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Batman The Animated Newsletter #48

Batman The Animated Newsletter #48

Batman: The Animated Newsletter
Weeks of December 6 – December 11/12, 1999
Volume 2,
Rated: PG for some “low-key coarse language and occasional griping”

THIS ISSUE’S SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE: “I JUST FLEW IN FROM METROPOLIS, AND BOY, ARE MY ARMS TIRED.”
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ANNOUNCEMENT

It’s that time of year again! As the year…decade…century…millenium (Y2K! Y2K! Beware!) comes to a close, it’s only natural to do a “year’s best” poll. Just like last year, we’re giving you fans out there the opportunity to vote for the best/worst of 1999 in a wide range of categories. In of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER we’ll supply the virtual voting card, and all you gotta do is submit your answers back to us by New Year’s Eve to be included in the poll. Results will be posted in the first issue of the New Year, due out on January 3 or 10th – we haven’t decided yet.
Don’tcha feel special?
Don’tcha just wanna go out and vote RIGHT NOW!?
Don’tcha just hate how I keep saying “don’tcha”?

Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
-slightly more hyper than usual
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SPECIAL PETITION
We all know that a BATMAN BEYOND score CD was released this past August. Fans were thrilled to be getting this, but were also peeved that the “regular” Batman/Superman shows have been overlooked. Who here would buy a BTAS/STAS CD set if one were ever made? Remember, the one BEYOND CD handled only 13 episodes in 40 minutes; BTAS has 109 episodes and STAS has 54 – that means it would be a multi-CD set, to be sure. Who would buy this? I DEFINATELY would!
Our friend RIDDLERWB has supplied us the following e-mail address. E-mail the people at RHINO RECORDS and demand a BATMAN and/or SUPERMAN score CD!

drrhino@rhino.com
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UPCOMING NEW EPISODES
This section will just basically give an insight into what the new episodes are about and hopefully a synopsis of the episode. This section will feature new episodes for BATMAN, SUPERMAN, and BATMAN BEYOND.

‘REVENANT’
Batman Beyond #24
Air date: December 11, 1999
After a series of unexplainable events, all the kids in Terry’s class think that the ghost of a dead student is haunting their high school. But Terry is skeptical, and he eventually proves that Willie Watt, a former classmate who has developed psychokinetic powers, is causing the eerie occurrences.

‘LEGACY (Pt. 1 & 2)’
Superman #44, 48
Air date: January 2000
This two-parter features the final showdown between Superman and Darksied in which he strips Superman of his memory and adopts him as a son in an effort to take over Earth. This is being touted as the FINAL Superman episode EVER. However, I must say that I’ve read a synopsis of the episode, and it’s a doozie.

For synopses of all other upcoming second season BATMAN BETOND episodes, check out of BTAN at this address:

http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan
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WB ANIMATION SCHEDULES:
(courtesy of Brian Cruz and/or the official BTAS/STAS site)

THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES airs Mondays thru Saturday; BATMAN BEYOND also airs on these days. Check local listings each day for what show is on at what time.

http://www.batman-superman.com/batman/cmp/episodes.html
http://www.toonzone.net/brian/schedules/
http://www.ktla.com/backstage/programming/kids_framed.frm

THIS WEEK:
Mon 12-06-99: Superman #39 World’s Finest (Pt. 1)
B-BEYOND #09 Spellbound

Tue 12-07-99: Superman #40 World’s Finest (Pt. 2)
NO SECOND EPISODE TODAY

Wed 12-08-99: Superman #41 World’s Finest (Pt. 3)
B-BEYOND #03 Black Out

Thu 12-09-99: Batman #108 Beware the Creeper
NO SECOND EPISODE TODAY

Fri 12-10-99: Batman #102 Old Wounds
NO SECOND EPISODE TODAY

Sat 12-11-99: Batman #86 Holiday Knights
B-BEYOND #24 Revenant 
MIND GAMES
Written by Alan Burnett
Directed by Butch Lukic
Animation by ???
Original Air Date: December 4, 1999
Rating: **** (Out of 5 stars)

On a dark and stormy night, Batman patrols the skies above Gotham. Max is on the radio link with him as he studies for a history test. “Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton…” he mumbles. After Max cracks a joke about Clinton being the fun one, a vehicle is struck by lightning and crashes towards the ground. Batman rescues it easily, and the occupants are a large man, a woman, and a small girl. The people assure him that they’re okay, and head off.

The next day at school, Terry sees the same girl enter his classroom during the test. She tells him that she refuses to go and needs his help. Strangely, no one else can see her. Terry makes a fool of himself responding to her, but she finally vanishes. Later, Terry explains this to Bruce, and he is quite puzzled. Then in the Batcave, the girl once again appears in front of Terry. “Talk to her,” Bruce tells him. The girl somehow produces an image of a hotel room, while the same man and woman from the night before. Terry notices stitched lettering on a sofa. The man notices that the girl is doing something and begins heading towards her. Terry moves towards him, and the vision disappears. The letters– G.P.T., stand for Gotham Park Towers, and Batman is off.

