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Batman The Animated Series turns 30 years old

VulcanRaven

Member
Batman The Animated Series premiered 30 years ago on September 5, 1992:




I watched this and The New Batman Adventures a lot as a kid. They are my favorite versions of Batman. The movies Mask of the Phantasm and SubZero are also very good. I bought them and the series on Blu-Ray few years ago and they look amazing. What are some of your favorite episodes?
 
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SpiceRacz

Member
That art deco aesthetic is beautiful.

9749ee58619db7518d1928635a30ddfd.jpg
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
As crazy as it seems, I think BTAS is the best batman content I’ve ever seen. It’s insane that a cartoon is so much better than live acting and $100M budgets.

So many good episodes. My fav:

- Riddlers
- Scarecrows
- Lock Up
- the episode where some crazy nut thinks he’s fucking Zeus with a lightning rod!
- POV episode
- the episode where Harvey Dent gets his face blown up becoming Two Face
- Vertigo
- the episode he fights the ninja on the volcano
- the episode with the fat slaver master in the mine always a holding a drumstick!

Some episodes I didn’t like:

- Any with Ras Al guul
- Heart of Steel. I think that were the episodes with androids
- Not a fan of Joker episodes
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
One of the greatest animated series of all time and a timeless classic.

Now if only the god awful writers of Hollywood/modern comics industry could learn a thing or two from this.
Amen.

Makes zero sense how an afternoon cartoon on Fox can be better written and acted than full budget movies.

I’ve been rewatching them a lot lately. First time since watching them in the 90s and it’s incredible how good the voice acting, plots and sound effects are. And it’s a cartoon!
 
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Amen.

Makes zero sense how an afternoon cartoon on Fox can be better written and acted than full budget movies.

I’ve been rewatching them a lot lately. First time since watching them in the 90s and it’s incredible how good the voice acting, plots and sound effects are. And it’s a cartoon!

And this continued on in other DC animated shows! Superman and Justice League have just as good, if not better in some episodes. Its pathetic to see how far we have regressed in writing in shows/movies/comics compared to what we used to have.
 

Werewolf Jones

Gold Member

Jinzo Prime

Member

All animated by one dude. Iconic as fuck.
Awesome find dude! Never heard of this website, going to look for my favorite scenes!
 
I'm too young to really remember the initial airings on Fox Kids, but I loved watching reruns they'd play on Cartoon Network in the latter half of the 90s, I seem to remember they'd air it at night, which felt so appropriate.

I still remember the night CN aired Mask of The Phantasm in 1999, which blew my ass AWAY.

I have a heavy association of Batman TAS with animes like Cowboy Bebop and The Big O, given the Toonami/Adult Swim and Sunrise studios connections, to me Batman TAS is right up there with stuff like Cowboy Bebop as GOAT animated TV series.
 
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VulcanRaven

Member
Some of my favorite episodes are:

-P.O.V
-Two-Face: Part 1
-It's Never Too Late
-Heart of Ice
-Beware the Gray Ghost
-Perchance to Dream
-Blind as a Bat
-His Silicon Soul

The title cards are great:
ttRjoOC.jpeg
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Some of my favorite episodes are:

-P.O.V
-Two-Face: Part 1 and 2
-It's Never Too Late
-Heart of Ice
-Beware the Gray Ghost
-Perchance to Dream
-Blind as a Bat
-His Silicon Soul

The title cards are great:
ttRjoOC.jpeg
So many good episodes, I forgot about Freeze.

Also the clock king episodes were good too.
 
This scene in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is absolutely fantastic. The silhouette of Bruce as he puts the mask on, the sweeping soundtrack and fear in Alfred's eyes as he sees what he's become. Breathtaking, absolutely breathtaking.

 

lachesis

Member
I heard the process was also toxic, or at least required some hazardous materials processes.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was true! It was 30 years ago, yes... The art scene was still pretty liberal using toxic stuff. People were using spray mounts and all too.

Or perhaps it was actually Joker who paid for the animation series. ;)
 

VulcanRaven

Member
As crazy as it seems, I think BTAS is the best batman content I’ve ever seen. It’s insane that a cartoon is so much better than live acting and $100M budgets.

