And that’s how Mike found out from Green Arrow fans just how many villains the character really has.
So in the animated DC Comics logo attached to their films, you see…
A close-up of a woman’s eye:
A grimacing face:
And someone totally getting clocked:
Comics!
The animated logo attached to Superman Returns is slightly different, and it seems to me that the flashing images changed according to the movie the logo is attached to, but the few DC DVDs I have either use the first logo above, don’t have any flashing images, or (like in the Watchmen film) display the logo in a fashion more fitting to the film’s design. If there are other variations on the images used, feel free to let me know.
Anyway, this just came to mind as I was watching the Superman/Shazam! – The Return of Captain Marvel DVD
The other short DC Showcase features from previous DC animated releases are included on the disc, which allowed me to finally see that Green Arrow short that wasn’t included on the Netflix version of Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. That was a fun little adventure, too, though it reminds you that Green Arrow has two whole arch-nemeses, and they’re both here. Also, at one point Green Arrow introduces himself as “Green Arrow, Justice League of America,” which amused me for some reason (but fitting, considering the political situation he finds himself in).
Special features are episodes from DC’s various TV series, focusing on characters from the other straight-to-DVD shorts on the disc (like the Captain Marvel episode of Justice League Unlimited). Of particular note is the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode “Chill of the Night,” which should totally put lie to the criticisms that this version of Batman is “just for kiddies.” It’s a damned brutal episode, focusing on Batman’s origin which, there’s no getting around it, involves the shooting murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents:
You see the gun fire, twice, and you see Thomas Wayne collapse, in silhouette:
I don’t think the ’90s Batman: The Animated Series was even this explicit…if I recall correctly, the most you got there was a distant aerial view of the alley and the flash of gunshots. (And then there was also a dream sequence image of the alley rising up and turning into a giant gun, with a river of blood pouring out of the barrel, which was…something else, admittedly. Might have been the same episode, come to think of it. …You know where to correct me.)
Anyway, the Brave and the Bold episode involves the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre:
…and their respective beliefs that Batman is either going to seek justice or vengeance in his quest to uncover the killer of his parents. And even though you know how it’s going to turn out, the journey Batman undergoes through the episode is a fairly intense one.
Nice touches: Adam “Batman” West and Julie “Catwoman” Newmar doing voice work as Bruce Wayne’s parents. And this genuinely touching and fantastic sequence of a mystically time-transported Batman fighting crime side-by-side with his dad:
How awesome is that? “Very” is the correct answer.
Also, a quick Googling shows that this is old news, but I didn’t notice this in the DC Showcase intro sequence until this particular viewing:
Hello there, Bruce Timm, DC animation producer/writer/animator/etc.!
From the looks of things, that photo of Timm looks like it was snapped at House of Secrets in Burbank.
-Minutiae Matt
seeing the shorts all in one place allowed my to realize that the comic being read (by I guess Bruce Timm) in that intro changes in each one. Off the top of my head, there was this one with Brave & the Bold, Anthro and B’wana Beast – I’m missing one. Given that they are all books from a particular time period (one that I share), I’d guess that Mr. Timm probably picked them himself. The other books that you see in that opening sequence are a nice collection that brings back a lot of memories for someone who came of age in the 60’s/early 70’s as well. Now if we can just get the Challengers of the Unknown animated short!!!
Nice to hear they are including the other short films for us deprived Netflixers. I checked Netflix and the reviewers there are saying the Spectre film is on their too.
Don’t forget, Kevin Conroy played the voice of The Phantom Stranger and Mark Hamill was the Spectre in that Brave & the Bold episode.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1481441/fullcredits#cast
I haven’t let my daughter watch “Chill of the Night” yet. Normally I don’t have a problem letting her watch the show unattended but this episode just doesn’t fit into the atmosphere the show has created around itself. It felt like this episode was created to shut up the fanboys who have decried the series since the first episode.
It seems that the later episodes have had a darker element to them (the big revelation in the Doom Patrol episode is pretty shocking). I’d like a return to the goofy fun stuff from before.
For some reason, seeing Bruce Wayne’s face in BatB was the most shocking thing to me out of those screencaps. I just sort of figured Batman would never be unmasked in that show and it would remain on the “safe” side of things. But after reading your recap here and catching the last half of the Doom Patrol episode the other day, I think I’m going to have to give it a chance pretty quick…
Are the bonus episodes on the Netflix version?
Kid Nicky – As far as I can tell, the Netflix version is the same as the retail version, so all the extra shorts and episodes are present.
I didn’t even know Green Arrow had TWO enemies.
Actually Brave and the Bold is quite well Bold to be honest. I mean Doom Patrol episode was shocking, but think about The Starro episodes with the fate of B’Wana Beast, or Bronze Tiger episode with the fate of the Master, or the Knights of Tomorrow episode with Bruce and Selina. I mean for a “kiddie” cartoon it takes a lot of risks I love this series and am sorry for the day when it ends which will be soon curse you Cartoon Network.
Mike-
Thanks,I’m putting it on my queue right now.
People who don’t like Brave and the Bold are pretty superficial. Everyone knows a story with brightly colored art can’t have any depth to it!!
I can’t believe you haven’t posted about this yet:
SUGAR AND SPIKE ARCHIVES VOL. 1 HC
Written by SHELDON MAYER
Art and cover by SHELDON MAYER
DC’s cult favorite comic about a pair of precocious babies is collected at last in this volume.
Hot-tempered Sugar Plumm and shy Cecil “Spike” Wilson may be toddlers, but they know more about getting into trouble than most grown-ups. And while they can understand each other perfectly, all their parents seem to hear when they speak is “Glx sptzl glaah!”
Now, DC Comics collects their classic series for the first time, starting with issues #1-10, in this hardcover showcasing stories and art by the talented Sheldon Mayer, inspired by the hijinks of his own children.
ADVANCE SOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 31
240 pg, FC, $59.99 US
I got S/B: Apocalypse from Netflix and it had the GA short.
Colin – It could be that I’m writing about it at this very moment!
Daniel T. – You know, I’ve heard that from multiple people, and either there are two different Netflix-distributed versions of that movie (not terribly likely) or I’m an idiot and somehow missed the GA short on the Netflix disc I received (depressingly likely). Maybe I should try renting it again and seeing what I get.
Mikester and Daniel T. – The JL: Crisis on Two Earths disc (there was no bonus disc available) from Netflix did not have the Spectre short on it. I did however get Superman/Batman: Public Enemies from Netflix with a bonus disc, so maybe this deal only happens with certain movies.
Uh, I saw The Spectre short on a Netflix disc also.
Mike, Warner does a great job of making their menus the video equivalent of the federal health care law, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you just missed it.
I got SB Apocalypse from Netflix and if it did have the short,it was hidden pretty well. The disc itself was grey and said Netflix edition,this was actually printed on at the factory,not a sticker or anything.