The second coming of Batmania swept through the nation in 1989 with the release of the highly anticipated Tim Burton movie—simply titled Batman—to celebrate the character's 50th anniversary. To say it created a frenzy would be an understatement. As a result, Batman became a household name again and spawned a sequel in 1992—Batman Returns—but the best Batman project was born a few months after that… Batman: The Animated Series!

This popular animated television series lasted from 1992-1995. Actually, that's technically incorrect as it all finally ended in 1999. I should clarify by stating the “Dark Deco” era ended in 1995. Warner Brothers, in an attempt to feel the waters, started releasing these episodes on DVD. Unfortunately, they were only four episodes at a time. Many fans called it money-gouging, and decided to “boycott” these DVDs until Warner Brothers released these episodes in a huge collection. It may have taken some time but Warner Bros. finally released Batman: The Animated Series, Volume One. This 4-disk set collects the first 28 episodes of the Emmy-winning series to the delight of everyone. Damn Warner Bros. for being such a big tease.


Detective Comics Come To Life On The Small Screen

Batman has been around since 1939, so obviously he's carrying a lot of baggage with him. The trick is picking out and then streamlining the most essential elements from the Batman mytho and make them work. One of these things is introducing Batman's Rogues Gallery. The creators have managed to redefine these classic characters by giving them a new outlook yet paying homage to their previous incarnations.

It is arguably said that Batman has the best villains ever, though Spider-Man can lay claim to the same. Introducing these characters is vital to understanding the motives, or at least trying to discern the insanity that takes place.

The Joker is obviously Batman's greatest and most recognizable foe. Trying to make sense of what this homicidal maniac has in store all the time is just like trying to explain why superheroes wear underwear outside the costume—it can't be done. “Christmas with the Joker” marks the debut of the Clown Prince of Crime. His sidekick, the ever perky Harley Quinn, a character solely designed for the animated series, made her debut with “Joker's Favor”.

No doubt, the sexiest opponent Batman has encountered, and one that has caused some animal magnetism between the two, would be Catwoman. “The Cat and the Claw, Pts. 1 & 2” shows a depth to this feline fury other than being just a cat burglar. We learn that Ms. Selina Kyle is a socialite, animal activist trying to be a voice for animal preservation and habitats. That's her day job. She's something different at night. And even though both Batman and Bruce Wayne are attracted to both her identities, a relationship can't be forged.

Selina Kyle: You've got to admit there's something between us.
Batman: Yes. It's the law.

Other notable adversaries make their debut in dramatic fashion: Two-Face (Two-Face, Pts. 1 & 2), Man-Bat (On Leather Wings), Poison Ivy (Pretty Poison), The Penguin (I've Got Batman in My Basement), Clayface (Feat of Clay, Pts. 1 & 2), Killer Croc (Vendetta), The Scarecrow (Nothing to Fear), The Clock King (The Clock King), and the Mad Hatter (Mad as a Hatter).

The best reworking of a character is Mr. Freeze in “Heart of Ice”, perhaps the best episode of the entire series. The creators took the tired, old, clich�d mad scientist with a gimmick to create cold and transformed him into a tragic figure whose cold exterior hides a doomed love for his wife and a fury for vindication for both their states of being.

Mr. Freeze: (holding an image of his comatose wife) I failed you. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness, and pray you hear me somehow, someplace... someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.

Bits and pieces of Bruce Wayne's past life pop up now and then explaining what he was like before he became Batman. Surprisingly though, there has never been an episode dedicated to his entire origin.

One of my favourite and most heartfelt episode is “Beware the Gray Ghost”. It features a washed-up superhero actor looking for work years after his stint playing the Gray Ghost on TV. To his dismay, he has been typecast and can't find any work as a result. That is, until Batman needs his help. Adam West, famous for his portrayal in the 1960s Batman TV series, fittingly provides the voice for this character. It's really an acknowledgement for the legacy he created as well as a symbolic passing of the torch to the latest Batman.

There are episodes that follow the comic book adventure—sometimes hilarious in nature and sometimes just “so-so”. Other issues of the serious nature such as poverty, drug addiction, homelessness, and kidnapping are addressed as well. What the creators are trying to get across are the many layers of “evil” in Gotham City—from the outlandish villains to crime bosses and mobs to the homeless person on the street.


