Batman: Hush (2019)

[The Laughing Fish]

According to IMDB, Kevin Conroy and some of the voice actors from the Arkham videos games will reprise their roles in this adaptation.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752440/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

Wally Wingert played an excellent Riddler in the Rocksteady games, I always got a kick out of his mental breakdown every time Batman solved his riddles. I can't wait to hear him and Conroy voice one of the last scenes of the comic, where Batman confronts Riddler in jail. Judging by the inclusion of Poison Ivy, Lois Lane and Clayface, it appears we will get those scenes where Batman "rescues" Superman from Ivy's control and Batman fighting Clayface disguising as Jason Todd.

[The Laughing Fish]

According to IMDB, Kevin Conroy and some of the voice actors from the Arkham videos games will reprise their roles in this adaptation.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752440/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

Wally Wingert played an excellent Riddler in the Rocksteady games, I always got a kick out of his mental breakdown every time Batman solved his riddles. I can't wait to hear him and Conroy voice one of the last scenes of the comic, where Batman confronts Riddler in jail. Judging by the inclusion of Poison Ivy, Lois Lane and Clayface, it appears we will get those scenes where Batman "rescues" Superman from Ivy's control and Batman fighting Clayface disguising as Jason Todd.

Well, that news turned out to be clickbait bullsh*t. f*** IMDB, and apologies to everybody else. 

The stupid website has updated its full casting page for the movie - nobody from the Arkham games is reprising their role. Jason O'Mara will return to voice Batman yet again, as this adaptation looks set to continue in the DC Animated Movie Universe. Which quite frankly, I'm getting very tired of. Jerry O'Connell returns as Superman too.

By the way, the video below compiles a montage of leaked screenshots from the movie.

If this adaptation of the iconic romantic scene is anything to go by, I'll keep my expectations low.

[thecolorsblend]

I wonder if Hush will be revealed to be Gordon. That would be a pretty interesting way to "subvert expectations", since we all know how important that is. We wouldn't want people who have read the comic to find the story predictable, now would we?

While we're at it, Catwoman can be revealed to be Gordon too. Same thing with the other guy in bandages; rather than Harvey, make it Gordon. Don't even bother explaining how "Dent" has those scenes with Gordon. Nobody worries about stuff like that.

In fact, just let Gordon play every other role in the story aside from Batman. Gotta challenge those audience expectations, after all...

[The Dark Knight]

This looks disappointing. The animation style speaks for itself, especially when you consider the vibrancy and detail of the comic. The drop in quality happened very quickly and the rot has set in. I'm hoping a new Batman game is announced at E3, because I'm not feeling anything else right now.

[thecolorsblend]

The line style is probably the biggest disappointment. I don't need Conroy voicing the character. But for everything that Hush as a storyline was and wasn't, at a minimum Jim Lee filled the pages with tons of detail and the coloring really set the art off powerfully.

This animated movie looks like the same muddy, cruddy pap that can be found in any zillion of other Batman movies.

I reserve the right to be wrong. The animated TDKR film totally caught me off-guard. A pleasant surprise. Hush could turn out the exact same way.

But I'm getting a worse and worse feeling all the time.

[The Laughing Fish]

The line style is probably the biggest disappointment. I don't need Conroy voicing the character. But for everything that Hush as a storyline was and wasn't, at a minimum Jim Lee filled the pages with tons of detail and the coloring really set the art off powerfully.

This animated movie looks like the same muddy, cruddy pap that can be found in any zillion of other Batman movies.

I reserve the right to be wrong. The animated TDKR film totally caught me off-guard. A pleasant surprise. Hush could turn out the exact same way.

But I'm getting a worse and worse feeling all the time.

Nowadays, DC's animation line reminds me of the current MCU: mass produced but lacking much identity. Animation is of mediocre quality, and it's certainly nothing to compare to Dark Knight Returns, Under the Red Hood or even Assault on Arkham. And in terms of entertainment value, they are not getting better, despite a lot of them are based on good comics. I watched Reign of the Supermen a few weeks ago, and I was disappointed by how dull it was with the cheap animation and trying modernise the story, which made it completely devoid of heart and tension, such as skipping Steel's arc and the destruction of Coast City. Of course, you might be right to say you can't fit everything from a comic under an hour and a half movie. But because I found the movie so lackluster, it left me wanting those aspects to be adapted.

The only other animated movies in the last eighteen months I saw were Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, The Death of Superman (both were was just okay but nothing exceptional), and Justice League vs Teen Titans, which I thought was crap apart from Damian Wayne's arc. I was counting on the animation department to give me something to look forward now that I've lost interest in the live-action department, but if they don't start putting their comics they're adapting to best use, I think I'll give it up too. I guess you could compare the DCAMU to how MCU detractors describe that franchise. Most of them are watchable, but they're utterly forgettable.

So yeah, once again, I don't expect much from Hush.

[Travesty]

Whoever is voicing Gordon is terrible. Not a good choice, at all.

[The Laughing Fish]

I found this choppy little trailer online.

Yeah, the voice actor playing Gordon is wrong for the part. He sounds so out of place.

I noticed they ditched Batman's New 52 costume he normally wears throughout the DCAMU, he's wearing the blue cowl and underpants instead. Like he does in the comic.

The animation still doesn't do much for me, but I do like the Joker's appearance. It's good to see a more traditional looking Joker smile again.

[thecolorsblend]

Looks like I called it a few pages back. Robin will be Damian rather than Tim.

A few years ago, a big fan theory swept the Internet saying that DC and WB both were trying to undo everything that happened in the 90's. Looks like Tim Drake is the latest addition to the "We'll just pretend that never happened" list.

The characterization of Tim as well as Batman's relationship with Tim wasn't a major point of the Hush storyline but those things did play heavily into the Clayface chapter in Batman's internal monologue.

Apparently the directors and artists are willing to put Batman back into his Hush-era outfit. But using Tim as Robin, no way, can't do that.

[The Laughing Fish]

Apparently the directors and artists are willing to put Batman back into his Hush-era outfit. But using Tim as Robin, no way, can't do that.

Considering that Batman's relationship with his son Damian is the most distinctive thing about these DCAMU animated movies, is it really that surprising?

That being said, the Batsuit change is a surprise. Even more surprising they still haven't fully adopted the classic Superman costume. I don't understand the inconsistency there.

I wish Bruce Greenwood came back to do this instead. That way, it could've been a prequel to Under the Red Hood, as the Hush comic was for Under the Hood.