The Batman - The Complete Fourth Season (DC Comics Kids Collection) Reviews

• Getting better...

  
  By A2HVL790PBWYTU on 2007-08-23
  Season 4 finds THE BATMAN at its most accessible and fan friendly. Lots of folks (and I was one of 'em) weren't too enthused with this younger Dark Knight version when he first came out in 2004. So, with The Batman - The Complete First Season (DC Comics Kids Collection) having left me and others in a lukewarm and sulky state, I never thought the series would last to a fourth season, let alone a 5th, which is just around the corner. But, perhaps because of the dearth of animated superhero stuff on TV - what with only the occasional animated film released by Marvel and DC, leaving us with LEGION OF SUPERHEROES (enjoyable) and FANTASTIC FOUR (kinda shady) as the other viewing options - well, I've started watching THE BATMAN more and more.
  
  There's been a decided upgrading in quality to the episodes. Also, the additions of Batgirl (debuted in Season 3 and now officially in the Bat family) and of Robin (debuts this season) provide a more consistent element of levity and color to the show, nicely offsetting ol' Batface's grim and dour tendencies. In fact, for me, the show's trump card are these kid crimefighters, whose presence and bicker-and-banter act enliven things tremendously. Great sibling rivalry unfolding here. I find myself having a change of heart regarding this series. I like it now.
  
  As the seasons progress, the show continues to serve up increased depth to the storyline and deeper character development. In addition to Robin, making their debuts to the series are Lucius Fox, the new Clayface, Black Mask, and Harley Quinn. Noteworthy episodes (for me, anyway) are the amusing "Team Penguin," the horror-tinged "Strange New World," "Artifacts" (which features a much older Batman ala THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS), "Seconds," and the big one, "The Joining, Parts One and Two." "The Breakout" is also a fun and funny episode, focusing on Batgirl and Robin's personal and working relationship (Batgirl: "Suggest a 2102: procurement of snacks from police lobby." Robin: "Roger that!").
  
  Another bid for fan friendliness is the animators' redesign of the Batman's look as they restructure his jawline to more closely resemble the Batman from the '90s animated series. Works for me, although I didn't really have a problem with how he looked before. THE BATMAN: THE COMPLETE SEASON 4, covering episodes 40 to 52 of the series, boasts vocal guest stints by Brandon Routh, Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Robert Englund, Brooke Shields, Dave Foley, and the great Ron Perlman. As for our regular voice cast, Danielle Judovits and Evan Sabara are pitch perfect as Batgirl and Robin. Rino Romano will never be Kevin Conroy. Heck, he'll never be Adam West. But, of late, I find myself thinking "Well, he doesn't really stink up the joint." I guess I'm getting used to him as the Dark Knight. Kevin Michael Richardson makes for a good Joker, and would've had a shot at becoming THE definitive voice of the Clown Prince of Crime, if not for Mark Hamill. Mitch Pileggi (THE X-FILES's Director Skinner) is solid as Commissioner Gordon and I wish he had more lines this season.
  
  Okay, here are the 13 episodes:
  
  Episode 1 - "A Matter of Family" - This one introduces and retells the origin of the young and very spirited Dick Grayson; guest-starring the voices of animation greats Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.
  
  Episode 2 - "Team Penguin" - This is a very funny episode. To combat Batman, Penguin decides to improve his odds by forming a supervillain group, consisting of Killer Croc, Firefly, Ragdoll, and the hapless Killer Moth. Batgirl and Robin meet for the first time, and they have issues ("So, you got a new partner. It's because I changed the presets on the Batmobile radio, isn't it?").
  
  Episode 3 - "Clayfaces" - Clayface again claims to have reformed and wants another chance. But can his friend Bruce Wayne believe him? Meanwhile, someone with Clayface's abilities begins committing crimes.
  
  Episode 4 - "The Everywhere Man" - Batman and Robin go up against a costumed art thief who can duplicate himself. The Everywhere Man is voiced by SUPERMAN RETURNS's Brandon Routh.
  
  Episode 5 - "Strange New World" - Cool episode with a horror element. Hugo Strange releases a toxin on Gotham City which turns the populace into the undead. Batman has 48 hours to administer the antidote before the zombified state becomes permanent.
  
