Pros: visually stunning, very informative, great coffee table book
Cons: there better be a sequel
The Bottom Line: This book is beautifully crafted with all the behind-the-scenes dealings and explanations for any fan of this animated series. Definitely a must!
elvisdo's Full Review: Paul Dini and Chip Kidd - Batman Animated
The story of Batman is legendary. Everyone knows of Bruce Wayne's tragic childhood tale which led him to adopt the persona of the Dark Knight. His story has been retold many times since his inception in 1939. In 1992, following the successful 1989 Batman movie by Tim Burton, Warner Brothers capitalized on Batman's popularity by introducing a new show... Batman: The Animated Series. Now we can take a look at how all that happened.
Batman: Animated is a visually stunning and engrossing source material for Bat-fans everywhere. This book takes a look at the behind-the-scenes process of the hit show which drastically changed animation on television. And it really brought a new (some would say the definitive) look on the Caped Crusader.
The TV show brought a new look to animation and the book explains how this style - dubbed "Dark Deco" - came to be, and it worked successfully for it established the dark, grim and gritty atmosphere that is associated with Batman. The creators take us through a step-by-step process on how the characters were created, how the actors were chosen for their roles, how the music was composed.... basically every little nuance in making the show. And for the testimonials given by the creators, you can tell it really is a labour of love.
But it doesn't stop there. It also takes a look at the two animated movies as well as the new style of artwork that was later introduced into the series. Since their move from FOX to WB!, the artwork become more sleek and streamlined (mostly to correspond with the new Superman animated series that came out and later used in the new Batman Beyond series), but the stories became even more intense and thought-provoking.
There is also a episode guide of every show that was produced with a little synopsis explaining what that show was about. So if you find that you missed an episode or two, here's a chance to find out. On top of that, a list of the cast members and guest stars is also listed so now you can really place that name to that voice.
And as a bonus, there's a few sketches showing the new Batman animated show.... Batman Beyond.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a well-crafted masterpiece, each page mesmerizing me with all that eye candy and information. I took my time when I turned each page because I really wanted to absorb what I was seeing. I was really clamouring for more and, as a teaser, the last page had three little words which left me salivating: TO BE CONTINUED.
Oh, be still my beating heart. I don't know if I can wait that long for a sequel. This is really the definitive Batman and this book should be used as a model for future movie or TV projects.
From Emmy Award-winning-producer Paul Dini and acclaimed designer Chip Kidd comes Batman Animated, the behind-the-scenes story of the hit show that re...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.