Batman: The Animated Newsletter
Weeks of Oct 19 - 24/25, Oct 26 - 31/Nov 1
Volume 1, Issue #9
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to yet another bi-weekly installment of "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED
NEWSLETTER"! *APPLAUSE* This newsletter contains all sorts of
information pertaining to "Batman: The Animated Series", such as rumors,
news, reviews, jokes, trivia, and more! And, just to balance it out,
"Superman" has been included! Sit back and enjoy!
HISTORY OF THE ANIMATED BAT
The five-time Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) debuted
in September of 1992; it ran on FOX on weekdays (and even during
prime-time on Sundays for a month or so). 65 episodes (and millions of
dollars in merchandise) later, season two began in 1994, airing only on
Saturday, adding only 15 new episodes to the series.
A year later, BTAS was re-introduced to the FOX weekday line-up. All
the original episodes were brought back this time, as well as 5 new
episodes (none of which were spectacular, but still good), leaving the
episode count at 85 in September of 1995.
The series was top-notch, and fans were sad that it wouldn't go on -
but it was an excellent run. In 1997, BTAS was pulled from the FOX
network. Was BTAS dead?
We were all proven wrong.
As soon as BTAS left the FOX network, it was teamed up with Superman
on the WB network. Better yet - NEW EPISODES WERE INTRODUCED!
NEW episodes began airing bright and early on the morning of
September 13th, 1997. Two years (less two days) after BTAS ceased
production, it was reborn.
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HISTORY OF THE ANIMATED MAN OF STEEL
In the fall of 1996, the creators of BTAS moved on and produced an
animated version of the Man of Steel. The first season was made up of a
mere 13 episodes, and while the show did not blow away audiences like
BTAS did, "Superman" (STAS) still managed a fair amount of success. In
it's second season, it was teamed up with BTAS on the WB, making the
full hour block of "Heavy Duty Dubbas" episodes a sure-fire winner. In
fact, the series involved a three-part crossover with Batman, and has
three more crossovers planned in the future. In 1997, the series won an
"Outstanding Special Class Program" Emmy, which it shared with BTAS. The
series is moving strong and gaining even more steam as it blasts into
Season Three...
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SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE
Nope, no "special" interviews this issue, but all our usual articles
and features are here!
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BATMAN:THE ANIMATED ARCHIVES
So, you're a new subscriber and wish to see back issues of "Batman:
The Animated Newsletter"? Well, fear not, for a great friend of mine has
offered to hold back issues of our newsletter at her site, for all to
enjoy! Christmas has come early (and in bi-weekly installments) this
year! The site is called "The Warner Bros. Club" and features an amazing
amount of WB related games and information! For all you wanting to catch
up, or look back, here is the URL:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc
The Warner Bros. Club site is also part of a much bigger site. The
site is called TOON ZONE and contains three more WB related sites: Brian
Cruz's WB Cartoon Page, Colin's WB schedule page, and the WB Comic Zone.
The sites have been updated and somewhat revamped! Do you wanna see the
people behind it? There's also a site for that as well. This isn't an
official WB page but it's so good, might as well be! There's even a chat
room and a great message board! If you're looking for anything WB
related check out this site! Definitely worth bookmarking!
TOON ZONE
http://www.toonzone.net
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NEW EPISODE(S)
This section will just basically give an insight into what the new
episodes are about and hopefully a synopsis of the episode. This section
will feature both new Superman and new Batman episodes.
'CHEMISTRY'
Batman #107
Air date: October 24/25, 1998 (USA)
No one knows about this episode's details, aside from the fact that
Batman will undoubtedly be in it, and we finally get to see Poison Ivy
be her villainous self ALL ALONE for the first time in ages. YAY!
'JUDGEMENT DAY'
Batman #109
Air date: October 31/November 1, 1998 (USA)
Again, another episode with no leaked-out rumors. This episode will
feature a new vigilante, "The Judge", a disgruntled judge fed up with
the revolving-door prison system in Gotham, and takes the law into his
own hands. No one knows who the villain in this episode is, but all fans
have predicted Two-Face will finally return, as well. YAY!
