(https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-hHBpc1Quk8zNljyMYJXrCHHvJI=/0x0:1047x651/1200x800/filters:focal(441x243:607x409)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60464729/Screen_Shot_2018_07_23_at_5.57.10_PM.0.png)
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/batman/268100/batman-the-animated-series-blu-ray-release-date-and-special-features
Anyone else picking this up?
After the Amazon price drop from the initial $112.99 to $101.61, I finally bit and have the set pre-ordered. The fact that this set also includes the blu ray versions of "Mask of the Phantasm", and "Sub Zero" makes me even more glad I waited on buying those two. Which resulted in buying this set even more appealing.
Very torn. I love the goodies that come with it (including the two movies like you said) but that is a hell of an investment at least for someone like me. Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
Question: will an XBOX 360 or XBOX One play Blu Ray? Or will I have to buy a dedicated Blu Ray Player too?
Am I the only one who thinks Sub-Zero is a major league dud?
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Question: will an XBOX 360 or XBOX One play Blu Ray? Or will I have to buy a dedicated Blu Ray Player too?
Sony owns the Blu-Ray format, only their game systems have it. You'll have to buy a Blu-Ray player.
Quote from: GBglide on Fri, 10 Aug 2018, 00:35
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Question: will an XBOX 360 or XBOX One play Blu Ray? Or will I have to buy a dedicated Blu Ray Player too?
Sony owns the Blu-Ray format, only their game systems have it. You'll have to buy a Blu-Ray player.
Well crap.
*mumbles something to herself about GBglide only being the messenger*
I guess that kinda makes my decision for me lol
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I hadn't considered the timing of the Blu-ray release in relation to the new subscription service. But is that why Warner Bros re-mastered B:TAS in high definition to begin with? Will all the TV shows on the streaming service that have been re-mastered for 1080p also be released on Blu-ray? Lois & Clark, for instance?
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Fri, 10 Aug 2018, 21:52
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I hadn't considered the timing of the Blu-ray release in relation to the new subscription service. But is that why Warner Bros re-mastered B:TAS in high definition to begin with? Will all the TV shows on the streaming service that have been re-mastered for 1080p also be released on Blu-ray? Lois & Clark, for instance?
I thought Lois & Clark had the same problem as Buffy, the 90's Star Trek shows, Babylon 5, etc, where the masters are sourced at 640.
Not sure how familiar you are with this. But basically it was common in the 90's for shows to be shot on film and then transferred to video for post. Any HD release of those shows would require basically going back to the original negative and doing post production all over again. It's big bucks. Star Trek TNG was assumed to be worth it... except the HD releases didn't exactly break records.
I'm assuming the same thing would hold true for things like Lois & Clark, where the episodes would need to be started anew from the original footage and then put through post all over again. Doing so would "future-proof" the series, making home video releases easier to do going forward.
But it would cost probably millions of dollars to do it in the here and now and I assume that's not a cost most of these studios are prepared to absorb.
For absolute sure that's why there aren't HD editions of Babylon 5, DS9, etc. I assume this also applies to L&C.
But BTAS can probably be released in HD because they're just scanning animation cells into HD. That's probably oversimplifying it a bit but I doubt an animated series requires the same cost as the above shows.
If anybody has better information, consider this an invitation to correct me.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Fri, 10 Aug 2018, 21:52
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I hadn't considered the timing of the Blu-ray release in relation to the new subscription service. But is that why Warner Bros re-mastered B:TAS in high definition to begin with? Will all the TV shows on the streaming service that have been re-mastered for 1080p also be released on Blu-ray? Lois & Clark, for instance?
Wouldn't it be completely counter productive to the Blu-Ray sales if the subscription has them available with so many other titles? I mean for instance it would take a lot more goodies than three mini POP figures and some art cards and so on to get me to buy the BTAS set when the service will have the series in hi-def and a lot more. If someone was really into Lois and Clark (enough to buy a Blu-Ray set), I assume they are Supes fans and I would have to believe the DCU would be the better alternative because of the other Superman stuff it will have.
I guess long term buying the individual sets would even out with the price of a subscription over multiple years, though. And then you still have the goodies. Plus if the service is a failure and doesn't stick around too long, the Blu Rays will be the better investment.