  Episode 6 - "The Breakout" - Somewhere in Gotham City, a bomb has been placed by the crime boss Black Mask. With Batman out of commission, it's up to Batgirl and Robin, without adult supervision, to somehow save the day.
  
  Episode 7 - "Artifacts" - Another nice episode, this one involves a far flung futuristic episode. In the year 3027, Dr. Freeze had managed to survive and is once more running amok. Meanwhile, archaeologists unearth the old Batcave, which just might offer up an anti-Freeze solution. Appearances by Nightwing and Oracle.
  
  Episode 8 - "Two of a Kind" - Harley Quinn finally debuts in this series, as a psychologist with a wacky talk show. Can Mr. J be far behind?
  
  Episode 9 - "Seconds" - A time travel story. Batman finds himself continually stumped by a common criminal.
  
  Episode 10 - "Riddler's Revenge" - Batman and the Riddler (Robert Englund) have a conversation on the bottom of the ocean.
  
  Episode 11 - "Rumors" - An armored vigilante named Rumor (Ron Perlman) is kidnapping Gotham's supervillains.
  
  Episode 12 - "The Joining, Part One" - A police detective new to town hints that he may be privy to Batman's secrets. Later, the Dark Knight investigates him and bumps into another superhero, who informs Bats that Gotham is about to face its most perilous threat: an alien invasion. The debut of Lucius Fox (Louis Gossett, Jr.).
  
  Episode 13 - "The Joining, Part Two" - Thinking it too dangerous for them, Batman forbids Batgirl and Robin from getting involved as he continues to combat the mechanical aliens. But the Caped Crusader finally realizes that even he can't do it alone. The finale to this episode suggests very good things for the future of THE BATMAN.
  
  With season 5 projected to guest star Superman and the JLA, I'm glad to see this particular Batman's universe continue to expand and evolve. Bats went from being initially a loner to a dynamic duo with Batgirl, and here, a trio with the addition of Robin. In episode 13, Batman utters a very promising closing statement which made me pump a fist in the air: "You've put together quite a League. Let's get to work." Hell, yeah.
  
  But, listen, the Batwave device still sucks.
  
  

• It just keeps getting better

  
  By A2OZBJ58CML9OS on 2007-12-19
  OK, so unlike several others here, I liked THE BATMAN from the beginning. Even so, I have to say that I think it's gotten even better over the years. As of this writing, I haven't seen any of season 5 (I prefer to wait for the DVD's so I can get 'em all at once), but season 4 is by far the best season yet.
  
  Hardcore Batfans have traditionally been slow to warm-up to the "sidekick" characters of Robin and Batgirl. And I'll admit I was initally reluctant to embrace either of them in ANY incarnation of Batman. So imagine my surprise when, after only 3 or 4 episodes, I found that the interplay between Batgirl and the Boy Wonder is among my favorites things about this season. They're really just kids, after all, and their good-natured sibling rivalry is handled with wit and intelligence.
  
  There's not really a bad episode in the bunch, but I'll mention a few favorites: "Strange New World" calls to mind the excellent feature-length Batman vs. Dracula and is among the most exciting episodes of the entire series; "Artifacts" and the "The Joining" (easily the best episode) feed fans' appetite for glimpses of the future with appearances by Nightwing, Oracle, and the Justice League; and "Two of a Kind" re-imagines Harley Quinn for a new generation of Batman fans. Even the recurring rogues' gallery gets some standout stories: We get more background on the Riddler in "Riddler's Revenge," and Bruce Wayne's old friend Ethan Bennett (a.k.a. Clayface) gets a chance at redemption in "Clayfaces."
  
  Not much in the way of extras this time around, just a brief featurette on season 4, and a preview of the upcoming direct-to-video Justice League movie.
  
  If you still haven't discovered this high-octane reinterpretation of the Batman mythology, season 4 is a great place to start. Highly recommended.
  
  

• THE BEST BATMAN EVER!!!!!

  
  By A1OMK5UV2Q3PCX on 2007-12-04
  Ok, this is the BEST Batman animation I've ever seen. Even Robin is cool, even Batgirl. The stories are really edgy, and you'll see the most unexpected situations. The animation is great, and dialogues are superb Don't miss out season four!!! You'll regret it if your a Batman fan.
  
