Batman: The Animated Newsletter
Weeks of Feb 8 - 13/14, Feb 15 - 20/21
Volume 2, THIS WEEK'S SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE: DON'T TAKE THE WB NETWORK OFF THE
WGN SUPERSTATION!
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to another action-packed issue of "Batman: The Animated Newsletter"!
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SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE
We have no special interviews or anything, but we have a number or regular features
starting in this issue - a continuing "Batman Beyond" column, blasts from the
past with reviews of the original 85 BTAS episodes, and more! Enjoy!
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DC'S ANIMATED LEGACY
In early 1990, in the aftermath of the blockbuster "Batman" film, ideas began to
form about an animated Batman series. This task had been attempted in the past, from the
60's to the 80's, but the series were, moreover, a disappointment. However, in September
of 1992, when "Batman: The Animated Series" debuted, it became a financial and
critical success - seen as the best non-comics interpretation of Batman in history.
After 65 episodes, season two began in 1994 with a new name for the series - "The
Adventures of Batman & Robin". Like all other aspects of the Bat-mythos in that
year, things lightened up a bit - mostly due to Robin playing a heavier role in the
series. In 1995, the series passed away silently with 85 episodes, a feature-film, and 4
emmy awards under its Bat-belt.
In 1996, the BTAS team moved on to work on a series for DC's other major hero,
Superman. After 13 episodes, the season got off to a shaky start, but when it was paired
up with Batman in the fall of 1997, it got the exposure it needed and began to thrive. In
this year, Batman was renewed and 24 more episodes (including a number of crossovers with
Superman) were given the go-ahead.
Just as the 1998/99 season of Batman/Superman was drawing to a close, the WB team
surprised us once again with a new animated series - a futuristic version of Batman
entitled "BATMAN BEYOND". The season has just begun and it's already a hit! This
is the episode the WB team will be working on until the end of the 1999/2000 season. What
will follow? Rumor right now is...MORE BATMAN (the regular one)! Woohoo!
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BATMAN: THE ANIMATED ARCHIVES
The real nice people at TOONZONE (thanx!) have set up an archive section at their site,
storing back issues of BTAN. You can look back on past newsletters or maybe even print
them out, if you don't already. This has been very useful and got alot of positive
feedback from subscribers wanting copies of past newsletters. The URL is:
TOONZONE's BATMAN:TAN ARCHIVES
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/btan
If you're interested in information about the newsletter or are just plain curious
about some of our news, schedules, websites, etc... then please e-mail here:
btaninfo@yahoo.com
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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.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There was some report in Cinescape magazine that the WGN superstation
(from Chicago) may not be hosting the WB network starting September of 1999. We don't know
if it's true or not, so if someone can contact someone there and get some newsbytes for
us, that'd be great. Over 50% of WB viewers use JUST THAT CHANNEL so it'd be a real pity
to see it go. WE MUST START A PETITION TO KEEP IT ON THE WGN UNTIL THE WB IS MORE EASILY
ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE!
'MELTDOWN'
Batman Beyond #07
Air date: February 13, 1999
Derek Powers/Blight returns, but to fulfill his latest diabolical task, he seeks the
help of the un-dead Mr. Freeze. (He's baaaaack!)
'HEROES'
Batman Beyond #8
Air date: February 20, 1999
The Future Knight battles another member of the futuristic rogue's gallery; comic
villain Spellbinder. (This might be completely wrong, though...this might not even be the
plot for this episode!)
'SUPERMAN'S PAL'
Superman #51
Air date: February 20, 1999
An episode focusing on Jimmy Olsen and Superman taking on Metallo.
'DEMON REBORN'
Superman #??
Air date: ??
BATMAN'S FINAL CURRENT-DAY ANIMATED APPEARANCE! This episode, originally entitled
"Rise of the Demon", features Batman and Superman teaming up to take down Ra's
Al Ghul. One parter, probably - WOOHOO! THE BAT IS BACK! This'll probably air in May.
'LEGACY (Pt. 1 & 2)'
Superman #??
Air date: ??
This two-parter, featuring the final showdown between Superman and Darksied, will be
the season finale, airing this May.
