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Western Animation / The Adventures of Batman

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"The adventures of Batman with Robin, Boy Wonder! Batman and Robin, Dynamic Duo against crime and corruption, whose real identities as millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne and his young ward Dick Grayson are known only to Alfred, the faithful butler. Ever alert, they respond swiftly to a signal from the police, and moments later, from the secret Batcave deep beneath Wayne Manor, they roar out to protect life, limb and property as Batman and Robin, caped crimefighters! Batman and Robin, scourge of Gotham City's kooky criminals: The Joker, Clown Prince of Crime - The Penguin, pudgy purveyor of perfidy - and the cool, cruel Mr. Freeze! Watch out, villains, here come... Batman and Robin!"
Opening narration

Batman's first animated venture, a series by Filmation first airing on CBS. The episodes originally aired in 1968 as segments of The Superman/Batman Hour, and were repackaged as their own show the following year under the title Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder. In 2014, they were all released on DVD together under the title The Adventures of Batman.

As might be expected, the eponymous hero fights crime in Gotham City, assisted by Robin and sometimes Batgirl, encountering the classic rogues gallery (including The Joker, the Penguin, Riddler, Mr. Freeze, and Catwoman).

Batman and Robin were voiced by Olan Soule and Casey Kasem, who reprised their roles in the various incarnations of Super Friends as well as The New Scooby-Doo Movies (with Kasem playing both Robin and Shaggy in the latter show).

Succeeded in 1977 by The New Adventures of Batman, which instead had Adam West and Burt Ward reprising their roles from the live-action show.


This series provides examples of:

  • Canon Foreigner: Simon the Pieman is a new antagonist created for this show.
  • The Commissioner Gordon: The Trope Namer shows up of course. He's a bit younger-looking than usual, with red hair to match his daughter Barbara (Batgirl) and no moustache.
  • Epileptic Flashing Lights: Done with the opening's flat background primary colors.
  • Harmless Freezing: When Batman and Robin get frozen by Mr. Freeze.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: A pet cat that Catwoman sent to Batman and Robin as part of a plot against them, becomes loyal to the Duo and turns against Catwoman and helps defeat her.
  • An Ice Person: Mr. Freeze, of course.
  • Laughing Mad: The Joker punctuates every line with maniacal laughter. Likewise, the Penguin punctuates every line with a Burgess Meredith-esque laugh.
  • Limited Animation: A Filmation standard. For instance, when Bruce, Dick and Alfred are name-dropped in the intro, they just turn their heads or open their mouths.
  • More Deadly Than the Male: Catwoman is shown more ruthless and devious than all of Batman's other enemies here.
  • Pun: Too many bad ones to list.
  • Opening Narration: See the mouthful above.
  • Pungeon Master: Mr. Freeze uses tons of ice-themed puns... an inspiration for Joel Schumacher, perhaps?
  • Stock Footage: A Filmation standard, taken to an extreme when Batman and Robin launch themselves from the Batmobile in order to spend a minute on Stock Footage before returning to the Batmobile.

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