Back in 2008, I got a DVD from Warner Bros. which featured the first episode of the new animated Batman TV series titled BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.
A “screener” for reviewing purposes.
The episode was titled “Rise of the Blue Beatle” and here’s what I wrote about it back then:
BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD looks like it will be a lot of fun…for kids. Clearly, it is an homage to the Silver Age of DC Comics and is aimed at a younger audience. I’m thinking that this is not going to be my cup of tea.
Boy, was I WRONG!
I went on to fall in love with BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD; and in fact, it’s my favorite animated Batman series to date.
Why?
Because it was a HUGE, 65 episode love letter to Batman and Batman history.
And yes, on the surface, it was for kids. However, if you paid attention, there was A LOT of stuff in there for adults. Not anything sketchy like sexual innuendo (which was all over the 1960s live-action BATMAN series) or anything like that. No, just a lot of winks, nods, and Easter eggs to just about, well, everything Batman.
Sadly, the series ended prematurely after only 3 seasons, though they kinda went out kicking and screaming (watch the final episode, “Mitefall!” to see what I mean!).
Apparently, the powers that be thought it was time for another “dark and serious” animated Batman series — that would end up being the very underrated BEWARE THE BATMAN — so the rug was pulled out from under B:TBATB.
However, that would prove NOT to be the end of B:TBATB!
Outrageous!
Hopefully, we’ll get more B:TBATB in movies like this one in the future — I know Team BOF is lobbying hard for it to happen!
I know a lot of Batman fans didn’t watch this awesome animated Batman series because they thought — like I wrongly did a decade ago — that it just wasn’t their cup of tea. Nonetheless, I HIGHLY recommend that those folks revisit — or perhaps visit for the first time — BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.
RELATED: SCOOBY DOO AND BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Movie Review
If you don’t like it, I’ll refund your 2018 BOF membership fee and comp you for 2019, no questions asked.
And just for fun, I’ll leave this video for you below. It’s going to take you several days to get that song out of your head. Enjoy! – Bill “Jett” Ramey
