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Batman - The Animated Series, Volume Four (From the New Batman Adventures) (DC Comics Classic Collection)
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Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Find all by Warner Home Video
Directed By: Bruce Timm
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Theatrical Release: September 5, 1992
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Retail Price: $44.98
Online Sale Price: $34.99
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Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill
In the hit show that continues the Batman storyline from the EmmyO-winning Batman: The Animated Series two years have passed and Batman still protects the streets of Gotham City from the demented criminals that inhabit its dark alleys. But irreconcilable differences with Dick Grayson lead to the collapse of the Batman/Robin crimefighting duo and to the birth of Gotham's new hero Nightwing. Batgirl fights at Batman's side and a new Robin takes flight after Batman's chance encounter with young Tim Drake. In these 24 thrilling episodes the Gotham Knights face their worst enemies - Joker Penguin Mr. Freeze and many more - in a comprehensive 4-disc set that completes the Batman animated saga!Running Time: 521 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 012569688018
User Submitted Batman - The Animated Series, Volume Four (From the New Batman Adventures) (DC Comics Classic Collection) Reviews
October 2, 2008
The End of an Era
Two years after the end of Batman: The Animated Series, the show was revived as The New Batman Adventures, which encompasses the 24 episodes on this set. By the time the show returned, it had lost a couple of key creative people, and the entire look of the series was reconceived in a more angular fashion. The real life break was mirrored in the series' chronology, meaning these episodes take place 2 years after the events of the last set.
Evening knowing all this, the transition from the last set to this one is jarring. It is not immediately clear why Batgirl is allowed in the Batcave, or why a new Robin, Tim Drake, has replaced Dick Grayson. A couple characters are so radically redesigned it is not clear who they are at first. A few secondary characters have been recast, and in most cases you will miss the original actors.
A lot of fans have expressed a dislike of the new artwork, and which admittedly lacks the charm of the original designs. Some characters - like Batman, Bane, and the now truly scary Scarecrow - look better than ever. Others, like Harley Quinn and Clayface, look basically the same as before. And unfortunately, some characters (Mr. Freeze, the Ventriloquist, and the Mad Hatter spring to mind) look much, much worse. You will adjust to the new look, but not until midway through the set.
These episodes also stray from some of what made the original series so special. More action oriented than before, the show lacks the atmosphere and mood that made the earlier episodes so fascinating. Many of the new villains fall flat, lacking the psychological depth of the original Rogues Gallery. The focus on wham-bam action also leaves less time for character development, a hallmark of the original series.
There are still some great episodes on this disc. The faster pacing and increased action pays off in spades during "Over the Edge," which shows the aftermath of Batgirl's apparent demise. "Old Wounds" is a fascinating exploration of why Dick Grayson quit being Robin (that would have benefited from being two parts). This set also has what is in my opinion the series' best episode, "Mad Love." Recounting Harley Quinn's origin, it has the kind of deliberate pacing and emotional maturity that was so successful on previous sets, as well as career best performances by Mark Hamill and Arleen Sorkin as the Joker and Harley Quinn, respectively.
In fact, the saddest thing about this set is how it ends just as it finds its groove. The last 8 or so episodes are quite strong, and it's a shame this new group of artist and writers weren't given more time to play in this world.
This set has some interesting extras, particularly the Interactive Arkham Asylum (basically a group of featurettes on the main villains). Unfortunately, the customary 4 commentaries have been reduced to 3, with one of them wasted on the absolutely awful episode "Critters." Given the reduced episode count, an increase in extra content would have been welcomed.
Fans of the show should definitely check this set out. It may not be quite as good as the old episodes, but it is still better than 90% of the current crop of action cartoons.
October 1, 2008
What the hell
I dont get why they changed the animation for the final season. It was great before. In the more recent ones they made the animation all bright and crappy looking. I dont get how crappy animation some how became in??? cuz its all i see. I love batman.Huge fan. but these episodes were hard for me to watch
June 2, 2008
Best Batman series
We couldn't stop watching this! If our kids watched an episode without us, we'd have to go back and watch it by ourselves. Great series with really interesting characters. This is a must for any Batman fan!
