"Bring on The Batman!" / The Batman was created to be a companion cartoon to Batman Begins, similar to how Batman: The Animated Series was created to be a companion to Batman Returns. Though no continuity is shared between Batman Begins and The Batman both have a similar idea... telling the story of the Dark Knight in his younger years. So far, the series has done that, introducing The Batman Rouges Gallery... / Season one was the season that started it all, starting with the first confrontation with the Joker and Batman, and ending with the creation of a new villain... Clayface. The season also marked the entrance of The Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Cluemaster, The Ventriloquist, Scarface, Man-bat, Rupert Thorne and Bane. The first season also introduced new characters into Batman's world including Detective Ethan Bennett, Detective Ellen Yin, and Chief Rojas. / Then season two came along, which began with the first team up between Catwoman and the Penguin. The season also introduced the Riddler, Ragdoll, Spellbinder, Killer Croc, and Solomon Grundy into the rouges gallery. The season also marked the first appearances of Hugo Strange and Commissioner Gordon. Beginning with the season finale, Batman and the police begin working side-by-side, beginning with the first lighting of the bat-signal. / Season three marked the debut of Batgirl in the two part season opener, Batgirl Begins. Not only did the Barbara Gordon Batgirl debut, but her rival, Poison Ivy debuted in the same episode. Besides Poison Ivy, Toymaker, D.A.V.E., Maxie Zuess, Temblor, and Prank made their entrance into the series. / Season four is being called "the most fan devoted season ever" featuring the appearance of Martian Manhunter in the two part season finale. This season also introduces Robin into the Batman's world as criminal Tony Zucco orphans a young Dick Grayson. This season also marks the first time Mark Hamil and Kevin Conroy do voice over work in the Batman. Besides the heroes appearing in this season, the Penguin returns bringing his own version of the Injustice gang, which exists of Killer Croc, Firefly, and Ragdoll. Harley Quinn debuts in an episode that is penned by none other than her creator, Paul Dini! In a time traveling episode, fans get an image of a future Batman, (who looks like his character for Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns) Nightwing, and Oracle fighting off the future Mr. Freeze. That episode will be penned by none other than Gargoyles creator, Greg Weisman. Black Mask also makes his debut this season, as well as The Everywhereman whom is played by none other than Brandon Routh. Killer Moth also debuts this season, as well as the Matt Hagen Clayface. There is also one more character rumored to appear... it's a JLA member... FLASH! / Batman and Martian Manhunter stand as aliens invade. / In season 5, Batman expands his range of operations as he joins the Justice League and becomes involved in the affairs of other heroes such as Superman and the Flash... and their arch-villains as well. / The series had one Direct-to-video movie, called "The Batman vs. Dracula." The first season of this series is on DVD, with Season two coming out on September 12, 2006. / The show has gotten it's shair of mixed reviews, being hated and liked at the same time. The mixed reviews come from the fact that The Batman had created a Bat-embraro when it was released, keeping the Joker, Batgirl, Alfred, etc from being used in the current DCAU series -- Justice League Unlimited. While the creators couldn't use the characters, they still welcomed the series with open arms, and gave the new creators pointers on how to get the series done right. The series continues to be plauged with hate by die-hard fans of the DCAU, but others have acknowledged the fact that the DCAU is dead, and a new generation of cartoons is fast approaching. The Batman has a fan-base of children to adults, and has proven itself to be a great edition to the media that Batman finds himself in. / Many people whom hated the series had basicly hated it due to the lack of quality in writing from the first season of the series, though by season two, the fans quickly changed their minds. Though, there where still some series haters at the time of the third season debut. Fans quickly changed their minds again, and began to feel as though the third season was one of the best the creators had to dish out. One of the only complaints was that Batgirl was used too much in the third season. / Promotional Image for The Batman's first season / The animation style that this television program uses is one similar to the Jackie Chan Adventures, which used anime styled animation. That show was also designed by one of the producers -- Jeff Matusta. Another show that this series mimicks in animation would be the hit cartoon series, Teen Titans, which uses anime... though that show uses it to a higher degree. Most fans have specualated that this television show and Teen Titans are both in continuity with each other, because the younger Robin has a costume identitcal to the one that the Teen Titans Robin used. Fans believe that The Batman takes place three or four years before Teen Titans, hence the Robin design. / Currently 8/10