Beware the Batman [Archive]

The Toyroom

Oct 4, '11, 6:09 PM

From Newsarama:

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is ending its three-season run imminently, but DC’s iconic hero won’t be away from TV sets for too long.

Comic Book Movie is reporting that Warner Bros. Animation has announced Beware the Batman, a CGI-animated series targeted for 2013 on Cartoon Network. The news comes from the recently wrapped MIP Junior showcase in Cannes, France.

Batman is described as “classic-looking,” fighting alongside a, wait for it, “gun-toting Alfred Pennyworth.” With the status of a Robin currently unclear, it looks Katana will be playing the main sidekick role, a character currently co-starring in The New 52′s Birds of Prey. The character has a recent past in animation, showing up Brave and the Bold episode “Enter the Outsiders!”

Along with the usual villain slate of your Jokers and your Penguins, Beware the Batman will also feature newer and lesser-known antagonists, with Professor Pyg — created during Grant Morrison’s Batman run — specifically mentioned in reports.

Figuremod73

Oct 4, '11, 6:11 PM

i think its time to give another character a chance to. try plas or WW

madmarva

Oct 4, '11, 7:47 PM

Time for another Justice League cartoon or a Superman toon done by the Brave and Bold team with a similar fun any-thing-goes silver-age attitude.

Jerry68

Oct 4, '11, 8:14 PM

I'm a Batman freak, that being said, this looks like MAJOR CRAP! Why not let Batman Brave and the Bold keep going?

The Toyroom

Oct 4, '11, 8:18 PM

“gun-toting Alfred Pennyworth”

Oooooooo.....How edgy! :sarky: :muh:

MIB41

Oct 4, '11, 8:20 PM

The artwork is getting too over the top. They need to reel this crap back in.

UnderdogDJLSW

Oct 4, '11, 9:47 PM

I'm not liking the design of the figures in this. The squished heads are a bit off putting.

jwyblejr

Oct 4, '11, 11:16 PM

From Newsarama:

That's Katana in that pic? I thought it was Nightwing at first. Here I am trying to figure out why Dick is running around with a sword.

Thor

Oct 5, '11, 12:28 AM

No they didn't. If they want to make another BM toon they could at least make the show pleasing to the eye. This reminds me of some of the crap the show on the Cartoon Network these days.

ctc

Oct 5, '11, 12:32 AM

>Batman is described as “classic-looking,”

The squished head makes him more aerodynamic.

>fighting alongside a, wait for it, “gun-toting Alfred Pennyworth.”

This one bothers a lot of folks, but wasn't Alfred part of the French underground back in WW2? Of course that was a hundred retcons ago so I don't know if it still holds.

>it looks Katana will be playing the main sidekick role

It's official, the 80's are back 'cos.... you know....ninjas.

Don C.

Meule

Oct 5, '11, 2:12 AM

I'm a Batman freak, that being said, this looks like MAJOR CRAP! Why not let Batman Brave and the Bold keep going?

Agreed. A gun toting Alfred and Prof Pyg? Oh brother... :rolleyes:
Batman Brave and Bold was a great cartoon, they should've continued for many more seasons

Earth 2 Chris

Oct 5, '11, 6:59 AM

Glen Murakmi worked on BTAS/TNBA and Superman before going off to show-run Teen Titans. Since then he's been on the teenaged Ben 10. I have enjoyed all of his stuff, but this makes "The Batman" look traditional. I'll wait and see, but Alfred with guns? He's used guns in the comics (he was a soldier or even a British secret agent in some versions), but it seems a bit much. Katana? Yawn. I'm betting Robin is out because of his focus on Young Justice.

I thought James Tucker was moving over to the next Batman series?

Chris

ctc

Oct 5, '11, 7:16 AM

>Glen Murakmi worked on BTAS/TNBA and Superman

Hmmmm.... weird 'cos I'd heard that a lot of the staff who worked on BTAS in Japan also worked on "Big O," and Alfred in "Beware the Batman" kinda has a Norman Burg vibe.... So, does that mean Katana's an android?

Don C.

Earth 2 Chris

Oct 5, '11, 8:28 AM

Murakimi worked on the show at WB studios under Timm and company. He was also one of the main guys behind Batman Beyond. His enthusiasm for it convinced Timm and Dini it was worth doing.

I agree that if they have to go this far afield of a traditional take, maybe it's time to retire Batman from animated service for a few years. He's essentially been going non-stop in cartoon form since 1992!

