Subject: Batman: The Animated Newsletter #12
Date: Sunday, December 13, 1998 6:35 PM

Weeks of Dec 14 - 19/20, Dec 21 - 26/27
Volume 1,

MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELLOW BAT-FANS!
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INTRODUCTION

Jingle bells
Batman smells
Robin laid an egg.
The Batmobile
lost a wheel
and the Joker got away.
HEY!

As this is the Christmas edition of "Batman: The Animated Newsletter", we will be doing the most we can to fill it up with Christmas jeer...erm...cheer. Enjoy!

PS - Happy Hanukkah to all you Harley Quinn fans, too. Oy vey!
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WELCOME BACK!!!!
  Dick Grayson has returned as co-editor of the newsletter, after a multi-week hiatus, due to school work. Welcome back, Dick!
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SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE
   Ty Templeton once again joins us for another interview, and we have a "BEST/WORST OF 1998" survey you can fill out if you like. Enjoy!
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HISTORY OF THE ANIMATED BAT
   The five-time emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) debuted in September of 1992, running weekdays on the FOX network. 65 episodes later, season two began in 1994, airing only on Saturday, adding only 15 new episodes to the roster.
   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, 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.
   NEW episodes began airing bright and early on the morning of September 13th, 1997, on the WB network. 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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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! Definatly 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.

'REBIRTH'
Batman Beyond #1, 2
Air date: Jan. 16, 1999
  The premiere of the new series!  See what made Bruce Wayne give up the cowl, and how a teenager in futuristic Gotham City became Batman for the 21st century.  This is a two-parter, for sure.

'MAD LOVE'
Batman #106???
Air date: Jan. 16, 1999
  An adaption of the award-winning Dini/Timm comic, featuring Harley Quinn's origin. Joker appears as well, of course, with Two-Face, Riddler, and Killer Croc (instead of Penguin) making cameos. There is still no definite word on whether this is a one-parter or two-parter. We'll have to wait and see.  Butch Lukic directs.

'RISE OF THE DEMON'
Superman #??
Air date: Jan. 16, 1999
  Batman and Superman team-up for the third and final time, this time to take on the likes of Ra's Al Ghul, who holds another twisted plot to return its globe to its natural state.  Will it be a 3-parter as originally planned?
Hopefully!
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WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz and/or the official BTAS/STAS site)

The New Batman/Superman Adventures last this past year with high ratings and critical sucess! Kid'sWB 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 Septmeber or October, so watch the SCHEDULE and NEWS section for upcoming information!

THIS WEEK:
Mon 12-14-98: Batman #109  Judgement Day
              Superman #18 Livewire

Tue 12-15-98: Superman #08 The Main Man (Pt. 1)
         Superman #11 The Main Man (Pt. 2)

Wed 12-16-98: Batman #01   On Leather Wings
         Batman #92   Joker's Millions

Thu 12-17-98: Superman #27 The Prometheon
              Batman #90    You Scratch My Back

Fri 12-18-98: Batman #107  Chemistry
              Batman #52    Mudslide

Sat/Sun 12-19/20-98: Batman #84   Deep Freeze
                     Superman #47 Obsession
                     Batman #96   The Ultimate Thrill

NEXT WEEK:
Air dates for dates following Dec. 20 were not available at the time of delivery of this newsletter. Refer to Brian Cruz's site or the official Batman/Superman website for updates. Links are provided in the links section of the newsletter.

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:
Batman
Airs Dec. 14, 1998
JUDGEMENT DAY (#109)
  No, I didn't just pick this one because Two-Face is the star.  This episode really is one of the best of the series because it gives us great insight into all involved characters, including Two-Face, Penguin, Killer Croc, and Batman.
A solo Batman episode is a welcome change, and the corrupt city hall officials angle in the story was great, too.  As for the new vigilante, who can be compared in many ways to the Phantasm, is also really cool.  This is a good one.

NEXT WEEK:
We don't know the schedules...dang it.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
  I've picked on "The Main Man" two-parter in this category enough, so I guess that this week's bomb is a toss-up between Superman's "The Prometheon" and Batman's pitiful "Joker's Millions".  Both are actually OK stories, but after the episodes end, you feel as if you missed something...something just wasn't right. Perhaps a good plot?

NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE TO MISS:
We don't know the schedules, so who knows? Agh!
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CARTOON NETWORK WB ANIMATION SCHEDULE:
"Yabba Dabba Doom"
(courtesy of Brian Cruz)

It seems that about every month or so the schedule for Batman changes again! So please be patient. We may not be able ot 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.

Episode schedules for the Cartoon Network for any later dates were unavailable at the time of mailing this newsletter.

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.
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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

NOTE: Mr. Evatt was unable to supply a review for this newsletter so Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton is filling in for him.

BEWARE THE CREEPER
Written by Rich Fogel & Steve Gerber
Directed by Curt Geda
Animation by Dong Yang
Original air date: <I>November 7, 1998
My rating: ***1/2

Jack Ryder, co-anchor of Summer Gleeson's "Gotham Insider" news program, is on location at the Ace Chemical plant, on the seventh anniversary of the Joker's creation. The Joker crashes the party and, in the end, Ryder shares Joker's fate; he falls into a vat of chemicals and is scarred forever.

Jack Ryder survived, however, and, like the Joker, has gone insane and tears the city apart - not to find the man who caused his life to be altered, but to steal the spotlight away from him, to be the most criminally insane person in Gotham - the Creeper.

Weird, weird episode. Creeper's disposition makes him a lot like Jim Carrey - the Ace Ventura type of Carrey, mind you, so many, like myself, would find  his manic behaviour tiring. However, his character fits - by this episode, we actually see the Joker as being sane - at least compared to this guy.

There were many good things about this episode. For one, we finally get to see a flashback of the Joker's origin - never before seen on BTAS. His tale is always the same - the big ol' chemical plant heist - but we got the details here. There was also a nice flashback to his pre-Joker days when he was part of the Valestra mob, seen in "Mask of the Phantasm".

When I first heard that Harley was going to be in this episode, I admit I was disappointed - she's been getting terrible roles lately. However, this episode acutally does her justice. The scene of her trying to celebrate Joker's seventh anniversary by trying to act all seductive while submerged in a banana cream pie. Kinky. (Notice how she literally "gives him her cherry".  Nice touch...that one went right over my head at first.) Once the Creeper sees Harley, he is in love - well, cartoonish "man, she's hot, I must have her!" love - so much of the episode focusses on him trying to rope her into his romantic clutches.

Joker's Three Stooges mob was hilarious - right down to the "nyuk nyuk nyuk" phrases they uttered when defeated. The chase scenes (which pretty much filled up the whole episode) were well done, good animation, good sound, and Batman and Robin had good roles, too.

If you're looking for something deep here, forget it, but for a fun episode, it's really well done - it's one of the few episode which were intended to be fun that actually turn out to be enjoyable.  Compare it to the questionable "Joker's Millions" and you'll see what I mean. The only thing that may dissuade people from this episode is the Creeper himself - he gets a little too crazy sometimes.

Just as a special note, this episode has been dedicated to Bob Kane, creator of Batman, who died just four days before this episode aired.  1915-1998. Rest well, Bob.
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SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE #1:
INTERVIEW WITH TY TEMPLETON
(by Dick Grayson)

TY was so nice he let me interview him yet again! Last time we just barely scratched the surface with the Guy and this time we hope to delve a little bit deeper! So sit back and enjoy some more time with Ty!
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BTAN1. In the last Q & A we basically asked you everything except well...where you were born, and your age and stuff so: What's yer date of birth and where were you born?

TY1. I'm from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Been here my whole thirty-five years, though I seem to move from house to house a lot.  I've collected up a wife, some kids and some cats along the way.

BTAN2. How did you first realize that comics (or BATMAN) was your calling?

