Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American cartoon series based in part on the DC Comics "team-up" series The Brave and the Bold. Like the comic series, it features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain, but like the original comic series (and unlike the current one), the cartoon focuses on Batman working with the different heroes. The series debuted on November 14, 2008 on Cartoon Network.[1]

The series marked the first appearance of the new Warner Bros. Animation logo featuring a 1940s-stylized Bugs Bunny mascot.

Overview

Each episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold features main character Batman teaming up with other characters from the DC Universe to thwart villains or solve crimes. Beginnings usually have a small introduction and are usually not related to the remainder of the episode, apart from the regular appearances and reappearances of a villain who will figure prominently in episodes to come. In the first season, the villain was Equinox; in the second and current season, the villain is the alien Starro.

The show is split into two parts: A small adventure right before the theme song, and the main adventure right after that, similar to The Batman. The show's creator has said that if a character's guest appearance in the teaser is deemed successful, then it may warrant exploring the character further in a future episode's main adventure.

The show has no overarching story, instead having most episodes stand alone. The show is lighter in tone than previous Batman series, depicting the Dark Knight as more lighthearted and playful with a "dry, ironic wit." The show even features various references to the campy 1960s Batman TV series.

While the tone is lighter, the series has touched on the subject of death which includes retelling the murder of Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne at the hands of Joe Chill, the death of the Silver Age Blue Beetle, the assassination of Boston Brand, the death of the first Black Canary, the execution of "Gentleman" Jim Craddock, the self-sacrifice and death of B'wana Beast, Professor Milo being devoured by rats after being transformed into cheese by the Spectre, the sacrifice and death of the Doom Patrol, the multiple, repetitive deaths of Batman in the episode "Emperor Joker!", and the death and sacrifice of G.I. Robot in "The Plague of the Prototypes!". The tone of the series was addressed in an episode of the show itself, when Bat-Mite broke the fourth wall to read out this missive from one of the show's creators:

"Batman's rich history allows him to be interpreted in a multitude of ways. To be sure, this is a lighter incarnation, but it's certainly no less valid and true to the character's roots than the tortured avenger crying out for mommy and daddy."

Show creators have chosen to go with "lesser known" characters. In many instances, the characters are those that were repeatedly teamed with Batman in the 1970s run of the Brave and the Bold comic book, such as Green Arrow, Wildcat, Plastic Man, and even the Joker; thus, the characters have a look and feel akin to their Silver Age incarnations. Batman's five most frequent recurring partners are Blue Beetle III, Plastic Man, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, and Aquaman.[citation needed] While the show has featured major heroes such as the Green Lantern and the Flash, it consistently focuses on the lesser-known individuals to have carried the names, such as Guy Gardner and Jay Garrick, rather than the more popular, better known Hal Jordan or Barry Allen, until Barry appeared in the second season episode "A Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!" (though this episode centers around Kid Flash and Jay Garrick), while Hal appeared in the first season episode "The Eyes of Despero!".

Additionally, Batman's alter ego of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne did not appear as an adult during the series in situations where Batman was unmasked. His face was kept hidden until the season 2 episode "Chill of the Night!" when Batman finally confronts Joe Chill.

It was announced at the San Diego Comic Con 2010 that Batman: The Brave and the Bold will end after season three. Work has begun on a new Batman animated series, set to return the character to a more serious tone.

Comic book
In January 2009, the first issue of Batman: the Brave and the Bold was released. The comic book follows the same format as the show, starting off with a brief story unrelated to the rest of the issue. Several authors have contributed to the comic book series, including Matt Wayne, J. Torres and Landry Walker.

Some of the DC characters appearing in the comic have yet to appear in the show, or can't appear at all due to legal reasons. Unlike the cartoon, the comic book tie-in doesn't share the limitations on which characters can be used.[citation needed]

The Batman: The Brave and the Bold comic series is due to begin selling in the UK on 11 March 2010 and will be published by Titan Magazines.

