Beware the Batman trailer

[Hopeless]

Take a look I believe its been reviewed on youtube as well

Beware the Batman Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0z0250qZcA)

I liked the music but not so sure of the animation.

[Soras Teva Gee]

I'm not a knee-jerk hater of CGI shows but that just looks kinda cheap and limited.

[kpenguin]

I'm not a knee-jerk hater of CGI shows but that just looks kinda cheap and limited.

Its not as nice looking as Star Wars Clone Wars or GLTAS certainly.

[BWR]

I'm not hopeful. I don't like the CG animation stuff. The Green Lantern series was pretty lame, both visuals and story. This looks more like "The Batman", which I did not like, rather than BTAS/JL or BTBATB. I'll give it a shot, but I'm not expecting much.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Its not as nice looking as Star Wars Clone Wars or GLTAS certainly.

Pretty much my thoughts. Never seen Clone Wars beyond commericals but GLTAS only had story problems really, visually it was well enough.

Either this was made on half a shoestring, or the someone didn't realize how to make CGI work.

[Bulldog Psion]

I've seen video games that were more detailed than that. :smallconfused:

[thompur]

For me, the two most important elements will be the writing and the voice work. Having grown up in the '60's and '70's, the animation quality is less important to me than those.(yeah, I'm old). :smalltongue:

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

Hell, the inconsistent animation of many cartoons from the 90's have done the same for me, Thompur. This trailer, it has no dialogue in it. I need to hear voices. I will wait.

[Kitten Champion]

It's better looking than Reboot, but not by much.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

This trailer basically gives me nothing to go off of...

[Soras Teva Gee]

I've seen video games that were more detailed than that. :smallconfused:

That just seems endemic actually. I can only speculate as to why.


It's better looking than Reboot, but not by much.

Reboot holds up pretty well actually in my opinion for being almost twenty years old.

[Alabenson]

Frankly, seeing that trailer destroys whatever optimism I had for this show. The CGI is simply so terrible that it shows a complete lack of any effort or care. And if they're going to put that little effort into the visuals, I sincerely doubt that they would put any effort into the writing.

[thubby]

there is nothing inherently wrong with CGI but in many cases it is simply a very cheap shortcut.
i think that's what this entire series will be. a cheap cashgrab on the batman name following the success of the movies.

[Kitten Champion]

Reboot holds up pretty well actually in my opinion for being almost twenty years old.


The thing about Reboot, the setting justified its art design. It was a cartoon trying to be a cartoon, and they had fun with it. They knew what their limitations were and worked within them and as such the whole thing works.

Having seen Batman done really well in so much 2D animated work, there's really no excuse for this. There's nothing to explain this art design besides cheapness.

[Emperor Ing]

You really can't compare the two, I mean Reboot has an excuse. The technology was relatively new at the time and producers were experimenting with how the technology works. Here it's 20 years later and artists have for years now been making all kinds of CGI creatures that look genuinely life-like. I'm not asking, or even expecting District 9 levels of CGI quality, but...these guys seem to REALLY like Blinn shaders. :smallannoyed:

In all fairness the animations actually seem fairly good. Here's to hoping this isn't even a pre-production leak.

[Killer Angel]

Sadly, the best shots are... medium quality, and the rest seems pretty lame.

[Ebon_Drake]

Is it bad that I didn't recognise any of the villains? I'm a reasonably big Batman fan but I really can't figure them out. I guess the girl he's fighting could be a hideously-designed Catwoman, but the pig-faced guy with a frog sidekick in an old-timey car? The guy who looks like Moon Knight? Anyone help me out here?

[Axolotl]

Is it bad that I didn't recognise any of the villains? I'm a reasonably big Batman fan but I really can't figure them out. I guess the girl he's fighting could be a hideously-designed Catwoman, but the pig-faced guy with a frog sidekick in an old-timey car? The guy who looks like Moon Knight? Anyone help me out here?The Pig guy is Professor Pyg with Mister Toad they're from Grant Morrison's run on Batman and Robin.

EDIT: Although thinking about it I'm not sure since Pyg in the comic is way too grim for them to put in a cartoon. Also Looking closer the grey guy is Anarky.

[Ebon_Drake]

The Pig guy is Professor Pyg with Mister Toad they're from Grant Morrison's run on Batman and Robin.

EDIT: Although thinking about it I'm not sure since Pyg in the comic is way too grim for them to put in a cartoon. Also Looking closer the grey guy is Anarky.


Thanks. I just wiki'd Pyg and he actually sounded like a halfway-decent psychopathic villain, but the Beware The Batman's Wacky Races-style depiction isn't doing him any favours. I doubt I'll be the only person scratching their head going "who the hell is that idiot?" when they see the trailer.

