The new Cartoon Network/HBO Max series Batwheels is a broadly silly all-ages series, bringing the Caped Crusader to Pre-Schoolers with a series that gives personality to some of Batman's most famous tools -- namely, the vehicles he and the Bat-Family utilize. While the show features some pretty appealing takes on classic characters (and finding starring roles for underutilized characters like Duke Thomas and Cassandra Cain), Secret Origin of the Batwheels is really driven by the cast of talking cars.
A stylish and silly take on Gotham City, Secret Origin of the Batwheels isn't the most complex adaptation of the Dark Knight. But for younger audiences who want to see the DC version of Cars, it's a solid execution of a cute idea that succeeds thanks to a committed cast, bright animation, and a pure commitment to the concept. The world of Batwheels is a cartoonish and colorful take on the classic Batman mythos -- with the titular Dark Knight already having a firm hold on Gotham City by the beginning of the series.
Batman (Ethan Hawke), Robin (AJ Hudson), Batgirl (Leah Lewis), and the rest of the team utilize impressive vehicles to contend with their enemies. But when the Bat-Family goes missing and the robotic Crash (Tom Kenny) breaks into the Bat-Cave, the sentient Bat-Computer aka BC (Kimberly Brooks) convinces Batman's A.I. assistant Moe (Mick Wingert) to inset powerful motherboards into the Bat-Mobile -- giving it sentience.
The newly dubbed Bam (Jacob Bertrand) soon recruits other vehicles like Redbird (Jordan Reed), Bibi (Madigan Kacmar), Buff (Noah Bentley), and Batwing (Lilimar) to stop the newly activated Legion of Zoom. The group of villain's vehicles were given the same upgrades and are working for a mysterious new threat that seeks to improve itself by replacing the Bat-Computer and escaping its current body -- a sports arena scoreboard. The show is very aware of what it is and who it's aimed at and deserves some recognition for being a fun execution of that concept.
Batwheels is the first preschool-targeted Batman series. The franchise typically skews darker (even in other light-hearted takes like The LEGO Batman Movie or Batman: Brave & the Bold). But the cartoon works well for its intended purpose, creating a cast of fun but recognizable characters out of the typical Bat-Vehicles. The show's reliance on colorful and comedic vehicles recalls Pixar's Cars at times, especially in the designs and expressive animation for the vehicles. The stylish designs of this Gotham -- perfectly simplified for younger audiences -- are appealing and silly in exactly the right way to work with the general premise. Especially once the show fully embraces its premise and delves into wordplay-heavy slapstick combat between the talking cars.
The action is slapstick and full of puns, the comedy is broad and overtly silly, and the show as a whole operates on a sweet sense of fun and adventure. Secret Origin of Batwheels gets a lot of mileage out of the appealing and cartoonish design work, utilizing expressive animation and a voice cast that's clearly enjoying itself -- up to and including Ethan Hawke, who plays Batman with a perfect level of genuine optimism and "exhausted Dad" energy. It's not the most revolutionary show in the world, nor is it the most complex take on Batman and his supporting cast. But for a series targeted to young audiences who happen to love cool cars, silly cartoons, and Batman, it's a perfectly fun show to delve into.
Secret Origin of the Batwheels debuts on HBO Max's Cartoonito block on Saturday, Sept. 17, and the series will come to Cartoon Network later this year.