The DCAU has produced some of the best cartoon shows ever made: Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited, and a few others. However, while I love Batman: Beyond, the destruction of the Bat Family by the Joker when Tim was still Robin, while not badly done by any measure, does tend to limit storytelling in Gotham City a bit. Hence, I'm proposing that for any authors with the time and energy to do it, a virtual season of The New Batman Adventures.
This virtual season would be set between the end of the original TNBA and Superman: TAS: In other words before the formation of the Justice League. It would serve to fill in a few of the gaps in some of the backstories of JLU's characters and would also allow for the introduction of some new characters, from the DCU or elsewhere.
I would put together a general outline for the season (but would allow for other people to input their own ideas), and each author involved would take an "episode" of the season. There would be twelve-sixteen episodes in all, and if enough people wanted to continue it a second season would be done as well.
But let's talk about the first season, and the basic outline I've put together for it along with a few points of note:
Virtual Season 3: Knightfall
The Black Mask has masterminded a way to take over the city of Gotham City-The underworld. The only obstacle in his way is the Dark Knight, and with this in mind Black Mask comes up with a brilliant plan to weaken and then destroy Batman. Said plan is simple: He employs Bane, Clayface and his own men to break the security at Arkham Asylum and Stonegate and Blackgate Prisons, staging mass breakouts of every prisoner and costumed criminal into Gotham City.
Batman is almost overwhelmed by having to handle all of his enemies all at once. He manages to triumph over a large number of his foes, but the majority still escape and the GCPD is essentially waging open war in the streets to get the thugs contained. Batman manages to return home, only to meet Bane there-He had been following the Dark Knight's movements and had discovered the entrance to the Batcave. Simultaneously, Bane has discovered Batman's secret identity and in the very Cave itself they fight. Much as in the original comic, Bane breaks Batman's back. As he's about to finish Batman off, Nightwing arrives and manages to defeat Bane.
Now crippled and facing a long, arduous recovery, Bruce reluctantly asks Dick to take over the mantle of Batman and to deal with the even more chaotic and dangerous Gotham. Dick agrees, and alongside Tim they attempt to regain control of the city. However, they are immediately short-handed. Black Mask has contracted the assassin David Cain to kill Commissioner Gordon, and the good Commissioner barely survives, left in a coma. Harvey Bullock becomes the temporary police commissioner, and appoints Barbara Gordon as his third in command after Montoya. Bullock's reasoning is simple-Barbara is more than qualified for the post and having another Gordon in the PD is good for morale. Barbara is unable to turn it down, but realizing that this will leave Batman shorthanded, decides to do what she can to assist them.
To wit, she uses her skills in hacking and computers to create a command center in the GCPD where heroes and police can coordinate their efforts. She adopts the codename "Oracle" and her position as this coordinator is kept secret by heroes and police to prevent it from becoming public knowledge. Bullock is reluctant to do so but realizing the enormity of the task ahead of them, realizes that cooperation is the only way to go. They have a hell of a year ahead of them and they'll need all the help they can get to defeat Black Mask and for Bruce Wayne to once again become Batman.
I have a few ideas for this virtual season that we may or may not use, depending on how many people are interested:
-The Huntress and Black Canary debut, working as agents of Oracle thanks to Barbara's friendship with the two women outside of their masks.
-The animated Teen Titans would be brought into mainstream continuity, arriving in Gotham to assist Dick when a few superpowered criminals form an alliance to try and topple Black Mask and rule Gotham in the chaos.
-Cassandra Cain appears and later becomes the new Batgirl.
-Stephanie Brown appears in the guise of the Spoiler.
-Jason Todd appears, in the guise of the Teen Titans anti-hero Red X.
-Dick doesn't fool most of the Rogues, leading to the news that the old Batman is either dead or otherwise gone. At least one reaction to this is a number of Batman wannabes appearing, including the infamous AzBat.
-Selina Kyle tries to form a relationship with Batman without the masks.
-The Joker, thinking that the old Batman is well and truly dead, goes stark raving sane.
