EDITORIAL
(by
Xum Yukinori)
RETURN OF THE JOKER ROUND-UP
From the WB Animation Panel Report: Saturday, July 22, 2000;
San Diego Comic-Con.
This was the most-anticipated part of the program, which was
probably why WB saved it for last. It started with the awesome,
almost-complete trailer for the upcoming film, which received a lot of
cheers and hollers.
The trailer began with a long shot of "Beyond Batman" gliding
over Gotham City. Fade to a very solemn "Old Man Wayne" partly shadowed in
the future Batcave.
Then there was an onslaught of action scenes:
* Beyond Batman fighting the entire "New" Joker gang - at
least everyone with character designs featured in Comicology #1. The shot
was a continuous moving sequence -- even the background seemed to shift as
well. Shades of Castle Cogliostro!
* The "new" Joker (a little older-looking but definitely more
buff, and NOT green) beating the hell out of the Beyond Batman. He seems to
be able to dodge and parry Terry's attacks quite effortlessly. His grin
makes him look really scary.
* Flashback: Batgirl running, barely dodging rapid fire
(machine gun? or is it from the next scene?).
* Flashback: A very angry Harley Quinn touting a really really
big gun (not a machine gun - nastier). She seems to yell something as she
aims and fires it. (Note: Harley aims the gun off camera. We assume she's
firing at Batgirl, but we really don't know for sure who she's firing
at.)
* Flashback: A b&w test animation of Tim Drake Robin
strapped to a table, being electrocuted as the Classic Joker pulled a large
switch, which dissolved to a (full-colour) close-up of an empty, tattered
and burned Robin costume in a display case
* Close up of an irked Beyond Batman driving the Batmobile,
with a small projected vignette of the Joker's head in the foreground
gleefully chatting away - most likely about...
* An overhead satellite powering up and projecting a nasty
laser beam at Gotham City. There are a few shots of the beam wiping out a
few buildings in a mass-destruction animation with shades of Akira. A later
shot shows the beam cutting through more of Gotham as it pursues the speeding Batmobile.
* A nice tilted animation shot of new Joker gang member DeeDee
doing a ballerina twirl toward the camera. It's a nicely animated shot,
where her hair and her costume flow with her motion quite
beautifully.
* Flashback: Exterior window of a building, a punk is punched
out of the window. The camera then zooms in between the jagged glass to a
partly silhouetted Classic Batman looming ominously.
* Cut to black. Fade in supers: "Batman Beyond: Return of the
Joker", followed by "October 24, 2000".
The final scene was a tight close-up shot of a grim Beyond
Batman saying, "Let's dance, Bozo." (The audience cheered so loud, I could
barely make out this line.)
The music track of the trailer really rocked, but it wasn't
new music - they actually used, appropriately enough, the "Joker Chase"
track from Rebirth Part I. It worked very well with the visuals.
Following the trailer, the Beyond panel (Paul Dini, Bruce
Timm, Glen Murakami, Will Friedle, and Mark Hamill) was introduced, and as
they sat down they were lit continuously by several camera flashbulbs.
Timm's first words were, "You wanna see that again?" The audience
roared.
Timm said that everyone signed non-disclosure agreements so
they can't discuss anything about the plot (Hamill later said that "it works
in my case because with the Alzheimer's, I don't remember anymore - took
them that long to animate it."). Timm did admit that the movie has a flashback sequence "that does take place in the classic animated Batman
world." Timm added thatthe movie was "full of action, with a lot of humour,
a lot of heart, (pause) and a lot of tragedy."
Timm made one last comment about how they just got the final
sections from the overseas production companies the previous week, so the
entire movie was done. "And we're really thrilled to death. It's going to be
great." He then opened the floor to questions.
The only question related to the movie was the first one for
Hamill, about his role as the Joker in the original Batman Animated Series
and in Beyond. His response was full of witty remarks.
