Batman: Under the Red Hood

I finally got around to see Warner Premiere's direct-to-DVD production of Batman: Under the Red Hood. An adaptation of both A Death in the Family and Under the Hood story arc produced by DC Comics which saw both the death and (seventeen years later) the return of Jason Todd aka Robin Mark II.

I have to say I enjoyed it. Good cast and although there were a few changes to the location and plot elements from the original death of Jason Todd, Bruce Timm and company did a relly great job retelling the tale. Decent cast of voices and very well animated.

For the most part Warner Premiere has done a better job with bringing DC's characters to the small screen than most of the big budget film productions have. They've also stayed away from the Christian Bale "Sounds like he's been gargling a bag full of thumbtacks" Batman voice. They even managed to bag Kevin Conroy for a couple of their productions. And even he sounds as though he's been using a real voice rather than trying to make Batman sound overtly dark.

To me artist like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo got Batman right with making him dark but with hints of humor. As much as I've enjoyed the latest Batman films, I think they're making the character a bit too dark.

And for the most part, I've found the animated version fo Batman more satisfying than the Christian Bale version.

However, seeing the glimpse of the animated version of the "death" of Jason Todd has made me want to see a fully animated version of the story done in the style of Jim Aparo.

I see they dide something similar using Michael Turner's pencil art from the original Superman/Batman comic story for the characters design for the Superman/Batman: Apocolypse movie which it was basted on. I've often voiced that I would love to see an new movie or animation of Batman done in the style of the blue and gray Batman costume of the 1970's and 1980's.

However, I'll just have to be satisfied with the upcoming animated treatment of Batman: Year One.

What's already got my attention that this might be a really great project (besides the fact I like the original Year One storyline to begin with) is the fact they have Bryan Cranston of Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad fame as Lt. Gordon. He's always been a favorite actor of mine and I think he's the perfect choice as the voice of the man who would be Commissioner.