The rest of the episode mainly focuses on Terry’s search for the young girl. Terry and Max pull a “couple” trick to slip into the hotel, where he manages to find out the room number. He encounters the large man and throws him out the window, but amazingly after a multi-story fall, he gets up and simply walks away.

Bruce is able to scan Terry’s memories to ID the girl, who was reported missing earlier. Terry also has a chat with the parents of the girl, who reveal that she has special telepathic abilities, and she was supposed to have been sent to a school for the gifted. It was all a lie though, and she was really kidnaped by an organization called the Brain Trust. It’s a secretive society based somewhere in Europe, and they set up a fake school to lure children away from their parents and into their evil hands. From then on it’s a race against time to save the girl from those who want to take her away.

So what was good about the ep? A lot. I really enjoyed this one more than the last few episodes like Once Burned and Rats. The paranormal angle was relatively fresh, and the action scenes were very well done, although they’re really intense in this one. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean. Plus, some of the scenes were actually pretty creepy in an X-Files sort of way, such as Batman’s battle with a telekenetic villain. This ep didn’t suffer from a rushed pace either, thanks to scenes with the missing girl’s parents and Terry’s search of the school. Max was actually well integrated into this episode, although her on screen appearance is again limited and still doesn’t know who the man behind Terry is.

Also, I believe an subtle message about the problem of missing kids was thrown in. While Bruce scan’s Terry’s mind, Terry says “I can’t believe all these kids are missing.” Bruce replies, “Believe it.” Additionally, Terry takes the time to watch over his little brother as he sleeps at home for just a bit before he heads off to rescue the girl.

While the ep concludes nicely, the possibility of further conflicts with the Brain Trust remains open. This season has introduced a number of potential returners, such as the female government agent from “Joyride” and Mad Stan from “Rats”. The true powers behind the Trust are never revealed, and I’d like to see Terry tangle with them someday. Overall, great episode.

By Justin Chen, aka The Overseer

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EDITORAL #1
(by Laura Hysert, aka “Phoenix”)

Oh where, oh where has our Laurrrra gone? Oh where, or where can she beeeeee? Oh where, oh where has our Laurrrrra gone? I guess she’ll no longer work for freeeeeee….
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EDITORIAL #2
(by Kelly Tindall)

Mr. Tindall was unable to submit an editorial for this installment of our newsletter. He will return shortly.
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AND THAT’S THE FACTS
(by “Reliable Source”)

(Yes, I understand that the title is grammatically incorrect. So sue us. Actually, nix that. Don’t sue us.)

(DISCLAIMER: For those of you who are not yet familiar, Reliable Source is an anonymous character who first surfaced on Batman: The Animated Message Boards, spewing forth ridiculous predictions about the future of Batman Beyond under the guise of spoiler warnings. His controversial posts created quite a buzz, and have landed him a temporary column with this newsletter. The thoughts and ideas expressed by this shady character are in no way officially connected to Kids WB, Batman Beyond, this newsletter, or anything that is decent or holy. That said, on with the show.)

Previously, on “And That’s The Facts”…. Mason Dixon of Atlanta GA wrote in a letter that would create a spark of controversy, saying: “Is it just me or does Batman Beyond really suck lately? They had it going good in the first season but lately it makes me want to gag myself.” This being such a bold statment, I could not react to it alone, and I invited you, the readers, to write in and share your thoughts. Now, here’s what YOU had to say!

>From Kevin Wasser: “While it’s fun to sit back and let you poke fun at Batman Beyond, I’m not about to let you and that other e-mailer get away with saying that the second season of BB sucks! It’s actually improved over the first! Better animation, and more in-depth storylines have made for some interesting shows so far, the only disappointment being ‘Rats,’ and I could tell that episode was going to suck, even before I watched it! Lonely outcast stories have been done to death lately.”

>From Saturn: “I would love to tell you what I think of the recent season of BB. I think it stinks as well. Some of the storylines could be written better by an eight year old. The animation is good as usual and the voice acting…well let’s not get into that area ok…*wink* The story line is not at all what we thought it would be…while there were some good points to this season…I have to say that the first season is so far the best.”