May 29, 2008
New To Batman The Animated Series
I just learned of Batman The Animated series in 2007 and rented the first two volumes through Netflix. They were so good I bought volumes three and four from Amazon. I was terribly disappointed in volume four, because the animation is no where near the quality of the first three volumes, so visually it is not as good. Gone are the shading, shadowing and face definition that made the first three volumes so pretty and compelling to look at. The new format of telling a story fastpaced in 15 minutes takes some getting use to, however would have been ok had the visuals not been compromised. The new Robin is a child and the idea of a child being able to be effective after seeing the young man Robin, took a leap of faith. The one good thing about this set is that the voices remained the same. Unfortunately, I could not get past the third show in this volume and cannot recommend this set.
February 28, 2008
Great Final Episodes to a 90's classis
Now a days they have all these revamped cartoons of Batman and others... I personally will always enjoy these that started in the early 90's because they have more of a real life feel with a kid's touch for viewing so old and young can enjoy. The new ones are way too cartoony and takes away from the real life feel to it. I mean have you seen how they updated the new joker for the new Batman series I find it strange. I guess it depends what era you grew up on and these were it. I highly recommend this final box set to the 90's series. I will always go back and watch them with my kids.
February 8, 2008
Batman In Japan
Warner Brothers did this season of the famous Batman animated series as a Japanese anime. For the most part, it is a great season. The reason? Cos it was kind of like Doctor Who, in that it didn't have too many floppy episodes, but even when it did, they didn't necessarilly suck. But looking at some of the great ones, you can't help but love the good storylines and superior animation. The Joker was funnier, the Penguin wasn't always out for crime, and the Scarecrow? A heck of a lot scarier than ever before. Overall, this and Volume One are my favourite seasons of the series.
January 27, 2008
Best of the four volumes
While I'm not a huge fan of the more "cartoony" animation style of Vol 4, I thought the storylines in this set were overall the best. There was more of an emphasis on Batman battling supervillains, and less of him fighting organized crime types.
January 5, 2008
Dare I say it, the best out of the 4 volumes?
I don't know why I held off buying this for so long. This was my favorite show when I was a kid and it is even better than I remember it. But is it really a kid's show? I loved it when I was a kid, but it is so dark. In one episode Batman tries to kill a man and Robin (the new Robin) has to stop him. Not only is it a very dark show, but the jokes are very funny. And there are plenty of dark jokes mixed in. Every single episode is great. The IRS is after Joker, they go over Tim Drake's (the new Robin's) past, Scarface makes a welcome return, it is all just so good! It took me awhile to watch all 24 episodes, because I am so sad to see this show end. Whether you are young or old, this is sure to please just about everyone looking to see a good TV show.
Special features include 3 commentaries.
January 1, 2008
Good evolution
I am delighted to see the four season and the evolution that means from the '50's atmosphere that surounded previous seasons. Here in Spain they didn't showed it at TV so I found out about that season and some of their episodes on You Tube and decided to buy all seasons, starting seeing the four one. The designs are newest than the previous and I only regret that Nightwing doesn't appear more, a good character that if it wasn't for this season would have never appear, and show that time goes by even for fictional characters, that adds interest.
December 9, 2007
This is too good to be true
This is the most fantastic way to finish the batman animated series. The animation is the best it has ever been of all four series. I agree with other reviewers that there does not not seem to be a story telling structure to this series in terms of the order of the episodes but the new robin and batgirl really do add something special to the series. Batgirl is portrayed for the first time ever on t.v as a sexy smart and intelligent woman that is a welcome addition to the animated mythos. The episodes, torch, and over the edge show that she is a valued commodity. Unlike the newer batgirl in the rather terrible new 'the batman' series. This is very dark in tone aswell as the episodes with clayface and poison ivy show. Batman animated is superb, the only cartoon series I have ever seen that points more toward adults than children. Children can watch kim-possible this is for true batman fans. The best I love this series!
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