EDITORAL
(by Laura Hysert, aka "Phoenix")

Breaking news: We've just gotten word that Ms. Hysert is trapped down a well. Fear not, we've already sent out our brigade of collies to find her. Nevertheless, she's still unable to submit an article for this issue...let's hope our entourage of Lassies find her quickly...
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AND THAT'S THE FACTS
(by "Reliable Source")

(Yes, I understand that the title is grammatically incorrect. So sue us. Actually, nix that. Don't sue us.)

(DISCLAIMER: For those of you who are not yet familiar, Reliable Source is an anonymous character who first surfaced on Batman: The Animated Message Boards, spewing forth ridiculous predictions about the future of Batman Beyond under the guise of spoiler warnings. His controversial posts created quite a buzz, and have now landed him, at least at this moment, a temporary column with this newsletter. The thoughts and ideas expressed by this character are in no way officially connected to Kids WB, Batman Beyond, this newsletter, or anything that is decent or holy.)

Hello, folks. As you all know, there have been rumors flying about the future of the Batman franchise. Thanks to Joel Schumacher, a series of dark, psychological movies became a showcase for a bunch of homoerotic camp that anyone above the age of 1 could identify as garbage. The obvious solution? Take a hint from Kids WB, and do "Batman Beyond."

Any child of the swingin' 60's knows there is only one true Batman - Adam West. For those nostalgia buffs, Mr. West will be cast as the dark and bitter Bruce Wayne. Rounding out the cast is child prodigy Jake Lloyd of "Star Wars" fame as Matty/Robin, Britney Spears as Ten, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, and Abe Vigoda as Derek Powers/Blight. There will be cameos by Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney as members of the Jokerz gang, as well as Michael Gough providing the voice of the cyborg Alfred.

Of course, the real question on everyone's lips is who will fill the tights of animated heart-throb Terry McGinnis? The obvious choice is the real life heart-throb of "Boy Meets World" fame who provides the voice for Bruce's young protege, Mr. Will Friedle.

"Will is perfect for the part," gushed his new girlfriend, a head animator for the WB. "He has a great look, and since he provides the voice for the show, he is someone fans can instantly equate with the character. That, and he has great hair."

Will Friedle himself says that he loved his role on the cartoon so much that he just had to bring it into "real life." Trying to get wrapped up in the character, however, proved somewhat tragic. One E! gossip columnist tells me that early attempts at getting into character have landed Mr. Friedle in the ER. At press time, he was aware of his surroundings, but insisting that he was, in fact, Batman.

Friedle's girlfriend reportedly rushed onto the scene to care for her injured superstar, but was there for what would become a dual reason. She went into labor, and has delivered a new little "Robin." Unfortunately for fans, this means the animated movie will be delayed yet again. More as I hear 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 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.

*YAWN* *BIG STRETCH* OK, I'm tired, forgive me. Here are some aimless ramblings of mine...have fun! Mwuhahahaha!

171. When will "NO MAN'S LAND: THE ANIMATED SERIES" debut?

172. Who will be writing for NML:TAS?

173. Which gang of villains were ORIGINALLY set to appear in BATMAN BEYOND #3?

174. Name the only new-style episode of BTAS that producer Alan Burnett got credit for writing?

175. Since the release of the movie "Batman & Robin", how many "animated" stories has Mr. Freeze appeared in?

BONUS: Will NML:TAS be a series on KIDSWB?
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ANSWERS TO THE TRIVIA

Answer to #171: October 6, 1999
Answer to #172: Scott Peterson
Answer to #173: The Terrible Trio
Answer to #174: Judgement Day
Answer to #175: FOUR. #1: SUB-ZERO. #2: COLD COMFORT (Btas). #3: MELTDOWN (Beyond) #4: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #5
Answer to Bonus: Nope. Actually, it's not a series at all. It's just a story you'll be able to find in BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND SECRET FILES #1, a comic being released on Oct. 6.
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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 and STAS countless times. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to do so! Enjoy!

CONBTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
We're blind, I tell you! BLIND!

CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
(by "Grey Eyes")
1) The mesa used in the THE DEMON REBORN is in fact Mesa Verde which was inhabited by the Anasazi Indians hundreds of years ago...as far as I know these Indians were adept at pottery, textiles, but NO GOLD was used in their artwork so episode is totally inaccurate :)
< http://www.swcolo.org/tourism/Archaeology/MesaVerde.html > 
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MERCHANDISING: WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE
(by Kevin Smith) 
Oh_Ho77@hotmail.com

NOTE: Kevin Smith will return shortly. In the meantime, Tim Wan has supplied us with his words on the BATMAN BEYOND score CD, that came out on August 31st.

BATMAN BEYOND SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
(by Tim Wan)
wantim@hotmail.com
Pictures at:
http://students.washington.edu/jwan/paraphernalia/cd.shtml
TIM WAN'S BATMAN BEYOND
The Tomorrow Knight - http://come.to/batmanbeyond/

When I first heard about a Batman Beyond Soundtrack CD I knew I had to own it. After what seems like an endless period of hell filled with tantalizing previews in Wizard Magazine and Advance CDs for sale on eBay, August 31st finally rolled around and I was ripping open into the packaging outside Tower Records. With a giddy smile on my face, and $15 less in my wallet, I slapped the silicon disc into my Discman and sat back as an all too familiar theme song thumped loudly into my ears. Twenty tracks, and forty minutes of "atomic pile-driver percussion and downright nasty guitar crunches." Make no mistake; no fan of Batman Beyond should be without  this CD.

