Beware the Batman

I thought I was in for a campy, not very well written, shaky 2013 CGI animation version of Batman. The animation is just okay but the story and emphasis on Batman's detective abilities really make this bingeable. It's a fun watch for any Batman fan and the writing is good. Another great take on the story of Batman!

Taking all Batman animated shows, there wasn't any that was actually bad. Yes, The Batman from 2004-2008 was not that good in animation and design but in all was a nice show. So when I saw this going full CGI, and some of the design paths they optioned, I thought this will probably be the first bad animated series about Dark Knight. I was wrong.

I was wrong and I was wrong in the worst way possible because I thought it would be bad based only on animation method and presentation that I actually forgot that Batman's quality, and most of DC stuff generally, isn't actually based in perfect visual design but in characters, stories and the way they are told.

So yeah, it's CGI, and yeah, Batman's cowl and profile looks weird and too much stylized, but that's about bad as it goes. CGI itself is in fact really good, animations and all. It' kinda videogamey, but in a good way. It feels pretty damn fresh. Sure, it could be a bit more detailed and with more filters and effects, and if somehow we ever get the second season (probably never) that would probably be updated. I would really like that DC tries this method again because there is some pretty solid stuff that you can do this way, just need a bit more polish, but they were on a right track.

But I understand that this CGI just wasn't some people's cup of tea. Beside that, overall Batman quality is still there with acting, stories and characters.

Though I guess there are some novelties and oddities around those characters. Whole thing looks a bit more influenced by Batman: Earth One graphic novel than standard Batman comic run. For example, Alfred is a tough ex MI6 agent, not a washed out stage actor and your classical "jeeves" butler. Prof. Pyg is also wildly different as he is not a rambling homicidal psychopath but a gentleman eco-terrorist that loves animals. There are more and some characters are the same as always, some are not. But all in all they are interesting. If I could pick one odd out it would probably be Anarky. He acts too much as provocateur and Joker-like instigator and I personally didn't find that much interesting. Then again, in contrast, Katana was a very interesting, but good, choice for a Batman sidekick.

Directing was pretty good, though "virtual cameras" were sometimes a bit stiff, pan-shots mostly. Voices were cool and music are overall great.

Stories are mostly connected and well thought out, which in turn makes them interesting and engaging for the audience.

Now, this show had a pretty rough season one as far as TV goes. Not even half season and it was dumped into 3AM slot, which is basically bullet in the head, execution style from Cartoon Network that was on. The show itself was mostly kid friendly in the sense that there was no blood and death, but in essence was a bit dark for younger kids. So I guess that didn't help as well. There is still time to get one more season if DC sort their stuff up internally, but it's mid 2015, no one mentioned anything and it's probably canned for good. TAS, The Batman and Brave and the Bold all got at least few seasons of some truly premium Batman goodness, it's a shame that Beware the Batman didn't got the same chance as those previous shows.

Being the only Batman series set in CGI and having a much darker tone, Beware the Batman sticks out among the post-Batman Beyond series which were both more lighthearted and in traditional animation. The mystery to me is why this only ran for one season of 26 episodes, because this was the best of the bunch.

The series presents some different takes on well known characters like Alfred and Barbera Gordon, and while some Batman purists may find that objectionable I thought it added another layer to Alfred especially, because while he is enjoyable as Bruce's butler he shines as an interesting character here with a pretty wild past.

And we see villains here I don't think have been in any other Batman series, like the chaos loving Anarky who got under my skin several times, because while the Joker has a certain morbid humour to his character Anarky was a madman all the way through with an overly creepy voice performance by Wallace Langham.

Aside from him we have a few other new characters I've not seen like Magpie, Professor Pyg and Toad and a few from the more known rogues gallery like Killer Croc, Ra's Al Ghoul, and almost Two-Face who I guess we could have seen if the show wasn't cancelled like som many good shows are, ending on a cliffhanger.

Check it out, it's a good show that needs more attention.

It's been the same cycle with every new animated interpretation of Batman since TAS. "I don't like the way it looks!" "The writing's not as good!" "They ruined (insert character's name here)!"

A few years go by, cooler heads prevail, and eventually most seem to come around and appreciate each of these shows for what they are rather than holding them to up to their own preconceived notions of what Batman "should" be.

I get it. You're a "hardcore" Batman fan. You know what it's all about and every little nuance of the mythology. But here's the thing - there is no one true Batman. The character's been around so long and gone through so many permutations that there is no definitive version. There are depictions that strike a chord with certain generations for different reasons, but in the end the Adam West show is a valid as Christopher Nolan's films. Each incarnation highlights and honors different aspects of these characters. That's what's so great about Batman. That's why he's survived as long as he has. He's malleable. As long as you keep the cornerstones of his mythology in place, he's pretty flexible when it comes to adaptations.

This is not TAS. I think we can probably all agree that that's still one of the better representations of Batman and the most successful show overall. But we live in a world of hyperbole so if something's not amazing, that means it must suck. I don't think Beware the Batman is as good as TAS. Not by a long shot. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.

Adjusting to a new look always takes some time, but I've grown to like it. And I think the voice cast is strong. For a show aimed at kids, the writing strikes me as more sophisticated than anything from The Batman - and especially The Brave & The Bold.

I like seeing new villains. I like the detective side of Batman getting more attention. And I like the risks they're taking with characters like Alfred. Borrowing from the Earth One/Sean Connery take definitely sets this apart from previous series. In my opinion, the more traditional take on Alfred makes more sense - but I do admire their decision to do something different.

It's not a perfect show. But I'm interested to see how it evolves. Fans always hate anything new or different. Give it time. When they roll out another new Batman cartoon in a few years, everyone will probably be moaning about the good old days of Beware the Batman.

So, like every Batman series that has come out since the '92 Dini-verse, 'fans' have come out of the woodwork to tell everyone how terrible this show is. Between the CGI, the lack of known villains, the different take on Alfred... It's horrible just like The Batman & The Brave and the Bold.

Except, it's not...

The animation is fine. It's not the Dini version, nor the CGI Dini version (aka, Green Lantern), and it's not the hammy tB&tB, nor is it the overstylized 'The Batman' animation. It's its own thing, and it grows on you.

The characters were a little bit more difficult to swallow, especially the elder statesman major domo Alfred. However, in both the comics and the Batman: the Animated Series, they have toyed with the idea of Alfred being former MI-6, so, it's hardly out of canon. It is an interesting take, and one not fully explored before.

Using Katana as a partner did put me off at first, but as the stories have progressed, it makes it seem that they're aiming at assembling the Outsiders, a team thus far never brought together on the big or small screen. Again, the writers are thinking outside of the box, so kudos to them!

The final bit that is putting off a lot of 'fans', is the rogue's gallery. No Joker, no Riddler, no Catwoman. Instead, we're getting a "Who's Who" of "Who in the heck is that?" They've dug deep into the DC vaults for some D-listers to use as the bad guys, characters that I, as a reader of the DCU for my entire life have to go look up--and it works. There's no expectation of how the characters are supposed to act, the characters just 'are'. They can be written in any way the writers wish, which is a GREAT strength of the show.

In summation, if you're expecting any of the previous Batman incarnations, you'll be disappointed. If you are looking for something that is actually reasonably fresh, and can surprise you, then by all means, tune in!

Oh, and don't judge by a single episode or two... as of this writing, the show is a whole six episodes in, and it has be hooked. Hopefully, only better things to come!