Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Batman, Zatanna, and Monsters! Oh My!

all-new-batman-brave-and-bold-12-coverI’m not sure why many of DC’s best comics come from their kids line or why it’s so hard for comic book shops to stock these, but when I find one I make sure to grab it. The latest issue of The All-New Batman: The Brave And The Bold features Batman and Zatanna and a whole host of cameos from lesser known DC heroes and villains who fit perfectly into a Halloween tale.

Batman calls on Zatanna to help him track down the person responsible for breaking into the House of Mystery and turning Abel into in a tree. Their search for the magic users responsible leads to battles Doctor Destiny and Mr. Mxyzptlk before the true culprit is unmasked.

The final battle gives us a super-sized throwdown between the conjured up villains (Man-Bat, the Monk, Dala, Blockbuster, Solomon Grundy, werewolves, monstermen) and Batman, Zatanna, and their friends (Deadman, the Spectre, Etrigan, Blue Devil, Swamp Thing, Tomcat). However, victory isn’t won with fists but with words as Batman starts to understand how to use the rules of magic to his advantage. Best of the week.

[DC, $2.99]

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Triumvirate of Terror!

  • Title: Batman: The Brave and the Bold – Triumvirate of Terror!
  • tv.com: link

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The intro segment is pure Silver Age foolishness (hey, I’m not complaining!) featuring the JLI battling the Legion of Doom in a baseball game called by Jimmy Olsen (Alexander Polinsky). Things look bleak for our heroes until Batman (Diedrich Bader) gives the team a rousing pep talk in the bottom of the Ninth about winning the game for the young kids watching in the stands like little Julie Schwatz and Frankie Miller (nice touch). And if that’s not enough the segment ends the only possible way it could, with a Bat-Man pun. Classic!

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Sword of the Atom!

  • Title: Batman: The Brave and the Bold – Sword of the Atom!
  • tv.com: link

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When the super-villain Chronos reappears Batman (Diedrich Bader) seeks the help of his old friend the Atom. However, Ryan Choi (James Sie) has retired from crimefighting so Batman searches out the original Atom, Ray Palmer (Peter Scolari) – “the fun one.” When Batman goes missing as well Aquaman (John Di Maggio) and Choi shrink themselves down and set off to find the Dark Knight in the miniature world of the Atom.

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Time Out for Vengeance!

  • Title: Batman: The Brave and the Bold – Time Out for Vengeance!
  • tv.com: link

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When Batmen of various eras start disappearing from history its up to Batman‘s (Diedrich Bader) friends to travel in time and save them before the world forgets the Dark Knight Detective. This episode is so jam-packed full of action it’s hard to know where to begin. We get Guy Gardner (James Arnold Taylor) and Ice (Jennifer Hale), Blue Beetle (Will Friedle) and Booster Gold (Tom Everett Scott), Caveman Batman (with a giant Cromagnon coin in his Bat-Tree), Fire (Grey DeLisle), Timemaster Rip Hunter (Bloom) and his time sphere, Robot Batman, giant statues coming to life, Pirate Batman, a T-Rex, the JLI, pompous (yet always highly entertaining) Aquaman (John Di Maggio), sea monsters, Roman Centurion Batman, and the all too brief return of Catman (complete with the giant robotic cat he used in his very first comic book appearance)!

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