For some reason I couldn't get this cartoon out of my head this morning so here are a couple of complete episodes. I don't know how everyone feels about Batmite but I loved him when I was a kid.
This Filmation show ran for one year (1977) but was re-aired many times as part of various other packages - The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour, Batman and the Super 7, et. al.
Let's continue our look at the animated history of Batman. We start this time in 1994 with a weak remake (and cheaper for the studio) of the greatest Batman cartoon of all time:
The Adventures of Batman and Robin - Intro (1994)
The New Batman/Superman Adventures - Intro (1997)
Batman Beyond - Intro (1999)
Justice League - Intro (2001)
Teen Titans - Intro (2003)
The Batman - The Joker (2004)
Justice League Unlimited - Intro (2004)
Batman The Brave and The Bold - Comic-Con Preview (2008)
Batman has been toiling around in Saturday morning cartoons since 1968! Some of these shows have been really great (Batman The Animated Series) and some not so great (The New Adventures of Batman) but as one of my favorite comic characters I have enjoyed almost all of them. As I grow older I am not the biggest fan of the DARK knight but the transition period was a lot of fun.
The latest show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold is pretty good so you should be watching it if you are not!
Batman - The Cool Cruel Mr. Freeze (1968)
Batman and Robin on Sesame Street - Crossing the Street (1969)
The New Scooby Doo Movies - Scooby Doo Meets Batman and Robin (1972)
The Superfriends (1973)
The New Adventures of Batman - Intro + The Trap (1977)
Batman The Animated Series - Favorite Scenes (1992)
Does anyone remember the vehicles from the 1960's Batman tv series? I am not just talking about the Batmobile (which was featured here in another post) but the other stuff like the Bat-Copter or the Joker Mobile (pictured)? Follow the link for a nice review of nine vehicles from the show (which is STILL not out on dvd!).
The Crosseyed Cyclop has posted a bunch of episodes from this STILL NOT AVAILABLE on dvd classic show. Come on network executives, get your head's out of your collective asses, solve this rights problem and get this show out on LEGITIMATE dvd.
I just listened to this one today and it was a lot of great fun (with a little creepiness thrown in for good measure! Was that Burt Ward monologue/song for real or what?).
Batman first appeared in Detective Comics in 1939 and was little more than detective who wore a superhero costume. Batman's powers evolved along with the character through the years, eventually ending up on prime-time tv on the ultra-campy BATMAN (1966) tv show starring Adam West and Burt Ward.
The popularity of this show eventually led to the creation of the first animated Batman series, Filmation's THE BATMAN/SUPERMAN SHOW (1968). Well known for it's very limited animation style, Filmation kept the series going for only one year, repackaging the series as BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER (1969).
Batman (1968 - Episode 1 - My Crime Is Your Crime
Batman returned to the airwaves in Hanna-Barbera's THE SUPERFRIENDS (1973). The show was wildly successful and stayed on the air, in various incarnations, until 1986.
Superfriends (1973) - Original Opening
Filmation again returned to the Batman fold with THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN (1977), this time scoring the 'original' tv voices for the series - Adam West and Burt Ward. The goofy sidekick Bat-Mite was also included in this series that only lasted for one year/sixteen episodes.
The New Adventures of Batman (1977) - Opening
1992 marked the cartoon return of Batman and the debut of the best (by far) animated version to date in BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. The show ran for three years, including a theatrical movie and a direct to home video release, before morphing into the almost as good THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES (1997).
Batman: The Animated Series (1992) - Opening
The New Batman Adventures ended in 1999 which left space for a completely new imagining of the character in BATMAN BEYOND. In this future themed series, Bruce Wayne is retired and a new Batman emerges.
Batman Beyond (1999) - Opening
Batman Beyond was shelved so that the studio could concentrate on the excellent JUSTICE LEAGUE (2001) series but this made way for a new imagining of the original BTAS in THE BATMAN (2004).
The Batman (2004) - Opening
The show was retooled after the 2007-08 season to become BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (2008). The series is currently on the air and is a decent attempt at portraying the character. It's no BTAS but it's no New Adventures of Batman either!
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008) - Comic-Con Preview
