Batman: Caped Crusader is receiving a lot of praise for the fresh take that it has taken on Batman’s mythology. The 1940’s setting of the show takes the Dark Knight back to his roots, but also brings his modern mythology with it.
The show is being helmed by Bat-alums, Bruce Timm and James Tucker, both of whom have been responsible for some of the most influential interpretations of the Caped Crusader in animated form (Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Brave and The Bold respectively.)
However while both the Bat-veterans have been able to deliver another banger of an iteration of the Batman, the initial pitch was actually to go back and make more Justice League Unlimited.
Bruce Timm wanted more Justice League Unlimited, but James Tucker could not go beyond Batman
Bruce Timm was very interested in reviving the Justice League Unlimited Animated series. Unlike Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Timm thought that Justice League Unlimited had more to explore and offer to fans with a revival, given that there was still a slew of characters that had yet to cross paths with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
However, James Tucker had a very different idea about the show, circling back to Batman. Bruce Timm, in conversation with The Television Academy, said:
He had an ulterior motive for it. He didn’t tell me at the time, but it was like, “I hear what you’re saying, but if you had a chance to go back, aren’t there things you wanted to do with the show that you couldn’t do back then, either because of broadcast standards and practices, or because the show evolved away from where you originally did it?”
The original spin that Bruce Timm ended up going with was a noir, 1940s setting that explored Batman without any of his fancy gadgets. Gone was the Bat-tech that allowed Bruce to stay one step ahead of his peers and foes. This Bruce Wayne only had Alfred and 40s technology to help him fight crime in the streets of Gotham.
Justice League Unlimited deserves the X-Men ’97 treatment
X-Men ’97 was a grand success for Marvel, given that the show was able to bring the same level of charm and wit that it had during its initial run. What makes the show even more fun is that going forward, it might be free to delve into what the comics introduced into the X-Men mythos after the show went off the air, such as the Snikt family.
Justice League Unlimited stopped airing in 2006, which was more than a decade and a half ago. Since then, some interesting things have been done with the League which could make for some great television. The show, along with bringing up some original content, could adapt plotlines like Dark Knights of Steel in its own way. This would not only get fans back in the groove of the show but would also introduce newer fans to one of the greatest pieces of superhero media. \
Batman: Caped Crusader can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video
X-Men ’97 can be streamed on Disney+
