Batman: The Animated Newsletter
Weeks of March 5 – March 19, 2001
Volume 4,
Rated: PG for some “low-key coarse language and occasional griping”
THIS ISSUE’S SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE: “WHOOO!!! 26 HOURS OF JLA EPISODES COMING THIS FALL! THINGS
ARE LOOKING UP!!!”
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
-WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE ONE AND ONLY KEVIN CONROY COMING UP NEXT ISSUE (#89)!!! MAKE SURE YOU’RE HERE!!!!
-WB STUDIO STORES ARE CLOSING AT THE END OF APRIL 2001! Check out the NEWS section for more.
-BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE REVISED RULES OF OUR ‘RETURN OF THE JOKER’ GIVEAWAY! SCROLL DOWN TO JUST BELOW OUR EPISODE REVIEW FOR DETAILS!
Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
-who’s pumped, baby…pumped!
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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING…
New episodes are on the horizon! Here’s what we can expect in the near future…
UNMASKED
Batman Beyond #??
Air date: ???
Synopsis: A little kid gets a glimpse of the face under the Batman mask.
COUNTDOWN
Batman Beyond #??
Air date: ???
Synopsis: Zeta and Mad Stan return.
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KIDS WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz and/or the official BTAS/STAS site)
Kids’WB! currently airs BATMAN BEYOND five or six times a week. Batman airs on weekday afternoons Monday-Friday, as well occasionally Friday morning before Pokemon. Remember, Kids’WB! is notorious for switching schedules around at the very last minutes. Batman Beyond currently airs at 11:30am (ET) on Saturdays and 7am (ET) on weekdays.
Check out these links if our schedule is not 100% updated:
http://www.ktla.com/backstage/programming/KIDSWB.htm
http://www.geocities.com/worldsfinestpage/airdate.htm
http://www.toonzone.net/shows
NOTE:
If our schedule is not updated, then go to the following URL. It will ALWAYS contain the most up-to-date schedule possible.
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Taping/2928/airdate.htm
UH-OH: THE SCHEDULES WERE NOT UPDATED BY THE DELIVERY OF THIS ISSUE. SORRY FOR ANY
INCONVENIENCE!
THIS WEEK:
Mon 03-05-01: B-BEYOND #??
Tue 03-06-01: B-BEYOND #??
Wed 03-07-01: B-BEYOND #??
Thu 03-08-01: B-BEYOND #??
Fri 03-09-01: NONE
Sat 03-10-01: NONE
NEXT WEEK:
Mon 03-12-01: B-BEYOND #??
Tue 03-13-01: B-BEYOND #??
Wed 03-14-01: B-BEYOND #??
Thu 03-15-01: B-BEYOND #??
Fri 03-16-01: NONE
Sat 03-17-01: B-BEYOND #??
Sun 03-18-01: B-BEYOND #??
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CANADIAN EPISODE SCHEDULE
(BATMAN and BEYOND on YTV)
(courtesy of our friends at YTV)
YTV currently has the rights to air all 109 episodes of Batman, as well as the current 52 episodes of Batman Beyond (though for some reason, it’s not currently being aired). YTV usually airs these episodes in either chronological order, or in the original order they aired on Kids’WB! and FOX. Batman now airs at 3:40am Monday – Friday. If our schedules are not updated or are inaccurate, please use these links:
http://www.geocities.com/worldsfinestpage/epsched.htm
http://www.ytv.com/ytvguide
THIS WEEK:
Mon 03-12-01: BTAS #72 Harlequinade
Tue 03-13-01: BTAS #75 Bane
Wed 03-14-01: BTAS #80 Second Chance
Thu 03-15-01: BTAS #79 Riddler’s Reform
Fri 03-16-01: BTAS #76 Baby-Doll
NEXT WEEK:
Mon 03-19-01: BTAS #73 Time Out Of Joint
Tue 03-20-01: BTAS #81 Harley’s Holiday
Wed 03-21-01: BTAS #83 Make ‘Em Laugh
Thu 03-22-01: BTAS #85 Batgirl Returns
Fri 03-23-01: BTAS #82 Lock-Up
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THE CARTOON NETWORK
Cartoon Network has the right to air all 109 Batman episodes, as well as all 54 Superman episiodes. Come September, Cartoon Network will begin airing these. Shows. Batman currently airs during the weekday Toonami block at 6:30pm (ET). Superman will soon have a set airdate as well. Since Cartoon Network is unpredictable with their schedules, we are unable to keep up with them. Please, use these links to find out the schedule information you need:
Here is where you can find an air date schedule:
http://alt.cartoonnetwork.com/Schedule/1,2989,CTN|0|306587|Eastern,00.html
Or, if that doesn’t work, go here:
http://www.geocities.com/worldsfinestpage/airdate.htm
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EPISODE REVIEW: (SPOILERS!)
(by Justin Chen and/or Zanna)
All of Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton’s reviews of the new-style BTAS episodes and BATMAN BEYOND can be found via these links, which link to “Two-Face’s Tower of Tranquility and Terror”:
MAIN PAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/tx/TimTwoFace/index.html
BTAS PAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/tx/TimTwoFaceText/bats.html
The creative team for this column alternates between Zanna and Justin Chen, two loyal subscribers and great friends of ours here. Any other reviews printed here are written by editor Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton. Enjoy!
With no new episodes debuting, we have nothing to review…anyone wanna submit reviews of older BTAS episodes? We’re always taking submissions!
THE CALL (Pt. 2)
Story by Paul Dini and Alan Burnett
Directed by Stan Berkowitz
Animation by Koko Enterprise Co., Ltd. and Dong Yang Animation Co., Ltd.
Original airdate: November 18, 2000
My rating: ***** (Out of five stars)
(For a review of PART ONE, check out BTAN #86.)
THE CALL Part 1 is summarized in a series of flashbacks ending with Bruce arming Terry (as Batman) with a special weapon needed to fight the JLU traitor. When Batman returns to the JLU Tower, he shows league members the Batplane’s recording of the battle during which Warhawk was lost in a massive explosion. The recording shows the traitor remotely detonating the missile that Warhawk is guiding into space. The JLU members are thunderstruck and unwilling to believe the evidence in the recording. Before the members get physical with Batman, Warhawk appears and convinces them that Batman is right in naming the traitor.
When confronted, the traitor attacks all the league members and a massive fight ensues. Batman attempts to use Bruce’s secret weapon on the renegade, but delays for a fraction of a second. Batman loses his opportunity to subdue the traitor and the traitor escapes. The remaining team members conclude that the quisling fled to a secret base and Batman, aided by Bruce, leads them there.
At the secret base, the team again takes on the traitor. This time, Batman does use the secret weapon to overpower the betrayer. Once the traitor is subdued, one of the league makes telepathic contact with the traitor and discovers the reason for his strange behavior. Can Batman and the remaining league handle the “real” enemy?
GOOD POINTS:
This story was based on silver age and later comic book story lines, including the original story in The Brave and the Bold #28 (which was reprinted in The Justice League of America #39 and The Justice League of America Archives, Volume 1). Later, the enemy appeared in The Crisis on Infinite Earths #9, and The Justice League of America #189, as well as in several Secret Files and Origins and Who’s Who in the DC Universe.
Of course, in this episode, it’s the Batman team of Terry and Bruce that wins the day, a variation on the original story. But in both story lines, it’s the non-metahuman that makes the difference, not the super-powers of the Justice League.
THE CALL Part 2 also featured a flashback from a previous animated episode that brought the comic book story into the animated series setting.
