Chill of the Night!
Encyclopedia
Background
The episode is a re-telling of BatmanBatman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's origin story. Paul Dini
Paul Dini
Paul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
, who wrote the script for Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
, wrote the script for this episode. Michael Chang directed the episode. The episode first aired on April 9, 2010. People who voiced characters in Batman: The Animated Series returned to voice characters in this episode. Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
, who voiced Batman, voices the Phantom Stranger
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
. Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
, who voiced Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, voices Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
. Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
, who voiced Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
, voices Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is most famous for hiring Joe Chill to murder young Bruce Wayne's parents in early versions of Batman's origin story, thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
. Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
, who played Batman in the 1960s Batman television series, voices Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist...
. Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
, who played Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
in the 1960s Batman television series, voices Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
. There are more scenes that are in shadows than in previous episodes. The episode has images and sequences that are a homage to Batman: The Animated Series. Jim Aparo's Untold Legend of the Batman comic miniseries is the basis for this episode. Before the episode aired, Scott Thill of Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
said that this episode promises a return to Batman’s murderous darkness. In a video interview about this episode for Comic Book Movie, producer Michael Jelenic said that Paul Dini will be working on a third episode (the first one featured Bat-Mite
Bat-Mite
Bat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk...
).
Plot summary
The episode begins with the murder of Thomas WayneThomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist...
and his wife Martha
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
, while their young son Bruce looks on in horror. That night, Bruce tearfully swears to avenge his parents' death by battling crime. As he grows up, he studies criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
and martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, eventually becoming Batman. At the present day, The Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and The Phantom Stranger are debating about whether or not Batman would kill his parent's murderer, Joe Chill
Joe Chill
Joe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
, eventually deciding to wager on it.
Batman (disguised as a priest) learns from Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is most famous for hiring Joe Chill to murder young Bruce Wayne's parents in early versions of Batman's origin story, thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
, a dying gangster who ordered the hit on the Waynes, that the shooter's name is Joe Chill. Batman then heads to a bar to interrogate criminals about Chill's whereabouts. After Batman nearly kills a man he is interrogating, the Phantom Stranger restrains him, taking him back to the Halloween party that their parents attended, revealing the reason for Batman's costume. For a joyful moment, Batman sees his parents again and fights against thugs who show up to rob the party. However, it is revealed that one of the thugs, who held Martha hostage after the beating, was Chill. Racing after him, the Spectre appears before him, goading him to kill Chill. It is also revealed that because of Thomas and Batman's intervention of the robbery, Chill kills Batman's parents at Moxon's order, but things didn't go as planned when Chill also shot Martha, since Moxon had expected that Thomas's son still at least had a mother.
Returning to the Batcave, Batman finds Chill selling weapons to Batman's rogues gallery. Batman interrupts the sale, aiming at his target: Chill. Batman corners Chill in a room, disarming him and revealing that he is the son of Thomas Wayne. Batman has Chill at his mercy, but ultimately spares his life. Panicked, Joe Chill begs to the villains for protection against Batman, revealing that he is indirectly responsible for Batman's existence. Before Chill can reveal Batman's true identity, however, the villains turn on him in a blind rage (except the Joker, who owed him his thanks for creating Batman), resulting in a brawl that accidentally sets off the sonic laser he was trying to sell; the laser sends the ceiling crashing down on Chill, killing him. The Stranger says that he has won the wager, but mentions how convenient it was that Chill just happened to be under a collapsing ceiling. The Spectre smiles, and says that he "wouldn't know anything about that".
The episode ends with Batman encasing his father's bat costume and muttering, "Case closed..."
Reception
Joe Oesterle, of Mania, said that this episode ranks among the best of The Brave and the Bold, proving this show is as capable of presenting more than one version of Batman. Dan Phillips, of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, said that this episode is the best in the series. The founder of Batman-On-Film praised the episode for its cast.
Voice cast
- Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
- Bruce Wayne/Batman, Solomon GrundySolomon Grundy (comics)Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and... - Adam WestAdam WestWilliam West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
- Thomas WayneThomas WayneThomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist... - Julie NewmarJulie NewmarJulie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
- Martha Wayne - Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
- Phantom Stranger - Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
- Spectre - Richard MollRichard MollCharles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
- Lew Moxon, Two-Face - Jennifer HaleJennifer HaleJennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
- ZatannaZatannaZatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
, Poison Ivy - Jeff Bennett - Joker, Abra Kadabra, Mobster
- Zachary GordonZachary GordonZachary Adam Gordon is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films which are based on Jeff Kinney's #1 New York Times best seller Diary of a Wimpy Kid....
- Young Bruce Wayne - Peter OnoratiPeter Onorati-Biography:He was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey and attended Boonton High School. He attended Lycoming College, where he received his B.A. degree in Business Administration. He was an NCAA all-conference wide receiver, and signed up to play in the World Football League...
- Joe Chill