Some viewers are enjoying Batman: Caped Crusader, but skepticism of its quality is maintained by others who are among YouTube’s most vocal – and in some cases theatrical – critics. One of them has seen his skepticism rewarded and not in a good way.
Scooper and cultural critic Diktor Van Doomcock gave the new animated show a chance and almost instantly regretted it. After seeing the first episode, the “future ruler of Earth” was left with no glimmer of hope that the rest of it would be anything but woke.
The first thing he called out was Alfred’s weight as Bruce’s faithful butler looked portlier than he has in other incarnations. DVD says in his analysis that this subtle change is pandering to body positivity and added maybe Alfred’s name should change from Pennyworth to “Poundworth.”
He then criticized the switch of Commissioner Gordon and Barbara to black which would not make sense in an authentic 1940s setting. Rampant discrimination of the time prevented people of color from ascending to such high positions in public service for the most part, against all odds and happenstances.
But what really took the cake – and possibly away from Alfred – was the inexplicable addition of a Penguin who appears to be female, which Doomcock wasn’t so sure about. He speculated that this bird might be trans and the father of her “children” rather than the mother.
The episode (written by Greg Rucka) never clears up this question – but things only worsen when Batman fights the umbrella wielder. Their bout, which is too even-handed, makes it seem as if the pointy-eared Crusader is holding back in a counterproductive inaction that has dire consequences.
Though he had ample opportunity to stop her, Penguin manages to fire a howitzer at Police HQ that blows sky high, killing dozens, all because Batman refused to punch “a they/them.”
Doomcock laments the potential Caped Crusader showed in its opening montage and first few scenes where Batman is getting down to Batman things – investigating spooky corridors and snatching criminals in clouds of gas and fog. What the show turned into by the end was more of “a woke parody of the real thing,” he says.
YouTube’s resident Overlord may continue watching to review more episodes, but nothing is compelling him to anymore, which is unfortunate timing. He didn’t even get to the Asian Harley Quinn’s lesbian make-out session.
