Teen Titans - In Continuity?

Much has been said about Teen Titans' status in DCAU continuity. Here's my take on it:

If we are to assume that Teen Titans is in fact in continuity, then...

Robin in Teen Titans must be Dick Grayson (and not Tim), for these reasons:

• He is too old to be Tim, since we see that Tim looks to still be 13-14 in RotJ, and he doesn't have anywhere near the level of Kung-Fu prowess and wisdom displayed by Robin in TT.
• The alternate universe version of Robin seen in "Fractured," while nicknamed Larry, is actually named "Nosyarg Kcid," which is "Dick Grayson" backwards. There's one instance where his name spins around his body, and when it goes around the back, we can clearly see the name "Dick Grayson."

• Robin's entire character in the Teen Titans show mirrors the comics' version of Dick, right down to his romance with Starfire and the revelation that he will eventually become Nightwing.

This creates a problem, as this makes Dick younger than he was seen in BTAS. We essentially must place this in the DCAU timeline between the earliest chronological time he is seen (in the flashbacks of "Robin's Reckoning," where he is 8-10 years old) and the first time he is seen in BTAS, in "Christmas with the Joker."
This doesn't quite gel. In Teen Titans, Robin is shown to be essentially a mini-Batman, having a neverending drive for victory, unparalleled detective skills, and martial arts mastery. However, in BTAS, Dick has none of these skills. It is true, however, that we get a glimpse of Robin's driven personality from Teen Titans in "Robin's Reckoning," but we also get a strong sense of naivete and immaturity, something that wouldn't seem to make sense with a character than has fought interplanetary/galactic/dimensional threats, let alone actually made out with an alien girl.

There is also an inherent problem with the idea of the science fiction elements of Teen Titans.
In Superman: The Animated Series, Lois Lane is at first somewhat unbelieving of Superman's alien nature, which would seem odd if aliens had visited Earth many times before (as they did in the 2nd episode of TT). Furthermore, Superman and the rest of the world know nothing of the Atlanteans until "Fish Story," yet Aqualad had countless team-ups with the Titans. And let's not even mention how the Titans have a spacefaring submarine, yet most of the television sets in BTAS are black-and-white.


I'm not saying that Teen Titans shouldn't be watched (because I LOVE that show), but I don't think that you can realistically put it in the same continuity as BTAS, STAS, BB, and JLU. Considering how easily those other shows mix together, Teen Titans sticks out like a bleeding, crushed, broken, and rotting thumb.

My ultimate view is that the Titans probably existed in some form in the DCAU, but their adventures did not happen as portrayed in the Teen Titans series.

Still, though, Teen Titans is awesome, and I plan on reviewing every episode.

Reckoning

From 1998 to 1999, my young life was dominated by one thing: The New Batman-Superman Adventures.



A compilation of episodes from Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, this was the highlight of my every week. For an entire year and a half, Star Wars lay forgotten as I delved into my new obsession. Unfortunately, just before my tenth birthday, my mother decided that I was too young to be watching Batman, and I was thereafter forbidden from watching the show. (For the next few years, at least.)
When Justice League premiered, however, my superhero obsession was renewed.
I honestly can't describe how much those episodes affected me. Even today, if I read a Batman or Superman comic book, the characterizations must match the animated series versions or it just feels wrong.


The DC Animated Universe is primarily comprised of:

• Batman: The Animated Series / The Adventures of Batman and Robin
• Superman: The Animated Series
• The New Batman Adventures
  
• Batman Beyond
• Justice League
• Justice League Unlimited

All of these shows share the same continuity, and have an extremely high standard of quality. Many of the original elements from these series actually ended up being adopted into the actual DC comic books themselves. This blog is where I'll post reviews and thoughts on the DCAU, as well as the not-in-continuity series Teen Titans and Legion of Superheroes; if anyone's got a request for a review on a specific episode, let me know; I'll be happy to do it.

JL - Injustice For All

This is perhaps the greatest example in JL thus far of a great idea gone terribly bad. It only furthers the idea that the characterizations in JL are dependent upon the plot, rather than the other way around.
The "Injustice Gang," a team of super-villains, is shown to be inadequate right from the start. How are we to take them seriously as a threat when even they admit that they suck? Of course, the answer is (apparently) simple: make the heroes suck more, at random times and for no real reasons.