Ug, I don't know what to do.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 21:29
Am I the only one who thinks Sub-Zero is a major league dud?
It doesn't measure up to Mask of the Phantasm, but only a couple Batman movies do (and I'd still probably put MOTP at the very top tbh). Standing by itself as a full length movie for an animated show, I think Sub-Zero was pretty good. I love the BTAS version of Mr. Freeze (the TNBA version was....no....I did like his swan song in Batman Beyond though).
MOTP cast a very, VERY long shadow, though. About the only animated movie I've seen that peeks out of it is Under the Red Hood.
Quote from: Catwoman on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 04:31
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 21:29
Am I the only one who thinks Sub-Zero is a major league dud?
It doesn't measure up to Mask of the Phantasm, but only a couple Batman movies do (and I'd still probably put MOTP at the very top tbh). Standing by itself as a full length movie for an animated show, I think Sub-Zero was pretty good. I love the BTAS version of Mr. Freeze (the TNBA version was....no....I did like his swan song in Batman Beyond though).
SubZero probably could've been a three part episode on the show instead of a standalone movie. But if you ignore how he was reimagined in TNBA, which I'm not a huge fan either, I thought the film was a fitting conclusion to Victor Fries's story. He spent his criminal career trying to save his wife Nora at all costs, and in the end, he takes comfort knowing Nora is alive and well, and moves on from his troubled past in peace.
I'd happily take SubZero over most live action Batman films, even DC's recent New 52-inspired solo Batman features, which I'd say are okay but not great.
Which organ did Mrs. Fries need? What was her blood type? And since Gotham City has a population somewhere in the millions so isn't it pretty unlikely that Babs is the only one possible donor? Speaking of Babs, didn't it occur to Mr. Freeze and his lackey to do a basic background check on her to find out if kidnapping her might be a kind of bad idea? This was all pretty unbelievable stuff and detracted from the film.
If other people enjoy Sub-Zero, good for them. Not trying to rain on their parade. But a lot of it doesn't work for me.
When it comes to Mr. Freeze on BTAS, Heart Of Ice is amazing... and that's where his story probably should've ended. His subsequent appearances tended to water down how amazing that episode was.
Quote from: The Laughing Fish on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 06:56
But if you ignore how he was reimagined in TNBA, which I'm not a huge fan either, I thought the film was a fitting conclusion to Victor Fries's story. He spent his criminal career trying to save his wife Nora at all costs, and in the end, he takes comfort knowing Nora is alive and well, and moves on from his troubled past in peace.
I'm kind of to the point that I almost ignore TNBA, or at least look at it as a separate dealio all together. I mean it wasn't a bad show by itself and I did enjoy most of the episodes (Mad Love at the top of the list, of course) but following up BTAS and trying to continue some storylines that were finished up nicely (even though SubZero was released during or after TNBA's run so Freeze's part don't quite count yet, even though the head on a spider thing was a terrible idea anyway), it wasn't too good. We didn't need another episode with Baby Doll, her one show was perfect. Two-Face had a "somewhat" happy ending in the Second Chance episode. Clayface's death in his last BTAS episode should have stayed the same, even though the Growing Pains episode was one of the better ones. None of the redesigns (possibly excepting Ivy and maybe Bruce Wayne) did it for me either.
But you are totally right about that being the perfect send off for Victor.
Quote from: Catwoman on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 15:06
Two-Face had a "somewhat" happy ending in the Second Chance episode. Clayface's death in his last BTAS episode should have stayed the same, even though the Growing Pains episode was one of the better ones. None of the redesigns (possibly excepting Ivy and maybe Bruce Wayne) did it for me either.
Yeah, if you were going to leave Two-Face on a more hopeful ending, "Second Chance" would have been a good place to end his story. As is, the subsequent "Judgement Day" episode essentially ends with the notion that Harvey Dent went completely insane with the introduction of his third personality, The Judge. Course it would have been nice if we had got a line or two somewhere in Batman Beyond for absolute confirmation, but that's the way the hand was dealt.
