Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Each episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold features Batman teaming up with other characters from the DC Universe to thwart villains or to solve crimes, the show focusing mainly on the inclusion of lesser-known characters. Most episodes have a cold open with an escapade not related to the remainder of the episode. In the first season, the villain was Equinox, who later returned in "Time Out for Vengeance!"; and in the second season, the villain was the alien Starro. During production, the show's creator said that if a character's cold open appearance was deemed successful, then it may warrant exploring the character further in a future episode's main adventure. Batman: The Brave and the Bold ended after season three, which consisted of 13 episodes. After it ended, a new show, Beware the Batman, returned the character to a more serious tone. A direct-to-video crossover with Scooby-Doo, entitled Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, was released in 2018. ==Cast==

Principal cast • Diedrich Bader – Batman / Bruce Wayne / Matches Malone, Kilowog, Ace, Owlman, Solomon Grundy, Punch, Gorilla Boss, Batman (Damian Wayne), Lord Death Man, Musketeer • Jeff Bennett – Joker / Red Hood, Captain Marvel, Abra Kadabra, OMAC, Batman (singing voice), Rubberneck, Joker-Mite, Rubin, Penguin (Scooby-Doo version), Prez, El Gaucho, Ultra-Humanite, Starman • Corey Burton – Red Tornado, Doctor Mid-Nite, Thomas Wayne, Will Magnus, Mercury, Silver Cyclone, False-Face, Chancellor Gor-Zonn, General Zahl, Killer Moth, Batman (Bat-Manga version), Joker (Scooby-Doo version), Green Lantern (Alan Scott) • John DiMaggio – Aquaman, Gorilla Grodd, Faceless Hunter, Black Mask, Tiger Soldier, Typhon, Enemy Ace, Ubu, Black Adam, Tattoo, Pharaoh, Toyman, Vigilante, Hellgrammite, Mr. Freeze, Legionnaire, Captain Boomerang, Owen • Will Friedle – Blue Beetle / Jaime Reyes, Scarlet Scarab, Lazy Eye • Tom Kenny – Plastic Man, Baby Face, Ray, Deadshot, Mirror Master, 'Mazing Man • James Arnold Taylor – Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), • Gabrielle Carteris – Vicki Vale, Princess Laethwen • Patrick Cavanaugh – Robin (Damian Wayne) • Mindy Cohn – Velma Dinkley • Jeffrey Combs – Kite Man • Kevin Conroy – Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, • Olivia d'Abo – Elasti-Girl • Diane Delano – Big Barda • Dana Delany – Vilsi Vaylar • Michael Dorn – Bane, Kru'll the Eternal • Greg Ellis – Gentleman Ghost, Doctor Fate, Cavalier, Dr. Canus, Hawk, Shrapnel, Signalman, Mister Mind, Big Headed Batman • R. Lee Ermey – Wildcat • Oded Fehr – Equinox • Ellen Greene – Mrs. Manface • Henry Rollins – Robotman • Michael Rosenbaum – Deadman • Michael Jai White – Tattooed Man • Gary Anthony Williams – Mongul, Fun Haus, Mongal • Tyler James Williams – Jason Rusch / Firestorm • Wade Williams – Mantis, Supreme Chairman of Qward • Thomas F. Wilson – Sportsmaster, Catman • Henry Winkler – Ambush Bug • Peter Woodward – Ra's al Ghul, Great Caesar • Michael-Leon Wooley – Kalibak, Darkseid • "Weird Al" Yankovic – Himself, Mr. Star Additional voices • Sebastian Bader – Robin (Future) • Dee Bradley Baker – Clock King, Felix Faust, Etrigan / Jason Blood, Brain, Chemo, Misfit, Scarecrow, Ace the Bat-Hound, Oberon, Ramjam, Dove, Brother Eye, GPA Operative, Fisherman, Professor Zee, Tin, Professor Milo, Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man, Starro (in "The Siege of Starro!" Pt. 2), Haunted Tank, Madniks, Bug-Eyed Bandit, Mister Atom, baby Batman, Warren Griffith, Vincent Velcro, Elliot Taylor, John Wilkes Booth, Punchichi • Gregg Berger – Hammer Toes, Brain Scientist, Police Captain, Crime Boss, Creature King • Brian Bloom – Iron, Oxygen, Creeper, Rip Hunter, Captain Atom • Steve Blum – Heat Wave, Captain Cold • Andrea Bowen – Talia al Ghul • Ian Buchanan – Sherlock Holmes • Cathy Cavadini – Alanna, Jan, Ruby Ryder, Fiona, Dr. Myrra Rhodes • Grey DeLisle – Fire, Black Canary, Daphne Blake, Robin (Dick Grayson) (Bat-Manga version), Dala • John DeVito – Captain Marvel Jr. • Sean