Matt Reeves’ The Batman is only a few weeks away. Starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, the Caped Crusader, the film is said to embrace the detective aspect of Batman’s character in a way previous live-action films have not.
Reeves has spoken of the influence that Batman: The Animated Series has had on his upcoming film, and praised the cartoon show from the 90s for its voice acting, tone, and more. This is the most beloved Batman animated series, and arguably rightfully so, as Reeves’ praise is well-placed. However, there have been other cartoon series centered on The Dark Knight, including The Batman (2004). This series is incredibly underrated, with a great art style, stories, and unique takes on characters (and a great theme song as well). Now’s the perfect time to revisit the series.
As stated, The Batman (2004) features most of the classic characters from the comics, but often with a unique spin or take on these heroes or villains. A prime example of this is the Riddler, played by Paul Dano in the new live-action film. In this animated series, the Riddler is radically different in his design than any previous incarnation of the character. In the new film, Dano’s version also looks different, with more of a Zodiac killer style look rather than the green suit and question marks that the Riddler often wears in the comics.
Still, this cartoon Riddler’s design is even more radical than the version in the upcoming film, with long hair and a unique ripped shirt. Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger, voiced the Riddler in this series, again a deviation from what the character usually is, as he’s often depicted as a higher-voiced, fast talking methodical villain. Some fans are still not convinced by this version of the character, but like it or loath it, it’s certainly incredibly unique and worth a watch.
Arguably the most radically redesigned character was Batman’s most famous villain, the Joker. Mark Hamill voiced the character in the animated series from the 90s, and the writing, visuals, and voice of the character proved to be extremely accurate to the comic book source material. It’s certainly a hard thing to follow up, yet The Batman (2004) took a bold route that ultimately paid off. The Joker has long hair in this version, sporting dreadlocks with his wide smile. He also had bright red eyes, and glowing yellow teeth.
The Joker was also different in how he acted. He was still the menacing, evil clown, of course, but he was more unpredictable than before. This was a unique and subtle change that looks like it could have influenced Jared Leto’s version of the character, who similarly was unpredictable and more menacing when he appeared a few years later.
Despite this, the series also features classic takes on famous characters, such as with the title character. Batman is visually excellent in this series, equip with a grey suit and yellow and black symbol. Rino Romano provided the voice for the character and did an excellent job, despite the immense pressure he was under after following up the iconic performance of Kevin Conroy as Batman. Robin and other members of the Bat family also appear, and are well done too. All of these highlight the blend of old and new in this series, making it a unique and fresh show that deserves to be revisited prior to the release of The Batman.
Despite its name, this series also featured a large ensemble cast that included the Justice League and some broader DC villains. A particularly memorable example of this is a two-episode arc in which Batman and Superman came together for the first time in this show, and the writers did a great job of showing the two’s dynamic and initial friction, something to be expected with the coming together of two great heroes. Lex Luthor takes control of Superman’s mind in the second episode, leading to Batman and Gotham City needing to line up to stop him. It’s a Batman v Superman style arc that fans will enjoy for the first time or revisiting it.
The last episode of the series is another great reason to revisit. Many members of the Justice League that possess powers, like Superman and Wonder Woman, are kidnapped, and the only heroes left are those who are more human: Batman and Green Arrow. It’s a purposely unbalanced matchup that pits Batman against powerful enemies, needing to use his brain and smarts to rescue his friends rather than rely on them.
Batman is a beloved character yet is often the subject of jokes about his lack of powers, and this story is one that will be of great interest to those who enjoy partaking in debates such as this. Batman doesn’t have the powers that Superman has, but he is a selfless leader who knows what to do in tough times such as this. It makes Batman all the more heroic, and was a fitting finale for the series. Many shows often don’t end on a particular high note, with some having downright unfitting and disappointing conclusions. The Batman (2004) isn’t one of those.
With The Batman coming out next month, now could be the time for fans of DC’s most famous hero to revisit this relatively forgotten yet highly enjoyable animated series.
The Batman is in theaters March 4.