Producer James Tucker Discusses New “Batman: The Brave And The Bold” Episode
The World’s Finest caught up with Batman: The Brave and The Bold Producer James Tucker to discuss the latest episode of the acclaimed animated series, “Triumvirate of Terror!” The all-new episode debuts tonight, Friday, October 7th, 2011 at 7:00pm (ET) on Cartoon Network. The episode brings together Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Continue below for the all-new exclusive Batman: The Brave and The Bold Q & A.
The World’s Finest: To get right to it Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman….the trinity! Just how epic is this episode and how long in the making was it?
James Tucker: This episode was three seasons in the making since we werent able to use Superman and Wonder Woman for the first and second seasons due to legal reasons. In hindsight, it was probably good for the show that we couldnt use them because it forced us to stay focused on the lesser known heroes, which was our mission statement to begin with. I think if wed tried to do a Trinity episode in first season, it might have run the risk of being too pompous and reverential because we hadnt quite settled into our anything goes groove yet. Doing it in third season allowed us to focus on just letting it be a fun, action packed episode.
WF: Describe your take on the big three and how it differs from the comics and other animated interpretations.
JT: In keeping with the general tone we established for Btaman: The Brave and The Bold, we just wanted to make a fun episode where we focus on the friends aspect of the Trinitys relationship to each other. The last thing Michael [Jelenic] and I wanted to do was a Trinity episode where they bickered and sniped at each other. We wanted to establish that theyd known each other since early in their super hero careers and they relate to each other in a less formal way than they probably do with any other superhero in the DC universe. We didnt feel the need to give an edginess to how they deal with each other.
WF: Since youre handling DCs big three in this episode, was there added stress to make sure that this episode was an unquestioned home run?
JT: We didnt let doing a Trinity episode stress us out too much. I didnt feel that much pressure at this point because there had been a Trinity focused episode in Justice League Unlimited already “Deadmans Reckoning,” plus theyve appeared together in Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse, so I never felt this would have to be the penultimate Trinity episode ever. Im sure there will be more Trinity in animation and eventually live-action, so I knew we could just make it a fun romp like we usually do and explore their friendship without making it a big heavy world shattering event. The idea that appealed to us was that theyre the big three in the DC Universe but theyre also best friends, an idea that these days is usually expressed with them being at odds and kind of rude with each other. We wanted to go back to the simpler idea of them actually being friends, not frenemies, as they were for years in the earlier comic book and animated representations. That idea of characters just being friends and liking each other hasnt been done in so long that it actually seemed refreshing to us to explore.
WF: The heroes face off against Lex Luthor, Cheetah and Joker. Is it safe to assume these villains were chosen since they are seen as the iconic enemies to the big three? Did you consider switching any particular villain out for another?
JT: These three villains were the only ones we really considered using. Wonder Womans arch enemy will always be The Cheetah to me (Priscilla Rich version, of course) so she was a no-brainer. Sorry, Ares or Circe fans…but no, its the Cheetah. And Batman and Supermans greatest villains are obviously Joker and Luthor. My only regret is that Paul Giacoppos fantastically fun script was a little bit long and we had to lose some cool bits for time like a guest appearance by the entire Super Friends-era Legion of Doom in one shot and a scene of Diana Prince changing into Wonder Woman. I regret we didnt get to do a whole Wonder Woman-focused episode because there was a lot more fun Wonder Woman stuff Id have thrown into it. It would have been an easter egg fest! Anyway, a nice bit of casting was Tippi Hedren, of Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds and Marnie fame, voicing Hippolyta for us. Its always nice to see actual Hollywood royalty in the flesh and she was extremely gracious and fun to work with. And impeccably dressed as befitting a movie star and the mother of Wonder Woman!
WF: The teaser to this episode features the JLI facing off against the Legion of Doom in an epic baseball match. Care to explain the origins and inspirations to the teaser?
JT: Michael Jelenic had been pitching (har har) this teaser for a while and I finally caved and we went with it. I dont know if hed seen the cover to an old DC comic from the 1970s called Strange Stories that featured the Justice League playing baseball with a group of supervillains or not, but he kept bringing it up in story meetings. I remembered owning that comic, DC fanboy that I am, and so we ended up doing it. Its not a literal adaptation though because we just had time for it in a teaser so we did away with any explanation of why theyd be playing baseball. This is the kind of wacky thing wed never have gotten away with first or even second season, but third seasons the charm evidently. Anyway, Michael insisted on Robin being in it so the fans can either assume this teaser took place before he became Nightwing or that its our first and only appearance of Tim Drake on Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Take your pick.
WF: To wrap, can you provide some closing thoughts on this episode and why viewers should tune in when it airs?
JT: They should tune in because its the decent thing to do! Joking. They should tune in because I think its a great episode for those who have nostalgia for DCs most well-known characters as they were presented originally in comic book and early animation lore, and its also a great introduction to young and hopefully future DC fans to the world of DC comics history. Also its just a bitchin fun episode and a great way to kill 22 minutes. So there!
The all-new Batman: The Brave and The Bold episode “Triumvirate of Terror!” debuts Friday, October 7th, 2011 at 7:00pm (ET) on Cartoon Network. Continue to the Batman: The Brave and The Bold subsite for further details and media for this episode, including hi-res images and clips. Batman: The Brave and The Bold airs on Cartoon Network every Friday at 7:00pm (ET).
Stay tuned for further Batman: The Brave and The Bold updates, including exclusive updates, here soon at The World’s Finest.
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This October 14th, Green Lantern flies onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
Green Lantern will be available on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, featuring a 3D hi-definition, a hi-definition, a standard definition and an UltraViolet Digital Copy of the standard definition theatrical version of the film, for $40.99; Blu-ray Combo Pack, featuring a hi-definition, a standard definition and an UltraViolet Digital Copy of the standard definition theatrical version of the film, for $35.99; and on single disc DVD with UltraViolet Digital Copy for $28.98. The extended cut will be in hi-definition on the Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack only.
UltraViolet Digital Copy allows consumers to download the film to a PC or Mac plus instantly stream it from a digital cloud to many computers, tablets or smartphones.
Starring Ryan Reynolds (The Proposal) in the title role, DC Comics legendary super hero soars to the edges of space as Green Lantern, where a war has been raging between those who rule with fear, and those who protect life: the Green Lantern Corps.
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