strictly referring to the cartoons (not comic books, movies and other outlets). . . which is the better cartoon?
i dont know how many Batman cartoons exist (i can think of Superfriends and Scooby Soo Movies where Batman guest starred, although there must be an original Batman-only cartoon). but i mean the most recent Batman cartoon, produced by WB.
i really enjoy the modern feel of Batman Beyond. i also think the impetuous side of a teen hero is a nice change from the brooding Batman. but i cant get over how much better the villains were in the first Batman cartoon. so, i guess my vote goes to the first Batman cartoon.
Paul Dini/Bruce Timm’s Batman cartoon (the WB one) beats out Batman Beyond (also by Dini and Timm, natch) by a hair.
Both shows are great, but Batman Beyond is a little less Batman and a little more Spider-Man for me. Not that I don’t like Spider-Man, but to call it Batman is mildly misleading.
(Darn, now I’m beginning to regret not keeping up with taping the various Batman Beyond episodes. Maybe WB will relelase the series on DVD someday?)
Oh, and all the other Batman cartoon appearances suck in comparison to Dini/Timm/WB’s Batman: The Animated Series. Hell, the WB Batman series even surpasses the live-action movies…
Batman Beyond, though I agree on it being a hair behind Batman, does have the advantage of Barbara Gordon, Police Commissioner. Damn, what an interesting take on her (even if it does mess with DC continuity (note to those scratching their head: Barbara Gordon was paralyzed by the Joker and is currently teh information broker Oracle, one of the “Birds of Prey,” for my money the single best title put out by mainstream DC right now)). I love her snide warnings to Tim of what the psychological dangers of being a crime-fighter can be. She’s a great antidote to Bruce.
Batman wins because it had the better theme song. I am, of course, speaking of the brilliant “Batman/Superman Adventures” theme. Moody, heroic, uplifting. It’s on the level of a great movie theme, and the composer should be justly proud (the IMDB lists three orignal music people, take your pick: Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion or Shirley Walker).
Geh…the recent themes for Batman suck. (B/S and the post B/S episodes released alone). The first theme (When it was on Fox, and it’s first little bit on WB were good, though.
I like both. What I like is that they work and play well together.
I like the fact that Batman Beyond has some more adult themes. Many’s the time, though, that I’ve stared at the screen thinking, This show has NO business being on Saturday mornings!
Then again, I like the artistic style and the animation of Batman a smidge more, and you’re absolutely right, the theme song rules.
wow. i didnt know the movie it had been hacked up. i haven’t seen it, but i’d like too. now, naturally, i’m more interested in viewing an unedited version.
Well now, that’s just darn upsetting. It was still a good movie, but after reading some of the changes I understand a couple parts a little better, especially
WARNING - SPOILER
when the original Joker gets killed. It seemed a bit awkward. Supposedly Robin killed him, but in the actually death scene he just gets accidentally electrocuted.
The Dini/Timm Batman cartoons were at their best on Fox – for some reason, when the show moved to WB, the censors stepped up their supervision, and the show lost a bit of its edge. Good thing I’ve got a bunch of episodes recorded from the Fox days.
(I’ve never been able to catch a rerun of “Day of the Samurai,” though. A bit annoying, since it’s the second half of the story arc from “Night of the Ninja”…)
my geeky ebay self was poking around ebay and there are a few uncut copies for sale, but too expensive for me, at least right after christmas. i hope they release a directors cut. perhaps if there is enough of an outcry they will. i tried to do a quick search to see if the DVD release has the extra pieces, but didnt find anything conclusive.
Amen. I mean, I really loved the Fox intro, but I really like the music in the Batman/Superman Adventures, whereas the visual part is kinda lame. Also, I was a little pensive about the squaredness of the characters when the show got moved to the WB, but it grew on me. Honestly, I haven’t really watched Batman Beyond at all. I agree that it looks really Spider Man-esque, which turned me off. And the suit gives him all the cool abilities, which I think it a pretty lame addition. Bruce Wayne worked hard every day to be in such good ass-whupping shape.
Everyone reading this thread should check out the book Batman: Animated. Very cool.
Actually, Terry is quite the badass on his own. In the first espisode he took on a gang of Jokers before he even got to wear the suit. He also has quite a checkered past, he’s done time in juvi, and has a rep. I really like the character developement they’ve done with him.
I like the Batman Beyond music better too, but then again, it’s a bit more my style.
As a whole, Beyond has a much more ‘edgey’ feel to it, I think that’s why I like it better. Oh, yeah, Terry’s girlfriend too! Female characters just aren’t the same since Jessica Rabbit
I really liked BB when it started. Terry is great, and I love watching Barbara Gordon protect her husband, the fairly wimpy DA. But then all of the episodes started to be “message” episodes, mostly noting that Drugs Are Bad, Your Own Non-Drug-Addled Inner Life Is Better. Okay–but in nearly every episode? And some episodes don’t show Bruce at all, and I really like his interaction with Terry.
The Batman series was really good, very dark. But I really loved the Superman series. Good stuff. Loved it when he “played” Batman when Bruce Wayne was kidnapped. See Superman try to play the tough guy like Batman! Excellent.
