The New Batman Adventures: a BRBTV

ReportNo. 4 in the BRBTV Reports series

By Billie Rae Bates

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“The New Batman Adventures: A BRBTV Report”A feature story, distributed electronically, examining the TV show “The New Batman Adventures” from Warner Bros. Animation, originally airing on the Kids WB! from 1997 to 1999.

Copyright © 2006 by Billie Rae Bates

Originally released as an Amazon Short, then re-released to Amazon’s Kindle platform in May 2010; updated in 2011.

“The New Batman Adventures” and all of its featured characters are properties of Warner Bros. Inc. of Burbank, Calif. All rights reserved.

Photography by Billie Rae Bates

Special thanks to Will Rodgers, voice-impersonator extraordinaire and Batman aficionado, for his editing help.

CONTENTSThe New Batman Adventures:An Evolution of an EvolutionEpisodes

Season 1Season 2

Cast

The New Batman Adventures:An Evolution of an Evolution“Batman: The Animated Series” hit the airwaves in September 1992 and garnered much acclaim in the years that followed. With a creative team at Warner Bros. Animation that included Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Eric Radomski and Alan Burnett, the show brought us a Caped Crusader who was dark, brooding and above all strong. (See “Batman: The Animated Series, A BRBTV Report” for more on the genesis of the show.)

In late 1996, the news arrived that the series was moving from the Fox Kids network to the Kids WB! The Warner Bros. Animation team decided to “freshen the package,” as Paul Dini put it in the book he co-authored with Chip Kidd, “Batman: Animated.” Also, the new (and thankfully, last) installment in the ‘90s movie franchise, 1997’s “Batman and Robin,” was emerging on the horizon. “Warner demanded new episodes that showcased the film’s newest star, Batgirl, as a full-time member of Batman’s team,” Dini said.

Warner wanted a little more Robin on the show, too. “We decided to bring in young Tim Drake from the current Batman comics as our new Robin,” Dini said. “Departing from his comic-book origin, we made Tim the abandoned son of a crook with ties to Two-Face.”

The new series logo reflected a new direction for this animated Batman – as well as a new member of the team, the younger Robin / Tim Drake.

Radomski and prolific director Kevin Altieri were gone, hiring on elsewhere in the animation world, so new talent was brought in. Timm had created the “Superman” animated series in 1996 with sleeker lines and simpler designs, and he decided to apply that look to the new episodes over in the Bat-realm. He dropped all color from Batman’s costume, keeping the Dark Knight in only gray and black. He took Joker’s outfit down to just purple and green, and narrowed the Clown Prince’s eyes. He took off Poison Ivy’s green tights, made her leaner and gave her flesh a sickly white appearance.

Catwoman also got lighter in skintone, beneath a midnight black suit, rather than the gray she’d worn in “Batman: The Animated Series.” The Scarecrow had a more dramatic change, looking more like a hangman with a noose around his neck and a sinister-looking Western hat. Killer Croc became more

green and less gray, more like the reptile he was in the comic books. Batgirl went from a gray outfit (which had matched her comic book days) to a black one with yellow accents and a blue cape.

The Creeper was called out of the comic books into active duty for this new evolution of the animated series. And the daring exploits didn’t end there – the “Legends of the Dark Knight” episode alone showed what lengths the creative team would go to, to dazzle and delight hard-core Bat-fans.

In 1997, this new Bat-look was combined with the “Superman” series for “The New Batman Superman Adventures.” The last new Batman episode to air in this series was “Mad Love” in January 1999, though an episode of “Superman” featured Batman in September 1999. Batman went on to the “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited” series.

The Bat-animated world got a little more life with the straight-to-video movie “Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman” in 2003. Warner Bros. also partnered with Noodle Soup Productions to offer the Internet-based “Gotham Girls” series, featuring Harley, Ivy, Catwoman and Batgirl, voiced by the actresses who brought them to life on the small screen. Later came “The Batman,” a prequel series, and “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” each with a different look – and voice – for the Dark Knight.

In the late 1990s, with the evolution of “Batman: The Animated Series” into “The New Batman Adventures,” Hasbro released a set of 12-inch high figures / dolls: Nightwing (above), Harley Quinn (above, complete with her

pet hyenas), Batgirl, Batman and Joker (who came with a bazooka!).

Episodes

Season 1

"Holiday Knights” September 13, 1997Written by Paul Dini; directed by Dan Riba.This episode features three Christmastime vignettes. In Part 1, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are looking for some fun. They hypnotize Bruce Wayne and take him and his credit cards for a Christmas spin. In Part 2, Barbara Gordon is out holiday shopping when she spots officers Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya on a stakeout as Santa and an elf. There’s a shoplifter on the loose, and it turns out to be Clayface. In Part 3, Batman and Robin pursue Joker in his diabolical plot against Gotham on New Year’s Eve, and Batman manages to make it just in time for his yearly tradition at the coffeeshop with the Commish. Batgirl is now voiced by the sweeter-sounding Tara Charendoff-Strong. The fashion montage of Ivy and Harley on the department-store spree — a la Betty and Veronica of the Archies and complete with the strains of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” — is lots of fun. BRBTV is proud to have on its wall an original production cel from this episode (see the foreword), featuring Batgirl and Clayface in Part 2 — thanks to Rob!

"Sins of the Father” September 20, 1997Written by Rich Fogel; directed by Dan Riba (though Curt Geda is credited on the IMDb).Young Tim Drake has a penchant for powdered doughnuts and for imitating his idol, Batman. But when Two-Face is after his dad, Steven “Shifty” Drake, he gets caught up in the mess, then is fished out by the Caped Crusader. Both are whisked back to the Batcave on auto-pilot, and Tim, of course, precociously wanders upstairs and discovers Batman’s true identity. Batman investigates Shifty while Two-Face attempts to extort $22 million out of Gotham. Tim wants to help Batman collar his dad’s nemesis, Batman refuses to take him along and … well, a new Robin is born. A maturer Dick Grayson returns at the end of the episode, after a long absence, just in time to give Tim some advice.