  

• The Batman's animated evolution continues..in the right direction

  
  By A34VNIXMUJDBLZ on 2007-12-09
  Like so many others who watched this show intially, I was not impressed. One reason was that I had a problem with the way some of Batman's rogues gallery were drawn or made over(especially The Joker and Bane). The one redeeming makeover was The Penguin. I really liked how he was portrayed to be just as formidible as he was vain. But overall it was a show that I would occasionally watch. But as the second and third seasons premiered and progressed, I was pleasantly surprised. But it was Season Four, where everything shifted into fifth gear.
  
  The make or break move for this show was how they were going to implement Robin into this show after it was announced that he
  would be introduced in season four. I must say that Robin's introduction exceeded my expectations. I thought that The Boy Wonder would have a 2 part episode that would provide his origin and drag out over 67 yrs of history. Not so. The opening episode "A Matter of Family" not only summed up everything in 30 mins or less but with Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series,Batman Beyond,Justice League and Justice League Unlimited)providing the voice of Robin's father John Grayson, it seemed like he was passing the vocal torch of Batman to the current voice of The Dark Knight, Rino Romano, who himself has evolved vocally throughout the course of this series.
  
  The other episodes are great and do not disappoint but the 2 part "The Joining" with the great Dorian Harewood as J'onn J'onzz, The Martian Manhunter(Harewood's vocals would make Carl Lumbly,who provided J'onn's vocals for Justice League, very proud)is the crown jewel for this season and lays the groundwork for Season Five with appearances by Superman,Green Arrow,The Flash and on 12/8/07 Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) which have been nothing short of outstanding.
  
  This is a must for any Batman fan but most importantly, like its predecessors Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond,it stands alone and creates a new era and interpretation for Batman that all will enjoy.
  
  
  
  

• It's about time...

  
  By A6OJPFN96KBMI on 2007-12-03
  I've always been a big fan of the Bat. And this new Batman was great. Cool styling, excellent gear, or twists on classic villians... you get the idea. The addition of Bat girl in season 3 was good. But it was Robin that has always made the Dark Knight accessable to kids. And it was worth the wait. This Robin is hip and fun and my kids think he's hillarious. And how can you go wrong with the appearance of Harley Quinn and the Martian Manhunter (and a great shot of the rest of the league!!!)So I highly recommend this of anyone that loves Batman and love to shares their love of Batman with their kids!
  
  
• Fantastic Batman Season
  By A3LP89QQSS5IXZ on 2007-12-09
  I've been a huge fan of the Bruce Tim DC shows for years. I own every season from Batman the Animated Series Season Four through JLU Season Two (with Batman Beyond, Superman TAS, and Justice League in between.) So that's, let me see, 11 seasons of Tim-verse cartoons. I also own all of the Tim-verse movies, from Mask of the Phantasm all the way through Superman/Doomsday. I think Bruce Tim has done an outstanding, brilliant job with DC comics -- a job that he got better and better at doing as time went by -- and I don't think any cartoon series has ever come anywhere near close to equaling the greatness of the JL/JlU series (which just got better and better as it went along, the last two seasons being the best of all.)
  
  The fact that the Tim-verse series built on each other and carried forward storylines and characters also helped to make the shows special, with things that happened in Superman or Batman Beyond having relevance in JLU years later.
  
  I also think the depiction of Batman in the JL/JLU series was the best depiction of Batman on TV ever. To me, Batman in the Cadmus storyline of JLU is the definitive Batman, the perfect Batman. Cool, in control, a bit arrogant, always one step ahead, and intimidating in the process. Just completely and utterly sure of his sense of right and wrong, and somehow always the toughest guy in the room even without any powers.
  
  That said, I think The Batman Season Four is the best single season of a Bruce Wayne/Batman specific show ever. To me, it's better than any of the BTAS seasons. Almost every Episode was fantastic and enjoyable. The writing was good, the characterizations were great, the dialogue was well written and well delivered, and the action was fantastic/top of the line. Visually, the show looks great as well, with some really good artistic design. The final two parter was really fun, but so were many of the other episodes that came earlier season, like the future Dark Knight inspired episode, the exciting Clay Face episode, and the tense Zombie episode. In fact, every epdisode in Season Four is worth watching. The Batman in Season Four is characterized very well also. He's not at the same point in his life as the Batman in JLU, he's not quite as sure, not quite as hard, but he is the same character and a believable Batman.
  