I completely agree about the redesigns that were brought forth with TNBA being less than satisfactory. Course Clayface, Two-Face, Harley Quinn, and some others were basically only streamlined, some of the other one's were just disappointing. Riddler's redesign was awful. Mad Hatter didn't even look like the same person. Personally, I preferred the Devito-inspired Penguin over the TNBA that made him look more like the classic Penguin (though in the comics it's the other way around). Skull headed Mr. Freeze isn't my fav, but I'm more easy on it than others. Bane's bondage/S&M redesign kinda made him more menacing than the original wrestler design, I guess, but it's one of those I can deal with. Same goes for Catwoman's redesign. Wasn't crazy about the black beady eyed Joker with no lips. I actually kinda dug the TNBA Scarecrow redesign since it actually made him look frightening for once. Might be some other's I'm forgetting about I'm sure.
The ultimate fates of these characters in the DCAU has always been something that fascinated me ever since Batman Beyond began. We find out what happened to the Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Bane, ect. But other's are not addressed at all. Probably Selina Kyle and Dick Grayson being the biggest two that were not fully addressed. We get Batman and Nightwing had a falling out, but not much else. Really nothing on Selina besides a brief mention of her in "Dead Man's Hand". I agree that "Mudslide" would have been a satisfying ending to Clayface if not for his reappearance later on. Kinda like how I wish "What is Reality?" would have concluded the Riddler's arc in the DCAU with his brain being fried. Especially considering he wasn't one of those villains that was used alot anyways, and that horrendous redesign he got.
I liked the Riddler's Reform episode though. "You're...adorable." "Adorable, huh?" One of my favorite Batman exchanges with a villain lol. And yes the Scarecrow one was great, forgot about it.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 03:24Star Trek TNG was assumed to be worth it... except the HD releases didn't exactly break records.
I purchased the complete TNG set about a year ago, and admittedly I bought the standard DVD version over the Blu-ray. With a few exceptions, such as Daredevil, I usually collect TV shows on DVD and reserve Blu-ray purchases for movies with the visual splendour to justify them. But I might put the B:TAS Blu-ray on my Christmas list this year.
I guess my interest in a Lois & Clark Blu-ray is less to do with the picture quality and more to do with the new special features such a release would occasion. It's about time we had some up-to-date retrospectives on the show's place in Superman history.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 03:24If anybody has better information, consider this an invitation to correct me.
I'm afraid I'm not terribly well informed on the subject of HD re-mastering. It would be great if Warner Bros could splash out and do all these shows in bulk for their streaming service, but if it's as costly as you say then obviously it won't be practical. There might also be additional difficulties in changing the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 for an HD release. TPTB at Warner Bros probably wouldn't think it was worth the time and expense.
Quote from: Catwoman on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 04:31MOTP cast a very, VERY long shadow, though. About the only animated movie I've seen that peeks out of it is Under the Red Hood.
Agreed. Mask of the Phantasm and Under the Red Hood are my two favourite animated Batman films. Mask of the Phantasm is the only Batman movie, live action or animated, that I'd rate a perfect 10/10. Under the Red Hood narrowly edges out Return of the Joker for second place on my animated DC movie list. Two things MotP and UtRH have in common:
1) They're both better than the comic stories from which they're adapted (Batman: Year Two and Under the Hood).
2) They're arguably the two saddest Batman films ever made.
Considering the declining quality of the most recent animated Batman movies, I'm not sure we'll see another film as good as those two. At least not for a while.
Quote from: GBglide on Fri, 10 Aug 2018, 00:35
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Question: will an XBOX 360 or XBOX One play Blu Ray? Or will I have to buy a dedicated Blu Ray Player too?
Sony owns the Blu-Ray format, only their game systems have it. You'll have to buy a Blu-Ray player.
An Xbox One has a Blu-ray player, but the 360 doesn't. So if you have an Xbox One, you have a Blu-ray player. Also, if you have an Xbox One S and X, you also have a 4K player.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 20:56
Quote from: Catwoman on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 04:31MOTP cast a very, VERY long shadow, though. About the only animated movie I've seen that peeks out of it is Under the Red Hood.