I'm still not entirely sure who the woman is, but I don't really care enough to look further into the series so I'll just stick with catwoman unless anyone can correct me.

Edit: actually I lied, I summoned up enough interest to stick Beware the Batman into wikipedia and I think the woman is meant to be Magpie. It also lists such other "classic" Batman villains as Humpty Dumpty, King Kraken and the Ten-Eyed Man. There's no mention of, oh I don't know, Joker or Two-Face or Riddler or any of those other villains who people actually like/have heard of. I'm actually a little undecided though, IF the series is handled well it could do quite a lot to raise the profile of lesser Batman villains.

[Axolotl]

Thanks. I just wiki'd Pyg and he actually sounded like a halfway-decent psychopathic villain, but the Beware The Batman's Wacky Races-style depiction isn't doing him any favours. I doubt I'll be the only person scratching their head going "who the hell is that idiot?" when they see the trailer.

I'm still not entirely sure who the woman is, but I don't really care enough to look further into the series so I'll just stick with catwoman unless anyone can correct me.

Edit: actually I lied, I summoned up enough interest to stick Beware the Batman into wikipedia and I think the woman is meant to be Magpie. It also lists such other "classic" Batman villains as Humpty Dumpty, King Kraken and the Ten-Eyed Man. There's no mention of, oh I don't know, Joker or Two-Face or Riddler or any of those other villains who people actually like/have heard of. I'm actually a little undecided though, IF the series is handled well it could do quite a lot to raise the profile of lesser Batman villains.I don't think it's a bad idea necessarily to use lesser known villains. I mean Batman has dozens if not hundreds of cool villains who've never had any appearances outside of the comic (and not much inside it) whereas the traditional Joker/Riddler/Penguin/Two-Face line up has been done to death at this point.

Of course given the animation it more likely that it's just going to get the characters known as "The lame villains from the lame version of Batman" which is a pity.

[smuchmuch]

It's better looking than Reboot, but not by much.

Except reboot was started like twenty years ago. (1994, I believe ?)
And it had some original design that made up for the low quality

This however has no such excuses.
I understand they are tying to do Timm style in CGI, but i don't know if it is lazyness or low budget but it just look bad. The animation has lots of weird pauses and the overall visual is very bland.

It is honnesty kind of sad considering The GLTAs was done in a very similar style and managed to look halfway decent. (Though admitedly the subject allowed for a much more vareid color palette rather than the omnipresent grey and blue I see everywhere in this trailer)

Still i'll give the first episode a try, hoping all the budget went into good writting and amzing voice acting. But really the pronostic ain't good.

[Dienekes]

I don't think it's a bad idea necessarily to use lesser known villains. I mean Batman has dozens if not hundreds of cool villains who've never had any appearances outside of the comic (and not much inside it) whereas the traditional Joker/Riddler/Penguin/Two-Face line up has been done to death at this point.

Of course given the animation it more likely that it's just going to get the characters known as "The lame villains from the lame version of Batman" which is a pity.

While I agree with the concept, I did feel a bit of worry when I heard they were having the lead villain be Anarky. Who is frankly a terrible villain. A cheap V for Vendetta knock off used to shout whatever idiotic new philosophy the writer has decided is the one true path to enlightenment or social change for any given issue.

Then they made him the son of the Joker and have his armor deflect one of Darkseid's Omega Beams and ugh.

[Ebon_Drake]

I don't think it's a bad idea necessarily to use lesser known villains. I mean Batman has dozens if not hundreds of cool villains who've never had any appearances outside of the comic (and not much inside it) whereas the traditional Joker/Riddler/Penguin/Two-Face line up has been done to death at this point.

Of course given the animation it more likely that it's just going to get the characters known as "The lame villains from the lame version of Batman" which is a pity.

I agree with you, however I do think the big name villains carry a certain amount of "brand identity" and it seems a very bold and risky decision to leave them out completely. Wikipedia did list Ra's Al-Ghul so there will be at least one A-list villain involved, but it will need some very solid writing and acting to give such obscure characters a chance of making a serious impact. Unfortunately your last point is what I most strongly agree with.


While I agree with the concept, I did feel a bit of worry when I heard they were having the lead villain be Anarky. Who is frankly a terrible villain. A cheap V for Vendetta knock off used to shout whatever idiotic new philosophy the writer has decided is the one true path to enlightenment or social change for any given issue.

Then they made him the son of the Joker and have his armor deflect one of Darkseid's Omega Beams and ugh.

Once Axolotl mentioned Anarky I realised I had heard of the character, but hadn't paid any attention to him because his kewl misspelt name reminded me of lame 90s ultra-supervillains like Stryfe. Based on your post I'm guessing I wasn't far off.

[Aotrs Commander]

Yeeeah.

Nope.

Like The Batman, Bats himself look wrong. His face is just way too narrow-looking.