  I only saw a couple episodes of this show when Season One started, and I wasn't impressed. I found the Penguin boring, and didn't really like the writing, (although I did like what I caught of the Bane episode,) so I stopped watching. I think I only saw one or two more episodes between Season One and Season Four. I don't know how exactly, but I found myself watching the season premier of season four and liked it enough that I actually watched the whole season as it aired. I found it so enjoyable in fact, that I actually picked it up on DVD the day it came out, and have been watching Season Five ever since it started. This show has come a long way from what I originally saw, and I highly recommend Season Four to any Batman fan.
  
  Now I can't wait to see how the final two parter of Season Five goes. I know I'll be getting my copy of Season Five as soon as it comes out as well. It's too bad we don't have any new Tim-verse TV shows (although I am really excited by the Tim-verse straight to DVD movies they've been doing,) but at least the Batman has improved enough to fill some of the void. The Batman Season Four is not as good as the JLU season 1 and 2 box sets (no cartoon is, the Timm-verse was great from the begining, brilliant by the time Superman TAS started, and it just kept getting better and better as it went through Batman Beyond and JL/JLU. It really is the pinacle of superhero animated series to date,) but, as I said, to me The Batman Season Four is the best season of any Bruce Wayne/Batman specific show to date. Batman Beyond Season three is right up there with it, but that's Terry McGuiness/Batman, not Bruce Wayne/Batman.
  
  
• The Gap Has Been Bridged
  By AHF97M45JFCB on 2008-01-17
  To begin, let me apologize for the lateness in my review of the 4th series. I had no idea so many fans out there appreciated my reviews of the first three seasons.
  
  The Complete 4th season of The Batman is certainly a step in the right direction. It is commonly known that the entire prose of The Batman is endlessly compared to the early 1990s Batman: The Animated Series (TAS). Needless to say, these are some incredibly big shoes to fill. The Batman hasn't shown what I would consider a linear climb but it has had flares of potential along the way. That said, the 4th season is the closest yet to achieving the type of depth and character interaction we TAS fanboys have been longing for.
  
  The 4th season finally introduces us to Robin (the Dick Grayson version for those who wonder). And while I'm one of those viewers (minority perhaps) who feel like Robin and Batgirl destroy the darkness and vengeance that fuel Bruce Wayne's quest for justice, I must confess that the show's writers did do an adequate job. The Robin they developed for this series very closely resembles the Robin of Teen Titans fame both in terms of physical appearance and personality (with a cool split cape design). Since Batgirl was brought to us in the third season, the show shifts gears with a more "Bat-family" atmosphere in that Bruce is a stern father figure while Robin and Batgirl share a sibling rivalry. Surprisingly, it works better in reality than it sounds. Maybe because the show's plots have become much deeper and better fleshed out. Finally, we aren't overdosed in Joker and Penguin plots and in fact are treated to a pretty evenly mixed share of established villains and newly made up ones.
  
  Even the made-up antagonists are getting better. Most interesting is the well-crafted Everywhere Man. Also showing up this season are the very Red Skull-esque Black Mask, corny Killer Moth and Rumor who was clearly inspired by the Predator.
  
  Among the returning classic rouges, expect some very nice work from the Riddler and a more appropriate version of Clayface. Ragdoll, Killer Croc, and Firefly make some noteworthy appearances and Mr. Freeze gets some serious screen-time in a very interesting episode that takes place in the future. The biggest news however comes from the fact that the show decided to bring the ever-popular (if not highly annoying) Harley Quinn to the roster. Rather than risk butchering the plot, they wisely signed on TAS mastermind Paul Dini to write the episode. Suffice to say, it is done well.
  
  In my opinion the biggest news (read carefully as there are some spoilers ahead) comes in the season finale in the 2 parter called The Joining. The scope of the impending alien invasion is literally on par with recent Justice League efforts and ends with The Batman being transported to the Watch Tower where he's invited to join a (Super Man and Wonder Woman-less) Justice League. Martian Manhunter makes up a majority of the show and is done to perfection. I would personally love for the show to switch into a more Justice League style presentation over Bruce babysitting the kids.
  
  Also further closing up the gap between The Batman and TAS, voice direction is handled by none other than Andrea Romano who does nearly all of the recruiting for the entire DCAU (DC Animated Universe). Brandon Routh, Mark Hamill (Joker from TAS), Brooke Shields, Dave Foley, Ron Perlman, and Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne from TAS) all lend their voice talent this time around. These little touches show!
  
