Batman: The Animated Series is arguably one of the best animated comic book shows of all time, boasting a nearly perfect mixture of action, detective sleuthing, and hard-hitting noir. Batman has evolved mightily over the years since The Animated Series first aired, and with rumors of a new series coming to HBO Max, there exists the question of which new elements could and should make it onto the show. Luckily, an answer for that question already exists: Batman: The Adventure Continues by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, and Ty Templeton, a digital first comic series, is the perfect blueprint for what the rebooted show could be.
Batman: The Animated Series debuted in 1992 and ran for four seasons ending in 1995. In its three year run the show brought the world of Batman to life in a brand new way. Gone were the familiar styles of comics past; instead, Gotham City was a mixture of gothic architecture, classic American noir imagery, and impossible technology. Gotham's dark red sky was the perfect backdrop for the Caped Crusader to combat its criminal underworld. Batman fought classic foes such as The Joker, Two-Face, and Catwoman but also characters original to the series such as Calendar Girl, Red Claw, and the famous Harley Quinn.
With the announcement of a new animated series debuting on HBO Max the need for fresh material and content is paramount. An excellent source to base the new series off of is the Batman: The Adventure Continues digital comic. Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, both writers for the comic, also acted as writers, editors, and producers for Batman: The Animated Series. If ever there was a need for authenticity to the original show, Batman: The Adventure Continues is a perfect choice.
Credentials and pedigree aside, Batman: The Adventures Continue contains content that simply didn't exist during the run of the original show. A prime example is Jason Todd as Red Hood. Jason Todd has existed in the Batman mythos for a very long time but his identity as Red Hood is still relatively new in comparison. The exploration of the dynamic between Batman and Jason was thrilling in the comic and having an entire arc dedicated to them in the new show would be amazing.
Another character that was never utilized in the original show is the infamous mercenary, Deathstroke. While Deathstroke became a prime villain for Dick Grayson's Nightwing in his tenure with the Teen Titans, the villain never ventured into the dark alleys of Gotham City in the animated series. His presence in The Adventures Continue is wonderful and acts as another great addition to Batman's adventures. His story marries all of the action and intrigue that made the original series a widespread favorite among comic book fans.
Even if the new animated series was to be a one-to-one recreation of The Adventures Continue it would still be worth watching. There have been many different Batman animated series over the years but none have had the same impact as the original. The Animated Series wasn't just serialized action sequences for action's sake. Batman didn't just punch bad guys that were robbing a bank; he didn't just use wacky gadgets and swing around from rooftop to rooftop; Batman: The Animated Series had action, yes, but it was offset with genuine moments of suspense and drama. With an assortment of Femme fatales, flashbacks, unorthodox camera angles, the contrasting of bright light and deep shadows, Batman: The Animated Series was an exploration of classic American film noir that raised the bar for superhero storytelling.
Batman: The Adventures Continue is a return to the Gotham City many fans grew up watching. To reboot the series is asking fans of the original show to expect the same standard of quality they experienced before. If that standard isn't delivered, if the experience doesn't add up, then the show will suffer for it. Rose-colored glasses can be tricky to remove, but if the new show uses The Adventures Continue as its source material, or in the very least a launching pad, then there would be very little to mar the experience. Alan Burnett and Paul Dini have brought their expertise back in their new comic and it would be a criminal shame if the new show doesn't take advantage of their talent.