The fight scenes were well staged. Each combatant fought using his or her particular fighting style. Some of the fights were fought outside in various climates and also under water. These elements and scenes were also nicely rendered.
In one scene, Bruce asks why Terry delayed in using the special weapon on the traitor. Terry’s response is priceless. The camera quickly moves to Bruce, back in the Batcave, with the barest hint of a smile on his face.
Batman is treated like a kid and an amateur by the JLU, pretty much the same way that Bruce treated and sometimes still treats him. Even the child Green Lantern seems to be more experienced than this Batman is, as is evidenced in the scene involving little blue pellets.
The last scene in the episode has Superman offering Batman a permanent place in the JLU. Barda chimes in that it would put this Batman one up on the original, since he was generally a part-time member only. Superman adds that the previous Batman was never really much of a joiner. Then Batman walks away saying “Maybe he and I have something in common after all.” Superman smiles and responds “More than you think, son. More than you think.”
BAD POINTS:
Unfortunately, no additional information was given on the backgrounds of any of the JLU members. Time constraints and the fact that those details were not integral to the story provide the justification for this omission. Perhaps in a future Batman Beyond episode (sadly, highly unlikely!) or a future Batman Beyond comic story (please!), this information could be supplied.
While not really a bad point, one issue must be addressed. A few comments have been seen on various boards and newsgroups about the contrived nature of having Superman call on Batman to find the traitor. Having an outsider investigate a problem within the JLU made good sense. Even the traitor would have valued Batman’s detective, planning, and attack skills and bringing him over to the “bad guys” would have seriously crippled any resistance the JLU could mount.
While the point could be made that the JLU didn’t mount much resistance to the villain once discovered, that too, is part of the original story.
Finally, apologies if this review was so vague as to be vacuous, any more detailed information would have severely spoiled the story and revealed the identity of the villain for those that haven’t watched it yet. For those that have, it is hoped that having watched the episode, the somewhat veiled comments made here would be understood.
Reviewed by Zanna
(Zanna_Z@NOSPAMyahoo.com remove NOSPAM to email)
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EDITORIAL
(by the WB Archivist)
e-mail: soundNoff@yahoo.com
The WB ARCHIVIST (whose website can be found here: http://www.toonzone.net/wbarchive ) has submitted a guest-editorial for this issue, discussing his thoughts on the current status of the GOTHAM ADVENTURES comic series. Enjoy!
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THE DECLINE OF QUALITY IN BATMAN ANIMATED COMICS: STORYTELLING HITS A NEW LOW
When BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES first premiered, it was quite possibly the best comic on the shelves. It featured the outstanding writing talent of Ty Templeton, the amazing pencils of the incredible Rick Burchett, and the flawless inks of Terry Beatty. It wouldn’t be fair to leave out the talent of Lee Loughridge and Tim Harkins. They all worked as a team – especially Ty and Rick, who seemed to work on the same level and brought out the best in storytelling.
Unfortunately, Ty Templeton experienced “editorial differences” throughout the years at DC. Perhaps it was frustration in the art quality of later issues of BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES, or a difference in opinion w/ Scott Peterson in how the Dark Knight is to be portrayed. Regardless, this lead to his decision to leave the title. Rick left as well – whose well deserved and long overdue vacation from DC was in order. Burchett worked on BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES, SUPERMAN ADVENTURES, BATMAN BEYOND, and GOTHAM ADVENTURES all in four years, without failing to maintain a distinct style in his artwork that was remarkably close to that of the animated series. His artwork also captured a stylistic creativity that no other artist can compare with, and is greatly missed in the pages of GOTHAM.
My point here is simply that this was storytelling at it’s best! The stories weren’t toned down for kid demographics, but written to be enjoyed by all fans! The artwork was elegant in it’s simplicity, and worked along the lines of the animated series. Also, Ty was able to create a continuity in the animated comics and showed character development throughout his work on GOTHAM! Fresh new storylines kept each issue exciting and unpredictable.
We then met two new and talented artists: Tim Levins and Craig Rousseau. Craig’s outstanding work led to a full time job on the new BATMAN BEYOND title, taking on after Rick Burchett and Joe Staton. Levins was given a full time job on GOTHAM, teamed with Scott Peterson. They introduced to us a new Batman. This is a Batman who fights fires, saves cats from trees, rescues threatened babies, and tucks in homeless people at night. No, this ain’t Superman. We’re talkin’ Batman. This is nothing like the Dark Batman brought to us by Bruce Timm! This is Peterson’s Bat. Not only does the Batman lose his edge, but this title becomes the campy show fans were afraid THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES television series would become. Multiple superhero shows never work, we’ve all seen SUPERFRIENDS. On the television series, there was only one time we saw all our heros in costume in one episode, and it is widely considered one of the worst episodes of Batman ever: CRITTERS. This episode proved that the bat-family concept simply doesn’t work, and yet in nearly every new issue we see the ever-campy “Bat-family”, together lounging in the Batcave drinking soda and eating apples. Batman’s interaction with Nightwing is as if there were no “lost years”, and everything is all hunky-dory.
Where there is room for potential character development, it is being completely ignored! Are we forgetting the the relationships between Tim/Dick, Dick/Babs, and even Babs/Bruce (as we’ve been hinted of on BATMAN BEYOND)? The original animated series has been canned, and there is now freedom for stories that make progress, rather than stories that return to the way it was last issue. Now we get stories about mind controlling breakfast cereal and evil hockey coaches! This is not living up the the tradition of well told Bat tales in the pages of Batman Adventures. The title has lost it’s sense of realism, and become the dreaded “kids comic”. On Levins’ artwork: need I say anything else? It hardly meets the standards of Parobeck, Rick Burchett or Brandon Kruse! In communicating with Craig Rousseau by email, he made a point that you need to work closely with the animation models from Warner Bros. Television Animation! Bruce Timm has perfected his L.O.D technique (light on dark) for Batman, and it isn’t even being used by Tim Levins! In a book based on an animated series, there is an obligation to obtain a look that coincides with the show. Levin’s Riddler looked nothing like the sleek, and strikingly scary character Rick Burchett accuratly interpreted. What Levins does excell at is his timing in his artwork, which is like none I’ve ever seen. It captures the pace of the animated series, giving it a storyboad-like feel. Tim Levins has a distinct artwork style, but its flaw is that it doesn’t tie to the TV show. Mr. Levins is a talented artist, but his work doesn’t capture the feel of the dark, brooding Batman of the animated series.
GOTHAM ADVENTURES must continue a legacy of great storytelling. This is our only source for DC animated comics, and we don’t want to lose it. Let DC know how you feel, and perhaps we could have an impact on the quality of these comics. Until then – who knows? Maybe Terry Beatty could get a shot at penciling for a while. I’ve seen his work – impressive, and he did an outstanding job on the leftover Joker issue (#31). And until we see Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s HARLEY & IVY miniseries, I’m sure there will be some major changes to GOTHAM ADVENTURES. Lets just hope that they are for the better!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Due to demand by some of our subscribers, we’ve decided to give a “Letters to the Editor” section a shot. Feel free to submit something you’d like to say to us, and each issue we’ll choose one to post and then reply to. (NOTE: It can be completely uncensored, positive OR negative, though any coarse language will be bleeped out. We want this to be a no-holds-barred column!)
