Batman: The Animated Newsletter
Weeks of August 24-29/30, August 31- Sept 5/6
Volume 1, Issue #5
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Since issue #4 of "Batman: The Animated Newsletter" came out, many
of
our fellow subscribers have left us, for multiple reasons - the majority
of which leaving because of some subscribers which e-mail me and, by
doing so, accidentally e-mail everyone else on the mailing list - well
over 200 different people.
Now, I realize that in all situations this was just an honest
mistake, but I must make it clear that you SHOULD NOT respond to the
e-mail address this newsletter is delivered from. We here at "Batman:
The Aniamted Newsletter" have corrected the problem of showing all the
e-mail addresses in every issue, and are now sending out the newsletter
from a NEW address, which will be used only for the express purpose of
sending the e-mails. Any e-mails sent to "btasnews@hotmail.com"
will
not be read.
If anyone has any queries, write to us at "juno@direct.ca" - we WILL
be reading all e-mails that come into this address.
Thank you for your patience - our primary concern here at "Batman:
The Animated Newsletter" is the well-being of our subscribers and we
wish to provide good, private service to everyone, and, of course, a
quality (hopefully? *S*) newsletter - and just good ol' fun.
Thank you for your time - and now, on with the newsletter!
- Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton, editor of "Batman: The Animated
Newsletter"
HISTORY OF THE ANIMATED BAT
The five-time emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) debuted
in September of 1992 with the episode "Cat and the Claw" Part One. It
ran on weekdays (and even during prime-time on Sundays for a month or
so). 65 episodes (and millions of dollars in merchandise) later, season
two began in 1994; sadly, this season died out with only 15 additional
episodes, for the show was not raking in as much money as it previously
was, and deemed as being "too dark" by parents. Also, in September of
1994, most of the first season episodes were shelved, and the 15 new
ones were aired...only on Saturdays.
A year later, BTAS was re-introduced to the FOX weekday line-up. All
the original episodes were brought back this time, as well as 5 new
episodes (none of which were spectacular, but still good), leaving the
episode count at 85 in September of 1995. Most thought the series ended
right there without any closure, for the majority of the BTAS staff
moved on to work on the new SUPERMAN cartoon which debuted the following
September (1996).
The series was top-notch, and fans were sad that it wouldn't go on.
But the stories that had been told were excellent...much better than
most comics and movies that have veer been produced. It was an excellent
run. In 1997, after the WB's five-year contract with the FOX network,
BTAS was pulled from the TV, the last episode airing being "Trail". Was
BTAS dead?
We were all proven wrong.
As soon as BTAS left the FOX network, it was teamed up with Superman
on the WB network. Better yet - NEW EPISODES WERE INTRODUCED!
NEW episodes began airing bright and early on the morning of
September 13th, 1997. Two years (less two days) after BTAS ceased
production, it was reborn.
______
HISTORY OF THE ANIMATED MAN OF STEEL
From the creators of BTAS, we saw Superman takes off in the fall of
1996. It started with a hit prime-time movie (which was the highest
rated WB show of the week) - and after a hap-hazard first season of
unpredicatable episode airing, Superman returned in full force
in the fall of 1997 with a whole new season of 28 episodes,including a "WORLD'S FINEST" crossover with Batman. Superman then won more critical
acclaim (for episodes such as THE LATE MR. KENT and APOKOLIPS ...NOW!)
and much higher ratings. This locomotion isn't slowing down as it moves
into season three...
______
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to another installment of BATMAN:THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER. In
this newsletter you'll find all sorts of items pertaining to the hit
show. There is also a bit of Superman:TAS thrown in for good measure -
just keep in mind that this newsletter is predominantly about the Bat,
K? We have the usual columns plus special articles in every newsletter!
We have schedules, new, comic info, trivia, websites, editorials and
much more! So sit back and relax!
______
SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE
Many things have changed - a new toy review, more schedules and mini
episode-reviews, comic schedules and reviews, rumors aplenty, and yet
another editorial from the wonderful Laura Hysert, but the main event in
this issue of the newsletter is an interview with "Superman Adventures"
writer, MARK MILLAR!!!!
Scroll down to read it!
______
LOOKIN' FOR AN EGO BOOST
One of our editors, Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton, will be celebrating his
19th birthday this September 6, and is looking forward to entering the
year of legalized drinking, gambling, and entry to back rooms at video
stores. Wish him a happy b-day - THAT'S AN ORDER! And have a nice day.
