Batman and animation have gone together like peanut butter and chocolate for decades. The Caped Crusader might have the most animated series to his name of any other superhero out there, but the Dark Knight’s popularity doesn’t mean that every series with the Batman title is safe from the axe. If you’ve been following the streaming world, you know that various movies and television series have been removed in recent days. Unfortunately, a major Batman animated series has departed from HBO Max, and it might just be one of the most controversial in the lengthy history of Bruce Wayne.
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Beware the Batman was a Batman series that was one of the most dynamically different from the animated shows focusing on Gotham City before it. Premiering in 2013 on Cartoon Network, one of the big differences for this take on the Caped Crusader was the fact that it was made entirely using CG animation, making for quite a departure. Another major change that Beware the Batman had was the fact that it focused on lesser-seen villains from Gotham. Instead of focusing on the Joker, Two-Face, and the Scarecrow, the animated series focused on the likes of Professor Pyg, Magpie, Anarky, and Tobias Whale. Unfortunately, this unique Batman entry has disappeared from HBO Max, meaning that watching this show has become that much more difficult.
Why Did Beware The Batman End?
Beware the Batman had twenty-six episodes in its first season, finding itself nominated for several Daytime Emmy Awards during its run, leaving many to wonder why it never had the chance to continue this strange take on Gotham. While the series would eventually bring on the likes of Harvey Dent, R’as Al Ghul, Lady Shive, and other well-known comic book figures, this wasn’t enough to ultimately save it. An official reason was never given as to why Cartoon Network pulled the plug, though it did receive new life briefly, thanks to being made a part of Adult Swim following its premiere.
In recent years, amny animated series have garnered revivals years following their initial finales, with the likes of Futurama, King of the Hill, and Animaniacs being just a few examples. For Beware the Batman, it’s a pretty safe bet that we won’t be seeing this Dark Knight making a comeback any time soon. But fear not Caped Crusader enthusiasts, because the Batman has plenty of animated projects lying in wait.
In the future, Amazon’s Batman: Caped Crusader is set to return with its second season, more than likely focusing on the Joker, following his post-credits debut in this successful story. On the direct-to-video front, Batman will return in the animated films covering the Knightfall comic book storyline, which first introduced the villainous Bane and saw the anti-hero Azrael taking up the cowl. While Beware the Batman will most likely never return, Bruce Wayne isn’t going anywhere in the animated world.
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Image Courtesy of Toei Animation
