Cartoons have come a long a way since I was a kid. Back then Batman and Superman were always 2-dimensional cardboard cutouts with interchangeable personalities. Depsite some commercial success, horribly retrograde filth like Pokemon do nothing but propagate this lack of imagination on the part of animators.
Now we have Warner Bros., whose Batman and Superman animated revivals challenge the long-held belief that cartoons are plot-wise inferior to their big screen and big budget brethren. The Batman and Superman cartoons of the early 90s have shown us a deeper, more tortured and angst-ridden side to our comic book heros while at the same time remaining firm to their virtue and nobility. This is the stuff that real dreams are made of.
Batman Beyond is just as ambitious. In the new world of technological revolution there is still need for a protector of justice. Like the original Batman, this one was again forged out of the victimology of social corruption and decadence.
By combining complex plot, intelligent dialogue, great Japanimation, an incredible cast of voices that at times have included Stockard Channing, Paul Winfield, James Sikking, Michael Gross, and Kevin Conroy, Warner Bros. has recapitalized the Batman myth for yet another generation. This new series is so smart and so edgy that I am constantly amazed by the levels of irony and metaphor. This is definitely entertaining for both kids and adults.
But don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
