Friday, October 27, 2017

The Dark Batman: The Animated Series Episodes You Never Saw

One of the things that made Batman:

The Animated Series an unrivaled '90s superhero cartoon was its ability to cater to both kids and adult fans at the same time. It was a show that went much deeper with its storytelling than some of its lighter counterparts. Sure, there were plenty of villain of the week stories, but they were usually presented in ways that shed light on different aspects of Batman's psyche, his mission, and the world around him.
In order to take such deep dives into the world of Batman, such as in the episode "Robin's Reckoning" in which the Boy Wonder tries to find and kill the man who murdered his family, the show's writers had to sometimes wade through darker waters than other superhero cartoons. The result of this approach has of course turned Batman: The Animated Series into a timeless classic. 
If you've not watched an episode since you were in grade school but still love Batman, go back and give the series a rewatch. You'll be surprised by how layered the stories are and how dark the show can be. Throughout its run, the series tackled stories about death, greed, poverty, and even subjects as specific as child slavery and animal cruelty.