Batman team-ups with a smile

On Friday, November 14, the latest Batman animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, debuts on Cartoon Network. Aimed at younger audiences than previous shows (even younger than the recent The Batman), this series features a less stern Batman acting as a mentor and leader to various heroes throughout the DC universe, most notably, the new Blue Beetle. You can catch a sneak peek of the series on Cartoon Network's website, and read profiles of the initial set of heroes here. The first group also includes Aquaman, Plastic Man, Red Tornado and Green Arrow.

Here's how supervising producer James Tucker describes the show's demographic and approach:

The target audience for The Brave and the Bold is broadly based. Nevertheless, it works demographically for 6-15 and still appeals to the hard-core comic/animation fan. In addition, of course, we're making it so that anyone who enjoys comic books/ superheroes and is a "kid at heart" will get something out of it. This is just the version of Batman that has been in the comics from shortly after his creation up until some of the darker, grittier versions of his character appeared in the late '80s and onward. Typically, people start telling the story from where his parents are murdered. That's not suitable for what is deemed children's entertainment. This version signals a return to a more innocent time. Batman is a crime fighter and hero first. As a result, Batman can be ironic ­ he can show more sides of himself than if he's just brooding, being gruff and distant to his usual cast of characters. He simply has to be more approachable for the premise of this show to work. Otherwise, why would anyone even bother to work with him? It's pretty much the Batman from the Brave and the Bold comics I read as a kid.

The first episode, "Rise of the Blue Beetle," features both Green Arrow and the Blue Beetle (the Jamie Reyes version, currently appearing in the comics, voiced by Batman Beyond's Will Friedle), whose origin is recounted in the episode. The heroes face JLA space villain Kanjar Ro, seen in the clip.