I want to start this off I got into DC Comics at a very young age when my parents gave me my grandfather's copies of "The Death of Superman" storyline, and I have been hooked on them ever since. I have a ton of classic comics and stories from many different heroes because of it. But, I also want to bring some light to the animated features and their influences on the community. We all know about the Justice League animated series from the early 2000s, Batman: The Animated Series from the 90s, and Superman: The Animated Series from the 90s. But, why don't we ever talk about how the other shows helped usher in a new generation of fans?
I remember the first time I was recommended to watch the "Batman: The Brave and The Bold" show, when I was like 10. Someone told me that the show was really good, and that I should watch it. That's how recommendations worked back in the day. But, I was apprehensive at first, since I was trying to be a snob about comics. In retrospect, this show was great for introducing newer fans to the DC universe. It was my first time seeing a lot of these characters, especially Jaime's Blue Beetle. Is the show comic book accurate? Not entirely, but it definitely is comic book accurate enough to the point in which I don't mind. People seem to forget that Batman has a sense of humor, and this show definitely has that aspect of Batman. Do I think they go a little too far with that? At times, yes. And they definitely make Batman a little more overpowered than he really is. But, it is a kids' show, and Batman is one of the most popular superheroes ever.
This show does so much right, it's hard not to talk about it. For one, it makes each character (give or take a few) have easily definable personalities and motivations. These aren't super in-depth on what they are like in the comics, but it is a great starting point for younger fans who aren't able to comprehend the more mature themes some of these characters have. The show's aesthetic is also great, since it feels like a mix of Adam West's Batman from the 1960s, a comic book, and a classic Hannah-Barbara cartoon. It really nails this feeling, and it makes the show really fun to watch as each classic comic book sound comes on when a hero punches a villain. And, again, I can't help but mention the characters in the show. It introduces so many different characters from DC to kids, and I have to applaud the show for that. I mean, what mainline DC show is going to go out of its way to put Etrigan in a show? And what DC show has the confidence to make Blue Beetle a main character? And the characters we already know and love, like Batman, Green Arrow, Plastic Man, and Black Canary, get easy to define personalities that are mostly comic book accurate and good, episodic stories. It really doesn't get enough credit to how well it made these characters appear in the show.
If I have any major complaints, it's that a lot of the made-for-TV villains aren't as great as we have had in the past. Baby Face and Mrs. Manface definitely don't do it for me, even though they are in more episodes than I would like to see. I mean, Baby Face is really uninteresting to me, even with his mobster accent. And besides the time Batman said "The hammer of justice is unisex" to Mrs. Manface, she is literally a non-factor in every episode she is in and I hate her. A character made for this show with no comic book origins I would have liked to have seen gotten the Harley Quinn treatment was Music Meister, since he was just a fun character every time he was on screen and ate up each scene he was in. But, alas, he never got the treatment. I also wished there was more love for characters like Booster Gold (who is a top-5 hero for me), and that they showed more sides to him besides liking money. I also don't like Wildcat in this show, especially with how many times they show him. Like, an episode here or there would be fine, but this much? No thank you.
All in all, I do think this show is up there with one of the best DC cartoons. It isn't going to surpass the classics I listed earlier, nor Batman Beyond, but it is definitely underrated and I think any DC fan will like this show.