"I really relished the role," he began. "I never expected to
find a character as rich as this one in animation. So I consider myself
very, very fortunate. In fact, I had moved on. I mean, Batman Beyond was a
great success, so they (WB) decided to stop doing what they called the 'Coke
Classic.' (laughter) I saw Paul Dini... I think at Golden Apple (a comic book
store in LA), and I said... I was kidding, really -- y'know, I've had some
experience at franchises that move on without you? (lots of laughter and
applause) And I think you know I'm referring to "Wing Commander". (more
laughter) But I said, 'Paul, what's the matter? You haven't seen "Futurama"?
The Joker can't come back as a head in a jar?' (more laughs) And he said, 'Be careful what you wish for.' - because they asked me to do the movie and I
said I'll do it if Joker can come back. Because I really have a good
time."
Hamill admits that playing the Joker was different this time,
having to fit in with another cast and the fact that "the Joker is a
different Joker here."
Timm quickly added that the movie would play the Joker a
little darker than before. "We don't want him to be as manic as he was, 'cause
he's a completely different kind of Joker... I mean, the visual design theory
was to be more Hannibal Lecter... ("Except he doesn't eat people," Will chimed
in.) The key is... he's scarier this time." Hamill then said that the Joker
would actually kill people in this
movie.
___________________________________________________________________
NO
MAN'S ISLAND
(the SURVIVOR rip-off...erm...homage)
(by Tim "TWO-FACE"
Leighton)
Alright, I'll state right away that I never watched that
SURVIVOR show, despite the hype. However, I felt it would be a rather
interesting recurring feature in our newsletter. Heck, it's not that
different from the NO MAN'S LAND arc last year in the comics, is it? Everyone's stranded on an island, and no one gets on or off until the very
end.
Anyhow, here's the score. I couldn't choose a mere 16 Gothamites
to strand on the island of Gotham City after the bridges were blown; I
wanted to make sure to include everyone's favourite characters, so I kept it
at 39. With every issue we'll be eliminating two characters of YOUR CHOICE.
Yes, that's right - you readers out there have a say in the two people we'll
cast off or eliminate in some fashion - and we'll come up with a reasonable
story behind it.
There's no preferance as to whom will win. The
good guys will NOT NECESSARILY win; it's all up to you.
So, without further adieu, here's the list of our
contenders:
BATMAN LESLIE THOMPKINS THE
RIDDLER THE
VENTRILOQUIST LOCK-UP
ROBIN THE
CREEPER TWO-FACE HARLEY
QUINN MAN-BAT
BATGIRL THE DEMON POISON
IVY CLAYFACE BABY-DOLL
NIGHTWING THE
HUNTRESS THE SCARECROW FIREFLY ROXY
ROCKETT
ALFRED ZATANNA MR. FREEZE RA'S
AL GHUL RUPERT THORNE
COMMISSIONER GORDON THE JOKER THE
MAD HATTER TALIA ROLAND DAGGET
DET. HARVEY
BULLOCK THE PENGUIN BANE THE
PHANTASM SUMMER GLEASON
RENE
MONTOYA CATWOMAN KILLER CROC CALENDAR
GIRL
E-mail
juno@dccnet.com with your votes of whom
you'd like to see cast off. Remember, we need two
choices!
___________________________________________________________________
BATMAN:
THE ANIMATED TRIVIA
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
This is one of my favourite sections, where I get to
boggle the minds of all our readers!
*EVIL LAUGH* This trivia is all
animated-related in some form, and can deal with ANY aspect of the show or
comics based on the show. Remember, answer the questions WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF
THE ANIMATED CONTINUITY. Now have fun - let's see how well you do! Answers
are provided below.
NAME...THAT...VILLAIN!!!!
(I'll supply a clue. You supply
the name of the villain it refers to.)
381. Batman's driven the Batmobile with this male villain the
passenger seat.