  All in all, this season of The Batman has literally bridged the gap that existed between it and The Animated Series up until this point. The writing has matured immensely and the plots themselves are vastly superior to past offerings.
  
  Included on this set are the following episodes:
  
  A Matter of Family
  Team Penguin
  Clayfaces
  The Everywhere Man
  Strange New World
  The Breakout
  Artifacts
  Riddler's Revenge
  Rumors
  The Joining, Part One
  The Joining, Part Two
  
  
  
• Great Season... but not a lot of Catwoman
  By A1DJ8QU5GXXTP5 on 2007-12-15
  EXCELLENT!!! work here on its own universe. I will not talk about the original animated batman by bruce timm because it was beyond excellent, and this Batman is also GOOD!!!!
  
  I have seen the series since season one and you can see how it has gotten better. The storylines are fresh, the takes are fresh, revamps of old enemies and allies extremely fit to today.
  
  Major Problem: in the episode rumors, at the end batman lets catwoman go.. and she thanks him without her mask... SINCE when she does that in this series... Maybe my DVDs are missing an episode, but I do not remember Selina showing her face in other episodes to the Batman.
  
  The introduction of Dick Grayson was fun, but i did not like the idea of Batman working now also with the JLA. That show we saw it already and it was too good to have been cancelled.
  
  Extras: the set is EXTREMELY poor on this department, so if you are looking for this part, sorry nothing here. Maybe in the future they could put a little effort into it. Take an example from the master of universe and princess of power sets which are FULL of extras...
  
  Otherwise another excellent season to complete my collection.
  
  
  
  
• Batman 's always cool
  By A24AI3KL992ZN5 on 2008-01-10
  I know that for most of the Batman fans,the new series of "the Batman" does not equal the masterpiece that was the animated series from director Bruce Timm. The stories are not complex enough and maybe a little too childish. But I like Jeff Matsuda's designs and the animation is quite good. I feel that with this last season "The Batman" show quit improved.
  
  
• The Batman: Season Four
  By A2QY0BJPRTKE4K on 2008-01-12
  I recommend this product to any Batman fan. It's cleverly written and portrays the storyline right to the point. I'm a huge The Batman fan and will always continue to be. This DVD is awesome!
  
  
• Worthy of the name Batman
  By A31M2QHES2IMB on 2008-01-22
  I never took this animated version of Batman seriously. I grew up on Timm/Dini's series and the redesigns of the villains was an instant turn off. I had never really given this series a chance as I was blindly devoted to the old series.
  
  This is the fourth season where they introduce Robin into the series but what really peaked my interest was the knowledge that BTAS scribe Paul Dini would be writing the episode introducing Harley Quinn into the series. Dini is the character's creator so it would only make sense that he be the one to reinterpret her. To my surprise, I found that particular episode a bit of a let down. I was also curious to see how they would interpret Black Mask as he was never in the old series and I hated his voice. They should have hired Jeffrey Combs who voiced The Question in JLU and the redesigned Scarecrow in BTAS. That's how I also imagined his voice in the comics. However there were some classic episodes in this season that really stand out.
  
  The first episode introducing Robin is great and also boasts two former BTAS voice actors, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who voiced Batman and The Joker respectively. However after that, the next few episodes didn't really do much in the way of inovating. Team Penguin was pretty lame, as I can't stand his redesign and overall the plot was non-existant. Just an excuse for a bad guy team up. And the introduction of the new clayface was ok, but nowhere near the impact of the the two parter "Feat of Clay" of the former series.
  
  Once you get to "Strange New World", that's when things really pick up. What a great story. After that is "Artifacts" and "Seconds", both excellent. The season concludes with "The Joining" 2 parter. It's a very cool way to end it with shades of The New Frontier apparent with the introduction of Martian Manhunter. I can't give it 5 stars because I don't consider it a perfect season from start to finish but it beat my expectations by a lot. If you haven't checked out The Batman because you were skeptical like me, this may be the best season to start with. I may end up working my way back and checking out the previous seasons after this.
  
  
• Batman reigns!
  By A2EDUXIV0S71V6 on 2008-02-14
  I bought this for my grandson's 5th birthday. After watching the entire first disk, he said, "This DVD is awesome!"
  
