Even when it first premiered back in 1992, Batman: The Animated
Series was quickly considered by many to be the definitive version of the Dark
Knight story. The creative team "got it" in a way that had never been seen
before. Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) and the large cast of characters who
populated his world were treated with respect and intelligence--and not without
some humor, as well. Avoiding the overt camp of the 1960s Batman series, the
Animated Batman was a true detective who used his brains to solve crimes more
often than his brawn. But when he did flex his muscles, Batman could be as
intimidating as hell. The Animated Series returned Batman to his dark avenger
roots by keeping him in the shadows of Gotham City. They artfully drew him as
either a menacing shade on a wall, or a looming, monstrous figure that arose
from nowhere, and vanished just as quickly. You could understand why the wicked
were frightened by him; Bruce Wayne wisely chose the perfect costume to strike
fear into the hearts of his adversaries, which often gave him the advantage in
the brutal, hand to hand combat situations he would engage in.
This is the rare animated show that pays a great detail to characterization.
Bruce Wayne/Batman and the other inhabitants of Gotham are multi-layered people,
each with their own back-stories. This adds a far deeper resonance to the series
overall. Wayne is always haunted by the death of his parents at the hands of a
gunman. In "Mad As A Hatter", The Mad Hatter (voiced by the late Roddy McDowell)
is, at heart, a lonely soul who longs for the unrequited love of a young woman.
While in "Heart Of Ice", Mr. Freeze (perfectly and eloquently voiced by Michael
Anasara) may literally be a cold-hearted monster that uses ice, snow and extreme
cold as a weapon, but when Batman uncovers his tragic past, we discover that he
is a forlorn man who seeks vengeance for his dead wife, who was just as
heartlessly killed as Bruce Wayne's parents were. Gotham City is also just as
much a character in the Batman fable, and here, in the Animated Series, it is a
1930s-inspired, art deco setting, with an odd yet intriguing blend of technology
that includes propeller-driven planes and super-sonic computers. With its
towering gothic architecture, Gotham City can be a dark, foreboding place, even
in the daytime, and that's what makes it such a perfect hunting ground for Batman.
In addition to paying such close attention to their characters, the writers of
Batman: TAS also remains true to their own intricate history. District Attorney
Harvey Dent, who would later become the villainous Two-Face, makes an early
appearance in "Pretty Poison", where the dapper DA becomes a target of Poison
Ivy after he incurs her wrath by breaking ground on the building of Arkham
Asylum over a field of rare flowers. How ironic that Dent, Ivy's former victim,
would soon be a fellow cellmate of hers at the very same prison that he helped
to bring to fruition. Imagine having irony in a cartoon? Yes: irony,
foreshadowing, pathos, and humor--Batman: The Animated Series has it all and
then some.
Other terrific episodes include "The Cat And The Claw", which introduces
Catwoman for the first time, and the sparks fly from the first moment they set
eyes on each other. "Beware The Gray Ghost" teams Batman up on a case with a
childhood hero of his. And "Feat Of Clay", with its stunning animation effects,
that brings the shape-shifting Clayface to vivid life. And there's the humorous
"The Joker's Favor", which introduces Harley Quinn, a Joker sidekick who has
become so popular over that years that she has firmly taken her place in the
pantheon of great DC Comics characters.
There are 28 episodes on the four discs of the DVD set, and the picture and
sound quality are very good. There are creator commentaries on selected episodes,
along with a retrospective feature, Batman: The Legacy Continues, and The Dark
Knight's First Night-the original pilot promo that helped to sell the series to
the WB brass. And there's also a Tour Of The Batcave, as well. But the main
attraction of this great DVD set is the collection of Batman episodes themselves,
all worth watching over and over again. And Warner Brothers, please bring on
Volume Two!
--SF
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