"Beware the Batman" Thread (possible spoilers)

[GamerSlyRatchet]

So, this show started to air on Toonami last week. Figured I'd start a new thread.

What does everybody think of it? Any strengths, weaknesses? Any characters you'd wish to see? Have you seen all 26 episodes, now available on Amazon UK and elsewhere?

[The Red Monk]

I liked what they did with Killer Croc. Didn't like what they did with Two-Face. Deathstroke was OK. The show was improving, slowly, and it's kind of disappointing to see it end just as they were getting into the whole business with the Outsiders.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

I liked what they did with Killer Croc. Didn't like what they did with Two-Face. Deathstroke was OK. The show was improving, slowly, and it's kind of disappointing to see it end just as they were getting into the whole business with the Outsiders.

This was the first time I actually enjoyed Killer Croc. He never really did anything for me before.

I'm split (heh) on their take on Two-Face. Harvey Dent was just annoying, and I don't like how a lot of the tragedy was removed from his origin. That said, I did find the "new Harvey" (never really became Two-Face) to be very creepy and effective for what they're doing. So, definitely not my favorite take on him, but still miles above the terrible versions in Batman Forever and Arkham City. I would have liked to seen him without his bandages.

I liked Deathstroke and he worked well as the Big Bad for the second half of the season. I really liked how they set-up his plot before he even showed up officially, and had some strong use of continuity. I do hope that any future Big Bad they had planned would not have any Alfred connections, though. It would get repetitive after a while.

The line-up for the Outsiders was interesting and unexpected. I was predicting Black Lightning and maybe Halo or Geo-Force. Oracle was a nice addition. I do think Metamorpho and Man-Bat had the most potential for team chemistry. Not only as a brains/brawn duo, but they also are turned into freaks against their will, but one embraces it while the other one still seeks for a cure.

[WonderScott]

I like that we finally received an animated Shiva. Humpty Dumpty was sufficiently creepy to me too. (Kind of reminds me how I had gained respect for Toyman in S:TAS version of him.)

Magpie was a good revamp of a character. Gotham can use more than one cat burgler combatant.

[Drz]

I would have loved a second season, anyhow my favorite thing was Batman's portrayal at the end of the day. Anthony Ruivivar made jokes, the way he said "Interesting" was like a great catch phrase, i loved how much a detective/observer the Batman was. He was really the embodiment of a crime fighter. Alfred Pennyworth's MI6 past was utilized neatly and J.B Blanc was great.

I wanted to root for Katana, but i just don't like her at the end of the day, she had some of the best animation attacks and so on, but for my tastes she got too much kicked in the ass instead of becoming an honorable sidekick, i just didn't like it. I assume they meant for her character to grow on the 2nd season and become a better hero, but yeah, did not like it. The Outsiders roster was wunderbar, my main reason i really wanted a second season.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

I would have loved a second season, anyhow my favorite thing was Batman's portrayal at the end of the day. Anthony Ruivivar made jokes, the way he said "Interesting" was like a great catch phrase, i loved how much a detective/observer the Batman was. He was really the embodiment of a crime fighter. Alfred Pennyworth's MI6 past was utilized neatly and J.B Blanc was great.

I wanted to root for Katana, but i just don't like her at the end of the day, she had some of the best animation attacks and so on, but for my tastes she got too much kicked in the ass instead of becoming an honorable sidekick, i just didn't like it. I assume they meant for her character to grow on the 2nd season and become a better hero, but yeah, did not like it. The Outsiders roster was wunderbar, my main reason i really wanted a second season.

Oh hai Drz!

Yeah, I was a bit unsatisfied with Katana. I didn't like how she became a bit of a noob when she first joined Batman. I also thought it would have been more satisfying if she had beaten Ra's, considering he was the closest to a nemesis she had in this show. Her kicking Shiva down was weak.

[The Red Monk]

Oh hai Drz!

Yeah, I was a bit unsatisfied with Katana. I didn't like how she became a bit of a noob when she first joined Batman. I also thought it would have been more satisfying if she had beaten Ra's, considering he was the closest to a nemesis she had in this show. Her kicking Shiva down was weak.

Considering that Ra's is Batman's nemesis, that would have been insanely stupid. And Shiva is a pretty formidable opponent, and more than enough for Katana, who is a secondary protagonist after all.

Which reminds me, I absolutely loathed "Attraction" which basically made Batman into an incompetent moron, just so he wouldn't interfere with the Katana/Magpie rivalry that they were trying to establish (and failed at, anyway).

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Considering that Ra's is Batman's nemesis, that would have been insanely stupid. And Shiva is a pretty formidable opponent, and more than enough for Katana, who is a secondary protagonist after all.

Ra's doesn't seem to be as big of a nemesis in this show's world, though. He held more emotional connection to Tatsu and Alfred, just as Deathstroke did with Bruce and Alfred. Batman beating Ra's was nowhere as satisfying. Katana's victory over Shiva was weak since Shiva was already weakened from the Ion Cortex's explosion. All Katana did was provide the finishing blow.

Now that I think about, it always bugged me a bit that we never knew what happened to her? Did she escape? Is she in Blackgate?

[dupersuper]

The whole season's online, but I haven't watched the 2nd half yet.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

BTW, the unaired episodes have begun showing up on iTunes, PSN, etc.

[joshuastar]

yeah, looks like they're releasing a new one every week on iTunes here in the US.

Was the first season supposed to be a full 26 episodes, or are 14-26 coming from an unaired season 2?

[GamerSlyRatchet]

yeah, looks like they're releasing a new one every week on iTunes here in the US.

Was the first season supposed to be a full 26 episodes, or are 14-26 coming from an unaired season 2?

The standard now has been 26 episodes a season. They just have two separate story arcs. One from 1-15, the second one from 16-26. But they're both considered one season.

[Dr.wonderful]

I love Babs development into Oracle. References to Golden age heroes and Villains (Whom to expect the first Manhunter to show up?) I actually love this version of Deathstroke. The fact that it taken so long to beat Ra's not by skill by hoisting his own soul sword.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Friendly reminder that the series will start airing "new", unaired episodes this Saturday at 2:30am. So, prepare the coffee or set your DVR!

[Dog]

Hey folks, bet you never thought you'd see this thread again! I recently watched this show in its entirety and was really impressed at how cohesive and powerful it is. I do some writing for a couple geek culture sites (see the links in my sig) and I'd like to tell the story of "Beware the Batman" and how it ended so abruptly.

So I'd like to ask you, the fans, what you thought about it and why and how it ended. We've heard Paul Dini and others say Cartoon Network brass had a grudge against action cartoons, but what of the other factors that some might have seen as negatives? Is computer animation a bad way to go? Should they have included more well-known villains? Are long-running plots too complex, as the makers of current Marvel cartoons claim?

Any insight from fans of the show would be greatly appreciated! Might even be able to work some quotes in!