Dr3vil
04-14-2004, 01:26 PM
Check out the new comics 101, and also the Batman Animated book, it's really superb, and I'd be saying that even if I paid for it /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/index.html
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
For years, my favorite episode of either series is "Beware the Grey Ghost," where Adam West does a fantastic guest appearance as the titular TV superhero who Bruce Wayne idolized as a child. Not only does it very nicely tie together the old and the new that the series frequently did so well and provided a loving tribute to the fondly remembered actor, it provided a glimpse into Batman's psyche. It also had a very powerful scene where has-been Simon Trent in a rage destroys what left he has of his memorabilia before selling it off to pay the rent, only to wake up and have the room fully stocked again by Wayne/Batman. The identity of the villain is quite predictable, but the scenes between Conroy and West are very touching and the ending where Wayne gets a poster signed and tells the newly popular Trent how much he means to him is a great conclusion. Anyone who worships the Batman character can relate to Wayne's subtle worship in adulthood of the Grey Ghost. If it is ok for him to take a childhood pleasure with him into adult life, than darned if it
isn't for the rest of us, as well! By the end we get to see that Wayne's superhero fantasies were fostered as a young boy, his relationship with his father gets a welcome nod, and the his charitable spirit is displayed in full force. The voice work done by West is as good as any of the regulars like Hamill or Barbeau. We understand his anger and completely empathize with his plight. When he cries over his fate, what could have been an extremely cornball scene is made all the more poignant given the fact that West undoubtedly underwent the same typecasting in his career. I'm sure the desperate conversation with his agent that Trent has isn't too far off from what West's low point might have been. When Trent reassumes his alter ego to assist Batman, it is an applause-worthy moment. Also, Trent's apathy towards the Grey Ghost is unmistakably similar to feelings that Bruce Wayne has had throughout his life. His reluctance to play the hero again and Batman's monologue/tough love and the episode's overall lesson on what it means to be one are just one of those classic moments this series was so full of. Batman and Trent remind us all it isn't the suit or the persona that make the hero, but the man behind him that does, one of the values Batman teaches us over and over again. Given the significant appearance of West in this episode, I was very surprised to see it go unmentioned.
“Beware the Grey Ghost” is far and away the best episode this fan has ever seen.
The best from the second series is not technically a Batman episode, but a Superman one, “Knight Time,” where Wayne has gone missing and it is up to Superman to clean up Gotham and find out where Bruce is with the help of Robin. The scene where Superman posed as Batman wails on Bane and stops the Hatter with his super speed ("Curiouser and curiouser") is great and the appearance of Brainiac and his admiration of "Batman's" detective skills is a welcome twist. It also gave some validation to the job Tim Drake was doing, with Superman complimenting him after order has been restored.
Finally, if I may get ahead of myself, the Batman Beyond episode, "Out of the Past" was my favorite of that series and featured a welcome return of the young Bruce Wayne, if only fleetingly, and the most shocking twist I've ever seen outside of the movies they did for the show. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but Conroy again does excellent work, and the episode is extremely memorable and will rank with the best of The Animated Series.
Sorry to go on so long, but Batman was my favorite cartoon growing up and I have very fond memories of the character outside of the comic books. I love the retrospective you are doing and have been looking forward to it since you teased it a few months back. I respectfully disagree with your thoughts on the redesign and best episodes, and am a little upset you didn't mention the Grey Ghost yet. That is a minor complaint and keep up the good work.
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</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Absolutely, BEWARE THE GREY GHOST is great stuff. My only concern with the story was that I thought it gave the Grey Ghost concept too much influence on Bruce's career as Batman. Still, a marvelous episode.
[/ QUOTE ]
Weeee. Anyway, that is all.
http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/index.html
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
For years, my favorite episode of either series is "Beware the Grey Ghost," where Adam West does a fantastic guest appearance as the titular TV superhero who Bruce Wayne idolized as a child. Not only does it very nicely tie together the old and the new that the series frequently did so well and provided a loving tribute to the fondly remembered actor, it provided a glimpse into Batman's psyche. It also had a very powerful scene where has-been Simon Trent in a rage destroys what left he has of his memorabilia before selling it off to pay the rent, only to wake up and have the room fully stocked again by Wayne/Batman. The identity of the villain is quite predictable, but the scenes between Conroy and West are very touching and the ending where Wayne gets a poster signed and tells the newly popular Trent how much he means to him is a great conclusion. Anyone who worships the Batman character can relate to Wayne's subtle worship in adulthood of the Grey Ghost. If it is ok for him to take a childhood pleasure with him into adult life, than darned if it
isn't for the rest of us, as well! By the end we get to see that Wayne's superhero fantasies were fostered as a young boy, his relationship with his father gets a welcome nod, and the his charitable spirit is displayed in full force. The voice work done by West is as good as any of the regulars like Hamill or Barbeau. We understand his anger and completely empathize with his plight. When he cries over his fate, what could have been an extremely cornball scene is made all the more poignant given the fact that West undoubtedly underwent the same typecasting in his career. I'm sure the desperate conversation with his agent that Trent has isn't too far off from what West's low point might have been. When Trent reassumes his alter ego to assist Batman, it is an applause-worthy moment. Also, Trent's apathy towards the Grey Ghost is unmistakably similar to feelings that Bruce Wayne has had throughout his life. His reluctance to play the hero again and Batman's monologue/tough love and the episode's overall lesson on what it means to be one are just one of those classic moments this series was so full of. Batman and Trent remind us all it isn't the suit or the persona that make the hero, but the man behind him that does, one of the values Batman teaches us over and over again. Given the significant appearance of West in this episode, I was very surprised to see it go unmentioned.
“Beware the Grey Ghost” is far and away the best episode this fan has ever seen.
The best from the second series is not technically a Batman episode, but a Superman one, “Knight Time,” where Wayne has gone missing and it is up to Superman to clean up Gotham and find out where Bruce is with the help of Robin. The scene where Superman posed as Batman wails on Bane and stops the Hatter with his super speed ("Curiouser and curiouser") is great and the appearance of Brainiac and his admiration of "Batman's" detective skills is a welcome twist. It also gave some validation to the job Tim Drake was doing, with Superman complimenting him after order has been restored.
Finally, if I may get ahead of myself, the Batman Beyond episode, "Out of the Past" was my favorite of that series and featured a welcome return of the young Bruce Wayne, if only fleetingly, and the most shocking twist I've ever seen outside of the movies they did for the show. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but Conroy again does excellent work, and the episode is extremely memorable and will rank with the best of The Animated Series.
Sorry to go on so long, but Batman was my favorite cartoon growing up and I have very fond memories of the character outside of the comic books. I love the retrospective you are doing and have been looking forward to it since you teased it a few months back. I respectfully disagree with your thoughts on the redesign and best episodes, and am a little upset you didn't mention the Grey Ghost yet. That is a minor complaint and keep up the good work.
[/ QUOTE ]
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Absolutely, BEWARE THE GREY GHOST is great stuff. My only concern with the story was that I thought it gave the Grey Ghost concept too much influence on Bruce's career as Batman. Still, a marvelous episode.
[/ QUOTE ]
Weeee. Anyway, that is all.