"Batwheels" Season One Talkback (Spoilers)

[RoyalRubble]

The new CGI preschool animated series, Batwheels premieres today on Cartoonito on HBO Max with a half-hour Special!

Batwheels

Series description: They are a team of incredible crimefighters who have banded together to oppose evil, combat crime and clean up the streets of Gotham City. They are…okay, they’re NOT Batman and Robin. They’re the Batwheels - an awesome group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin, and Batgirl.

Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (the Batmobile), the Batwheels - Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Redbird (Robin’s Sports Car), Batwing (the Batwing Jet Plane), and Buff (the Bat Truck) – must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super-team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. This relatable and aspirational series will follow the journey of this dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures as well as demonstrate to kids the value of self-confidence, friendship, and teamwork.

Cast: The all-star voice cast includes Ethan Hawke (as Bruce Wayne/Batman), Jacob Bertrand (as Bam), Gina Rodriguez (as Catwoman), Xolo Maridueña (as Snowy), Jordan Reed (as Redbird), Madigan Kacmar (as Bibi), Noah Bentley (as Buff), Lilimar (as Batwing), Kimberly D. Brooks (as The Batcomputer), Mick Wingert (as Moe and The Joker) AJ Hudson (as Duke Thomas/Robin), Leah Lewis (as Cassandra Cain/Batgirl), Griffin Burns (as Prank), Alexandra Novelle (as Jetstah), Josey Montana McCoy (as Quizz), Ariyan Kassam (as Ducky), SungWon Cho (as Badcomputer and The Riddler), Tom Kenny (as Crash), Chandni Parekh (as Harley Quinn), Jess Harnell (as The Penguin), Regi Davis (as Mr. Freeze) and James Arnold Taylor (as Toyman).

Crew: Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer. Michael G. Stern (Doc McStuffins) serves as co-executive producer, Simon J. Smith (Penguins of Madagascar) is supervising producer, and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. is the producer. Based on characters from DC, Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Animation services provided by Superprod Studio.

Batwheels - “Secret Origin of the Batwheels”
Debut - September 17, 2022 ("Batman Day") on Cartoonito on HBO Max
(Series premieres later this fall on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and Cartoonito on HBO Max)

When Batman, Robin, and Batgirl are captured, the Batcomputer brings the Bat-Vehicles to life. The newly-minted Batwheels must defend the Batcave and face off with the Legion of Zoom – all without Batman’s help!

Comments?

Mod Note: We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

Other relevant links:
"Batwheels" Animated Series News & Discussion Thread (Spoilers)
"DC League of Super-Pets" Theatrical Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
"Teen Titans Go! To The Movies" Theatrical Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
"The LEGO Batman Movie" Animated Release Talkback (Spoilers)
"Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs Mutants" Animated Release Talkback (Spoilers)
"Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem" Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
"Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts" Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
"Teen Titans Go!" Season Seven Talkback (Spoilers)
"DC Super Hero Girls" Season Two Talkback (Spoilers)
Batman: The Brave And The Bold "Death Race to Oblivion!" Talkback (Spoilers)
The Batman "RPM" Talkback (Spoilers)
Teen Titans "Revved Up" Talkback (Spoilers)
Teen Titans "Car Trouble" Talkback (Spoilers)
Batman Beyond "Joyride" Talkback (Spoilers)
Batman: TAS "The Mechanic" Talkback (Spoilers)

​

 

[Fone Bone]

Batwheels "Secret Origin Of The Batwheels"

Has anybody mentioned how pleasingly colorful the animation is? For some reason, CGI superhero shows all look so damn drab. With the exception of The Incredibles, the medium seems to really take the color out of the costumes and gimmicks. Probably because for most animated action series, they go for a bit of a realistic feel regarding costumes, direction, and lighting. This feels very much like a colorful cartoon instead of trying to be realistic. Which is good.

I'm not happy about the idea that the Bat-Team itself is not allowed to be aware of the cars being alive. It seems like the kind of lame conceit that was only really necessary when superhero storytelling was less advanced. It seems silly (not to mention pointless) in 2022.

DC is not a franchise that easily lends itself to preschool audiences. I don't think this show is as good as Krypto The Superdog. But it's definitely better than Shea Fontana's version of DC Superhero Girls. I liked the first episode. ***1/2.

Batwheels "Meet The Batwheels"

Cute music video. ***1/2.

