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… “Deep Cover for Batman!,” “Game Over for Owlman!” & “Mystery in Space!”
1. The Cold Open
With the 2-Part extravaganza featuring the Injustice Syndicate not having a teaser opening, we are left with the intro to “Mystery in Space!” And, it’s fine… While not spectacular, it does give us our first introduction to The Question! It’s always great to see Denny O’Neil’s rendition of The Question hit other forms of media as he’s truly a great character. Overall though, while its great to see The Question, and Gorilla Grodd, it is an easily forgettable opening.
2. Spotlight on the Team-Up
So many team-ups! How can you decide between Red Hood, The Joker, Aquaman and Adam Strange? You can’t really. They are all amazing. These three episodes show just why Batman: The Brave & the Bold is essential viewing for any Batman fan. Each of these characters brings with them their own unique style, and seeing them interact with Batman makes for incredible storylines. I’d be remiss though if we don’t talk a little about Adam Strange. It warmed my heart to see him on screen. For those of you that don’t know, Adam Strange is one of the most unique comic creations to ever come from DC Comics. Trapped in an impossible situation that constantly thrusts him back to Earth, Adam Strange is motivated through his unending love for his wife, and his sense of duty to protect his adopted home. He’s an amazing character, and quit frankly one that has been overlooked over the past 20-years.
3. Things you wouldn’t think Batman could do
Batman takes travelling through dimensions to a whole new degree. Not content with traveling to one dimension to recruit backup, Batman travels throughout multiple dimensions and brings back with him an entire cadre of Batmen. We’re not talking regular looking Batmen either. We’re talking full on Batman through the ages versions. Pirate Batman, Cowboy Batman, Gorilla Grodd Batman, Vampire Batman, it seems like any possible scenario that Batman could have come across created an extreme version of himself. Plus, while not exact, we have a version that sure looks a bit like Azrael show up as well. This Batman diversity would make Grant Morrison proud!
4. And the Bad Guy is…?
Owlman sure gives the Dark Knight a hard time for the Injustice Syndicate 2-part episode. As he should, since he is Batman after all. But, just like we can’t really focus on one character as the premier team-up, we really can’t focus on one bad guy either. The beauty of the 2-part episode was how well all these over the top personalities worked together. And then, how seamlessly they transitioned between good and evil versions. So, while the main antagonist of the episode is Owlman, we can’t dismiss the role that the Injustice Syndicate plays as a whole, or The Joker. The whole thing was brilliant!
5. Give me the Bat-Humor
The Joker, which comes across very differently in Batman: The Brave & the Bold than he does in Batman: The Animated Series, brought with him a keen wit. While the Crown Prince of Crime is usually more on the creepy side of the spectrum, this version is at least as funny as the one from Batman: The Animated Series, if not more so. He brought some legitimate slap stick to the character. The only shortcoming? It’s a bit odd not hearing Mark Hamill’s voice. Jeff Bennett’s deeper tone was a bit strange at first, but it quickly blended in with the character’s altered persona.
That’s it for now, see you next week! We’ll have Bat’s travel back in time and meet up with Etrigan the Demon, and then more Blue Beetle plus the introduction of Solomon Grundy!