Agreed. Mask of the Phantasm and Under the Red Hood are my two favourite animated Batman films. Mask of the Phantasm is the only Batman movie, live action or animated, that I'd rate a perfect 10/10. Under the Red Hood narrowly edges out Return of the Joker for second place on my animated DC movie list. Two things MotP and UtRH have in common:
1) They're both better than the comic stories from which they're adapted (Batman: Year Two and Under the Hood).
2) They're arguably the two saddest Batman films ever made.
Considering the declining quality of the most recent animated Batman movies, I'm not sure we'll see another film as good as those two. At least not for a while.
Haven't considered your point two but you are right. Neither of those play very nice with Bruce's emotions. Red Hood in particular was brutal to him. It was good that it had its levity in other parts (like with Black Mask lol) because it would have been a tough watch otherwise.
I'm hoping one of the upcoming movies can measure up or at least stand out from what has come out recently, but it seems like their purpose lately is more invested in seeing what all they can get away with and trying to be "edgy" and "adult." That really annoys me.
Quote from: Travesty on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 22:17
Quote from: GBglide on Fri, 10 Aug 2018, 00:35
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Question: will an XBOX 360 or XBOX One play Blu Ray? Or will I have to buy a dedicated Blu Ray Player too?
Sony owns the Blu-Ray format, only their game systems have it. You'll have to buy a Blu-Ray player.
An Xbox One has a Blu-ray player, but the 360 doesn't. So if you have an Xbox One, you have a Blu-ray player. Also, if you have an Xbox One S and X, you also have a 4K player.
The plot thickens....crap. lol. I didn't need it to thicken. I do have a One, haven't got any games for it or anything but I have the system itself, second hand. May have to get a game or two too. Too bad the recent NASCAR games suck ass. I might could get the Telltale games or the Return to Arkham dealio. That would be great to play again.
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Very torn. I love the goodies that come with it (including the two movies like you said) but that is a hell of an investment at least for someone like me. Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I have the complete series on DVD, and I don't feel the need for an upgrade. I'm curious to see how much of a visual upgrade the Blu-ray offers, though.
Quote from: Travesty on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 22:17
An Xbox One has a Blu-ray player, but the 360 doesn't. So if you have an Xbox One, you have a Blu-ray player. Also, if you have an Xbox One S and X, you also have a 4K player.
I didn't know that, I'm surprised that Sony would help a rival company like that. They must have charged Microsoft at ton for it.
If there's the option to get them cheaper as HD video files, better refrain from buying standard HD (1080p) blurays. It won't be too long before everything is re-re-re-released again in UltraHD 4K Bluray (2160p). Unless someone really needs to buy the packaging. But then, fans are collectors.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sun, 12 Aug 2018, 03:49
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Very torn. I love the goodies that come with it (including the two movies like you said) but that is a hell of an investment at least for someone like me. Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I have the complete series on DVD, and I don't feel the need for an upgrade. I'm curious to see how much of a visual upgrade the Blu-ray offers, though.
That's pretty much where I am too. I have the DVD's and those are good enough for me. And since we're talking about animation which was designed to be seen at something akin to DVD quality, I don't really see what benefits those extra lines of resolution will bring to the table.
Maybe there is some tangible advantage to HD animation... but even if there is, I don't see how it could be substantial enough to justify the cost.
Slightly off-topic but I'm nearing the end of a rewatch of Batman Beyond. Strange too. Thought I'd seen all the episodes before. Turns out, I somehow overlooked about half of them.
Some episodes are better than others. But on a per-episode basis, the quality is actually pretty high. Some things haven't aged all that well but in the main Batman Beyond really does hold up.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Tue, 14 Aug 2018, 03:12
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sun, 12 Aug 2018, 03:49
Quote from: Catwoman on Thu, 9 Aug 2018, 20:11
Very torn. I love the goodies that come with it (including the two movies like you said) but that is a hell of an investment at least for someone like me. Considering the DC Universe thing will have the series in HD when it launches (and maybe Phantasm and SubZero too), I may have to skip on the set in favor of the subscription.
I have the complete series on DVD, and I don't feel the need for an upgrade. I'm curious to see how much of a visual upgrade the Blu-ray offers, though.
