DVD Reviews: New DC Comics Animated Releases
Reviewed by Craig Byrne
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Warner Home Video recently released two DVD sets based on popular comic book properties - The Batman and Teen Titans. Both might be of interest to Smallville fans for reasons you will read below. Enjoy the reviews!

The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season
Website: superheroesdvd.com
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When I reviewed Season Two of The Batman a year or two ago, I noted that the series' animation style and writing weren't for me. What a difference a few seasons make.

The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season, recently released from Warner Home Video, gets it right. From a season premiere introducing Robin to the mythos to a season finale with some surprise guests that Smallville fans should enjoy, I was really, really impressed.

Along the way we get some cool guest voices, a glimpse of the future, and some themes that we saw as recently as Smallville's sixth season, as Batman meets John Jones, the Martian Manhunter. Writing on this season is also drastically improved, with Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series) contributing as well as even some veteran writers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Fans of Smallville will want to pay special attention to the episode "The Everywhere Man" on Disc One. Allison Mack (Smallville's Chloe) guest stars as a flippy-haired blond named "Clea" who looks and of course sounds a lot like... well... I'm sure you know who. Also in that episode, Superman Returns' Man of Steel, Brandon Routh, provides a voice... or some voices, I should say.The producers of The Batman even visited the Batman:TAS vaults and cast Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to do voices in the season premiere. I'm sure you know what they're famous for. Harley Quinn also makes an appearance in an episode written by her creator.

I'm told the improvement of The Batman actually came during Season Three (the year that also introduced Batgirl); I don't have that one so I will have to be sure to put it on my Christmas list. But as far as I'm concerned, if you're curious to get into The Batman, skip the earlier seasons and start right here. The Season Four premiere is the beginning of a whole new era and story for the show, and from what I hear, it's only getting better and better. 4.9 out of 5. The only thing that may have made this cooler would have been live action.

Oh, and I dig the closing credits theme, which has a very 1960s Batman feel to it. Very cool show.

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Teen Titans: The Complete Fourth Season
Website: superheroesdvd.com
Order a copy from Amazon.com!

Also now available from Warner Home Video is the fourth season of the popular Teen Titans.

Cyborg is part of this team that also includes Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven. The fourth year is really the gothy Raven's show as they loosely adapt the "Terror of Trigon" story arc from the comics.

Like previous seasons, Teen Titans is lovingly produced by people who are clearly fans of the material. Some things about the faux-manga style are still a bit much for me but they still managed to create a season of 13 enjoyable episodes.

As these DVD sets are relatively affordable, for Titans I'd recommend starting with Season 1. Once you get started, though, you might continue wanting more and more of this fun show. Warning: The theme song may stick in your head for hours. 3.5 out of 5 just because I know I'm not the target demographic.

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Visit the official SuperheroesDVD.com site

 

Read some of our other DVD reviews! The Adventures of Superman: Season 2 The Adventures of Superman: Seasons 3 & 4 Birdman and the Galaxy Trio and Space Ghost The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 1 The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 2 Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law: Volume 1 Space Ghost: Coast To Coast: Volume 3 Smallville: Season 1 Smallville: Season 2 Smallville: Season 3Smallville: Season 4 Smallville: Season 5 Smallville: Season 6

Wonder Woman: Season 2 Wonder Woman: Season 3 Lois & Clark: Season 1 Lois & Clark: Season 2 Lois & Clark: Season 3Lois & Clark: Season 4 Teen Titans: Trouble In Tokyo The New Adventures of Superman DC Comics Animated DVD Offerings - September 2006 DC Comics Animated DVD Offerings - October 2006 DC Comics Animated DVD Offerings - February 2007 Superman DVD Offerings - November 2006 The Ultimate Superman DVD Movie Collection Veronica Mars : Season 2 Veronica Mars : Season 3