'NEW KIDS IN TOWN'
Superman #43
Air date: October 31/November 1, 1998 (USA)
A teen-aged Clark Kent teams up with Chameleon Boy, Cosmic Boy, Saturn
Girl from the New Legion, to battle Brainiac in Clark's hometown of Smallville.
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WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz and the official BTAS/STAS site)
The New Batman/Superman Adventures last this past year with high
ratings and critical success! KidsWB airs the show Monday through Friday
from 4-5 PM (eastern time) and now in a 90 minute block on weekends
starting at 8:30am (eastern time). The time may vary for the various WB
affiliates across Canada and the U.S. The schedule is set to change
again in September or October, so watch the SCHEDULE and NEWS section
for upcoming information!
10-19-98
Batman #96 - THE ULTIMATE THRILL
Superman #07 - FEEDING TIME
10-20-98
Batman #93 - GROWING PAINS
Superman #01 - LAST SON OF KRYPTON (Pt. 1)
10-21-98
Superman #02 - LAST SON OF KRYPTON (Pt. 2)
Superman #03 - LAST SON OF KRYPTON (Pt. 3)
10-22-98
Batman #97 - OVER THE EDGE
Batman #92 - JOKER'S MILLIONS
10-23-98
Superman #16 - ACTION FIGURES
Batman #99 - CRITTERS
10-24/25-98
Batman #??? - CHEMISTRY-----------NEW!!!!
Superman #42 - WHERE THERE'S SMOKE
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10-26-98
Batman #56 - HARLEY & IVY
Superman #21 - MXYZPIXILATED
10-27-98
Batman #46 - ALMOST GOT 'IM
Batman #01 - ON LEATHER WINGS
10-28-98
Superman #13 - TWO'S A CROWD
Batman #69 - AVATAR
10-29-98
Superman #08 - THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 1)
Superman #11 - THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 2)
10-30-98
Batman #103 - THE DEMON WITHIN
Superman #31 - PROTOTYPE
10-31/11-01-98
Batman #??? - JUDGEMENT DAY------NEW!!!!
Superman #?? - NEW KIDS IN TOWN--NEW!!!!
Note: All episodes #86 and onward of BATMAN are considered THE NEW
BATMAN ADVENTURES while the original 85 are considered BATMAN: THE
ANIMATED SERIES (BTAS) episodes.
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EPISODE OF THE WEEK:
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
This section lets me tell you about my favorite rerun airing this week!
You are not to miss this episode at all cost! Tape it if possible! All
Batman and Superman episodes which have at least been shown once are
eligible - but try to catch the new episodes if you can!
THIS WEEK:
What can I say? All the episodes (except one, which I've isolated
further down) are either good (like "Joker's Millions"), great (like
"Growing Pains"), or EXCELLENT (like "Over the Edge"). Try to watch
all
of 'em!
NEXT WEEK:
Batman
ALMOST GOT 'IM (#46)
Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Poison Ivy, and Killer Croc gather together
and share their "almost got 'im" tales of run-ins with Batman...an
instant classic! Harley Quinn and Catwoman also appear. All the villains
have great appearances and Batman is cool as always...watch it!!
Airs Oct. 27, 1998
(Also GREAT this week are "Harley & Ivy" and "On Leather Wings").
THIS WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
Batman
CRITTERS (#99)
This episode is crap-tacular. Lame villain, bad animation, poor
story-telling, redneck stereotypes, and until this point in time, I
never thought I'd see mutant farm animals taking over Gotham City.
Proved me wrong. Please flush this episode away so we never see it
again. PLEASE!!!!
Airs Oct. 23, 1998
NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
Superman
THE MAIN MAN (Pt. 1 & 2), (#8, 11)
Superman and Lobo make an uneasy team to take on yet another alien,
this time with plans to keep all the rare animal species in the world as
his own. Miss it.
