Episode 5 - 'Day of the Dark Knight!' Discussion Thread

[JAK®]

He's in a real KNIGHT's costume, complete with a Bat-Sword and dragon.

Help me.

I know! It's great! t:

 

[Mister J]

The date and ordering on this have been finalized. It's next up after the repeat showing of the second episode this Friday.

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0812/22/index.htm

Cartoon Network has released a description and additional images from "Day of the Dark Knight," the Friday, Jan. 2 episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Here's how the network describes the episode:

"The evil Morgan Le Fey has taken over Camelot and turned everyone to stone! To thwart her plans, Merlin transports Batman and Green Arrow back in time to retrieve Excalibur, defeat Etrigan, battle dragons and return King Arthur to the Throne! In the teaser, Guy Gardner teams up with Batman to stop a criminal riot at Green Lantern Corps."

David McCallum, who also plays Zeus in the Wonder Woman animated movie, provides the voice of Merlin. Dee Bradley Baker provides the voice of Etrigan.

The episode was written by J.M. DeMatteis and directed by Ben Jones.

 

[KINGT'CHALLA]

clips from the from "day of the dark knight" viewable here.

 

[DOG LIPS]

Can't wait for this one.

 

[Duppy]

can't wait to watch this one tonight!

 

[Mister J]

I think this is going to be the best one. There's a lot going into it. Can't wait.

 

[terry78]

Now this was a good ep. Anyone that says this show is too kiddie needs to watch this one and shut the **** up. This was some **** that Dini and Timm would've pulled off, and it made me misty for the old DCAU series. Etrigan was still as he always is, pissed off and moody, yet he rhymed this time around. The rivalry between Bats and Ollie worked well, as them both being non-super powered it's only obvious they'd have that going. Seeing Morgan Le Fey's face kinda threw me, but it's a different interpretation.

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

I think this was one of the top episodes so far. The opening sequence with the Green Lantern Corps. was pretty standard as far as the openers go. It was neat to see the different Lanterns, and also Guy Gardner. They got his personality down pat. I also love how they even made fun of his bowl cut.lol The main story itself had some great moments in it, especially the initial prison break. Did anyone catch the 60's version of Mad Hatter as well as Louie the Lilac? I like how the relationship between Bats and Green Arrow was expanded upon from when we were introduced to them in the first episode. The knights outfit that Batman wore was pretty cool looking. It was fun to see the different arrows G.A had in his arsenal. I didnt really see all the fun humor in this episode like we've seen in the past ones. Outside the banter between Batman and Arrow, I really dont remember there being anything else. Merlin acted as the "comedy relief" I guess, always shaking his head and making quips when those 2 started on each other. Etrigan was a suprising character for this show. I didnt see anything really changed to make him "kiddie" or lesss of the angry demon he comes across as being.

I give this one a 9 out of 10.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Just the fact that this Etrigan spoke in rhyme makes this the best interpetation in the DCAU so far. t:

Pretty good episode all in all.

 

[GamerSlyRatchet]

In the teaser, Batman helps in cleaning one of Green Lantern Guy Gardener's messes when the cocky, hot-headed hero causes an alien prisoner to go on a rampage at Planet Oa. The teaser was lots of fanboy fun, from the huge count of cameos in the Green Lantern Corps., to Gardener's personality, which is kept straight from the comic books.

Meanwhile, Batman and Green Arrow keep a friendly feud going when they stop a break out at Iron Heights. The cameo counter keeps rising, as we see villain cameos from previously seen villains like Clock King, Gorilla Grodd, Kite Man, and Felix Faust, to villains from the 60's Adam West show like King Tut, Egghead, Bookworm, Mad Hatter, Archer, False Face, Ma Parker, Marsha Queen of Diamonds, Shame, Louie the Lilac, and Black Widow. Also, don't forget the Arrowmobile!

I'm glad the writers did not forget the similarities between Arrow and Bats, and built a fun rivalry out of it. Merlin was also good, and Morgaine Le Fey, while somewhat forgettable, had an awesome design. Etrigan's dialogue rhymed, just like in the comics and The Batman Strikes! (I don't remember if he did in Justice League/Unlimited or TNBA), and Batman's Dark Knight armor was sweet.