Donnellan – Elongated Man, Robin (Dick Grayson) (Scooby-Doo version) • Vanessa Marshall – Poison Ivy (in "The Mask of Matches Malone!"), The Bat Lady / Katrina Moldoff • Richard McGonagle – Sardath, Professor Carter Nichols, Chief, Perry White, Brainiac • Scott Menville – Metamorpho • Jason C. Miller – Doll Man, Black Condor • Pat Musick – Martha Wayne (in "Dawn of the Deadman!") • Ryan Ochoa – young Speedy • Peter Onorati – Joe Chill • Vyvan Pham – Katana (in "Enter the Outsiders!") • Alexander Polinsky – Slug, G'nort, Jimmy Olsen • Rachel Quaintance – Carol Ferris • Enn Reitel – Chancellor Deraegis • Peter Renaday – Uncle Sam, Abraham Lincoln • Kevin Michael Richardson – Black Manta, B'wana Beast, Steppenwolf, Detective Chimp, Lex Luthor, Despero, Blockbuster, Monsieur Mallah, Starro (in "The Siege of Starro!" Pt. 1), Telle-Teg, Barack Obama, Mister Mxyzptlk • Bumper Robinson – Black Lightning • Roger Rose – Superman / Clark Kent, WHIZ Reporter Tom Tyler, Amazo • Eliza Schneider – Paula von Gunther, Georgette Taylor • Jeremy Shada – young Dick Grayson • Zack Shada – Aqualad • James Sie – Atom (Ryan Choi), Dyna-Mite • Jane Singer – Jewelee • Meghan Strange – Harley Quinn • Preston Strother – Arthur Curry Jr., Chris • Tara Strong – Huntress, Billy Batson, Mary Marvel, Georgia Sivana, young Batman • Gary Anthony Sturgis – Bronze Tiger • Fred Tatasciore – Mutant Master, Arsenal, Sgt. Rock, Major Force • Hynden Walch – Platinum, Carbon Dioxide • Frank Welker – Batboy, Fred Jones, Scooby-Doo, Batman (Scooby-Doo version) • Billy West – Skeets • Mae Whitman – Batgirl • Tyrel Jackson Williams – Kyle • Crawford Wilson – Dick Grayson (Nightwing / Robin) • Marc Worden – Kanjar Ro, Joker Jr., Lt. Matthew Shrieve • Tatyana Yassukovich – Morgaine le Fay • Keone Young – GPA Operative ==Episodes==

Writing The show has no overarching story, instead having most episodes stand alone. The show is lighter in tone than previous Batman series, depicting the Dark Knight as more lighthearted and playful with a "dry, ironic wit". The show features various references to various depictions of Batman in media, including the 1960s Batman TV series. The tone of the series was addressed in the episode "Legends of the Dark Mite!", when Bat-Mite broke the fourth wall to read a missive from one of the show's creators: Show creators have chosen to go with "lesser known" characters. In many instances, the characters are those that were repeatedly teamed with Batman in the 1970s run of the Brave and the Bold comic book, such as Green Arrow, Wildcat, Plastic Man, and even the Joker. Thus, the characters have an appearance and feel akin to both of their Golden and Silver Age incarnations. While the show has featured major heroes such as the Green Lantern and the Flash, it consistently focused on the lesser-known individuals that portrayed the heroes, such as Guy Gardner and Jay Garrick, rather than the more popular Hal Jordan or Barry Allen, who also appear. Additionally, Batman's alter ego Bruce Wayne does not appear as an adult during the series in situations where Batman was unmasked. His face was kept hidden until the season 2 episode "Chill of the Night!" when Batman finally confronts Joe Chill. From this episode onwards, whenever Bruce Wayne appears, his face is no longer silhouetted. Crew • Michael Jelenic – Producer, story editor • Amy McKenna – Line producer • Sam Register – Executive producer • Andrea Romano – Casting and voice director • James Tucker – Producer ==Home media==