Tim “Two-Face ” Leighton,
I was watching Batman Beyond yesterday, (February 28th), and I could not believe what I was hearing from the character of Barbara Gordon. She had admitted to not only being Batgirl to Terry, but she had also admitted to being Bruce/Batman’s mistress.
I think that what upsets me the most about that story line revelation from the so-called missing time between series’ is absolute drivel created by the writers. To even think that Bruce would allow something like that to even come into play between himself and one of his warriors is crazy – it’s almost like the President sleeping with a private in the military. Perhaps the commanding officer and one of his troops. I thought that something like that was something to not be touched. And I’m not just talking morally, it brings into the relationship that Batman/Bruce and Batgirl/Barbara had before they slept together.
I think that the writers really messed up on that. Unless you know of something about the eastern mind set that may allow something like that to happen. Bruce was also almost like a Master to his prodigy.
I just think that the ‘new’ story perk was absolutely un-necessary.
Patrick Patterson
hg64stu@semovm.semo.edu
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TWO-FACE’S SIDE OF THE COIN
You definately raise an interesting point, Patrick. The idea of Bruce Wayne dating Barbara Gordon, given the information we currently know about the situation, is absolutely absurd! Consider this:
1) The age thing (not a big deal, but there IS that 14 year gap between them)
2) Destroying or at least complicating their relationships with Commissioner Gordon.
Of course, Gordon doesn’t know Bruce and Batman are one in the same, so he wouldn’t see anything terribly wrong with his daughter dating a millionaire playboy; besides, Babs is a smart girl so he would trust that she wouldn’t get into trouble. However, within the minds of both Bruce and Barbara, this would make Gordon out to be a third wheel and would eventually complicate the already strained relationship.
3) Destroying their relationships with Nightwing.
Yeah, what do you think Dick would think of this? Even though, after becoming Nightwing, Bruce and Dick sorta patched things up, there is still a lot of animosity between those two. First, Dick, Tim, and even Alfred would think that with every move Bruce makes, he’d be subconsciously favouring Barbara in some way. Even moreso, Dick and Babs used to date (well, on and off) – it’s obvious that there is some type of more-than-friends bond between the two. To see Bruce destroy this aspect of Dick’s life would send him over the edge – again.
This said, it isn’t IMPOSSIBLE to rule such a thing out. Of course, at the moment, throw away lines and references to this relationship (such as in A TOUCH OF CURARE) seem like just that. Perhaps IF the second BATMAN BEYOND movie is greenlit we’ll see. It’s almost certain that if a second movie is made, it will feature prominently what had happened to Nightwing, and a situation like this could easily play apart in his final disbandment from the Bat-team. (Something so great, in fact, that Nightwing didn’t want anything to do with searching for Robin in the ROTJ flashbacks…hmmm…now I’m just starting to think up stories on my own here…)
At the moment I’d have to say that it’s outrageous to even conceive an idea of Bruce and Barbara being an item – how close they were doesn’t really matter at this point – but if the story of how this happened is ever written, perhaps it will make sense and will be acceptable.
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‘RETURN OF THE JOKER’ GIVEAWAY
WE NOW HAVE REVISED RULES! READ BELOW FOR MORE!
In trying to get people both more involved with the newsletter AND want to help them out at the same time, we’re offering anyone that participates in our NO MAN’S ISLAND column a chance to win unedited copies of RETURN OF THE JOKER.
The way it works is as follows: vote for the two characters you’d like to vote off the island. Of the characters that are being cast off or even nominated in that particular issue, we will randomly select one of these characters for our contest. Anyone who voted for this character will be entered into a draw, according to the e-mail address from which their ballot was recieved. Every issue, we will randomly select one e-mail address (from a hat, to make it fair) and that participant, if willing, wins a copy of the unedited movie!
You may vote for NO MAN’S ISLAND as often as you like, and are eligible to win once within each round.
If the selected winner for whatever reason declines, the will be another draw for that same week. The catch? The winner, if agreeing, must provide a tape and enough money to cover postage ($5 American) of the tape to and from their place of residence. There will be no extra profit for us at BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER (as that would be illegal) or anything. We just want to get this movie out to more people as it’s not going to be definately released on tape just yet.
NOTE: I am not promoting the act of bootlegging videos for profit, I am merely looking for the cost of the tape and postage, so fans will be able to view the movie as it was supposed to be.
That said, let’s get voting! (And make sure to read the NO MAN’S ISLAND section below.)
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NO MAN’S ISLAND
ROUND FOURTEEN
(the SURVIVOR rip-off…erm…homage)
(by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)
Poison Ivy reigned supreme as she effectively wiped out City Hall (Two-Face’s base of operations) and a number of the members in his Supa-Freakz gang. The Batsquad and GCPD continue their efforts in searching for Robin. The Joker and Catwoman are both on the loose, but everyone is clueless as to what their respective gameplans are.
…A WALTZ DOWN MEMORY LANE…
A WORD FROM THE CAST-AWAYS:
THE SCARECROW: “I got tossed out of the game and sent back to the slammer…oooo…I’m sooo scared…”
THE RIDDLER: “You’re all just…jealous of my…superior…intellect…this is a travesty, I tell you! A travesty! Siiiighhh…riddle me this…riddle me that…I’ve outa the game, hey, how about that?”
* * * * * * * * * *
“No…no, this can’t be…” Robin murmurred to himself; the Joker pranced over to his side and tore the mask off of the Boy Wonder’s face to give him a better view. He clasped his hands and rested his head on them to his side and smiled with glee as he looked Tim Drake’s terrified gaze and quivering jaw. Before him on a huge illuminated bulletin board were pinned newspaper clippings, glossy photos, dental records, and various other paraphanalia pertaining to his life.
“It’s such a gratifying feeling to finally get all your homework done,” the Joker mused, showing off his collection. Robin nearly shed a tear, he was so heart broken. “Oh geez, here come the waterworks,” the Joker sighed, “like, come on, disturbing as it very well may be – well, it IS – you gotta admit it’s IMPRESSIVE, right?” Robin stayed silent; the Joker frowned and tore a newspaper clipping off of the board that must have been about seven years old.
“This is about Batman…?”
“YES!!!!” The Joker hollared; he combed back his hair and rested his palm on his forehead, sighing. “God, I swear, each of you junior partners gets STUPIDER each time he hires you. He’s my – hobby. Think of him as Charlie Collins but on a far more INTIMATE scale.” Robin knew he’d heard that name before, somewhere from Batman’s files way back in the past.
“…intimate?”
“Yes but he never gives ME the light of day OR the dark of night because he has so many more people involved in his little life. I probably barely get a mention around the cave, right? Right. So, I’ve chosen to, one by one, eliminate everyone from his life so only he and I are left on this deserted island together.” He grinned; Robin sighed as the Joker rambled. “I swear, this godforsaken ‘reality TV’ game show was a god-send – what better way was there to isolate the two of us where we have the whole city to romp around in?? Imagine the fun!!!” The Joker noticed that Robin had turned his head away – be it to cover up nervous giggles or in just pure disgust, he didn’t care; he had to get little Timmy’s attention back somehow.
“This is where you come into the plan.” He showed Robin the clipping he’d pulled off of the wall; it was a rather famous picture of Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent shaking hands during the groundbreaking of Stonegate Pennitentiary a number of years before. “Ol’ Brucie’s best buddy in the whole world is still on this island – and it’s come to my understanding that you and good ol’ Harv have a bit of a history together.” He crouched down to breathe into Robin’s face. “Isn’t that right, baby?” He grinned and chuckled as Robin squinted his eyes in disgust and fear.
