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Batman:The Brave & the Bold: Chill of the Night
Okay, I know we have multiple B&B threads floating around on this board, but this episode deserves its own.
Mild SPOILERS of course
After all the hype, the hints, the build-up...it far exceeded it. Wow. One of the greatest moments in Batman history, rivaling the best of BTAS/TNBA. I kept waiting to hear the traditional BTAS Batman theme music in the background.
It is much darker than any B&B episode yet. I read an interview with James Tucker over at World's Finest, and he said they had to change their whole color palette to make it work. And it shows! But there are still moments that say "Hey, it's B&B, just a 'very special episode'". Like that great "old chum" line, for instance.
Man, Mark Hamill creeped me out as the Spectre. I couldn't even tell it was him. I know they did some minor effect work to his voice, but he sounded like he was speaking from beyond the grave! Kevin Conroy was great as the Phantom Stranger too. It did seem weird to hear him addressing "Batman" and not being him, but now I have a voice to go with the Phantom Stranger too.
Of course Adam West and Julie Newmar were a great bit of stunt casting. In effect, West WAS Batman once more. And Richard Moll got in on the BTAS reunion as Moxxon. It almost sounded like he voiced Two-Face for just a second (or two, probably).
It hit me after I watched this. Four deaths were depicted/alluded to. WOW! BTAS couldn't get away with this at all, which is why you never saw Batman's origin on screen (just vague hints in flashbacks). It was all tastefully done of course, and they were all integral to the story.
When I originally heard of this episode, I suspected it was an adaptation of "To Kill A Legend" from Detective #500, where the Phantom Stranger offers Batman the chance to prevent his parent's murder on an alternate earth. But Paul Dini (there's another BTAS guy!) wrote a very original story combining "The First Batman" with the classic 1948 "The Origin of Batman" and maybe a little of their reinterpretation in "The Untold Legend of the Batman" mini-series. I was far from disappointed.
I could keep on gushing, but I'll stop. This show keeps topping itself. I have had about 5 "Best Episodes Ever" and they just keep getting replaced. I'm not sure how they can top this one, but I'll love to watch them try!!!
Chris
Mild SPOILERS of course
After all the hype, the hints, the build-up...it far exceeded it. Wow. One of the greatest moments in Batman history, rivaling the best of BTAS/TNBA. I kept waiting to hear the traditional BTAS Batman theme music in the background.
It is much darker than any B&B episode yet. I read an interview with James Tucker over at World's Finest, and he said they had to change their whole color palette to make it work. And it shows! But there are still moments that say "Hey, it's B&B, just a 'very special episode'". Like that great "old chum" line, for instance.
Man, Mark Hamill creeped me out as the Spectre. I couldn't even tell it was him. I know they did some minor effect work to his voice, but he sounded like he was speaking from beyond the grave! Kevin Conroy was great as the Phantom Stranger too. It did seem weird to hear him addressing "Batman" and not being him, but now I have a voice to go with the Phantom Stranger too.
Of course Adam West and Julie Newmar were a great bit of stunt casting. In effect, West WAS Batman once more. And Richard Moll got in on the BTAS reunion as Moxxon. It almost sounded like he voiced Two-Face for just a second (or two, probably).
It hit me after I watched this. Four deaths were depicted/alluded to. WOW! BTAS couldn't get away with this at all, which is why you never saw Batman's origin on screen (just vague hints in flashbacks). It was all tastefully done of course, and they were all integral to the story.
When I originally heard of this episode, I suspected it was an adaptation of "To Kill A Legend" from Detective #500, where the Phantom Stranger offers Batman the chance to prevent his parent's murder on an alternate earth. But Paul Dini (there's another BTAS guy!) wrote a very original story combining "The First Batman" with the classic 1948 "The Origin of Batman" and maybe a little of their reinterpretation in "The Untold Legend of the Batman" mini-series. I was far from disappointed.
I could keep on gushing, but I'll stop. This show keeps topping itself. I have had about 5 "Best Episodes Ever" and they just keep getting replaced. I'm not sure how they can top this one, but I'll love to watch them try!!!
Chris
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