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NEWS AND RUMORS
ALL-ENCOMPASSING/OTHER
-Rumour has it that one of the Bat-Titles may be heading for the chopping
block. The lowest
selling titles is BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES, but that is always in the top 125
and constatly
sells good. I'l try and get more info on this.
-Don't forget that MASK OF THE PHANTASM and SUB-ZERO will be released on DVD
on December 21!
Just in time for Christmas!
-Terry Beatty has been and will be selling Gotham Adventures and Batman Beyond
original art on ebay. His Seller ID is:
wlee@muscanet.com
Do yourself a favor and check out some great art!
"CURRENT" ANIMATED SERIES'
-The final SUPERMAN episode 'Legacy' could air as soon as January, but will
likely air in May
as the season/series finale.
-BTAS/STAS will return in the fall of 2001 with NEW EPISODES, when Batman
Beyond goes on hiatus.
-Then again, there is ALSO word that BTAS/STAS WON'T return. So which do
we believe? Hopefully
the first...
BATMAN BEYOND
-The Stalker will be featured in BATMAN BEYOND #6, in February.
-1999's 6-issue BATMAN BEYOND mini-series will be collected in tradepaperback
in February. The
cost will be $9.95 US. The cover can be found here:
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/16/bmbtpbth.jpg
-Synopses of episodes #17 through 36 have now been posted, thanks to the COMIC
BOOK CONTINUUM.
Check out of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER for a complete listing.
ANIMATED COMICS
-Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon will be in the spotlight for of
GOTHAM ADVENTURES.
-Northern Canada is the backdrop, the kidnapping of oil is the crime, and Ra's
Al Ghul is the
villain in of GOTHAM ADVENTURES. This issue comes out on February
2nd. The cover can be found here:
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/16/bmga23th.jpg
-Ty Templeton's upcoming two-issue stint on Superman Adventures will be
co-written with Dan Slott.
-Acclaimed writer Jay Faerber (GENERATION X) will be writing an issue of
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES.
Expect the issue in mid-2000. No regular writer has been attatched to SUPERMAN
ADVENTURES as of
yet.
OTHER COMICS
-An ongoing Harley Quinn series is planned for a mid-2000 release. Oh,
please, shoot me now;
here I thought that DC would be improving with the new creative teams next
year. She can't
hold her own series - the Joker couldn't, so why would a second-rate
female-quota-fulfilling
copycat villain be able to? Let's all hope it gets canned, shall we?
-Here's a sneek peek at the redesign of the BATMAN titles, courtesy of
AnotherUniverse.com. The
redesigns were done by Chip Kidd (BATMAN: ANIMATED). Opinions? Click this link
to check it out:
BATMAN #576
http://www.anotheruniverse.com/gifs/comics2/Bm576.jpg
-Issue #5 of DARK VICTORY has Catwoman on the cover.
-Issue #6 of DARK VICTORY features the Penguin on the cover.
-The Two-Face/Montoya relationship will be picked up midway through next year
in DETECTIVE
COMICS #747.
-Expect to see Poison Ivy pop up in DETECTIVE COMICS sometime next year.
MOVIES
-Rumours have it that the WB want to use a gritty crime-drama as a backdrop
for their next Bat-movie. In keeping with this "prequel" phenomenon in recent
months, they've decided to use the
much-underused "Two-Face" character in a Batman "prequel",
set sometime between "Batman
Returns" and "Batman Forever". Should this plan go ahead, word
has it that the WB is attempting
to woo Tommy Lee Jones back into the role, promising him what they originally
promised when
they signed him on for "Forever", before either Carrey or Schumacher
joined the crew: that the
film would play out like a darker, more sinister version of his origin on the
animated series.
TIM'S NOTE: Now if only Greg Rucka or Jeph Loeb could write this
tale...I'd love that.
TOYS & MERCHANDISE
-In January, Burger King & Batman Beyond will team up for four weeks of
action figures and kids
meals. Once BK is done with Pokemon toys, they will start a four month
promotional Batman
Beyond Kids' Meal pack. These will include all-new action figures made
spefically for the fast
food franchise.
-More BATMAN BEYOND figures are coming out - and these ones are actually GOOD!
Here's a link
for:
JOKERZ TWO-PACK:
http://209.197.117.27/databases/features/actionfigures/2/sub/22.3.34.jpg
BLACK-SUITED BATMAN:
http://209.197.117.27/databases/features/actionfigures/2/sub/22.3.43.jpg
-Sadly, there are reports that some of the 140 Warner Bros. stores will be
closing down indefinately.
-The SUPERMAN video game for Playstation will be out in the first quarter of
2000.
-The first issue of the Sega Dreamcast magazine says a Batman Beyond video
game is due out in
2000.
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THE ROAD THROUGH NO MAN'S LAND
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
Yes, I know this isn't really an animated topic,
but I thought, hey, it's Batman's 60th
anniversary, and this is the big event that celebrates it, so I should have a
section dedicated
to this year-long crossover. Besides, so far it's been excellent in every
issue. We have this
section split up into two parts - the first saying what has already happened,
the second
previewing what's to come. Enjoy!
UP UNTIL NOW...
JANUARY - APRIL: For synopses of what happened in the first four months
of NO MAN'S LAND, go see Issues #26 and #27 of "Batman: The Animated Newsletter".
Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan
JULY: For synopses of the many things that
happened in the month that all of the other major
players in Gotham broke back into the city, see of "Batman: The
Animated Newsletter".
Follow this link: http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan
NOVEMBER: To become friends with Gordon once
again, Batman made the ultimate sacrifice and
revealed his identity to him; however, Gordon had his back turned, and does
not WANT to know.