Batman, Batgirl, and Nightwing had all split up to search the downtown region of Gotham City for the whereabouts of Robin – the only sector of town left before they had to start from scratch all over again. Batgirl remained in Gotham Times Square north of City Hall, Nightwing acted more daring and delved into Poison Ivy’s territory, and Batman headed directly towards City Hall, with plans to check up with Gordon at the GCPD afterwards.
“Red, why did you come for me? Harvey was taking perfectly good care of me – I don’t know why you hate him so much, he can be such a sweetie.” Harley whined as per usual within Poison Ivy’s contemporary hideout, encased within her urban jungle; Ivy sighed.
“First one psycopath, then another – what is it with you falling for this deluded maniacs, Harl? I mean, honestly, who in Arkham ISN’T for you?”
Harley didn’t like Ivy’s tone; she stared at the ground and kicked at it aimlessly. “I dunno, Perfesser Crane isn’t my type – too skinny – he’s even skinnier than ME…”
“…and I figured you’d want to be on the winning team for once.” Ivy crawled over to Harley and wrapped her arms around her, cradling her. “I did this for you and me, baby. I’m so sorry that we had to part for so many weeks, but I had things to take care of.” She walked Harley to a window-like opening in her lair, allowing them a vantage point of Ivy’s territory which now covered about half the area of Gotham City, now with Two-Face’s Downtown sector under her control. “If I didn’t run off as I did, this Eden I created just for the two of us would have never come about.” Of course, Ra’s Al Ghul and Bane never knew of her secret agenda weeks ago when they were partners. But we digress…
“That’s really thoughtful of you, Pam…” Harley conceded almost sadly. “So now what?”
“Now,” Ivy said with a certain sultry glare in her eye, “we rest awhile.” Harley cocked her eyebrow nervously, and the curtain-like vines blew in the humid breeze.
“No Red, please…no…I told you already I don’t like that, I, I, I…have a HEADACHE…”
Nightwing arrived in Ivy’s sector just to run into this intimate encounter; he promptly left, thinking, oh god, even in Gotham, that sorta stuff is too weird…
As Batman made his way over to GCPD Headquarters, Catwoman intercepted him. “I was wondering when we’d finally run into each other again,” she said slyly; Batman grabbed her by the wrist, but she provided no resistance. “If this is still about that Huntress thing, let go of me. I didn’t do that.”
Batman grunted. “Then tell me who did.”
“Cobblepot and Bane did – just before the Iceburg Lounge was leveled I found this in Penguin’s office.” Catwoman revealed Huntress’ golden crucifix and handed it to Batman. “He confessed to me right before Ghul and Ivy showed up.”
Batman sighed. “Both Penguin and Bane are gone, so how can I believe you?” He inspected the crucifix, cleaing a smudge off of it with his thumb; deep down inside he felt Catwoman didn’t do this, but he couldn’t be absolutely sure. Yet.
“Trust, Batman,” Catwoman purred, pulled him closer to her face. “After everything we’ve been through over the years, I thought the least you’d be able to do is trust me.”
“Stop.” Batman pushed Catwoman away, grunting in half disgust as he saw her puckering up her lips.
“Fine. Well I have some more information for you, too, if you TRUST me,” she teased; Batman said nothing to stop her, so she continued. “I heard that your little Robin has gone astray. Don’t bother looking for him in Ivy’s sector or with Two-Face and Freeze – I’ve been keeping a watch over them and they don’t have him.” She spread out her fingers and inspected the back of her hand. “So, that leaves…”
“Oh God…” Batman mumbled silently; he had contemplated this development but had hoped that it hadn’t come about. He promptly jumped off the building and glided through the air towards GCPD headquarters with this news.
“HEY!” Catwoman called out, feeling slightly used. He didn’t even give her the chance to tell him about the plans she’d overheard of the Supa-Freakz waging war on the Batcave. Siiiigh…now she’ll have to intervene…again…
Catwoman pulled out her bullwhip and slashed it through the air; after it caught on something a block away, she swung down and made her way northbound, intent on saving the Batcave from the threat of Two-Face and Mr. Freeze, thereby regaining Batman’s affections and trust.
Commissioner Gordon was chowing down on his Kraft Dinner – the incredible, hardly edible Kraft Dinner – when Batman pushed open the window to his third storey apartment and entered. Gordon was sick of this – he always dropped by unannounced and never bothered to knock – so he would just pretend to not be scared out of his skin this time. “Yes?” he queried.
“Where’s Montoya?”
“Cleaning up. Man, if she keeps cooking like this I’ll-”
“-turn out looking like Harvey Bullock?” Montoya said slyly from the next room. Gordon laughed lightly.
Batman grinned for a moment and then got straight to business. “We have a lead on Robin. Take Montoya and meet me at Gotham Times Square in half an hour.” Gordon was about to speak up, but he was cut off. “It’s the Joker.” Gordon sighed and rubbed his forehead, muttering a profanity; Batman left without a word.
* * * * * * * * * *
AND AFTER A FOURTEENTH ROUND OF VOTING…
“So are we getting ANY closer? It seems like we’ve been walking forever,” Two-Face grunted as he made his way through Gotham Times Square.
“Just be patient,” Freeze retorted after a pause. Two-Face sighed and continued walking – until he walked so far he’d noticed that Freeze had stopped in his tracks.
“What now?” Two-Face sighed.
Freeze put up his hand to silence his partner; Two-Face perked up his ears and listened carefully. There WAS a noise coming from above; bit of rock crumbled from the ledges high over their heads. Two-Face took a step closer to Freeze but quickly dove out of the way as Freeze spun around and fired his gun; he had picked up the source of the noise. Geez, Two-Face thought; Victor’s really gotta stop doing that.
“Hehehe – missed me.” That familiar voice reverberated off through the empty concrete canyon.
“Do it again,” Two-Face commanded. Freeze did so on his initiative; the building froze and the area around it crumbled and smashed to the ground.
“Colder,” the Joker mused from his hiding place. Freeze shot again and again. “Colder and colder still! Then again, what else would I expect from you?” Freeze snarled and blasted right though the building; it shattered and the Joker tumbled out on a sheet of ice, onto the street twelve feet below. He staggered to his feet and put up his hands as Freeze aimed his gun at him. “WAIT!!!!” They both noticed he was holding a rather sturdy rope in his hands. “As the head diplomat of my peaceful nation of Jokerville I swear that I come in peace – and with a business proposition. Are you listening, Harvey, baby?”
Two-Face shook off his brief act of cowardice and stepped out from behind Freeze’s protective suit; he spat on the ground. “What do you want, Clown?”
“Only fitting that I should be in politics, eh Harv? Figured you’d know a thing or two about that.” No one seemede to be impressed by his barb, not even the Joker himself. “I gotta say I feel bad about everything that’s happened since this game has begun…like when we were battling for supremacy for that Supa-Freakz gang of yours. Remember? What about when I destroyed City Hall and framed the Ventriloquist for doing so? Or when I used your lucky coin in that vending machine for that kazoo I wanted. It drove everyone mad! Ha!” The Joker laughed at the fond memory. “Remember that, Harv?”
“Heh,” Two-Face grunted. This was getting boring.
“Anyway, this game is getting close to its end, and I wanted to go out with a bang. Here’s where YOU come in.” He grinned. “You give me all your weapons cache at City Hall and I give yoooooouuuu…” he tugged on the rope, and a bound-and-gagged Robin rolled out of the building, down the ramp of ice and onto the street, barely conscious. Two-Face grinned and cackled within his throat. Freeze looked on ominously; this didn’t interest him in the least.
