The Batman – The Complete Fourth Season
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: C Episodes: C+
It is
hard to get over greatness like Batman:
The Animated Series, but The Batman
is as sure as hell trying to make lightening strike twice. That brings us to The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season. Whereas this reviewer has had a hard time
adjusting to this new look and new direction for the Batman series, however, in
the Fourth Season the director and animators gave the series a tiny overhaul. Some of the characters appearances were
slightly modified to look more like those familiar faces of the DC Universe
(such as adjusting Bruce Wayne’s appearance).
Not only did the appearance of the series improve, but the plot devices
did as well. Three new characters were
solidified in the Fourth Season introducing Dick Grayson as Robin, Lucius Fox
toward the end, and Batgirl as well; taking a slightly more direct route to the
peripheral characters than previous series had.
Some artists that had headed previous seasons of the series also left
this season, perhaps this is the reason for the drastic improvement.
The
series was surprisingly interesting, deep, and captivating this season. Not only were new Batman counterparts
introduced, but the plethora of villains like Clayface, Harley Quinn, Mob Boss
Tony Zucco (voiced by Mark Hamill), Black Mask, and many, many more only
increased the excitement. If the
villains and heroes weren’t enough add a dash of Frank Miller to set any DC fan
overboard. In the episode Artifacts the writers and animators take
a page from the Frank Miller handbook of AWESOME to give tribute to the Batman:
The Dark Knight Returns story arch that takes place in a slightly
distant future. Any Batman fan must see
that episode if nothing else from this series.
Though
the series greatly improved in Season
Four, the DVD features did not improve too drastically. This 2-Disc set is still simple and to the
point. The picture is again disappointingly presented in its boring 1.33
X 1 Full Frame image and though it is crisp and clear it should have most
definitely been a Widescreen production. The sound is clear in its Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo format and truly highlights the high flying action this
series attempts to portray. The extras are very sparse only offering fans
a small inside look at the series in a featurette entitled The Batman:
Season 4 Unmasked that is nothing too exciting.
In the
end, the Fourth Season of The Batman impressed this reviewer very much. It was well written, gripping, and had all
the elements of the DC Universe that count.
As if all the aforementioned Fourth Season material was not enough a
little thing called The Justice League of America also comes into play this
season. That’s right Green Arrow, The
Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and Hawkman are all present and
accounted for in this Season. So suit up
and head to the cave, because the Batman Universe may never be the same again.
- Michael P. Dougherty
