Batman: The Adventures Continue | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Publication date | April 2020 |
Main character(s) | Batman |
Creative team | |
Written by | Alan Burnett Paul Dini |
Penciller(s) | Ty Templeton |
Letterer(s) | Joshua Reed |
Colorist(s) | Monica Kubina |
Editor(s) | Andrew Marino |
Batman: The Adventures Continue is a DC Comics comic book series starring Batman set in the world of the DC Animated Universe. It is a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series and its follow-up The New Batman Adventures . The book is co-written by Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, producers of the original animated television series, and illustrated by Ty Templeton, who also worked on previous comics inspired by Batman: TAS. The limited series was initially released as a "digital first" comic, beginning in April 2020. [1] The first print issue, which collects the first two digital chapters, reached stores on June 10, 2020. [2] The miniseries was extended from six to seven print issues, [3] [4] and later to eight. [5] In March 2021, DC announced Season II of the series, with Issue 1 published in June 2021. [6] [7] As of June 2021, DC has planned seven issues for Season II. [8] Season III, the final season of the comic, began publication on January 10, 2023.
According to Dini and Burnett, the series picks up where The New Batman/Superman Adventures ended (Dini and Burnett ended the series to work on Batman Beyond ) and aims to "[fill in] certain gaps in the original Batman: The Animated Series , events that didn't have a bearing on the series at the time." [9] Longtime Batman allies Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson (aka Nightwing), Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl), Tim Drake (aka Robin), and Dr. Leslie Thompkins return alongside Bruce Wayne/Batman. Characters that were not used in the animated series, such as Deathstroke, Azrael, and Jason Todd as Red Hood, appear in Season 1. [10]
On September 19, 2020, DC Comics made Digital Chapter One available for free on its website. [11]
Season II introduces the Court of Owls into the DC Animated Universe. Zatanna and Jimmy "the Jazzman" Peake also return in Season II.
"Hardware" (Digital Issues 1–2, Print Issue 1): When a seven-stories-tall robot steals salvageable alien tech from Wayne Enterprises (including the remains of the computer tyrant Brainiac), Batman finds himself matching wits against business rival Lex Luthor.
"Mentors" (Digital Issues 3–6, Print Issues 2-3): Mercenary Slade Wilson, known to Interpol as "Deathstroke", arrives in Gotham and seems to be making a good impression on the Bat-Family. However, he has ulterior motives for being in Gotham. Batman investigates a mysterious stalker who has been observing the Dark Knight for some time.
"The Darker Knight" (Digital Issues 7–8, Print Issue 4): While chasing Catwoman, Batman encounters Azrael. Azrael is in Gotham to retrieve the Shawl of Magdalene, which was stolen from his religious order. After apprehending Catwoman, Batman teams up with Azrael, giving him a new suit as well before meeting the person who hired Catwoman, Penguin. Penguin's new bodyguard, Mr. Wing, attacks them. Batman and Azrael then discover that there is yet another behind-the-scenes mastermind, Mr. Freeze. Nora, Freeze's wife, died after the procedure he used to revive her failed. Freeze wanted to use the shawl, which is claimed to have healing properties, to resurrect her. Batman defeats Freeze and returns the Shawl to Azrael. Meanwhile, Jason Todd plans to confront Joker.
"Red Son Rising" (Digital Issues 9–14, Print Issues 5-7): Batman discovers that his stalker is Jason Todd, who has returned to Gotham after several years. Alfred Pennyworth tells Tim Drake about Jason Todd's origins as the second Robin (after Dick Grayson). Jason became very violent and seriously injured or maimed criminals. Joker and Harley Quinn capture Jason, and Joker viciously beats Jason with a crowbar. Batman interrupts the beating, and Jason asks him to kill Joker. However, Batman refuses, and it appears that Jason dies in an explosion. Jason kidnaps Tim and the Joker, imprisoning them in an underground sewer area. He attempts to coerce Batman into killing the Joker in exchange for Tim's life. During the ensuing fight, the sewer area collapses. Jason refuses to go with Batman; instead, he jumps into and is carried away by a sewer stream. Later, Jason finds out that he has been rescued by Deathstroke.
"Secret Santa" (Digital Issues 15–17, Print Issue 8): The story begins with a flashback, when The Ventriloquist attempts to hold Gotham hostage with a bomb threat. Batman and Robin (Tim Drake) foil The Ventriloquist's plan. However, they know that only half of The Ventriloquist's bomb payload was found/detonated. Later, The Ventriloquist is released from Arkham Asylum right before the December holiday season. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy invite other criminals to a holiday party at The Iceberg Lounge. Joker is upset that he was not invited, so he and his henchman Straightman plan to wreak havoc using Scarface, The Ventriloquist's "alter ego".