 

[Frontier]

I genuinely appreciated how vibrant and colorful the animation was in this! It really made the character designs and action very eye-catching and pleasant to watch .

I'm curious to see the balance between the human side and the vehicle side. Obviously the vehicles are the main characters, but we still had a human sub-plot here and we also have the heroes fending off the human villains on-top of the secret war between the Batwheels and the Legion of Zoom. Not to mention the question of how long the humans will remain oblivious to their vehicles being sentient .

I can believe Batgirl has a license to ride that bike, but is Robin really old enough to drive ?

I'm still amazed they got Ethan Hawke voicing Batman in this, but his Batman is...okay? Some of his deadpan delivery was humorous, but it felt like he was channeling Diedrich Bader's Batman here. Which made me want to hear Diedrich Bader .

The only human villains we didn't see in this episode were Catwoman and Toyman, but considering they don't have sentient vehicles or main vehicles attached to them, I'm curious what their gimmicks will be .

I find it kind of hilarious that DC/WB media have made such a push to make Harley more independent from Joker and more of an anti-hero and in the same week as the finale of a HQ cartoon where that was on full display we have her showing up in a preschool cartoon as an out-and-out villain and flirting with Joker. DC/WB trying to have their cake and eat it too .

It's nice to see Cassandra Cain and Duke Thomas in prominent roles here...even if you could have had them be Barbara Gordon or Dick Grayson and it probably wouldn't change much, and in fact make more sense in Batgirl's case. Their dynamic kind of reminded me of Batgirl and Robin's dynamic in The Batman .

Duke has never ridden in a limo? So, like...is he not Bruce Wayne's ward or...?

It's weird to have a Batman cartoon where Alfred doesn't appear at all. Like, you'd think he'd hear all the havoc in the Batcave and come on down. I wonder if they're going to mention him at all...same with Commissioner Gordon, but I guess it would be weird to see him in a show where his daughters' not Batgirl .

Crash breaking into the Batcave reminded me of DAVE. Another The Batman reference .

Man, they're just casually throwing out sentient machines like it's no tomorrow .

It's interesting that the Batcomputers' motherboard can effectively grant life to machines, but instead of being tethered to BC's personality it seems to bring out the inherent personality of the vehicle, some of which are derived from the person who rides it .

I think Batgirl looks better with her helmet on than with the bat-eared hairband. It must be because she lacks a cowl otherwise .

The Batwheels' personalities are typical for a kid-oriented team show...the youthful and enthusiastic rookie leader (Bam), the baby of the bunch (Redbird), the active and energetic girl (BiBi), the big softie (Buff), and the sassy and sarcastic one (Wing), but they're all executed fairly well here .

Ah, the classic lesson of choosing the right opponents to face off against...and who would've been the obvious match-ups if they'd thought for two seconds .

 

[RoyalRubble]

Check out new Batwheels! New episodes premiere today on Cartoon Network, starting at at 9:00 a.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for re-runs and also keep in mind the episodes are scheduled to debut on HBO Max the day after airing on TV.

Batwheels “Stop That Ducky”
Debut - October 17, 2022

After snagging an ultra-fuel-cell upgrade, Penguin's Ducky Boat suddenly becomes the fastest vehicle in Gotham City. Confident leader Bam must rally the Batwheels to stop the turbo-Ducky!

Batwheels “Buff's BFF"
Debut - October 17, 2022

When Buff befriends Mr. Freeze's snowcrawler Snowy, the other Batwheels bristle at the thought of hanging out with a "bad guy... " so Buff sets out to change their minds.

Batwheels “Up in the Air"
Debut - October 17, 2022

After he causes the Batwing to crash, Bam becomes obsessed with making it up to her during a high-stakes aerial mission against Penguin and his giant ducky blimp.

Batwheels “Bibi's Do-Over"
Debut - October 17, 2022

Everyone is ecstatic when Bibi, Batgirl, and Robin capture Toyman and his Do-Over remote - except for Bibi, who failed to stick the landing on a big jump. Unwilling to accept her failure, Bibi uses Toyman's Do-Over remote until she perfects her jump!

Batwheels “Sidekicked to the Curb"
Debut - October 17, 2022

When Bam is sent to take on Prank, Redbird is forced to hang back because The Joker's van is too dangerous! When Bam discovers that Redbird secretly tagged along, he's upset... until Redbird bails him out of a tight spot.

