Bruce Timm, most famous for developing 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series, returns with his signature artstyle in 2024 with the release of the latest animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader. The series has a 95% on the Tomatometer and a 7.5/10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a 7.3/10 rating on IMDB.
Batman: Caped Crusader sees a young Batman (Hamish Linklater) trying to save 1940s Gotham from being overtaken by organized crime and corruption. Although named after The titular superhero, the show actually puts the spotlight on some of Batman’s supporting cast, primarily Renée Montoya (Michelle C. Bonilla) and Barbara Gordon (Krystal Joy Brown), while still allowing Batman himself to have plenty of cool butt-kicking moments. Different adaptations of Batman media tend to vary whether “the world’s greatest detective” is allied with or opposes the police department. Batman: Caped Crusader not only puts Batman up against the law enforcement, but gives us a chance to see him from their perspective, in which he is viewed as a nuisance and an obstacle as opposed to a partner.
Designs in Batman: The Animated Series (bottom)
Batman: Caped Crusader functions as a villain of the week-style story, meaning each of the show’s villains is given a dedicated episode only to never appear again. A few of the villains designs in this show hark back to their comic debut appearances. Some of the best examples include Catwoman, who is shown wearing a purple costume and green cape instead of her more modern black latex and leather dominatrix-esque look. Clayface trades off his modern look of being a giant clay golem in favor of wearing a black fedora and coat with a red bandana to cover his deformed face. And Two-Face, who keeps his more classic black suit instead of his eccentric two-toned, split down the middle black and white suit.
The show strikes the perfect balance between fan favorite iconic villains, such as the aforementioned Catwoman, Clayface, and Two Face, and deep cut gems like Nocturne, Onomatopoeia, and Gentlemen Ghost, the last of which is actually a frequent villain of Hawkman and Hawkgirl as opposed to Batman. One of the show’s greatest strengths is that it doesn’t rely on The Joker, who is widely agreed to be Batman’s archnemesis. The Joker is actually completely absent from the show, with the exception of a post credit scene in the season finale, teasing the Clown Prince of Crime’s prominence in season two.
Batman: Caped Crusader is everything a Batman show should be. It masterfully captures the essence of the time period in which it’s set, as well as the intrigue of the mystery. If anything, the show’s only fault is that there isn’t more of it for Superhero super-fans fans like myself to obsess over. I’ll just have to wait for season two. I hope you’re here waiting with me.
