What's left to be said about this Emmy-winning episode that hasn't been said in the decades since? Written by Dini and directed by Timm, "Heart of Ice" is the episode you make your friends watch to convince them this is not just another children's animated series. (P.S.: There's a card game based on this episode you should definitely check out) - C.A. Dini hits gold by digging into the more comical aspects of Batman's rogues, from Two-Face trying to kill Batman by strapping him to a giant penny to Killer Croc's hilarious brag that "I threw a rock at him!" Bat-Cat shippers will also get a kick out of Catwoman (Adrienne Barbeau) saying "Almost got 'im' to herself after Batman rebuffs her advances yet again because he needs to grapple off and stop another bad guy. Case in point: "Almost Got 'Im." Humor abounds as Poison Ivy, the Joker, Two-Face, Penguin (Paul Williams), and Killer Croc (Aron Kincaid) gathered to play poker and shared stories about the times they almost killed Batman.
But what makes the series stand apart from pretty much every other recent adaptation is that it never forgot to have fun with the Caped Crusader as well. loved mining Batman mythos for all of its pathos. Batman fans, popular culture enthusiasts, and media studies scholars will find within these pages insights and ironies to provoke endless conversations.Most of the episodes on this list are incredibly sad because Timm and Co. Sanders’s book follows an informative and exciting path through the material and is designed to be accessible to aficionados as well as relative newcomers. Since its debut in 1992, BTAS has garnered multiple awards, launched or developed the careers of countless important artists, and created aesthetic styles-in terms of both visuals and voice acting-that continue to resonate. From her first appearance, Harley has been both sexy and witty, victor and victim, and this chapter explains the duality that defines her. Lastly, chapter 3 considers Harley Quinn, a character who emblemizes much of what made BTAS successful. Chapter 2 turns to the task of defining a "good" wealthy person against a backdrop of "bad," getting to the heart of one of Batman’s most problematic characteristics.
Chapter 1 explores the visuals of the show, the artistic histories and tensions that inform its revolutionary style, and what ideas-intentional and otherwise-its aesthetic implies. In three chapters, Sanders pursues the intricate arguments that still energize BTAS. Freeze, Robin, the Joker, and Harley Quinn. It introduced or reinvented major characters including Mr. The series introduced a new generation to Batman and provided the foundation for a family of cartoons that expanded the superhero universe. In this study, Joe Sutliff Sanders argues that BTAS is not only a milestone of television but a milestone in the public persona of one of the most recognizable characters in the world.
The characters, designs, and major themes of the show went on to shape other cartoons, films, and bestselling video games. For millions of fans around the world, the voices of Batman and the Joker introduced in Batman: The Animated Series ( BTAS) remain the default. It’s possible that no other version of Batman has been more influential than the one that debuted as a children’s cartoon in 1992.