That's pretty much where I am too. I have the DVD's and those are good enough for me. And since we're talking about animation which was designed to be seen at something akin to DVD quality, I don't really see what benefits those extra lines of resolution will bring to the table.
Maybe there is some tangible advantage to HD animation... but even if there is, I don't see how it could be substantial enough to justify the cost.
Slightly off-topic but I'm nearing the end of a rewatch of Batman Beyond. Strange too. Thought I'd seen all the episodes before. Turns out, I somehow overlooked about half of them.
Some episodes are better than others. But on a per-episode basis, the quality is actually pretty high. Some things haven't aged all that well but in the main Batman Beyond really does hold up.
Yeah, I agree with all that. I'm not dismissing the importance of the show, but when it comes to animation I'm not as fussed with image quality – and BTAS on DVD still looks good anyway. Another factor is how often I watch animated content. I believe BTAS is the best overall incarnation of the Batman world, but how often do I watch it? Not that much, and because of that, the DVDs suits my needs when I do. BTAS always had a retro feel to it. I'm curious to see if the clarity of Blu-ray turns the series into something it wasn't intended to be at the time.
Don't get the impression this is sour grapes. I'm glad the Blu-ray option is going to be there.
But further on the topic of watching things, I don't seem to do that as much anymore. Even gaming. I fear I'm reaching the danger zone, where I need to set aside time to 'have fun', which you shouldn't have to do. It should be a natural feeling. And I know what to blame. iPads. I sit down and update my Twitter feed and that seems to be enough for me these days. And coming home from work that's what I do to 'catch up' on things, and then it's bedtime. Phones and iPads have sucked our souls, I tell you.
Quote from: Azrael on Mon, 13 Aug 2018, 16:36
If there's the option to get them cheaper as HD video files, better refrain from buying standard HD (1080p) blurays. It won't be too long before everything is re-re-re-released again in UltraHD 4K Bluray (2160p). Unless someone really needs to buy the packaging.
You know, I've never made the jump to 4K and it's questionable if I ever will. I understand some love it, but I was one of those people who were perfectly happy with DVD, and never paid a whole hell of alot of attention to the HD DVD vs Blu Ray war
until about late 2009 when I got a PS3, and was able to actually watch blu rays. And by this time blu ray only exclusive xtras was quickly becoming a thing. Even still, this wasn't an automatic precursor to going strictly blu ray. On what exactly I am purchasing, DVD was always an option, although I generally prefer a Blu/DVD combo if it's available. Depending upon my like of whatever movie/series, I like the bump in resolution, and cleaner image comes better color.
QuoteBut then, fans are collectors.
True. True.
Quote from: The Joker on Sat, 11 Aug 2018, 17:38The ultimate fates of these characters in the DCAU has always been something that fascinated me ever since Batman Beyond began. We find out what happened to the Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Bane, ect. But other's are not addressed at all. Probably Selina Kyle and Dick Grayson being the biggest two that were not fully addressed. We get Batman and Nightwing had a falling out, but not much else.
You should check out Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond (2011) by Adam Beechen, Ryan Benjamin and John Stanisci. It's a good story and goes into some depth about what happened between Bruce and Dick. It also reveals the fates of certain DCAU villains. I'm not sure it's considered canon by Warner Bros, but it's a very worthy addition to the Batman Beyond saga IMO.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Tue, 14 Aug 2018, 03:12Slightly off-topic but I'm nearing the end of a rewatch of Batman Beyond. Strange too. Thought I'd seen all the episodes before. Turns out, I somehow overlooked about half of them.
I'm in a similar boat. I watched a few episodes of Beyond back when it was first shown in the UK, but I was by no means a devoted follower. In recent years I've been slowly watching my way through every episode in chronological order and trying to catch up with the comic book tie-ins. I've been meaning to create some threads on the subject, but can never seem to get around to it.
Batman Beyond is becoming an increasingly overlooked part of the Batman mythology. Much as I like The Dark Knight Returns, I prefer the overall vision of Batman's future presented in Beyond. And Terry McGinnis is the only person besides Dick Grayson that I can accept as a worthy successor to Bruce. More younger fans should give the show a chance.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Tue, 14 Aug 2018, 15:47I'm in a similar boat. I watched a few episodes of Beyond back when it was first shown in the UK, but I was by no means a devoted follower. In recent years I've been slowly watching my way through every episode in chronological order and trying to catch up with the comic book tie-ins. I've been meaning to create some threads on the subject, but can never seem to get around to it.
