Posts: 1099 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Joined: 29.07.05
THE BATMAN – 512/513 – LOST HEROES
PLOT:
When the most powerful members of the Justice League are abducted one-by-one, Batman, Robin and Green Arrow discover the mystery surrounding their disappearance – The Joining has returned with some earthly villainous assistance, and has transferred the Justice League powers into alien androids. It's up to Batman, Robin and Green Arrow to help their JL friends regain their powers and prevent an alien invasion. The one-hour special TV movie event includes appearances by Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Toyman, Mirror Master, Dr. Hugo Strange and The Joining.
REVIEW:
So begins, the end. The Batman finally takes a bow to end its final season with its final episode. And why not end this show with a two-parter retooled into a one-hour movie, complete with every JLA member that has appeared since season four’s “The Joining”. In fact, it is the Joining that return in a way that would be considered a “full circle”. Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and of course, Batman. There is no point in going on any further; here is “Lost Heroes”!
Our finale begins with Toyman (first and final appearance on the show) fights our World’s Finest: Superman and Batman. Despite his the toys he uses, he is defeated. But are defeated by both Bats and Supes. But unexpectedly, the explosives set up by Toyman goes off knocking Toyman out cold and Superman disappears. Batman realizes this and wonders what is going on. Soon later, in a carnival, Flash and Green Arrow are in a hall of mirrors where Mirror Master attacks and Flash vanishes like Superman. Green Arrow, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter seek help from Batman, where it is learned that Hawkman has vanished also. When it is questioned why Green Arrow and Batman weren’t taken during these times, it is figured it is because they aren’t super-powered. Later on in Central City, Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern are taken out, by robotic aliens. In the Batcave, Batman receives a vision from Martian Manhunter: “Hugo Strange”. At Arkham, Batman & Robin meet up with Strange, where it is revealed he is an android, a similar make like the Joining’s androids. It is revealed that the Joining has returned…
Unlike the previous team-up episodes where it is always a Batman episode in a story that involved both him and his superhero guest star, this finale was less Brave and the Bold, and more of a Justice League episode that you might’ve find from either one of the Filmation shorts, Superfriends (Robin being with Batman and the League reminded me of the show), even Justice League Unlimited. There are times when it did become more of a Batman episode, specifically somewhere in the middle of the finale, but that couldn’t be helped since the show is still called The Batman. It could be said that the producers did this just in case a new JLA show never happens, but that is an understatement. Because every viewer, even fans, would see the idea of a non team-up final episode in a team-up season a bad idea.
Since this features the whole Justice League, I want to focus on this like it was a really Justice League episode from a Justice League show. And what Stan Berkowitz always said was that in any story featuring the JLA, he always looks for a villain worthy enough to require all the members. Because it is the Joining that brought this version of the League together, with the right story, having them back isn’t a bad idea. And this is what this finale has: the Joining steals the super-powered heroes leaving them powerless, and if it was all of the superheroes (not just Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Martian Manhunter) that stopped there plans, well now the Joining have an advantage, don’t they? Well, not quite. One of the things that made the season 4 finale great was that they showed how dangerous the Joining were. This finale doesn’t quite have that. Yes, it is shown how hard it is for our heroes to capture and get back their powers from the androids, but there wasn’t any terror shown when the androids had them.
You know what, I don’t care. I had excitement no matter what.
Overall, the finale had everything that made it a nice ending to the show. We had the Batman Family, as well as the Justice League. There were times when it became a Batman show again, but I saw this as a Justice League episode/show because it was more of that than a Brave and the Bold episode like this season. I enjoyed it, I can’t say otherwise. Nothing is changing my mind even now. I also like to thank Kids WB for making it an hour long movie. We didn’t have to wait for a week for the conclusion. So, all in all, I liked this finale to The Batman.
Since 2004, The Batman was criticized like there was no tomorrow in comparison to the classic Batman: The Animated Series. But since the second season, it became its own, and people started to see it differently. No one would say it was great, that belongs to BTAS. But not many people were saying it was bad anymore neither. Each season was its own arc: one was Batman was a sole vigilante, two was Batman’s growing trust with the police, three was his first sidekick with Batgirl, and a crime fighting family when Robin came along in the fourth season. And finally, maybe said as similar as Smallville, Batman joined a superhero team in the final season. Right now, there are news and rumors over a new show called Brave and the Bold, which so happens to be what we called the final season of The Batman because of the team-ups. Whether The Batman led to this show is beyond anyone including me. What many of us do know is that from 2004 to 2008, this show lasted and was popular for as long as it was.
Now, let me say good day, and good night, to The Batman (2004-2008).
FOR THE LAST TIME; RATING: Yay
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
RE: The Batman: Lost Heroes -
Posted on 08-03-2008 12:50
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