It's so sad, too, because the episode starts off with some of the most memorable two minutes of the entire series. In those few minutes, we get a very smart plot development, a partial resolution to a leftover plotline from STAS, and a "you just got owned" moment from the League. However, this doesn't last. We see Superman get blasted by a small missile and fall a few hundred feet before he can bring himself to continue flying. Seriously, one of the most annoying things in the first season of JL is the way that Superman is strong from a philosophical/moral perspective, but lacks all the cleverness and will that he possessed in STAS. It makes no sense, and only reveals the laziness of the writing staff. If you can't figure out a way to have a massively powerful character work in a show, then either go back to the storyboards and try again, or find someone more creative than you. Don't shaft character consistency for the sake of plot formula.

Even worse is the up-and-down characterization of Batman in this episode. At one point he tackles Luthor to the ground, yet is somehow beaten back? Since when can Lex (who now has terminal cancer) beat Batman in a fistfight? Fortunately, Batman's role in Part 2 was much better, as he basically manipulated the entire Injustice Gang against each other.

The Joker was a shining light in this episode. While the episodes of JL thus far have been rather devoid of any pure fun, the Joker brought a dark, wacky humor that the series was sorely lacking. It's too bad that he didn't stick around for more episodes, as he was undoubtedly one of the most entertaining characters the show ever saw.

Overall, this episode was terrible. I remember being very disappointed, even when I was twelve. The bad characterizations and boring scenes bring it to a low level, yet the take-down of Luthor and the portrayal of the Joker give it a smidge of credit.

2/10

JL - Paradise Lost

This was a surprisingly good episode. It probably could have been done in a single episode, but it was still a well-told story that gave Wonder Woman some much-needed development.

The introduction of Themyscira and some of the Greek mythology surrounding it was well-done, although some more explanation would have been nice.


Superman's character was once again downgraded, as he essentially lost a fight to Wonder Woman. Aside from that, however, the characters all seemed to be consistent, though Hippolyta's fighting skills seemed to vary depending upon the situation.

The conclusion to the episode sort of fell between heartfelt and cheesy, but ultimately made sense.


All in all, this episode was mostly without complaint, and is probably the best episode of JL thus far.

8/10

JL - The Enemy Below

This episode proves the merit of Justice League's initial decision to make hour-long episodes. It's rather epic in scope, yet still has enough focus on character to make it compelling.

Though long-time fans of the DCAU might remember Aquaman's initial introduction in an episode of Superman, The Enemy Below honestly requires no previous knowledge of the character. Everything you need to know about him is laid out: He's the king of the undersea Atlantean Empire, he's a tough guy, and he doesn't like humans.
Actually seeing Atlantis was a really cool thing. (the STAS episode never went anywhere close to it) It's a well-designed locale, and acts a great backdrop for this episode's large-scale adventure.


Speaking of art design, the color palette in "The Enemy Below" is much better than in the last episode. While "In Blackest Night" was rather annoyingly muted, mostly relying on black, green, and brown, "The Enemy Below" is much brighter. Furthermore, we get a nighttime scene, which always brings out the best in the DCAU's art.


There's a bit of political intrigue in this episode, leading to the classic "enemy of my enemy = super friend" plot device. While this episode was perhaps predictable, it was still interesting enough to be enjoyable. Epic sci-fi threats seem to be the best type of conflict for the JL, and this was an especially cool example.

While not completely without boredom, this episode was still good, if not great.

6.5/10

JL - In Blackest Night

Meh.

I love the Green Lantern Corps. I really do. They're one of my favorite comic book "things." However, I really don't care for John Stewart. So when there's an annoyingly boring episode revolving around him, you can bet that I don't care.

It was nice to see a little bit of explanation about the GLC, though I still think that it could have been done better.


The battle at the end was pretty cool, though. And the recital of the Green Lantern oath was really awesome, and a great end. Even my mom liked it.


Too bad the rest of the episode was terrible.

2/10

JL - Secret Origins

This episode is an odd one.

