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Guides - Releases - Blu-ray - The Complete Second Season

 
Street Date: 09/09/14
Closed Captioning: Yes
MSRP: $24.95
Packaging Type: Blue BD Case
Media Quantity: 2
Sound Track Language: English
Run Time: 560
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16x9)
Sound Quality: English (DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0)
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Braver. Bolder. Season two of Batman: The Brave and the Bold delivers more of the action you want, as the caped crusader continues to team up with heroes from across the DC Universe in this latest interpretation of the classic Batman franchise from Warner Bros. Animation. Featuring nonstop adventure with a touch of comic relief, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Aquaman and countless others uphold justice alongside Batman. Though still based in Gotham, Batman frequently finds himself outside city limits, facing situations that are both unfamiliar and exhilarating. With formidable foes at every turn, Batman must still rely on his stealth, resourcefulness and limitless supply of cool gadgets to bring justice home. With more action-packed antics and characters like Firestorm and Metal Men, season two features the voices of guest stars Julie Newmar (Batman), Adam West (Batman), Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series), Paul Reubens (Pee-wee's Playhouse) and Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris).

Episodes:

DISC #1
1 Death Race to Oblivion
2 Long Arm of the Law!
3 Revenge of the Reach!
4 Aquaman’s Outrageous Adventure!
5 The Golden Age of Justice!
6 Sidekicks Assemble!
7 Clash of the Metal Men!
8 A Bat Divided!
9 Super-Batman of Planet X!
10 The Power of Shazam!
11 Chill of the Night!
12 Gorillas In Our Midst!
13 The Siege of Starro! Part 1

DISC #2
14 The Siege of Starro! Part 2
15 Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!
16 The Last Patrol!
17 The Mask of Matches Malone!
18 Menace of the Madniks!
19 Emperor Joker!
20 The Criss Cross Conspiracy
21 Plague of the Prototypes!
22 Cry Freedom Fighters!
23 The Knights of Tomorrow!
24 Darkseid Descending!
25 Bat-Mite Presents: Batman’s Strangest Cases!
26 The Malicious Mr. Mind!

Review
by James Harvey:

After a strong initial outing, the second season of Batman: The Brave and The Bold not only improves upon its premise, but really starts to explore just how far they can far with it. And, after a long wait, all 26 episodes from the second season are now part of a nifty two-disc Blu-ray collection from Warner Archive. Since this review is meant to be focused more on the Blu-ray aspect of this release, I'll try to keep my thoughts on the show itself brief (more indepth thoughts are littered throughout this subsite).

There's something many critics call Batman: The Brave and The Bold - "fun" - and I can't think of a more apt description. And given how grim the source comcis and other interpretations have been as of late, this offers an excellent much-needed change of pace (though, honestly, the more serious take on Batman in Beware The Batman is also really fantastic). Whether you're new to the character or a long-time fan, this show has much to offer. There's plenty of action, flat-out hilarious moments, solid dialogue, and sophisticated humor with a host of in-jokes and nods for even the most die-hard Bat-fan to enjoy. Batman: The Brave and The Bold brings together and combines so many different influences, ultimately creating a truly unique Batman experience that pays homage to pretty much every interpretation of the character possible. And while the first season laid the foundation of what this show is all about, they took things a little further with the second season. Actually, I'd say this show gets a little more braver with it's concept this season. Look no further than episodes like "The Super-Batman of Planet X!," "Knights of Tomorrow!" (a personal favorite), or especially "Bat-Mite Presents: Batman's Strangest Cases!" That last episode is madcap insanity!

Batman: The Brave and The Bold gives us a Batman at his most heroic. He's a crime-fighter and hero first, putting himself out there with the best (or most obscure) of DC Comics. Heck, I'd even call this version of Batman the most "innocent," for lack of a better term, we've ever seen. Maybe even the most straight-forward. I'd hate to call the character one-dimensional here, but he has one drive, and that's to smash out evil with his "Hammers of Justice." But it's just so perfect here. While the show doesn't focus on the character's dark, brooding nature, that doesn't mean we're denied it. It's a part of him, but all of that is pushed to the back and, instead, we get Batman at his most...ideally heroic. There's more to it than that, yes, but here he's a super-hero through and through. The other heroes here look up to Batman for a reason, and we see it clear as day in each episode.

This Batman is a costumed adventurer who can crack wise with the best of them, a Batman who doesn't take himself too seriously. Lots of folks out there may think this isn't "their" Batman, but that honestly shouldn't stop anyone from giving this 'toon a whirl. There's plenty of action, some flat-out hilarious moments, solid dialogue, and plenty of in-jokes and nods for even the most die-hard Bat-fan to enjoy. Batman: The Brave and The Bold harkens back to a pre-"grim and gritty" Batman and it's actually a bit refreshing to see, in light of recent portrayals both on the big screen and the comics (both of which are still excellent in their own way, I should add). This version of Batman isn't better or worse than what came before, just a different take on a great character, and this cartoon is easily one of the best animated incarnations of our beloved Caped Crusader. And if you thought the first season was awesome, well, the second season really takes Batman: The Brave and The Bold to a whole new level.

The Blu-ray:

Released through the Warner Archive label from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Batman: The Brave and The Bold - The Complete Second Season features no bonus content whatsoever. However, this two-disc Blu-ray set includes probably the best audio/video transfer this cartoon has ever seen.

In terms of video, the quality is absolutely stunning. Any flaws to the transfer are barely noticeable, save for the odd banding here and there and some slight ghosting. Given the bright color palette of the series, and how susceptible that is to blemishes and assorted visual hiccups from poor mastering, the transfer looks absolutely remarkable in all its widescreen glory. Quite honestly, any flaws are likely due to the source material more than the actual mastering. The audio work done here is just as great. The 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is exactly what you'd want in a release such as this. The mix is very center-focused - understandable given the television nature of the series - but it still packs a wallop for your home entertainment system. Every explosion is beefy, every punch a stinger, every bit of clever dialogue clear and concise - it all sounds fantastic.

As I said above, there's no bonus content to be found, but that's almost to be expected at this point. Bonus content has become nearly non-existent on home video releases for these types of animated titles, something fans have grow begrudgingly used it. While it's a shame nothing is included, the sheer quality of the main feature should be more than enough to warrant a purchase. It is, actually. Although, with a little luck, maybe we'll finally get some bonus content for the next Blu-ray collection

Warner Archive has given one of the most fun cartoons in recent history a great release with Batman: The Brave and The Bold - The Complete Second Season. Given the current state of the home video market, I wouldn't wait to pick this release up, either. Get after it, already! This awesome action/comedy cartoon has never looked better, and it's a great alternative to some of the more grim offerings coming from the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line and DC Comics itself. Batman: The Brave and The Bold embraces the sheer insanity of these characters, and the DC Universe as a whole, and out of that we get this amazing love letter to arguably the best superhero ever created. In fact, things get even crazier this season with some of the most bizarre Batman stories ever animated! Fans of the series should pick this up as soon as possible - available through the Warner Archive website and most online outlets - and marvel in the sheer joyful lunacy of Batman: The Brave and The Bold - The Complete Second Season. Highly Recommended!

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