In animation, ask for the best and most successful take on Batman and the answer is often unanimously the Batman: The Animated Series version as voiced by Kevin Conroy. So much so that since the show debuted in 1992, the best works involving the character are continuations of this version. The idea behind Batman: The Brave and the Bold, it looks like, is to distance itself so obviously from that beloved interpretation as to avoid comparison.
They did this by taking advantage of Batman's versatility as a character to work in both a crime setting or a cosmic one. You can take him seriously and he can be cool, or you can play him as goofy and it's still applicable. The show aims for a version that's fatherly and full of humor, and it's not that big of a shock that it (for the most part) works.
The distancing is apparent from the get-go. Whereas the Christopher Nolan movies draw inspiration from the modern take of Batman as a dark vigilante obsessed with his city of Gotham, the show follows the lead of the Silver Age comics, a time when Batman was chummy and have regular adventures in exotic places. The first episode, "The Rise of the Blue Beetle!" has him teaming up with Blue Beetle to rescue an alien planet. The second episode takes him to Dinosaur Island and the third to Atlantis. It's rare that he stays in Gotham, and we never see the duality of his psyche—something even the old cartoon explored in depth. On this show, we never see the secret identity. He's Batman 24/7, hopping from one crazy adventure to the next.
The title (and loose concept) of the show is taken from a popular DC Comics series in the 60's-70's that teamed two heroes together for one big adventure, one of whom is most often the Caped Crusader. So every episode, Batman teams up with less popular heroes, both new and old. It's a lot of fun for hardcore DC fans, because you get to see truly obscure heroes and villains (Gentleman Ghost, G'nort, Kamandi, Bronze Tiger, etc.) get major roles.
The way Batman is portrayed is actually fascinating to watch, because he keeps getting pulled in two different directions—most likely because the writer of every episode would come in with their own idea of what Batman's like. The first half of this set features a Batman who is supposed to be a more competent version of Adam West. He's a world-traveled master of martial arts, but he also makes stupid puns and calls other people "old chum" and "partner." Without warning, this changes a bit when we get to the second disc of episodes. The tone of the show doesn't change, but Batman's attitude isn't so overtly friendly anymore. A Green Lantern-centric episode recreates the famous "one punch" Guy Gardner moment, and another episode contains this exchange between the new Blue Beetle Jaime Reyes and the old Blue Beetle Ted Kord:
"I wish Batman would tell me all this."
"Don't take it personally. As I recall, he's not much of a talker."
"Tell me about it. Mostly, he just grunts."
That kind of joke would fit most Batman incarnations, but it's a little at odds with the Batman on this show. There's definitely a delicate balance, but you can tell that the writers miss the loner jerk Batman they know. The warring tone couldn't be more apparent than in the episode "Invasion of the Secret Santas!" The episode is about Batman fighting rampaging robot Santas and reindeer while learning the true spirit of Christmas. All very jovial indeed, but then a flashback reveals why Batman doesn't like the holidays: the show retcons the murder of the Waynes into taking place on Christmas day, right after little Bruce throws a tantrum that he didn't get the present he wanted, further drumming up his guilt over his parents' death. Oof.
It's nice that DC is trying to offer something from their stable that's more appropriate for a younger audience than their usual output (the PG-13 movies, the tragic Batman: TAS or the thrillingly violent Justice League Unlimited), but geek shows will always be geek shows, and this one won't completely alienate older fans as much as it could have, as long as they appreciate a more bombastic, non-brooding take on the Dark Knight. At least there's no Batusi.
DVD Bonus Features
None, unless you can call a trailer for Lego Harry Potter an extra. It makes the release a little disappointing, considering it's a half-season release to begin with when they could've released all of Season 1 in one set; but for the price, 13 good-looking episodes with an attractive packaging isn't too bad.
"Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Season One, Part One" is on sale August 17, 2010 and is not rated. Action, Adventure, Animation. Directed by Ben Jones. Written by Michael Jelenic, Joseph Kuhr, Todd Casey. Starring Corey Burton, Diedrich Bader, James Arnold Taylor, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Will Friedle.