“Da da da DAAAAAA!!!!” The Joker created his own fanfare as he placed a foot on Robin’s chest and his arms high above his head. “You’re lucky, Harv – Christmas came for you TWICE this year! And better yet…” he climbed off of his body and grabbed Robin by the head, “for no money down you get to see the poor sap’s secret identity – ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!!” He tore off the mask and smiled; Two-Face’s jaw dropped and he nearly coughed up a lung.
“D..Drake? Shifty Drake’s kid?? Is ROBIN?”
“Yup yup!” Joker began to formally introduce the two. “Two-Face, Timmy. Timmy, Two-Face.” He chuckled. “Sounds Just imagine the fun you can have with this boy – imagine what Brucie would think!”
“WHUH???” Two-Face spun around; Bruce? “What did you just say?”
“I…uh…erm, said BRUCE LEE, yes, Bruce Lee, ya know?” The Joker coughed. Geez – gotta keep that sanity in check, babe – can’t let him know too much right now.
Two-Face walked over to the boy and grinned. “At least we meet for a rematch, Boy Wonder.” He chuckled and cocked his gun, pressing it against Timmy Drake’s temple. The Joker grinned and rubbed his hands as he looked on; Mr. Freeze, on the other hand, blasted his gun high onto the rooftops again. Two-Face groaned. “What now? You hear a spider move again??”
“No,” Freeze stated coldly, “we have company.”
Batgirl swooped down from the rooftops out of the blue and smashed Freeze flatly in the chest; he staggered back a moment, which gave Batgirl the chance to run over in Robin’s direction. “Robin! Robin, are you alright?!”
Two-Face shot at the ground before Batgirl; she immediately froze. “Little Timmy’s still
breathing, if that’s what you mean.”
Batgirl staggered back; how did HE know his identity? A chill shot up her spine, but she couldn’t let that get to her now. She looked around, discovering she was bounded on all sides by Arkham’s deadliest: Mr. Freeze to her side, Two-Face in front of her, and the Joker behind. She stood over Robin’s beaten body, protecting it with her life; she hit a small button on her belt to reveal her present location to Batman and Nightwing, hoping they would reach her quicker this way.
She heard a noise behind her; she spun around and shot a batarang in that direction, hitting the Joker in the wrist. He dropped his gun and shrieked in his throat in pain. She heard Freeze get up and re-achieve his firm footing on the ground; she slung a bola in his direction to slow him down. Two-Face aimed his duo of handguns at her and grinned; she grinned back. “It’s just between you and me, Harvey.”
“FREEZE!!!!!” Commissioner Gordon burst around the corner with Rene Montoya in tow, right behind where the Mr. Freeze was standing.
“Dad!” Batgirl cheered in her head; maybe now it was going to be a fair fight.
“Montoya,” Two-Face sighed, looking a wee bit sheepish, “sorry we didn’t get together this time. I guess it just wasn’t in the gameplan, huh?”
“Stop it and drop it, Harvey,” Montoya insisted, aiming her gun at him from across the circle of people. “Let Robin and Batgirl go.”
“Or else?” the Joker chimed in, grinning, approaching her. She shot at him; the Joker flopped back and, almost in slow motion, let the bullet screech past his body and embed itself in the wall behind him. He followed up this action with the best Keanu Reeves impression he could muster. “Whoa.”
“Move again and the next one goes into your skull,” she warned. “I repeat, let Robin and Batgirl go.”
Ugh, this woman was turning out to be no fun, the Joker thought. So he promptly pulled a tiny pistol out of his jacket pocket and shot her in the face.
Montoya fell down; Gordon lunged to grab her; even Two-Face seemed angry – at least halfway so.
“Speak to me, Rene!” Gordon clutched her against his chest, mopping up her blood with his suit.
“It’s OK, Jim…it just…grazed my forehead…” – and she flopped back and drifted off into unconsciousness.
The Joker gasped; this was turning out better than expected! “Oooooo, now this is just too perfect, Commissioner…” he said, approaching Batgirl; she spun around and lunged at the Joker, but Two-Face grabbed her from behind around the neck, holding her still.
Gordon stepped past the uninvolved Mr. Freeze and commanded, “get away from her, the both of you.”
“Tsk, Tsk, not yet, or you’ll spoil my fun!” Joker cackled. Two-Face looked over Batgirl’s shoulder with an inquisitive glint in his left eye.
“Take one step closer to her and I swear to God…” Gordon threatened.
“Or what, Jimmy?” Two-Face grinned.
“No dad, don’t!”
Gordon stumbled back as Batgirl shouted out these words. Two-Face as well pulled back for a moment and looked at Batgirl’s face from the side. “Oh, you big party-pooper!” the Joker screamed as he punched Batgirl in the face; he promptly tore off her mask and presented her to his captive audience. “I present to you, Commissioner Jim Gordon, your one and only DAUGHTER!” Another punch, this time below the belt. “Come on! Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!”
“Barbara?” Gordon murmurred, knees shaking, eyes tearing.
“Don’t worry, Dad – I can handle this,” Batgirl groaned.
“Yeah…of course you can,” the Joker grinned, thereafter giving her another good pounding, in between kicks she managed to plant against his lanky frame.
Gordon fired a bullet into the air; it spiraled and the searing metal heat pierced through the Joker’s forearm with an inspiring splitting sound. “AAHHHH!!!” the Joker screamed; he inspected his new wound and growled. “You insult me, Gordon – that’s only a FLESH WOUND!” He lunged at Gordon like an animal; Gordon cocked his gun aiming it straight at Joker’s forehead but was cut off when the sound of two fired bullets exploded through the night air.
Two-Face stood above Batgirl’s slumped body and stared directly at Gordon. “That was for old times, Jimbo. Too shots to the head. If you ask me, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer girl.” She collapsed on the ground with the holes in her head to prove his words.
The Joker grinned. “Heh. It’s not exactly shooting through the spine, but…”
Gordon cried. “You monster…”
“FREEZE!” Two-Face hollered. Mr. Freeze immediately got into action and blasted a wall of ice between Gordon and them; Two-Face quickly picked up Robin and charged down the street as quickly as possible, with Freeze in tow.
The Joker quickly scrambled to his feet and ran in the opposite direction, laughing all the way.
Commissioner Gordon remained behind with Montoya and his daughter, completely lost.
* * * * * * * * * *
ROUND FOURTEEN
Kicked Off:
RENE MONTOYA (29.7%)
BATGIRL (14.1%)
Those whom you DID vote for, but they’re still hanging around:
POISON IVY (14.1%) (she got the same amount of votes as Batgirl, but the coin toss was in her
favour)
ROBIN (9.4%)
MR. FREEZE (6.3%)
COMMISSIONER GORDON (4.7%)
HARLEY QUINN (4.7%)
CATWOMAN (3.1%)
TWO-FACE (3.1%)
NIGHTWING (3.1%)
BATMAN (3.1%)
THE JOKER (3.1%)
ALFRED (1.6%)
And now, here’s our up-to-date list of our remaining contenders:
BATMAN
ROBIN
NIGHTWING
ALFRED
COMMISSIONER GORDON
THE JOKER
CATWOMAN
TWO-FACE
POISON IVY
MR. FREEZE
HARLEY QUINN
* * * * * *
Congratulations to our subscriber at Christine E. Wakim for winning an unedited copy of RETURN OF THE JOKER! Now don’t forget to vote, the rest of you!
