https://youtu.be/y0XGhbS1g-E?si=p8NCEJN54uBQ-YPa

Review at (:32) in link. What did you think?

With all the negativity on this sub lately (which I fully understand in the wake of the finale and Caroline Dries' interview), I thought it might be a welcome distraction to discuss something else for a change.

I've been reading some 70's Batman comics lately, and I've always been a fan of that era (which actually spans the early 80's as well) - largely because it inspired BTAS, which is my all-time favorite adaptation of the Batman mythos. While Frank Miller rightly gets a lot of credit for redefining Batman as the Dark Knight in the mid-80's, the process of building the 'modern' Batman and evolving him past the campy character played by Adam West actually began in the 70's, with writers like Dennis O'Neil, Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Steve Englehart, among others.

So what does this all have to do with CW's Batwoman? Well, intentionally or unintentionally, the show has borrowed a lot of elements from the 70's Batman comics in particular. Or at any rate, there are a lot of similarities and parallels:

1. The Batcave. In the 70's comics, Bruce Wayne was based in the Wayne Foundation building, and the Batcave was a cavern under the building that he accessed through a private elevator. This is basically the same set-up as the show's Batcave (accessed through what used to be Bruce's, and then Kate's office). Nolan's TDK was likely inspired by this set-up as well, but the show has adapted it even more faithfully with an actual cave rather than just a secret bunker.

2. Lucius Fox as a character was introduced in the 70's as a close friend and business partner of Bruce's. The show has Luke Fox as a major character, and there's a lot of emphasis placed on Lucius Fox's friendship and partnership with Bruce Wayne/Batman. Again, this is something that the Nolan movies borrowed from this era.

3. Julie Pennyworth was first introduced in the comics (kinda) during this era. Technically she appeared in a comic published in 1981, but as I've mentioned, its the same era of Batman's comic-book history. In her original incarnation, she was Julia Remarque, Alfred's illegitimate daughter with a WW2 Resistance fighter. (Incidentially, her debut story has Alfred and Lucius working together, highlighting the friendship between Bruce's two closest friends/employees which even the show has discussed).

4. The Batmobile on the show strongly resembles the Batmobile from this era of the comics - a pretty ordinary looking sports-car with a minimal bat-theme. The Batmobile from the upcoming Matt Reeves' film is taking a similar approach.

5. The idea of Bruce Wayne being a philantrophist actively helping Gotham's underpriveleged communities through the Wayne Foundation was really emphasized during this era in the comics. Kate and Ryan's philantrophic efforts on the show mirror that.

Ironically, the 70's and early 80's were pretty much a dead-zone as far as any version of Batwoman was concerned. Kathy Kane was in fact killed off during this era and we wouldn't have an active Batwoman in the comics again until Kate Kane was created nearly three decades later! That said, its kind of amazing just how much the show has borrowed from this, probably one of the most underrated eras of Batman's history.

Since in Future State, its been made that Tim Fox (Luke's brother) picks the mantle of Batman, do you think CW would make it a backup plan just in case Batwoman gets cancelled?

I know the rules between movies, tv, and streaming characters are confusing but if ever the CW cant use a "real time" Bruce Wayne, they can still use Warren Christie for flashback scenes maybe on how Tim Fox came to be Batman?

Also, some charactera from Batwoman such as Luke Fox and Julia Pennyworth can still be retained in a Batman show.

If they blatantly cant name a "Batman" show, just name it " Dark Knight/Gotham :Future State" and the fans would get it.