>From Onyx: “It’s not Batman. You take something new, and name it after something everyone loves to make money. It’s all just one loooooong toy commercial, made solely to sell a bunch of crappy toys. It has none of the symbolism that the real Dark Knight had, and is corny, unrealistic, and made horribly. It’s not good enough. That’s the problem. It’s good enough to make you continue watching it, but it’s just not good enough for a Batman cartoon. Whenever I watch it, I always feel let down. I want to know what happened to the BatFamily, not watch some b—h like Dana whine because her boyfriend isn’t spending 24/7 with her. The whole Tomorrow Knight thing is stupid. It’s like an insult to Batman, the REAL one, to have some whining little smart ass brat going around making jokes when he should keep his mouth shut and protect the city. He makes a commitment, and complains that he has no social life. Well then, he shouldn’t have made that commitment. That’s the problem. They’re cheapening the Dark Knight’s legacy.”

>From Cpl. Wilson: “I agree with the fact that Batman Beyond does suck. The only way they could pull this series out of their ass, is if they somehow brought back Bruce and maybe made Terry into Nightwing. They could even give the new Nightwing a little more room to breath making the somehow younger Bruce Wayne a little more understanding than before, but that is as far as I will go. If things don’t start getting better I’ll stop watching Batman Beyond and, I’m sure others probably will also.”

And last but certainly not least, from BTAN editor himself, Tim Two-Face:

“I had high hopes for BEYOND after the first season. It still can’t compare to my love for the ‘real’ Batman, but I certainly was impressed by the first batch of 13 episodes. The interplay between Bruce and Terry was great, and it was nice to see some faces from the past pop up; so many questions have yet to be answered. Some of the villains are even on par with the original rogue’s gallery (Blight and Inque are the most notable). That said, I was looking forward to their further development in season 2. Season 2? I’ve LOVED one episode (JOYRIDE), liked a few others (BLOODSPORT, LOST SOUL), and pretty much despised the rest on various levels. Why? NO RECURRING VILLAINS! The Jokerz don’t count – they’re just a street gang, not a REAL threat (most of the time). Max Gibson gets on my nerves. Episodes I’ve been looking forward to, such as ONCE BURNED and EARTH MOVER turned out to be TERRIBLE. Bruce hardly exists on the show any more. Even the action sequences (the most important part of this series, it would seem) are less than wonderful now. Blech. And these are episodes that are supposed to be the BETTER ones? I haven’t even seen everyone’s all-time favourite ‘RATS’ yet – and do I dare?”

Well folks, this is Reliable Source again, and it would seem that Mr. Dixon’s “spark of controversy” was not so controversial. The majority vote is that BB is going downhill fast. Mr. Dini, Mr. Timm, are you taking notes? Phasing Bruce out is a bad idea, everyone loves him. We want recurring villains. We want decent plots. See what you can do, boys.

Remember, you too can start a spark of controversy by writing to me at
Reliable_S@hotmail.com.
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BATMAN: THE ANIMATED TRIVIA
(by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)

This is one of my favourite sections, where I get to boggle the minds of all our readers! *EVIL LAUGH* This trivia is all animated-related in some form, and can deal with ANY aspect of the show or comics based on the show. Remember, answer the questions WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE ANIMATED CONTINUITY. Now have fun – let’s see how well you do! Answers are provided below.

I’m restless…therefore I’m just gonna throw down some miscellaneous questions here. Enjoy.

226. Which was the only issue of BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES in which Catwoman has appeared (so far)? (The cover of in which EVERYONE appears doesn’t count.)

A:
B:
C:
D:
E:

227. Which episode is said to be an homage to the Akira Kurosawa film “Roshomon”?

A: THE CLOCK KING
B: OFF BALANCE
C: OVER THE EDGE
D: P.O.V.
E: GOLEM

228. “I’ll drive real slow.” Who does Batman say this to?

A: Robin
B: Veronica Vreeland
C: Harley Quinn
D: Harvey Bullock
E: The Scarecrow

229. In the episode AVATAR, Ra’s Al Ghul is obsessed with kinding the tomb of someone. Whose tomb is he looking for?

A: King Tut
B: Nosferatu
C: Toth-Khephera
D: Tuchu-Curare
E: That same tomb where the Jokerz do their initiations

230. Name the first NEW episode to air in 1995.

Answer: ____________
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ANSWERS TO THE TRIVIA

Answer to #226: B
Answer to #227: D
Answer to #228: A
Answer to #229: C
Answer to #230: The Terrible Trio
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LITTLE FACTS AND BLOOPERS
(by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)

Here is a section that just points out various little facts and bloopers that we have noticed while watching BTAS and STAS countless times. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to do so! Enjoy!

CONBTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
Staff am blind. Life am’t good.

CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
(by “Peter Destructo”)
1) In “TWO-FACE (Pt. 2)”, when Candace takes the homing device out of Grace’s purse, first she reaches with her left hand towards the bag hanging off Grace’s shoulder. Then there is a cut to the other woman holding the purse and taking out the device with her right hand. There are no straps. Next, the purse is magically hanging off Grace’s shoulder again and the other woman is holding the device in her left hand! (When printing this, don’t change “the woman” to anything that would give away the plot.)

