646f9e108c Several children give their widely varying opinions of who they think Batman is. I find this to be one of the best offerings from the terribly touch-and-go fourth season, it showed great versatility in what they were willing to try out in their episodes. I love the two awesome alternate styles to the animation mixed in with the regular style. It's very entertaining visually, and that's not just as far as the animation goes, but it's also in the way the action of the scenarios unfolds and the dialogue. I have no interest in the parts that are focusing on the three kids, I mainly enjoy this one for the 'legends' that they tell each other. The first story is my favourite part, with the cartoony 50's go get 'em super-upbeat Batman and Robin, who is dressed like an elf, facing off against the Joker and his goons in a giant musical instrument museum? It's ridiculous but very fun and entertaining, I love the bright colours and the way the shadows were drawn, it really looked like old comic panels that were moving, it's a beautiful piece of animation and a faithful representation of that particular era of Batman that, while not personally my type, still does have a certain magic all of its own. It's kinda gently poking a little fun at the more silly slapstick tone, but also celebrating it at the same time. It's so weird seeing a cutesy trickster Joker as opposed to the ruthless manipulating psychopathic master of deadly mayhem I've always seen him as. Michael McKean did one fantastic Joker voice, kind of light and not particularly threatening but the guy really got the feel of the classic villain down terrifically. McKean also played an evil clown type character in an episode of Star Trek Voyager called "The Thaw." Then there was the second chapter which was the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the first one, that sees a gritty hulking Batman with a killer bad-ass attitude battling against the monstrous mutants of a post-apocalyptic warzone version of Gotham!!! It's brilliant in a whole different kind of way. I love the style of it with the jagged silhouetted backgrounds. Michael Ironside gave an epic Batman voice, so deep and resonant with a hint of malevolence that just perfectly fits, it was a perfect vocal for that striking incarnation of the Dark Knight. When that part's over it really feels like it's missing a third segment as it wraps things up mundanely with the Batman of the show saving the kids from burning up after Firefly torches a movie theatre. I get that they had a limited amount of time, but to me it does diminish the effect of the episode a little. But hey on the other hand we do actually see three very different interpretations of Batman so in that way it works. I love when they take a cute pot-shot at Joel Schumacher with the effeminate kid with the pink feather boa.. Good one guys, those movies suck! And it's a very good episode that's nice and varied and that offers something for just about anyone to enjoy, well worth checking out anytime. I understand why people would love this episode, it's got some good references, but I still feel like the references to other work, can't keep this episode afloat. If "I've Got Batman in My Basement" was any indication, I don't like when episodes are centered around kids, unless it's Tim Drake or "The Underdwellers". So, as luck would have it, this episode is just three kids talking about what they think Batman's like. I see this as kind of a moot point, because it's clear that all of them are wrong based on the over 100 episodes of this DCAU Batman I've seen. Although, they at least gave Batman a couple of interpretations.<br/><br/>First, is what I'm guessing is a version of "Batman: The Brave and the Bold". This is essentially the first half of the episode, and I don't like it. The animation's OK I guess, but I'm just not a fan of this campier version of Batman. For me, the beginning of Batman is "Batman: Year One", which is when the comics became darker, grittier, and, for me, more enjoyable. So, beings this is so campy it comes off as ridiculous to me, it's kind of a chore to sit through.<br/><br/>The second interpretation is the best part of the episode, Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". If you were to look up "Badass Batman Story" in the Graphic Novel Dictionary I just invented, you would find "The Dark Knight Returns". And thankfully, the scene they took from the story is executed beautifully. I'd still rather watch the movie than this little part of the episode, but still this was 15 years before the movie was even made, so I bet people loved it back then.<br/><br/>At the end of the day, I like half of this episode, and the other half just isn't for me. You might think I should give this a higher rating given my love for "The Dark Knight Returns", but if I only like half of something, I give it 5 out of 10.
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372 weeks ago