The twenty tracks are taken straight from the show, which are all composed by Shirley Walker, Kristopher Carter, Lolita Ritmanis, and Michael McCuistion. Every track is named appropriately to wherever on the show it was taken from. For example, Track #13 Inque Escapes, is from (duh) the episode where Inque escapes. Honestly though, most of the tracks are just fast paced, hard hitting, techno guitar pieces; I wouldn't have it any other way. Whenever I listen to Track #2: Cold Vs Hot, images of Mr. Freeze and Blight pop into my head. Listening to Track #10: The Legacy Continues, reminds me of the handshake at the end of "Rebirth." The thing that sets this music CD apart from other soundtracks where nine out of ten tracks are merely "inspired" by a certain movie, is that every one of these tracks will take you back to your favorite events from Batman Beyond. The adventures of Terry McGinnis, Bruce Wayne, Inque, The Royal Flush Gang and Blight are all compacted into a small package to go.

Is there anybody who wouldn't like this CD? Sure, if you don't like Batman Beyond, or don't like the music, then don't buy this CD. In case you haven't noticed, Batman Beyond possesses a much different soundtrack than the neo-classical orchestral scores from The Batman and Superman Adventures. Just ask yourself: do you dance and head bang violently when Batman Beyond begins? Or do you flip to another channel? For those that need more convincing, head over to www.amazon.com and just listen to samples.

The design of the CD is simple and nice. I prefer a track listing on CD's, but that's just my preference. The CD case has a beautiful layout and design. (See my website for complete pictures) None of the artwork is original, but they all fit perfectly. The only problem is that the quality isn't perfect. It isn't horrible, but it isn't spectacular. Perfectionists will notice "jaggies" on the straight lines, and some blurriness on the cover. It's not really that big of a deal as it is a soundtrack, but some original art would have been nice. However, what more than makes up for it is a letter from Bruce Timm that describes the history and process of making music for Batman Beyond. It's a nice personal touch that completes the package. He mentions that if the Batman Beyond CD sells well then perhaps more will be produced. Can a BTAS or STAS soundtrack CD be far behind?

To sum it all up, if you're a Batman Beyond fan - "make some room on your CD rack-and remember to PLAY IT LOUD!"
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COMIC REVIEWS
(by Aaron Maurer)

BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES
ISSUE: "Daddy Dearest" (#17)
WRITTEN BY: Scott Peterson
PENCILED BY: Tim Levins
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: August 4, 1999 (Cover date is October)
RATING: ***.5 (out of 5)

"Any murder is unacceptable. But to target a child...never. Not in MY city."
--Batman

SUMMARY: After an apparent mob hit is thwarted by Batman, he goes undercover to find out who was behind it and why. He finds out that the men were after the family's son. Batman goes after the man responsible, who explains that after a rival gang hit that left him wheelchair-bound, his only son had died. Checking at the hospital revealed that it wasn't his real son, but one who was switched at birth. The boy he is after is his real son. Batman has to give the boy the right to meet his dad, even though he's a vicious mafia boss. However, after talking with him, the son says thanks but no thanks and leaves his father. Batman trusts the father to stay away from his son because of something he saw in his eyes.

COMMENTS: This issue actually had some good characterization, some plot, and some very good moments. It's the first of the issues after Ty Templeton left that I can say that about. The cover is great, as well.

CRITICISMS: I think that the switched-at-birth thing is something that's been done to death in all forms of entertainment and media lately, so I didn't find anything all too remarkable or new to the story. Also, the art seemed a lot more cartoony than I'm used to in the animated style. It was more cartoon-like than the actual show.

BOTTOM LINE: A nice story that will entertain and maybe even make you think. Maybe.
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COMIC SCHEDULES & COVERING THE BASICS

This section gives a little bit more indepth look into each monthly issue of BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES and SUPERMAN ADVENTURES. Below each comic listing is a link to the cover of that comic. TALK ABOUT SERVICE! The price is $1.99 in the US and..grrrrr...a whopping $3.25 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 #19
October 6th?
Synopsis: Who are the deadly Lion Man and mysterious Prairie Girl? And what part do they play in Robin's dillusionment with crime-fighting? The answers will definitely surprise you!
Cover: http://www.toonzone.net/comics/covers/bga/bga19.jpg

NEXT MONTH:
Synopsis: Poison Ivy makes a comeback in a story featuring none other than...breakfast cereal?
Cover: Unavailable

BATMAN BEYOND #2 (ongoing)
October 13th?
Synopsis: The shadowy villainess known as Inque has found a way to get Gotham's citizens to commit her crimes for her. She hopes to use the ill-gotten gains to finance a cure for her inhuman condition, but she doesn't realize that becoming human again may cost more than just money. Can Batman capture her...and save her from a cure that is worse than the disease?
Cover: http://www.dccomics.com/directcurrents/comics/covers/download/dbmbd2.jpg

FOLLOWING MONTH: Issue #3. 
Synopsis: The Royal Flush Gang returns. (This issue was originally going to feature The 
Terrific Trio, but they scrapped that story, for copyright reasons.)
Cover: Unavailable

SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #38
October 6th or 13th?
Synopsis: Unavailable.
Cover: Unavailable

NEXT MONTH:
Synopsis: Unavailable
Cover: Unavailable
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