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Sam Register, James Tucker & Andrea Romano Talk Batman


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Sometime in November it will premiere on Cartoon Network.

 

As for that interview, I don't care for some of things they had to say.

 

Maybe it was unintentional, but it sounded like they think Batman isn't the character he is today, that it's some kind of mistake or farce, and that he's actually the goofy, light-hearted adventurer James Tucker first knew him as. I realize it's only natural to always see a character the way you first saw him, but that doesn't mean it's the definitive version. When Batman debuted, he was dark and serious, not campy and fun-loving. The fact someone changed it doesn't mean Bob Kane was wrong with the way he presented him.

 

Here's a quote from Tucker:

 

"This is just the version of Batman that has been in the comics from shortly after his creation up until some of the darker, grittier versions of his character appeared in the late ’80s and onward."

 

"Shortly after his creation" is relative (I don't consider his first six or eight years a short amount of time), but it doesn't make a difference, anyway; he was dark and gritty to begin with, and it's a good thing that that's how he's presented today because that's who he is. He's a character driven by the death of his parents, not just a guy who chooses to wear a batsuit to fight crime. Tucker's implying this is just Batman as he was meant to be or has almost always been, and I completely disagree with him.

 

It bugs me Warner Bros. wants to use Batman's name to get viewers but not use the character. They want a kid-friendly, fun, adventurous character, but they don't want to use one of the kid-friendly, fun, adventurous characters that are out there because they're not famous enough. So they're using Batman and changing him significantly, and they're hiding behind the fact he was once (foolishly, incorrectly) presented that way. It's no different than Warners saying they want to make the next Superman movie dark.

 

Now, with all that said, it doesn't really make a difference because they're making a cartoon for younger audiences, and they have to make changes to accomplish that. And I'll give it a shot because I like Batman and I'm not entirely against artistic interpretation. It's just not good when people don't understand a character (I'm talking to you, Joel Schumacher) when they're presenting him to the masses. We don't want an entire generation of kids thinking Batman's not emotionally-scarred. :D

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It bugs me Warner Bros. wants to use Batman's name to get viewers but not use the character. They want a kid-friendly, fun, adventurous character, but they don't want to use one of the kid-friendly, fun, adventurous characters that are out there because they're not famous enough. So they're using Batman and changing him significantly, and they're hiding behind the fact he was once (foolishly, incorrectly) presented that way. It's no different than Warners saying they want to make the next Superman movie dark.

I don't agree with "Warner Bros. wants to use Batman's name to get viewers but not use the character. ", because for almost 40 years that is the way Batman was. The original 1939 stories had a dark, pulp fiction theme to them, but from the early 40s to the mid 70s, this style of Batman was in the comics and in cartoons until the mid 80s. So to say he's being misrepresented in not true.

 

It wasn't until the late 80s when Frank Miller came out with The Dark Knight Returns that changes Batman forever. Ever since then Batman has been portrayed as overly serious and brooding in every form of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the last 2 decades of this, but I miss the Classic Batman every once and a while. Now with this new show, I get that back. :)

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There was really a long period in the comics where superheroes like Bat-man aren't as dark as they originally appeared. It wasn't all Bob Kane or Bill FIngers idea but they did adapt to more light tone stories later on especially after the introduction of Robin.

Batman is arguably the most flexible comic book character. He's been campy like the 40-60's comics or Adam West TV show, a dark mysterious hero like Bob Kane's early Batman stories and TIm Burton's Batman, and there's the god d@mn Batman Frank Miller redefined :P

 

I really have to see a few episodes to judge this show. Keep in mind that this is target to kids so don't compare is to JLU or Batman the animated series which are suitable to children but mostly aim to a slightly older audience.

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It has to be light hearted for the CN i understand that and happy to see plastic man makein it in there.He was always a fun super hero quarky if you will. and well aquaman is just kool no matter what any one says. im just tired of the blocky look alot of cartoons have been doing within the past few years. i like to see more of how the superfriends were drawn or even the old gi joe cartoons. you know what i mean? But ill have to see a few and really make my mind up about it. but i think it could be ok as long as the story is somewhat decent. I know its for the CN but could be told not as just for kids super friends was just for kids but had interesting polts and stories. Well maybe not always but yall know what im getting at..

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I don't agree with "Warner Bros. wants to use Batman's name to get viewers but not use the character. ", because for almost 40 years that is the way Batman was. The original 1939 stories had a dark, pulp fiction theme to them, but from the early 40s to the mid 70s, this style of Batman was in the comics and in cartoons until the mid 80s. So to say he's being misrepresented in not true.

 

It wasn't until the late 80s when Frank Miller came out with The Dark Knight Returns that changes Batman forever. Ever since then Batman has been portrayed as overly serious and brooding in every form of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the last 2 decades of this, but I miss the Classic Batman every once and a while. Now with this new show, I get that back. :)

 

It wasn't the early '40s when Batman changed. He debuted in May of 1939, I believe, and it's not like as soon as January 1940 hit, BOOM, Batman became fun and adventurous. He was dark and brooding long enough to become exceptionally popular and establish an identity. It was sometime after World War II that the change took place.

