Firstly let me say that this new Batman cartoon is obviously aimed a target audience younger than myself. I think it’s fair to point this out right away just in case I judge the show too harshly on certain points. With that said I think that DC and Warner Bros. hit one out of the park with this show.

The voice acting is a good deal lighter compared to Warner Bros. landmark Batman the Animated Series, but there are some cool similarities. Batman still has the meanest left hook in all of animation, with action that reminds me of the old FOX show. The plot was surprisingly well thought out making for a rousing story about parallel worlds which is a hard subject to tackle in a thirty minute cartoon.

The evil Crime Syndicate is the polar opposites of Batman’s heroic cast of characters. They have conquered their world and have now set their sights on Batman’s world. That’s in small part to the last remaining hero from the Crime Syndicates world The Red Hood (the original persona for the Joker). The Hood finds a way to travel to other earths and seeks out Batman for aid. He is stopped by the Syndicate which brings Owlman (fans of DC comics will recognize the character) into direct contact with Batman.

The first episode is very funny as Batman poses as Owlman in an effort to stop the Syndicate. The Red Hood looks like the Joker but is noble and heroic; something that DC toyed with just recently to a similar degree (read Countdown). Like I mentioned earlier the action is what really makes this show and there is no shortage of it. Kids should love this cartoon, and while it is a bit violent parents should feel fine letting their kids watch the heroic Batman save the day.

The second episode is truly inspired for two reasons, it only makes sense that Owlman would escape from Batman’s cell where he left him. The fact that they made use of a plot thread was really refreshing. The second reason was I got to see the Joker for the first time in all his evil genius glory. A cross between Cesar Romero and Mark Hamill’s classic rendition, he has the flair for the dramatic that I like so much and of course he’s a total scene stealer. The best part of this second episode was the Batman death defying death trap flashback sequence the Joker has when he gets to see the Batcave.

Seeing Joker and Batman team up was classic for the time it lasted, the show is simply a lot of fun.

To be honest I’ve avoided watching this show since its inception but now I have to rethink that, this is a great show to watch with your kids.