Thanks to the huge success of Batman: The Animated Series,
Volume One, Warner Brothers has released Volume Two, featuring another 28 great
episodes of this ground-breaking series from the 1990s, which did far more to
keep the spirit of Batman alive than any live action film. The main thing that
the viewer notices with these episodes is that the BAS creative team has taken a
long-term view in telling their stories. They've dug deeper into the Batman
mythos, introducing new characters and setting up new situations that may not
make any sense to the casual viewer, but rabid Batman fans can easily see the
foundations being laid for future stories. Such as in "Heart Of Steel", which on
the surface is a great, imaginative story about robots trying to take over
Gotham City, but what makes it a special episode for the dedicated Bat fan is
the fact that it introduces Barbara Gordon, who will one day become Batgirl.
"The Cape And The Cowl Conspiracy" has Batman tangling with a new villain called
Wormwood The Interrogator, but it also marks the first appearance of the
Bat-Signal on the roof of police headquarters. The Riddler makes his grand
entrance in "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" And "Robin's Reckoning"
dredges up the tragic death of Dick Grayson's acrobat parents when the criminal
responsible for their deaths returns to Gotham City. And then there "Off Balance",
which introduces Talia, the daughter of Ra's al Ghul (who is voiced by Helen Slater,
who played Supergirl in the 1984 movie), who works with Batman in
fighting The Society Of Shadows. Her infamous father appears briefly at the end,
foreshadowing another encounter between them and the Caped Crusader in the future
(which we'll hopefully see in Volume 3).
There are also many great stand-alone episodes, such as "Night Of The Ninja" and
its sequel, "Day Of The Samurai". Both episodes deal with a young Bruce Wayne's
training in Japan, a place he returns to in the second episode for a great
one-on-one battle among the flaming, lava-swept grounds of an erupting volcano.
"The Laughing Fish" serves up one of the best Joker stories as the Clown Prince
of Crime goes on a rampage after being denied a copyright for his grinning fish.
Doctor Hugo Strange uncovers Batman's secret in "The Strange Secret Of Bruce
Wayne." In "The Man Who Killed Batman" a nebbish, Woody Allen-type criminal
seemingly murders the Dark Knight. "The Mechanic" answers the question about
where Batman gets his Batmobile fixed--unfortunately, The Penguin also finds out,
as well. This episode is a great origin story of the current Batmobile. The
lovely female crime-fighting magician makes her first appearance-fishnet
stockings and all-in "Zatanna". "Almost Got 'im!" is a great episode featuring
most of Batman's rouge's gallery. Catwoman returns in "Cat Scratch Fever", as
she searches for her missing cat Isis. And "Harley and Ivy" is a great, funny
episode that deals with two fan favorites in a new light.
All 28 episodes are on four DVDs in a smartly designed package. There's
commentary by the creators on "Robin's Reckoning Part One", "Heart Of Steel Part
Two", "Almost Got 'im!" and "Harley And Ivy". There are also three features:
"Robin Rising" which examines how the Boy Wonder had evolved, "Gotham's
Guardians", which looks at the vast supporting cast of the Batman mythos, and
"Voices Of The Night", which has interviews with the voiceover actors. Thanks
to this superb animated series, the Batman legend not only lives, it thrives
vibrantly in these classic capers of the Caped Crusader. --SF
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