Batman kicks butt on DVD

To say "Batman: The Animated Series" was the best produced cartoon in the history of animation is something of an understatement. How can you compare Batman to Bugs Bunny or even the Simpsons? It simply cannot be compared to other animated shows because it is like nothing else. The show reveals Batman in his purest form, taken straight from the pages of the classic DC comic books. \nThe DVD includes commentary by the original producers on two episodes and a short featurette recounting the genesis of the series including interviews with the producers. While the DVD does not have much in the way of extras, the episodes are enough to make it stand on its own. Essential episodes of the 28 total include the origins of Clayface, Mr. Freeze and Two Face, several episodes with the Joker (voiced by Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill) and the original pilot episode that began the series. \nThe animation is dark and vivid, the stories are absorbing and even eerie at times and the notorious villains truly bring the show to life. Throughout its run in the '90s, "Batman: The Animated Series" was nominated for 22 Emmys and won six. It has become a cult classic and spawned numerous spin-offs, but none will ever come close to the original. This is Batman at his best. Hopefully, there will be more episodes to come.