Batman: The Brave and The Bold v 2.0

[BentonGrey]

Does the zipper mouth creep anyone else out?

[BWPS]

Bat-Mite will appear in an upcoming episode of the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Paul Reubens.

If he shows up for recording. He was originally supposed to voice Flapjack. Of course, I'm very glad he didn't because the guy who does his voice now can make that whole show awesome just from Flap's voice.

[BentonGrey]

Well, that just about did it for me with this show.  Mrs. Man Face?  What is this, Venture Bros?  Are there not enough wacky DC villains that they have to make up more?  I thought that was one of the main points of this show.  Anyway, this was terrible.  The show just seems to keep getting more and more "cartoony," complete with Looney Toon sound effects and sight gags.  I had hoped it would improve, but I'm about ready to give up.

[JeyNyce]

The show wasn't that bad.  It was campy.  I never picture Huntress as the flirting kind though.  Funny that you mention Venture Bros.  I was thinking more like Dick Tracey.  Anyway did anybody else notice that King Tut was one of the villains ganging up on Batman?  I had a 60's batman flashback when I saw that.

[BentonGrey]

Ugh, it was campy to the nth degree, and at the expense of anything else.  After all, remember that you can't make a show for kids unless you make it as inane and stupid as humanly possible, because kids are braindead vegetables incapable of processing any but the most basic data.

[Midnite]

Clips & Images from "The Color of Revenge!"

[The Hitman]

kids are braindead vegetables incapable of processing any but the most basic data.

HAH! Pretty much sums it up for me!

[Glitch Girl]

While I admit, the latest episode was far from stellar, I didn't loathe it as much as some.  I loved the opener with Black Canary, but Huntress I found to be quite dull and the "Puppy love" part tended to drag a lot (though Batman's advice on women, likening them to a computer and the exchange at the end were funny).  In short, some nice touches, but all in all not so hot.

I am looking forward to Booster Gold though.   

[JeyNyce]

Episode #18 - The Color of Revenge!
Original Airdate - May 22nd, 2009
Batman and Robin team up again, but it's not like it always was--there was a reason Robin left to go work on his own. As Crazy Quilt comes after Robin for revenge, all the dirty laundry comes out between the dynamic duo!

[BentonGrey]

Earth 2 grown up Robin.....hmm...I must say that, despite my best judgment, that tweaks my interest.  The tagline doesn't sound so great though.  I've never cared much for the drama between Bats and Robin, although who knows what diluted form that could take on this show.

[daglob]

I keep meaning to use slow motion during the prison escape in the one hwere Bats and GA go to Camelot. I know I saw The Bookwork and King Tut.

[BentonGrey]

You did.

[Midnite]

Episode #19 - Legends of the Dark Mite!

[BentonGrey]

Well, it's managed to survive on my watch list for one more week.  This episode was entertaining enough that I'm giving it a reprieve to see how they handle Robin.  I enjoyed Booster Gold, and the uber goofiness was less noticeable.  It did REALLY bother me that they basically had Vandal Savage as the villain of the piece, but apparently decided that they didn't actually want to CALL him Vandal Savage.  What the heck is the rationale there?  The basic storyline, an immortal Savage trying to create a race of immortals because he feels the loneliness of living forever is actually a really, REALLY good idea.  It was, of course, cheesed up a lot here, but I would have really liked to see what Bruce Timm would have done with that.  I bet he'd have managed to make Savage really compelling.

[RTTingle]

The Brave and the Gold.... heh.

We've clashed a few times... ..."excuse me"

Not a bad episode at all.  Very intrigued by next weeks episode... and love seeing the JSA Robin.

Now, the week afters episode looks silly --- damn silly.  I'm all for it too.  The costume clip had me laughing and the convention clip was funny too.  Wonder if the voices of those in the crowd are anybody interesting?

RTT

[JKCarrier]

It did REALLY bother me that they basically had Vandal Savage as the villain of the piece, but apparently decided that they didn't actually want to CALL him Vandal Savage.

Looks like they amalgamated Vandal Savage and King Kull.

[danhagen]

The intro to the Robin episode, with a perfect homage to the 1960s TV series and the 1950s Batmobile, was just delightful.

[Glitch Girl]

So tonight was the Batmite episode.  I have to admit I was kinda leery about this one, but I felt better when I saw these four little words:

"Written by Paul Dini"



Yup, same guy who wrote the Myx episode of "Superman"*  That said, it was a VERY funny episode. Tons of great bits like:

• "Green Arrow is going to love this",
  
• "Grodd... No Solomun Grundy....No, Shaggy Man, No-"  "Calendar Man"  "-Calendar Man!  ...Calendar Man?"
  
• Biker Santas
  
• The costumes bit, including a nod to Bat nipples ("Too icky")
  
• "Too over the top for a Bat villain" "I don't see how."
  
• The convention (San Diego anyone?)
  