TY2. I'm not sure I've ever come to a moment when I realized it was "my calling". That's a fairly loaded question.  I've been a huge Batman fan all my life, though.  When I was a kid, my heroes were Captain Kirk and Batman.  As I got older, the teen version of me had real life heroes instead of fictional ones, and so I had more of a thing for John Lennon, Lenny Bruce, and Batman.  There's never been a time in my life when I wasn't interested in or very fond of the whole Batman mythos.  From the Adam West show, to the cartoons, to the fantastic comix that Neal Adams, Frank Miller, Denny O'Neil, Dick Sprang etc etc etc did...I really love this character.  But, I never particularly made a life plan out of getting a job as a Batman writer.  It was far more a matter of wonderful coincidences offering themselves up during my
career.  I was in the right place at the right time, (literally, physically in the room) when the assignment for the Batman Adventures comic book was offered, seven years ago.  If someone else had been in the room at the time, there's a great possibility I'd be still a Batman fan, rather than a Batman creator, and you'd be asking me questions about my Spiderman career.

BTAN3. Which do you like more? Writing a story or drawing a story? And Why?

TY3. I like writing far more than drawing, and the reason is very simple.  I'm a good writer, and a lousy artist.  Drawing is a horrible process of seeing all my mistakes on the paper.  I rarely draw anything I'd put my name to willingly; my drawings mock and snarl at me.  Writing is usually a nicer process, and I'm far happier with the results.

BTAN4. A lot of fans know you left "Batman: Gotham Adventures" becuase of editorial differences? Have you been thinking about leaving for a long time or just recently?

TY4. I sort-of-almost-but-not-really thought about leaving during the last year of "Batman & Robin Adventures" because I thought the art on the last dozen or so issues didn't live up to the standards set by Timm, or Parobek, or Burchett...it bugged me that our artists weren't hitting the style, as talented as they were.  But the art was always pretty good in service to my scripts, so I couldn't really complain as a writer, it was more like the "fan" in me wanted to see the art hit the style better.  My editor, Scott Peterson, was a joy to work with, even though we differed on how important hitting the "style" was...and I my thoughts about quitting weren't all that serious back then. In fact, I still think some of the best issues I've written come from that last year run of that book.  I still like  #16, #18, #20-#22 as some of my most successful stories.

BTAN5. What's the deal with BGA#10? Why did the editorial staff decide to cut it in half and will we ever see the second half?

TY5. The second half will be in .  When I was told we were splitting up the two parts of the story by a number of months, I was assured we'd eventually do it, just not right away.  At that point I was waiting for whatever issue of the book I could dedicate to the second half.  Before I left, I at least wanted to finish that story... Part 2 was supposed to go in issue 11, but will be in issue 14 instead.

BTAN6. Do you know if you'll be returning for any future animated stories (like an annual)? Any future prospects? A stint in NO MAN'S LAND or SUPERMAN ADVENTURES maybe?

TV6. It looks likely that I will, yeah.

BTAN7. Do you think in your 14 issues of B:GA you have had time to tell "YOUR" Batman tale? Any character you would bring back from the BTAS years? Why?

TY7. I told a lot of tales, not just one.  I'd like to see Dagger Dixon show up in something...and there's a part of me that would like to use the Hunchback again.

BTAN8. How do you think the BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES Batman differs from the mainstream BATMAN or even its television counterpart on BTAS/TNBA?

TY8. It's better, man.  No, all kidding aside...Rick and I tried not to make it different from its TV counterpart at all...anywhere that it differred was something we both tried to do away with.  As to being different from the Earthquake Batman?  Hmm. It's a far closer version of Batman to the one Bob Kane, Neal Adams, Frank Robbins, Dick Sprang, Jim Aparo, and all the greats, worked on, than the version appearing in Earthquake Land.  It's the far more "true" version of the character, I think...at least that's what our fans think...but hey, in North America, we're the least of the Batman titles, so what do we know?

BTAN9. Any suprises we can look forward to in between now and ?

TY9. I hope the endings of all my stories will be surprises...and as such, will be diminished by discussing them here.

Ty the Guy.

BTAN: Too true. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! Thanx a lot yet again Ty!
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Can't get enough of Ty "the guy" Templeton? A couple months ago, editor Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton uploaded an audio file of a brief 60 second interview with Ty Templeton that he managed to record off the TV.  Yes, this IS a shameless plug, but hey, if you want to hear it, follow this link:

TWO-FACE'S TOWER OF TRANQUILITY AND TERROR
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/TimTwoFace/index.html

To go directly to the page the file is stored on, go here:
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/TimTwoFaceText/waves.html

The interview is listed in the "OTHER" category.
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