WF Editorial: "The Usual Suspects: The Possible Return of Batman: The Animated Series, Part 3"

[James Harvey]

Unconfirmed rumors of Batman: The Animated Series getting a reboot continue to persist as fans wait for concrete news. In the third in a series of special editorials for The World's Finest, Joseph "Karkull" Davis looks at which characters should appear. Click on the thumbnail image below (or this link) to check out Davis' article and then share your thoughts right here!

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So, which characters do you think should be part of the cast for the possible return Batman: The Animated Series? Why?

Previous Discussion:
WF Editorial: "Why So Reboot? The Possible Return of Batman: The Animated Series"
WF Editorial: "Rebooting Gotham: The Possible Return of Batman: The Animated Series, Part 2"

 

[Yojimbo]

I disagree with Karkull's take on Nightwing because he's essentially spoken for IF this is set post-JLU. As of JLU, we already know he's at least moonlighting in Bludhaven, JL vs. FF established Arkham has moved to its new facility, granted this takes place post-JLU and JL vs FF, he'd already be full time in Bludhaven and thus absent from this proposed sequel. And I don't really see this Dick Grayson having any interest in mentoring his own team. But on the flip side, I would really want to see Dick's story continue to evolve as I felt at the end of TNBA, there was more to tell and explore. They kinda went with bare minimum either it due to the crew's indifference, a mandate to focus on Robin and Batgirl, a lack of writers generating good pitches, time, and x amount of episodes they had to work with.

If anything it felt like the implications were that Tim Drake was one of the founders of the Teen Titans and it makes sense he would be more of a recurring cast member if not guest star depending on where the Titans are based as they have a history of different headquarters in the comics. Jump City is just the go-to one because of Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go! but the DCU DTVs went in a different direction and went with an unnamed locale in the upper East Coast.

I like the idea of those who Batman recruited to the JLU could guest star since they still take time to patrol Gotham as evidenced in Grudge Match. Or heck, if this series takes place before JLU it would be kind of interesting to see how Batman first met them/teamed up on a case. But again, they'd have to be pretty on the ball with paying attention to continuity...

And of course, if it's set post-ROTJ flashback, that could be a very interesting new dynamic between Batman and Robin and Batman and Batgirl.

 

[ShadowStar]

If anything it felt like the implications were that Tim Drake was one of the founders of the Teen Titans and it makes sense he would be more of a recurring cast member if not guest star depending on where the Titans are based as they have a history of different headquarters in the comics. Jump City is just the go-to one because of Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go! but the DCU DTVs went in a different direction and went with an unnamed locale in the upper East Coast.

They could have the Titans be a group that was briefly formed during Dick Grayson's time as Robin -- perhaps right after The Adventures of Batman & Robin, since those episodes delved into pretty outrageous territory for BTAS (see "Time Out of Joint" and "The Lion and the Unicorn") -- but never really took off. That first team could have consisted of Dick, Wally and Garth. This would have been a Wally who was on the cusp of becoming the Flash, and a Garth who had gone to briefly visit the surface world for some reason.

It would then be fun to show the Titans in Tim Drake's time. Nightwing, Flash and Garth could be mentors to the team members. You could have Donna in there as well, assuming that she showed up during the time of Justice League and/or Justice League Unlimited and we just didn't see her.

 

[Frontier]

Every DCAU Revival just feels like "let's fit in what we didn't fit into the DCAU before" .