"World’s Finest” October 4, 1997 (This was a three-part episode of “Superman,” then of “The New Batman Superman Adventures,” that aired over 90 minutes on the same day. It was also compiled in a special VHS release called “The Batman Superman Movie” in August 1998, then as a DVD in 2002.)Part IWritten by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini and Rich Fogel; directed by Toshihiko Masuda.Harley and Joker hit an antiques shop, stealing only a jade figure, which Batman learns emits low-level radiation, causing Bruce Wayne to decide to visit Metropolis. Air Force One, carrying a press corps along with the president, is hijacked, and Superman arrives to save Lois and the day. Joker then sets up a meeting with Lex, offering to kill Superman for a billion bucks. His weapon? The jade figure — which is really solid Kryptonite. When Bruce arrives in Metropolis, he not only has a meeting with his company’s business partner on a special tech project, Lex Luthor, he also asks out Lois Lane. Joker moves in on mobster Carlini’s territory, and Batman makes his appearance in Metropolis to fetch his wayward Clown Prince of Crime. The Caped Crusader encounters Superman, who doesn’t approve of his vigilantism. Superman “peeks” under Batman’s mask, but because turnabout is fair play, Batman tracks Superman’s secret identity, as well. Commissioner Gordon is looking a lot thinner — almost gaunt — here. Bruce Wayne is slicker in a black suit in this Metropolis setting, so much more metropolitan than his Gotham City brown! This three-parter has quite a theatrical, almost romantic, feel to it.Part IIWritten by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini and Steve Gerber; directed by Toshihiko Masuda.Joker bursts in on the next date of Wayne and Lane and kidnaps Lois. “You know, she’s only the bait,” Bruce tells Superman, cautioning him to “expect the unexpected” with Joker. Superman puts on his Kryptonite-proof suit to confront Joker, though not anticipating the acid shooting from this clown’s boutonniere. Batman arrives to help. Lex and Mercy later confront (with major firepower) Joker and Harley at their hideout over the botched job. A humorous catfight between the girls ensues as the men “renegotiate” their deal.Part IIIWritten by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini and Stan Berkowitz; directed by Toshihiko Masuda.Joker floats a bomb near an ocean liner, drawing out Superman again. Batman swoops into the Daily Planet offices to rescue Lois from the mechanical menace of the LutherCorp / Wayne Industries project. Lois sees the robotic spider unmask Batman. Later, at Lois’ apartment, the ice melts between our two heroes as they realize the threat of their two respective villains. But the tension is rising between the villains, as Lex decides he’s going to try to hang all of these shenanigans on the Joker, but Joker’s just not going down that easily. Seeing these two megaheroes — dark and light — on the same screen was a sheer delight, and not too many fans were even surprised, at the time, by the animosity the writers painted into them. This was not the “Super Friends” of the 1970s, for sure! Their goal is the same, though their methods are certainly different. The Lois romance adds an interesting dynamic to this animated incarnation, especially since she learns Batman’s identity! “It’s ironic, you know,” Bruce tells Superman. “She likes Bruce Wayne and she likes Superman — it’s the other two guys she’s not crazy about.” The further irony, to us ardent fans, is that we know that the ones Lois is attracted to are both the “alter” egos of the true identities of our heroes. We know Batman is the real man, and Bruce the mask, just as we know Clark is the real man, and Superman is the mask! Writer Paul Dini told me in a 1999 interview, “Every time we bring in a guest character, we like shaking up their world a bit. Anytime we can do a team-up and we can add a little heat to it, that’s always a good thing. But there always has to be a sort of human connection.” All in all, this is a wonderful three-parter / movie in that the structure of the plot relies heavily on pairings: Superman vs. Batman, Superman and Batman, Joker vs. Lex, Joker and Lex, Harley vs. Mercy, Bruce and Lois, Batman and Lois, Bruce vs. Clark … the variations are myriad! And it all works!

"Cold Comfort”

October 12, 1997Written by Hilary J. Bader; directed by Dan Riba.As Dr. Margaret Madsen unveils a set of dinosaur bones to much press, Mr. Freeze breaks in with his freeze ray and destroys the bones. It’s the Gotham Tricentennial, as well, and Freeze swoops in to ruin the unveiling of a special new piece of art. It’s evident he bitterly intends to ruin the lives of those around him, now that his recently revived wife has moved on and remarried. He targets Bruce Wayne next, invading Wayne Manor with his Ice Maidens, and Batgirl (as the only one downstairs practicing in the Batcave) must come onto the scene to save Bruce, Tim and Alfred. Batman and Batgirl then find Freeze’s frozen compound, as well as the doctors he’s kidnapped — and the deteriorating state of his frozen form. This is the first appearance of Mr. Freeze in his mechanical spider body. The action takes place after the “SubZero” feature film that was released later. Jack Ryder, who later becomes the Creeper, appears as a TV reporter in the opening scene. Cree Summer and Lauren Tom voice the Ice Maidens.

"Never Fear” November 1, 1997Written by Stan Berkowitz; directed by Kenji Hachizaki.An acrophobic Gotham resident goes swinging from the rooftops, then the otherwise mousy Wayne Industries clerk Seymour Grey goes berserk in Bruce’s office. Batman follows a lead to a lecturer on the topic of fear, but he gets knocked out while snooping and whisked away to a fenced compound. There, he meets the (newly redesigned) Scarecrow, who has developed a gas that actually takes away people’s fears. After escaping, Batman must stop Scarecrow’s plot to spread the gas over Gotham. Robin, on the other hand, must deal with the fact that Batman’s been affected by the gas, too. Scarecrow’s new look is taller, darker and more menacing, with crumbling teeth, a hangman’s noose around his neck and an Old West-style black hat. He is now voiced by Jeffrey Combs.