(by “Onyx”)
2) In Hidden Agenda, Terry uses the term, “slagged” to say that he’s tired. Heh heh. “Slag” was once British slang for a very nasty insult-one that I can’t say here. I don’t know if it still is, but I know it was back in England some time ago, cuz if you read the Boy George autobiography, Take It Like A Man, you’ll see that it’s used several times there, by a variety of different people.
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MERCHANDISING: WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE
(by anyone that wants to contribute)

Yes, that’s right. We have no designated writer for this column, so anyone that wants to contribute may – just submit an article to the editor and if he approves, you’ll see it here! 
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COMIC REVIEWS
(by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)

BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES
ISSUE: “How the World Goes” (#21)
WRITTEN BY: Scott Peterson
PENCILLED BY: Tim Levins
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: December 1, 1999 (cover date, February 2000)
RATING (out of 5): ***1/2

SUMMARY: A girl is kidnapped, and Batman is on the case. When Batman seemingly reaches a dead end, he gets help from an unexpected source: a blind man named B.L. Pledge that apparently witnessed what happened.

HARVEY SAYS: This issue reminded me a lot of the episode BLIND AS A BAT. At first, Batman and Nightwing are wary of Pledge’s information, not entirely having faith in him because of his lack of vision. After all their leads dry up, Batman returns to Pledge, asking for assistance.
Like the aforementioned episode, Batman is the one without sight – the blind man “saw” a lot more than anyone else did, and turns out to be a great asset to the team. It also makes Batman think about his methods.

BIG BAD HARVEY SAYS: I understand that the reason Batman followed other leads was to prove that, in the end, Pledge WAS right, but those other leads (particularly Al Vicinelli) weren’t terribly interesting. They didn’t take away from the story in any way, but they could have been built up slightly better. The final scene where Batman confronts the kidnapper, while necessary, wasn’t executed in the best way possible.

GOOD, BAD, OR UGLY?: Overall, this is an above-average read that relies on good ol’ fashioned sleuthing instead of supervillains to keep a reader’s interest. The moral of this story is: those without eyes can still see – maybe even better than before.
By the way, what happened to the letter column in this issue?

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COMIC SCHEDULES & COVERING THE BASICS

This section gives a little bit more indepth look into each monthly issue of BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES and SUPERMAN ADVENTURES. Below each comic listing is a link to the cover of that comic. TALK ABOUT SERVICE!
The price is $1.99 in the US and…grrrrr…a whopping $3.25 in Canada. (Both our editors and many subscribers are Canadian, hence the “grrr”.)
If we are unsure of the exact date of when an issue is being released, just check out “DIRECT CURRENTS” at http://www.dccomics.com for details.

BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #22
January 5th?
Synopsis: Commissioner Gordon and Batgirl are in the spotlight of the first animated comic to hit the shelves in 2000!

NEXT MONTH:
Synopsis: Northern Canada is the backdrop, the kidnapping of oil is the crime, and Ra’s Al Ghul is the villain.
Cover: http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/16/bmga23th.jpg

BATMAN BEYOND #4 (ongoing)
December 22nd?
Synopsis: The Royal Flush Gang returns.
Cover: Unavailable

FOLLOWING MONTH: Issue #4.
Synopsis: The Royal Flush Gang returns.
Cover: Unavailable

SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #40
December 8th?
Synopsis: Unavailable
Cover: Unavailable

NEXT MONTH:
Synopsis: Unavailable
Cover: Unavailable

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NEWS AND RUMORS

ALL-ENCOMPASSING/OTHER
-The Canadian TV channel GLOBAL (which airs BTAS and BATMAN BEYOND) finally has a website of their own. Want to check it out? Here’s the link: http://www.GlobalTv.com
-Rumour has it that one of the MAINSTREAM Bat-Titles may be heading for the chopping block. I’ll try and get more info on this.
-Don’t forget that MASK OF THE PHANTASM and SUB-ZERO will be released on DVD on December 21! Just in time for Christmas!
-Paul Dini, Bill Morrison, Jim Mahfood, and C. Scott Morse (plus a surprise guest or two) will all be appearing at Brave New World Comics on Thursday, December 9th at 6pm! Check out this website for details:
http://www.bravenewworldcomics.com
-Terry Beatty has been and will be selling Gotham Adventures and Batman Beyond original art on ebay. His Seller ID is: wlee@muscanet.com Do yourself a favor and check out some great art!

