Batman – The Adventures Continue: Chapter One – Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Writers; Ty Templeton, Artist; Monica Kubina, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8.5/10
Today is the digital debut of Batman: The Adventures Continue #1.
It’s been over twenty years since Batman: The Animated Series debuted, and it’s still considered by many to be the greatest superhero cartoon of all time. A surprisingly faithful take on the dark, noir-ish world of Gotham City that honored the character’s darker roots while also incorporating the Bat-family and Batman’s close links to fellow uncostumed heroes like Jim Gordon, it also introduced Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya, and Lock-Up to the world. It had many comic spin-offs, but after its second run ended and led to spin-offs including Justice League and Batman Beyond, it faded away.
We haven’t had a true continuation to that world – until now, as Batman: The Adventures Continue #1 debuts.
A digital-first comic that’s the only major release in this quarantined world, this comic by iconic series creators Paul Dini and Alan Burnett with art by Ty Templeton picks up and expands on the world they created.
It doesn’t take long before this issue has a cameo by Jason Todd, lurking in the shadows just after returning to Gotham. Did he die in this version, or could this be the reason that DC recently revealed those lost pages where Jason lived in the original story? But while Red Hood and Bane do briefly factor into this story, the main threat is distinctly different – a giant robot that seems like it belongs in a Fleischer-era Superman cartoon. It’s a distinctly different vibe than the series usually had, and it’s a great way to kick things off.
The Superman vibe isn’t just in the villain – it factors into the rest of the story, as Lex Luthor drops into Gotham for a party and banters with Bruce Wayne. He references the last crossover, and seems to be keeping up his appearances as a legitimate businessman despite Bruce’s suspicions.
The addition of Veronica Vreeland, a surprisingly obscure former Bat-supporting character, surprised me – it seems like she’s aiming to manipulate Bruce. I did enjoy the reference to Bruce being a family man who keeps adopting kids, though. The ending of the issue pulls away from the classic Batman vibe and more towards a story in line with the later works of the Dini/Timm verse. For those who have been needing a comic fix in the fallow weeks ahead, DC has you covered with a revival of one of the all-time greats.
To find reviews of all the DC issues from the past, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
I find the drawings a little bit off. Can’t really put my finger on it. But I don’t really like it.