SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE #1

 

OUR GOOD FRIEND THX1138 HAS BROUGHT US THESE SCOOPS FROM "AIN'T IT COOL NEWS"! ENJOY!

 

(reprinted without permission - but since we're not making any money off of it, we don't see it
as a problem)

 

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SCOOP #1

 

Good day, citizens, El Cosmico here with some fun words from a friendly reader, who wishes to be known as The Indestructible Man (don't we all?).  He brings glad tidings of the Batman/Superman world, in fine detail, and spoiler-packed, so be forewarned. Read on and glean gladness.

 

Heya Geeks! A reader of two years and a poster of one, this is my first bit of correspondence to you guys on anything. However, I literally just got in the door from the Wondercon comic convention in Oakland, CA, where one of the panels was Paul Dini discussing Batman Beyond and such, and there's a nice chunk of news from it. So, I decided to file this report. Paul talked a bit about the direct-to-video "Return of the Joker" (October 31), especially mentioning the details of the DVD (same day, including both a making of video and two additional scenes cut from the VHS for time including a supposedly spectacular mood scene of elderly Bruce Wayne revisiting the ruins of Arkham Asylum for the first time in forty years). Also, he explained how WB wouldn't comment on extending [Batman Beyond] to a fourth season unless, by January, the film sales were good (I suppose they need another Pokemon spot so buy this video! Because the third season sounds really cool!)

 

Beware, from here on in there be MASSIVE SPOILERS (don't say you weren't warned)!

 

First, on a minor front, Dini commented that Batman Terry McGinnis would be having at least one crossover on the show's new spinoff Zeta, as well as an appearance by the robot on Batman Beyond again in the new year. Also, some other characters, mainly villains will be present. More Inque (including her origin), Kobra (2-parter), Stalker, the Royal Flush Gang, Curare and (very cool) Talia al Ghul herself (although no Ra's al Ghul, at least in season 3).

 

Some of the points visited upon in the movie about Bruce's past will be fleshed out too (especially his time with Barbara), but Dini said that most of the remaining huge revelations would have to wait for a fourth season, after Terry and his world (and rogue's gallery) is fully assembled (so buy the movie and save the show!) Oh yeah, and Dini finally spilled the beans on the two-part third season finale: the Justice League! Led by an aged Superman (in a costume and characterization Dini described as part Kingdom Come and part Kryptonian-influence), it includes his lieutenant Barda (replacing Wonder Woman, as the legality of getting her character for an appearance was too tough, he explained at length), Aquagirl (daughter of Aquaman and Mera), a new Green Lantern, and a few other new characters. In a surprising move, Kal-El comes to Terry to request the boy's membership needing a strong detective on the established team. Terry however, rightfully feels out of his league among all the big shots, especially with such confidence in him on Superman's part.  If the fourth season is greenlighted (they'll know in January), that season will be divided between Bruce dealing with the past as its revealed and Terry among the Justice League (so we'll get big roles back for each of Conroy's Bruce Wayne and Tim Daly's Superman!!!)

 

Dini also announced that, starting next March, Warner Brothers Online will be featuring two new flash animation series: Lobo and Gotham Girls. Lobo is said to be in the style the Main Man was presented in his Superman appearance. Gotham Girls however, he explained in more details. Using stylized character designs from Glen Murakama (of Superman and Batman Beyond), the series would focus on six characters: on the side of good Batgirl, Zatanna, and Black Canary (from a complete character design of Dinah Lance that Bruce Timm did back in the Fox days) versus Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. Things are looking up for the original voices to return as well. If all these are successful, Dini said he'd like to do more direct-to-video movies, including a Batman-Superman teamup in the old animated style (in the old B:TAS story/visual mold), and a more mature Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy film (which had been previously pitched as an idea for prime time animation).

 

And one last thing: each year at Wondercon, Dini has brought a new un-aired Batman or Superman (last year he premiered A Fish Story for example). This year, however, he instead brought one of the episodes of Clerks: The Animated Series he had helped co-write (the second one with their reminiscing to the 1st episode). Frankly, I don't know why ABC passed on this. All 300 or so people in the room were literally rolling in the aisles non-stop for the entire 24 minutes, it was that funny.

 

-El Cosmico

 

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SCOOP #2

 

The London Daily Mail reports that Richard Donner, who directed Gibson in four Lethal Weapon movies and is set to direct the next Batman film for Warner Bros., wants Gibson to play the Caped Crusader. The original plan was to cast Kurt Russell in the title role, but the Mail indicates that Gibson has tentatively agreed to don the Batsuit for the next theatrical episode, now titled 'The Dark Knight'. No word on whether it is the same story as the Frank Miller penned comic from 1986. The new movie is to be filmed in Australia, where Gibson hails from. According to The Mail, Jack Nicholson will return to play Batman's arch nemesis, The Joker.
-- Sun Media
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EDITORIAL
(by Kelly Tindall)
cointoss@hotmail.com

 

TGIt's WARNER

 

Well, I just read a recap on www.aint-it-cool-news.com about the latest smattering of animated *sigh* television and straight-to-video projects coming out of the Mouse House.  Disney has not really been hitting fly balls lately...their live-action department has been a cheese factory for years.  Their only really decent live-action flick (not counting their Touchstone or Miramax arms) was "George of the Jungle".  Their animated films have been sort of touch and go lately, although "Mulan" had two great acts and a weak third and "Tarzan" was simply brilliant.  I hardly count the utterly fabulous "Toy Story 2" as a Disney flick, what with the geniuses at Pixar an unheralded three-for-three in great family entertainment.