"You Scratch My Back” November 15, 1997Written by Hilary J. Bader; directed by Butch Lukic.Nightwing spies smugglers from his dockside vantage point, and he doesn’t like Batman and Batgirl stopping by to help with his bust. Catwoman also joins the party, throwing innuendos at Nightwing. She tails him later and gets a piece of the action of his pursuit of South American smuggler Enrique “Ricky the Hook” El Gancho. Batman observes this new alliance and tries to warn Selina off, further ruffling Nightwing’s feathers. When the new duo tracks down the smuggled cargo and moves in, Nightwing sees that Catwoman has played him to get to a coveted cat’s eye emerald — the “pearl of Argentina” — hidden in the smuggled goods. But who’s playing whom? As Nightwing and Catwoman check over a list of ships coming into the harbor, on the list is the S.S. Minnow, “Gilligan’s Island” fans will note!

"Double Talk"November 22, 1997Written by Robert Goodman; directed by Curt Geda.Arnold Wesker has been treated successfully but is still nervous about being released from custody. He’s placed in the jobs program at Wayne Enterprises. Then he runs into old buddies Mugsy and Rhino, who want to know where Scarface is. Batman steps in to get rid of them. But at Arnold’s new apartment, Scarface’s voice emerges. Soon Arnold is seeing signs of his old friend everywhere. Batman tracks the clues, himself, and realizes that someone else is pulling the strings this time. But who’s pulling the strings on them? Batgirl lends a hand. Appropriately enough, well-known short-statured actor Billy Barty voices the short-statured Hips McManus.

"Joker’s Millions” February 21, 1998Written by Paul Dini; directed by Dan Riba.

Joker and Harley are strapped for cash. After ditching Harley, Joker learns he’s inherited $250 million from onetime rival, mobster “King” Barlowe. He hires himself a pricey defense team to go legit. Dick and Barbara are suspicious and wander over to Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge, where Joker is holding court. Harley, on the other hand, is not too perturbed by Joker’s fabulous new lifestyle — until she learns he’s interviewing replacement Harleys! Then a visit from the IRS really makes Joker’s day. Or not. He takes a closer look at that cash, and his day only gets worse. There’s a fun musical montage depicting Joker in his new big-spending lifestyle. And it could only be considered humorous as the notoriously well-known Joker walks into his apartment building at the beginning of the episode, in full purple Joker outfit, and the lady at the front desk refers to him as “Mr. Ker.” In another fun moment, inside his apartment, the frustrated Joker tells the yipping hyenas, “Yea — you’re hungry, I’m hungry. Do me a favor and eat each other, will you?"

"Growing Pains” February 28, 1998Written by Paul Dini and Robert Goodman; directed by Atsuko Tanaka.Robin saves a young female from some motorcycle thugs, but she runs off. Commissioner Gordon, meanwhile, is filling in Batman on a new robber in town who has superhuman strength. Robin spots his mysterious friend again and saves her life again. She cannot remember her name, but she knows a man is chasing her. It’s her father, they learn — the same guy the Commissioner has been talking about. Batman and Robin chase him but lose him. Robin continues the chase, upset that Batman seems to be treating him like a child. Robin’s friend, whom he names Annie, is brunette like him, and she wears red, yellow and black like him. At one point, they look up at the corner of a downtown building, which bears the word “KANE,” the last name of Batman’s creator.

A Bat-action-figure from the ’90s, reflecting the change of the Bat chest emblem for these “New Batman Adventures.”

"Mean Seasons” April 25, 1998Written by Rich Fogel and Hilary J. Bader; directed by Hiroyuki Aoyama.An aging beauty named Page Monroe kidnaps those who threw her career, with a mask and an M.O. that make her the new villain “Calendar Girl.” “Beware the Ides of March” she exclaims in a Shakespearean reference, armed with a Fabio-inspired blond henchman (her moles are “the Pin-Up Boys,” Biff, Spike and Rock, official series website Batman-Superman.com notes) and helped by an animatronic dinosaur. Batman and Batgirl pursue her. Robin and Nightwing do not appear. Real-life beauty Sela Ward is Page Monroe / Calendar Girl, Barry Bostwick is Irv Kleinman, Tippi Hedren of “The Birds” fame is Donna Day and funny-man Charles Rocket is Frederick Fournier.

"The Demon Within” May 9, 1998Written by Rusti Bjornhöel and Stan Berkowitz; directed by Atsuko Tanaka.“World-famous paranormalist Jason Blood carries a terrible secret inside him,” says his character bio on Batman-Superman.com. “Centuries before, his life force was mystically fused to Etrigan, one of the vilest demons in Perdition. The link with Etrigan gave Blood eternal life and a powerful but uncontrollable spirit, which he could call upon in times of need. When Blood recites the mystic chant, ’Gone, gone, form of man, arise the demon, Etrigan!’ he vanishes and Etrigan appears in his place.” Bruce and Tim help out friend Jason as the young brat Klarion steals a Morgan LeFay branding iron and wields its power. There’s a reason they call this kid Klarion “the witch boy” as he sets out on a destructive path. (This kid even turned his own parents into mice to feed his cat.) Bruce must tap into some supernatural power to stop him. The character of Etrigan would go on to appear in the “Justice League” animated series. No Batgirl or Nightwing in this episode. You’ll see a brief tribute to the creator of the character Jason Blood, Jack Kirby, in the name of the Kirby Cake Co. Billy Zane of “The Phantom” movie voices Jason Blood.