Both episodes air Oct. 29, 1998
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CARTOON NETWORK WB ANIMATION SCHEDULE:
"Yabba Dabba Doom"
It seems that about every month or so the schedule for Batman changes
again! So please be patient. We may not be able to get the new episode
schedule up in time but here's the most current schedule for Batman:TAS
on CARTOON NETWORK: It airs Monday thru Friday at 6 & 6:30pm and a
midnight repeat (of the 6pm episode) Monday thru Thursday. We'll note of
any change.
Mon 10-19-98: #38 Heart of Steel Part One
#44 Heart
of Steel Part Two
Tue 10-20-98: #40 Joker's Wild
#41 Tyger
Tyger
Wed 10-21-98: #42 Moon of the Wolf
#43 Day of
the Samurai
Thu 10-22-98: #45 Terror in the Sky
#47 Birds
of a Feather
Episode schedules for the Cartoon Network for any later dates were
unavailable at the time of mailing this newsletter. Expect the episodes
to air in episode-number order, more or less, though.
NOTE: Most of the episodes airing now on the CARTOON NETWORK won't be
airing on KidsWB for quite some time! If you want to complete your
collection then get as many as these episodes on tape as possible! Just
some friendly advice.
SPECIAL NOTE: "Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero" will air on November 21,
1998.
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EPISODE REVIEW: (SPOILERS!)
(by Bob Evatt)
Mr. Evatt is an experienced reviewer of the new BTAS episodes and has
much of his work shown at the Lazarus Pit website, and is now
contributing to this newsletter! His other reviews can be reached via
this link:
http://effect.net.au/allan/lazarus-pit
LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT (*****)
Story by Robert Goodman and Bruce Timm.
Written by Robert Goodman.
With Acknowledgement to the Works of Bill Finger, Dick Sprang, and Frank
Miller.
Directed by Dan Riba.
"I love Batman! All those muscles, the tight rubber armor, and that
flashy car--I heard it could drive up walls!"
"Yeah, sure Joel." --children discussing the nature of Batman.
In Gotham City, Batman has attained an almost mythic status. He is a
figure that is simultaneously revered, respected, feared, and hated.
However, since few people can claim to have had an extended encounter
with Batman, his true nature is a mystery to the general public. Some
claim that he is a friendly crime fighter with a great sense of humor.
Others insist that he is a grim vigilante who often resorts to brutal
violence. A few claim that he isn't even human. Differing tales of
Batman are told when three children try to track him down.
This episode is a superb homage to some of the many radically different
visions of Batman that have been presented over the years. The first
child's tale harks back to the 50's, when Dick Sprang depicted a more
carefree Batman. Every possible detail has been carefully crafted to
bring his comics to life. The visual style is right out of Sprang's
comic books, right down to the Joker's expressions as he watches his
gang being beaten. The setting--a museum of impossibly large musical
instruments--is a fitting reflection of his more lighthearted tone, as
is the Joker's larger-than-life attempt to kill Batman by hammering them
with giant piano keys. Even the voices and the music (which is
intentionally badly edited, just like an old serial) go hand in hand
with this nostalgic version of Batman. If there were an animated Batman
series in the 50's, this is exactly what it would have looked like.
The second child's tale is a polar opposite. Frank Miller's Batman was
dark, grim, and ultra-violent, and his works are almost flawlessly
translated to the screen in this episode. Not only is this Batman
depicted in his bulky and menacing style, (particularly when he slowly
rises out of the mud), but the entire story could have sprung right from
the pages of his comic books--particularly when the viewer can clearly
read "my name is Don" written on a silhouetted punk. Again the
action
matches the style, most notably when Batman and the Mutant Leader battle
in a mud pit. The rough voices and the heavy metal music fit the mood
perfectly. Even the ending is pure Miller, as Batman audibly breaks the
Mutant Leader's bones (I'm impressed this slipped past the censors).