Batman Beyond is becoming an increasingly overlooked part of the Batman mythology. Much as I like The Dark Knight Returns, I prefer the overall vision of Batman's future presented in Beyond. And Terry McGinnis is the only person besides Dick Grayson that I can accept as a worthy successor to Bruce. More younger fans should give the show a chance.
I'd probably be on the same wave length with you... except for the JLU episode "Epilogue". There were reveals in that episode that... I just
CAN'T. You know? I prefer the idea of Terry and Bruce having as many similarities as they do differences. It balances their relationship, it keeps Bruce at the heart of who Batman is but it doesn't do so in a literal way.
Except Epilogue... doesn't exactly make it literal but it does bring it closer to home.
Random chance underlies everything we see in the Batman Beyond pilot. A lot of really weird factors had to come into play in order for Terry to become Batman, not least of which is Bruce's own self-doubts and brooding introspection. Bruce has to start believing in himself again before he can ever consider someone else taking up
HIS mantle.
Epilogue doesn't exactly steamroll all of that... but it does introduce an unnecessary level of intentionality. I'm trying to avoid calling it Deus Ex Machina because I don't like using that term (and I'm not sure it fits this case anyway). But it's late, I'm sleepy and my vocabulary is failing me.
Point being that I rather enjoy Terry McGinnis as a pseudo-Batman. To me, Batman needs to always incorporate Bruce Wayne somehow. When Bruce finally croaks... I'm not sure I completely buy Terry as Batman anymore. He's good. But is he
BATMAN? I don't think so.
To me, Bruce's successor is Tim. Dick never really wanted the job in the Post-Crisis comics that shaped my sensibilities of him and Jason is dead but Tim... Tim is "dark" enough to be Batman but he's not a slave to the darkness. There's a level of vengeance implicit in Bruce's mission that I just don't sense in Tim's own mission. He could become Batman. I can even believe he could become the world's greatest detective. But Tim's dark side just isn't as dark as Bruce's.
Which is why Tim might ultimately be the more effective Batman in some ways when his time comes.
That's an interesting perspective on Tim. I don't disagree with it, but I've not given Drake's long-term legacy much thought until now. When Tim did briefly don the cowl, it was unfortunately during that era when Grant Morrison and DC were sidelining him to make way for Damian Wayne. Drake was always portrayed as a second-tier contender during the Battle for the Cowl arc, while Dick and Jason took centre stage.
(https://s8.postimg.cc/5zdjtfa1x/tim_drake_bats.png)
But I'd be down with seeing a more in-depth exploration of what might happen if Tim succeeded Bruce as Batman. Maybe a 'what if' Elseworlds scenario set in a future where Dick and Jason killed each other and Tim had to assume responsibility for Damian. That could be interesting.
There was the 'Titans Tomorrow' storyline (Teen Titans Vol 3 #17-19, December 2004-February 2005) where Tim encountered an alternate version of himself who had become Batman in a parallel universe. But that version of Drake was running around shooting criminals and was more like the murderous Batman of Flashpoint than the classic Bruce Wayne incarnation.
(https://s8.postimg.cc/6etf01vlx/drake.png)
That storyline is obviously not an accurate projection of how the New Earth Drake would behave as Batman. It's about time someone wrote a story that
does show what kind of a Batman he'd be.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Tue, 14 Aug 2018, 15:47
You should check out Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond (2011) by Adam Beechen, Ryan Benjamin and John Stanisci. It's a good story and goes into some depth about what happened between Bruce and Dick. It also reveals the fates of certain DCAU villains. I'm not sure it's considered canon by Warner Bros, but it's a very worthy addition to the Batman Beyond saga IMO.
Thanks. I've never even heard of it, but going off the reviews, Hush Beyond doesn't
appear to be considred canon with the DCAU version. But what the hell? I might just track it down anyways for a fun read. Speaking of Tim Drake, I believe in the DC Comics version of Batman Beyond, Drake even succeeded Terry as Batman Beyond at some point. Although I know it absolutely has nothing to do with the DCAU continuity, but that's an example of Tim Drake literally being all over the place since the introduction of Damien Wayne. If there was ever a character that got short changed with no clear direction due to the creation of another, it's Tim.
