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- The Joker Is Coming to Gotham
- Joker and Harley Quinn Could Team Up
- Is Robin On the Way?
- Batman: Caped Crusader Seems to Take Place in the Same Universe as The Classic Superman Shorts
As a long-time fan of DC Comics and its rich universe, I find myself utterly captivated by the revelation that Batman: Caped Crusader seems to share its universe with the iconic Max Fleischer’s Superman shorts. This is like unearthing an old, forgotten family photo album and discovering a previously unknown relative.
On August 1, 2024, the entire first season of “Batman: Caped Crusader” was released on Prime Video. This series, masterminded by Bruce Timm, one of the creators of the renowned “Batman: The Animated Series,” boasts J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and comic book writer Ed Brubaker as producers. “Batman: Caped Crusader” offers a fresh take on the Dark Knight by setting him in the 1930s, drawing inspiration from his original roots. The storyline revolves around Batman’s early years in Gotham City, where he confronts many of his legendary adversaries such as Catwoman, a female version of The Penguin, a new, malevolent Harley Quinn, a Golden Age-style Clayface, and the supernatural Gentlemen Ghost.
In the climax of Season 1, the final episode hints at Batman’s most formidable adversary, The Joker, as a dilapidated structure in Gotham City reveals a line of victims grinning ear to ear, and the last patient is shown convulsing with laughter prior to expiring. A mysterious figure admires his latest chemical concoction. For those even casually familiar with Batman, this scene will ring a bell as The Joker’s trademark laugh gas, which deforms his foes, has made its appearance. This way, the Batman: Caped Crusader series effectively builds anticipation for an action-packed Season Two.
The Joker Is Coming to Gotham
The conclusion of “Batman: Caped Crusader” hints at a resemblance with the end of “Batman Begins”. Both movies depict Batman’s early days in Gotham City, and they share a commonality in that Batman battles adversaries before confronting his archnemesis. Similar to “Caped Crusader”, “Batman Begins” ended with a foreshadowing of The Joker, as Commissioner Gordon gives Batman a Joker card, setting the stage for “The Dark Knight”.
Over time, it was believed that the first adversary a hero encountered would become their arch-nemesis, which is why the Joker was the main antagonist in the 1989 Batman film and also introduced as the first villain in 2004’s The Batman. However, modern Batman narratives often opt for portraying the Joker as a villain who appears later on, after other well-known adversaries have been dealt with, serving as a reaction to Batman himself, as illustrated in Geoff Johns’ Batman: Earth One comic trilogy where The Joker is hinted at towards the end.
Regarding the portrayal of the Joker, it’s hard to predict as his character is open to numerous interpretations. Given that Batman: Caped Crusader takes inspiration from the original comics of the 1930s by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, it might lean towards the classic version of the Joker, blending elements of a gangster with those of a mad scientist. This would mark a departure from Mark Hamill’s Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, which combined aspects of the early gangster Joker with the 1960s Caesar Romero character, or the more comically grotesque Joker seen in The Batman, or even Brett Spienier’s Joker inspired by Heath Ledger in Young Justice. Batman: Caped Crusader offers an opportunity to present a fresh take on the Joker for viewers.
In the series “Batman: Caped Crusader,” each installment has typically presented a new adversary for Batman to tackle, while the larger narrative revolves around the rotten core of the Gotham City police and Harvey Dent’s transformation into Two-Face. The Joker, being such a formidable foe, is unlikely to be confined within a single episode. It’s possible that his introduction in Season 2 could make him the season’s main antagonist.
Joker and Harley Quinn Could Team Up
In the show “Batman: Caped Crusader,” Batman’s encounter with Harley Quinn preceded his meeting with The Joker, a departure from traditional storytelling. As portrayed in the series, Harley seems unrelated to The Joker, and her origin doesn’t stem from him. However, she lives on as she contacts Renee Montoya, instructing her to leave town temporarily. This implies that Harley survived her fall into the ocean earlier in the episode and will reappear. It is possible that she could have joined forces with The Joker, but where she went remains unclear.