Finally, we see an example of the modern Batman, as the children watch
him battle Firefly. This fight, while a good example of the usual style
of the series, doesn't just serve as a counterpoint to the earlier
styles. This version of Batman is different, yet it also incorporates
elements of both Sprang and Miller. Even Joel Schumacher (who was
presented in a less-than-favorable light by the effeminate kid) is
saluted, as the final Batarang shot is a lot like the one in Batman
Forever. In this way, these earlier styles are not just presented as nostalgia, they are shown as active influences on the modern style.
This is a brilliant examination of the way Batman has evolved over the
years.
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EDITORIAL
(by Laura Hysert, aka "Phoenix")
"Batman vs. Chickenwoman"
Did you hear the one about Batman and Roxy Rockett?
I sure didn't.
Apparently I'm not alone. Apparently others of you
are living in a cave like I am. "Ultimate Thrill?" we ask.
"Sounds like a porno."
The problem (for most of us, anyway) isn't apathy.
It isn't that we don't WANT to watch the new episodes and
lament how annoying Harley is.
No, the problem is that, for various reasons, we
don't get the WB Network, the only network airing the new
episodes.
For me, the problem is that the closest WB affiliate is
too far away and Canadian cable doesn't carry WB. Why? Not
Canadian enough, ruled the Canadian Radio-Television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). On Canadian cable,
though, you can watch COPS on the Fox Network as much as
you want. Now there's Canadian content for you.
Some of you have other reasons for not getting the
new episodes, like a lack of WB affiliates in your area
because the network is still in its infancy. No matter the
reason, we all suffer under the same ban: deprivation of
the New Batman Adventures' new season.
What do we do? Well, we'll just have to make hard
lemonade out of those fermented lemons.
The answer: we write our own Batman shows. Using
the titles provided by the newsletter, of course.
Let's take the season-opener, for instance. "The
Ultimate Thrill." From devoted reading of this newsletter
we know that it involves new villainess Roxy Rockett.
Hmm...
SCENE: A swanky Gotham hair salon, two years ago.
Roxy Rockett is one half of a successful Swedish
rock duo whose signature selling point is their
phenomenally bad haircuts. Tired of the constant media
ridicule, Roxy decides to get a more stylish 'do. Too bad
she can't speak English as well as she can sing it. After
five minutes of listening to her garbled instructions, the
posh stylist gets fed up and shaves her bald.
*NOTE: This is the Tragic Scarring Incident That
Will Spur the Victim into a Life of Crime.
SCENE: Night. Commissioner Gordon's office, two
years later.
Batman is trying to convince Jim Gordon to send
his daughter to an Estonian nunnery when the phone rings.
JIM: Hello?
(Gotta love that dialogue.)
After expressing his shock and dismay, the
Commissioner hangs up and informs Batman that all the
hairstylists in the city have gone missing. A ransom note
claims that unless Bruce Wayne, who employs all three
hundred hairdressers (what a fortunate coincidence!),
hands over $100 million by midnight, all the kidnapped
barbers will receive "the ultimate thrill."
JIM: I don't get it. What's so bad about that?
BATMAN: Hairstylists. The Ultimate Thrill. There
can only be one answer.
JIM: What - you already know what this all means?
BATMAN: Don't you?
It seems that Alfred happens to play Swedish rock
music while fixing breakfast, so Bruce remembers Roxy Rockett, and her hit single, "The Ultimate Thrill," and
her bad haircut. In the Bat Cave, surrounded by his Mouseketeers, Batman pulls up Roxy's file.
BATGIRL: Wow. Talk about a bad hair day.
BATMAN: Here's a plane ticket to Estonia. I need
you to do some investigating for me.
BATGIRL: Hey! It's only one-way!
BATMAN: Have you ever heard the call of God, Batgirl?