Chris

ctc

Oct 5, '11, 8:55 AM

>I agree that if they have to go this far afield of a traditional take, maybe it's time to retire Batman from animated service for a few years. He's essentially been going non-stop in cartoon form since 1992!

I'm kinda partial to "Batman - batsuit + giant robot" myself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z8HYr20usw&feature=related

It'd be nice to see some of the lesser known, and less hyped stars; but considering how expensive cartoons are there's no way they'd take a chance on a second stringer. Not unless it was part of some big marketing tie-in, like Green Lantern and the movie. So instead you do an old fave.... like Batman, but you try to make it different, so it doesn't feel like a rerun or more of the same. (Really; they want the name more than anything else.) Maybe you stylize it, or sci-fi it up (like "The Batman") or now they're all in school.... (*shudder*) To that end, I'm surprised "Young Justice" got made. I seem to recall there was something of a push for the comic back when the show wopuld have started production, and it was probably pitched as "It's Teen Titans, but all serious and stuff!"

WEIRD ASIDE: Anyone notice that in the DC cartoon universe, Sugar and Spike are back?

Don C.

Bruce Banner

Oct 5, '11, 10:11 AM

This one bothers a lot of folks, but wasn't Alfred part of the French underground back in WW2? Of course that was a hundred retcons ago so I don't know if it still holds.

Yeah, originally he was a retired intelligence agent who saw action in WW2, but I think they changed his origin after Crisis. But after Infinite Crisis it was established that he had served in the British Army and then was part of MI-5, so whatever the case, he's no stranger to a gun.

samurainoir

Oct 5, '11, 10:15 AM

Murakimi worked on the show at WB studios under Timm and company. He was also one of the main guys behind Batman Beyond. His enthusiasm for it convinced Timm and Dini it was worth doing.

He also was the driving force behind Teen Titans Go. I think the show is in good hands. You can hardly judge a show based on one single image.

ctc

Oct 5, '11, 11:30 AM

>originally he was a retired intelligence agent who saw action in WW2

Hmmmm.... I think ORIGINALLY originally he was bumbling Clouseau-esque character, but some time in the 50's they macho'd him up by making him a former secret agent.

I think. It's kinda hard to keep track sometimes.... 'specially if you go WAY back.

Don C.

Earth 2 Chris

Oct 5, '11, 11:34 AM

Yes, Murakimi was the main producer on Teen Titans (no Go, although most folks put it there due to the tie-in comic).

Alfred was indeed an overweight, bumbling detective in his early appearances. He slimmed down to match the actor in the first Batman serial. The secret agent background was added later, and was touched on in Untold Legends of the Batman mini-series, and on TV in BTAS' "The Lion and the Unicorn".

I remember the early description for Teen Titans animated was all wrong, and I really enjoyed that show. I'm hoping for the same here. But first glance isn't promising.

Chris

boynightwing

Oct 5, '11, 12:20 PM

You know what I hated when it first came out? Brave and the Bold. Then after a few episodes it grew on me. After a few more, I came to love it.

Soooooo I'll wait to watch this before I go about saying it's garbage or it sucks or whatever although based on that image, I don't like the art style. But I didn't like the style of Teen Titans and Transformers Animated at first either and now I love it.

Mego Milk

Oct 5, '11, 9:55 PM

!!!!!YES!!!!!!!!

WannabeMego

Oct 5, '11, 10:24 PM

OK...I'll say this one more time:

...was that a Tiny Titans Animated Show I saw...?

boynightwing

Oct 11, '11, 2:39 PM

Shortpacked did a fun commentary on peoples reactions to the show. I'd have posted the strip directly but there is some language of the foul variety.

http://www.shortpacked.com/2011/comic/book-13/04-remedial-adulthood/beware/

jds1911a1

Oct 12, '11, 7:22 AM

Actually Alfred like Batman himself predates ww2 so originally he was the sterotypical wealthy man's aid/confidante butler in service to a family (think Anthony hopkins in remains of the day). So based on his age when Bruce was 10 he would have been a veteran of the Boer wars or WW1. Over the years like Bruce his experiences have to slip forward to keep the age stagnant. At this point he would have been a brit in Rhodesia in the 70's to keep the ages in check

