Over 30 years after it made its debut, Batman: The Animated Series remains the gold standard by which all small-screen Batman adaptations are judged. That series, and the larger DC animated universe that spun out of it, have now ended, but the story continues on in a variety of forms. Now, the story of Batman’s most infamous foes and their struggle for control of Gotham City is coming into your home — and you’ll control who wins.
Upper Deck is releasing Batman: Enemies of Gotham City later this year. A new board game inspired by Batman: The Animated Series, Enemies of Gotham City allows players to choose one of twelve iconic Bat-villains, each with their own special skills and weaknesses, and vie for control of Gotham’s gangland. You’ll need to raise cash by committing crimes, battle each other for supremacy, and avoid that pesky Batman to avoid being hauled off to Arkham Asylum. While the game’s release date has not yet been announced, you can sign up on UpperDeck.com and be the first to know.
What Is ‘Batman: The Animated Series’?
Inspired by the success of Tim Burton‘s Batman and Batman Returns, Batman: The Animated Series was the flagship series of Fox’s nascent children’s animation block. Created by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm, and developed by Timm, Paul Dini, and Mitch Brian, the series took a noir-tinged look at Batman’s world, making Gotham City a timeless blend of Art Deco aesthetics and modern technology. Voice director Andrea Romano assembled an all-star cast, including Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as the Joker, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred, while composer Shirley Walker‘s score gave each episode a cinematic feel. The series reinvented several Bat-foes, including Mr. Freeze, and created others out of whole cloth, including the Joker’s now-iconic moll Harley Quinn. While the series ended in 1995, Batman’s story continued in a number of animated spin-offs and sequels, including Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Batman Beyond.
The series was sufficiently successful that it spawned a big-screen spin-off, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Debuting in theaters on Christmas Day 1993, the film told two parallel tales of Batman’s early days and a present-day encounter with a deadly menace from his past; while not a great success in theaters, the film found its audience over time, and is now considered one of the best, if not the best, on-screen depictions of the Dark Knight.
Batman: Enemies of Gotham City will be released later this year.
via Collider