Search - Batman Beyond - Season One (DC Comics Classic Collection) on DVD

Go Beyond with the Future Batman

Simon | Brampton, ON | 12/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A long time coming, I'm so glad Warner Bros has finally decided to give us box sets of this show. We get all 13 season 1 episodes here, which introduce us to the new Batman Terry McGinnis, and also most of his major foes: Shriek, Spellbinder, Curare, Inque, a new Royal Flush Gang, and also Derek Powers/Blight, the show's Lex Luthor equivalent. Also notable are revelations to past Batman villains, namely Mr. Freeze and Bane.

If you liked the recent animated Batman volume sets, Batman Beyond is worth checking out. True it's a new take on Batman, but it's also one that adds to the continuity of the classic shows and portrays the same mature sensabilities, sharp dialogue, and fun action we got before. Old Bruce Wayne is a cranky extension of his younger self, and his relationship with Terry is a new dynamic not seen with the previous Robins or Batgirl. Considering that this series originated as KidsWB wanting to sell more toys and appeal to "younger demographics," it says something that not only does this show not destroy the Batman legacy, but in fact enriches it and gives the Timm/Dini/Burnett collaboration something they can proudly call their own.

This set will include commentaries, interviews, and even a music-only track. I should note that this set only includes 1 episode that has not been released to dvd in some form so far. If you bought the previous releases, you technically own most of the content already. However, having a box set is such a nice way to own this series that I'd recommend you sell those discs off in preparation for this one and prepare for Batman...Beyond."

Batman Goes Beyond Single Disc Releases!

Servo | Atlanta, GA USA | 02/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gotham, the future. Dark Knight Terry McGinnis and his mentor Bruce Wayne fight to rid the city of the criminal element which infests it. Armed with a high-tech Batsuit, a hover-converted Batmobile and the vast training and guidance of the original Batman, McGinnis transcends the Batman legacy as a new hero for a new era.

It may have been created [by the producers of "Batman: The Animated Series" at the request of Warner Bros.] to attract a new generation of viewers by injecting the dark detective with new, younger blood, but the futuristic "Batman Beyond" (like Batman: TAS) was a show for Batfans of all ages. Ironically, much of Batman Beyond's charm can be attributed to the generation gap between Terry and Bruce as displayed in "Dead Man's Hand" where they clash over their pursuit of the Royal Flush Gang. One of whom (Melanie/Ten) Terry has romantic feelings for and later reluctantly places into police custody. "This sort of thing ever happen to you?," Terry asks. Bruce warmly smiles with "Let me tell you about a woman named Selina Kyle." Great stuff. Batman Beyond was a cool series that featured the phenomenal voice talents of Will Friedle (Boy Meets World), Kevin Conroy (Batman: TAS), Lauren Tom (Superman: TAS), Teri Garr (Mr. Mom), and Sherman Howard (Superboy); first-rate scripts; frenetic action; and one of TV's coolest opening main titles; Not to mention sensational main title and score music by Kristopher Carter.

Previously released as single disc individual episode releases, Warner Home Video finally delivers Batman Beyond - The Complete First Season DVD on March 21st! The 2-disc set features all 13 episodes from the first season; Full Frame (1.33:1) video; English Dolby Digital Stereo audio; Spanish, French subtitles; (Note: If you own all of the original BB single disc releases, then you already have Batman Beyond - Season One minus the previously unreleased episode "Ascension", and should consider it plus the exclusive EXTRAS on this set before deciding.) Here are the contents of this schway set:


Disc 1:

Rebirth Part 1
Rebirth Part 2
Black Out
Golem
Meltdown
Heroes
Shriek
Dead Man's Hand


Disc 2:

The Winning Edge
Spellbound
Disappearing Inque
A Touch of Curare
Ascension


Special Features:

Commentary: "Rebirth Part 1" by Bruce Timm (Producer), Alan Burnett (Producer), Paul Dini (Producer), Glen Murakami (Producer), and Curt Geda (Director)

Commentary: "Shriek" by Bruce Timm (Producer), Alan Burnett (Producer), Glen Murakami (Producer), Stan Berkowitz (Writer), and Curt Geda (Director)

Featurette: "Inside Batman Beyond": Roundtable discussion with the creators of the series plus a few surprises

Bonus: "Music of The Knight": Viewer-selectable dramatic music from five key scenes of Batman Beyond introduced by Bruce Timm


Highly Recommended!"

Finally

N. Durham | Philadelphia, PA | 01/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite what others may say about this show, make no mistake that Batman Beyond is pure animated bliss for comic fans. When an aging Bruce Wayne (once again voiced by Kevin Conroy, now sounding aged and sardonic) hangs up the cape and cowl, he becomes the reluctant mentor to young Terry McGiness (voiced by Will Friedle); a resourceful and revenge driven teen whose father has been murdered. With a new, high tech Bat-suit and fancy, futuristic gadgets, Batman Beyond was a smashing new foray into the Batman mythos brought to us by Batman: The Animated Series vets Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. This new Batman also finds a strong rogue gallery in the tradition of the classic Batman, including the shape shifting Inque, Shriek, Spellbinder, the Royal Flush Gang, and a returning Mr. Freeze as well. Sadly, Batman Beyond didn't go down very well with a majority of Bat-fans, but the show really was something special, and it's lightyears beyond the current Batman animated incarnation, The Batman."

Great Content, Lousy Packaging

J. M Heumann | Houston, TX United States | 06/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I won't waste your time recounting the episodes. Instead, let's look at the execution:

Impressive visualization. Thin, precise lines, balancing straight (futuristic) against curved (human); nothing muddy. Carefully chosen colors, nothing garish, but nothing mundane. Lots of flat, one-color surfaces: no attempt to be realistic (face it: reality is dusty, dirty, messy). Style convincingly Americanizes anime.

Setting has some overtones of Akira or William Gibson's cyberpunk Tokyo, but hardly a slavish imitation, and no worship of futurific technology.

Stories are imaginative, well written, with a generous share of telling one-liners. Example: in "Dead Man's Hand," a society blonde protests being robbed of her jewels, and Jack, one of the robbers, comments, "She probably got them the old-fashioned way." That cruelty is acted out later when King, top dog of the outfit, slaps 10 across the face, drawing blood: this criminal family is bound together, finally, by greed and violence. The plot makes much of parallel relationships: 10's need for personal freedom brings her into conflict with her father, as does Terry's with Bruce.

Imaginative stories make for imaginative animation. To my mind, the best are the two Inque stories. The protean Inque lets the animators run wild, so to speak (rather like Jack Cole with Plasticman).

Voices (Will Friedle, Kevin Conroy, Stockard Channing) are superb, ditto the music. One of the DVD "Additional Features" is "Music of the Knight": five segments from four episodes, shown with music alone, no dialogue. A great idea--except that the music selections aren't mine. It would have been nice to have the option to turn off dialogue for the whole of each episode. Oh, well . . .

So what's the problem? The packaging sucks. It's thin cardboard with a single plastic mount inside. The cardboard slipcover is so tight that I have to open one end and push the contents out the other. (Cardboard doesn't suffer abuse nicely.) My plastic mounting piece was damaged some time before it got to me. Now one of the two discs is always sliding around inside the package or falling on the floor. I think I'll buy a used Brittany Spears double-decker, ditch the contents, and use the case as a replacement."