Cartoon Theater was good this weekend.

The movie was Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. In many ways, I did not like Batman Beyond when it first premiered. It seemed it was much more about the magical new Batman suit than anything else. But I have found that it just took some getting used to. Also, don't expect it to be like the real Batman, because it isn't. How could it be?

But the movie was pretty good, in part because it did some flashbacks to the original Bat. Bruce Wayne is voiced in both animated series by the same superlative voice talent, so that certainly helps with the consistency... and the animation team is the same one that did the original Batman animated series (still one of the best animated series ever put on celluloid), along with Superman and (more recently) Justice League. I consistently enjoy their animation work.

The plot sort of caved in toward the end, as the writers stretched for a reason to have a basically ageless Joker around to tangle with the new Batman. There was a suspension of belief issue with the explanation - if you have seen it, two words will suffice to bring the problem to mind: face changes.

On another note, tangential to this topic - if someone familiar with the Batman comics is reading this, please confirm something. I believe that in the comics, the Joker has actually killed one of the Robins, has he not? The backplot to the movie was similar to something that I believe occured in the comics, which is why I ask.

Oh, and as long as I am on the subject of cartoons, I must again encourage readers to seek out Samarai Jack. It is so very odd, plot-wise... but the art direction continues, episode after episode, to be fan-freaking-tastic.

Posted by Reid at November 4, 2002 08:55 AM | TrackBack