As the pilot episode of Justice League, it serves its purpose in that it shows the "origin" of the Justice League. Unfortunately, it does very little in the way of explaining the origins of the individual characters. While Superman and Batman need no explanation, others like Hawkgirl and Green Lantern are not explained at all. Fortunately, we do see a great origin for J'onn J'onzz, and Wonder Woman gets a very limited backstory. Even so, I have plenty of individual gripes about (almost) each one of the cast members.

Superman does not get a break throughout the entire episode. If he's not getting shot by a laser and screaming in pain, he's being knocked out or struggling to lift a mere dozen tons. This is writing at its shoddiest. Furthermore, he has some odd-looking age lines on his face that make him look old and tired. Why even include Superman if he's just going to sit there and do nothing but get hurt and groan in pain?

Batman, fortunately, is refreshingly cool. His character design is great, and everything he does makes sense. My only real gripe with him is that his "Gotham life" is not elaborated upon. We have no idea if Robin or Batgirl are still around, and we never even get a hint about anything relating to Batman's personal life.

Wonder Woman just comes off strange. Her motivations and powers are left rather unclear. Aside from having great laser-blocking skills and a strong rope (that is NOT magical, strangely enough), her powers aren't explained. Also, her character design didn't seem quite finalized yet, so her face looks disturbingly odd in a few shots.

Green Lantern also has some issues. His personality is irrationally grating, and his origin is not explained. If you're not a comic book fan with some DC Universe knowledge, and you haven't seen the episode of Superman: The Animated Series that explained the Green Lantern Corps, you'll have no idea who he is or what he does. Furthermore, they completely ignored the aforementioned Superman episode's plot, which introduced an entirely different character as Earth's Green Lantern.

The Flash doesn't really have an intro, but honestly doesn't need one. He's just a fast guy that makes stupid jokes. That's it. He does seem rather slow for someone faster-than-the-man-who's-faster-than-a-speeding-bulllet.

Hawkgirl is perhaps the worst new character. She doesn't seem to have any real purpose for being there, and has absolutely no backstory. There's an offhand reference to her home planet of Thanagar, but that's it. And she's annoying.

J'onn J'onzz is by far the best character in this episode. He actually gets a great origin story, complete with flashbacks that are completely relevant to the plot. Furthermore, he's an interesting character that most non-comics fans are unaware of.

Almost everything about this episode was mediocre. When I was twelve, this episode seemed amazing. Looking back, now seven years later, it really wasn't. The animation was inconsistent, the music was only serviceable, and the dialogue was TERRIBLE.

It served its purpose in that it got the League together. It just didn't do it brilliantly.

5/10

BB - Rebirth

This may be the single greatest pilot episode of all the series that comprise the DCAU. It's very realistic, uniquely stylized, and consistently dark.

This is the first episode of the DCAU in which the opening title sequence does not introduce the episode. Instead, we are shown a scene set approximately 20 years into the future, where Batman has donned a new red-and-black costume and is fighting to save a young girl who has been taken hostage. Several things are notale about this scene. First, Batman's suit is far darker than anything we've seen him wear before. Secondly, he is fighting to save the daughter of Veronica Vreeland, one of Bruce Wayne's former girlfriends. Thirdly, Batman's sidekicks are completely absent; Bruce is fighting alone. This is a future that feels familiar, yet has gone somewhat astray.

In the end, Batman has a heart attack in the middle of a fight, and, after being savagely beaten by a common thug, is forced to pull a gun on the man in order to save his own life.


This, of course, means that Bruce Wayne can no longer function as Batman, and he permanently puts away the suit, vowing "never again" to don the cowl. It is here that we see the enshrined costumes of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing, revealing that all of the former guardians of Gotham are gone. Gotham is now left to itself, and must survive without its protectors.

At this point, the show's intro begins, zooming in on a futuristic and somehow even darker Gotham City.


Rather than the traditional orchestral score, Batman Beyond has a dark-sounding electric guitar rock soundtrack, giving the entire show a harder edge. This is completely exemplified in the opening title by the art style, which has perhaps the most stylized visuals of any part of the DCAU. None of the intro is in the normal animation style, but instead uses a constantly shifting mixture of various lighting tricks and effects filters to create an extremely exciting sequence. Throughout the beginning of the intro, we are shown brief flashes of words that symbolize the themes of the series, and what Gotham has become:
Apathy.
Greed.
Corruption.
Power.