 

So, what does a minute diatribe levelled at the Mouse House have to do with Warner Bros?

 

Well, Warner Bros. Animation has been doing some seriously superior family entertainment for about, oh, nine years now.  It's about time somebody shook their hand, big-time.  I mean, I'll be the first to admit it, Disney makes some seriously good stuff and really tries to put their butts into the things that they know matter, namely their animated films.  And I say it again, nobody can cut a trailer like Disney.  Their Tarzan trailer still gives me shivers, and their Inspector Gadget trailer was incredible.  The movie stank, but the trailer was total genius.

 

I bring this up, because I saw "Tarzan"(for the fourth time) in September at a cheap theatre.  Before it played two trailers, both of which I'd seen before.  "Inspector Gadget"...and "The Iron Giant".

 

Did any of you kiddies go and see Iron Giant?  Didja?  Did you guys go out and support a film, made by Warner Bros. Animation, whose success could have meant another theatre-length animated Batman film?  DID YOU?

 

I DIDN'T THINK SO!

 

Be ashamed.  If that movie cleaned up at the b.o., which it should have, then there would be all sorts of interesting WB stuff on the way, and NOT a butchered Pokemon movie and NOT just Titan A.E., which I am utterly on the fence about.

 

Note to Warners, by the way...the trailer for "The Iron Giant" utterly stank.  It was unfunny, boring, uninteresting, and gave away the number two most important plot point, that the Giant could fly.  What madness possesses you to DO THAT?  IDIOTS!

 

So, what are we left with?

 

Well, I'm not too hurt that Boyd Kirkland's attempt to make a Bat-film with the Joker and Bane was aborted...frankly, it seems Kirkland's been riding the coattails of Burnett, Dini, and Timm.  The only thing I've seen of his since Batman folded on Fox was "SubZero", which was okay but really rather disposable in the long run of things.  It could have been tragic, could have dealt with honest emotion and pathos.  We could have seen some real loss, but no, they had to tack on a happy ending for everyone involved.  Too bad the happy ending negated the reason that Barbara Gordon was even kidnapped!

 

Anyway, "Return of the Joker" sounds like a lark (although it looks pretty predictable).  I'm looking forward to it, and the next season of Beyond with appearances by Inque, a complete Rogue's Gallery, and the JLA sounds absolutely smashing.  I just wish I had a theatre-sized movie to look forward to.  I think that would be the best treat of all.

 

I'm outta here.  This is bat country!
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AND THAT'S THE FACTS
(by "Reliable Source")

 

(Yes, I understand that the title is grammatically incorrect. So sue us.  Actually, nix that. Don't sue us.)

 

(DISCLAIMER:  For those of you who are not yet familiar, Reliable Source is an anonymous character who first surfaced on Batman: The Animated Message Boards, spewing forth ridiculous predictions about the future of Batman Beyond under the guise of spoiler warnings.  His controversial posts created quite a buzz, and have landed him a temporary column with this newsletter.  The thoughts and ideas expressed by this shady character are in no way officially connected to Kids WB, Batman Beyond, this newsletter, or anything that is decent or holy.  That said, on with the show.)

 

Greetings and salutations, sports fans!  This is your old friend Reliable Source, back once again with another hot scoop.  You may remember a few issues back I had some info on the upcoming live-action Batman TV series for the WB (it was in for those of you who want to go check your  archives).  A refresher for those who missed it...rather than doing the originally planned "Bruce Wayne in training" route, the network has realized that it is the villains who draw the crowds, and have given the green light to a show called "Arkham," focusing on the inmates at Gotham's notorious asylum.

 

So who will be filling Batman's tights on the show?  No one.  "It's kind of funny," said one of my sources inside WB.  "We went through all the processes to acquire the rights to use the different villains, but apparently no one even thought to get the go-ahead to use Batman...and as it stands right now, we can't."

 

"Who needs him anyway?" said a WB spokesman, when questioned.  "The show is about the inmates at a particular asylum in a particular city.  The fact that it happens to be Gotham and they happen to be Batman villains has nothing to do with it.  You won't even hear the name 'Batman' mentioned on this show if I can help it."

 

The pilot episode will focus on The Ventriloquist, who has been re-cast.  Originally Max Wright (of "ALF," and, more recently, ABC's "Norm"), the role has since been given to Ben Stien.  Gilbert Gottfried will supply the voice of The Ventriloquist's puppet, Scarface.  Expect cameos from other major players in the asylum, including Jim Brewer's Joker, Edward Norton's Riddler, Brad Garrett's Killer Croc, and David Duchovney's Two-Face.  The series also features Richard Belzer as Jeremiah Arkham.

 

That's all for this week, kids.  Remember, you can always write to me at Reliable_S@hotmail.com if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.  More as I hear it.
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