• The statement AT the convention
  
• Bruce Timm AT the convention dressed as the Joker. ("Meh")
  
• The shot from the Batman:TAS original opener
  
• A whole lotta nods to "The Great Piggy Bank Robbery"  (a.k.a: "Duck Twacy" check this from the 4:15 mark)
  
• "Ah crumbs"
  

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and entertained.  Dragged a little bit in the latter third, but still a lot of fun.

*Complete digression in spoiler

Spoiler

Dini and Berkowitz and and third writer on the Superman series had a panel at DragonCon about the time the Second season of Superman:TAS was about to air.  It was one of the first panels of the day and the other two writers were slightly hung over, and here comes Dini, bright and cheerful (much to Berkowitz's chagrin) and he's brought donuts too.  The previewed two episodes, "Live Wire" and the Myx episode which had the entire room in stitches.  Ah... memories

[detourne_me]

Ditto GG!
I thought the convention was the best part, tying the series all together and responding to all of the online backwash on newsarama.

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

Saw it loved and totally agree with Glitchy as well. Was totally loving the looney tunes reference.

[bredon7777]

Do they not have the rights to certain DC Villans, or what?  First there was that nonsense with a poorly disguised Vandal Savage.  And now "Mr. Zero" instead of Mr. Freeze?

It's irritating.

[BentonGrey]

Apparently the show is occasionally being written by poorly trained chimpanzees, bredon.

Anyway, I saw the Robin episode, and it was alright.  They brought out the conflict between father and son, but without it being overly angsty.  I appreciated that, and Crazy Quilt was actually interesting for the first time in his history.  Him being portrayed as a Mr. Mechanical-esque mad artist is actually a really good idea.  It would have been cool if he had taken to the streets to "paint the town."  Still, a moderately entertaining episode.  The show survives for another week for me.

[Panther_Gunn]

Last couple of episodes, mostly meh.  Never been a fan of Booster Gold; didn't see the point of it being Vandal Savage but *not* Vandal Savage; *hated* the way they wrote Dick's authority issues so that it affected his professionalism; and Bat-Hound?  Really?  Don't at all like the new Blue Beetle, and every time he's on I can almost feel WB's pulsing desire to spin him off into his own show, with all of his supposed teenaged angsty garbage, and I just grit my teeth & try to power my way through the episode, hoping for a glimmer of something interesting.

Bat-Mite was interesting, reminded me a bit of World's Funnest. (has Bat-Mite always been a fifth-dimensional imp, or was that a recent retcon?  Is he from the same dimension/world as Myxy?)  I'm surprised we didn't get more Elseworlds costumes in that sequence.  And the ending made me laugh out loud.  A good laugh, not the cheap kind they try to go for way too often.  Overall, I feel like it's been sliding lately, but still hanging on.

[BentonGrey]

Yeah, I don't like the new Blue Beetle either.  The only thing in his episodes I've enjoyed was the bit with Ted Kord. 

[docdelorean88]

Do they not have the rights to certain DC Villans, or what?  First there was that nonsense with a poorly disguised Vandal Savage.  And now "Mr. Zero" instead of Mr. Freeze?

It's irritating.

I knew i had read about this somewhere before. Originally Mr. Freeze was Mr. Zero. Take a looke at the picture here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Freeze#Modern_Age . I hate the name and the costume, but i liked that they managed to use his originall identity in the show.

[BentonGrey]

Ehh, he was a non-entity before he became Mr. Freeze.  Even then, he was utterly generic until Timm and co. got their hands on him.

[Midnite]

Episode #20 - Hail the Tornado Tyrant!

[Glitch Girl]

Re: Mister Zero
I don't think this had anything to do with character rights and had more to do with era.  It appears that all of the villains pictured were specifically from the early days of the Batman Comic, when Mister Freeze was still Mister Zero.  I can't be 100% certain since I'm having a hard time finding info on a few of them (TigerShark for one), but I do think this was on purpose.

[thanoson]

Benton, you are without a doubt, the most crotchity old superhero fan ever. I could just see you on your porch in a rocking chair.

Benton- "You kids and your Woovereens! Why, in my day we had real heroes."
Kids- "like who old man? Nobody can beat Wolverine."
Benton- "Like who? Aquaman, for one. He could take that panzy Woovereen any time. You see, he is a king that lives under the water. He has slightly above super strength, can swim really fast and has telepathy with fish."
Kids- blank stares followed by "BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAAAA!!!! He's got the powers of a 100 fish? BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!"
Benton- "Ungrateful little.... HEY, YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!"

[detourne_me]

hahahah,
I love it how much airtime the classic villains like tweedledee and tweedledum get.
I want to see a penguin episode so bad now. i love the dick sprang penguin.  I think the Penguin Super Powers toys was one of my favorites, definitely in my top 5 with mister miracle, darkseid, flash, and hawkman.
Heck, all the kenner super powers toys were awesome!  (so were the marvel secret wars toys now that i recall)