The Batman: Pics, Videos, and Other Awesomeness

I got Young Justice on the mind. I will note that Young Justice is generally beloved by fans and critics alike but there was one fly in the punch bowl, and that is no one really like Young Justice's portrayal of the Joker by voice actor Brent Spiner.

I suspect that's why after he debuted in season one they never brought him even though his handiwork is everywhere. Young Justice had a five year time skip between season one and two, and a two year time skip between season two and three. All the Jokers nastiest misdeeds happen off camera.

Spoiler: Spoilers Batman fans should know already

In the comic books, Joker famously killed the second Robin, Jason Todd. Young Justice inserted this into the first time skip. Joker also famously paralyzed Barbara Gordan/Batgirl leaving her a parapalegic. This happened in the second time skip

Mark Hamil probably did the best Joker but it's clear from the wretched abomination that was The Killing Joke movie, Mark Hamil's time is past. Though I give The Killing Joke credit for not having the Joker drink any green milk. Still, the torch must be passed.

An honorable mention goes to


Kevin Micheal Richardson.

The Batman is not as good as Batman, the Animated Series, but it was a reasonable good show and Richardson did a fine job considering he had the restraint of being in a show geared at little kids. The show as a whole was more based on fist fights than detective stories or drama, but it had it's moments.

But the most underrated Joker is John DiMaggio (also the voice of Bender the robot and Jake the dog). He played the Joker in the animated movie Batman Under the Red Hood. A very solid film with an all star team of voice actors (Neil Patrick Harris plays Nightwing).

I will note that Young Justice tried to make a Joker who was a fusion of Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger. DiMaggio succeeded.



As for Harley Quinn. Her character like many characters in the Batman mythos is an exaggerated archtype representing a type of mental condition. In this case hybristophilia.

Troy Baker is the voice of the Joker in Justice League Action. In this case, Troy and the series producer clearly want the Joker to be as close to sounding and act like Mark Hamill's joker without actually using Mark Hamill. I bet if you told most people Mark Hamill played that Joker, they would believe you. Still, Justice League Action is clearly geared to a younger audience. The show also plays up the camp more than a bit.

 

Fair enough. Mark Hamill didn't ruin this, but it felt like he and Conroy were not giving their best. Either they were half-assing this movie or they were beginning to show their age.

I guess that's the real problem. I like good choreography/animation. I liked skilled acting. I like good theme music. I like good cinematography. I like cohesive world building. But it really it gets down to story construction. The animated version of The Killing Joke was a very poorly constructed story. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

So I am a subscriber to DC Universe. It had a slow start with a lot of things missing intiially but they are more up to date now. I noticed Batman and Robin was conspicuously absent.

In a world full of crime, one man is determined to kill Batman once and for all. His name is director Joel Shumacher.





But they have it now. DC Universe promised to be complete and they aren't trying to sweep their mistakes under the rug, good for them. They have the good and the bad media alike on their service.

I'm waiting patiently for Suicide Squad to migrate over to DC Universe. I am curious, but not curious enough to pay $4 to stream it. I have a general rule that if critics I trust say something is bad, I will watch it, but not if I have to pay for it.

 

Critics I trust are unpaid amateurs with Youtube videos.

 

Batman Mashups?

This...is...a...real...thing



I think DC Universe may be costing DC money. I'm not buying or renting this because I am sure the day after I do so, it will turn up on DC Universe.