I understand DC's keeping Batman on the tube. He is one of the triumverate of their panthen a guaranteed money maker. But I think this will be like THE BATMAN was (which I think was also Glen Murakami) a flashy "edgy" show that won't last and won't be long revered. I would like to see them revisit the LOSH (the show James Tucker did wasn't bad)

Flash would be a good property to persue in animation -like BAS it could go back to basics (Barry Allen in the 60-80's era) great villians gallery, many good stories and a family dynamic to boot. kid flash is a known character (ok so on YJ it's Bat impulse but the costume is known) and his villians can actually compete unlike most superman villians

samurainoir

Oct 12, '11, 1:03 PM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Alfred_1943.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LrP1gbS2R4U/TRzAXAsI0YI/AAAAAAAAFzg/HD8c_IWGP_c/s1600/alfred%2Bserial.jpg

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/Alfred%202.jpg

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/10812/1718816-alfred_return_phase_1_part_41_super.jpg

http://uumux.com/images/Alfred04.jpg

jwyblejr

Oct 16, '11, 3:51 PM

I can't believe that whoever came up with this doesn't see the problem of Alfred carrying a gun. If you're going to arm him at least come up with a different type of weapon.

ctc

Oct 16, '11, 10:36 PM

>I can't believe that whoever came up with this doesn't see the problem of Alfred carrying a gun.

I don't see the problem with giving him a gun. Especially if they go with the "he used to be a soldier/spy/secret agent" thing. 'Course, in a crime-riddled city like Gotham I'm kinda surprised EVERYONE doesn't carry a gun.

Don C.

jwyblejr

Oct 16, '11, 11:14 PM

Like Bruce needs another reminder of what killed his parents?

ctc

Oct 17, '11, 12:24 AM

>Like Bruce needs another reminder of what killed his parents?

That's a tricky one 'cos it depends on how you want to interpret that sort of thing for the character. Is Bats anti-gun because of that? Just anti-crook 'cos he blames the man not the tool? The original (VERY original) Batman wasn't adverse to firearms (or straight up murder) but that was 'cos of the pulp hero influence. He lost that as the years went by. Even so; he still chums around with Commisioner Gordon, who carries a gun. In the movies he doesn't carry a firearm but has them on the Batmobile, Bat-Plane and Batpod. So I think it depends on where the writer wants to go with that. (Or if they remember at all....) I'm okay with it, provided once the decide they're consistent.

Don C.

Bizarro Amy

Oct 17, '11, 6:40 AM

Also, all of the Bat-family is trained in firearms, especially because they encounter so many others who use them.
I have no problem with Alfred carrying a gun. It's better than making him a ninja or giving him super powers. And in an issue of "Superman/Batman" from a few years ago, Alfred is shown guarding the back entrance of the Batcave with a shotgun. I just don't think he has any business going out on patrol with Batman.
My favorite version of him is from the Batman:The Animated Series, providing support to Bruce and a little bit of humor.

boynightwing

Oct 17, '11, 10:23 AM

The guns might not even have real bullets in them. We don't know based on that one picture. We also don't know if he goes on patrol with Batman or just helps him out with leg work or something.
I guess what we do know is that he wont be helpless.

samurainoir

Oct 17, '11, 11:15 AM

alfred is probably carrying rubber bullets (honest). :smiley1:

http://www.comics101.com/archives/comics101/images/2004/nov10/batmobile.jpg

samurainoir

Oct 17, '11, 11:16 AM

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wpPLG-yJpJw/SxsSynK2QUI/AAAAAAAADWU/FnCSZTP8lG8/s800/Batmanmachinegun.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SIUL8EbikTs/TDfK82ga78I/AAAAAAAABFo/qB7yREykOmo/s1600/BatmanGun.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rLV-ZuNPwJ4/SI-Jf5AJiJI/AAAAAAAAB5w/OkE43Fg2-Mw/s400/Batman021-08MissingPages29-34.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2010/03/batmankillsgoldenage.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2010/03/batmankillsdarkseid.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hvBsDbuV_Ng/S6BWQrR7GeI/AAAAAAAABrE/rh71cOOxCl4/s320/FMDKBelieve.jpg

http://metropolitician.blogs.com/scribblings_of_the_metrop/141_4_0000015.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bXrAHAhCvlY/TWwcRChwhZI/AAAAAAAAIjM/7QQvnIWB2dM/s1600/Detective405-07.jpg

http://www.lost-man.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/batman-Odyssey-2-1.jpg