Overall, a fun episode, and great way to kick off the year.

NEXT WEEK: Batman and B'wana Beast unite forces to stop Black Manta's attack. Then, the Caped Crusader visits his old mentor, Wildcat, to battle a group of superpowered criminal teenagers known as "The Outsiders".

 

[Duppy]

this was a great episode and I really enjoyed the opening segment

 

[DOG LIPS]

Just the fact that this Etrigan spoke in rhyme makes this the best interpetation in the DCAU so far. t:

Pretty good episode all in all.

That was great! This episode was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it.

 

[Cain]

This had the best animation on the show by far the action was extremely fluid it was a big stand out. My favorite part being Bats and GA vs. the 2 ogres. A big improvement over the christmas episode. Oh and Batman and Green Arrow collectively representing the nobility required to lift the sword from the stone was a nice touch.

 

[KBX]

Agreed with the Best episode to date. Lots of Cameos, a good storyline to go with a very enjoyable episode.

And Oh I never knew Merlin had a last name. lol

 

[shadowdog]

yeah I had to give a 9/10
loved the way Guy Gardener used his ring to stop to stop the alien on Oa by making all kinds of heavy things to drop on him
Etrigan really made the episode for me
and I loved the prison break
they did a great job making the criminals look like the actors that played them in the 60's tv show
great Episode!!!

 

[Drz]

The Prison Break was awesome due to the cameos, and the episode was cool and such. I liked the design of Dark Knight tbh. :P

 

[ThreeActRomance]

The Red/Black Knight outfit was like 32 different kinds of bad ass

 

[Mister J]

Best offering yet.

This was a bit removed from the lighter tones that the show usually deals with, but still plenty of fun. Etrigan's portrayal was a surprise, as I wondered how they'd incorporate him for this vehicle. It was more straightforward than I expected it and, as mentioned, the rhyming was great.

The GA/Bats rivalry was fun. Their respective efforts in apprehending criminals made for good viewing in showcasing their skills. I'll have to fire up the DVR again to catch more of the cameos. I was too busy grinning at the ones I managed to get the first time. Louie the Lilac? Come on, that's ****ing priceless!

I hope they have plans to market the Knight armor figs. That was great.

9/10

 

[Dread]

Got around to catching this episode, and while it was predictable, it was also a lot of fun. Green Arrow and Batman finally get an entire episode together and their rivalry is played for full dramatic weight. Overall, the tone of the show is what is most surprising. There still are hints of darkness; last episode showed Batman's origin, and this episode alluded to a few things. But it seems to have the sort of whimsy that cartoons had in the 80's and by and large have lost. Sure, there is a kingdom of the past to be saved, monsters and mages to be beaten, and there is danger. But Batman & Green Arrow have fun with their gadgets and battles. They bicker, but they're not seeming like mortal enemies while doing so, but more like competing relatives (or, of course, like the dwarf and archer from LORD OF THE RINGS). Honestly a lot of the show reminds me of some of the lighter hearted tension of SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, only with better animation, action, and of course the DC Universe.

The opening segment has Batman teaming up with Guy Gardner to basically "clean up" after him as he has a habit of getting into messes during GL Corps adventures. When he irks and accidentally empowers one of Kilowogg's prisoners, Batman has to aid in the battle. James Arnold Taylor voices both Green Arrow and Guy Gardner, and I guess they sort of captures Gardner's jerky persona, while keeping it light for the kids. It was a little odd to see the other Green Lanterns get swept aside so easily by one large monster, and naturally if one GL in all of history deserved to die, it was Ch'p, the squirrel with the damn bow tie. I mean, c'mon, no one will respect his authi-tah. Batman builds a gadget to depower the monster as it smacks Gardner around a while and all is well.

