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.
POTPURRI, BABY!!!
391. On what date did BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM premiere in
movie theatres?
Answer: _____________
392. On what date did BATMAN & MR. FREEZE: SUB-ZERO
premiere on video?
Answer: _____________
393. This was the ORIGINAL date that BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF
THE JOKER was due to be released.
Answer: _____________
394. In order of original air date, what BTAS episode was the
FIRST to feature the FULL name of a character ("secret identity" or not) in the
title?
Answer: _____________
395. In order of original air date, what BTAS episode was the
LAST to feature the FULL name of a character ("secret identity" or not) in the
title?
Answer: _____________
396. Which Bat-villain has ever appeared in drag?
Answer: _____________
397. What episode did Kent Butterworth direct, but quit in the
middle of production because it was "too weird"?
Answer: _____________
398. In what month of the year did that episode
debut?
Answer: _____________
399. In which episode does Nora Fries have a speaking
part?
Answer: _____________
400. On BATMAN BEYOND, who provides the voice of the
absolutely mad Mad Stan?
Answer:
_____________
_____________________________________________________________________
AND
THESE ARE OUR FINAL ANSWERS (to the trivia)
Answer to #391: December 25, 1993
Answer to #392: March 17,
1998
Answer to #393: November 7, 2000
Answer to #394: JOKER'S
FAVOR
Answer to #395: BEWARE THE CREEPER
Answer to #396: Clayface (as
Annie in GROWING PAINS, and the woman in FEAT OF CLAY (Pt. 2))
Answer to
#397: CHRISTMAS WITH THE JOKER
Answer to #398: November
Answer to #399:
None
Answer to #400: Henry
Rollins
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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!
CONTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
Nope.
CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
(by "Don Huff")
1) In "Read My
Lips", when Scarface's henchmen are breaking into the ship full of platinum with the acid spray, which is in the back seat, Rhino starts to crawl in the
opening he made; you can see there is already a pile of platinum in the back
seat of the boat! Then they go inside to get their first sight of the
platinum and start to load it in the boat, but hey it was already there.
What gives? Pretty funny, anybody else notice this?
(by "Todd")
2) During the dinner scene with Harvey and Pam
in "Pretty Poison", Bruce flashes a credit card to the camera. The
number looked suspiciously like a phone number so I jotted it down. I checked in the phone book and the area code corresponded with one in
LA. But when I called, just for a lark, there was a recorded message
indicating that the area code had been recently changed. I was
wondering if anyone else may have noted the number...maybe it was the number for the production office, one of the staff or
stars?
____________________________________________________________________
MERCHANDISING:
WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE
(by Bill Curtis)
Last issue I mentioned the new figures for the direct-to-video
feature: "Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker". I'm sorry I didn't get a
chance to see these figures before writing that column. The reason is -
these figures STINK! Boo! HISS! While I applauded Kenner in my last post for
finally producing a great Alfred figure, I now reprimand them for taking the
cheap, easy way out with these new figures.
The line consists of 4 regular figures, and one deluxe figure.
The problem is that Kenner didn't bother to produce new figures; it just
issued repainted old figures! "Arkham Assault Joker" (which doesn't
even look like the Joker from the upcoming movie!), is nothing more than a
repainted "Wild Card Joker" from the Animated Batman line, "Gotham Defender
Batman" is a repaint of "Detective Batman", "Gotham Knight Batman" is
"Future Knight Batman" (from the current "Batman Beyond" line. At least they
finally got the colour right!), "Rapid Switch Bruce Wayne" is merely "Quick
Change Bruce Wayne" from the Animated line (and features the same "young"
Bruce, how the heck does that fit into Batman Beyond?), and finally "Golden
Armor Batman" which is, you guessed it, another repaint!
My problem is: Kenner had the tools and the time to do some
really cool figures, but instead chose to package repainted figures in the
hopes of making a quick buck. Anyone who surfs eBay and other sites has seen
just how creative people can be with existing figures being transformed into
"custom" Batman, and Batman Beyond figures. A few creative folks even showed the blueprints on how to make your own "Old Joker' from the upcoming movie:
use a body from the Creeper figure, and trim down the hair from an animated
Joker figure, paint the body and hands, and voila: New "Older" Joker figure,
ready to rumble! If your average fan can be so creative, why can't Kenner?