"Court Fight" (Issues 1-2): Batman and Deadman investigate why the Court of Owls assassinated Mayor Hill of Gotham City. Zatanna gives Batman an amulet that allows him to interact with Deadman. Batman and Deadman discover that Mayor Hill faked his own death as part of a conspiracy so that the Court of Owls can control Gotham City again.
"The Hunter or the Hunted" (Issue 3): Batgirl and Huntress both look for Jimmy "The Jazzman" Peake (who severely injured Commissioner James Gordon in the BTAS episode "I Am the Night"). Peake played the piano while the Bertinelli family was being murdered, which is why Huntress wants to kill him.
"The Muscle" (Issue 4): Batman tries to protect Detective Renee Montoya from someone called "the Muscle". Mob boss Rupert Thorne wants to get rid of Montoya because she's an honest cop who refuses to be bribed. This issue also previews the story arc in Issues 5-7. (Note: This issue has a printing error, with dialogue boxes shifted to the right and not matching the character/source location. Two of the dialogue boxes run off the page.)
"Mayor Mayhem" (Issues 5-7): Former Mayor Emerson Mayfield returns to Gotham in a bid to return to public office. Batman has his doubts about Mayfield's intentions. Barbara Gordon infiltrates Mayfield's campaign and discovers that he is working with the Mad Hatter. Clayface is also working for Mayfield.
"Muscle Out" (Issue 1): Someone is targeting the Muscle now that he’s locked up in Blackgate Penitentiary. With his deep ties to the criminal underbelly of Gotham, the worst villains are calling for his head before he turns them over to the police! Batman will need to protect him, but can even the Dark Knight figure out where the next attack will come from?
Old Flames (Issue 2): Bruce Wayne and Harley Quinn don’t have much in common, except for Cassie Kendall. Beautiful and whip-smart, she nearly changed the course of Bruce’s life when she was his high school sweetheart, and shortly thereafter became Harley’s college fling. Now, after a long time away from Gotham, Cassie has returned and immediately has her sights set back on Bruce. But when Harley learns of Cassie’s return, she is all too happy (and manic, and unpredictable) to reconnect with her old college girlfriend. As Bruce’s and Harley’s paths cross, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems with Cassie Kendall…
Crack-Up! (Issue 3-5): The Joker’s right-hand man, Straightman, isn’t quite feeling himself lately, experiencing flashbacks of a life he doesn’t remember. After a run-in with the Clown Prince and his stoic enforcer, Batman starts to unravel the man’s past, but it lands him in the cross-hairs of Amanda Waller and Task Force X (consisting of Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Katana and the Muscle).
The Offer (Issue 6-8): Crime is at an all-time low in Gotham City with all the major super-villains behind bars. With the city finally quiet, Batman’s mission might finally be at an end. But when Ra’s al Ghul and his daughter, Talia, show up with a proposition, Bruce is forced to determine what the future of Batman will be!
Season 1 |
---|
|
Season 1 |
---|
|
Season 2 |
---|
|
Season 3 |
---|
|
Poison Ivy is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino, she debuted in Batman #181 and has become one of the superhero Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Developed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, it originally aired on Fox Kids from September 5, 1992, to September 15, 1995, with a total of 85 episodes. Mid-way through the series' run, it was re-titled The Adventures of Batman & Robin.
Harley Quinn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series as a henchwoman for the Joker, and debuted in its 22nd episode, "Joker's Favor", on September 11, 1992. While intended to appear in one episode, Quinn became a recurring character within the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) as the Joker's sidekick and love interest, and was adapted into DC Comics' canon seven years later, beginning with the one-shot Batman: Harley Quinn #1. Quinn's origin story features her as a former psychologist at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum who was manipulated by and fell in love with the Joker, her patient, eventually becoming his accomplice and lover. The character's alias is a play on the stock character Harlequin from the 16th-century Italian theater commedia dell'arte.
The Batman Adventures is a DC Comics comic book series featuring Batman. It is different from other Batman titles because it is set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series, as opposed to the regular DC Universe.
"A Death in the Family" is a 1988 storyline in the American comic book Batman, published by DC Comics. It was written by Jim Starlin and penciled by Jim Aparo, with cover art by Mike Mignola. Serialized in Batman #426–429 from August to November 1988, "A Death in the Family" is considered one of the most important Batman stories for featuring the death of his sidekick Robin at the hands of his archenemy, the Joker.
