This new animated version, a reimagining, takes us back to the earliest days of the comic, but with modern twists in the characters.
The storylines are deliberately paced and geared toward adults more than small children. They are, at times, even a bit slow. But the brilliant art and the reconfigured characters make it a feast for the eyes, and the 25- minute run times make for easy watching.
The new ten- episode series gives us an African-American Commissioner Gordon, which is cool, and there are other characters of color in key roles of the plot. There is also a somewhat discrete, but unmistakable same-sex relationship between two female characters.
These are things never even thought of at the beginning of the Batman comic around 1939.
Yet at the same time, the backdrops, cars, wardrobe—all are from the late 30s, early 40s era. The juxtaposition is far from jarring-it’s a great mix of yesterday and today.
The gorgeous Art Deco influence in the backgrounds of Gotham City make this, I think, the best- looking animated Batman that’s ever been. The square-jawed, angular characters move somewhat stiffly, obviously part of the highly stylized route that the series has taken, along with its palette that is somehow both vibrant and reserved.
So, what’s new? How about a zaftig woman as The Penguin? An African-American Catwoman? An Alfred that isn’t even called Alfred until the end of season one? And lots more that I will leave for you to discover.
The least interesting character, as always, is the Batman himself- a low monotone and little emotion are among his trademarks, of course, but it would have been nice to see him spread out a bit more.
Executive producers J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves and Bruce Timm are the above the title names here. In fact, they’re the only ones listed in the opening animation of each episode. So, we know who to blame or who to credit for this series. My reservations having been noted, I overall enjoyed the viewing experience, and loved the art.
Batman: Caped Crusader airs on Amazon Prime beginning August 1st. A second season is reportedly in the works.