E-mail juno@dccnet.com with your votes of the TWO you’d like to see cast off. Remember, we need TWO choices! (I stress that again. TWO!)
PS – Voting for this issue closes at midnight (PST) on March 16, 2001.
___________________________________________________________________
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! (Mwuhahaha!) 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.
THE BASICS
(if you don’t know this stuff, how can you call yourself a Bat-fan?)
511. Garfield Lynns criminal alias is…?
Answer: ______________
512. Batman’s flying vehicle is known as…?
A: Bat-hand-glider
B: Batplane
C: Batwing
D: Batcopter
E: Bat-Gyro
513. Who refers to Batman as “beloved”?
Answer: ______________
514. “The Adventures of Batman & Robin” debuted in what year?
A: 1990
B: 1991
C: 1992
D: 1993
E: 1994
515. What is the name of Alfred’s niece?
Answer: ______________
_____________________________________________________________________
AND THESE ARE OUR FINAL ANSWERS (to the trivia)
Answer to #511: FIREFLY
Answer to #512: C
Answer to #513: TALIA
Answer to #514: E
Answer to #515: He does NOT have a niece mentioned on the show, and please, never, ever, EVER mention or even make reference to that…particular…movie (name withdrawn) ever again!
_____________________________________________________________________
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, STAS and BEYOND countless times. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to do so! Enjoy!
CONTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
Alas, we have nothing. Again!
CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
(by “Adam Weatherby”)
1) In the episode “Sins of the Father”, Tim Drake first sees the Robin suit in the Batcave, and it is next to the little explosion balls. Later Tim Drake looks at the suit again, but this time it’s high up on a ledge and it’s not next to any little explosion balls.
____________________________________________________________________
FIGURE THIS OUT!
(by Marc Rosenzweig)
Yep, you may remember Mr. Rosenzweig as our exclusive scooper at ToyFair 2001 from a few issues ago. Well, he’s back with a semi-regular column all about figures and other bits of Bat-merchandise! Enjoy!
* * * *
While looking through my desk to make space for my newest Toy Fair catologs and photo discs, I pulled out a folder from last years show. In it were all my Digital camera 3.5 inch floppies with photos of the different showrooms I visit during my Millenium venture. I couldn’t resist, so I dropped in the photo floppies I shot at Hasbro’s Millenium Showroom. Guess what I found? Do you remember my 1st article I mentioned the Stalker figure was prototyped but never released? Well I found the photos of their original design. So for your viewing pleasures click on the link below to view this awesome anti-hero that would have made an instant hit off the toy shelves.
http://www.geocities.com/twofacetower4/Stalker.jpg
Now, heres something I didn’t catch last year. The skateboarding Terry Fig currently released in this year’s Mission Masters 3 assortment. Well, they actually had him prototyped and viewed at the 2000 show too. I didn’t remember seeing it but the proof is in the photo.
http://www.geocities.com/twofacetower4/Skatebrd.jpg
Here is another figure I found in the array of mass photos I snapped and got this Beauty taken…I don’t know which Batman it’s supposed to be, Bruce or Terry, but it’s a wicked- looking figure none the less! Check out the full body shot with the wings that looks like they came right off of the very first TOTAL JUSTICE SUPERMAN figure. Then check out the close up of the lucent plastic face. Its kind of eerie!!!!
http://www.geocities.com/twofacetower4/Unknown1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/twofacetower4/Unknown2.jpg
Now, since Hasbro released the Skateboarding Terry, maybe we will see this Stalker figure. For those of you with a hankering to get your hands on this great hero, send us your first and last name, State/Province and country you live in and an e-mail address so that we may forward them on to Hasbro in petition for the release of the Anti-Hero Stalker figure!
Oh, and there’s also a BATMAN BEYOND Batcycle figure I managed to snap a picture of. Interestnig, huh?
http://www.geocities.com/twofacetower4/BBCycle.jpg
Thanks for reading!
-Marc
____________________________________________________________________
COMIC REVIEWS
(BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)
(BATMAN BEYOND by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)
(SUPERMAN ADVENTURES by Dick Grayson)
BATMAN BEYOND
ISSUE: “Stepping Forward” (#35)
WRITTEN BY: Scott Peterson
PENCILS: Tim Levins
INKS: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: February 7, 2001 (Cover date May 2001)
RATING: ***** (out of 5 stars)
was absolutely amazing! I know I’ve said this about, like, the last six or seven issues of this series but I wholeheartedly mean it. This series definately deserves more recognition. It is NOT simply a “kid’s book” – though the stories and art is a lot more streamlined than the mainstream books, the themes are just as deep.
It’s great to see Bruce Wayne star in an issue instead of Batman – especially when he’s been given jury duty! Of course, he doesn’t want to – and he shouldn’t be, as he knows of the crime before hand. (I swear, admitting that he was Batman was priceless! Then again, it also shows that, after all his bending of the rules, Batman does still play by the book.)
The variation between the daytime court sessions and the night patrol with Robin made for good contrast – we see two different, yet similar opinions on the whole situation: one from Bruce, one from Batman. The manner in which he convinced the rest of the jury to unanimously vote with him and confront the criminal at the end was perfect – I think that, if Bruce’s past weren’t so tragic, he could’ve grown up to be a very successful lawyer, just as the man at the end implies. (The reference to Harvey Dent was nice, too – that’s like a whole other story Peterson can write a couple issues down the line!)
This issue was absolute perfection, from Peterson’s terrifically deep but simple story to Levins’ and Beatty’s artwork. Don’t change a thing with this title, guys – don’t mess withsomething this good!
;-Y
______________________________________________________________
COMIC SCHEDULES & COVERING THE BASICS
This section gives a little bit more in-depth look into each monthly issue of BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES and BATMAN BEYOND. Below each comic listing is a link to the cover of that comic. TALK ABOUT SERVICE!
The price for any of these issues, unless otherwise posted, is $1.99 in the US and…grrrrr…a whopping $3.25 (or higher) in Canada. (Both our editors and many subscribers are Canadian, hence the “grrr”.)
If we are unsure of the exact date of when an issue is being released, just check out “DIRECT CURRENTS” at http://www.dccomics.com for details.
-BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #36
March 7th
Synopsis: Superman is tracking down a Metropolis mobster who’s hiding out in Gotham, but he needs the help of Gotham’s hometown hero on his search!
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages249711.jpg
FOLLOWING MONTH:
April 4th.
Written by Scott Peterson; art by Tim Levins and Terry Beatty; cover by Bob Smith and Beatty While attempting to save a damsel in distress, Batman finds himself facing the Joker and the Penguin. But something is not quite right…because Batman is missing! Robin and Nightwing cannot find their mentor anywhere and they fear the worst. Will Batman face defeat before Robin and Nightwing can uncover his whereabouts? All is not what it seems in this issue!
Cover: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/Apr04/bmga37.html
BATMAN BEYOND #19
March 28th
Synopsis: Ma Mayhem’s boys, Carl and Slim, have just busted their dear old Ma out of jail so they can spend some time with her – oh, and perhaps plan a kidnapping or two! This dysfunctional family is up to no good, and it`s up to Batman to put an end to their family reunion!
FOLLOWING MONTH:
March 28th
Written by Jason Hernandez-Rosenblatt; art by Craig Rousseau and Rob Leigh; cover by Brian Stelfreeze
Synopsis: Terry comes across a childhood friend who has started to run with the wrong crowd, specifically the gang known as the Jokerz. Can Terry keep his old friend from going down the wrong path and beginning a life of crime – or is this a job for Batman?