Batwheels “Keep Calm and Roll On"
Debut - October 17, 2022

After Jestah's insults get the best of her, a short-tempered Bibi tries to not let the big-wheeled bully's words get to her so she can help Batgirl catch Harley.

Batwheels “Bam's Upgrade"
Debut - October 17, 2022

Feeling neglected after being passed over on missions, Bam asks MOE to install experimental upgrades to curry Batman's favor. But, when Bam's new powers are stronger than he can control, Batman - and the mission - are suddenly in danger!

Batwheels “Spooky Batcave"
Debut - October 17, 2022

Comments?

Mod Note: We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!​

 

[Yojimbo]

For the record, Spooky Batcave was just a short that aired at the end of the 2 hour airings.

Episodes range in the 10-11 min. range as some of us thought.

 

[Fone Bone]

Batwheels "Stop That Ducky!"

The episode is very poorly written but I like that the show's animation is so colorful. We need more colorful superhero cartoons. Even if they are for preschoolers. **1/2.

Batwheels "Buff's BFF"

Interesting concept, somewhat hamfisted execution.

The song was clearly a tribute to the theme from The Courtship Of Eddie's Father.

I love Batman saying "The puns aren't actually funny. You know that right?" to Mr. Freeze.

Sort of cute. ***.

Batwheels "Up In The Air"

The show dealt with Bam feeling worried about mistakes and his leadership skills in the Pilot, and them going back to that already say that as far as preschool shows go, this one isn't going to be reinventing the wheel (so to speak).

I liked the Hamilton reference. That musical is BIG if it's spoofed on preschool cartoons.

I also think it's funny that Batman believes walking the plank is a cliche.

I feel like the series is already starting to get into a rut. And it's episode 4. **1/2.

Batwheels "Bibi's Do-Over"

Toyman, huh?

It sucked. And I'll tell you why. The interesting thing about the Groundhog Day scenario is it's out of the hero's control. The fact that Bibi can start and stop it whenever she wants robs not only any urgency from the premise, but it also makes it super boring. *.

Batwheels "Sidekicked To The Curb"

I thought most of the episode was boring but I dug the ending where Batman told the Joker he was funny, because it was said in a very ironic way. I thought that was interesting even if the rest of the episode wasn't. It was only okay. **1/2.

Batwheels "Keep Calm And Roll On"

I don't much like this version of Harley Quinn. **.

Batwheels "Bam's Upgrade"

Is Batman actually stupid? Because "I don't remember installing these upgrades," is something a stupid person would say.

I DID like Batman grousing that Superman needs to clean up his own Metropolis headaches upon seeing Toyman.

I think it's kind of neat that the waves of waters and the lights in the characters' eyes look 2-D hand-drawn animated, while the rest of the show is CGI. It's a very eye-popping look.

So-so episode. **1/2.

Batwheels "Spooky Batcave"

This reminds me exactly of something the Pixar Cars franchise would do. That is not a compliment on my end. *.

 

[RoyalRubble]

​

Batwheels “Bam's Bubble Trouble”
Debut - October 31, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT on the Cartoon Network

An errant piece of bubblegum stuck inside Bam threatens to blow up Batman's chance at stopping Joker on a fast-paced mission through the Gotham streets.

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Mod Note: We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Yojimbo]

This one turned out to be a short, not an episode, that aired around 10:29 am and was about 2 min., 25 seconds give or take.

 

[Fone Bone]

Little catch-up on the Meet The Batwheels Shorts:

Meet The Batwheels "Calling All Batwheels"

It's not exactly a good song, but it's a total earworm, which I have mixed feelings about. I wouldn't if it were a good song. **1/2.

Meet The Batwheels "Bam!"

I liked the song. ***1/2.

Meet The Batwheels "Buff Tuff"

I really disliked the obnoxious song here. It's not just country. It's BAD country. **.

Meet The Batwheels "Faster"

The song reminded me a little bit of the cartoon theme song to Sonic X. ***.

Meet The Batwheels "Fly"

The pop music in these videos is pretty generic. ***.

Meet The Batwheels "Robin's Ride"

Sort of cute but I think the song is kind of bland. ***.

Meet The Batwheels "Bam's Bubble Trouble"

Don't get me wrong, Ethan Hawke is a great Batman. I just wonder what the point is of casting such a big name in a preschool show. ***1/2.

