Batman & Robin Adventures #3 p 21

“Who’s been bad? Who’s been good? Who’s been naughty or nice? That’s what I love about Christmas! So many wonderful, maddening questions.”

Like many, the Batman animated series had a significant impact on my love for both the caped crusader and the superhero genre. I remember the first episode I saw, “Feat of Clay Part 1”. The artistic style was something I had never seen before, but I was hooked. Like clockwork, I would watch reruns on Fox Family every week. From the opening theme, to the credits, the viewer was engulfed in a more noir atmosphere with an Art Deco styled Gotham City. The show had a much darker and mature tone than anything I was watching, and tackled more complex themes. The most polarizing aspect of the show, and something that I believe changed the trajectory of Gotham’s rogues gallery, was the character development of its’ amazing roster of villains. Batman’s supporting cast was the focus of each episode, resulting in complex backstories and “bad guys” that you often sympathized with. Those innovations helped shape the characters as we know them currently.

This page is from Batman and Robin Adventures #3, titled “A Christmas Riddle” and shows Batman saving the day, and the Riddler, in classic superhero fashion. I love everything about this page from Robin’s flip in the second panel to his headshot breaking the boundaries of the fourth. In the last panel we see Batman emerging from the icy lake, nutcracker and Riddler in hand.

I’m really enjoying the nostalgia trip of these Batman animated series-esque comics. I think Ty Templeton and Rick Burchett did an amazing job of taking Timm’s style and making it their own. I do love Mike Parobeck as well, and hope to get something from him soon! Huge thanks to Romitaman aka Mike Burkey for making a deal and allowing me to pick up at NYCC 2022.