Warner Bros. Animation
Batman : Caped Crusaderhas finally premiered onAmazon Prime Videosince its reveal three age ago and a turbulent transition from Max , call forth the spirit of the much - darling nineties showBatman : The Animated Series . It ’s a intimidating banner for this new series to match , especially sinceBatman : The Animated Seriesis a gilt standard for many audiences , including the belated Kevin Conroy who voice the Dark Knight .
BTASco - creator Bruce Timm helms this latest animated effort as the showrunner and an executive producer , with Hamish Linklater(Legion , Midnight Mass ) lend his talents as the titular hero to take on this operose task . It remixes ideas from its ghostlike herald and the character ’s comic Scripture source material to stand aside . While comparisons between the two show are inevitable , how doesBatman : Caped Crusadermeasure up to the revered 1990s serial ?
Warner Bros. Animation
Standing on the shoulders of an animated giant
If seeing Bruce Timm ’s name as the driving originative force were n’t enough denotation , the first poster forBatman : Caped Crusadermade it abundantly clear what the show ’s intention were . TheAnimated Series - prompt art mode is instantly recognizable and evocative of Timm and swain co - creator and writer Paul Dini ’s prison term in the DC Animated Universe during the 1990s . In that sense , it ca n’t be helped that fan expectations are plant sky high . But with a originative squad back him that includes celebrated risible book writers like Eb Brubaker ( Batman : The Man Who Laughs , Gotham Central ) and Greg Rucka ( Batman : Death and the Maidens ) , it ’s hard not to abide by Timm ’s aspiration .
The idea of “ reinventing Batman ” is far from a novel construct , particularly in a literary genre hump for play around with multiple universes at once — for better and worse . What madeThe Animated Seriesso groundbreakingin the nineties was how it borrowed factor from Batman ’s comic since the hero ’s return to his crime - noir root in the 1970s thanks to writers like Dennis O’Neil .
In doing so , Timm , Dini , and Eric Radomski put to screen a Dark Knight serial unlike the campy Adam West era , or evendirector Tim Burton ’s stylized gothic takein his Michael Keaton - led blockbuster movies . For those intellect , it ’s hard to say that Timm ’s payoff to Gotham City inBatman : Caped Crusaderis subversive in any area . Even so , that ’s hardly a drawback .
More of the same is still an asset if not an innovation . Batman : The Animated Seriesended in 1995 , and the last DCAU series with the Dark Knight in the independent plaster cast ended in 2006 ( Justice League Unlimited ) . While pandering to nostalgia can easily become a pitfall in the superhero musical genre , it ’s no surprisal that plenty of buff are hungry for something likeBTAS .
Batman : crest Crusadertaps into what made its spiritual harbinger successful while click just enough corner to resist on its own feet . Interesting new angle on classic villains , a insidious yet meaningful change to its mount , and an admirable new pass player in Linklater make this animated show a worthwhile effort .
Caped Crusader proves the character is a period-piece hero
Batman : Caped Crusaderdoes , however , take a bolder counseling in its circumstance . Outside of storytelling ambitiousness , Batman : The Animated Series ’ unique art direction made it visually memorable . It combined 1940s - inspired architecture with gothic aesthetics — a style dubbed “ Dark Deco ” — tocomplete its gloomy vision of Gotham City . It also made Batman ’s world more interesting , as these stylistic pick make an anachronistic Gotham with forties visuals but with then - modernistic technology .
This proved to be a timeless esthetic approach , but Prime Video’sBatman : Caped Crusadermakes a simple yet interesting change . Bruce Timm and his cooperator recognized the classic appeal of the DCAU art style and character designs , and outright set the series in 1940s Gotham , downcast - tech and all .
As subtle a difference of opinion as it sounds on paper , it ’s a with child twist to giveCaped Crusaderthe proficient of both worlds . It ’s visually alike enough to the DCAU to tastefully fiddle with nostalgia but different enough to feel like a existence all its own . This also lets the Amazon Prime Video series feel more conducive to character change , and it carry on to prove that Batman is perhaps the best superhero for flow - opus history . From comics like the Victorian - eraGotham by Gaslightdepicting the World ’s Greatest Detective hunting Jack the Ripper toThe Doom That come to Gothamputting the sub in the Roaring ‘ XX against Lovecraftian horrors , the type and his sandbox are unbelievably versatile .
Honoring the void left by the late Kevin Conroy
Since Timm announced alongside conscientious objector - producer Matt Reeves ( The Batman ) and J. J. Abrams they would developBatman : Caped Crusader , the influence of Kevin Conroy was always the elephant in the room . That rang truer after his tragical passing . This for sure could n’t have relieved the weight of expectations or made Hamish Linklater ’s line any easier , but not chase a cheap Conroy - esque imitation is the key to achiever for this new series .
Linklater borrows element of Conroy ’s low-down registry and command presence for his benighted avenger while channeling Robert Pattinson ’s subdued , almost hushed tones inThe Batman . His performance wo n’t be clear Conroy ’s generational portrayal , but likeCaped Crusader ’s setting and aesthetics , it effectively balances nostalgia with modernity .
Ultimately , Batman : Caped Crusaderdoesn’t match or surpassThe Animated Series . Even so , it behave as the everlasting full complement to the DCAU show in the modern eld . Its challenging stage setting , first-class part acting , and interesting new character steering offer an exciting new animated Batman series for a untested generation — and even nostalgic older single .
The entire 10 - episode first season ofBatman : crest Crusaderis available to stream now onAmazon Prime Video . Amazon renewed it for time of year 2 upon acquiring the serial publication from Max .