  
• Still abysmal
  By ALV3PGNS4JHLU on 2008-04-20
  I wish they would spend the animation time on something worth watching. "The Batman" is a mindless, childish, poorly written and simple show. I simply don't like to categorize Batman as any of those things. I've given this show a shot every season. I can not believe that it is still on.
  
  
• EXACTLY what we want! BEST SEASON YET!
  By A2AHS9Q36KZG9X on 2008-02-18
  after the previous season three i was worried. season three was less than interesting, it was boring most of the time-
  
  but season 4 is automatically arresting.
  
  so i went into this, buying it for my son, because he wanted to see Robin... and my expectations were LOW
  but there was only one episode that was so-so- and the rest of them were at least an 8 out of 10. seriously.
  
  JUST BUY THIS.
  
  there are surprises in the end, and the writing gets increasing better as the season goes on- the ZOMBIE episode is one of the best i have ever seen in cartoon/superhero genre.
  
  THe relationship isn't as strained between batman/robin as it has been explained in other series, but that's cool. and bruce seems a bit more empathetic and kinder in this than he is in other series/portrayals... and that's nice- refreshing even.
  
  I am SO excited and hopeful now for season five.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Very good Season
  By A25J0OYTNGBOWU on 2008-03-04
  This season of The Batman is one of the best yet. I have 3 little brothers who don't know the storys as well as I do but they still enjoyed them and the storys were good to me as a more seasoned batman fan as well.
  
  
• The Batman Season 4
  By AO1BZIVAMN6MO on 2008-03-05
  Hilights of this season include the introduction of Robin (previously unavailable, I read, because of a rights issue concerning his appearance in Teen Titans. This I don't get, if Batman could appear in both Justice League Unlimited and this show at the same time, not to mention Batman Begins.) As a result, for the first time in DC history, the Batman legend is told in this series introducing Batgirl first (in season 3) and then Robin in this season 4. It probably makes a lot of sense, as Batgirl was traditionally 8 years older than Robin in the comics. By the time they got their romance going in the comics, Batgirl had been crippled by the Joker, and the characters had become Nightwing and Oracle. Let's hope they do it sooner in this series, and leave out the tragic fate of Barbara.
  The greatest character gathering for fans will probably be the formation of the Justice League (an enjoyable reworking of the way this was done live for young Clark Kent to join the Justice League in Smallville Season 6).
  Following the trend of telling back stories begun by George Lucas (in Phantom Menace), Warner have done well reinventing the Superman legend in Smallville, and the Batman legend in Batman Begins and "The Batman". (The early appearances of Hugo Strange in this series make a lot of sense in the storyline too.
  The only 2 things I don't like is the lack of any good instrumental music in this show (compare it to Batman The Animated Series 1992-1995 or Filmation's two Batman serieses from 1968* & 1977), and the way Batgirl and other female characters look like cupie dolls beside the male characters.
  Warner, be kind, and respond to my many requests to release the complete 1968 Filmation Adventures of Batman cartoon series.
  All that said, you'll still love this DVD set. The cover looks great too.
  
  
• the batman -the complete fourth season
  By A36IKH7JW1UZJC on 2008-03-16
  Very enjoyable as ever ,this season see the batman teaming up with Robin(as it was meant to be!!!!!).Found the kids watching this dvd over and over.
  
  
• Best season by far
  By A62YQXHXCTLHX on 2008-03-23
  I was skeptical that this season wouldn't be as good with the addition of robin into the mix with batgirl. I like Batman by himself. But the writing is great on season 4 and Batman becomes darker and more like the batman from TAS. Batgirl and robin are kept in their place. They even draw Bruce Wayne different and give him a nose job that he desperately needed. If you only buy one season of 'The Batman' this is the one to get.
  
