Batman
- The Brave and The Bold: The Complete First Season
(2008 - 2009/Warner Animation/DC Comics/Warner Blu-ray)
Picture:
A- Sound: B Extras: D Episodes: B
We
had previously reviewed the First
Season
of the Batman:
The Brave and the Bold
series upon its DVD release; which was split into two volumes.
Whereas I did think the series was fun and did say many favorable
things concerning the style, premise, and voice acting; I did note it
was not my favorite iteration of the caped crusader to date.
Season
One: Part One (DVD)
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10346/Batman:+Brave+&+The+Bold+%E2%80%93+Seas
Season
One: Part Two (DVD)
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10896/Batman+%E2%80%93+The+Brave+&+The+Bold:+
So
exploring the series further here on Blu-ray (FINALLY!), I have made
some additional observations about the core of Batman:
The Brave and the Bold.
Perhaps fans are the problem and not the series itself? That is to
say, we as fans have been trained to expect the Batman franchise (TV,
comics, film, and otherwise) to be dark, gritty, and with an inherent
level of psychological edge. We no longer remember the days of old,
when action and adventure took center stage for the caped crusader.
Instead over the past two to three decades Batman has been recast and
reformed into being a darker and darker hero, who seemingly has more
in common with his enemies than with common man.
I
am in no way saying this is a bad thing, I am merely suggesting that
we as an audience are unwavering in our expectations; and DON'T MESS
WITH OUR BATMAN!
So
when a series like Batman:
The Brave and the Bold arrives,
infusing the action, adventure, and (yes) level of camp back into the
caped crusader fans take issue. But going back to our hero's
beginning we will find that his masked detective adventures were what
Batman was all about; the deeper elements such as his parents' death
and his mental anguish not taking center stage until much later.
With
that said and blocking out my preconceived notions of what
Batman should be,
I find myself looking much more favorably upon the artistic endeavors
of Batman:
The Brave and the Bold.
Sure it is silly and times with its over the top spectacles and
campiness, but the one off, action packed tales that allow lesser
known heroes to come and go is admirable. In fact, the onslaught of
epic forgotten heroes like that of Wildcat, Blue Beetle, Mister
Miracle, and many others is the most commendable part of the series;
bringing these once promising heroes back onto fans radar.
Batman:
The Brave and the Bold deserves
your time. Don't be dragged down by the fact that the typically
psychologically torn Batman is a bit happier these days; focusing
more on crime, than on his dark passenger.
The
technical features are highly upgraded for Batman:
The Brave and the Bold's first
venture onto the Blu-ray format. The picture is presented in a 1080p
1.78 X 1 digital high definition image that highlights the thick line
work, bold color palette, and inky blacks. Overall the picture
quality is near perfect with only occasional hiccups and banding
issues. The sound is not as great as the picture in its DTS-HD
Master Audio lossless 2.0 Stereo track, being slightly upgraded from
the previous DVD release. Not projecting as bold and epic as I would
have hoped; the track is nicely prioritized, without distortion.
Dialogue comes through nicely, but surrounding action to give the
series better atmosphere could use some work.
There
are no extras to comment on.
-
Michael P. Dougherty II