Beware “Beware the Batman”

It is impossible to be a purist when it comes to Batman. Batman has been around for about three quarters of a century and in that time has been written and depicted in dozens of ways by numerous writers and artists across a variety of media. As a result, Batman is more of an archetype than a specific character.

That said, there are certain traits that are constant and recognizable as part of this archetype. Batman is dark and broody (ignoring the 60’s TV show). Batman is the ultimate detective, the dark knight, the fearless guardian of Gotham that strikes fear in the hearts of criminals. Batman does not kill, he does not use guns or lethal weapons, and his strength comes from skill and training, not any superpowers. His ability to best his enemies is partially his combat skills and his “toys”, but it is mostly his keen understanding of his enemies actions and motivations and his ability to get one step ahead of them.

(minor spoilers beyond this point)

Enter into the fray of Batman media the new DC Nation regular, Beware the Batman. So far this new show has only aired three episodes, but it has already made an impression and I’m not certain it is the right one. In this CG cartoon, Batman/Bruce Wayne seems to be a young-ish version of the character and thus far his rogue gallery is seemingly devoid of recognizable characters (e.g., Professor Pig and Mr. Toad, Magpie, Anarchy). Alfred has also been regressed and additionally revised to be a bald, former MI-6 agent and as such acts as Batman’s research assistant and combat advisor.

While I can get over the changes to Alfred, one issue that has already bugged me to some degree is this: in the first two episodes, Batman fumbled and came close to being beaten by his adversaries (in one case nearly unmasked if not for the odd decision compass of his enemy) only succeeding due to the failings of those he was against. It was only in the third episode where we started to see Batman as the master strategist he is known to be, but he still faltered at times in close combat. When I asked my daughter about the show after we watched the second episode she said this: “I like it so far, but it doesn’t really feel like Batman.”

Another deviation from any typical Batman canon is the introduction of a new character who seems to be getting groomed as a would-be Robin (in role if not in name). She (yes, I said she) is a young asian woman who used to be a spy (and as such, is a past associate of Alfred) named Tatsu Yamashiro. To only the most heavily steeped DC fans, this name should be familiar as the alter ego of Katana – a japanese hero known for her martial arts and swordsmanship as well as her membership in teams such as the Outsiders and Birds of Prey. So far they’ve teased this possible outcome initially by introducing her riding a motorcycle that is red with a yellow stripe and wing-like exhaust pipes, having her step in to fill in for Alfred while his leg heals from an injury, and having Bruce give her opportunities to discover his secrets.

While I certainly am finding the show entertaining thus far, I’m not 100% thrilled with the altered canon. It isn’t that I’m against such departures per se, but I think if they were intent to do so they could have framed it better (i.e., call the show Batman Year One or Ultimate Batman to show that the canon is rebooted or alternate in some way). As it stands and as is evident by my daughter’s reaction, this shift is likely to confuse viewers who are less well-versed or who come late to the series. Additionally, this is likely the first and only exposure that younger kids may have to 

Batman as a character seeing as there hasn’t been a cartoon depiction of him in some time (aside from sporadic appearances in Young Justice). So it would seem to me it should be important to get the depiction either true to the archetype or clearly delineated to avoid a confused young audience.

I’ll likely keep watching the show so long as my kids show interest in it. But I’d happily trade it for another season of Young Justice or even the Green Lantern: The Animated Series that were recently dropped to make room for this show (as I’m sure my kids and many others might agree). It is too early to peg it as a flop, but I worry that if the show doesn’t either start honing the Batman image in the show or start at least throwing in some recognizable villains, it may end up a flash in the pan.