  
• BIG CHANGES FOR THE BATMAN
  By A2JP0URFHXP6DO on 2008-04-14
  The Batman Season Four is out on DVD with all 13 episodes from the latest season. Season four marks a number of changes in the series. First and foremost, Dick Grayson AKA Robin is introduced in the first episode of the season entitled "A Matter of Family". Now it's been years since I've read Robin's original comic origins but it seems like the series sticks pretty close to the comic's roots. Dick and his family are well-know trapeze performers called the "Flying Graysons". The Grayson's refuse to pay protection to a local crime boss, Tony Zucco, and are killed when Zucco sabotages their equipment. Dick is taken in by Bruce Wayne, who sees a bit of himself in the boy, and together they track down Zucco and his brothers to exact revenge. This was a great start to the new season and done very much in the crime noir style of Batman: The Animated Series. One of the amusing dynamics during this season is Robin's interaction with Batgirl as both jealously vie for Batman's attention.
  
  In "Clayfaces" The Current Clayface, Ethan Bennett, is trying to go straight and rehabilitate himself but when a new Clayface appears on the scene, Bennett has to stop him the only way he knows how...becoming Clayface yet again.
  
  One of the major changes to season four is the expanding of storylines in terms of their scope. An example of this is found in "Strange New World." Hugo Strange releases a toxin into the air of Gotham that virtually turns all its citizens into zombies. Soon, Batman is the only person left unaffected and somehow must find the antidote to cure the city. A broad story mixed with horror elements and one of the best episodes in the set.
  
  Another example of these large storylines is the two-part season finale called "The Joining". Gotham is faced with an alien invasion! These aliens steal the technology of a given world and use it against them. Batman is aided by a new ally, Detective John Jones, who we quickly find out is an alien himself, the Martian Manhunter. But will even these two heroes, along with Robin and Batgirl be enough to defeat the aliens? Spoiler Alert!!!! As the season ends, Batman is transported up to a satellite and there meets several OTHERS who share in his crusade for Justice. My only question about this episode was how did Batman know that Jones was a Martian???? Had he met one before? Wasn't Jones supposed to be the last of his kind? Ah Well...
  
  The complete list of episodes is as follows:
  
  1. A Matter Of Family (AKA Robin Rising)
  
  2. Team Penguin (aka The B-Team)
  
  3. Clayfaces
  
  4. The Everywhere Man
  
  5. The Breakout (aka "Backstory")
  
  6. Strange New world (aka Batgirl & Robin)
  
  7. Artifacts
  
  Disc 2:
  
  Disc 2 (DVD-9) -6 Episodes + EC
  
  1. Seconds
  
  2. Riddler's Revenge
  
  3. Two Of A Kind
  
  4. Rumors
  
  5. The Joining Part One
  
  6. The Joining Part Two
  
  The set comes with one extra, "The Batman Season Four Unmasked". Here the various writers and directors talk about the introduction of Robin and the changes made for season four. It runs 15 minutes in length.
  
  While I don't think that this series is nearly as good as Batman: The Animated Series, it has shown improvement and I enjoy seeing the writers expand their storylines. I still think the animation lacks the personality of BTAS but I can live with it.
  
  
  
• Perfect!!!
  By A147WCJASU6UVR on 2008-04-19
  Amazon is awesome to work with and deliver exactly as promised. The Batman Seasons are hard to find and always available through Amazon. Its a great set of movies and perfect for anyone who has a Batman fan in their homes.
  
  
• bat maaaan
  By A2PIDLUDSUGTUY on 2008-05-13
  Great series... Took a while to get used to the new style but now I'm addicted... we have been buying each season. I think its a cool and smart looking new Batman.
  
  
• The Batman-The Complete Fourth Season............
  By A3GKMQFL05Z79K on 2008-06-14
  Season Four of The Batman finds Batman teaming up with Robin, Batgirl(who was introduced in Season Three) & The Martian Manhunter. It also has Batman going up against The Joker, Penguin, Clayface, Black Mask, Killer Croc, Killer Moth, Everywhere Man, Firefly, Ragdoll, a NEW Clayface and a host of other villians. One of the biggest highlights of Season four is seeing Harley Quinn teaming up with The Joker as well as The episodes: The Joining Part 1&2 which shows how Batman was invited to join The Justice League.
  
  I didn't think I'd like this show at all, to be honest. After seeing The Batman vs Dracula animated feature, I decided to give the show a try and I really like it. In my opinion, I feel that the majority of fans out there have been unfair to the new series and criticize it too much. I've been a huge Batman fan since I was a child(I'm 41 now) & this series stays true to the Batman universe just as much as any other series has. Given, Batman:The Animated Series will always be my 'most favorite'. I love this series too, though. So much so that I intend on getting the other four seasons on DVD to round out my collection.
  
