The replacement for Cartoon Network's
Batman: Brave and The Bold is now 2 episodes in. Where do we stand? Honestly, feelings are mixed.
An IntroductionWhen we first learned about this hot new CG-Animated show coming to the DC Nation on Cartoon Network, we were torn. On the one hand, we were saying goodbye to a show that most of us enjoyed with
Batman: Brave the Bold. On the other hand, we were eagerly hoping this new show would take us back to the glory days of Bruce Timm's
Batman: The Animated Series. If there's any 90s cartoon a geek would love to resuscitate, it'd have be that one.
The creators of the new
Beware The Batman made it very clear that they were returning to the roots of the Dark Knight Detective, and would be showcasing, more than anything his - wait for it -
detective skills. Shocking, right? They've done it well.
They also mentioned that we'd see a bunch of under-valued villains from the comics, but that meant losing familiarity with the villains we'd come to know and love. Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, The Joker - none of them are slated to make an appearance here (yet). This is by far the most risky move of the whole plan, and they must've really presented a strong case for the marketability of a new slew of bad guys in order for it to pass, because I just didn't see it working.
But apparently, it seems to be.
The CharactersBeware The Batman is on paper a televised version of the Detective Comic's version of Batman (and incidentally, some of my favorite stories). He's just starting out, still learning the tricks of being a vigilante, and still building a reputation. Henchmen aren't yet quaking in their boots when he shows up, but they'll learn.
The stories and the villains they bring with them are my favorite part, but I've a feeling the best is yet to come. Certain sources say Anarky will be the primary antagonist in the series, but he hasn't made an appearance yet. I'm most looking forward to some of the darker characters from Gotham's underground - in particular, Tobias Whale and Black Mask. We've already seen Professor Pyg and Mr. Toad (lame, really) and Magpie (better) and will see plenty of others, including Humpty Dumpty (why?) and Ra's Al Ghul.
What about other good guys? Lieutenant Gordon has already made an appearance, as has his daughter Barbara. He is not exactly happy about a costumed vigilante running around Gotham, and has no problem saying so. Not sure yet if they'll be BFFs in time for the 2nd season.
The biggest and most awesomest change is Alfred. No longer a feeble but dignified old man, Alfred Pennyworth is a straight-up retired MI6 hard case, with the same working-class cockney voice that Michael Caine gave him in the Dark Knight Trilogy. He knows his job is to protect Bruce Wayne and he does it well. Really excited about him.
Also on the roster of potential allies is Katana, a young woman whom Alfred has hired as Bruce Wayne's driver and bodyguard, with a mysterious and jaded past. The comics say this girl is a Samurai warrior of the first-degree, and will eventually join up with numerous teams on and off. We'll see how much staying power she has here, but episode 2 last weekend says "a lot."
Batman himself is the same Dark Knight you've come to know and love, but flawed, suspicious and protective of his dual life. You get this understanding from him in spades in just the first two episodes. The animation itself is kind of stiff at times, but the only thing that really bothers me is that he has much more of a pointed face than I feel Batman should have. Not much of a jaw line there. Thankfully, that's never made much of a difference in telling good Bat-story and it shouldn't be a problem here.
Does it float?Beware The Batman has started on shaky ground, but seems to be catching it's footing okay. I'm not overly impressed with the series yet, but we're just 2 weeks into, so I'm definitely willing to give it more time. I'll be really excited to see where these new adventures lead.
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