The series was not initially released on DVD in full season formats, like previous Batman series. A series of DVD volumes, with each containing 4–5 episodes, were first released. A two-disc collection of the first 13 episodes, season 1, part 1, was released on August 17, 2010. Season 1, part 2 was released on March 15, 2011, making the first season available both as separate volumes and two-part sets. Season Two, Part 1, was released on August 16, 2011. It contained 12 episodes and did not contain "The Siege of Starro!". Warner Home Video released Season Two, Part 2 on March 20, 2012. It contains 14 episodes, including the two-part "The Siege of Starro!" and the season 3 episode "Battle of the Superheroes!". The final release, Season 3, complete, was released on June 19 the same year. The DVD also contains the unaired-on-TV season 2 episode "The Mask of Matches Malone!" as a bonus episode. A Blu-ray set for the first season was released manufacture-on-demand on November 5, 2013, via Warner Archive. This was followed by a second-season manufacture-on-demand Blu-ray set on September 9, 2014, and a third-season manufacture-on-demand Blu-ray set on March 21, 2017. A first-season DVD box set was conventionally released on May 20, 2014, and a second-season DVD box set followed on April 7, 2015. ==In other media==

Comic book In January 2009, the first issue of Batman: the Brave and the Bold was released. The comic book follows the same format as the show, starting off with a brief teaser segment at the start of the book which features Batman teaming up with an additional hero for a short adventure unrelated to the rest of the issue. Several authors have contributed to the comic book series, including Matt Wayne, J. Torres, and Landry Walker. Certain characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel made appearances in the comic prior to actually appearing in the show, while other characters, such as Power Girl, Kid Eternity, Brother Power and Angel and the Ape, appeared in the comic without ever actually appearing on the show. In addition, the depictions of several characters in the comic book do not match up with their television counterparts, something that Brave and the Bold director Ben Jones stated stems from the artists not being given reference sheets. The Batman: The Brave and the Bold comic series began selling in the UK on March 11, 2010, published by Titan Magazines. In late 2010, the series was relaunched as The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, with the new creative team of Sholly Fisch and Rick Burchett. To devote more pages to the actual story, the teaser segments from the first series were dropped. This incarnation of the title lasted 16 issues. The final issue is a Valentine's-themed story featuring Batman, Batgirl and Bat-Mite. Crossovers In 2018, an animated direct-to-video film, Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, was released. In the film, which features most of the cast reprising their roles from the series, Batman recruits Scooby-Doo and his friends to take on a threat posed by villains of Batman. The Batman: The Brave and the Bold incarnation of Batman appears in the 2017 episode, "The Academy", of Teen Titans Go! via archival footage. Video games • A video game inspired by the show was released on September 7, 2010, for the Wii and Nintendo DS by WayForward Technologies. The game is a 2D side-scroller for two players. Gentleman Ghost, Mongul, Catman, Gorilla Grodd and Catwoman are major villains in the game. It also features the Rogues, Two-Face, Clock King, Copperhead, Sinestro, Astaroth and Starro. • On May 6, 2010, DCBeyond.com launched a Unity 3D Batman: The Brave and the Bold game for fans to play for free online. • Batman's appearance from the series appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, via the Batman 75th anniversary DLC pack. • Batman's appearance from the series will be used as a playable skin in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Soundtracks La La Land Records released a 2-disc compilation of music from the series on January 28, 2014, featuring the musical scores for 12 episodes from the first and second seasons (including those of "Legends of the Dark Mite!", "The Mask of Matches Malone!" and "Chill of the Night!"). It is a limited edition release of 2000 units and can be purchased at the La La Land Records website. A soundtrack exclusively covering songs from the musical episode "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" was released on October 24, 2009. The main theme has also been included on The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection soundtrack. ==See also==