The main action of course starts with the team-up with Green Arrow. This is interesting of course because until the Silver Age really, Green Arrow was almost a clone of Batman, with similar gadgets, vehicles, sidekick, even some villains. TEEN TITANS played on this a little with Robin and Speedy and this show is taking a lead. The jail break scene of course is a who's who of villain cameos, from bad guys from prior episodes like Clock King, Kite Man, Felix Faust and Grodd's Human Form, but a bunch from the 60's Batman series with Adam West like King Tut, Mad Hatter, Bookworm, Egghead, and even Shane. Many people often see this show as similar to the animated into sequence to the 60's TV show, only better. This sequence of course reminded me of that.

One of the prisoners was, somehow, Merlin, who uses his magic to transport the heroes to the time of King Arthur to free the land from Morgan LeFey, who presumably sent Merlin into the future to be rid of him. She's turned the knights to stone and has possessed Entrigan the Demon along her cohorts.

Now, of course, it was obvious from the start that the theme of the episode would be Arrow and Batman learning to cooperate rather than be rivals, and that both of them would somehow be worthy of Excalibur. Anyone who didn't see that coming after about 5-6 minutes either hasn't seen too many cartoons or just wasn't thinking deeply (or is maybe under 8 years old). Much like a lot of 80's shows, the "morals" of BTB episodes are usually crystal clear and obvious, sometimes glaringly so. Heck, if this show was coming out in 1989 instead of 2009, we might have Batman or Green Arrow in some ending segment telling us not to play with matches or talk to strangers or whatnot. Still, this works because the show isn't ashamed of that. It isn't trying to be deep or angsty or grim or whatnot. It seems perfectly happy being afternoon fluff, which still makes it hard to believe CN is airing it in prime time. It really does belong on Saturday Morning; for once, if Kid WB still existed, I would say this show would have been perfect before 10 a.m.

What we get in the meantime before the moral reveals itself are bits where Green Arrow, Batman, and Merlin fight off hordes of Morgan's demons (while competing), taking down two massive ogres and then facing the witch herself, who brainwashes Batman briefly and later turns into a dragon, SLEEPING BEAUTY style.

And hey, at the end, Green Arrow slings a sword right into her chest. Bloodless or not, THAT certainly wouldn't have flown by a network in 1989.

Naturally, the two learn that their competition shouldn't consume them and they are equal heroes in their own right. Of course, right before their bickering gets them kicked out of being knighted and back to their own time by a frustrated Merlin.

This version of Batman, still voiced well by Diedrich Baker, is certainly not one anyone has seen in a cartoon in a generation. The lightest Batman since SUPERFRIENDS, while Batman can recall his parents' murder and can be all business, he also is able to actually have "fun" with "friends" here. It isn't exactly my favorite version of Batman, but it is one that I haven't seen as much of. While THE BATMAN was stuck trying to be both dark and light, this one chooses light shamelessly.

Dee Bradley Baker is a fine Jason Blood/Entrigan, and here he is able to talk in rhyme since this isn't JUSTICE LEAGUE playing for jaded adults. I do like how all of the superhero team-up's so far are hardly with A-listers; Batman himself is the biggest DC star who has shown up. That's interesting, helps give the show some cult appeal.

While I never cared for the "obvious Robin Hood design" of the Golden Age Green Arrow, I do like his more fun, "devil may care" attitude and his ability to even get Batman to lighten up with his competition sometimes.

I'm not saying I dislike the dark, brooding, more serious and tormented Batman. I do. I am just saying, after some 15 years, I don't mind seeing a bit of the other side, too.

Certainly better than the Red Tornado episode. Of course, it was written by J.M. DeMatteis, so there you go.

Now if only the regular DCU could take a break from bleakness, rape, and murder and have their characters interact with some genuineness, they may be better off.

 

[Rowen]

This episode was alright, nothing to spectacular or special, it was just a standard story with some flare.

 

[CLARKY]

I think this episode was good (for what it is) and was very enjoyable. The competitive thing between Arrow and Bats was really going on my nerves, but hopefully, Merlin was the character I focused on, during the show. I think Etrigan was dull, but Le Fay was great. At least she was threatening. As a cartoon or as a film, I think the story was very exciting and great. But for Batman ? Geeee !
Anyway, the thing I liked the most in this episode was the absolutely beautiful music.