BTAS and BtBatB - and Young Justice - ot it right in that regard, if you ask me.



And we lost Young Justice for this?

Welp.

If this is the sort of quality, I imagine it'll tank fairly fast. Then again, The Batman lasted a bit. Though from first impressions, even that looked better than this.

That CGI is just not up to scratch; it just doesn't look right at all. Armoured Adevntures is it not. (Heck, leaving aside Reboot, it ain't even Get Ed or Stormhawks or Legends of Awesomeness or...)

[KnightDisciple]

The Batman wasn't too bad. I watched the entire series, and while not BTAS or Young Justice, I thought it was a solid approach to the character. It at least tried some new things with some of the characters (like Clayface). The art wasn't my favorite, but the costume's basic design was classic enough it wasn't a huge deal.

I am thoroughly unimpressed by this. GLTAS has better CGI. The villain selection is not promising.
I mean, in the comics Professor Pyg is....he's really bad. Like, he's a Saw-type villain. Here he looks like a gangster with a mask and a cheap theme.

Why isn't Anarky in all red with a yellow mask? If you're going to use him, don't make him look like a Moon Knight knockoff (which is bad since MK's a knockoff of Bats). I mean, he actually has potential as a sort of "equal but opposite" foil for Batman, but right now I don't trust the writers to have that level of subtlety.

Also, I am really really really hoping Alfred's not going to be running around blasting fools, even if it's with a high-tech stun gun. :smallsigh:

[Soras Teva Gee]

This however has no such excuses.
I understand they are tying to do Timm style in CGI, but i don't know if it is lazyness or low budget but it just look bad. The animation has lots of weird pauses and the overall visual is very bland.

See I'm begining to suspect this might be what could be called in industry terms as a "**** up" in terms of art choice.

Someone tried to do something and simply didn't have either the talent to make it work, or the clarity/time to find something else that did.

Something like: BTAS style was intentionally minimalist. However CGI is inherently minimalist and everyone knows it. So you can't actually combine the two and doing so just exacerbates the uncanny valley of CGI


The Batman wasn't too bad. I watched the entire series, and while not BTAS or Young Justice, I thought it was a solid approach to the character. It at least tried some new things with some of the characters (like Clayface). The art wasn't my favorite, but the costume's basic design was classic enough it wasn't a huge deal.

I kinda have the same opinion. I think a lot of people just looked at say that Joker design and said "nope see you next show" and so it sorta got left without a fair shake or its at least modestly interesting variations from a standard take on Batman.


I am thoroughly unimpressed by this. GLTAS has better CGI. The villain selection is not promising.
I mean, in the comics Professor Pyg is....he's really bad. Like, he's a Saw-type villain. Here he looks like a gangster with a mask and a cheap theme.

I find myself suppressing screams at the thought of Grant Morrison and Children's Progamming being ever in the same context.

Am I the only one?

Because yeah I read that arc and was like "Dang and I thought Xorneto was Morrison not beating around the bush with his villains"



Also, I am really really really hoping Alfred's not going to be running around blasting fools, even if it's with a high-tech stun gun. :smallsigh:

No more then middle-aged, explicitly a former spy, big bulky physique. I'd say quit while your behind here.

Maybe they'll do something interesting like make him a more active mentor or something. A sort of Reverse Watson if you will.

[MCerberus]

I think Batman cartoons are like Windows: every other one is good. Brave and the Bold was good, so I'll take a pass.

[Carry2]

I'm not hopeful. I don't like the CG animation stuff. The Green Lantern series was pretty lame, both visuals and story. This looks more like "The Batman", which I did not like, rather than BTAS/JL or BTBATB. I'll give it a shot, but I'm not expecting much.
GLTAS was pretty average for the first dozen episodes, but gets noticeably better in the second season (or second half of the first, depending on how you look at it.)

See I'm begining to suspect this might be what could be called in industry terms as a "**** up" in terms of art choice.
That, or they're incredibly cheap.

[smuchmuch]

Why isn't Anarky in all red with a yellow mask? If you're going to use him, don't make him look like a Moon Knight knockoff (which is bad since MK's a knockoff of Bats). I mean, he actually has potential as a sort of "equal but opposite" foil for Batman, but right now I don't trust the writers to have that level of subtlety.

Acutaly your mistrust might be misplaced as the producers have openly stated, I paraphrase but not by much, they wanted to make Anarky the "Moriarty to batman holmes" and " the white king to his black king in a gmae of chess" (not exactly how they put it (http://io9.com/5927233/bruce-wayne-goes-back-to-his-detective-roots-in-beware-the-batman) but close)
So yeah it's likely the white costume is meant to make him an 'opposite' of batman in that sense.