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages256686.jpg
_____________________________________________________________________
NEWS AND RUMORS
ALL-ENCOMPASSING/OTHER
-The following artists are selling artwork on eBay. The following are their names and Seller
ID’s:
Terry Beatty: beatty@machlink.com
Craig Rousseau: cerousseau
Tim Levins: tlevins
Min S. Ku: min3000gt
-HBO will show 1966’s Batman movie on Monday, March 12 at 6:45 a.m.
ANIMATED SERIES (BTAS, STAS, BEYOND, JLA)
-BATMAN BEYOND moves to a new weekday timeslot on KidsWB – 7am.
-Be a sport and go sign the following petition to get episodes of BTAS released on DVD!
http://www.123petitions.com/cgi-bin/system/sign1.cgi?id=bbeyond@yahoo.com$8
-Also, we have a petition you could sign if you’d like to see BATMAN BEYOND move over to the Cartoon Network:
http://www.123petitions.com/sign.cgi?id=SatrinnZ@aol.com$3
-Each JLA episode is set to be one hour long; 26 have been ordered for the first season. Whoa! That’s a helluva lot!
-The first story of the series revolves around Green Lanter John Stewart, which is based on an old Hal Jordon story where he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, leading to chaos.
ANIMATED COMICS
-In a chat conducted with Tim Levins, he has confirmed that the following villains will all be showing up in GOTHAM ADVENTURES over the next few issues: the Joker and the Penguin (), Talia, the Riddler, the Mad Hatter (finally!) and a solo Harley story.
-BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #37
Written by Scott Peterson; art by Tim Levins and Terry Beatty; cover by Bob Smith and Beatty
In stores April 4. While attempting to save a damsel in distress, Batman finds himself facing the Joker and the Penguin. But something is not quite right…because Batman is missing! Robin and Nightwing cannot find their mentor anywhere and they fear the worst. Will Batman face defeat before Robin and Nightwing can uncover his whereabouts? All is not what it seems in this issue!
Cover: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/Apr04/bmga37.html
-BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #38
Written by Scott Peterson; art and cover by Bob Smith and Terry Beatty
In stores May 2. Robin and Batgirl track down a ski-masked criminal who is targeting middle-aged males and sending them to the hospital. But what connection does this have to little-league hockey games?
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages260083.jpg
-BATMAN BEYOND #20
Written by Jason Hernandez-Rosenblatt; art by Craig Rousseau and Rob Leigh; cover by Brian Stelfreeze
Terry comes across a childhood friend who has started to run with the wrong crowd, specifically the gang known as the Jokerz. Can Terry keep his old friend from going down the wrong path and beginning a life of crime — or is this a job for Batman?
FC, 32 pg. $1.99
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages256686.jpg
-BATMAN BEYOND #21
Written by Hilary Bader; art by Rick Burchett and Dan Davis; cover by Brian Stelfreeze
In stores May 30. The Justice League Unlimited make their comic-book debut! One of the most popular episodes of the Batman Beyond cartoon show featured a futuristic version of the JLA – the Justice League Unlimited – and now they appear for the first time in the BATMAN BEYOND comic-book! Batman teams up with the JLU in a high-voltage adventure as they battle a new villain called Blacklight!
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages260082.jpg
OTHER COMICS
-In May, the final issue of the current CATWOMAN line comes out – .
-Greg Rucka says that in May, June, and July, a 3-part Mad Hatter story will be featured in one of the Batman titles (I presume in ‘TEC, written by Rucka himself).
-LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #142-145 features a four-part “The Demon Laughs” storyline where Ra’s Al Ghul seeks the Joker’s assistance to obliterate Batman and take over the world (and so forth).
Cover of part 1: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/Apr04/covers/down/dlodk142.jpg
Cover of part 2: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages260072.jpg
-BATMAN #590: the third part in the Batman/Matches Malone Vs. Scarface tale.
Cover: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/Apr11/covers/down/dbm590.jpg
-DETECTIVE COMICS #758: Crooked cops run amuck in Gotham this May.
Cover: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/Apr18/covers/down/dtec757.jpg
-BATGIRL #15: It looks like the Joker makes an appearance in this issue – and Batgirl falls victim to him.
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages256684.jpg
-CATWOMAN #93: Catwoman and the Scarecrow clash again
http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages256688.jpg
-HARLEY QUINN #7: Harley and the Quintettes vs. the Riddler and his gang!
-HARLEY QUINN #8: A plt against Harley is formed, and we learn more about her college years.
-The fifth and final tradepaperback reprinting the NO MAN’S LAND saga (featuring the entrance of Lex Luthor and rampage of the Joker in SHELLGAME and ENDGAME) will be available in March 2001.
Cover: http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/Batman/Images/BatmanImages249715.jpg
MOVIES
-For videos of the cut scenes from the edited ROTJ video, go here:
http://4colorreview.simplenet.com/reviews/return_of_the_joker/return_of_the_joker.shtml
-Paul Dini is pondering ideas for a second BATMAN BEYOND direct-to-video movie, but nothing, repeat, NOTHING has been greenlit by the studio just yet.
*BATMAN: YEAR ONE (BATMAN 5) NEWS:
-Darren Aronofsky has just confirmed that official, proper work has begun on Batman 5.
-YEAR ONE will be set in the 1970’s.
-Antonio Sabato, Jr., has announced that he would love to play Batman in a movie. Read the article here: http://www.fandom.com/batman/editorial.asp?action=page&obj_id=257865#
-Two names are being thrown about as being offered the role of the young Bruce Wayne/Batman for Aronofsky’s YEAR ONE movie: Jared Leto and Aaron Eckhart.
-Jack Nicholson IS still interested in doing another Bat-film if he were ever asked by the WB, who can’t seem to get around the fact that his character died in the first movie.
-Read an interview with Darren Aronofsky here:
http://www.fandom.com/batman/editorial.asp?action=page&obj_id=248753
*BATMAN BEYOND: LIVE ACTION NEWS:
-Paul Dini is currently writing his first draft for the live-action Batman Beyond film.
*BATMAN BEYOND: THE FOURTH ANIMATED MOVIE
-A confidential source brings us this, via THE WORLD’S FINEST NEWSPAGE:
I can’t tell you where I got this. But the next Batman Beyond cartoon will be a movie. This will be the last of Batman Beyond cartoon. There’s a BIG chance their will be another season. But DON’T COUNT on it. The next animated movie might go to theaters! Not a VHS/DVD release like ROTJ. This is will be the final episode movie that wraps every thing up. All those loose ends from both Bruce’s past and Terry will be wrapped up. This will also be the last story of a one of the world’s greatest superheroes.
*CATWOMAN
-Yep, you heard it! A new script for the long-procrastinated CATWOMAN movie has surfaced with a Nov 2000 cover date.
-Batman has yet to officially have a cameo appearance.
-It looks like this Catwoman won’t even be named Selina Kyle…what’s up with that?
LIVE ACTION TELEVISION
-Remember the WB show based on Clark Kent’s teen life that was going to be made? It still is – and they’ve officially titled it “Smallville”. The lead role of the 15 year old Clark will be played by Tom Welling; the WB has already order 13 episodes of the series for the Fall of 2001.
