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The New Batman/Superman Adventures

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The New Batman/Superman Adventures
Based on
Batman
by

Starring
Theme music composerShirley Walker
ComposersMichael McCuistion
Lolita Ritmanis
Shirley Walker
Kristopher Carter
Harvey Cohen
Country of originUnited States
Production
Running time44 minutes
Production companyWarner Bros. Television Animation
Original release
NetworkThe WB (Kids' WB)
ReleaseSeptember 13, 1997 (1997-09-13) –
February 12, 2000 (2000-02-12)
Related

The New Batman/Superman Adventures is a name given to a package series that combined Superman: The Animated Series with The New Batman Adventures produced by Warner Bros. Animation.[1] It aired from 1997–2000 on Kids' WB.[2] Although it was part of the DC Animated Universe, each half-hour episode in the hour-and-one-half block featured either a single repeat from the original Superman: The Animated Series run, the original Batman: The Animated Series run, or a brand new story featuring Batman from The New Batman Adventures. These new stories focus more on Batman's supporting cast and introduced new characters such as Tim Drake. The two animated universes were united in the Superman episode "World's Finest", which tells the story of Batman and Superman's first meeting. The new Batman episodes that began airing in the Fall 1997 season were later released as a DVD box set of Batman: The Animated Series as Volume 4. New Superman episodes that later aired in the Fall 1998 season and onward are now considered to be the third season of Superman: The Animated Series.

Production

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In 1997, it was announced that the Batman series would have a revamp, replacing its art style with streamlined designs for more consistent animation, and to maintain similarity with the simultaneously running Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000). The WB wanted more episodes of Batman, so 24 new episodes were produced featuring a format that focused more on Batman's supporting cast. Also, because of the animation similarities, TNBA was aired simultaneously with the Superman series as part of an hour-long segment called The New Batman/Superman Adventures. The shows shared a brand new opening, but TNBA was later given the same opening and closing of BTAS when aired in syndication and released on home video.

Cast

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Main cast

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Actor Role
Kevin Conroy Bruce Wayne / Batman
Tara Charendoff Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
Dana Delany Lois Lane
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
 Alfred Pennyworth
Robert Costanzo Detective Harvey Bullock
Tim Daly Clark Kent / Superman

Regular villains

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Actor Role
Mark Hamill The Joker
Arleen Sorkin Harley Quinn
Clancy Brown Lex Luthor
Corey Burton Brainiac

Recurring characters

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Recurring villains

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Episodes

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Main articles: List of Superman: The Animated Series episodes and The New Batman Adventures episodes

Note: These are the crossover episodes from the two series.

No.TitleDirected byWritten bySeriesOriginal air date
1"Holiday Knights"Dan RibaPaul DiniThe New Batman AdventuresSeptember 13, 1997 (1997-09-13)

Three holiday-themed vignettes:

(1) Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn kidnap Bruce Wayne and use his credit cards for a shopping spree.

(2) While shopping for a gift for her father, Barbara Gordon spots a group of shoplifters that turn out to be portions of Clayface.

(3) Batman and Robin race to stop the Joker from killing the crowd at the Gotham City New Year Celebration.

Notes:

  • Based on the comic The Batman Adventures Holiday Special
  • This episode takes place after the episodes "Sins of the Father" and "Growing Pains", which introduces Tim Drake and brings Clayface back after his apparent death in "Mudslide".
29"World's Finest"Toshihiko MasudaAlan Burnett, Paul Dini and Rich Fogel
Story by : Alan Burnett and Paul Dini		Superman: The Animated SeriesOctober 4, 1997 (1997-10-04)
30Steve Gerber
Story by : Alan Burnett and Paul Dini
31Stan Berkowitz
Story by : Alan Burnett and Paul Dini

The Joker steals a large piece of Kryptonite and then comes to Metropolis, offering to kill Superman for Lex Luthor in exchange for one billion dollars. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne visits Metropolis to negotiate a business deal with Lex. Bruce also uses this opportunity to suit up as Batman and hunt him. Superman, wary of Batman's vigilantism, uses his X-ray vision to discover his identity, while Batman uses a tracking device on Superman's cape to discover his. The Joker kidnaps Lois Lane and uses her as bait in an attempt to kill Superman. He has her bound and gagged in a LexCorp lab and calls Superman telling his location. Superman wears his radiation-proof suit, but Joker uses acid from his boutonnière to melt through the suit. Batman manages to stop him and save the two, causing Lex Luthor to become irritated and give him one last chance to defeat the two. After the Joker fails to defeat Superman and Batman again, Lex Luthor, out of fear that he will be exposed, tries to withdraw from the deal by killing him. This fails and leads instead to the Joker trying to take revenge on Superman by destroying Metropolis in a giant wing, while he uses the other half of the Kryptonite to try to stop him. It is ultimately up to Superman and Batman to stop this madness.[29]

Note: The episode was later released on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD as The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest.
43"Knight Time"Curt GedaRobert GoodmanSuperman: The Animated SeriesOctober 10, 1998 (1998-10-10)
Superman comes to Gotham to fill in for Batman, who has mysteriously disappeared.
20"Girls' Night Out"Curt GedaHilary J. BaderThe New Batman AdventuresOctober 17, 1998 (1998-10-17)
Supergirl must team up with Batgirl to take down Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Livewire in Gotham City, while Batman and Superman are unavailable to help them.
52"The Demon Reborn"Dan RibaRich FogelSuperman: The Animated SeriesSeptember 18, 1999 (1999-09-18)
Ra's al Ghul needs Superman's strength to fully heal, so Batman steps in to stop him.
53"Legacy Part 1"Curt GedaStory by : Paul Dini
Teleplay by : Rich Fogel		Superman: The Animated SeriesFebruary 5, 2000 (2000-02-05)
Darkseid brainwashes Superman into believing he is his adopted son. With Superman under his control, Darkseid sends him to Earth to decimate its military force and weaken the planet so Darkseid can take over.
54"Legacy Part 2"Dan RibaStory by : Paul Dini
Teleplay by : Rich Fogel		Superman: The Animated SeriesFebruary 12, 2000 (2000-02-12)
Lex Luthor halts the invasion by temporarily weakening Superman, who is imprisoned by the military and sentenced to death. Lois helps Superman escape so that he may pursue Darkseid. On Apokolips, the two titans have an epic battle to conclude the series.

Feature film

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Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
1998 Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Daytime Television Program The New Batman/Superman Adventures Won
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 114–122. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  2. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 810–814. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. ^ IMDB, The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest.
  4. ^ "26th Annual Annie Awards". Annie Awards. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
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