The New Batman/Superman Adventures

The New Batman/Superman Adventures
Based on
Batman
by

Starring
Theme music composer Shirley Walker
Composers Michael McCuistion
Lolita Ritmanis
Shirley Walker
Kristopher Carter
Harvey Cohen
Country of origin United States
Production
Running time 44 minutes
Production companies DC Comics
Warner Bros. Animation
Original release
Network The WB (Kids' WB)
Release September 13, 1997 –
February 12, 2000
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. It aired from 1997–2000 on Kids' WB. 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

In 1997, it was announced that the series would have a revamp, replacing the previous art style of its predecessor 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 theme of BTAS when aired in syndication and released in home video.

Cast

Main cast

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

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

Recurring characters

Recurring villains

Episodes

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. Title Directed by Written by Series Original air date
1 "Holiday Knights" Dan Riba Paul Dini The New Batman Adventures September 13, 1997

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 Masuda Alan Burnett, Paul Dini and Rich Fogel
Story by : Alan Burnett and Paul Dini		 Superman: The Animated Series October 4, 1997
30 Steve Gerber
Story by : Alan Burnett and Paul Dini
31 Stan 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 Geda Robert Goodman Superman: The Animated Series October 10, 1998
Superman comes to Gotham to fill in for Batman, who has mysteriously disappeared.
20 "Girls' Night Out" Curt Geda Hilary J. Bader The New Batman Adventures October 17, 1998
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 Riba Rich Fogel Superman: The Animated Series September 18, 1999
Ra's al Ghul needs Superman's strength to fully heal, so Batman steps in to stop him.
53 "Legacy Part 1" Curt Geda Story by : Paul Dini
Teleplay by : Rich Fogel		 Superman: The Animated Series February 5, 2000
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 Riba Story by : Paul Dini
Teleplay by : Rich Fogel		 Superman: The Animated Series February 12, 2000
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

Accolades

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

See also