Quote from: The Joker on Wed, 15 Aug 2018, 23:17Speaking of Tim Drake, I believe in the DC Comics version of Batman Beyond, Drake even succeeded Terry as Batman Beyond at some point.
I'm not familiar with that particular story, but it sounds interesting. It's hard to imagine how they could take Tim in that direction after what happened to him in Return of the Joker. But I'd be interested in seeing how the writers handled such an arc.
Quote from: The Joker on Wed, 15 Aug 2018, 23:17If there was ever a character that got short changed with no clear direction due to the creation of another, it's Tim.
Sadly true.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Fri, 17 Aug 2018, 21:26
I'm not familiar with that particular story, but it sounds interesting. It's hard to imagine how they could take Tim in that direction after what happened to him in Return of the Joker. But I'd be interested in seeing how the writers handled such an arc.
Just to clarify, it was the DCU DC Comics version of Tim Drake that went on to succeed Terry as Batman Beyond at some point during the New52 stuff. Perhaps I wasn't clear in stating that I wasn't referring to the DCAU version of Tim Drake. But yeah, the DCU DC Comics version of Tim Drake has been all over the place since Damien Wayne entered the picture. First thing they did is make Tim, Red Robin, then with the alternate history of the New52, I think DC was actually trying to say that Tim never was a Robin anyways. That he was always Red Robin or some crap. Then Tim became Batman Beyond at some stage, and with Rebirth, he's now back to Red Robin, although I think DC back peddled and it's back to Tim being a Robin in his career all along. Funny stuff.
Quote from: The Joker on Fri, 17 Aug 2018, 21:55Just to clarify, it was the DCU DC Comics version of Tim Drake that went on to succeed Terry as Batman Beyond at some point during the New52 stuff. Perhaps I wasn't clear in stating that I wasn't referring to the DCAU version of Tim Drake. But yeah, the DCU DC Comics version of Tim Drake has been all over the place since Damien Wayne entered the picture. First thing they did is make Tim, Red Robin, then with the alternate history of the New52, I think DC was actually trying to say that Tim never was a Robin anyways. That he was always Red Robin or some crap. Then Tim became Batman Beyond at some stage, and with Rebirth, he's now back to Red Robin, although I think DC back peddled and it's back to Tim being a Robin in his career all along. Funny stuff.
To be fair, I think the New 52 thing was part of the fallout from the five year timeline they were working with. It was hard to fit Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Tim again and Damian as Robin in a ten year timeline, which is what the pre-Flashpoint timeline was apparently supposed to be. But if you don't think too much about it, I guess it's doable.
But the New 52 had a five year history and it's basically impossible to fit Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian into that. Dick has to have been Robin because now he's Nightwing. Jason had to have been a Robin because now he's Red Hood. Damian has to be Robin because Grant Morrison.
But from a practical standpoint, Tim doesn't have to have been a Robin. He's the most expendable. So he was expended. Arguably DC might've been better served by deleting him from continuity entirely. But obviously that never happened.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 18 Aug 2018, 14:13
To be fair, I think the New 52 thing was part of the fallout from the five year timeline they were working with. It was hard to fit Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Tim again and Damian as Robin in a ten year timeline, which is what the pre-Flashpoint timeline was apparently supposed to be. But if you don't think too much about it, I guess it's doable.
But the New 52 had a five year history and it's basically impossible to fit Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian into that. Dick has to have been Robin because now he's Nightwing. Jason had to have been a Robin because now he's Red Hood. Damian has to be Robin because Grant Morrison.
But from a practical standpoint, Tim doesn't have to have been a Robin. He's the most expendable. So he was expended. Arguably DC might've been better served by deleting him from continuity entirely. But obviously that never happened.
