Batman's Training: Should It Be Animated?

[James Harvey]

To aid against his war on crime, Batman sought extensive training during his youth. While explored at considerable lengths in the comics, we get to see it on the big screen for the first time in Batman Begins. However, in the animated universe, we've only seen bits and pieces here and there. With only a few flashbacks in both the animated series and related animated comics, we've yet to see much of his training. We've seen some of it, yes, but not all.

We all know the hero he has become, so is there even a point to exploring his training, and past, at a more detailed extent? Is this something that we should have seen more of in the cartoon, or is there no need whatsoever? Why?

Image from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, courtesy of The World's Finest

[Silly McGooses]

I think we saw enough of it, with Night of The Ninja and Day of the Samurai, plus MOTP. Personally, I'm now pretty bored of the idea.

[Yojimbo]

I think it can be used if in an episode, Batman's rigorous training is used to contrast the background of another character whose skills similar Batman's were earned naturally. Arguably enough, one could simply say no because, it has been inferred enough when you look at Batman and Superman together. Overall, I think perhaps looking at his detective training mentor might be interesting.

[Natey]

no not a series but just a couple episdoes.....

~Nate~

[Gaunt]

No. Batman Begins demystified the character, explaining the vast majority of his secrets and eliminating most of his menace. The training might be interesting, but only as pointless bits of trivia. When all is said and done, it doesn't add anything new to the character.

[Silly McGooses]

No. Batman Begins demystified the character, explaining the vast majority of his secrets and eliminating most of his menace. The training might be interesting, but only as pointless bits of trivia. When all is said and done, it doesn't add anything new to the character.

EXACTLY! For me, this hurt the movie; demystifying is a perfect word choice. everything is explained in too much detail. As The Joker says, if you have to explain a joke, there is no joke! I think B:TAS did a good job of showing some interesting glimphses, but didn't dwell on it. It's just boring for me, at this point.

[TimTwoFace]

Though I like how we got a lot of detail into his training in BATMAN BEGINS, I thought the BTAS crew handled his early years perfectly within their own medium's guidelines. It was much better played out in this way, in which we see little snippets of his past - his early days as Batman, his training, even his childhood - over the course of the series and in the animated movies.

-Tim

[Supremus]

It's a big no from me. I always thought the training sessions and episodes that featured Batman's martial arts training were terribly lame, in no small part due to bad animation and staging. The obvious candidates being the Samurai and Ninja episodes. It always seemed odd to me that we never saw Bats in a martial arts pose before, but suddenly a ninja or a samurai shows up, and he is prancing around like he is Ralph Macchio.

[90'sCartoonMan]

I think we saw enough of it, with Night of The Ninja and Day of the Samurai, plus MOTP.

"Zatanna" was cool, but I think mostly because he's training for a skill that's NOT fighting. I like little flashbacks to that.

More flashbacks or even a series? I don't know. Remember when Bruce Wayne was in development (that ultimately became Smallville)? It was supposed to focus on a young Bruce travelling the world and picking up skills. Sounded cool for a WB live action drama, but not for an animated series (too limited).

I saw the first DVD for The Batman called "Training For Power". No training, no power, what gives?

[Gaunt]

I saw the first DVD for The Batman called "Training For Power". No training, no power, what gives?

Did you HAVE to put in that comment?

[Batman Fan]

I think we've seen enough of his training, the only thing I'd really like to see is how he learned to by such a great detective and scientist.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Did you HAVE to put in that comment?

I suppose not, but the DVD made me wonder if we'll see any of Bruce's training on The Batman. We've seen some of it on BTAS, but not so much on The Batman. I think it'd be cool if they explored that in future episodes. The only question remains, if they do that, what will they call the DVD?