- written by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton himself. What a
conceited jerk!
:-P
______
BATMAN:THE ANIMATED ARCHIVES
Wow, It's Christmas! For all of you new B:TAN readers you can now
catch up on the previous newsletters! A great friend of both Tim and I
has put our old newsletters up at her site! The site is called "The
Warner Bros. Club" and features tonnes of WB related games and
information! Plus each new newsletter will be out up there as well! For
all you wanting to catch up, or look back, here is the URL:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc
The Warner Bros. Club site is also part of a much bigger site. The
site is called TOON ZONE and contains three more WB related sites: Brian
Cruz's WB Cartoon Page, Colin's WB schedule page, and the WB Comic Zone.
The sites have been updated and somewhat revamped! Do you wanna see the
people behind it? There's also a site for that as well. This isn't an
official WB page but it's so good, might as well be! There's even a chat
room and a great message board! If you're looking for anything WB
related check out this site! Definatly worth bookmarking!
TOON ZONE
http://www.toonzone.net
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LITTLE FACTS
This section is filled with small little 'things' I've noticed while
watching reruns of both Batman and Superman, such as...
-The 'Ingagement' chick from BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM makes a brief
cameo in HOLIDAY KNIGHTS and in the party scene in the HARLEY & IVY
segment. Who knew?
-The eye witness fisherman to Clark Kent's 'death' in THE LATE MR. KENT
is also the fisherman who provided Superman with a fishing net to catch
some swimmin' convicts in THE WAY OF ALL FLESH. Isn't that ironic? (Is
it?)
-Alex Ross and his Father make the most 'consistent' cameo in the
funeral scene at the end of APOKOLIPS...NOW! Many other creators are
show along with a few Marvel characters (although you'll have to be
quick..its 'blink and you'll miss' for most cameos).
______
NEW EPISODE(S)
This section will just basically give an insight into what the new
episodes are about and hopefully a synopsis of the episode. This section
will feature both new Superman and new Batman episodes.
'OLD WOUNDS'
Batman #??
Proposed air date: September 19, 1998 (USA)
This episode is set to be the season premiere of BTAS this year. It
revolves around Dick Grayson telling Tim Drake why he and Batman aren't
as close as they once were. It sheds light on why Dick left the Batcave, how he became a hero of his own, and how Batgirl became a much
more intricate part of their team. Two-Face and the Joker are also set
to appear, if the story follows it's "Lost Years" comic counterparts.
'ANIMAL ACT'
Batman #??
This episode has already been aired in the UK (like "The Ultimate
Thrill" and "Critters"), and features Batman and Nightwing trying to
stop a crime wave committed by...animals? Who could be behind such a
dastardly (and twisted) deed?
_____
WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz)
The New Batman/Superman Adventures premiered this past year with
ratings and critical sucess! Kid'sWB airs the show Monday through Friday
at 4:30 pm (eastern time) and now in a 90 minute block on weekends
starting at 8:30am (eastern time). The time may vary for the various WB
affiliates across Canada and the U.S. The schedule is set to change
again in Septmeber or October, so watch the SCHEDULE and NEWS section
for upcoming information!
Weekday episodes:
AUG 24-Batman-SIDESHOW (#66)
AUG 25-Superman-LITTLE GIRL LOST (Pt. 1) (#37)
AUG 26-Superman-LITTLE GIRL LOST (Pt. 2) (#38)
AUG 27-Batman-TRIAL (#68)
AUG 28-Batman-MEAN SEASONS (#98)
Weekend episodes:
AUG 29/30-(8:30 am)-Superman-THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 1) (#8)
(9:00 am)-Superman-THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 2) (#11)
(9:30 am)-Batman-THE DEMON WITHIN (#103)
Weekday episodes:
AUG 31-Batman-DEEP FREEZE (#84)
SEPT 1-Superman-APOKOLIPS...NOW! (Pt. 1) (#33)
SEPT 2-Superman-APOKOLIPS...NOW! (Pt. 2) (#35)
SEPT 3-Batman-THE TERRIBLE TRIO (#71)
SEPT 4-Batman-HARLEQUINADE (#72)
Weekend episodes:
SEPT 5/6-(8:30 am)-Superman-MXYZPIXILATED (#21)
(9:00 am)-Batman-JOKER'S MILLIONS (#92)
(9:30 am)-Batman-LOVE IS A CROC (#94)
Note: All episodes after #85 of BATMAN are considered THE NEW BATMAN
ADVENTURES while the original 85 are considered BATMAN: THE ANIMATED
SERIES (BTAS) episodes.