  If you're a casual Batman fan or even a hardcore Batman fan, give this series a try. It'll grow on you just like it did with me.
  
  
• Shades of Batman Beyond
  By AK0LMDPBH1H8Q on 2008-07-10
  In contrast to most people, I am viewing these seasons in inverse order. My very first exposure to The Batman came with the current and, lamentably for its' fans, final one. With my curiosity piqued for more, I picked up season four, which just happened to be the only one my local retailer had. Comparisons to five were of course inevitable, with four regrettably falling short of matching its' overall high quality and commendable consistency. Five had no noticeably weak episodes, plus few had Robin and Batgirl together. Their wisecracking bravado can be taken in small doses, but the constant double teaming featured here in almost every segment is excessive and eventually becomes grating. This is one of the major bones of contention that many have with The Batman, though some firmly consider it a strength also. Since we are on the subject of comparisons, the futuristic sci-fi element of many of the plots is reminiscent of Batman Beyond. We see an everywhere man, reruns of a time shifter (please be kind, rewind), and whispers of a rumor, a mysterious cybernetically augmented entity who can also refract light and become invisible. All that is missing is Inque and the Royal Flush Gang, my two personal favorites from Beyond. There is certainly no apologizing for the animation, which is superb as usual. This may go against the original designs and intentions for this incarnation, but if they had downplayed the childish antics and focused more on the imaginative and innovative storylines, it could have been something truly special. Criticizing a cartoon for being childish is obviously somewhat oxymoronic, but conversely underestimating the intelligence, comprehension, capacity and potential of children isn't necessarily uber smart either. While The Batman may have fallen short of reaching its' full potential, a situation brought about more by its' editorial direction than creative execution, it did succeed in that direction by producing a decidedly different yet still quite enjoyable and intriguing rendition of this great iconic character. Bring on season 3.
  
  
• Give it a chance
  By A310P5AY5FULAS on 2008-08-04
  As a hardcore BTAS fan from the very beginning, I was at first turned off by this new series. The Joker has always been my favorite characters and his new design is such a drastic departure from previous work that it's a bit jarring. He's grown on me, though. I had this season highly reccomended by a fellow Joker fan so I gave it a try. I've not regretted it since.
  
  The writing and characterization isn't up to BTAS standards at all times, but remember there were some BTAS episodes that honestly stank. "The Underdwellers" anyone? This 4th season doesn't have a bad episode in the bunch. "Two of a Kind" was particuarly classic. And it should be -- it was written by Paul Dini! So yeah, give it a shot. You might just end up a convert like me.
  
  
• Dynamic Duo
  By A1F1FOR46702YF on 2008-08-07
  The Batcave just got a little more crowded in "The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season". As the mysterious crime fighter Batman, young industrialist Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to protect Gotham City from such dangerous rogues like Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and Mr. Freeze. In this season, orphaned acrobat Dick Grayson joins the Batman to form one of the most popular partnerships in the DC Comics Universe. "The Batman" is the Emmy Award-winning animated series based on the DC Comics hero. The animated series premiered in 2004 and has gained a good fan following. Though the animation style and character designs are different than previous television shows, "The Batman" still maintains faithful to the comic books. The fourth season well introduces the character Robin into the show and includes appearances from such villains like Tony Zucco, Killer Moth, Black Mask and Harley Quinn. Martian Manhunter appears in the season finale. The fourth season features the guest voice stars as Mark Hamill, Brandon Routh, Allison Mack, Jerry O'Connell, Dave Foley, Brooke Shields and Louis Gossett Jr.
  
  If you have been watching closely this season of "The Batman", then you certainly want to pick up this DVD. All 13 episodes of the fourth season are presented in their original 1.33:1 broadcast format. The 2-disc DVD offers a sharp and clean video transfer. Its 2.0 Dolby Digital soundtrack isn't the best stereo track around but does get the job done. The DVD menus are pretty simple. Its only extra is the 9-minute "The Batman: Season Four Unmasked" featurette that offers interviews with cast and crew about the development of the fourth season. Overall, "The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season" gets a "B".
  
  

• The Batman - The Complete Third Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
• The Batman - The Complete Fifth Season
• The Batman - The Complete Second Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
• The Batman - The Complete First Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
• Teen Titans - The Complete Fourth Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)