“CURRENT” ANIMATED SERIES’
-The final SUPERMAN episode ‘Legacy’ could air as soon as January, but will likely air in May as the season/series finale.
-BTAS/STAS will return in the fall of 2001 with NEW EPISODES, when Batman Beyond goes on hiatus.
-Then again, there is ALSO word that BTAS/STAS WON’T return. So which do we believe? Hopefully the first…

BATMAN BEYOND
-The Stalker will be featured in BATMAN BEYOND #6, in February.
-1999’s 6-issue BATMAN BEYOND mini-series will be collected in tradepaperback in February. The cost will be $9.95 US. The cover can be found here:
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/16/bmbtpbth.jpg
-Synopses of episodes #17 through 36 have now been posted, thanks to the COMIC BOOK CONTINUUM. Check out of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER for a complete listing.

ANIMATED COMICS
-Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon will be in the spotlight for of GOTHAM ADVENTURES.
-Northern Canada is the backdrop, the kidnapping of oil is the crime, and Ra’s Al Ghul is the villain in of GOTHAM ADVENTURES. This issue comes out on February 2nd. The cover can be found here:
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/16/bmga23th.jpg

OTHER COMICS
-*THE DARK KNIGHT’S CITY REBORN IN THE FIRES OF “NO MAN’S LAND”*
“No Man’s Land” is no more. A new Gotham City stands in its place, marking a turning point in the adventures of the Dark Knight and his closest allies. Reflecting the change, BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT returns to its roots, telling Batman stories free of present-day continuity from throughout the Dark Knight’s career, while BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS and a new monthly title – BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS – test uncharted waters in this new era for the Batman, with familiar “No Man’s Land” writers and artists coming on board as the new regular teams.
In January, to launch the post-“No Man’s Land” era in a startling and eye-catching way, the three titles will feature no logos (just a type treatment in the upper-left-hand corner) and a fifth colour on the covers. (In February, the three books will begin featuring new logos and cover designs courtesy of the award-winning Chip Kidd [Batman Collected, Batman Animated]).
January’s issues see the debut of updated looks for not only the main character and his car, but also for a stylishly revamped Gotham, including the Batcave and Wayne Manor. Plus, each title puts a different, series-specific stamp on one of the greatest characters in the history of comics, beginning in:
DETECTIVE COMICS #742
The book that introduced the Dark Knight takes on a noir quality as “No Man’s Land” writer Greg Rucka (Whiteout: Melt) is joined by artists Shawn Martinbrough (THE CREEPER, ACTION COMICS) and Steve Mitchell (DAY OF JUDGMENT) and employs a muted colour palette for stylish mystery stories starring the Dark Knight. For the first four months of 2000, each extra-length issue of DETECTIVE will include 30-page lead stories (8 extra pages), after which an exciting all-new second 8-page feature will make its debut.
In January’s issue, a new year finds a violent murder leading Batman to the discovery of organized-crime elements attempting to create a power base in the new Gotham. Meanwhile, Commissioner James Gordon is still reeling from his personal losses in No Man’s Land. This issue also features a cover by Brian Stelfreeze, with Dave Johnson (100 BULLETS) becoming the book’s regular cover artist in February.
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #1
Frequent “No Man’s Land” writer Devin Grayson (THE TITANS, Black Widow) is joined by her “Fear of Faith”/”Spiritual Currency” collaborator Dale Eaglesham and inker John Floyd (alternating stories with artist Paul Ryan) for a thrilling new series that explores Batman and the people who help him in his fight. Told through the eyes of an unknown party, the series offers a new perspective on the Dark Knight Detective. Each extra-sized issue will feature 8-page BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE-style stories by an array of writers and artists, beginning with an installment courtesy of writer Warren Ellis and artist Jim Lee (later installments include stories by writer/artists John Byrne and Paul Pope). This issue features a cover by Dave Johnson, while Brian Bolland (BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE) becomes the regular cover artist in February.
BATMAN #575
The NIGHTWING art team of Scott McDaniel and Karl Story join “No Man’s Land” writer Larry Hama for a new era of Batman action! With a focus on high adventure and battles with new and classic foes, BATMAN #575 finds a flag-wearing terrorist called The Banner taking aim at Gotham’s newly restored status as part of the U.S.A., putting the city under siege in his extreme fight against the Federal Government. Batman and the F.B.I. stand together to stop him, but can Gotham survive such a fierce battle when the paint’s barely dry?
(Courtesy of the DCOnline Newsletter)
-Wanna see a preview of DETECTIVE COMICS #742? Check out this link:
http://www.psycomic.com/articles/current/dcjanuary_19991123.shtml
-DC Comics editor Bob Schreck said he will be taking over the editing of “Batman: Gotham Adventures”, “Nightwing” and “Batman”.
-An ongoing Harley Quinn series is planned for a mid-2000 release. Oh, please, shoot me now; here I thought that DC would be improving with the new creative teams next year. She can’t hold her own series – the Joker couldn’t, so why would a second-rate female-quota-fulfilling copycat villain be able to? Let’s all hope it gets canned, shall we?
-Here’s a sneek peek at the redesign of the BATMAN titles, courtesy of AnotherUniverse.com. The redesigns were done by Chip Kidd (BATMAN: ANIMATED). Opinions? Click this link to check it out:
BATMAN #576
http://www.anotheruniverse.com/gifs/comics2/Bm576.jpg
-Issue #5 of DARK VICTORY has Catwoman on the cover.
-Issue #6 of DARK VICTORY features the Penguin on the cover.
-The Two-Face/Montoya relationship will be picked up midway through next year in DETECTIVE COMICS #747.
-Expect to see Poison Ivy pop up in DETECTIVE COMICS sometime next year.