_______
EPISODE OF THE WEEK:
(by the Dynamic Duo)
This section lets me tell you about my favorite rerun airing this week!
You are not to miss this episode at all cost! Tape it if possible! All
Batman and Superman episodes which have at least been shown once are
eligible.
THIS WEEK:
(This was tough, cuz none of those episodes are outstanding, but many
are good...)
Batman
SIDESHOW (#66)
Airs Aug. 24, 1998
This very underrated episode revolves around Killer Croc. While being
transported upstate, Croc escapes and Batman chases him into the forest,
where the rest of the episode is set. Croc befriends a gang of circus
freaks, who know nothing about his shadowy past. Batman arrives and
tries to set everything right - the freaks learn of Croc's true colours
just as he and Batman start beatin' the hell outa each otha. Anyhow,
it's tough to explain, but it's enjoyable. Give it a try!
NEXT WEEK:
Superman
APOKALIPS...NOW! (Pt. 1-2) (#33, 35)
Airs Sept. 1-2, 1998
This episode has been a highlighted episode for ages in our
newsletter. Briefly, Darkseid finally attacks Earth, everyone runs amok,
Superman is nearly killed, Metropolis is leveled, and it is just the
best STAS episode to date.
(But, since this has been in this column before, here's the OTHER
"episode of the week":)
Batman
DEEP FREEZE (#84)
Airs Aug. 31, 1998
Mr. Freeze's second animated appearance is terrific. Freeze is
kidnapped out of Arkham Asylum and brought before Grant Walker, an
insane amusement park creator. Walker demands Freeze to give him the
secrets to his power of immortality, and then plans to freeze the world
so that only those inside his "Oceania" theme park will survive. The
best parts of this episode revolve around Freeze discovering that his
wife, Nora, is not dead, as he previously thought.
THIS WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
Superman-THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 1-2) (#8, 11)
Airs Aug. 29/30, 1998
Superman and the ultimate loose-canon, Lobo, are inadvertantly teamed up
to destroy the Preserver's plans of collecting various rare specimens of
animals from across the galaxy, when his sights fall upon Kal-El and
Lobo themselves! Very weak story, which is only saved by the occasional
one-liner or muttered curses from Lobo's mouth. Miss it.
NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
Batman-THE TERRIBLE TRIO (#71)
Airs Sept. 3, 1998
Another good name would be "The Terrible Episode". The episode centres
around three preppies that are bored so they start a crime spree. Some
nice animation and action, but the plot is terrible and almost
insulting. Miss it.
_______
EPISODE REVIEW: (SPOILERS!)
(by Bob Evatt)
Mr. Evatt is an experienced reviewer of the new BTAS episodes and has
much of his work shown at the Lazarus Pit website, and is now
contributing to this newsletter! His other reviews can be reached via
this link:
http://effect.net.au/allan/lazarus-pit
Since no new episodes have aired for over a month now, we decided to go
share with you a review of what is certainly one of the best episodes of
the past season.
"It seems like nearly every bat-fan loves the episode 'Over the
Edge'.
Many Batman sites on the web feature some raves about it. In short,
'Over the Edge' is widely considered by most (myself included) to be the
best episode done in the 'new' style. There is much less agreement,
however, as to which of the other episodes are either as good or almost
as good. Gather five fans in a chat room, and most likely every one of
them would advocate a different episode for this honor. My personal
favorite episode after 'Over the Edge' is the extremely well-crafted
'Growing Pains'."
GROWING PAINS (*****)
Story by Paul Dini & Robert Goodman.
Written by Robert Goodman.
Directed by Atsuko Tananka.
"Sometimes there are no happy endings." --Batman,
consoling Robin.
While on patrol, Robin rescues a teenage girl from a pack of
bikers.
She's suffering from amnesia, and soon runs away. Later, he and Batman
track down a new thug in town, one with seemingly superhuman abilities.
The thug is pursuing the girl, claiming to be her father. Robin, alone,
tracks down the girl (whom he names Annie) and tries to help her regain
her memory. He soon learns that Annie's relation to the thug isn't
quite what it appears to be....