Pointless banter aside, Batman listens to Roxy's
old hit and discovers that the "ultimate thrill" is
chickens. There needs to be no further elaboration here.
Batman rushes to Roxy's secret hideout, horrified at her
ghastly plan.
At Firecracker Sven's Chicken Emporium, Roxy
taunts her victims.
ROXY: Inga schmeeling cheekie soo nyah nyah!
VICTIMS: What?
Batman crashes through the skylight. (Do we really
have to explain how he knew where her secret hideout was?)
ROXY: Bragmah! Ya keelie guss-guss!
BATMAN: Nice try, Roxy. I happen to know Swedish.
That isn't it.
ROXY: O ya?
Batman proceeds to inform Roxy that the
mysterious, magical "it" is "over," and that he knows all
about her plan to feed the hairdressers who had done her
wrong live chickens with rockets stuck up their orifices.
Batgirl shows up suddenly and makes an
inappropriate remark.
Batman, distracted by Batgirl's sudden entrance,
does not see Roxy hurl a chicken at him. He dodges, but
barely in time.
CHICKEN: BWAAAAAAK!!
The chicken explodes.
Roxy takes this moment to attack Batman, who has
for some reason forgotten all his years of martial
arts training. They fight, Roxy uttering unintelligible
threats and Batman grunting convincingly. Robin shows up
to help Batgirl untie the gristle-spattered stylists and
get them to safety.
Because she is so intent on beating up Batman,
Roxy forgets that she has set all the chickens to detonate
in ten seconds. Batman, fortunately regaining motor
control, leads the fight away from the perilous poultry
(Penguin would be proud).
The chickens explode. A horror of charred feathers
rains down upon the duelers.
ROXY: Urgee-burgee cheekies!
She screams and falls to her knees. Batman is
sympathetic, but again informs her that "it" is over.
Police arrive to arrest the offending Swede.
The three crimefighters retreat into the shadows.
BATGIRL: Well, I guess that goes to show that
poultry-farming doesn't pay, eh, Batman?
Batman produces a mysterious object from under his cape.
BATMAN: Here, Batgirl. Have some...chicken.
(ROLL CREDITS)
Well, it can't be any worse than the REAL episode,
can it?
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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! *EVIL LAUGH* This trivia is all animated-related in
some form, and can deal with ANY aspect of the show or comics. Some are
easy, some are not. Now have fun - let's see how well you do! Answers
are provided beneath the "Animated Batman/Superman Sites" section.
31. Which of the following villains have ever been seen inside the Janus
Movie Theatre?
A: TWO-FACE
B: THE JOKER
C: THE PENGUIN
D: FIREFLY
E: CALENDAR GIRL
32. Which of the following villains have ever been inside the Batcave?
A: CATWOMAN
B: THE RIDDLER
C: THE JOKER
D: RA'S AL GHUL
E: MAN-BAT
33. Which of the following people have ever fallen into the Bat-signal
somehow?
A: ROBIN
B: HARVEY BULLOCK
C: COMMISSIONER GORDON
D: BATMAN
E: BANE
34. Which of the following characters has been to the Gotham
Peregrenator's club TWICE?
A: RUPERT THORNE
B: POISON IVY
C: TWO-FACE
D: HARLEY QUINN
E: THE JOKER
35. In what episode did the Joker go to the highest point in Gotham to
disrupt all radar activity in the area?
A: CHRISTMAS WITH THE JOKER
B: OLD WOUNDS
C: WORLD'S FINEST (Pt. 1, 2, 3)
D: JOKER'S WILD
E: THE LAST LAUGH
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JOKER'S WILD
(by Gookie)
This column is just basic humor. Nothing special to it, it's just here
to make you laugh a bit before we delve into serious things (yeah, like
grown men in tights!). Enjoy!
However, this week, Gookie was unable to submit a new humour column, but
will return in the next issue! Check out the BTAN Archives at the
following address, and go to Issue #7 to read last issue's humour column
- it's great!
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc
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