The show, which is based on a concept first introduced in the pages of DC Comics, is structured with a short lead-in story that pairs Batman and another hero, usually one of DC’s more obscure characters, in a fight against some evil. All of these elements come together and form a unique and wonderful look and feel. The occasional computer-generated animation sequence pays tribute to that other famous style of animation, anime. The characters are drawn in a style that smacks of classic Silver Age aesthetics. The art feels very much like a four-color comic book. The animation uses a much brighter color palate than previous animated DC shows.
#Batman brave and the bold characters series
Had they chosen to play up the darker and edgier elements of the Batman, the show would have felt like a pale imitation of the widely successful Animated Series (a trap that Beware the Batman, the current animated incarnation, is at risk of falling into).īut by choosing to celebrate the madcap fun of the Silver Age, The Brave and the Bold has carved out a unique space in the world of comic-book-inspired animated shows. Following on the heels of the incredibly popular DC animated universe meant that The Brave and the Bold had some big shoes to fill. It was a time of imagination and exploration, and much of what we consider as the mythos of comic books was established in these formative years.īatman: The Brave and the Bold was the first, and so far only, animated series to truly embrace the entirety of the wonderful, off-beat, imaginative world of the Silver Age. The industry was trying to figure out what it would become. It was a very different time in comics than today, a time when some stories were being written to children, where the art was still getting its feet under it. The Silver Age of Comic Books was a wacky time, with time travel, utterly ridiculous villains, and dozens on dozens of obscure and short-lived heroes with offbeat powers. There was a time in Batman’s history when he was more lighthearted and fun. Which brings us back to the Super Friends. Sure, there are moments of deadpan humor, and the occasional bit of outright comedy - what fan of the DC animated universe didn’t love the tongue-in-cheek humor of the Justice League Unlimitedepisode “ This Little Piggy“? - but the overall feel of the character is one of driven, determined seriousness. The common thread that runs through these appearances (well, with the exception of the lighthearted humor of the Super Friends) is that Batman is consistently depicted as a grim avenger of the night, a man who has been consumed by his quest for vengeance against the superstitious and cowardly criminal lot that killed his parents and brought Gotham City to the brink of ruin.
Outside of and before the Batman-centric cartoons of the past 20 years, Bruce Wayne’s alter ego could be found guest-starring on The New Scooby-Doo Movies or fighting nonsensical crime alongside Aquaman and Wonder Woman as a member of the Justice League as imagined in the sundry Super Friends series. Since 1992, the Dark Knight Detective has been a television staple, beginning with the ground breaking Batman: The Animated Series and continuing through to Beware the Batman.
Where to binge: All three seasons available on Netflix Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Cartoon Network)
0 kommentar(er)