Yet another superb Clayface episode. While the notion of Clayface
generating an entirely seperate and unique person from his clay flesh
may seem to be a bit of a stretch, this episode handles it beautifully.
Annie is (was) an enjoyable character. After she learns her true
identity, her uncertainty about what she should now do portrayed her as
a complex, well-rounded person. Clayface was handled impressively as
well. He was very subtle in the first two acts--his superhuman actions
(such as his strength and his slight, quick compression after a long
fall) were part of his character's abilities, yet they didn't make his
identity competely obvious (such as his disintegrating hand did in
"Holiday Knights"). This made the appearance of his true form was a
near-perfect suprise.
This episode also bolstered my opinion of the new Robin. He was
emotional and impulsive, yet his actions were much more sympathetic than
they were in previous episodes. Rather than seeming like a brat, he
came off as a normal teenager trying to cope with the events unfolding
around him. He was portrayed realistically and maturely.
To top it all off, this episode treats us to some great Clayface
tricks animated by TMS. While not as impressive as his "death scene" in
"Feat of Clay, part II," they were creative and well-animated. His
four-armed struggle with Robin was creepy. These great visuals blend
well with the compelling story to make an animated Batman story that is
destined to be a classic.
______
CARTOON NETWORK WB ANIMATION SCHEDULE:
"Yabba Dabba Doom"
Cartoon Network got the rights to air 52 episodes of the orignal 85
episodes on their network. The episodes air 7 days a week at 6pm and
12:00am eastern time (7:00pm on Sundays and will no longer air on
Satrudays starting the 11th of July). The episodes air in numerical
order and not in episode order. If you want the channel ask your local
cable or satellite operator. Here's the schedule for this week:
AUG 24 - SEE NO EVIL (#15)
AUG 25 - IT'S NEVER TOO LATE (#11)
AUG 26 - PROPHECY OF DOOM (#19)
AUG 27 - FEAT OF CLAY (Pt. 1) (#20)
AUG 28 - FEAT OF CLAY (Pt. 2) (#21)
AUG 31 - JOKER'S FAVOR (#22)
SEPT 1 - VENDETTA (#23)
SEPT 2 - FEAR OF VICTORY (#24)
SEPT 3 - THE CLOCK KING (#25)
SEPT 4 - APPOINTMENT IN CRIME ALLEY (#25)
NOTE: Most of the episodes airing now on the CARTOON NETWORK won't be
airing on KidsWB until next season! If you want to complete your
collection then get as many as these episodes on tape as possible! Just
some friendly advice.
NOTE #2: Batman: The Animated Series will no longer be airing on Sundays
NOTE #3: Beginning Monday, September 7th, Batman: The Animated Series
will be seen twice a day. First at 6:00pm, and then at 6:30pm
(eastern/pacific)
SPECIAL NOTE: "Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero" will air on November 21,
1998.
______
VOTING REQUEST FOR BTAS:
(by Brian Davis)
Hi Brian Davis here, Would you like Batman : The Animated Series to win
another award ? Well, if you're like me then I'm sure that you think
that it deserves one. Cartoon Network Europe are currently accepting
votes for your favourite cartoon and I would like you to vote for
Batman: The Animated Series. All you have to do is send your vote, name,
age and address to cartoon.europe@turner.com
You can also win a great
trip to London so go ahead, let's remember Batman : The Animated Series.
(I suggest you do this cuz Batman deserves any awards it can get - to
show to the world that Batman IS capable of intelligent, coherent
stories - unlike films like "Batman & Robin"!!!! Make the public realize
his greatness and love him again!!!)
______
VOTING REQUEST FOR BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
Hi! I'm sure that many of you are familiar with the Internet Movie
Database, and I am hoping that we can get "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"
into their "Top 250 Movies of All Time" list - it currently has an 86%
rating. Many movies on the Top 250 list have a lower rating, but many
more people voted for those...my hope is to get as many people as
possible voting for this film, to get it into the Top 250 list, because
it is truly spectacular.
The link DIRECTLY to the "Mask of the Phantasm" page is:
http://us.imdb.com/Title?Batman%3A+Mask+of+the+Phantasm+(1993)
PS - Do the same for "Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero" as well
- there's a
link to THAT movie page from the "Mask of the Phantasm" one, which I've
already provided a link to.
I've already voted. Have YOU?
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