I admit the more I read about this series, the more conflicted i feel about it;
On one hand, unknown villains, batman going back to his more detectivy roots and being shown as human and vunerable sounds like it could be some nice noirish street level good.

On the other hand, it looks ugly, new villains (could go both way reallly), Alfred with guns and katana (who the hell is she) as the sidekick, jsut feels kind of ugh

Still between this and teen titans go... I would really have rpefered a third season of young justice

[Scowling Dragon]

Who here is super tired of batman series raise your hand.

*hand*

I mean common! We have had EVERY kind of batman show. Aired in the last 2 decades or so:

Grim, team, silly, hyper commercial piece of crap.

Ever type of story has been done, and the only thing they have to offer is crap CGI

[Dienekes]

Who here is super tired of batman series raise your hand.

*hand*

I mean common! We have had EVERY kind of batman show. Aired in the last 2 decades or so:

Grim, team, silly, hyper commercial piece of crap.

Ever type of story has been done, and the only thing they have to offer is crap CGI

Not really. I enjoy Batman, a lot. And if the show delivers on interesting stories I'll be perfectly fine with the show. However it doesn't look like it's going in a particularly interesting direction. Not particularly good visuals, some odd story decisions and a weak main villain.

[BWR]

GLTAS was pretty average for the first dozen episodes, but gets noticeably better in the second season (or second half of the first, depending on how you look at it.)

I watched the entire GLTAS, and thought second season got worse. The first one was ok enough that I gave the second season a shot. I really really really dislike the whole living vs. robot thing.

[Kitten Champion]

Who here is super tired of batman series raise your hand.

*hand*

I mean common! We have had EVERY kind of batman show. Aired in the last 2 decades or so:

Grim, team, silly, hyper commercial piece of crap.

Ever type of story has been done, and the only thing they have to offer is crap CGI

I could do with a decline of superhero-related material in general at this point. Both DC and Marvel are kind of aggravating.

[Carry2]

I watched the entire GLTAS, and thought second season got worse. The first one was ok enough that I gave the second season a shot. I really really really dislike the whole living vs. robot thing.
Really? I tended to sorta roll my eyes at the inevitable anthropomorphism myself, but I thought it was well-constructed. In a child-digestible, saturday-morning-slot kind of way.


I could do with a decline of superhero-related material in general at this point. Both DC and Marvel are kind of aggravating.
I have mixed feelings on this point. On the one hand, Marvel are almost as reliable a movie-entertainment-factory as Pixar these days, and Gods know we could use some more of that. On the other hand, I can't help the feeling that this is basically some kind of temporary fad blown wildly out of proportion, based on a thematically incoherent assembly of different source materials*. I guess MovieBob (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/6865-Enough-With-The-Batman-Already) covered the batman-overdose thing pretty well.

* Science! Magic! Body Armour! Cleavage! Primary Colours! Gritty Noir! Missile Launchers! Pointy Swords! Epic Scale! Numbers Don't Matter!

[Friv]

I think the really sad thing is, Brave And The Bold did better CGI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBr9u4mp4qk) as a one-off joke.

[Hopeless]

I think the really sad thing is, Brave And The Bold did better CGI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBr9u4mp4qk) as a one-off joke.

Now that a series I would have loved to have watched!

Any idea why they haven't released the rest of Batman Brave and the Bold over here in Europe?

[BWR]

Really? I tended to sorta roll my eyes at the inevitable anthropomorphism myself, but I thought it was well-constructed. In a child-digestible, saturday-morning-slot kind of way.

Yeah. Really. They just really messed up what could have been a decent handling of discussing the nature of life and the emotions rather than just drawing a random line between 'life' and 'non-life (but sentient and emotional and capable of reproduction)' and never the twain should meet.

[Carry2]

Yeah. Really. They just really messed up what could have been a decent handling of discussing the nature of life and the emotions rather than just drawing a random line between 'life' and 'non-life (but sentient and emotional and capable of reproduction)' and never the twain should meet.
Oh, that. I don't disagree, but given that the likes of Battlestar Galactica have tried and failed to address that particular conundrum, I've more-or-less given up expecting better. (Plus, I'm not sure the question is really answerable without actually developing Strong AI, let alone explaining that to 10-year olds. I just thought it was pretty serviceable on the level of a character-centric melodrama.)

[Cen]

Seriously, why are they making more Batman cartoons? No Batman animation was since B:TAS was nearly as good :/

[Scowling Dragon]

I beg to differ there have been PLENTY GREAT Batman shows since btas.

Thats not something in their favor though. That just means that all possible hood has been exsausted out if the concept.

[Infernally Clay]

That trailer, especially with the lack of any voice acting or recognisable villains really screams "low budget" to me. I'll pass.


I've seen video games that were more detailed than that. :smallconfused:

I've seen Gamecube games that look better than that. Lots of them.