Darwyn Cooke's Batman Beyond Short

[The Laughing Fish]

Yet another 75th Anniversary short has been released, this time paying tribute to Batman Beyond.

Notice the nods to almost all of Batman's iconic incarnations in the end - it includes Keaton's Batman.

It's annoying me that Superman didn't get this much fanfare last year for his anniversary.

[DocLathropBrown]

To be frank, in my opinion, Superman didn't deserve this kind of coverage--both from a financial point-of-view and just as a character--he's never been as interesting as Batman, even when he was at his best.

This short was incredible, better than Timm's even, simply for the acknowledgement of the most important Batmen at the end. It can be argued that the Neal Adams Batman should have been included as well (especially in place of "Beware the Batman").

But I'm glad that Cooke knows that the only live actors as Batman that matter are West and Keaton--despite the financial success of Nolan's series, next to no-one is enamored with Bale's version of the character, and personally, I think those films themselves did no favors for Batman's legacy; because I think that in effect, they diluted much of the appeal of the comics by stripping away the fantasy underpinnings of the franchise.

That, and West/Keaton are the two live interpretations that had the most definite, lasting impact.

I don't know what's been going on in the last couple of years, but positive re-acknowledgement of Burton's first film has been sharply on the rise. I think the disappointment of TDKR maybe helped take the wind out of TDK's overblown sails, and it has caused people to re-evaulate the films left in Nolan's wake. It even seems like WB really wants to push '89 back into the limelight, hopefully because Snyder's take on Batman will be more reminiscent of Burton's.

[The Dark Knight]

A fantastic short movie.

And again, I agree with Doc effectively word for word.

[Slash Man]

It's funny that just a minute long short could recapture the design and the feel of the original down to a T. When the face  the cyborg Batman was half-revealed, I immediately thought back to the HARDAC replica of Batman: (could it be the same)

The red-eyes make me see that it's probably no coincidence.

Anyways, after the first is defeated, things really pick up. While it could have passed just on account of the action alone, the twist at the end is what makes it. Bruce preparing to fight again is the best note to go out on (ending perfectly on Kane's original Batman). The Keaton cameo was also killer.

I felt that this one actually "out-Timmed" Bruce's short.

[Silver Nemesis]

Loved it. I actually prefer this over the 'Strange Days' film. It's great to hear Friedle and Conroy strike up their old rapport. I saw Friedle in an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? a couple of weeks ago ('The Tale of the Long Ago Locket'), and back then he could easily have played McGinnis in live action. He clearly had the right look, the voice and the acting ability.

Hopefully the positive reception of this short film will prompt DC and WB to do something with the Batman Beyond franchise. A proper Region 2 DVD release of the original series would be a good way to start, and then perhaps an Arkham-style videogame and new animated movie or TV show.

Of course it was also a big thrill to see the cameos at the end. Certain artists have modelled their depictions of Batman on Keaton in the past (e.g. Paul Gulacy and Kia Asamiya), and the Burton Batmobile has made cameos in a number of comics and The Dark Knight Returns: Part II (2013) animated feature. But this is the first time that Bat-Keaton himself has officially appeared in a licensed Batman film since Batman Returns (1992).

Of course it wasn't actually Bat-Keaton; rather an evil robot modelled on him. But even so, it's the first time an official Batman film has suggested the Burtonverse might be part of the wider DC Multiverse. And it was a nice way of acknowledging the 89 film for its 25th anniversary.

I also like the fact that two lighter versions of Batman – the West and Batman: The Brave and the Bold versions – were standing in the foreground of that shot, and two darker versions – the Keaton and Dark Knight Returns iterations – were lurking in the background. In that one image you've got representations of comic book Batman, animated Batman, TV Batman and movie Batman. It's a neat snapshot encapsulating the character's diverse history.

It's annoying me that Superman didn't get this much fanfare last year for his anniversary.

Same here. I was a little disappointed with the animated short they produced for Supe's anniversary. In my opinion he's a more interesting character than Batman, and his debut in Action Comics #1 is certainly of greater historical significance, what with him being the first 'superhero' and that issue denoting the beginning of the 'Golden Age' of comics.

[The Laughing Fish]

It's funny that just a minute long short could recapture the design and the feel of the original down to a T. When the face  the cyborg Batman was half-revealed, I immediately thought back to the HARDAC replica of Batman: (could it be the same)

The red-eyes make me see that it's probably no coincidence.

Great call! This short was most likely influenced by that BTAS episode. That episode's ending, where the android becomes sentient and commits suicide by destroying the Batcomputer, was one of the most memorable moments for me as a kid.

I also like the fact that two lighter versions of Batman – the West and Batman: The Brave and the Bold versions – were standing in the foreground of that shot, and two darker versions – the Keaton and Dark Knight Returns iterations – were lurking in the background. In that one image you've got representations of comic book Batman, animated Batman, TV Batman and movie Batman. It's a neat snapshot encapsulating the character's diverse history.

I agree, although I do agree with Doc that Neal Adams' interpretation should have replaced Beware the Batman or 2004's The Batman cartoon. I know there were too many cameos that had the same blue and grey colour scheme, but still, this iconic pose re-imagined from the "Joker's Five Way Revenge" is definitely worthy of a nod.

Same here. I was a little disappointed with the animated short they produced for Supe's anniversary. In my opinion he's a more interesting character than Batman.

LOL, I think you've committed heresy around here by arguing Batman is less interesting than Superman. 

I for one loved the Superman short. I thought it was a great video that showcased the highlights of Superman's relevance in popular culture.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebXB0lBoaQ0‎

[The Dark Knight]

LOL, I think you've committed heresy around here by arguing Batman is less interesting than Superman. 

Batman doesn't want to move on. Joker's "you're just a little boy in a playsuit, crying for mommy and daddy" comment is true. However Superman is longing for something which is unachevable. Harmony in the human race. Whereas Batman expects the worst and is usually prepared for it. So the two characters are destined to pull on the tights forever. Batman's crusade is for the public, but it's much more personal in comparison.

Spider-Man is driven by guilt and responsibility. He's sort of like Batman but also the opposite in this regard. The losses of Ben, Captain Stacy and Gwen fuel him, but not in terms of vengeance. He pulls on his mask, transforms into a new persona and wisecracks despite it all. An escape from his pain but also a service to the community.