Principal cast

* Diedrich Bader - Batman, Kilowog, Ace, Owlman, Solomon Grundy, Punch, Gorilla Boss
* Corey Burton - Red Tornado, Silver Cyclone, Thomas Wayne (in "Invasion of the Secret Santas"), False-Face, Doctor Mid-Nite, Dr. William Milton Magnus, Mercury, Chancellor Gor-Zonn, General Zahl, Killer Moth
* John DiMaggio - Aquaman, Gorilla Grodd, Tiger Soldier, Typhon, Enemy Ace, Ubu, Faceless Hunter, Black Adam, Black Mask, Taboo
* Will Friedle - Blue Beetle/Jaime Reyes, Scarlet Scarab
* Tom Kenny - Plastic Man, Baby Face
* James Arnold Taylor - Green Arrow, Blue Bowman, Green Lantern/Guy Gardner, Major Disaster, Wotan, Nabu, Mark Desmond, Arges, Leslie "Rocky" Davis, Alpha-Red

Special guest cast

* Edoardo Ballerini - Vulture, Jack
* Xander Berkeley - Sinestro
* Clancy Brown - Per Degaton, Rohtul
* Mindy Cohn - Velma Dinkley
* Jeffrey Combs - Kite Man
* Kevin Conroy - Batman of Zur-En-Arrh,[13] Phantom Stranger
* Tim Conway - Weeper
* Olivia d'Abo - Elasti-Girl
* Diane Delano - Big Barda
* Dana Delany - Vilsi Vaylar
* Michael Dorn - Bane,[14] Kru'll the Eternal
* Greg Ellis - Gentleman Ghost, Doctor Fate, Cavalier, Dr. Canus, Hawk, Shrapnel, Thomas Wayne (in "Dawn of the Deadman!")
* R. Lee Ermey - Wildcat
* Oded Fehr - Equinox
* Ellen Greene - Mrs. Manface
* Ioan Gruffudd - Blue Beetle Scarab, Matthew "Red" Ryan
* Mark Hamill - Spectre
* Neil Patrick Harris - Music Meister
* Tippi Hedren - Hippolyta
* John Michael Higgins - Riddler
* William Katt - Hawkman
* Wallace Langham - Ocean Master
* Loren Lester - Green Lantern/Hal Jordan
* Vicki Lewis - Wonder Woman
* Matthew Lillard - Shaggy Rogers
* Carl Lumbly - Tornado Champion/Tornado Tyrant
* David McCallum - Merlin
* Andy Milder - Flash/Jay Garrick
* Phil Morris - Fox, Jonah Hex
* Laraine Newman - Ms. Minerva
* Julie Newmar - Martha Wayne (2nd voice)
* Hunter Parrish - Kid Flash, Geo-Force
* Ron Perlman - Doctor Double X
* Jim Piddock - Calendar Man/Calendar King, Doctor Watson, Doctor Sivana, Shazam, Thaddeus Jr.
* James Remar - Two-Face (1st voice)
* Paul Reubens - Bat-Mite
* Henry Rollins - Robotman
* Michael Rosenbaum - Deadman
* Stephen Root - Penguin, Woozy Winks, Planet Master
* Tom Everett Scott - Booster Gold
* Armin Shimerman - Calculator, Psycho-Pirate, Walter Mark "Prof" Haley, Guardians of the Universe
* John Wesley Shipp - Professor Zoom
* J.K. Simmons - Guardians of the Universe, Evil Star, Kyle "Ace" Morgan
* Cree Summer - Vixen
* Jeffrey Tambor - Crazy Quilt
* Tony Todd - Astaroth
* Alan Tudyk - Flash/Barry Allen
* Michael T. Weiss - Adam Strange
* Adam West - Thomas Wayne (3rd voice), Proto Bat-Bot
* Wil Wheaton - Blue Beetle/Ted Kord[
* Gary Anthony Williams - Fun Haus, Mongul, Mongal
* Tyler James Williams - Firestorm[
* Thomas F. Wilson - Sportsmaster, Catman
* Peter Woodward - Caesar, Ra's al Ghul

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