First of all, you’re not going to find a bigger Batman: Brave and the Bold fan than me, and while I enjoyed this last episode, A Bat Divided, I didn’t love it the way I normally love this show.
My slight disappointment could come from the re-imagining of the Firestorm character. I remember purchasing a copy of Firestorm #1 way back in 1978 and being excited by the creation of a new comic book character.
Underachieving high school student Ronnie Raymond gets caught in a nuclear storm with his science teacher, who also happened to be a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Professor Martin Stein. Ronnie would constantly ask the Professor how to make ether to render some scoundrel unconscious or how to make the molecules of certain objects denser so he could throw an object as seemingly safe as a Styrofoam cup at some desperado’s head. I loved Firestorm, and would often doodle him flying around in my spiral bound notebooks when I should have been taking actual notes.
As it turned out, for whatever reason “Firestorm” comics just didn’t do it for me in the long run - despite my desire to be in on the ground floor of a brand new hero. Apparently he didn’t do it for too many other fans though he did have another run a few years later, this time however Ronnie Raymond was removed from the equation and it was just Professor Martin Stein in the red and yellow puffy sleeved-shirt from 1982 - 1990. Despite an impressive 8 year run, Firestorm seemed to be one of those heroes that works well as long as he’s not relied on to be the leading man.
I have to admit I was a little excited to see another rebirth of “The Nuclear Man” in 2004. This time he inhabited the body of a black teenager. Unfortunately the ethnic switch did nothing to make this character more interesting to my way of thinking.
And so when I saw Firestorm was making an appearance on B&B I was kind of excited. I wanted to like him, I wanted to root for him, but once again, Firestorm ultimately let me down.
With three different versions of Firestorm to choose from, I have no idea why these guys felt the need to create a wholly new character. Usually B&B pulls from the Silver Age of DC’s roster (1956-1970) and they often stay true enough to origins. Maybe I was just bummed that this was not any of my Firestorms, or maybe I didn’t like the fact that I wasn’t familiar with the main villains in this episode. Whatever the reason, again I was frustrated that I didn’t care about a hero I wanted to embrace.
Not to say this episode wasn’t worth watching. It definitely was, because all B&B’s are worth watching. As always, I loved the pre-credit cliffhanging climax. The Riddler in the role of deadly game show host, his punctuationally identifiable henchmen, the dim-witted Hero of the Future, Booster Gold, and of course, Batman – all tied up in one of those classic old school Batvillain traps.
I also enjoyed the rogues’ gallery of lesser-known Bat baddies. Mothman, Crazy Quilt, and guys I don’t even recognize (And I’m a pretty big Bat nerd) According to Google, the dude with the camera on his head goes by the name, Mr. Camera, and his buddy with the eraser on his head is known as The Eraser. I love that silly stuff.
And this episode was particularly silly, but again, not in the way I usually love this program. I have to admit I did get a kick out of “stoner” Batman and his incurable munchies, but the three Batmen subplot didn’t really seem necessary.
Regardless, evil was thwarted and Bats made a new friend.
I find this show irresistible because it reminds me of being a little kid, running in my footie pajamas to the TV room early on Saturday morning, and finishing off 3 heaping bowls of my special mixture of Capn’ Cruch with Crunchberries, Lucky Charms and Coco Pebbles.
A Bat Divided felt more like Cheerios with an extra spoon full of sugar.
Joe Oesterle is an award-winning writer and illustrator, but what he often fails to mention is that many of those awards were won on a New Jersey boardwalk. If you have some time and a love of one-man produced animation, please check out some of Joe’s own animated shorts.
I have a feeling that they used the Ronnie Raymond / Jason Rusch concept for Firestorm because that will be what is used after Blackest Night is over. They had Jason combined with BN Firestorm for a little bit recently. I'm just supposing that when this is over and we see who gets 'resurrected', Ronnie will be one of them.
noahbody, my guess is if you didn't like the old Adam West Batman you're never going to like Brave and the Bold. I loved the sixties show. I thought it was brilliant, and definitely made a favorable mark on American Pop Culture.
EvilMonkey, you may be right about he combination Firestorm. Sadly I just don't think Firestorm is the kind of hero anyone wants to read about on a monthly basis. I prefer Metamorpho to Firestorm. Their powers are pretty similar, but 'Morpho's got more of a Frankenstein complex which beats the two personalities in one body thing that Firestorm brings to the table. Maybe theyy can pull off an interesting 6 issue Firestorm mini series, but I think he's best as a 3rd string JLAer.
Joe, I liked the AW Batman series, there is really just something about this show that bothers me.
I just watched this and I liked it, although I have a great appreciation of the quirkiness of the Brave and the Bold in general. I can't really look too deep into any characterization of BatB, but I do enjoy the use of minor villains from the past, very Grant Morrison.
Doctor Double X is a great, dumb villain and it was cool to see him used as an actual menace. (I believe his last appearance had him as a guest at a comic book convention and was, maybe, eight years ago.) The bar scene was spectacular, though! Firefly (the original, not B:TAS Firefly/Firebug version)? Signalman? Zebra Man? The Eraser? Watching this show is the reason that I still read through issues of the old Who's Who cover to cover.
I agree with Joe that Firestorm may be better as an ensemble character, rather than a solo act, but I had almost every issue of the original run and a good portion of the latest one (until I stopped collecting comics practically altogether when they brought back Hal Jordan). I have found the various permutations of the character fascinating, but he needs to have a solid writer who believes in the character (the same issue came up with the 80s Starman, great character, great start, no corporate support).
Anyways, that's my two cents.
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Hated it! I will admit that I really do not care for this show all that much, "Stoner/Surfer" Batman was almost as bad as the singing Batman. But I do watch every episode on Tivo and somne are just 'all right"
JMO and I don't fault anybody for liking it. I prefered The Batman over this series. I would have liked them to continue the team ups like they did in the last season of The Batman.