Firstly, holy shit, Comrade Crow’s still alive.
Secondly, yeah, while that was totally my reason for focusing so heavily on Batman movies this year I swear, it was also because I wanted to finish Batman Begins so that this year’s Shortstember wouldn’t occur out of series chronology because OCD be a harsh mistress.
So, what’s on the menu this year, Mouse, you ask?
GOTHAM KNIGHT.
NO.
The other one.
NOOOOOOO. THE OTHER ONE.
Gotham Knight is a 2008 anthology film that takes places in the continuity of the Nolanverse between Batman Begins and Dark Knight. It’s a collection of animé shorts produced by different animé studios to whet fan appetite before the sequel to a popular movie comes out. You know, a bit like the Animatrix. Wait, no. That’s unfair. It’s exactly like The Animatrix.
Look, it’s animé Batman directed with Kevin Conroy. If your pants aren’t already on the floor, why are you even reading this blog?
unshavedmouse 
I’ve actually never seen this. Which is actually amazing, since I love all Batman but especially Conroy Batman. I must’ve completely blanked on its existence somehow.
I remember watching this years back. All I remember is finding it to be worse versions of BTAS episodes. I have seen 46 Batman movies (only missing 2), and this was the hardest one to keep watching.
What 2 out of interest?
I have not seen The Dark Knight Rises or Batman Unlimited 3.
Was this accidentally published early? Cuts off right after the comparison to the Animatrix
Not on my version. 🤔
Strange, that’s all I get on both my phone and PC
I only see one short paragraph (consisting of two sentences) after the paragraph that ends with “animatrix.” Is there more after that?
Last word should be blog
Ohhhhh I misunderstood then. Didn’t realize this was actually just the intro to the series this month.
“Look, it’s animé Batman directed with Kevin Conroy. If your pants aren’t already on the floor, why are you even reading this blog?”
That’s not a bad way to end a post, but it does want someone wanting more I think.
This is a relatively curious choice, which makes it interesting. It would be fun to have reviews for the Batman TV series (e.g BTAS and its sequel series TNBA, the hit-and-miss mid 2000s The Batman series, the wonderfully old-fashioned Batman: The Brave and the Bold) but it’s a pretty good idea to do a more obscure Batman adaptation first…
The digs at the Gotham Knights series and the Gotham Knights video game highlights how frustrating it is that we get two series focused on the Bat-Family, and they both ended up being critical and commercial failures. I’m really hoping they get the story they deserve someday…
Honestly, the insistence on doing Batman series without Batman baffles me.
I personally like the concept of “Legacy Heroes”, but it’s certainly true that the Bat-family’s relationship with Batman is central to their appeal. I would love a more detailed explanation on why the idea of Batverse stories without the Bat is such a flawed concept, and why TV execs have used it so often over the years…
It’s interesting to note that one of the most acclaimed DC comics in recent years is the Wayne Family Adventures webcomic, a “slice of life” series about Batman’s relationship with the various companions and sidekicks he has acquired over the years. The more comedic and positive tone is a real breath of fresh air right now…
Gotham Knights the game certainly had potential but was hampered by trying to make it a live-service model when it should’ve been a single-player game. Touch up the story and writing a bit and it could’ve made a pretty good game. Gotham Knights the show? The acting and writing sunk it, there was no saving it.
Honestly, the Bat-Family and indeed the DC universe is so big and expansive that it doesn’t need the presence of Batman (also he’s kind of overdone at this point). What worries me is that executives will see these failures and declare that more Batman is needed in everything.
The wealthy white old money heterosexual male who beats the poor up, which is Hollywood’s view of Batman now (check the Blue Beetle movie, or how the Harley Quinn animated series handles him, or even a few aspects of Pattinson’s The Batman) is a complicated thing to handle at the time. Which is why they prefer focusing on his sidekicks.
I feel like one of the main reasons The Bat Family should be included more in Batman media is to counter that negative stereotype and humanize Batman by showing his value as a person (represented by the Robins), and the value of the Batman brand (represented as the Batgirls). Sadly, DC Comics have spent recent years using the family to exacerbate the stereotype that Batman is toxic and mentally unstable, with their current Gotham War arc being the nadir of that particular trend*…
(* To explain what’s going on in the Gotham War “event” to the people who haven’t seen the complaints about it on social media – or who have seen the complaints and are morbidly curious – Catwoman decides she can solve violent crime in Gotham by getting all the petty goons to work for her in a Robin Hood style organized theft ring – and Dick, Barbara etc choose to go along with this. Do you now understand why Marvel constantly wins the sales wars?)
Re the “Batman’s a facist” angle – Blue Beetle played it for a quick joke and Harley Quinn played it for its signature combination of crude humor and social media-friendly deconstruction (P.S – I would like to see Unshaved comment on Harley in general given her importance to the Batman universe) – I would personally try to ignore them. Batman has been discussing fighting crime through social reform throughout his long history in the comics, but like most media stereotypes (Passive Disney princesses, Passive Bond Girls etc), the more people try to challenge the negative perception of Batman, the more persistent it becomes…
Firstly, because I am not an easy lay: a series or miniseries has to put in the work before I’ll commit.
Secondly, because while I love and admire the work of Mr Kevin Conroy as Batman, I also recognise that even he was not always the right Dark Knight for the job (By the late noughties his voice had rather moved beyond pre-Batman Bruce Wayne or Very New Batman).
Thirdly, because I am the hero in my own story, not the kid sidekick (and the Nolan-verse doesn’t really do trouserless do-Golders anyway).
…
I am also deeply, deeply amused by this long-delayed and unexpected explanation of your continuing lack of trousers and/or underwear