However, the next shot we see is of the main character, Terry McGinnis, as he looks bravely forward despite the graveyard visible behind him.


It is after this brief visual that we glimpse one more word:
Hope.
This gives way to a visual of Terry as the new Batman, who appears from behind a black swarm of bats. At this point, the electric guitar fully kicks in, and we see the title "Batman" appear for a moment before being overlaid with the word "Beyond."


Throughout the intro, we can clearly see that this is a futuristic, somewhat dystopian Gotham City. Once the main story of the episode begins, the tone and feel of this even-farther future has already been set.

"Rebirth" is dark, moody, and sometimes morbid. While some may say that this is inappropriate for a kids' series, it gave the series premiere great depth and believability.


This episode establishes the "Jokers" gang, the sad state of Bruce Wayne's life, and Terry's personal problems. From this point on, the series works to reverse this darkness, while still reveling in it.


"Rebirth" also establishes a higher level of violence in the series, showing blood and brutality. This actually makes a lot of sense, and--as an "older" viewer--I appreciate that.


The ending of this episode is both lighthearted and subtly foreboding. As Terry shakes Bruce's hand, we as the audience know that Terry is getting far in over his head, and his fate will be forever changed.


All in all, the episode was near-perfect.

9/10

Batman Beyond - Intro

Batman Beyond was a highly controversial concept when it was announced, and for many years after its release. On paper, the show's concept--a whiny teenager becoming the new Batman and fighting "newer, edgier" versions of the classic Batman villains--sounds like an abomination. However, in execution, it is surprisingly compelling, and by far the darkest and most mature series of the entire DCAU.



Batman Beyond was supposed to be a show for a much younger audience, as the late WB Network wanted a new animated series from the creators of Batman and Superman that would attract a slightly younger crowd, possibly with the idea of a "teenage Batman." It's ironic, then, that Batman Beyond was consistently far more mature than either or its predecessors.

Set in the future of 2039, Batman Beyond introduces us to a Gotham City that has gained the technologies and attitudes of the future, but has lost its sole protector, the Batman. Bruce Wayne has become too old to continue the fight against crime, and now lives as a solitary hermit, his only companions his dark memories. And a dog.


Seventeen-year-old Terry McGinnis is a smart young man, but has some serious anger issues. Through a chance meeting with Bruce, he accidentally discovers the identity of the Batman. When his father is murdered, he steals Bruce's high-tech "batsuit," which, with its Iron Man-like abilities, enables him to bring his father's killers to justice. Bruce, seeing the potential in Terry, trains him to become the new Batman.


Terry is a character that, by all rights, should not be entertaining. Normally the "young teenager" archetype is unskilled, stupid, and ultimately annoying. Terry, however, is already a skilled fighter, not entirely foolish, and quite compelling. His dialogue is quite clever, and his sense of humor is more than adequate--something that Bruce always lacked.
Terry is a character that has the naivete of youth, but the maturity of a young man who has seen the darker side of Gotham. He's already got some fighting skill, but, with the addition of the batsuit, is a formidable warrior.


The batsuit grants Terry all of these abilities:

• Enhanced strength by a factor of ten.
• Minimal reduction (or increase) in flexibility.
• Enhanced visual assistance that allows him to see in the dark (visual from the Batsuit can be fed back to the main computer in the Batcave; it can also receive visual from the main computer, allowing for superior tactical planning). The visor can also serve as digital binoculars and an infrared filter.
• Personal communicator allows Terry to keep in constant contact with Bruce at the Batcave.
• Enhanced ballistic protection.
• Significantly resistant to heat, electricity, water, and vibrations, but only slightly resistant to radiation.
• Built-in rebreather for underwater combat/exploration.
• Dispensable Batarangs with a range of auxiliary functions, such as producing electric shocks. However, there is a limit to the amount of Batarangs the Batsuit can dispense; Batman has run out on at least one occasion.
• Discs that can be fired from the tops of the hands.
• Electrical discharges throughout the suit that can be activated by pushing the button on the belt.
• Grappling guns built into the forearms.
• Flashbang grenades.
• Smoke pellets.
• Flexicuffs.
• Launchable tracers.
• A retractable PIN or password decipherer in the form of a key on the right index finger.
• Retractable wings under the arms.
• Rocket boots enabling limited flight.
• Electromagnetic pads in the soles of the boots for adhesion to certain surfaces.
• Sensitive touch microphone on index and middle fingers that permits eavesdropping through solid surfaces.
• Drug identifier, utilized by dipping fingers into the substance.
• Built-in cloaking device that enables almost complete camouflage (this function possibly consumes a good deal of the Batsuit's power, as Batman minimizes its usage). It allows camouflage extending into the visible light and infrared frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  
• Retractable claws which can be used to slice, clip, or facilitate climbing.
• Can uplink with the Batmobile for remote piloting.
• A remote kill function that can externally deactivate the suit from the Batcave.
• The belt buckle also serves as a buzz saw to get out of a room quickly or to cut through denser material.
• Electroshock circuitry, effective with direct contact, to protect Terry from attacks from Inque or to disable an opponent.

That list might seem too long, making Terry look like a completely unstoppable force of technological fury. However, it's important to note that the original Batman had a list of gadgets that was likely even longer, all stuffed into his belt alone.



The city of Gotham is a wonderful hybrid of the Gotham we know from BTAS, the Metropolis we've come to love from STAS, and the dystopian future city from Blade Runner. It's a very interesting place that serves as a great backdrop for the series.


All in all, this show is quite unique, and stands as one of the great original creations of superhero animated television.

BTAS - Christmas with the Joker

If the last episode was steeped in dark realism, then this episode is the exact opposite. It's a perfect example of the "fun" side of BTAS, even if it goes a bit far.

Here, the Joker makes his first appearance, and attacks Gotham with his most evil plan yet: hosting an evil Christmas TV special.  He's captured three of Batman's friends and allies, and will drop them into a tank of acid—on live TV—unless Batman and Robin can somehow manage to hunt down the Joker in his hideout while simultaneously disarming a plethora of deadly disasters that he has set up all over the city.

This is Robin's first appearance, and he gets absolutely no introduction. It's not really a problem, though, and he will eventually get a great two-part origin story later in the show.

Kevin Conroy has the definitive voice for Batman, and Mark Hamill is the definitive Joker. Hamill's maniacal laughter is captivating, and his tone is absolutely perfect. There's really no way to accurately explain it in words; if you haven't seen a DCAU episode with the Joker, go out and find one. You'll be happy you did.

Overall, this episode wasn't exactly perfect, but it's one of my favorites, if only for the fun factor.

7.5/10

BTAS - On Leather Wings

Right from the start, it's obvious that this is a very, very different type of animated series. It doesn't feel like a show made for children; it feels like a real, adult story.  It's heavily stylized, yet realistic. Even the nameless background characters speak and act like real people, further adding to the strikingly deep and enthralling narrative.

The story is simple: a bat-shaped monster has been attacking pharmaceutical buildings across Gotham City, leading the Gotham P.D.--with the exception of Commisshioner Gordon, of course--to believe that Batman is behind the attacks.  Now Harvey Bullock--Gordon's second-in-command, who has never approved of Batman--has an excuse to start a manhunt on Batman, while Batman himself tries to solve the mystery of the bat creature.

It's slightly odd that this is the first episode, for a few reasons. First, this episode is not an origin story. In fact, the series never truly gets a full origin for Batman; we only get small bits and pieces later on. Secondly, this story deals with a rather unusual villain, Man-Bat, which seems an odd choice to make for the introductory episode of the series.

That being said, however, it's still an amazing episode, being equal parts crime mystery, science fiction, and horror.

Certain scenes with Man-Bat are truly terrifying; it's a wonder that this episode was actually allowed to air during a childrens' TV time slot in 1992.

This is absolutely an amazing episode, and definitely one of the best in the entire series. If you're trying to convince someone to watch this show, start here.

9/10