That's true. When it comes to DC and who's more expendable, or preferably deleted in a roundabout way, it's Tim and not Damien. The whole 5 year deal with the New52 was more of a debacle than something that actually served the history or stories going forward. I mean, I've read criticisms about the Post-Crisis/Pre-Flashpoint Earth being called "Clutter Earth", but the New52 Earth could just as well be referred to as "Crammed Earth" with DC attempting to cram in 20+ years of continuity into a 5 year timeline. Perhaps even more than that really, since Post-Infinite Crisis DCU was making an effort to re-establish some Pre-Crisis history as well. Never mind story lines/story arcs being altered due to character's either simply not ever having existed in the New52 time line, or being noticeably different than what they were before.
Did anyone hear about the stories of angry Amazon customers getting upset over their orders of the blu ray box set of Batman TAS arriving in the mail, or front door in crummy packaging?
https://comicbook.com/dc/2018/11/02/batman-the-animated-series-deluxe-limited-edition-blu-ray-sets-damaged-amazon/
Unfortunately, and fortunately, I was one of those customers as well. A few days after the release date, my set arrived in the dreaded padded mailer with no additional packaging, and was completely battered. This was also completely unacceptable. After sending the set back at no cost to me, I was notified my replacement set was sent out that very day. Two days later, I received the replacement set, and like the first, arrived only in a padded mailer. Upon opening the packaging, I quickly noticed this set had some dings on the bottom corners, but nothing nearly as horrendous as the initial set. Still, a box set that came out to $94 after sales tax coming in a mere mailer was shoddy to say the least. I decided to call Amazon's customer service contemplating returning the replacement set, but the support rep made a deal I couldn't refuse. Keep the set and have a full refund of the item as well!
So yeah, despite the packaging issues, Amazon resolved the issue.
Saving nearly $100 for a few dings on the box is a trade I'll take any day.
I'm glad to hear it all worked out for you, Joker. Although, this news makes me glad I don't order any box sets through the mail. Too much hassle.
Amazon deciding to compromise and give refunds must mean they really screwed up. :-[
Wow that's frustrating. I'm glad I didn't order it or I would have been pissed. As it is I'm pissed for y'all who did, but good on Amazon for making it right. That refund is pretty awesome. I would have settled for refunded shipping and a replacement package (I know it'd take time to print those up though).
Yeah, I can't bitch too much since I ended up getting the entire thing for free. Started off pretty bad, but ended up rather swell.
Funny thing is that just yesterday, one of the gifts I bought for my stepfather for Christmas, a $13 calendar, arrived from amazon in a cardboard box completely undamaged ... yet a nearly $100 blu ray box set arrives not once, but twice in a simple padded mailer??
I originally thought that perhaps it was a screw up from whatever particular warehouse that shipped it. Until, I saw the article featuring people all over the U.S. complain about the very same issue. A total blunder to say the least, but I was satisfied with the resolution.
Customer service - as in not having to offer a full refund of $94 by not screwing up in the first place, for instance - is dead.
This one was on my list forever, and seeing the price hovering around $50 at Best Buy and not any cheaper online, I knew it was time to strike. It was also an opportunity to get rid of my old Complete Animated Series on DVD, which was a huge hog of shelf space. Buying new was great because I still got the digital copies as well, despite already being past their expiration date.
As I mentioned that the DVD set was this huge hunk of cardboard that couldn't feasibly fit next to your other DVDs. The Blu-Ray set proves that it can be compressed down to standard dimensions and still have nice packaging. It's even more protective of the discs as well since the DVD case was very brittle and cracked in many places during the original shipment. I suppose one advantage of the DVDs is the colorful artwork on the discs themselves. The menus also have much more effort put into them on those older DVDs. Still not enough to justify having both. The DVD set has its own Bonus Disc, but it only has one 20-minute documentary on it. The rest are trailers for unrelated DC projects. Sadly this feature is not present on the Blu Ray, but again, it's hardly enough to justify the set.
Of course the quality of the Blu Rays just steals the show. Those side-by-side comparisons were jaw-dropping, but even watching on its own is a treat to see in this quality. I always like to have my home videos in the highest quality no matter how trivial, but this remastering is VERY apparent to the naked eye. You can make an argument that the rougher SD quality DVDs carry a specific aesthetic to them (Bruce Timm said as much in the past), but my vote still goes to Blu-Ray.