Good things come to an end but greats never seem to fade.  Batman is an icon that never goes away.  Batman: Caped Crusader is another animated adventure that pits Batman against his famous gallery of rouges and other familiar faces.  But the thing with the Dark Knight, in each of his iterations, there’s a different flare that is added to keep him fresh and innovative.  That may not be the case this time around because the team behind the show (and it is a good one) are putting him back to an area that many fans are aware of. Batman is back in territory that gave him a whole different level of recognition and staying power.  And given the great track record of his animated shows, there’s no reason to doubt that this one will live up to that expectation. 

First and foremost, the team that stands behind the show.  JJ Abrams is one of the producers of the shows.  Abrams as many fans know respects fandoms.  He has done solid Star Trek films, written some comic books himself and of course, his run doing two Star Wars films.  So, he understands this world.  He has a grasp of what makes certain lores appealing.  And since Batman has such a rich world revolving around him, Abrams has more than enough to deliver.  Another producer of the show is someone that has recently had success with Batman.  Matt Reeves is helping out another Batman project.  But key thing to note is that although he is lending his passion and personal beliefs to this Batman show, it is 100% separate from his own The Batman universe.  Completely unrelated.  However, Reeves showed that he could make a gritty and grim detective story that wraps around a Batman film.  He made a Batman that is kind of creepy and on edge.  He made a Batman that’s a quiet storm behind glass.  That adds to the character and of course he has lend that to Caped Crusader.  But the biggest name attached to the show is Bruce Timm.  Timm is the one that brought Batman: The Animated Series alive.  And that series is the defacto series for Batman.  It’s a show that many people go back to and many more want to see that version be brought to live action.  Timm doubled down on the grit that is a staple of the Batman universe, gave moral qualms to villains which deepened their character, created Harley Quinn, and helped introduce the voice of Batman.  With all three men involved, that is a recipe for success.    

An even better thing about the show it’s a revamped telling of Batman: The Animated Series.  Not a reboot, not a sequel, not a continuation.  But Batman: Caped Crusader will definitely use that show as a huge foundation.  The art style is familiar and of course with Bruce Timm involved, that adds more connection.  But the two shows are different.  Perhaps the biggest different is that Batman: Caped Crusader will target an older audience.  That means there could be more mature content.  Which could mean more intimidating villains, more violence in fight scenes, more trauma exploring when it comes to Batman/Bruce Wayne, and plotlines.  This is actually a smart strategy because this show has matured along with the initial audience that followed Batman: The Animated Series.  Those fans want a Batman that reflect their maturity and perhaps want to finally see an animated Batman show that really leans into the dark content that exists in Batman’s mythos.  And those fans will see that playout from Batman’s early days.  This show will have Batman in his early days.  This version will still have to have the GCPD and gain their trust.  He will bump into villains he hasn’t come across before, and rely on his urban legend, grounded persona to create his image.  So, the show will bring Batman to his roots.

Batman is nothing without a great supporting cast.  Commissioner Gordan, Harley Quinn, Clayface, and Harvey Dent are set to appear in the show with some little twists in their characters.  Even a non-villain of Batman will make his debut, Onomatopoeia, a serial killer that goes often non-powered superheroes.  But the biggest addition to the show will be The Penguin.  At first glance it may not be all groundbreaking to have this iconic villain in a Batman show but the character will be gender swapped, Oswalda Cobblepot.  Safe to say, the character won’t be all to different from the male  counterpart when it comes to having control over Gotham’s criminal underworld.  But, what could be interesting, since this a spiritual successor to Batman: The Animated Series and Bruce Timm is involved, if there will another Harley Quinn situation.  Will Timm and company create another original character for the show that will gain a following?

Batman: Caped Crusader is another chapter in Batman’s long run in programming.  Each one has made its stamp on the character and his surrounding world.  Since  this show will bring Batman to his roots to speak, it will be interesting to see how this show could stand out given that other Batman media have done things similar, particularly, The Batman.  Fans won’t have to wait long to see the Dark Knight in another adventure when Batman: Caped Crusader premieres on Prime Video on August 1st.