REVIEWS

Episode #33 - Brawn Original Airdate - November 12th, 2005 When the Joker steals the device that increases Bane's strength, The Batman must find a way to take down the now muscle-bound Clown Prince of Crime. Reviews by The Penguin Media by Bird Boy Credits Written by Alexx Van Dyne Directed by Brandon Vietti Music by Thomas Chase Jones Animation by Dongwoo Animation Co., LTD. Voices Rino Romano as The Batman / Bruce Wayne Alastair Duncan as Alfred Danielle Judovits as Batgirl / Barbara Gordon Mitch Pileggi as Comissioner Gordon Kevin Michael Richardson as The Joker, Announcer/Instructor Screen Grabs Additional HD Images Pans Review "Being a criminal genius just doesn't cut it these days. You need *brawn* to compliment the brains." This episode was both good and mediocre at the same time. The concept of another villain stealing Bane's power infusion module is a unique one. Bane's strength is his strength, but for The Joker to use that strength to enhance his own strengths and make himself a bigger threat (literally) is a different idea that changes things up a bit. I must say though I found the execution a bit 'meh.' It wasn't bad by any means, but the coolness of the concept didn't make it to the end. Things played out a lot like they did when The Batman actually faced Bane only Joker was in the spot. The opening was fun with Joker copying the muscleman, but it just went downhill from there. It didn't help that Kevin Michael Richardson voiced three characters in the episode. The Joker, the ring master and the guy at the Gotham Globe presentation didn't sound exactly the same, but it was close enough that I found it distracting. Not bad, just not good. I'm not one that looks for and comments on things like minor animation errors, but there was a big one in this episode. When Joker knocks the Bat-Bot off the bridge, it breaks the guardrail. As Batgirl struggles to get back up and sees the Joker through the video screen, the broken piece of rail is back! Then as Joker carries Batman away, the rail is broken again. Someone missed something there. I liked Batgirl's role in this episode. Her feeling that she was useless against the pumped-up Joker was only natural despite her best efforts. She thought commandeering the Bat-Bot would help her make the save, but if not for her gymnastic skills she might has stayed flat on her back (cool moment by the way). I liked the theme of how bigger wasn't necessarily better and in the end it was brains that beat The Joker's brawn. [ Back to Reviews ]

 

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