The Ventriloquist is the name of multiple supervillains appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics. All of the Ventriloquist's versions are enemies of Batman, belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery.
Bruce Walter Timm is an American artist, animator, writer, producer, and director. He is best known for contributing to building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, most notably as the head producer behind Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001), Justice League (2001–2004), and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006).
The DC Animated Universe is a shared universe franchise based on DC Comics and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, which consists of various animated television series, feature films, shorts, comic books, video games, and other multimedia adaptations. It began with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992 and ended with Justice League vs. the Fatal Five in 2019.
Paul McClaran Dini is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), and the subsequent DC Animated Universe. Dini and Bruce Timm co-created the characters Harley Quinn and Terry McGinnis.
"Batman: No Man's Land" is an American comic book crossover storyline that ran for almost all of 1999 through the Batman comic book titles published by DC Comics. The story architecture for "No Man's Land" and the outline of all the Batman continuity titles for 1999 were written by cartoonist Jordan B. Gorfinkel.
The Batman Adventures: Mad Love is a one-shot comic book written by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. It won the Eisner Award for Best Single Issue and the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story in 1994. It was later adapted as an episode of the animated series The New Batman Adventures, and incorporated in the video games Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham Origins. In 2018, Titan Books released a novelization of Mad Love written by Dini and Pat Cadigan, which expanded upon the original comic book.
The New Batman Adventures is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, which aired on Kids' WB from September 13, 1997 to January 16, 1999. Produced by Warner Bros. Television Animation, it is a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), serving as the third season of the show, and the third series in the DC Animated Universe. It was followed by Batman Beyond (1999–2001). The series was revamped from BTAS, replacing its art style with streamlined designs to allow for more consistent animation and maintain similarity with the simultaneously running Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), with episodes airing on Kids' WB under the title The New Batman/Superman Adventures.
The Joker, a supervillain in DC Comics and archenemy of the superhero Batman, has appeared in various media. WorldCat records over 250 productions featuring the Joker as a subject, including films, television series, books, and video games. Live-action films featuring the character are typically the most successful.
"Batman: Battle for the Cowl" is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three-issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final Crisis" story arcs, due to Batman's absence. His disappearance is caused by the character's apparent death at the hands of Darkseid in Final Crisis, which causes dissension in the ranks of his allies and enemies who fight for the right to become the new Batman.
Batman: White Knight is an American comic book published by DC Comics. The eight-issue limited series, written and illustrated by Sean Murphy, began monthly publication in October 2017 and concluded in May 2018. In the series, the Joker is seemingly cured of his madness and sets out to become a politician under his real name of Jack Napier, seeking to change his public image as a "villain" and save Gotham City from Batman, whom he views as the real enemy of the city.
Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica is a six-issue American comic book miniseries co-written by Marc Andreyko and Paul Dini, illustrated by Laura Braga. The intercompany crossover was published by DC Comics and Archie Comics from October 2017 to March 2018. A hardcover edition collecting the series was released on August 29, 2018.
Batman: Curse of the White Knight is an American comic book published by DC Comics under its Black Label imprint. The eight-issue limited series, written and illustrated by Sean Murphy, began publication on July 24, 2019 and concluded on March 25, 2020. It is the sequel to Batman: White Knight and is the second installment in the Murphyverse's White Knight series, which takes place within a self-contained alternate reality that is different from and unrelated to the main DC Universe.
The Scarecrow, a supervillain in DC Comics and an adversary of the superhero Batman, has been adapted in various forms of media, including films, television series, and video games. The character has been portrayed in film by Cillian Murphy in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and in television by Charlie Tahan and David W. Thompson in the Fox series Gotham, and Vincent Kartheiser in the HBO Max streaming series Titans. Henry Polic II, Jeffrey Combs, Dino Andrade, John Noble, Robert Englund, and others have provided the Scarecrow's voice in animation and video games.
Batman: The Audio Adventures is a comedic radio drama podcast series featuring the DC Comics character Batman. The 2021 show, DC's first scripted podcast, is produced by DC Entertainment, Blue Ribbon Content, and HBO Max. The series is meant to be an homage to the original 1966 Batman TV series as well as the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series. It is directed and written by Dennis McNicholas, a writer for Saturday Night Live, and features many of that show's performers in voice roles. Production companies involved with the series are Insurrection Media and WarnerMedia. The series is executive produced by Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, Deborah Henderson, and Jon Berg.