In the show Batman: Caped Crusader, Harleen Quinzel, who is actually Harley Quinn, continues her role as a psychiatrist. Unlike other versions, this Harley harbors a deep-seated animosity towards the rich. As a mental health professional, she initially caters to wealthy clients; however, her actions take a sinister turn when she abducts them and reprograms their minds, compelling them to donate their wealth to charitable organizations and other noble causes while subjecting them to torment intended to reshape their personalities. Although The Joker isn’t linked to her throughout the series, there’s a possibility that she may forge an alliance with him in season two, as they share a common theme of being circus-inspired villains.
As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’ve always admired the evolving nature of Harley Quinn’s character, particularly beyond her relationship with The Joker. However, it’s undeniable that their connection is deeply ingrained, and this could pave the way for an intriguing new dynamic in a series like Batman: Caped Crusader.
Is Robin On the Way?
In the eighth episode of Batman: Caped Crusader titled “Nocturna,” Batman rescues a group of four children from an orphanage, whose names – Dickie, Jace, Stephie, and Carrie – are nods to different characters who have assumed the role of Robin in the comics.
- Dickie is Dick Grayson, the very first Robin who debuted in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Dick Grayson is the most iconic Robin, who eventually goes on to adopt the mantle of Nightwing.
- Jace is Jason Todd, the second Robin who debuted in Batman #357 (March 1983) and was created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton. Jason Todd is best known for being the Robin killed by The Joker and later becoming the anti-hero, Red Hood.
- Stephie is Stephanie Brown, who first appeared in Detective Comics #647 (June 1992) and was created by Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle. She was originally Spoiler, the daughter of the villain Cluemaster, before becoming the fourth Robin after Tim Drake.
- Carrie is Carrie Kelley, the alternate universe Robin who first appeared in The Dark Knight Returns in 1986. She was created by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley and was the first female Robin in comics.
Including four distinct Robins could be an entertaining Easter egg for DC Comics enthusiasts. Since Batman: Caped Crusader is intended to present a more mature and gloomy interpretation of Batman, introducing Robin could potentially contradict this tone. Although Batman initially emerged as a dark avenger of the night, he soon transformed into the iconic superhero mentor early in his career. However, Batman: Caped Crusader will likely focus on Batman’s early escapades and solo exploits for an extended period, allowing it to explore the noir/pulp/horror genre. Yet, there is still a possibility that Robin might make an appearance at some point in the future.
Batman: Caped Crusader Seems to Take Place in the Same Universe as The Classic Superman Shorts
As a dedicated DC Comics fan, I couldn’t help but notice a striking resemblance between the journalists in our latest series and some familiar faces from the past. It seems to me that the artist has resurrected Lois Lane from Max Fleischer’s iconic Superman shorts! She makes her voice heard for the first time in episode eight, “Nocturna,” and standing beside her is a red-haired photographer who bears an uncanny resemblance to Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen.
Max Fleischer’s Superman series, produced between 1941 and 1943, comprises 17 shorts that are often cited as exceptional Superman media. These animated shorts were pioneers in rotoscoping techniques and initially depicted Superman’s ability to fly. The impact of these cartoons on both Superman and DC Comics adaptations has been substantial. Notably, they played a significant role in shaping Batman: The Animated Series, making it unsurprising that Fleisher’s Superman cartoon is frequently mentioned in such contexts.
The primary concern is whether the series can continue on Prime Video given that Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics’ parent company, might not permit them to incorporate Superman since they’re currently running a new animated series called My Adventures with Superman, exclusively on Max. Notably, an episode of My Adventures with Superman has revealed that the Lois Lane character from Fleisher is part of the Legion of Lois Lanes, who traverse the DC animated multiverse. Essentially, this suggests a direct connection between the series Batman: Caped Crusader and My Adventures with Superman, through the DC multiverse.
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2024-08-14 23:02