All of that is probably more than enough for one season, so there will be no shortage of ideas for writers who sign up for it. Keep in mind given how much schoolwork I have to do this semester I might just save this for next year. However, if enough people want to give it a shot, then full steam ahead.
This virtual season would be set between the end of the original TNBA and Superman: TAS: In other words before the formation of the Justice League. It would serve to fill in a few of the gaps in some of the backstories of JLU's characters and would also allow for the introduction of some new characters, from the DCU or elsewhere.
I would put together a general outline for the season (but would allow for other people to input their own ideas), and each author involved would take an "episode" of the season. There would be twelve-sixteen episodes in all, and if enough people wanted to continue it a second season would be done as well.
But let's talk about the first season, and the basic outline I've put together for it along with a few points of note:
Virtual Season 3: Knightfall
The Black Mask has masterminded a way to take over the city of Gotham City-The underworld. The only obstacle in his way is the Dark Knight, and with this in mind Black Mask comes up with a brilliant plan to weaken and then destroy Batman. Said plan is simple: He employs Bane, Clayface and his own men to break the security at Arkham Asylum and Stonegate and Blackgate Prisons, staging mass breakouts of every prisoner and costumed criminal into Gotham City.
Batman is almost overwhelmed by having to handle all of his enemies all at once. He manages to triumph over a large number of his foes, but the majority still escape and the GCPD is essentially waging open war in the streets to get the thugs contained. Batman manages to return home, only to meet Bane there-He had been following the Dark Knight's movements and had discovered the entrance to the Batcave. Simultaneously, Bane has discovered Batman's secret identity and in the very Cave itself they fight. Much as in the original comic, Bane breaks Batman's back. As he's about to finish Batman off, Nightwing arrives and manages to defeat Bane.
Now crippled and facing a long, arduous recovery, Bruce reluctantly asks Dick to take over the mantle of Batman and to deal with the even more chaotic and dangerous Gotham. Dick agrees, and alongside Tim they attempt to regain control of the city. However, they are immediately short-handed. Black Mask has contracted the assassin David Cain to kill Commissioner Gordon, and the good Commissioner barely survives, left in a coma. Harvey Bullock becomes the temporary police commissioner, and appoints Barbara Gordon as his third in command after Montoya. Bullock's reasoning is simple-Barbara is more than qualified for the post and having another Gordon in the PD is good for morale. Barbara is unable to turn it down, but realizing that this will leave Batman shorthanded, decides to do what she can to assist them.
To wit, she uses her skills in hacking and computers to create a command center in the GCPD where heroes and police can coordinate their efforts. She adopts the codename "Oracle" and her position as this coordinator is kept secret by heroes and police to prevent it from becoming public knowledge. Bullock is reluctant to do so but realizing the enormity of the task ahead of them, realizes that cooperation is the only way to go. They have a hell of a year ahead of them and they'll need all the help they can get to defeat Black Mask and for Bruce Wayne to once again become Batman.
I have a few ideas for this virtual season that we may or may not use, depending on how many people are interested:
-The Huntress and Black Canary debut, working as agents of Oracle thanks to Barbara's friendship with the two women outside of their masks.
-The animated Teen Titans would be brought into mainstream continuity, arriving in Gotham to assist Dick when a few superpowered criminals form an alliance to try and topple Black Mask and rule Gotham in the chaos.
-Cassandra Cain appears and later becomes the new Batgirl.
-Stephanie Brown appears in the guise of the Spoiler.
-Jason Todd appears, in the guise of the Teen Titans anti-hero Red X.
-Dick doesn't fool most of the Rogues, leading to the news that the old Batman is either dead or otherwise gone. At least one reaction to this is a number of Batman wannabes appearing, including the infamous AzBat.
-Selina Kyle tries to form a relationship with Batman without the masks.
-The Joker, thinking that the old Batman is well and truly dead, goes stark raving sane.
All of that is probably more than enough for one season, so there will be no shortage of ideas for writers who sign up for it. Keep in mind given how much schoolwork I have to do this semester I might just save this for next year. However, if enough people want to give it a shot, then full steam ahead.