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WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz and/or the official BTAS/STAS site)
This section of the newsletter highlights the schedule and times that WB airs The New
Batman/Superman Adventures. For most affiliates it airs Monday - Friday at 4pm (ET) and
Saturdays beginning at 8am (ET). WGN airs Batman/Superman Monday - Friday at 10am (ET) and
Sundays beginning at 8am (ET). There's a chance that your local WB channel airs it at a
differant time. To find out when, we recommend you follow this URL (provided by Toonzone):
http://www.toonzone.net/brian/stations/index.html
PS - Remember that "Batman Beyond" airs 30 minutes AFTER
"Batman/Superman" is over, because "Men In Black" has been squeezed in
between.
THIS WEEK:
Mon 2-8-99: Superman #34 Heavy Metal
Batman #77 The Lion and the Unicorn
Tue 2-9-99: Batman #76 Baby-Doll
Superman #25 Brave New Metropolis
Wed 2-10-99: Superman #14,17 Blasts From the Past (Pt. 1 & 2)
Thu 2-11-99: Superman #26 Monkey Fun
Batman #14 Heart of Ice
Fri 2-12-99: Batman #01 On Leather Wings
Batman #92 Joker's Millions
Sat 2-13-99: Batman #94 Love is a Croc
Superman #47 Obsession
B-BEYOND #07 Meltdown -------------NEW!!!
NEXT WEEK:
Mon 2-15-99: Superman #08,11 The Main Man (Pt. 1 & 2)
Tue 2-16-99: Batman #70 House and Garden
Superman #05 A Little Piece of Home
Wed 2-17-99: Superman #09 Stolen Memories
Batman #72 Harlequinade
Thu 2-18-99: Batman #82 Lock-Up
Superman #31 Prototype
Fri 2-19-99: Superman #30 Bizzaro's World
Batman #88 Cold Comfort
Sat 2-20-99: Batman #109 Judgement Day
Superman #51 Superman's Pal ----NEW!!!
B-BEYOND #08 Heroes ------------NEW!!!
Note: All episodes #86 and onward of BATMAN are considered THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES
while the original 85 are considered BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (BTAS) episodes.
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CARTOON NETWORK WB ANIMATION SCHEDULE:
"Yabba Dabba Doom"
(courtesy of Brian Cruz)
CARTOON NETWORK 'BATMAN' SCHEDULE
Mon 2-08-99: #06 The Underdwellers
Tue 2-09-99: #07 P.O.V.
Wed 2-10-99: #08 The Forgotten
Thu 2-11-99: #09 Be A Clown
Due to the unpredictable airing schedule of Batman: The Animated Series on CARTOON
NETWORK we may not be able to keep track or schedule changes, episode changes and when the
animated movies air (either on TOONAMI or CARTOON THEATRE). To keep you most up to date,
go to this section of TOONZONE to keep updated with what's airing on CARTOON NETWORK and
when:
NOTE: MASK OF THE PHANTASM will be airing on CARTOON NETWORK again at 8pm (ET) on March
13th. It also looks like Kids'WB! won't be airing MASK OF THE PHANTASM at all.
BATAMN:THE ANIMATED SERIES ON CARTOON NETWORK
http://www.toonzone.net/brian/schedules/batman-cn.html
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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
NOTE: Mr. Evatt was unable to supply a review for this newsletter so Tim
"TWO-FACE" Leighton is filling in for him.
REBIRTH (Pt. 1 & 2)
Written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, & Stan Berkowitz
Directed by Curt Geda
Animation by Dong Yang
Original air date: January 10, 1999
My rating: ****
The beginning of a new series, which caused the temporary death of BTAS, one of the
best shows on television, to go on a two year break. Most people were very peeved about
this, but there was one thing that kept our hopes alive - at least this new show,
"Batman Beyond", still starred our favourite hero and still took place in Gotham
City. Everything else, however, is completely different.
In the mid 2020's, a group of hoodlums had kidnapped a supermodel relative of Veronica Vreeland; Batman came to the rescue. This was not the typical Batman though. He was still
Bruce Wayne, yes, but his entire look was completely different; it was on this night, he
chose to test the prototype of a new, enhanced Bat-suit. Unlike in "Batman
Forever", this suit didn't bring about such pleasant results. During the fight with
the thugs, Batman suffers a heart attack, and nearly resorts to using a gun on one of them
to save his life. The GCPD arrive, and take the crooks away. Batman disappears into the
shadows, retreats to Wayne Manor, and throws in the crime-fighting towel. Batman is dead.
Flash forward to 2050 or so. Gotham City now resembles more of a moon-colony, a cross
between the old Gotham, Metropolis, and the sets in "Blade Runner". Long-gone
are the post apocalyptic red skies - instead, they're vomit-yellow, very disturbing in
their own way.
