I quite like the new BATMAN-CAPED CRUSADER animated series on Prime. Although visually and in its tone the most obvious successor yet to the classic ‘90s BATMAN-THE ANIMATED SERIES, this new show is at heart quite different.
Produced by Bruce Timm of the original series along with J.J. Abrams (the STAR TREK reboots) and ace comic book writer Ed Brubaker it is, in a way, a serial, with all ten episodes essentially connecting into one larger story arc of Batman’s early days in Gotham.
Besides Bruce Wayne/Batman, there are quite a number of continuing characters throughout including Police Commissioner Gordon and his public defender daughter Barbie, Detective Renee Montoya, corrupt cops Bullock and Flass, Boss Rupert Thorne, D.A. Harvey Dent, and Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Oh, and Pennyworth, the butler.
Which brings me to the one thing I really don’t care much for in this series and that’s, as odd as this sounds, Batman—Bruce Wayne. As either Batman or Bruce, he’s simply not a likable character. For one thing, even though he knows all his secrets, poor Alfred here is considered, even in private, as just an employee of Bruce’s. Thus, even after all the years he raised him, he is still called “Pennyworth.”
That said, Hamish Linklater is surprisingly good in the dual lead role, seemingly channeling the late Kevin Conroy without in any way doing an impersonation of him. Most of the other performers, all top notch, are veteran voice actors, with one exception being former Wednesday Adams Christina Ricci as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Wayne associate Lucius Fox is voiced by Bumper Robinson, a name I remembered from the original 1987 TV movie of Will Eisner’s The Spirit, where he played the Ebony White role (although called Eubie) opposite Sam (Flash Gordon) Jones as Denny Colt.
There are a number of not quite familiar characters throughout the series including Julie Madison (Bruce’s fiancée in the 1930s Batman stories, freelance news photographer Eel O’Brien (not Plastic Man), Lt. Corrigan (not the Spectre), and Dick, Jason, and Stephanie Brown, not who you think they are, either. No, except for Pennyworth (Jeez) Batman’s on his own here in a Gotham City that may or may not exist in the 1940s. It’s just as possible, however, that we are in an alternate, cell phone-free version of 2024 with cool vintage cars.
The latter would explain why there are so many women and people of color in prominent positions they simply would not have had anywhere in the U.S. eight decades ago. Commissioner Gordon and his daughter, for instance, are black. Dr. Quinzel appears to be Asian.
We meet a very different Penguin as well as very traditional versions of Catwoman and Two-Face. Kudos to Timm and all for having the restraint not to throw yet another version of The Joker in. Well, not in this season, anyway.
There are also a number of Easter Eggs such as Pennyworth reading a book called Alias the Gray Ghost, the title of the original series episode that guest-starred Adam West. Harvey Dent who (not really a spoiler) becomes Two-Face is a major character all through the season, voiced by Diedrich Bader. Bader himself was Batman in the excellent BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD from 2008. That series also featured Tom Kenny, who plays Eel O’Brien here, as Plastic Man!
The animation on BATMAN-CAPED CRUSADER itself is near-flawless, with much of the art deco style carrying over from the ‘90s. The writing is adult without hitting you over the head with that fact and the overarching story of Batman’s journey to becoming Gotham’s protector is riveting. I just wish either Batman or Bruce could have had me more on their side.
Booksteve recommends…but wishes he could recommend it more!
