Batman’s had a lot of different animated incarnations over the past 30-years, and while Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League are certainly iconic, one should not overlook Batman: The Brave & the Bold. Is it a bit campy? Yeah, but that’s what makes it so utterly charming. Follow along as we go through the all 3 seasons and experience a Batman that can be loved by all. Plus, feel free to comment down below and make this as interactive as possible, because Batman: The Brave & the Bold is first and foremost, fun. And now… “Legends of the Dark Mite!” & “Hail the Tornado Tyrant!”
1. The Cold Open
We had a couple of solid opening pieces this week, but there’s no way we can ignore the opening for “Legends of the Dark Mite!” Featuring Batman and Catman squaring off to stop the auction of a rare endangered tiger, the sequence is taken over by Ace the Bat-Hound. Yes… Ace the Bat-Hound. If you’ve been following us since the beginning you’re probably tired of me saying how great it is that the series fully embraces the zaniness that is Batman, but it’s true. It’s bloody Ace the Bat-Hound, and he’s awesome. He comes in all claws and fangs and is a great example of how any concept can work if given the proper love and respect. If there’s one thing that Batman: The Brave & the Bold is about is respect. For Batman, and for the creative visionaries that have brought him to life.
2. Spotlight on the Team-Up
In “Hail the Tornado Tyrant!” we dig deeper into the psychology and emotions of Red Tornado. The series has had a nice, thought provoking story line regarding Red Tornado. Delving into his motivations and his desire to be more human. After his prior appearances where his emotional connections and interest to partake in human holidays were explored, it’s almost natural to see him evolve and want to create a child. This iteration of Red Tornado continues to feel more akin to The Vision, and that’s definitely a good thing.
3. Things you wouldn’t think Batman could do
In the opening sequence for “Hail the Tornado Tyrant!” we have Batman and Green Arrow teaming up to chase down some homicide robots. Before you know it the robots and loot are intercepted by Catwoman, in what can only be described as a Catplane? No worries though! The Batmobile can apparently transform to the Batwing on the fly. I haven’t been logging if both vehicles have been on the screen at the same time, but considering how detailed the series has been, I’m sure the creative team has kept track. In case you’re wondering Fisher-Price does have a transforming Batmobile to Batwing toy, but it doesn’t quite have the same vibe as the one seen in the series.
4. And the Bad Guy is…?
He’s not intrinsicly evil, but Bat-Mite finally made an appearance on The Brave and The Bold. Not quite as off the wall as using Ace the Bat-Hound, Bat-Mite is still an interesting character that stretches the realness and gravitas that has been established around Batman since the early 1980’s. His power range is definitely strong enough to make him a legit villain, but the manner in which he’s used is delicate. Not for any particular deficiencies in the character, but he’s ultimately a child that wants to play with his superhero. I think they did a good job of establishing his annoying habits and general brat like behavior, while leaving enough wiggle room for the audience to feel a bit f sympathy.
5. Give me the Bat-Humor
To keep Bat-Mite lite they added a lot of humor to the character. No moment is better than the fourth wall breaking convention scene where they debate if this more comedic and almost goofy version of Batman is legit or not. It was perfectly placed. Also, I wonder if the panel members at the convention bare any likenesses to the series’s writers and creators? If you know, please chime in!
That’s it for now, see you next week! We’ll have Jonah Hex, Steppenwolf, Mister Miracle, Big Barda and Gorilla Grodd!
