BAT 77 Episode #05 - The Shapeshifting Felon / The Joker is Spellin'

[BAT 77]

#05 The Shapeshifting Felon - The Joker is Spellin.png (199.15 KiB) Viewed 2279 times

After a slight delay, we're halfway through our rewatch and review of the 1977 Filmation series "The New Adventures of Batman" starring Adam West & Burt Ward. This week the Dynamic Duo meet one of the most implausible villains ever created for a Saturday morning cartoon, and the Joker returns to enact his five-way revenge against Batman. JB reviews "The Chameleon" and "He Who Laughs Last".

SHOW LINK - http://bat77.libsyn.com/05-the-shapeshi ... is-spellin

[gothosmansion]

Hi JB,

First off, the issue where the Joker "shrinks his shrink" is Batman 286, the April 1977 issue.

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/ ... micid=3816

The Chameleon episode marks the second time that the Filmation series ripped off the name of a Spider-Man villain. Boy, they really weren't scared of Marvel's legal department; were they? This time, Filmation even ripped off Chameleon's schtick in somewhat exaggerated form. My real question about this episode: Why not just use Clayface?

I think we view Bat-Mite's crush on Batgirl from a different angle. The Filmation series' portrayal of Batgirl is my favorite thing about it. She is extremely intelligent, resourceful and independent. This is a lady that can take care of herself and I don't see her being forced into anything she doesn't want to. If you watch the show, all the characters make their disdain for Bat-Mite known, but Batgirl shows him kindness. That makes her seem sympathetic and even more likable.

Really, my only complaint with the 1990s Animated Series, which we probably all agree is superior to the Filmation show in every other aspect, is the later episodes where it is hinted that Batgirl had a relationship with Batman after she had one with Robin. This is the Batgirl that feels victimized to me. I've always considered the early episodes of the animated series to be the Bronze Age Batman but the later ones are the more Frank Miller jerk Batman.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

The Chameleon was one of the better new villains of the series: he was all about business, and not a silly, Super Friends-esque baddie of the week. This was the kind of character that Filmation should have explored in terms of his full potential to cause chaos among anyone he targets or sees as an enemy...but that did not happen.

The episode having its scenes set only at night was not economical; it takes just as much (or little) to paint backgrounds no matter the time of day its set in, as seen in Filmation's Tarzan, The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty, etc. I believe for Batman, It was a stylistic choice.

Speaking of choices, Bat-Mite being all over the episode was not about not having a lack of plot to fill the running time, but was Lou Schiemer's unfortunate belief that children loved seeing funny sidekicks (usually short and fat) or animals--even on series where their presence was not needed, as seen in The Brady Kids, My Favorite Martians, Web Woman, Bravestarr, Blackstar, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra, etc. Its the same kind of wrongheaded thinking that had animation companies add children to the casts of shows, as if kids needed that as a point of interest (i.e., "this could be you, kids!"), when the first and only reason kids watched superhero and/or fantasy series were the adult heroes.

Oh, you said the scene of planes flying through the city would not bee seen in the post 9/11 world, but Marvel's The Avengers (2012) had a full on air battle through downtown Manhattan, first with the S.H.I.E.L.D. jet piloted by Hawkeye, then the general Chitauri fight where Thor, Black Widow and the Hulk were doing most of their damage. Add all of the explosions and full-on destruction of occupied buildings in that city, and I would say there's not much hesitation with showing aerial battles in New York.

About the Joker segment...eh. His best Filmation days were left back on 1968's The Batman/Superman Hour.