"Over the Edge” May 23, 1998Written by Paul Dini; directed by Yuichiro Yano.In a brilliant, dark and intense scenario, Barbara is killed and the emotionally wrought father and police commissioner who had no idea she was Batgirl hunts down her maker, Bruce Wayne, like an animal bent on revenge. Of course, you realize early on it’s all a dream, and you later learn Barbara was gassed by the Scarecrow and is hallucinating, but the real point is her greatest fear, and the way she confronts it at the end. Key points in the scenario include Nightwing banding together with Batman and Robin to fight the common enemy, Bruce Wayne explaining over the phone to the Commissioner about why he became Batman, and the crucial, unbreakable bond between father and daughter. This gritty episode really reveals the chasm between this animated series, where deep emotions drive real people, and other lighter incarnations like the TV series of the ’60s. Paul Dini commented to me on this episode, “You know it’s a dream, but who’s having the dream? You wonder if maybe it’s Batman’s perspective, but it’s not. Also, you found out at the end that Commissioner Gordon now knows his daughter is Batgirl, so it was a good episode for that, too.” In a play on the O.J. Simpson trial, still hot news during this episode’s run, the lawyer quips, “If the Bat’s on a spree, Wayne must pay the fee!” Another bit of trivia, from Wikipedia.com: Bane’s prisoner number at Arkham Asylum, 80987, is the book number of H.P. Lovecraft’s “Crypt of Cthulu,” which is the very series Arkham Asylum originates from.

"Torch Song” June 13, 1998Written by Rich Fogel; directed by Curt Geda.Garfield Lynns, the ex-boyfriend of pretty rock star Cassidy, abducts her in an arson-laced fury. He’s a pro at pyrotechnics and special effects (which he once performed for her shows), and he’s obsessively bent on revenge. He becomes the criminal Firefly. Batman gets to try out some new seriously fire-retardant jammies, and he also has another weapon in his arsenal, courtesy of Mr. Freeze. (Because, hey, how do you fight fire? With ice!) This is the origin episode for Firefly. There’s no Robin or Nightwing in this one. Barbara cracks a joke that’s a reference to another WB property, “Pinky and the Brain,” when she answers Bruce’s question of what she’s doing tonight with “The same thing we do every night, Pinky.”

"Love is a Croc” July 11, 1998Written by Steve Gerber; directed by Butch Lukic.Baby-Doll / Mary Dahl just wants to fit into society. She finds true love and a kindred spirit in the brusque Killer Croc, who, like her, is probably just misunderstood. She breaks him out of custody, and

they go on a new life of crime together. But everything is not exactly sweetness and light, Baby-Doll learns. Like the other characters, Croc gets a makeover for these new episodes of the series, becoming less grayish-brown and more gruesome green, truer to the character’s appearance in the comics. Both Croc and Baby-Doll get new voices: Classic 1980s “Saturday Night Live” alum Laraine Newman takes over as Baby-Doll, and Brooks Gardner is Croc. No Robin or Nightwing for this one. Jeff Glen Bennett, who voices Jack Ryder, plays the dad in this episode.

"Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero"A full-length film released straight to video in spring 1998, then to DVD in April 2002.Written by Boyd Kirkland and Randy Rogel; directed by Boyd Kirkland. A submarine destroys Mr. Freeze’s arctic home and endangers his frozen wife Nora’s life. He once again gets his special deep-freeze suit on to set matters right. He learns, through Dr. Gregory Belson, that only an organ transplant can save Nora’s life. And Barbara Gordon just happens to be a perfect match for the transplant. In the middle of a romantic dinner date between Dick and Barbara, Freeze kidnaps Barbara and takes her to an abandoned oil rig, where he’s also keeping Belson. Batman and Robin track the clues to Belson. We get to see a glimpse of the romance of Barbara and Dick here, though it was short-lived in the midst of Dick’s dissatisfaction with being Batman’s “kid in tights” and his subsequent conversion to Nightwing. In the blood-type computer files, we learn that Barbara is age 20, 5’3” and 110 pounds. She’s voiced by Mary Kay Bergman for this movie. This video was released later, but it takes place before Nightwing is born and the characters are redesigned for “The New Batman Adventures.” It was originally meant to coincide with the 1997 film “Batman & Robin,” writer Paul Dini says, but was delayed by Warner Bros.

Complete with Green Lantern ring (it blinked), voice director Andrea Romano talks about a more recent DC animated project, the “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” direct-to-DVD feature, at WonderCon in San Francisco in April 2011. I got the opportunity to interview Romano on camera at the event, along with Bruce Timm and Alan

Burnett, for ComicsContinuum.com and its accompanying Detroit TV show.

Season 2

"The Ultimate Thrill” September 14, 1998Written by Hilary J. Bader; directed by Dan Riba.Former stuntwoman Roxanne Sutton, aka Roxy Rocket, wants it higher, faster, better in her life of crime aboard her single-rider jet-engine, and she has her eye on the prize — the stone-cold Batman — as she continually courts death with her antics. She leads Batman all around Gotham on her thrill ride, and the highly unamused Dark Knight can only stop her by ultimately calling her bluff. You can certainly see the female influence here in the writing! Besides the innuendo of Roxy riding the rocket, there’s a “chicky” feel to the episode. As if a setup or promo, there’s a reference to the next episode in an advertisement for “Farmer Brown” on the side of a truck. No Robin or Nightwing in this episode.

"Critters” September 18, 1998Written by Joe R. Lansdale and Steve Gerber; directed by Dan Riba.Farmer Enoch Brown and his daughter Emmylou breed supersize bugs, cow-type things and more. When his growth project is taken away from him, Farmer Brown sets out for revenge. He breeds a special set of his gigantic mutant critters to tear through Gotham. Batman, Batgirl and Robin must stop the rampage. This episode feels strangely like a “jump-the-shark” episode, and it was not received well by fans of the series. Writer Joe Lansdale addresses it in our interview with him; see the “And Now a Word From ...” chapter. In a humorous moment, Robin, at the sight of a genetically enhanced bull, quips “Holy cow,” true to form of the Robin of the 1960s “Batman” TV show.

