44. Batman The Brave and The Bold

Batman The Brave and The Bold developed and produced by James Tucker &
Michael Jelenic (Warner Home Video) 2010

Genre

Television program/DVD

Review

In each episode Batman teams up with a different DC comics hero.  Each adventure is self contained, so the show is episodic in nature with no overarching plot lines.  In the first episode Batman teams up with the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle (Reyes is the most recent incarnation of the Blue Beetle; he is a teenage boy, who was first featured in the comic books in 2006).  The two are set to divert a meteorite headed toward earth, but as soon as they leave earth's atmosphere, the Blue Beetle loses control of his suit: it makes a wormhole and takes Batman and Blue Beetle to a strange planet populated by amoeba-like lifeforms.  Each year a villainous alien raids their planet, kidnapping the residents and using their bodies for fuel (because it is Silver Age-inspired and clearly intended for children, this usage doesn't destroy the amoeba-creatures, it merely injures them).  Batman and Blue Beetle craft a Seven-Samurai-style plan, hoping to encourage the amoebas to fight for themselves.  At first Blue Beetle does all of the work defending the amoebas, until the villain uses the frequencies of a gong to disrupt the powerful Blue Beetle suit.  Batman and the amoebas are left to die on a space buoy, and Blue Beetle is taken captive.  Batman shows the amoebas how to harness the energy of their bodies to create weapons.  Ultimately Blue Beetle shows his heroism and the amoebas learn to defend themselves.

Opinion

It's heavily influenced by the Silver Age Batman (roughly 1956 to 1970) and so draws some influence from the 60s Adam West television show: it's not afraid to present outlandish plots (see above: sheesh!) or be funny.  Batman's costume is also the blue and grey of West's -- in place of the black costume he often wears in the comic books.  The show does involve a fair amount of cartoon violence; in the episode I watched that meant a lot of non-lethal gun-play.  Some parents may object to this.  But no one dies, and the show is funny and filled with adventure.    

Ideas

The show would be a fun part of a program on superheroes or comic books.  One episode is 22 minutes long; it might be a good way to begin an afterschool program.  You could use the video to get the attention of the kids and help them calm down as you focused them on another activity.