For some pictures of welling, check here:
http://www.louisa-models.com/sed_cards_men/tom_welling.htm
-In related news, Kristin Kruek has been pegged to play Lana. For a pic of her, go here:
http://www.fandom.com/multimedia/SmilinJackRuby/Reviews/SmilinJackRubyReviews258324.jpg
-Clark will have a run-in with Lex Luthor in the pilot episode.
-Michael Rosenblum will play the young Luthor, and John Schneider will play Jonathan Kent.
-Proudction of this series is set to begin in Vancouver, BC, Canada, on March 8, 2001.
EXCLUSIVE INTERNET ENDEAVOURS:
-More “Gotham Girls” episodes are on the way! Paul Dini has already scripted a Catwoman/Zatanna team-up, and it looks like Hilary Bader will be writing a number of other ones, too.
TOYS, BOOKS, AND OTHER MERCHANDISE
-SPECIAL EDITION DVDs of all four live-action Batman movies (BATMAN, BATMAN RETURNS, BATMAN FOREVER, BATMAN & ROBIN) will be for sale by this Christmas! Included on these DVDs (particularly BATMAN and BATMAN FOREVER) will be additional footage, trailers, behind the scenes info, and more!!!!! We’ll keep you posted!
-WARNER BROS. STUDIO STORES are closing at the end of April 2001; this is somehow due to the merger between AOL and TIME WARNER a number of months ago. Bigger stores (such as in Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, New York) will stay open longer, but will ultimately be shutting down. Thanks to “Grimm Doomm” in Columbus, OH, for this unfortunate news.
-A new Joker figure, entitled “Terrorcast Joker” has popped up; it’s basically a repaint of the Machine Gun Joker figure released in ’96.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=562115955
-WARNER BROS. HOME VIDEO had this to say about episodes of BTAS being released on DVD:
“Don’t be surprised to see some DVDs and VHSs containing episodes and new (!) material when the next BATMAN film is released.”
-Two prints by ALEX ROSS will be out for sale by DC Direct on March 7, 2001. One will be the picture seen on the cover of BATMAN: HARLEY QUINN (from Aug 99), and the other will be the one used by WIZARD magazine, featuring Batman being surrounded by 10 of Arkham’s worst inmates. Both are 10″ x 13″.
-BATMAN: OVERDRIVE, the new BTAS-based game for PSX and N64, puts you in the driver’s seat of the Batmobile, Batcycle, and many other Bat-vehicles. You even get to play as any of the villains, should you desire to do so! It features (in no particular order), the Joker, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, Two-Face, Clayface, Poison Ivy, the Scarecrow, Killer Croc, the Penguin, the Mad Hatter, the Ventriloquist/Scarface, Calendar Girl, Roxie Rockett, Firefly, Catwoman, and Bane. Go to the following link to see some shots of the villain lineup, some shots of Batman persuing the Joker, and the exit to the Batcave.
http://www.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/driving/batov_uk/preview.html
-BATMAN: TOTAL CHAOS will be available for Game Boy Colour later this year. It is based on the NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES style (BTAS), and allows you to play as either Batman or Batgirl vs. Two-Face, Bane, Poison Ivy, and the Joker (among others) over 18 levels. (Judging by the pics I’ve seen, you’ll also encounter Mr. Freeze, the Penguin, and maybe even Killer Croc.)
SPECIAL NOTE
For more BATMAN, SUPERMAN, AND BEYOND news throughout the week, check out the WORLD’S FINEST NEWS PAGE at:
http://www.geocities.com/bbeyond/news.html
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FEATURED BAT-SITE FOR THIS ISSUE
(feel free to submit your own for our consideration)
???
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ANIMATED BATMAN/SUPERMAN SITES:
Wow, our links section has grown so big that we’ve had to eliminate it from the newsletter! Fear not, you can still find all these links at the WORLD’S FINEST NEWSPAGE, if you follow this link…that’s hypocracy for ya!
http://www.toonzone.net/worldsfinest/worldsfinestpage/linkpage.htm
NEWSGROUPS
—–
news:alt.comics.batman
news:alt.animation.batman
news:alt.comics.superman
news:rec.arts.sf.superman
news:alt.tv.cartoon-network
news:rec.arts.animation
news:alt.animation.warner-bros
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QUESTIONS, SUBMISSIONS, AND FAN-MAIL
If you have any questions, problems, links do not work, or anything else, then please e-mail this address with your problems and we’ll try to fix them as soon as possible. Also if you’d like to send any fan-mail then please send it to this address:
juno@dccnet.com
As for submissions, feel free to submit an article or opinion on anything pertaining to BTAS. Keep in mind that as the editors, we have the right to edit your submissions if we deem it necessary. Such instances would include problems with length, grammar, and language. If we do feel we must edit something, however, we will do our utmost to ensure that the opinion and the basic message of the submission does not change, as that is the most important part of any article, and everyone is entitled to it. And if you do submit something, please don’t just submit a basic review of an episode or a comic or something (because we have people writing for those purposes already) – write about an issue you’d like to discuss.
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BATMAN: THE ANIMATED ARCHIVES
The very kind people at TOONZONE were nice enough to give us our own little section of their huge and diverse website. The archive contains past newsletters and is semi-regularly updated with the latest one. To check it out go here:
TOONZONE’s BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
http://www.toonzone.net/news/btan
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LIKE WHAT YA SEE? WANNA SUBSCRIBE? HERE’S HOW!!!
For those of you who are seeing this at the WBC HOMEPAGE BTAN ARCHIVES section and want to subscribe, just follow these simple instructions:
To subscribe email juno@dccnet.com, put SUBSCRIBE in the subject line, and put the e-mail address you’d like the newsletter to be sent to in the body of the message.
For more information about the newsletter just email juno@dccnet.com
Thank you for your time, and thanks for reading! Tell your friends!
-Tim TWO-FACE Leighton and Dick Grayson, editors
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TO ALL GOOD THINGS…
…there must be an end. We would like to thank the endless amount of contributors for contributing their editorials, columns, news, jokes, reviews and other articles. We hope you’ve all enjoyed it as much as we’ve enjoyed making it! Thank you for reading! See ya next time!
CREDITS FOR BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER
EDITOR AT COLLEGE, NOT IN A DORM: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
EDITOR AT COLLEGE, BUT IN A DORM: “Dick Grayson”
AIR DATE SCHEDULES: Brian Cruz, KTLA.com, and YTV.com
EPISODE REVIEWS: Zanna/Justin Chen, and occasionally Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
EDITORIAL: Help Wanted
COMIC REVIEWS: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton, Dick Grayson
NO MAN’S ISLAND: SURVIVAL IN GOTHAM: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
‘RETURN OF THE JOKER’ GIVEAWAY: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
FIGURE THIS OUT: Marc Rosenzweig
“BTAN ARCHIVES” MODERATOR: Eileen Delgadillo
TRIVIA: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
PROMOTIONS AND JUST GETTIN’ THE WORD AROUND: Dick Grayson, Eileen Delgadillo, Brian Cruz, Brian
Davis
THOSE WHO FILL IN FOR OTHERS WHEN THEY FOUL UP:-Y Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
DELIVERY: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
E-MAIL RECEPTION HANDLING: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
THE CREATION OF THIS NEWSLETTER INSPIRED BY: Alan J. Porter
BATMAN CREATED BY: Bob Kane & Bill Finger (who else?)
Batman and all related indicia are trademarks of DC Comics, Copyright c 2001.
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-AND DON’T FORGET THE KEVIN CONROY INTERVIEW NEXT ISSUE!!!