 

Batman to me will never be Spider-Man in a batsuit, and that's just what those old stories made him. They used his popularity back then to tell a different kind of story that wasn't faithful to the character. The fact it went on for decades doesn't make it OK. And it's worse they're doing it now because it's like they're giving legitimacy to the bastardized Batman from that era.

 

I'm sorry if people grew up watching the Batman TV show and thinking that's how he ought to be, but the fact remains he started out as something entirely different, and I think he should remain faithful to that.

 

Would it be OK if Superman suddenly started killing people and doing things he never did before so he could be more 21st century and WB could cash in more? Even if he did and it went on for the next 40 years, there would be those of us who remembered what he started out as and would never accept the new Supes.

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im just tired of the blocky look alot of cartoons have been doing within the past few years. i like to see more of how the superfriends were drawn or even the old gi joe cartoons. you know what i mean?

I'm under the impression that this version is fluent, and full of action. Just like the old G.I.Joe cartoons, I think this will be a breath of fresh air. :)

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I don't agree with "Warner Bros. wants to use Batman's name to get viewers but not use the character. ", because for almost 40 years that is the way Batman was. The original 1939 stories had a dark, pulp fiction theme to them, but from the early 40s to the mid 70s, this style of Batman was in the comics and in cartoons until the mid 80s. So to say he's being misrepresented in not true.

 

It wasn't until the late 80s when Frank Miller came out with The Dark Knight Returns that changes Batman forever. Ever since then Batman has been portrayed as overly serious and brooding in every form of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the last 2 decades of this, but I miss the Classic Batman every once and a while. Now with this new show, I get that back. :)

 

It wasn't the early '40s when Batman changed. He debuted in May of 1939, I believe, and it's not like as soon as January 1940 hit, BOOM, Batman became fun and adventurous. He was dark and brooding long enough to become exceptionally popular and establish an identity. It was sometime after World War II that the change took place.

 

Batman to me will never be Spider-Man in a batsuit, and that's just what those old stories made him. They used his popularity back then to tell a different kind of story that wasn't faithful to the character. The fact it went on for decades doesn't make it OK. And it's worse they're doing it now because it's like they're giving legitimacy to the bastardized Batman from that era.

 

I'm sorry if people grew up watching the Batman TV show and thinking that's how he ought to be, but the fact remains he started out as something entirely different, and I think he should remain faithful to that.

 

Would it be OK if Superman suddenly started killing people and doing things he never did before so he could be more 21st century and WB could cash in more? Even if he did and it went on for the next 40 years, there would be those of us who remembered what he started out as and would never accept the new Supes.

It is apparent I misunderstood your post. You obviously know your history, and you have your own opinion as to what Batman is and should be. Any "info" I was trying to give was not meant to be lecturing, nor rude. ;) Everyone has their version of Batman. That's the best part of it all. @jump#

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It is apparent I misunderstood your post. You obviously know your history, and you have your own opinion as to what Batman is and should be. Any "info" I was trying to give was not meant to be lecturing, nor rude. ;) Everyone has their version of Batman. That's the best part of it all. @jump#

 

I didn't take it as lecturing or rude, so it's all good. @peace@

 

I sort of went off on a tangent in this thread because of what the people in the interview said. Like I said above, they need to make Batman more kid-friendly, so what they're doing is a good idea. I just wish they'd come out and say they need to change him up instead of implying/pretending they're "returning Batman to his roots" or something.

 

Anyway, I'll watch it, and I would guess I'll end up enjoying it because I can enjoy some pretty childish cartoons along with the more mature ones.

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I've seen the first episode, I thought it had some humorus moments and the voice actors do a prety good job, but it's defenitly done in a campy type manner geared to younger kids. I think it will be a great show for those who have kids to sit down with them to watch but anyone looking for a show with serious tone or something that takes the comic book and translate it directly to animation like previous Batman or JLU cartoons will probably not like this show.

 

The episode I watched begins with Batman and Green Arrow taking on the Clock King though this isn't the main focus of the episode. The real focus is on Batman and Blue Beetle getting sucked through a wormhole to the otherside of the galaxy where they end up helping a alien cluture defeat a tyrant type who uses the aliens for energy. The aliens happen to worship Blue Beetle who apprently helped the aliens before (someone else who wore the suit as the current BB is a teenager and new to the hero game and still learning how to use the suit). There some funny moments as the aliens think Batman is BB's sidekick. Basically the aliens end up finding within themselves the courage and power to defeat the tyrant themselves while BB learns to use his brain and not just his powers and all ends up being right with the world.

 

I liked it overall but again its not a type of series to be taken seriously plot wise.

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