MOVIES
-BRUCE WAYNE: The Television Show? Sources have told the Comics Continuum that WB is interesting in doing a pilot about Bruce when he is 18 and training around the world. For more on this somewhat bizarre (but cool) news, go to this link:
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/9911/30/index.htm
-It seems that the proposed live-action BRUCE WAYNE show has a writer. The writer slated for the series is THE IRON GIANT screenwriter Tim McCanlies. This show looks ever more possible that it could actually happen, and sooner then expected as well! For the latest news update
(Thursday) go to this link:
http://www.anotheruniverse.com/buzz/index.asp?x_date=12/2/99#7274
Here’s another link with some info: http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=4806
(Thanks to THX1138 for supplying that!)
-Also, rumour has it that Chris O’Donnell (we know him as Robin) may be the next Spider-Man. He made a pretty good Robin, but will be make a good web-slinger?
-Again, this isn’t necessarily Bat-news, but there is rumour that an adaption of the comic-series WHITEOUT (written by NML-favourite and recent interviewee Greg Rucka) could be coming to the screen! I’ve yet to read this series myself, but I’ve heard it’s fabulous!

TOYS & MERCHANDISE
-In January, Burger King & Batman Beyond will team up for four weeks of action figures and kids meals. Once BK is done with Pokemon toys, they will start a four month promotional Batman Beyond Kids’ Meal pack. These will include all-new action figures made spefically for the fast food franchise.
-More BATMAN BEYOND figures are coming out – and these ones are actually GOOD! Here’s a link for:
JOKERZ TWO-PACK: http://209.197.117.27/databases/features/actionfigures/2/sub/22.3.34.jpg
BLACK-SUITED BATMAN: http://209.197.117.27/databases/features/actionfigures/2/sub/22.3.43.jpg
-For more BEYOND figures (including a new ROBIN), go here:
http://www.action-figure.com/new99/newsreports/comicnews.shtml
-Sadly, there are reports that some of the 140 Warner Bros. stores will be closing down indefinately.
-The SUPERMAN video game for Playstation will be out in the first quarter of 2000.
-The first issue of the Sega Dreamcast magazine says a Batman Beyond video game is due out in 2000.
____________________________
THE ROAD THROUGH NO MAN’S LAND
(by Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton)

Yes, I know this isn’t really an animated topic, but I thought, hey, it’s Batman’s 60th anniversary, and this is the big event that celebrates it, so I should have a section dedicated to this year-long crossover. Besides, so far it’s been excellent in every issue. We have this section split up into two parts – the first saying what has already happened, the second previewing what’s to come. Enjoy!

UP UNTIL NOW…
JANUARY – APRIL: For synopses of what happened in the first four months of NO MAN’S LAND, go see Issues #26 and #27 of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

MAY, JUNE: For synopses of what how things really heated up in the fifth and sixth months of NO MAN’S LAND, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

JULY: For synopses of the many things that happened in the month that all of the other major players in Gotham broke back into the city, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. 
Follow this link: http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

AUGUST: For synopses of the many things that happened in the final full month of summer, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

SEPTEMBER: For synopses of the issues dealing with the set-up of the final crunch of No Man’s Land, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

OCTOBER: For synopses of the issues dealing with the “beginning of the end” of No Man’s Land, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

NOVEMBER: For synopses of the issues dealing with the wrapping of of many important tales and the revelation of the mysterious benefactor, see of “Batman: The Animated Newsletter”. Follow this link:
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan

DECEMBER: Helicopters fly into Gotham on November 29 – day 333 of NML – bringing the bare necessities and joy for the forthcoming Christmas season. LexCorp, Wayne Enterprises, Star Labs, and the US Government come together (some grudgingly) to rebuild Gotham. Gordon is reinstated as Police Commissioner; Montoya is given a promotion by Essen with regards to her dealings with Two-Face; Bullock and Hardback are joined by a number of volunteers to police Gotham City, with more coming by the New Year. Petit grows even more barbaric; Huntress remains in his camp just to keep him in check. Batman hunts for the Joker, and goes to Penguin, Ivy, Ventriloquist, and Two-Face for answers; no one lends him a hand. On Christmas Eve, when all the “good guys” (the cops, the Bat-squad, and Leslie) are having Christmas dinner, Petit’s camp is attacked by the Joker. He finally makes his move.