Star-Studded Casting

When looking for people to voice these characters, Bruce Timm and company weren't searching for people to do voices; they were looking for the voice itself. In other words, they wanted actors speaking with their “real” voice, or a version of it.

Kevin Conroy landed the main character's role and had the task of providing two distinct voices to portray Bruce Wayne and Batman, transforming between the two of them. The same can be said for Richard Moll (Bull on TV's Night Court) who lends his voices for District Attorney Harvey Dent and Two-Face. I stand corrected. Let's make that three voices—he's also the Batcave computer. What the heck, it's still a gig.

Alfred Pennyworth, the stalwart Wayne family butler, was actually first portrayed by Clive Revill, but bowed out after a few episodes. Efram Zimbalist, Jr. was brought in to replace Revill in the role. It should be noted that the creators passed Zimbalist over the first time thinking he never suited the role. It's also noted, years later, that they were glad that they were wrong because there isn't anyone else who could have filled the role with such dry wit and human compassion.

The Joker faced a similar dilemma. Tim Curry was originally slated to play the psycho clown from hell. The creators had him in mind especially after seeing him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unfortunately, Curry's voice didn't match what the creators envisioned for the Joker. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars trilogy) wanted a stab at it, and, reluctantly, he was given the chance. To everyone's surprised, he nailed it on the head. As a result Hamill defined a whole new career for himself in animation.

Other actors include Adrienne Barbeau (Catwoman/Selina Kyle), Ron Perlman (Clayface/Matt Hagen), Marc Singer (Man-Bat/Dr. Kirk Langstrom), Roddy McDowell (Mad Hatter/Jervis Tetch), Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel) and Bob Hastings (Commissioner Jim Gordon) just to name a few. This doesn't even include all the other guest stars that lined up just to have a small part in this series.


Superman Serves As A Model… Again

Timm and Eric Radomski realized they have a unique opportunity of presenting the Dark Knight on the small screen and went back to the 1940s for inspiration. Superman is considered to be the first recognized “superhero”. Created back in 1938, the Man of Steel paved the way for Batman to exist a year later and used Fleischer Studios Superman as a stepping-stone. They also wanted to incorporate an “old time” feel to it utilizing black-and-white title cards, police blimps, and film noir while mixing it with modern technology such as computers and sophisticated laser technology.

The most radical departure was actually drawing background images on black paper to achieve a perpetual dark mood. Not an easy task and quite expensive in the undertaking, but the results were unforgettable.

Everything about it—from the mature writing to the ground-breaking animation—caught everyone's attention and it instantly became a huge success as fans were drawn to the psychological storylines married with a sophisticated, cinematic feeling. In a sense, it was pulp fiction and comic books come to life. As a result, this series had a profound influence on the superhero genre for animation as it set the bar for a higher standard of execution and quality.

It should be noted that these collections are called “volumes” instead of “seasons” because the episodes were not aired in the order of production. The listings on the disks are in the order it was supposed to run, not the order they actually appeared on TV.

These were definitely the good old days and I'm glad it can be relived again with this boxed set.



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Disc 1:
On Leather Wings
Christmas with the Joker
Nothing to Fear
The Last Laugh
Pretty Poison
The Underdwellers
P.O.V.

Disc 2:
The Forgotten
Be a Clown
Two Face Part One
Two Face Part Two
It's Never Too Late
I've Got Batman in My Basement
Heart of Ice

Disc 3:
The Cat and the Claw Part One
The Cat and the Claw Part Two
See No Evil
Beware of the Gray Ghost
Prophecy of Doom
Feat of Clay Part One
Feat of Clay Part Two

Disc 4 :
The Joker's Favor
Vendetta
Fear of Victory
The Clock King
Appointment in Crime Alley
Mad as a Hatter
Dreams in Darkness

Also Included:
• Commentary on “On Leather Wings”, and “Heart of Ice”
• Featurettes:
— “Batman: The Legacy Continues”: a look at the evolution of the animated series
— “The Dark Knight's First Night”: a look at the pilot promo
— ”Tour of the Batcave”


Related Reviews
Batman: The Animated Series, Volume 2
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond
The Adventures of Batman and Robin: Robin's Reckoning
Batman Animated: The Book
Justice League: Secret Origins
Justice League: Justice On Trial

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8