DC Studios and WB Animation revealed three new DC animated series in the works, including an Absolute Batman adaptation and a Joker anime!
During DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation presentation at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival this morning, the studio revealed their upcoming slate of animated projects from My Adventures with Green Lantern to Mister Miracle. On top of what we already knew, however, the studio revealed three new animated series for DC fans to get excited for: new Krypto series, their first “anime” series focused on the Joker, and an adaptation of Absolute Batman!
The initial details are, understandably, scarce at the moment. Even so, what we have is enough to get a lot of people excited. If you haven’t read any of the Absolute Batman comics, this will be a great way to get into this alternate take on the Dark Knight. It’s been a phenomenal read, and one of the main reasons I’ve gotten back into monthly comics in general.
Scott Snyder (the comic’s writer) is producing the series which is described as:
Absolute Batman boldly reinvents the Batman mythos for a new generation of fans, reimagining the Dark Knight as a working-class hero up against impossible odds (and the most terrifying foes ever), on a mission to prove that even in an era of wealth, power and corruption, one good person can change the world.
No manor, no money… all Batman. When you take away the manor, the money, the advantages, what you’re left with is something absolute.
Then there’s Joker: Laugh Riot coming from director Yasuhuro Aoki, which is described as the “first ever DC anime series” (though I could have sworn My Adventures With Superman was once described that way). I know it feels like we get tons of Joker stuff, and honestly when I heard about the news I wasn’t all that woohoo. The plot synopsis, however, has changed my tune and left me eager to see more:
When Batman is murdered, the Joker launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham’s underworld to find the killer who took away his greatest adversary. But as his violent quest for answers pushes him closer towards vigilante than villain, Joker is forced to confront the truth that without Batman, he doesn’t know who he is.
Yeah, there’s some interesting potential here and an entirely different approach to a familiar character. Consider me intrigued!
Lastly, they announced Krypto, which seems geared more towards the younger kids’ audience:
When he’s not hanging out with Superman or Supergirl, Krypto tags along with a gang of misfit criminal wannabes who live down the block, and they soon discover he’s a ball of destructive, lovable energy worse than any of them! As he follows them into misadventures and poorly laid plans, Krypto’s pure nature slowly ends up redeeming them, whether they want it or not.
It’s a pretty solid slate and with several things to look forward to already, DC animation is going strong. For the moment, there’s no word on when we might see these, or even what network/platform they’ll call home. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long to learn more about them.