They made up and banded together, joining forces to liberate Gotham in the
final two months of
NML.
Then in ASSEMBLY REDUX, the mysterious benefactor that sent
Bane into Gotham is revealed to
be Lex Luthor; he enters Gotham, along with the media, promising to clean up
the city. The
Penguin tries to muscle in on Luthor's territory. It is revealed that Two-Face
was not sent to
Blackgate along with the other villains after his capture, but remains in Blue
Boy territory;
Petit tries to break into Gordon's territory to kill him, and Huntress is with
him; Montoya
turns them away. Catwoman and Batman have a truce. It is revealed that
the woman that was
bargaining with the Penguin in JURISPRUDENCE was Mercy Graves. The Joker
prepares his final
assault on Gotham, with Harley along for the ride; Batman, knowing that the
Joker will do
anything to lure him out of hiding, informs Oracle to evacuate the city and
bring everyone in
Batman's territory into Gordon's.
Azrael and Batgirl evacuate the Joker's territory, telling
all the citizens to enter the
safe Blue Boys sector. The Joker recruits a number of people to impersonate
him; Azrael and
Batgirl meet Joker and Harley face to face, saving a girl's life. The
"farm team" prepares for
war.
Lex Luthor continues his plans to rebuild Gotham in
SHELLGAME; Batman meets him on his
turf (Lex took over 20 square blocks of Penguin's territory), threatening him;
Lex is scared
out of his mind and sics Bane on him. Petit's deterioration becomes more
and more serious;
Huntress begins to reconsider her alliance with him. Bruce contacts Lucious
Fox in an attempt
to get the public interested in NML again, and to get WayneTech involved, as
well. Joker and
Harley make their move, in an attempt to stop Luthor's rebuilding scheme.
NML reaches the 315-day mark.
SHELLGAME concludes as Lex Luthor sends Bane and Mercy out
after the Joker and Harley, to
keep them from interfering with their plans. They get their message
across; the Joker backs
off...for now. It is revealed that Luthor managed to hire Bane by
offering him rule over Santa
Prisca (the prison he was raised in). Batman meets up with Bane, and
they come to an
agreement; rather than fight, Bane says he'll be leaving Gotham within a week.
Petit continues
to spiral down into the depths of insanity, worrying both Robin and Huntress.
The Penguin
tries to move in on Luthor's territory; Luthor responds by nearly eliminating
all of Penguin's
men. Lucius Fox and the rest of Wayne Enterprises come through and
reopen NML.
Meanwhile, Catwoman is off doing work for the Penguin. How?
Sabotaging Luthor's materials.
Penguin still wants to rule Gotham, as he has for the past 321 days.
Penguin is then saved
from Killer Croc by Bullock and Montoya, whilst Alfred comes to Robin's
rescue. Tim phones
home to tell his dad that he's alright; Mr. Drake freaks out and the next day
the story about
his son trapped in the hell of NML is all over the news.
BALLISTIC ROMANCE (in NIGHTWING) concludes with Petit and
Huntress breaking up Dick and Babs' little love-in. Huntress switches sides and saves their lives from
Petit's insanity.
That's 73 issues of NML so far. For a complete list, e-mail us.
WHAT'S TO COME...
-December: NML concludes with the three-part "Endgame" story, and
then a final reflection in
the final issue of SHADOW OF THE BAT (#94). The hope of a new Gotham comes
into view - which is
when the event we've been waiting for finally hits. The Joker returns in a big
way to "destroy
hope"...by kidnapping and killing children. And this all happens during
the Christmas season.
Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Azrael, Oracle, Batgirl, and Huntress all have major
roles. Lex
Luthor completes his takeover of Gotham.
-ONE OF THE MAJOR HEROES WILL DIE BEFORE "NO MAN'S LAND" ENDS. (This
is in Detective Comics
#741). TWO OTHER "NAMED" CHARACTERS WILL ALSO BE KILLED.
-See below for more.
AS FOR THE OTHER HEROES:
-Azrael faces off against the Joker AGAIN in AZRAEL #61 - both guest-starring
Batgirl.
-The Huntress hangs out with Petit for the remainder of NML.
-Tim Drake's father breaks into NML to retrieve his son from the ghastly
warzone - in December.
AND AS FOR THE REMAINING VILLAINS...
-Lex Luthor, the mysterious benefactor, continues his scheme to rebuild Gotham
in his image; he and Mercy will be around throughout "Endgame".
-Catwoman faces Mercy Graves in December.
-The Joker and Harley re-appear in "Endgame" in December. During
Gotham's Christmas season,
just as NML draws to a close, to once and for all destroy Gotham and all of
its citizens.
_____________________
FEATURED BAT-SITE FOR THIS ISSUE
**HOLIDAY BAT-CHATS**
-Over the holiday season, the BATMAN/SUPERMAN Chat Room will be holding two
chat events, one on
Dec. 23rd, and the other on Dec.31st, for Christmas (Dec. 23rd chat) and New
Year's (Dec. 31st
chat) respectively. The chat times will be 8pm (Eastern Time). Mark those
dates on the calendar
and hopefully we'll see ya drop in on either or both of those dates! Here's
the complete info:
BATMAN/SUPERMAN Chat Events!
Where: Batman/Superman Chat Room
When: Dec. 23rd & Dec. 31st @ 8pm (ET)
Chat URL:
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Taping/2928/chatmain.htm
Other notes: You WILL need to get a chat handle registered before you can chat
in the chat
rooms, and please go through the rules first. Happy Holidays!
_____________________
ANIMATED BATMAN/SUPERMAN SITES:
* - indicates a shameless plug for a site a
certain double-faced editor created with his bare
hands - in other words, a cheap advertising technique.