"Cult of the Cat” September 19, 1998Written by Paul Dini and Stan Berkowitz; directed by Butch Lukic.A band of Egyptian-influenced and rather fanatical cat worshippers hunt down Catwoman after she steals a gold figure from them. Batman gets caught in their lair as he tries to help her out. They’re planning to feed him to a big-old menacing tiger. Batman goes it alone for this one, without Robin, Batgirl or Nightwing.

"Animal Act” September 26, 1998Written by Hilary J. Bader; directed by Curt Geda.Dick Grayson visits his old stomping grounds, the circus, but he finds something amiss. As he runs into an old friend, Miranda Kane, he learns that the animals of the circus are being trained to commit crimes. He tracks down an ape that’s being controlled by the Mad Hatter, and Batman and Robin lend a hand. Miranda’s last name is, of course, a reference to Batman’s creator, Bob Kane, and also to the Batwoman character of the 1960s, Kathy Kane, who was a circus performer, and her niece, Betty Kane, who was initially the blond Bat-Girl then brought back in later decades as Flamebird. Batgirl does not appear in this episode.

"Old Wounds” October 3, 1998Written by Rich Fogel; directed by Curt Geda.Nightwing explains to Robin why he left Batman, as the gap is bridged between “Batman: The Animated Series” and “The New Batman Adventures.” Out on a job, Robin gets a little careless, and Nightwing points that out to him, drawing Robin’s dismay that Nightwing is sounding “just like” Batman. Of course,

Nightwing takes offense at that, and Dick talks about the final days that he and Bruce worked side-by-side. He explains how Bruce pulled a no-show at his college graduation, then paged him away from a date with Barbara. When he met Batman and they closed in on the bad guys (Joker’s men), Dick saw Batman using what he felt was unnecessary force on the criminals. Dick went to Barbara afterward and complained about Bruce. When he left, Barbara went to Bruce over concern about Dick. Bruce then told her he knew she was Batgirl, and they left to confront Joker and his guys. Dick went back to the house, was told by Alfred that Bruce and Barbara were out “on an errand,” then found Batgirl fighting side-by-side with Batman. He knew her secret then, too, and he was very upset that she didn’t tell him herself, especially with how close they’d gotten. This episode is all about Robin and Nightwing, with the other characters appearing in flashbacks. The episode, the best explanation of Nightwing’s evolution, was well-received by the fans.

"Legends of the Dark Knight” October 10, 1998Written by Robert Goodman and Bruce Timm; directed by Dan Riba.Kids sitting around comparing notes on a legend present a brilliant study of just what is the Batman — the ’50s comic-book quasidrama, Frank Miller’s ’80s dark and funky view, or our own ’90s animated world. The first kid tells how his uncle saw the mythical Batman while working as a security guard, and we see the 1950s Dick Sprang-like incarnation, with the traditional Batman and Robin fighting side-by-side with strong, heroic flair and a flash of “Holy ---”s by Robin, a style very much highlighted in the 1960s Adam West series. The next kid, Carrie, describes the Frank Miller interpretation, where a broad, lumbering Batman pursues dark mutants through a mudpit, helped by the tiny, female, eyeglass-wearing, red-haired Robin. Lastly, it’s our own “Animated Series” version, with Batman pursuing Firefly. The voice of the 1950s Batman here, Gary Owens, narrated the 1966 re-release of the 1943 serial classic “The Batman.” The Batman of the Frank Miller sequence is voiced by Michael Ironside, who also did the voice of Darkseid in the “Superman” and “Justice League” animated series. Michael McKean, best known as Lenny on “Laverne and Shirley” and for his stint in “This is Spinal Tap,” voices the 1950s Joker. Charles Rocket plays the security guard. There’s a jab here for Joel Schumacher, who is referred to by an effeminate guy at a “shoemaker” shop talking about rubber armor. All in all, a brilliant look at Batman lore, and our first animated glimpse of Frank Miller’s wildly popular and revolutionizing Bat-take, this episode would have to be considered BRBTV’s second favorite of the series.

"Knight Time” October 10, 1998 (a “Superman” episode)Written by Robert Goodman; directed by Curt Geda.Roxy Rocket comes to Metropolis when Batman is missing, since all the other villains are “picking Gotham clean.” Superman travels to Gotham to check out the situation, finding Robin trying to pick up the slack in the intense crime spree. Superman steps into the cape and cowl and not only investigates the disappearance of Bruce, but also learns more about Batman’s interesting routine! They discover Bruce is being controlled by nanites, but they also have a run-in with the coalition of Bane, Riddler and Mad Hatter. “He’s been working out,” Robin tells Riddler as Batman displays his new, greater strength around the room. As they continue the investigation, they find, at the heart of it, someone who’s actually quite close to Superman. The struggle of Superman to “fit in” as Batman is humorous here, but BRBTV kinda wishes they would’ve kept Superman’s puffy chin under that cowl, rather than Bruce’s square one.

"Girls’ Night Out” October 17, 1998Written by Hilary J. Bader; directed by Curt Geda.Superman’s nemesis Livewire escapes from Metropolis into Gotham City. Superman and Batman are both unavailable, so it’s up to the girls to save the day! Supergirl and Batgirl team up like cool girls do, but Livewire has connected with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn to give them a good workout. There’s a little bit of the Penguin thrown in, too. This is another great “girl” perspective episode by Hilary J. Bader. Robin and Nightwing do not appear here. Nicholle Tom as Supergirl and Lori Petty as Livewire reprise their roles from the “Superman” animated series.

