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KivaTheDCWizard β Beware the Batman done right
Published: 2015-05-20 19:00:17 +0000 UTC; Views: 4392; Favourites: 28; Downloads: 2
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Beware the Batman is probably the worst show (not movie, show) based on teh dark knight. It is unmemorable and feels so hollow and weak. Other shows did crazy stuff, some worked and some didn't but they made a name for themselves. No one will remember this show, everyone will remember the other shows at least a bit. I am planning to do a full review of the series soon, but for now...some ideas for character improvements.Actually the main characters' portrayals were the best, but there are some things lacking. I missed Alfred's stache. And seriously, Katana's only disguise is a mask, even superman changes his freakin' suit!
And the reimaginings...they wanted to go on the brave and the bold tour at reintroducing obscure characters but failed. Trying to reimagine them to make them more kid friendly ruined everything about them. And none of them are original in this incarnation.
Professor Pyg as an eco terrorist with a winds in the willows theme? Poison ivy is a better eco-terrorist and Mad Hatter has a better book based gimmick! At least make him more of a mad scientist. Not making his dollatrons, but at least a crazy scientist.
Magpie is a catwoman ripoff and we already have a bird themed villain in Penguin. Magpie sounds like she should be a Penguin henchgirl!
Anarky...his schtick is the Joker's the Joker is all about chaos and anarky,and Anarky doesn't even look like in the comics. You know what would have been cool? Joker as Red Hood, before he became insane. He'd still be messed up and try to test the Batman but he really would lose it completely in a season finale in which he was dropped in the chemical vat.
And Humpty Dumpty as an accountant? Why? I'd imagine the Calculator more as an accountant. I could think of a more PG Humpty dumpty, good natured and child-like but a technological genius who use his mindset to their advantage! see, not that hard.
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Others like Oracle, Metamorpho and Man-Bat are the new recruited members and Gotham's future next-generation protectors
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I would argue that any of the pre-tas shows were far worse, same with the batman. Like beware had an interconnected plot, an actual growing main character and you know the progression of some sort. I liked the Batman but it honestly was far less ambitious.
As for Katana's desing, it was lame yeah i agree. Maybe red would have been better?
While the villains might have been very similar to the more well-known ones, using obscure ones allowed them to move them in directions that wouldn't have worked for the bigger guys. And for each one that was just a shallow copy, there were 3 who the reimagining made far more compelling. Like cypher, silver monkey, Deathstroke (as a bat villain of course), Humpty (the original take was barely even a villain), Magpie (yes she's very similar to Catwoman but unlike her the relationship inst reciprocated), Phosphorus (who really wasn't even a character before.) and mr toad (he was dead in his first appearance.)
Ok so for pyg while his design seems gentleman like its a bit of a parody of the people he targets/or just because he was once a rich person.Β Regardless he still wants to improve people by turning them into animal/hybrids since he very clearly thinks they are superior which is why he dresses as one and "protects" them. As for the literary reference, a lot and i mean a lot of bat villains have this, scarecrow, Bane, Joker to a degree. So its not a new thing especially since he's based on a greek myth thus tieing his name with being smart or well educated.
Almost every single characteristic of comic magpie is kept, with the romance and split personality being added to serve as a foil to the bat. Since you know he divides his life in two. The idea of making her a penguin goon seems forced as allΒ hell, unless she still is her character.
While i do agree that anarky is too joker-like (like seriously it was a tad too much) red hood being the main villain would have been counterproductive towards making a show that minimized the use of the big bat villains. If you're gonna do joker as the main guy right off the bat what's the point of using smaller guys? And by making him RH and the main villain you remove a lot of what makes joker special, his vagueness. Was he always like this? Is he response to the batman? Is he a former criminal, a comedian, a chemist? Nah he was always an evil supervillain he just wasnt as crazy. And as far a joker stand in Anarky makes sense considering how it was implied that he was joker's son.Β
He's very child like (refusing to take any responsibility, his design and his mannerisms) in the show almost like an answer to the trauma of being hurt due to circumstances out of his control. And he serves a parallel of Batman to boot: an angry child at the world with a self-styled mission of vengeance.
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Worst show? I'd argue The Batman was a lot worse and more boring and generic. It didn't try anything new, unlike BewareΒ
Agreed about Katana. That armor is nice.Β
Professor Pyg IS a mad scientist though. He modified Langstrom's formula to create Man-Bat and other animal-hybrid freaks. Not to mention the "eco-terrorism" seems more like an excuse to terrorize people. Since Beware's villains were re-imagined to be foils to Batman, Pyg and Toad are a caricature of what someone who hates Batman would think he is: rich, wealthy idiots who use a flimsy "noble cause" to justify terrorizing and hurting people.Β
Magpie is exactly like in the comics and far from a rip-off. She is mentally unstable, dangerous, and willing to kill. Not to mention she and Batman don't have the same chemistry that he and Catwoman have.Β
Anarky's lame too. But if they were going the route to turn him into Joker later on, making him Red Hood would kill a lot of the surprise.Β
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'The Batman' had a better animated style, it knew how to give the normal batman rogues as well as the lesser known screentime and they give us more reason to care about the characters. I care more for Ellen Yin and Ethan Bennett then I ever did for Beware teh batman's version of Two-Face. It was sometimes hit or miss but it kept my attention a lot more then Beware the Batman. Boring and generic, my ass!