 

[RoyalRubble]

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Batwheels “Redbird's Bogus Beach Day”
Debut - November 7, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

Redbird gets excited when he learns that Batman and Robin are taking him and Bam for a drive up the coast! But when The Joker and his van Prank show up unexpectedly and ruin Redbird's beach day plans, Bam helps him realize that even though things didn't go exactly as planned, they still had a great day!

Batwheels “Cave Sweet Cave”
Debut - November 7, 2022 at 10:15 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

After The Joker floods the Batcave, the Batwheels evacuate and relocate to a nearby parking garage. As they adapt to their temporary home, they learn important lessons about family and making the most of what you have.

Comments?

Mod Note: We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Yojimbo]

Redbird's Bogus Beach Day

Really leaned into inspiration from the Batman '66 surfing episode for better or for worse.

Cave Sweet Cave

So Batman assumed Joker escaped from jail and was playing a prank on the city without checking prison logs first? Kind of an abrupt ending like some of the past ones. But at least we know Aquaman is around, too.

 

[Fone Bone]

Batwheels "Redbird's Bogus Beach Day"

The "Bat Surfing" song was atrocious.

On the plus side, it's nice not having to deal with the obnoxious Damian as Robin. Refreshing, actually. **1/2.

Batwheels "Cave Sweet Cave"

That song was... not good.

Does Superman even say "Up, up and away!" anymore?

The Joker goes to jail on this show instead of Arkham. Good. Arkham actually works my last nerve. It will be nice not having to deal with it for a continuity.

So-so. **1/2.

 

[RoyalRubble]

​

Batwheels “Scaredy-Bat”
Debut - November 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

When Batman refuses to engage The Joker in a race, Prank goads Bam into a rematch. Can Bam learn not to give in to the bully's dares and take the high road?

Batwheels “Riddle Me This”
Debut - November 14, 2022 at 10:15 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

After struggling to solve a riddle from Riddler's helicopter Quizz, Redbird must learn to speak up and share his ideas with the Batwheels if they hope to figure out the villain's true scheme.

Comments?

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[Fone Bone]

Batwheels "Scaredy-Bat"

It was all right but the toddler moral grated a little. I mean, yeah, this is a toddler show, but still. ***.

Batwheels "Riddle Me This"

Not impressed at all.

The "Wrong" riddle was ridiculously easy, so even on the one in a million chance Quiz had never heard it (unlikely to say the least) he should have still solved it. He claims it's no fair and a cheat. And that's not true. It's an easy riddle, but it's a fair one, and self-evident, which is what all riddles should be.

If I had to pick any aspect of The Arrowverse making its way out and being popularized in the larger DC Multiverse, the appearances of Big Belly Burger would not have been my first choice.

Weak episode. Roland Deschain from The Dark Tower, an expert in riddles, would not think it was any great shakes. **.

 

[Yojimbo]

If I had to pick any aspect of The Arrowverse making its way out and being popularized in the larger DC Multiverse, the appearances of Big Belly Burger would not have been my first choice.

Voice credit of the worker indicates the food truck is "Batty Burger." Or was there an actual Big Belly Burger building that I missed?

 

[Fone Bone]

Voice credit of the worker indicates the food truck is "Batty Burger." Or was there an actual Big Belly Burger building that I missed?

They referred to it as Belly Burger in the episode. It may have been a last minute joke and the credits not adjusted.

 

[Yojimbo]

They referred to it as Belly Burger in the episode. It may have been a last minute joke and the credits not adjusted.

Hmm.. yep, he asked for "two big belly bacon breakfast burgers" at the 7:43 mark. Shrug.

 

[Frontier]

Big Belly Burger is actually from the comics, I believe.

 

[Yojimbo]

Big Belly Burger is actually from the comics, I believe.

Yeah, it started out as a pastiche of Burger King in late 80s Superman comics. In fact, I'm pretty sure in the comics they had a mascot/spokesperson who matches up to the face seen on the food truck in this episode further confirming it's a Big Belly reference.

 

[RoyalRubble]

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Batwheels “Zoomsday”
Debut - November 21, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

The Legion of Zoom is tired of always losing. They decide to take a page from the Batwheels and try using teamwork to pull off a daring heist. But will they be able to work together?

Batwheels “Rev and Let Rev”
Debut - November 21, 2022 at 10:15 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network/Cartoonito

Redbird sacrifices his stealth muffler tech to sound as loud as the other Batwheels - but his modifications backfire when Robin needs his stealthy skills to catch the elusive Catwoman, voiced by Gina Rodriguez.

Comments?

Mod Note: We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!