"Chemistry” October 24, 1998Written by Stan Berkowitz; directed by Butch Lukic.Veronica Vreeland ties the knot for the fourth time. (“It was chemistry,” she and her husband say.) Bruce catches the garter, then chums up to the woman who caught the bouquet, the groom’s friend Susan. They spend more time together, and the smitten Bruce proposes to her. He then tells Robin, Batgirl and Nightwing that he’s hanging up the cape and cowl, having finally found happiness. But Veronica pulls a no-show to his nuptials, and he finds out something’s wrong. He rescues Veronica from her burning house, and it’s soon apparent that these “perfect” mates they’ve found are not quite so perfect. Linda Hamilton voices Bruce’s new gal Susan, and Tim Matheson is Veronica’s hubby Michael. In a humorous moment, Bruce is in the Batcave telling his caped crew about this feeling that’s come over him, this “feeling that things will work out for the best.” It’s called happiness, they tell him! At Bruce’s wedding reception, Barbara has some gentle romantic teasing for Dick.

"Judgment Day” October 31, 1998Written by Rich Fogel and Alan Burnett; directed by Curt Geda.Penguin’s trafficking of stolen goods earns him a visit from a sinister, faceless figure in judge’s garb. Next, Killer Croc hijacks an armored truck and gets “judged,” as well. Turns out, Councilman Corcoran has been feeding this new vigilante his information. When Two-Face shows up on his hitlist, Batman investigates. He pays a visit to Two-Face, then Corcoran, and realizes that this villain has more than a passing knowledge of Two-Face. Croc, as voiced by Brooks Gardner, is considerably less reptilian and much more human. Batman is solo in this story; no Nightwing, Robin or Batgirl.

"Beware the Creeper” November 7, 1998Written by Rich Fogel and Steve Gerber; directed by Dan Riba.Jack Ryder reports on the seventh anniversary of Joker’s “birth” in the toxic vat of chemicals. But Joker shows up to this live TV report and douses Ryder in laughing gas then throws him into his own vat of chemicals. Batman and Robin arrive but figure it’s too late for Ryder. Then, later, up from the sewer climbs the Creeper, the newest maniacal, chemically induced clown. He’s on a jolly, quick-witted crusade to catch the criminals. Back at Joker’s hideout, Harley has a sweet surprise for her Puddin’s anniversary, but he’s not biting. He tosses her out, and she attracts the eye of the Creeper. This is the origin episode for the Creeper, who was originally created in 1968 by legendary comic artist Steve Ditko. The Batman shown in the seven-year-old news clip sure has some funky ears, very reminiscent of his early comic-book days. The interaction between the Creeper and Harley is hilarious; one moment he’s pulling her into his arms and licking her face, the next she’s giving him a concussion-worthy clobberin’.

"Mad Love” January 16, 1999Written by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm; directed by Butch Lukic.Batman interrupts Joker as he’s terrorizing Commissioner Gordon while posing as his dentist, and Joker feels like he’s losing his edge. Harley’s getting frustrated, also, because her Puddin is simply not returning her affections lately. The action flashes back to when psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel began working at Arkham Asylum, and peered inside “the tortured soul” of the Joker. Back in the present, Harley contacts Batman and tells him she’s going to help him nail the Joker. But the way she sees it, Batman is the real problem here.

"The Demon Reborn” September 18, 1999 (a “Superman” episode)

Written by Rich Fogel; directed by Dan Riba.The Tribal Arts Exhibit is coming to Gotham, and so are Talia and the Society of Shadows. They terrorize the train carrying the Native American artifacts, stealing only a shaman’s staff known to have healing properties. Superman and Batman have words as they meet at the train. Talia impersonates Lois Lane to lure Superman, then kidnaps him and takes him to her father, who’s now shriveled and ailing. The Lazarus Pits aren’t working for him anymore, and he wants Superman’s strength. Batman investigates, dropping in for some intense conversation with Lois. Olivia Hussey takes over the role of Talia, and Michael Horse of “Twin Peaks” voices Ubu. This is the last new episodic appearance of the 1990s animated Batman, aired as a “Superman” episode, though “Superman” continued showing new episodes into 2000.

"Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman"A full-length film released straight to video in October 2003, then to DVD in June 2004.Written by Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves; directed by Curt Geda and Tim Maltby. Anticipation for this video release ran high for fans, especially BRBTV, when rumors started circulating that it would involve a “Batwoman” character. But this is not the red-and-yellow-clad brunette of the 1960s Batman comics — this is a new “Batwoman.” In the story, as Penguin and Rupert Thorne form a business partnership to sell illegal weaponry, with the help of “muscle” Carlton Duquesne, a new Bat-crusader is in town. She's female, clad in seductive gray and red, and has adopted the Bat-mantle in her unorthodox fight against crime. Batman must not have gotten the corporate memo — he sets out to find out who this mysterious female is, since her actions seem to implicate him. Bruce, meanwhile, becomes involved with the daughter of one of Gotham’s elite and infamous, Kathy Duquesne (who, BRBTV notes, shares a first name with the Batwoman of those 1960s comics!) and Bullock has a new partner, Sonia Alcana, who as a former child rescuee of Batman provides another suspect for Batwoman, in addition to the intelligent but socially awkward Dr. Rocky Ballantine. Bane pops up, as the new “muscle” Penguin is looking to hire to protect his interests from Batwoman. So who is this Batwoman, really? Let’s just say that writers Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves take a page from Agatha Christie. The cast is much the same as in the series, with some special additions and changes. David Ogden Stiers is Penguin, Eli

Marienthal is Robin, Hector Elizondo steps into Bane’s venom suit, and Tara Strong voices Barbara Gordon. For special cast, Kevin Michael Richardson is Carlton Duquesne, Kelly Ripa is Dr. Roxanne “Rocky” Ballantine, Kimberly Brooks is Kathy Duquesne, Elisa Gabrielli is Detective Sonia Alcana, Kyra Sedgwick voices Batwoman, and pop singer Cherie is the singer in Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge. This movie also offers a rare hint of a romance between Batman and Batgirl, which is only really explained later in the series “Batman Beyond.” There’s the requisite humor thrown in: “Batman, Batgirl, Batwoman — what is it about this city, the water?” Penguin quips.