That’s 74 issues of NML so far. For a complete list, e-mail us.

WHAT’S TO COME…
-December: NML concludes with the three-part “Endgame” story, and then a final reflection in the final issue of SHADOW OF THE BAT (#94). The hope of a new Gotham comes into view – which is when the event we’ve been waiting for finally hits. The Joker returns in a big way to “destroy hope”…by kidnapping and killing children. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Azrael, Oracle, Batgirl, and Huntress all have major roles. Lex Luthor completes his takeover of Gotham.
-ONE OF THE MAJOR HEROES WILL DIE BEFORE “NO MAN’S LAND” ENDS. (This is in Detective Comics #741). TWO OTHER “NAMED” CHARACTERS WILL ALSO BE KILLED.
-See below for more.

AS FOR THE OTHER HEROES:
-Azrael faces off against the Joker AGAIN in AZRAEL #61 – guest-starring Batgirl.
-Billy Petit continues to hover on the brink of insanity, and the Huntress sticks around to keep him in check.
-Tim Drake’s father breaks into NML to retrieve his son from the ghastly warzone – in December.

AND AS FOR THE REMAINING VILLAINS…
-Lex Luthor, the mysterious benefactor, continues his scheme to rebuild Gotham in his image; he and Mercy will be around throughout “Endgame”.
-Catwoman faces Mercy Graves in December.
-During Gotham’s Christmas season, just as NML draws to a close, the Joker returns to once and for all destroy Gotham and all of its citizens.
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FEATURED BAT-SITE FOR THIS ISSUE

**HOLIDAY BAT-CHATS**
-Over the holiday season, the BATMAN/SUPERMAN Chat Room will be holding two chat events, one on Dec. 23rd, and the other on Dec.31st, for Christmas (Dec. 23rd chat) and New Year’s (Dec. 31st chat) respectively. The chat times will be 8pm (Eastern Time). Mark those dates on the calendar and hopefully we’ll see ya drop in on either or both of those dates! Here’s the complete info:

BATMAN/SUPERMAN Chat Events!
Where: Batman/Superman Chat Room
When: Dec. 23rd & Dec. 31st @ 8pm (ET)
Chat URL:
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Taping/2928/chatmain.htm
Other notes: You WILL need to get a chat handle registered before you can chat in the chat rooms, and please go through the rules first. Happy Holidays!

___________________________________
ANIMATED BATMAN/SUPERMAN SITES:

* – indicates a shameless plug for a site a certain double-faced editor created with his bare hands – in other words, a cheap advertising technique.

OFFICIAL SITES
—–
THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES
http://www.batman-superman.com
BATMAN:THE ANIMATED SERIES
http://www.batmantas.com
BATMAN BEYOND
http://www.batmanbeyond.com
YTV’s BATMAN BEYOND Page
http://www.ytv.com/shows/batman_beyond/
SUB-ZERO: THE DEFINTIE GUIDE
http://www.batman-subzero.com
KID’S WB
http://www.kidswb.com
DC COMICS
http://www.dccomics.com
TOON ZONE
http://www.toonzone.net
PSYCOMICS
http://www.psycomics.com
RAVING TOY MANIAC
http://www.toymania.com
VOICE CHASERS
http://www.voicechasers.org