And Beware the Batman didn't do anything new. Everything it did has been done better by other batman or dc cartoons. Batman the Brave and the Bold did better at putting lesser known characters in teh spotlight. Beware the Batman has no legs to stand of on its own.Β
And in case you haven't read the comments, Ivy is already an eco-terrorist, Catwoman is already a burglar, so Professor Pyg and Magpie fall short in these new roles of themselves. Because there are other rogues who can do the job better, they have little to make themselves unique.Β
Does that matter? You just can't tell a Batman story without some mention or hints towards teh Joker, and like hell Anarky doesn't deserve to become him.
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Literally all of the villains in The Batman were one-dimensional except for Clayface. They also didn't make you care about Yin and Bennett until the first season finale, while Bruce and Tatsu were given their own character arcs from the start. Batman was actually shown as a young crime fighter through his fighting style and mannerisms instead of just eating nachos and liking basketball. They actually build up the relationship between Batman and Gordon instead of just forcing in Gordon and pretend like he was always there.Β
Beware the Batman did a lot of new things for a Batman cartoon. A more action-oriented Alfred that still remained faithful to the character, almost a Rogues Gallery of obscure villains, the first entirely CGI Batman cartoon, a focus on the Outsiders, the strong use of overarching continuity and story/characters arcs. It actually felt risky and suspenseful at times, while The Batman did shallow changes like giving Joker dreadlocks or making Riddler look like Marilyn Manson for no reason. The only thing I though they did right and new was Clayface, but even he borrows a lot from Two-Face.Β
A character's role in the plot means nothing. Their personalities and motivations are entirely different, and those stand out more than basic "roles". Character's behavior and personality should always move the plot, not the other way around.Β
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It's his opinion.
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So? Opinions can be debated and discussed as long as it's done respectfully.Β
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It doesn't matter, does it?
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I thought Humpty Dumpty would be more of a mental retard who would try to fix things that don't need fixing. And this is how I was introduced to Anarky, and I considered him cool until I read about his comics and played Arkham Origins.
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Humpty is not retarded, he got major mental issues due to bad luck for his whole life, making ihm obsessed by trying to figure out how everything works, which leads to his desire to fix. His mechanical skills may as a result being abused by various criminals.
Anarky never caught on with me, since Joker already was a chaos bringer. He didn't have much going for him.
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He also butchered his abusive grandma and sewed it back together with boot and shoe laces in an attempt to fix her.
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That would never make wat in the cartoons
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It's hinted in Humpty's first episode that he killed his grandma.Β
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In Arkham Asylum, he's actually ignorant of the chaos that's there, making him an idol patient according to the staff.
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Wow! this are great improvements! this could have made the show SO MUCH BETTER! really like the red hood idea!
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The Red hood would be a way for Joker to be further tied with Batman, enemies in their early days and getting worse after he crazies up.Β
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totally agree! Reminds me a bit of Batman: Zero year!
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And I just hate the ending of the series, where they say its okay to to mindwipe people, as they do for Deathstroke (of whom I was glad was a major villain but even he couldn't save it).Β
You know what I realize? Metamorpho, Katana...TObias Whale who is responsible for Jefferson Pierce becoming Black Lightning...You know what they should have turned this show into to?
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS!
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totally agree. I also didn't like how they made two face. here he is a bad guy, who basically becomes a bad guy. he is supposed to be a tragic villain! he was a good guy, one of batman's greatest allies, he's best friend, which makes him becoming a villain more tragic!Β
...My gosh...YOUR TOTALLY RIGHT!!!
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Oh, how could I forget that two-face. He makes the one from the shulmacher movie look decent. How do you even do that?
Would make a kickass show though. I have been a fan of the outsiders since 'batman the brave and the bold'. I wanted to draw Katana in her suspender outfit from that show, but it wouldn't seem fitting for the picture.Β
Though I'm still a bit keen of the idea of Kirk Langstrom having some control of his manbat form...
And my favorite voice actress tara strong reprises Barbara Gordon, which is something I also like. But not enough to save it unfortunately.Β
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thats a very good question!
I totally agree!Β
well, Kirk has also been somewhat of an anti-hero with the man bat alter ego in the comics, but I prefer him as a villain who can't control the man bat form, so to speak.Β
Indeed.
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But still, trying to be a hero at the same time, but running the risk of being overtaken by the man-bat at any second...you can take a bit of both into it.
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thats true!Β
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