The ComiQuad: Superheroes Zoom On To Netflix!

Boom! Wham! Pow! The ComiQuad is a column dedicated to the spandex-laden world of comics and superheroes. It goes up each Wednesday and will alternate between comic book reviews and other comic book news. Reviews shall try to be spoiler-free. And it’s back! Zam!

Put aside your comics and your VHS tapes for a moment, friends, and let me tell you about this fancy new gadget called “the Netflix.” It’s this wild, crazy invention created to infect entire populations of college students (and other poor, decrepit souls) with distraction, lethargy, and the insatiable desire to procrastinate. Its weapon of choice? An apparently endless supply of movies and television online.

I, fair ComiQuad readers, have decided to caution you against “the Netflix’s” latest attempt to assault superhero aficionados. Gird your loins and batten down the hatches with as much homework as you can, because this March 30th, the Netflix will be very well armed.

Batman Beyond

The dark and futuristic Batman Beyond. | Image courtesy of DC Entertainment.
The dark and futuristic Batman Beyond. | Image courtesy of DC Entertainment.

Set in the year 2039 (and you thought “Class of 2017” sounded scary), a very elderly, retired Bruce Wayne has given up the mantle of Batman and has finally passed it on to his protégé. No, not Dick. Or Jason. Or Tim. Or Stephanie or Damian. No, Bruce has passed the bat-cape onto angsty but driven teenager Terry McGuiness.

In one of the most well mined fictional universes in human history, Batman Beyond manages to actually improve upon the already expansive Batman mythos.

The story takes place far enough in the future that few mainstay Batman characters actually interfere with Terry’s story. It’s pretty much Terry, Bruce, and the occasional cameo from police commissioner Barbara Gordon. Otherwise, Terry develops his own supporting cast and a rogue’s gallery strong enough to rival that of present-day Batman.

The show was also visibly one of the darkest kids’ cartoons on television at the time. This battle between Terry and villainess Inque is one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen on television. “Open wide.”

Justice League and Justice League Unlimited

Let’s be honest. Batman is a little bit of a diva. The most successful DC movies, shows, and comics are starring the big lug in the bizarre black costume. He doesn’t really do so well at sharing.

Which makes the success of the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited all the more fascinating, considering that B-Man had to share screen time with seven and a bajillion heroes for these two shows, respectively.

The first show (Justice League) immensely boosted the prominence of middle-tier comic characters Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter, introduced readers to the famous but rarely motion-animated Wonder Woman and Flash, and still had room for the combatting egos of Superman and Batman!

After two successful seasons, the show blossomed into Justice League Unlimited, which more heavily featured other famous heroes such as Black Canary, Green Arrow, Vixen, Aquaman, and many, many more.

Unfortunately, many of these non-Batman heroes have yet to see much light of day again, both in animation and in comics.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

What did I tell you? There are more iterations of televised Batman than there are BU parody Twitter accounts.

Much like there are two major types of ice cream, soft-serve and hard ice cream, there are also two major flavors of Batman style: dark or goofy. The former is all the rage right now. The latter was the central form of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Riffing the style of the super-corny 1960s Batman television show, B:BaB features Batman’s original blue costume, retro music, and kooky sound effects galore. The formula of each episode sees the big blue guy team up with at least one other superhero to take down whatever naughty no-gooder is terrorizing the town. Very obscure characters like the Black Orchid and Starro (a villainess, giant mind-controlling starfish) cameoed in the show.

Full disclosure, I have not seen much of the show beyond Youtube clips. With that said, I have to respect a show that manages to get Black Canary, Catwoman, and the Huntress to sing a catchy tune utterly drenched in inappropriate innuendo.

In just a mere 3 days, all three seasons of Batman Beyond, the first two seasons of both Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, and the first season of Batman: The Brave and the Bold will be made available for your viewing pleasure.

About Jon Erik Christianson

Jon Christianson (COM/CAS '14) is the zany, misunderstood cousin of The Quad family. His superpowers include talking at the speed of light, tripping over walls, and defying ComiQuad deadlines with the greatest of ease. His lovely copyeditors don't appreciate that last one. If for some reason you hunger for more of his nonsense, follow him at @HonestlyJon on Twitter or contact him at jchristianson@buquad.com!

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2 Comments on “The ComiQuad: Superheroes Zoom On To Netflix!”

  1. nice column! quick correction: it’s ‘Damian’ Wayne! Lots of people mess it up, though.

    keep up the good work. i’d like to see what you have to say about young justice, which isn’t on netflix but has quite the fanbase.

    1. Updated, thanks!

      I’ve seen an episode or two of Young Justice, and it didn’t pull me in immediately, although I probably didn’t really give it a fair shake. I do intend to make another stab at it sometime soon, though.

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