Batman:TAS really was a revolutionary change in comic cartoons....

[DR.MID-NITE]

I happened to be watching the Superman animated(Ruby-Spears) episodes from the 1980's. It was much better written then the previous Superfriends cartoons. But, I noticed a lot of things that were so different from the Batman:TAS that would air only 4 years later in 1992. Here are some differences I noticed.

-"VOICE ACTORS": In superhero shows before B:TAS they seemed to use the same voice actors. Mostly no named people. They were ok. But, in Superman(1988) the same guy who did Zan in the Superfriends did the voice for Lex Luther. And it was annoying. Not only because he sounded like Zan. But, he just didn't sound like Lex Luthor. Also B:TAS was I believe the first to use more famous actors to do the voices. I am still amazed at the voice actors they got to do both B:TAS. Mark Hamill, David Warner, Tim Daly and while Kevin Conroy & Clancy Brown were not big names. They WERE the parts they played.

-"STORY PLOTS": Although, Superman(1988) had better stories than the previous shows. B:TAS was the first to have stories that were not goofy or kid oriented. For example, I was watching some of the Challenge of the Superfriends episodes and they were not that good. And B:TAS was unique in that a character created for the show was good enough to be brought to the comics..Harley Quinn.

-"ARTWORK": Though, the quality of the artwork has dropped a little from B:TAS. The shows are drawn much better. I am not sure if it is because of computers helping. But, the look on the shows is so much more sophisticated.

Now, some can say superhero cartoons are coming full circle. The Fleisher cartoons were drawn great and the stories were good also. And some may say a lot has to do with Anime. Which all could be true.
But, watch some superfriends episodes and then watch some Batman:TAS episodes and you will see the amazing changes forward Batman made for cartoons.

[MILatino]

Originally posted by DR.MID-NITE
I am still amazed at the voice actors they got to do both B:TAS.As am I. I remember when I first watched the show and would pause the tape just to read the names. I was amazed to see the caliber of guest voices, especially the villains.


B:TAS was the first to have stories that were not goofy or kid oriented.Yes, hence my disappointment in most of B:TNA with some exception. When WB dumbed it down for the kids, they ruined it. It never fails. So many shows get ruined after their first or second years when some "smart" exec thinks the show can be "improved."


Though, the quality of the artwork has dropped a little from B:TAS. The shows are drawn much better.B:TAS was excellent. I was also (again with some exception) disappointed at the new art in B:TNA. Catwoman and Ivy were absolutely ridiculous. Gordon looked like an old, haggard man. The Penguin and Scarecrow were the only improvements.


Now, some can say superhero cartoons are coming full circle. The Fleisher cartoons were drawn great and the stories were good also. And some may say a lot has to do with Anime.I don't like Anime (aka "Japanimation"). It looks like a kiddie cartoon. The shows today and the shows in the 60s cannot be compared. Most of Saturday morning shows nowadays are pablum. Give me B:TAS and Hanna-Barbera's original Herculoids and Johnny Quest any day.

[Edward Nygma]

MILatino, I have to disagree about anime !

"Akira", "The Ghost in the Shell", "Princess Mononoke", "Perfect Blue", "Jin-Roh" and plenty we haven't heard of, are very, very good and very adult animation ! If you don't know them :

- http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0094625

- http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0113568

- http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0119698

- http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0156887

Actually, I'm quite sure "Batman Beyond" took a lot from those, especially stuff like "Akira" or "Ghost in the Shell". The entire "satellite shot" on the boat in ROTJ was cut&paste from Akira.

But I agree with DR.MID-NITE, the quality of Beyond (knowing it's a TV show) is amazing, and wouldn't have been possible if B:TAS hasn't existed.

I agree with you about B:TNA, though. Most characters are too "blank", robot-like (especially Wayne), and the Joker was a disaster. They looked good on paper, but they can't convey much emotions animated.

[Zoddman]

Yeah Nygma, MILatino does seem to judge a lot of anime by what's currently airing on U.S. television. MILatino, go out and rent the following:

Akira

Ghost in the Shell

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Metropolis

Cowboy Bebop (All sessions.)

[Bobby Boy 101]

Im NOT a fan or Anime, especially the shows/movies, but I will say that the art in some of their comics (re: Dirty PAir Flash, PokeMon, Sailor Moon) go, I thinkit is very smooth looking, and very very detail oriented...which I like. I also love the way thei draw the hair in Anime. But as far as the actual animation (with acceptions being Ghost in the Shell and Akira), take it away.

Im a very 'American Cartoon' type of guy

[DR.MID-NITE]

What I meant in my original post regarding anime. Was not the animation style, but the writing. A lot of anime was written for adults.

[Zoddman]

You're okay Mid-Nite, Nygma and my post were directed at MILatino for selling anime short, not you. :)

[Webryder]

I think while we're bringing up quality animated series based on comic books, Spawn, I think, should definitely be counted as one of the best animated and well-written shows of that genre I've ever seen. I know I may get alot of heat for this but the direction they took with that show, not putting it on Saturday mornings or basic cable really comforted those people the freedom to make a show that in my opinion blows much of the Batman series out of the water, yes even B:TAS.

It even featured some of the same talent that Batman:AS had, like Spawn's theme composer Shirley Walker who you might also recall did the revamped movie music for the Batman and Superman series.

If you haven't seen this series yet, I suggest you rent it or check it out if you have HBO, I believe they're still airing reruns of it on Sundays at midnight.

If you wanna talk revolutionary adult comic animation, it don't get much more adult than this.

[Young Justice]

One thing that BTAS has revolutionise the cartoon history was the fact it was one of the first cartoons that showed people being punched in the face by the superheroes.

In the old Superfriends cartoon, the villains was always defeated using some kind of gadget, or rope or anything like that. BTAS they were sometimes defeated by being beaten up by the Dark Kight. Or Robin. :)