"Batman: Gotham Knight"A straight-to-DVD animated feature released on July 8, 2008.Written by Stan Berkowitz; directed by Sam Liu.“Batman: Gotham Knight” is not so much a movie as it is six short stories that are all connected. This would be the first and (so far) only DC project that was done fully in anime by several different anime studios, so while they each have a different look, the stories all have the same voice cast. Another element that makes “Gotham Knight” unique is that the stories in this DVD all take place between the two live films “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” by Christopher Nolan, although that was not really the intention. Originally, Christian Bale was to voice the title character, but when he ended up being unavailable for the part, many Bat-fans got their wish when Kevin Conroy reprised his role from “Batman: The Animated Series.” Here is a quick breakdown.“Have I Got a Story for You,” animated by Studio 4 Degrees CFour street kids meet at a skate park, where they tell different stories of how they encountered Batman and a Man in Black earlier that day. “Crossfire,” animated by Production I.G.Detective Crispus Allen is disgusted as he sees the dark shadow in the office of his commanding officer, Lieutenant James Gordon. He knows the Batman is in there, again. Gordon then summons Allen and his partner, Detective Anna Ramirez, to his office. It seems the Batman has captured and brought in the Man in Black, who is revealed to be the technical psycho, Jacob Feely. Gordon assigns Allen and Ramirez to transport Feely back to Arkham Asylum back over the Narrows to the Island. “Field Test,” animated by Bee TrainBruce Wayne visits Lucius Fox at Wayne Enterprises. He’s come for the pictures he had Lucius take of two giant boats docked in Gotham Harbor. When Lucius reveals an accident that occurred with the Wayne Com satellite’s gyroscopic electromagnetic guidance system, Lucius creates a device with the satellite’s gyro. “In Darkness Dwells,” animated by Madhouse Lt. Gordon and Detectives Crispin Allen and Anna Ramirez respond to a call regarding a disturbance at a cathedral where Cardinal O’Fallon was preaching a sermon and the congregation suddenly got violent. It was reported that a lizard man abducted the Cardinal. Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow, may be behind all the madness, especially since he’s been at large since the riot in the Narrows (in the movie “Batman Begins”).“Working Through Pain,” animated by Studio 4 Degrees C Batman has been shot by a man hallucinating under the influence of the Scarecrow’s fear toxin. As he makes his way through the undergrounds, he calls Alfred and asks to meet him and trace his coordinates. Batman attempts to climb to the surface, but ends up taking a fall. During this time, he flashes back to a time before he developed the Batman identity, when Bruce Wayne was on his journeys overseas. “Deadshot,” animated by Madhouse Bruce has a flashback to that terrible night in his childhood when the killer known as Joe Chill murdered his parents right in front of him. Alfred inquires about the guns Bruce collected from the underground. Although Bruce would never use one and intends to turn them over to the police, he recognizes and appreciates the temptation to use one. While this is happening, a top-of-the-line assassin for hire known as Deadshot executes what would normally be an impossible shot, inside a Ferris wheel car at a carnival, miles away from his target.

"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies"A straight-to-DVD animated feature released on September 29, 2009.Written by Stan Berkowitz; directed by Sam Liu.Lex Luthor makes it to the Oval Office in this feature-length flick, and he immediately enlists some help in his campaign against “aliens”: Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katanna and Major Force. They pull the PR line on Superman, but he knows Luthor is up to something. Meanwhile, Prez Lex meets with Amanda Waller on a plan to blast a menacing meteor out of the sky with some megawatt missiles. He then tries to recruit Superman for some backup, bringing along Metallo to make his point. Batman joins in the battle that ensues. The two can barely stumble back to the Batcave in time to see Luthor working a major PR spin on national TV, painting a picture of Superman as an irrational, sick alien out of control who “killed” Metallo. He puts a big bounty on Superman’s head, and it brings a whole lotta villains out of the woodwork: Mongul, Solomon Grundy, Banshee, Lady Shiva and more. It’s one colossal fight after another as Superman and Batman battle their way to Luthor’s evil plot, with a little help from Power Girl and a boy genius and his most uniquely designed rocket. The big three of this flick are the same: Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown. It’s quite a mind-bender to hear the well-loved animated Bat-voice coming out of such a differently drawn (and outrageously muscled) hero. CCH Pounder reprises her role as Amanda Waller, and Andrea Romano is back in the voice direction chair for this one. Allison Mack of “Smallville” must have loved donning her own costume (at least virtually) as Power Girl. Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett are on board producing. The jabbing back and forth between the two main heroes is delightful, and seeing Captain Marvel in fresh animation is major-league cool. BRBTV Award for Best Line: “That was my best friend,” Superman calmly and resolutely says to Luthor, “and you just killed him.”

If you wandered into a Warner Bros. Studio Store at your local mall ‘round about 1998 or 1999, you might have spied the bean-bag dolls released by Warner Bros. featuring the characters of “The New Batman Superman

Adventures.” Here, Poison Ivy relaxes at the BRBTV headquarters.

CastThe list is arranged alphabetically by the first name of the character. For one-time appearances, the episode is noted. For the most part, characters that were unique to the earlier seasons, when the show was called “Batman: The Animated Series,” are not included here.

