Summary
Roughly 16 years after I first watchedBatman: The Animated Seriesand hoped it would continue forever,Batman: Caped Crusaderhas promised to serve as an exciting modern replacement for my all-time favorite DC show. As is the case for many people, my childhood involved a not insubstantial amount of watching classic cartoons - a road that would, inevitably, lead to perhaps the bestanimated Batman seriesof all time.
Over a decade later, and theBatman: Caped Crusadertrailerhas set the incoming 2024 show up as a promising new version ofBatman: The Animated Series- complete with the 90s show’s original head producer, Bruce Timm. While these are certainly big shoes to fill,Caped Crusaderseems custom-built to match up to the comparisons, and the expectations that come with them.
Who Voices Batman In Caped Crusader & How He Compares To Kevin Conroy
Batman: Caped Crusader is promising to be an exciting new start for The Dark Knight, with a brand new actor cast as the voice of the titular hero.
Batman: Caped Crusader Is The Modern Batman: The Animated Series I’ve Wanted For Years
Batman: Caped Crusader’s Teases Promise A Very Similar Show Experience
Batman: Caped Crusaderobviously has a majorBatman: The Animated Seriestie in that Bruce Timm is involvedwith the project, but the parallels go far beyond that already. Not only is some of the eye-catching stylization of the prior show clear in the art forCaped Crusader, but the tone - one of a dark series that still looks to toe the line before being outright bloody and adult - also appears to match its predecessor.
As someone who habitually revisitsBatman: The Animated Seriesand whose only complaint is that there isn’t more episodes, this is essentially a perfect storm for me, and no doubt for many others with fond memories old and new of watching the show. WhileCaped Crusaderdoes look to be a little more intense in some regards thanBatman: The Animated Series- as writer Ed Brubaker has teased it being a more violent and Noir-like series - this arguably only serves as points in its favor to some degree.
The creators involved withThe Animated Serieshave talked at length about the complications that the more intensive censors the show faced presented story issues for them at several points, meaning fewer restrictions in this regard should prevent this issue from repeating itself. As such, not only isBatman: Caped Crusaderlooking like a modern iteration ofBatman: The Animated Series, it’s also looking like one that explores what could have been for the prior show, which is a concept I find hard not to be excited about.
How Batman: Caped Crusader Continues All The Best Parts Of Batman: The Animated Series
Caped Crusader Is Already Set Up To Mirror Batman: The Animated Series' Strongest Aspects
Batman: The Animated Serieswas one of the first meaningful ways I got into Batman lore, being closer to Robin’s age than Batman’s around the time I first saw an episode. However, it remains as good even after spending years reading and watching the Dark Knight’s exploits. As such, I’m eternally impressed by the show, asit serves as a truly stellar way for audiences to learn much about the hero and the many characters that surround him for those first voyaging into the franchise, while also being just as engrossing for established fans too.
As such, it’s promising thatBatman: Caped Crusaderlooks set to follow suit. While the core story focuses on the classic tale of the Dark Knight facing Gotham’s villains as its people question his motives and efficacy - conveying a tale as old as time -Caped Crusaderalso gets as obscure as to include the likes of underrated villain Onomatopoeia, showing its universal appeal. Being able to balance this with a stellar art style and a fresh look at Batman’s rogues gallery is a tall task, but one the show seems set to carry out based on its stylish trailer.
Caped Crusader Also Mirrors Batman: The Animated Series' Most Major Character Approach
Batman: Caped Crusader Has Already Shown Bi
One of the aspects of the upcoming Batman show that appears to have gotten the most interest is how it’s clearly already altered and adjusted theBatman: Caped Crusadercastin ways that often change them noticably from their conventional depictions. This shares a lot of common ground withBatman: The Animated Series, whose alterations to the likes of Mister Freeze were major and helped show new avenues the character could be taken in from then on.
Caped Crusader’s Harley Quinn is perhaps the best example of this - shown with a drastically different costume and seemingly different motivations, that appear to be entirely separate to her usual backstory with the Joker, and place her as a psychiatrist for Gotham’s elite. Similarly, Two-Face’s design looks different, and Catwoman’s description depicts her as a “blithe and pampered heiress whose family lost their fortune after her father was imprisoned for embezzlement”. All of this serves to show thatBatman: Caped Crusaderwon’t be resting on its laurels, revitalizing the mythos and cast even as it explores a familiar world.
Batman: Caped Crusader
Cast
Wealthy socialite Bruce Wayne, transformed by tragedy, takes on the mantle of Batman to combat the rampant corruption and crime in Gotham City. His vigilante actions attract both allies within the GCPD and City Hall and deadly adversaries, leading to unforeseen consequences. The series delves into the noir roots of Batman, exploring the psychological depths of Gotham’s inhabitants.