Enter Terry McGinnis. A 17 year old student at Hamilton Hill High School, is thrown off
the wrestling team, due to his quick temper getting in his way. He goes home, sulking.
(Don't worry, this is getting somewhere).
Warren McGinnis has just come across that his employer, Derek Powers, owner of
"Wayne Powers" (he took over "Wayne Enterprises", another reason why
Bruce is now secluded), has been developing Nerve Gas. Powers discovers that Warren knows
this, and sends his right-hand-man, Mr. Fixx, out to silence him.
Terry lives at home with his mother, Warren, who is seperated from his mother (where
Terry's younger brother lives). Warren grounds him from going out after hearing about the
fiasco at wrestling practice; Terry blows up in his face and runs out on him, going
against his father's wishes.
While waiting to get in a nightclub (and he's only 17? Ah well...), Terry and his
"sort-of" girlfriend, Dana, are attacked by the vicious biker gang known as the Jokerz, who dress in honour of the villain of the past. (Sorry, no Harley-dress-alike
here.) Terry fights the gang and gets involved in a huge chase-sequence, eventually ending
up at the gates of Wayne Manor. The 80 year old Bruce Wayne emerges from the shadows and
helps Terry rid himself of these nuisances.
Terry is invited into Wayne Manor and, when Bruce is asleep, decides to do some
exploring - and, lo and behold, he finds the Batcave, complete with the trophy room, the
old Batmobiles, the Batcomputer, and the old costumes of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing. Bruce wakes to find out about this and tosses Terry out of the mansion...Terry
returns home only to discover that his father has been killed, and his entire apartment
has been spray-painted in purple, green, and orange, with the words "HA HA"
splattered everywhere. Outraged, Terry returns to Wayne Manor to steal the Batsuit that
caused Wayne's heart attack, and goes out to find the killer of his parents...the Jokerz.
That about covers all of Part One. I won't spoil Part 2 for you, but let me say that
the action is terrific, just as the characterization. True, it is a bit difficult to see a
new person in the Batsuit - but Terry isn't even referred to as "Batman" in this
episode (except by himself and disbelieving onlookers). Besides, we've seen both Jean Paul
Valley and Dick Grayson stay in the Batsuit for extended periods of time in the comics, so
this isn't tough to digest.
The idea of having the Jokerz as being a street-gang was a wonderful idea. Batman
wouldn't be as popular as he would be today without the rogue's gallery, so it was obvious
that his arch-nemesis had to live on in some form.
Finally, the trophy room is introduced to the Batcave! The Joker's card, Two-Face's
giant penny, and (Calendar Girl's?) dinosaur are all there, as well as otehrs, such as
Harley's headwear and the Scarface puppet.
Ace the Bathound, the campiest of the heroes in the Bat-lore, appears as Bruce's sole
pal in Wayne Manor. A wonderful nod to the comics of the past.
We learn that Barbara Gordon is now the Commissioner of the GCPD, who appear to be just
as corrupt as the series' main villain.
Derek Powers is a worthy adversary in the Batman-lore. His obvious influence was
Superman's arch-foe, Lex Luthor, but this man has a twist; after the final fight, Terry
exposes Powers to the nerve gas, in vengeance of his father's death, and undergoes a
transformation, giving his skin a translucent radioactive glow...we have yet to see what
happens though. Should be interesting...but even as just a generic-brand corporate raider,
he's a worthy villain. Just think of Lex Luthor, but 10 years older or so - with hair.
Powers' right-hand-man is Mr. Fixx, a hulking bodyguard with a horrific, disfigured
face, who carries out all of Powers' plans...such as the murder of a certain employee of his...hmmmm...
The only other notable new character is Terry's high school colleague, Nelson Nash - a
friend/foe sorta character. From early rumors, he'll probably end up to be a more serious,
mature version of Nelson Muntz on "The Simpsons", which puts Terry in Bart's
shoes. (HAAA-HAAA!)
Bruce Wayne is darker and more brooding than ever, and, even though he's only the
co-star of the series, is still the best character so far. He is still voiced by Kevin
Conroy.
Anyhow, this is a wonderful intro to the series. There is still skepticism as to
whether such an idea has the ability to stay as a continuing series, instead of just a
"what if" story (which I originally hoped), but we'll see. There are a lot of
new characters - and some visits from some older ones - that will be appearing in the next
24 episodes.
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