My only conclusion is that because Batman animated is no longer running, and Batman Beyond is in its last first-run season, Kenner no longer feels the
need to expend any effort on this lucrative line. A good comparison would be
Toy Biz's X-Men line: how many different repaints of Wolverine can you make?
Answer: As many as they'll keep buying!
C'mon Kenner: show a little respect; if not for the Batman
line, at least for the intelligence of your customers!
Until next time: same Bat-time, same bat-channel!
____________________________________________________________________
COMIC
REVIEWS
(BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
(BATMAN
BEYOND by Bill Curtis)
(SUPERMAN ADVENTURES by Dick Grayson)
BATMAN BEYOND
ISSUE: "Terminal Velocity" (#12)
WRITTEN
BY: Hilary J Bader
PENCILLED BY: Craig Rousseau
INKED BY: Rob
Leigh
ISSUED: August 30, 2000 (Cover date, Oct 2000)
Rating:
4/10
Synopsis: A Psychiatrist working in juvenile prison is
rehabilitating the inmates with psychotherapy, by way of killing off the
criminal within them. Carter Wilson, the former leader of a clique of the
Jokerz, is one prime candidate for rehab, but someone doesn't want
him rehabilitated.
At first reading, this story/plot would seem to be a rip-off
of the Batman Animated episode "Double Talk", where the newly reformed
Ventriloquist is being haunted by Scarface, in an effort to get him to
return to his life of crime. This story starts out that way, with a clever twist. Carter Wilson is being sought after by the Jokerz gang, in an effort
to turn him back to the leader of the Jokerz; Terminal.
The plot twist is revealed that the person behind the
kidnappings of the juvenile prison psychiatrist, and Max is none other than
Carter Wilson himself! He's now a split personality, and must constantly
battle with Terminal for control.
Although the artwork has been passable lately, I don't care
for the trend of showing Batman Beyond with bug eyes, or one eye grossly
distorted larger than the other. This doesn't improve the artwork; it
cheapens it, making it look more juvenile than it needs to.
Max is really developing into a fall-back character, a la
Alfred/Robin. I'm wondering if it won't be long before she's Terry's
sidekick in action, if not in name.
The bond between Bruce and Terry was downplayed this issue,
with Terry only making a couple of references via his comlink with Bruce,
about Bruce being right about the Jokerz actions. This issues went more for
action than interplay, which is sometimes not a bad thing, in moderation.
The issue concludes with the predictable rumble between
Batman/Terry and the Jokerz along with Terminal/Carter. The saving grace is
the epilogue: Carter is seen in profile painting back in obvious
hospital/asylum care. When his doctor comments he has only painted half his
canvas, he turns fully revealed as half-faced Carter, and half-faced
Terminal, and comments that "he left the other half for me." The reader is
left to wonder which side of the personality will be the dominant
one.
______________________________________________________________
COMIC
SCHEDULES & COVERING THE BASICS
This section gives a little bit more in-depth
look into each monthly issue of BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES, BATMAN BEYOND,
and SUPERMAN ADVENTURES. Below each comic listing is a link to the cover of
that comic. TALK ABOUT SERVICE!
The price for any of these
issues, unless otherwise posted, 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 #31
October 4th
Synopsis: Ty
Templeton's leftover Joker story! Don't miss it!
Cover:
Unavailable
FOLLOWING MONTH:
Synopsis: The Scarecrow is up to
his usual sinister tricks as he unleashes a deadly gas that has the entire
city of Gotham going completely crazy! Mass mayhem and destruction ensue as millions of Gothamites literally lose their minds. Can Batman and the gang
save the masses from themselves?
Cover: Unavailable
FOLLOWING MONTH:
Synopsis: Unavailable
Cover:
Unavailable
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #48
???
Synopsis:
Unavailable
Cover: Unavailable
FOLLOWING MONTH:
Synopsis: Unavailable
Cover:
Unavailable
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