So many good episodes. My fav:

- Riddlers
- Scarecrows
- Lock Up
- the episode where some crazy nut thinks he’s fucking Zeus with a lightning rod!
- POV episode
- the episode where Harvey Dent gets his face blown up becoming Two Face
- Vertigo
- the episode he fights the ninja on the volcano
- the episode with the fat slaver master in the mine always a holding a drumstick!

Some episodes I didn’t like:

- Any with Ras Al guul
- Heart of Steel. I think that were the episodes with androids
- Not a fan of Joker episodes
I like Heart of Steel but the sequel episode His Silicon Soul is even better. I recently realized that Karl Rossum is played by William Sanderson. He is J.F. Sebastian in Blade Runner.
 
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Nitty_Grimes

Made a crappy phPBB forum once ... once.
I can get them all on blu ray for £50. Might have to do that.

It's really given me a an itch for wanting to watch them again.
 
Batman lost his mask thay day if I remember it right. And failed to save the ninja. This is the kind of backstory that I think of when I see Batman go hard on his robins, to protect them from his failures. This made me want to see them again...

Was that the one with the pressure point kill attempt?
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Batman lost his mask thay day if I remember it right. And failed to save the ninja. This is the kind of backstory that I think of when I see Batman go hard on his robins, to protect them from his failures. This made me want to see them again...
The ninja knew him. Batman tried to save the ninja as the volcano was blowing up but the ninja kicked away his grappling hook and preferred suicide. Although technically you never know if he lived or not.

It had the death touch move too.
 

Daneel Elijah

Gold Member
Was that the one with the pressure point kill attempt?
No idea I was so young I don't remember.
The ninja knew him. Batman tried to save the ninja as the volcano was blowing up but the ninja kicked away his grappling hook and preferred suicide. Although technically you never know if he lived or not.

It had the death touch move too.
Yes but I consider that Batman failed to save him that day. And as a comic no death is permanent so him being dead is not a certainty. Forgot how the ninja knew him.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
No idea I was so young I don't remember.

Yes but I consider that Batman failed to save him that day. And as a comic no death is permanent so him being dead is not a certainty. Forgot how the ninja knew him.
I believe it’s due to them both training in the same dojo with the same master trainer.

On a side note I googled my fav episode. It was the scarecrow one where Batman is exposed to the fear toxin and hallucinates all episode with crazy dreams.

I’m going to assume everyone has seen that episode but if you haven’t, check out the episode called Dreams in Darkness.
 
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Nitty_Grimes

Made a crappy phPBB forum once ... once.
Friends, I bought the blu ray box set today.

Was gonna get started tonight but being in the UK certain events happening here have put those plans on hold for the time being.
 
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VulcanRaven

Member
Friends, I bought the blu ray box set today.

Was gonna get started tonight but being in the UK certain events happening here have put those plans on hold for the time being.
Does it have the two movies? I have the French release and it doesn't have them.
 
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Doom85

Member
Does it have the two movies? I have the French release and it doesn't have them.

There’s actually 3 Batman TAS films. Mask of the Phantasm, Mystery of the Batwoman, and Mr. Freeze: Subzero. Also, the Batman and Harley Quinn film is set in the DCAU as well, though that movie came out way later than the first three. There’s also Return of the Joker, though one should watch Batman Beyond before seeing that.
 

VulcanRaven

Member
There’s actually 3 Batman TAS films. Mask of the Phantasm, Mystery of the Batwoman, and Mr. Freeze: Subzero. Also, the Batman and Harley Quinn film is set in the DCAU as well, though that movie came out way later than the first three. There’s also Return of the Joker, though one should watch Batman Beyond before seeing that.
I know but Mystery of the Batwoman is not included in any version of the Blu-Ray set.
 

MrMephistoX

Member
I always felt kind of jealous of my brother for growing up with GI Joe and Transformers on Saturday mornings: until this came out. Literally the best Batman depiction of all time comics included. If DC had any sense they would make Bruce Timm and Paul Dini their Kevin Feige and just adapt content from this, Superman and Justice League.
 
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