Answer: _____________
382. This villain shares the same first name as serial killer
Mr. Zsasz in the mainstream comic books.
Answer: _____________
383. Kicked Killer Croc's AAAAASSSSSS (and didn't use Venom to
do it).
Answer: _____________
384. We came SOOO CLOSE to seeing a "drop the soap" joke
affect this villain - but the censors wouldn't let it pass.
Answer: _____________
385. Of the two in the "Al Ghul" family, the one that Batman
met first.
Answer: _____________
386. Way back in the old BATMAN comics, this current villain
would have gone by the name "Corrosive Man".
Answer: _____________
387. "I wear green, but am currently bald as a bowling ball.
Who am I?"
Answer: _____________
388. Aside from Harvey Dent, which villain's costume has a
line that predominantly cuts the colour scheme of that particular costume in
half?
Answer: _____________
389. This villain was into taxidermy in one
episode.
Answer: _____________
390. "...thirty calibre answers."
Answer:
_____________
_____________________________________________________________________
AND
THESE ARE OUR FINAL ANSWERS (to the trivia)
Answer to #381: The Joker
Answer to #382: Mr.
Freeze
Answer to #383: Two-Face
Answer to #384: The Penguin
Answer to
#385: Talia
Answer to #386: Blight
Answer to #387: The Riddler
Answer
to #388: Harley Quinn
Answer to #389: The Ventriloquist
Answer to #390:
Rupert
Thorne
_____________________________________________________________________
LITTLE
FACTS AND BLOOPERS
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
Here is a section that just points out various little facts
and bloopers that we have noticed while watching BTAS and STAS countless
times. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to do so!
Enjoy!
CONTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
Nope.
CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
Na
da.
____________________________________________________________________
MERCHANDISING:
WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE
(by Bill Curtis)
Last issue I mentioned the new figures for the direct-to-video
feature: "Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker". I'm sorry I didn't get a
chance to see these figures before writing that column. The reason is -
these figures STINK! Boo! HISS! While I applauded Kenner in my last post for
finally producing a great Alfred figure, I now reprimand them for taking the cheap, easy way out with these new figures.
The line consists of 4 regular figures, and one deluxe figure.
The problem is that Kenner didn't bother to produce new figures; it just
issued repainted old figures! "Arkham Assault Joker" (which doesn't
even look like the Joker from the upcoming movie!), is nothing more than a
repainted "Wild Card Joker" from the Animated Batman line, "Gotham Defender
Batman" is a repaint of "Detective Batman", "Gotham Knight Batman" is
"Future Knight Batman" (from the current "Batman Beyond" line. At least they
finally got the colour right!), "Rapid Switch Bruce Wayne" is merely "Quick
Change Bruce Wayne" from the Animated line (and features the same "young"
Bruce, how the heck does that fit into Batman Beyond?), and finally "Golden
Armor Batman" which is, you guessed it, another repaint!
My problem is: Kenner had the tools and the time to do some
really cool figures, but instead chose to package repainted figures in the
hopes of making a quick buck. Anyone who surfs eBay and other sites has seen
just how creative people can be with existing figures being transformed into
"custom" Batman, and Batman Beyond figures. A few creative folks even showed the blueprints on how to make your own "Old Joker' from the upcoming movie:
use a body from the Creeper figure, and trim down the hair from an animated
Joker figure, paint the body and hands, and voila: New "Older" Joker figure,
ready to rumble! If your average fan can be so creative, why can't Kenner?
My only conclusion is that because Batman animated is no longer running, and Batman Beyond is in its last first-run season, Kenner no longer feels the
need to expend any effort on this lucrative line. A good comparison would be
Toy Biz's X-Men line: how many different repaints of Wolverine can you make?
Answer: As many as they'll keep buying!
C'mon Kenner: show a little respect; if not for the Batman
line, at least for the intelligence of your customers!
Until next time: same Bat-time, same bat-channel!
____________________________________________________________________
