Batman: The Animated Series

"Legends: Part 1" Episode: #1.16 - 21 April 2002:

Corey Burton= Dr. Blizzard (voice)

Jennifer Hale= Black Siren (voice)

Neil Patrick Harris= Ray Thompson (voice)

Jeffrey Jones= Sir Swami (voice)

William Katt= Green Guardsman (voice)

Udo Kier= The Music Master (voice)

Ted McGinley= Tom Turbine (voice)

Michael McKean= The Sportsman (voice)

David Naughton= The Streak (voice)

Stephen Root= Cat Man (voice)

Tom Sizemore= Metamorpho (voice)
Patrick Duffy= Steve Trevor (voice)
Michael Ironside= Darkseid (voice)
Ron Perlman= Orion (voice)/Clayface II
Rob Zombie= Ichthulhu (voice)
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.= Alfred Pennyworth (voice)
Brad Garrett= Lobo (voice)
Kin Shriner= Green Arrow (voice)
Edward Asner= Hephaestus (voice)/Granny Goodness
Jason Hervey= Dove I/Don Hall (voice)*
Fred Savage= Hawk I/Hank Hall (voice)*
Wonder Years Powers...ACTIVATE!
Jeremy Piven= The Elongated Man (voice)
Tim Matheson= Max Lord (voice)
Dennis Farina= Wildcat I/Ted Grant (voice)

Sorry about that.

Oh shit that's Inara from Firefly (and according to Tep, possibly Joss's Wonder Woman)! Yeah, she's great.

My eyes went very big and round when I read this.

(Full potentially credibility-shredding disclosure: I've also started watching Kids Next Door because Lauren Tom and Cree Summer do voices on it and it's often ridiculously funny. There was a recent episode involving a training bra that was absolutely hysterical.)

Teen Titans is on tonight at 10 EST, if anyone -- like me -- was wondering, so they could check it out. Not sure when JLU is on, but Demonoid (thank you Andrew!) has seasons 1 and 2, and a few a la carte episodes.

Pretty much; it's also an extended riff on her "even when surrounded by friends, I am alone" schtick.

I got the first box set and it really is great, as good an introduction to what makes Batman great as you could ever have. The way they treat the Joker I think is particuarly laudable - he's clearly shown as comical, not just psychotic (i.e. you can laugh along with most of his antics), but at the same time he's still pretty fucking scary. A great balance between modern grim&gritty Batman and the character's older incarnation.

Some of the episodes - the Clayface two parter, the Mr.Freeze one - are so unberably tragic. The show's obsessive "sometimes things happen that turn you into a MONSTER and believe me, you sure as hell won't be able to escape that" message is really something for a kid's tv show!

I used to ("used to") have the biggest crush on the animated Poison Ivy when I was a kid - Harley Quinn looks very cute when she's in civilian clothes, as well. Didn't they semi-officially lez up in the cartoon's comics? Perv perv.

One guy on the extras defines the show's visual style as "dark deco" - hits the nail on the head, I think. It's all gorgeous, tho just *occasionally* you notice a slight anime influence, it annoys me every time.

Yeah, this is really key, and I'm glad that "Batman Begins" maintained this chronological ambiguity.

I hate Harley Quinn though and I am not looking forward to her appearance.

Oh, she's not *overwhelming* in it, so don't worry. It's a really great episode! The Joker is *really* scary in the first few scenes, and pretty funny after that. Also:

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At the end Batman laughs. Or, well, he seems to *try* to laugh - it comes out all abortion-like. It's crazy, and great.

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The Clayface two-parter is really a highlight of sorts, as is the Christmas Joker episode (which shows that BTAS isn't afraid to go all-out silly when it wants to.) I've a soft spot for "It's Never Too Late", tho - total homage to "Angels With Dirty Faces"!!

Weeeell, it starts with the Joker cheerfully decorating a christmas tree in Arkham while singing that ol' "jingle bells/Batman smells" thing; then next thing you know he's flying off into the air and you realise that the tree is a ROCKET! No explanation is given as to how, why, what, gah?

The whole episode pretty much maintains that vibe of absurdity/awesomeness.

I maintain Batman Beyond was a decent series despite the lame concept, if only for the hilarious Fantastic Four parody. The payoff to the ongoing backstory in "Return Of The Joker" was awesome.

"The Batman" is pure pish, though. I never asked for a version of Batman remodelled to resemble Jackie Chan Adventures, and I probably never will.

And not to come off all pervy, but um, I like Raven's look. Um. Legs.

The Joker waves good-bye to Charles Manson(!) as he flies out of Arkham.

Reasons I will anticipate:

1. Dracula!
1a. ...voiced by Peter Stormare!
2. Joker!

Reasons to dread:

1. "The Batman."
2. No Mark Hamill.

http://img105.exs.cx/img105/8022/serious.jpg

I mean, we’re talking about a direct-to-video feature whose idea of a clever in-joke is a Catholic hospital called “Our Lady of Perpetual Irony,” so maybe I’m expecting too much. But the casting implies the movie will be “going the extra mile,” when it really stalls out at least 14 miles short of Gotham City.

I loved and still love B:TAS and the other DCAU series (well, most of the time), but I've never been particularly impressed by any of the animated specials that have come out since then. It's pretty disappointing seeing that on some occasions some of the same people were involved. The execution always seems half-assed.

man these blu-ray remasters are gorgeous huh

Worth buying if I have all the DVD boxes?

if you’re a btas stan and you’ve got the cash, definitely - the episodes look extraordinarily crisp and clear

check this handy comparison video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LZJ-HJsWHk

i'm a sucker for these remasters when they're done well. they even managed to make TNG look beautiful!

yooooo Bruce Timm made an animated Sgt Rock short film!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtwZvaLbwnI

And Phantom Stranger too!
https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-showcase-phantom-stranger-first-look/