Alfred Pennyworth … Clive Revill / Efrem Zimbalist Jr.Annie (“Growing Pains”) … Francesca Marie SmithBane … Henry Silva / Hector ElizondoBarkley James (“Mean Seasons”) … Dennis HaysbertBatgirl / Barbara Gordon … Melissa Gilbert / Tara Charendoff-Strong / Mary KayBergmanBatman / Bruce Wayne … Kevin ConroyBatman of the 1950s (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Gary OwensBatman of the 1980s (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Michael IronsideBat-Mite … Pat FraleyBoxy Bennett … Dick MillerCalendar Girl / Page Monroe (“Mean Seasons”) … Sela WardCarrie Kelley / Robin of the 1980s (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Anndi McAfeeCassidy (“Torch Song”) … Karla DeVitoCatwoman / Selina Kyle … Adrienne BarbeauClayface / Matt Hagen … Ron PerlmanClock King / Temple Fugate … Alan RachinsCommissioner James Gordon … Bob HastingsComputer in the Batcave … Richard Moll / Jeff BennettConnor (“Old Wounds”) … Ian BuchananCreeper / Jack Ryder … Jeff Glen BennettDonna Day (“Mean Seasons”) … Tippi HedrenDr. Bartholomew … Richard DysartDr. Hugo Strange … Raymond BuktenicaDr. Joan Leland … Suzanne StoneDr. Leslie Thompkins … Diana MuldaurDr. March … Rene AuberjonoisDr. Margaret Madsen (“Cold Comfort”) … Tress Mac NeilleEagleton … John DeLancieEmmylou Brown (“Critters”) … Dina ShermanEnrique “Ricky the Hook” El Gancho (“You Scratch My Back”) … Sal LopezErnie (“Joker’s Millions”) … Sam McMurrayFake Harley Quinn (“Joker’s Millions”) … Maggie WheelerFalcone … Walter OlkewiczFarmer Enoch Brown (“Critters”) … Peter BreckFirefly / Garfield Lynns … Mark RolstonFrancine March Langstrom … Meredith MacRaeFrank (“Torch Song”) … David PaymerFrederick Fournier (“Mean Seasons”) … Charles RocketGeena (“Old Wounds”) … Pamela HaydenGuiseppe Bianci (“Cold Comfort”) … Ian Patrick WilliamsHarley Quinn / Dr. Harleen Quinzel … Arleen Sorkin

Harvey Bullock … Robert CostanzaHenshaw (“Old Wounds”) … Neil RossHips McManus (“Double Talk”) … Billy BartyHowlin’ Jake (“Torch Song”) … Tom Wilson)Isis, cat of Selina Kyle … Frank WelkerJanet Van Dorn … Lynette Mettey / Stephanie ZimbalistJason Blood / the Demon Etrigan … Billy ZaneJoel (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Phillip Van DykeJoker … Mark HamillJoker of the 1950s (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Michael McKeanJosiah Wormwood … Bud CortJudge … Malachi ThroneJudge Maria Vargas … Carmen ZapataKarl Rossum … William SandersonKiller Croc / Waylon Jones … Aron Kincaid / Brooks GardnerKing Barlowe (“Joker’s Millions”) … Allan RichKirk Langstrom / Man-Bat … Marc SingerKlarion (“The Demon Within”) … Stephen Wolfe SmithKyodai Ken … Robert (Bob) ItoLivewire (“Girls’ Night Out”) … Lori PettyLock-Up / Lyle Bolton … Bruce WeitzLucius Fox … Mel Winkler / Brock PetersMad Hatter / Jervis Tetch … Roddy McDowellMartin (“Cult of the Cat”) … Jim PiddockMary McSweeney (“Holiday Knights”) … Rachel DaveyMatt (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Ryan O’DonohueMaven … Mary McDonald-LewisMaximillian “Maxie” Zeus … Steve SusskindMayor Hamilton Hill … Lloyd BochnerMichael (“Chemistry”) … Tim MathesonMiranda Kane (“Animal Act”) … Jane WiedlinMoe / Lar / Curl (“Beware the Creeper”) … Billy WestMr. Freeze / Victor Fries … Michael AnsaraMr. Liu (“Chemistry”) … Bruce LockeMrs. Segar (“Double Talk”) … Patty MaloneyMugsy (“Double Talk”) … Townsend ColemanMutant Leader (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Kevin Michael RichardsonNick (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Jeremy FoleyPenguin / Oswald Cobblepot … Paul WilliamsPoison Ivy / Pamela Isley … Diane PershingRa’s Al Ghul … David WarnerRed Claw … Kate MulgrewRenee Montoya … Ingrid Oliu / Liane SchirmerRhino … Earl BoenRiddler / Edward Nygma … John GloverRobin / Dick Grayson / Nightwing … Loren LesterRobin / Tim Drake … Matthew ValenciaRobin of the 1950s (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Brianne SiddallRocco (“Old Wounds”) … Townsend ColemanRoland Daggett … Ed AsnerRoxy Rocket / Roxanne Sutton … Charity James

Rupert Thorne … John VernonScarecrow / Dr. Jonathan Crane … Henry Polic II / Jeffrey CombsSecurity Guard (“Legends of the Dark Knight”) … Charles RocketSensei Yoru … Chao Li Chi / Goh MisawaSergeant (“Critters”) … Phil HayesShannon (“Torch Song”) … Jane WiedlinSheldrake … Barry GordonStrongman (“Animal Act”) … Corey BurtonSummer Gleeson … Mari DevonSupergirl (“Girls’ Night Out”) … Nicholle TomSusan Maguire / Wayne (“Chemistry”) … Linda HamiltonTalia … Helen Slater / Olivia HusseyThomas Blake (“Cult of the Cat”) … Scott CleverdonTwo-Face / Harvey Dent … Richard MollUbu … Manu Tupou / George DiCenzo / Michael HorseVentriloquist / Scarface / Arnold Wesker … George DzundzaVeronica Vreeland … Marilu HennerVincenzo (“Torch Song”) … John MarianoZaltig Lady (“Mean Seasons”) … Miriam FlynnZatanna … Julie Brown

Beware the Creeper, indeed! Jack Ryder’s alter ego was one that the animated series brought out of the Bat-lore, as this ’90s action figure reflects.

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Part of the World Wide Web since 1998, BRBTV is an outgrowth of a love for, and many years of research into, classic television shows of the ’70s, ’80s and ‘90s.

To learn more about BRBTV or see all of the products available, check out the home page at BRBTV.com.

To contact Billie Rae Bates, email BRB@brbtv.com, and be sure to check out BillieRae.com.