant city crime. Maybe Start with Batman a bit younger in a slightly more grim era in a gritty Gotham and maybe being a few years of experience by the time Superman shows up from outta nowhere in an age of awkward retro science and sometimes less than friendly alien visitors.

[no3Ljm]

 

 

Edited July 29 by no3Ljm

[no3Ljm]

Penguin

[no3Ljm]

 

 

[Big s]

On 7/29/2024 at 3:07 PM, no3Ljm said:

Penguin

I guess this penguin could lay eggs 

[tekering]

I've been binging the first season, and so far, it's got all the same hallmarks as Batman: The Animated Series.  Under the direction of Bruce Timm, we have the noir sensibilities, the mature dialogue, and the top-notch voice acting that's been largely absent from Batman cartoons since Batman Beyond ended its run. 

Rupert Thorne and Renee Montoya return from BTAS, and Harvey Bullock, Lucius Fox, Alfred Pennyworth, Harvey Dent, and Commissioner Jim Gordon are close to their earlier characterizations.  Barbara Gordon is now a defence attorney (!), and Clayface is more Darkman than Matt Hagen... and apart from the name and the accoutrements, the new Penguin has little in common with previous iterations of the character. 

There's more overt violence, and characters are killed off in rapid succession, suggesting this show may be for an older audience than the classic Animated Series; however, there's certainly none of the blood, cursing, or adult content becoming increasing common in the DC animated films of late, so it's still appropriate for family audiences. 

It's a shame there's only ten episodes so far, though.

[Big s]

I’m a little iffy on this one after episode one. On one hand it does feel a lot like the older show, but still feels kidish even though there’s a few deaths. Still has a good feel in that sense, but on the other hand it feels like they’re trying really hard to check all the boxes, and while that’s usually not too bad , in this case it gets really weird. So Penguin is a gender swap, which is a kinda whatever thing on the surface, but her way of hiding that she’s a crime boss is that now she’s a burlesque dancer. But it’s weird because she’s absolutely unattractive in every possible way, yet everyone seems to have the hots for her. Kinda just odd. 

Spoiler

And then she’s got a heavy anti ship gun on her boat that nobody seems to notice only slightly off shore blowing up buildings every other day

It’s definitely a weird start to the series. Hopefully it gets better because it really does have pretty good animation and voice work. But it’s pretty goofy so far. If they took out the bloodless killing and alcohol, it would basically still be a Saturday morning cartoon.