UNOFFICIAL SITES
—–
*TWO-FACE’S TOWER OF TRANQUILITY AND TERROR
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/TimTwoFace/index.html
BATMAN & SUPERMAN:THE WORLD’S FINEST DISCUSSION CENTER
http://welcome.to/worldsfinest
BRIAN CRUZ’ WB CARTOON PAGE
http://www.toonzone.net/brian/index.html
BRIAN’S BATMAN PAGE
http://www.batmanuk.freeserve.co.uk
GOTHAM GAZETTE
http://members.aol.com/gothamajp
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED HOMEPAGE
http://www3.sympatico.ca/quartet/home.htm
RA’S AL GHUL’S THE LAZARUS PIT
http://zap.to/lazaruspit
THE DARK KNIGHT
http://www.darkknight.ca
BATMAN BEYOND: WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
http://www.batmanbeyond.net
TIM WAN’S BATMAN BEYOND
http://come.to/batmanbeyond
DCU ANIMATED
http://welcome.to/the_dcu
HARLEY’S HAVEN OF HEDONISM
http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/harlequinhideaway
THE ANIMATED BAT
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/7382/index.html
GOTHAM CITY LIMITS
http://www.batman.gexner.net
BATMAN: DEFENDER OF GOTHAM
http://www.fandom.com/batman
THE RIDDLER – EDWARD NYGMA’S PUZZLE WEBSITE
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/prospero.milan/nygma
THE BATMAN ACTION FIGURE PAGE
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/7659/
THE BATCOMPUTER
http://members.spree.com/batcomputer
BATMAN: FOREVER KNIGHT
http://batman.techv.net
WORLD’S FINEST
http://members.spree.com/sip/worldsfinest
CHARACTERS ON THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN & ROBIN
http://www.xse.com/leres/batman.html
ARKHAM ASYLUM
http://animation.acmecity.com/saturday/352
JOKERZ TERRITORY
http://members.xoom.com/Jokerz84/index.htm
THE BATZONE
http://www.batzone.cjb.net/
JLA: THE ANIMATED SERIES
http://animation.acmecity.com/character/375
THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES: THE UNOFFICIAL SITE
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/5158
ANIMATED TALES
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dunes/2294/at
A TRIBUTE TO BATMAN
http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/russkafin/batman.html
BATMAN CEL SITE
http://animation.acmecity.com/carbon/111
DARK JUSTICE
http://www.mania.com.au/~grahark/darkjustice/

NEWSGROUPS
—–
news:alt.comics.batman
news:alt.animation.batman
news:alt.comics.superman
news:rec.arts.sf.superman
news:alt.tv.cartoon-network
news:rec.arts.animation
news:alt.animation.warner-bros
___________________________
QUESTIONS, SUBMISSIONS, AND FAN-MAIL

If you have any questions, problems, links do not work, or anything else then please e-mail this address with your problems and we’ll try to fix them as soon as possible. Also if you’d like to send any fan-mail then please send it to this address:

juno@direct.ca

As for submissions, feel free to submit an article or opinion on anything pertaining to BTAS. Keep in mind that as the editors, we have the right to edit your submissions if we deem it necessary. Such instances would include problems with length, grammar, and language. If we do feel we must edit something, however, we will do our utmost to ensure that the opinion and the basic message of the submission does not change, as that is the most important part of any artcile, and everyone is entitled to it. And if you do submit something, please don’t just submit a basic review of an episode or a comic or something (because we have people writing for those purposes already) – write about an issue you’d like to discuss.
___________________________
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED ARCHIVES

The very kind people at TOONZONE were nice enough to give us our own little section of their huge and diverse website. The archives contain past newsletters and is semi-regularly updated with the latest one. To check it out go here:

TOONZONE’s BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
http://www.toonzone.net/wbc/newsletters/btan
___________________________
LIKE WHAT YA SEE? WANNA SUBSCRIBE? HERE’S HOW!!!

For those of you who are seeing this at the WBC HOMEPAGE BTAN ARCHIVES section, and want to subscribe just follow these simple instructions:

To subscribe email juno@direct.ca, put SUBSCRIBE in the subject line, and put the e-mail address you’d like the newsletter to be sent to in the body of the message.

For more information the newsletter just email juno@direct.ca 
Thank you for your time, and thanks for reading! Tell your friends!

-Tim TWO-FACE Leighton and Dick Grayson, editors
___________________________
TO ALL GOOD THINGS…
…there must be an end. We would like to thank the endless amount of contributors for contributing their editorials, columns, news, jokes, reviews and other articles. We hope you’ve all enjoyed it as much as we’ve enjoyed making it! See ya next time!

CREDITS FOR BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER

EDITOR: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
EDITOR AT COLLEGE: “Dick Grayson”
AIR DATE SCHEDULES: Brian Cruz & RiddlerWB (our friend at the official BTAS/STAS site)
EPISODE REVIEWS: Zanna/Justin Chen
EDITORIAL #1: The Ghost of Laura Hysert
EDITORIAL #2: Kelly Tindall
COMIC REVIEWS: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
MERCHANDISE REVIEW: Various
“BTAN ARCHIVES” MODERATOR: Eileen Delgadillo
TRIVIA: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
ROAD THROUGH NO MAN’S LAND: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
PROMOTIONS AND JUST GETTIN’ THE WORD AROUND: Dick Grayson, Eileen Delgadillo, Brian Cruz, Brian Davis
THOSE WHO FILL IN FOR OTHERS WHEN THEY FOUL UP:-P Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
DELIVERY: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
E-MAIL RECEPTION HANDLING: Tim “TWO-FACE” Leighton
BATMAN CREATED BY: Bob Kane & Bill Finger (who else?)

Batman and all related indicated are trademarks of DC Comics, Copyright c 1999.
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Batman The Animated Newsletter #48

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