It has been quite a week for DC fans. A new Season 2 trailer for Batman: Caped Crusader dropped, the latest Supergirl movie is about to land in cinemas, and now, out of the Annecy Animation Festival, comes word of something else entirely. DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation are bringing three brand new comic book animated series our way. They include an adaptation of Scott Snyder's fan-favourite Absolute Batman comics, an anime series centred on the Clown Prince of Crime, and a family friendly show built around Krypto The Superdog.
Absolute Batman: A Whole New Take
First up is the aptly named Absolute Batman. It is based on the bestselling comics run that reimagined Gotham's Dark Knight from scratch. In this version, Batman is a hulking unit of a man who would dwarf even Alan Ritchson, sporting a blue-collar background, one less dead parent to grieve, and a rogues' gallery packed with pure nightmare-fuel takes on all of Bats' greatest enemies. The Absolute Joker design alone makes it clear why this had to be an animated show. Comics writer Scott Snyder is showrunning the series himself, with his Absolute collaborator, artist Nick Dragotta, attached as a producer.
Joker: Laugh Riot, DC's First Anime
Next comes DC's first ever anime series, Joker: Laugh Riot. It is exec produced by animation veteran Jim Krieg, who recently worked on the DC Animated Universe's Watchmen and Crisis On Infinite Earths adaptations. Directed by Yasuhuro Aoki, the show imagines a world in which Batman has died and the Joker is hunting for his killer. The synopsis shared at Annecy reads: "When Batman is murdered, the Joker launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham's underworld to find the killer who took away his greatest adversary. But as his violent quest for answers pushes him closer towards vigilante than villain, Joker is forced to confront the truth that without Batman, he doesn't know who he is."
Krypto: One for the Whole Family
And last but by no means least, the goodest superpowered boy in the DC Universe, Krypto The Superdog, is getting his own show once again: Krypto. Coming from SpongeBob SquarePants animation sage C.H. Greenblatt, it sounds like one the whole family can enjoy together. Its synopsis reads: "When he's not hanging out with Superman or Supergirl, Krypto tags along with a gang of misfit criminal wannabes who live down the block, and they soon discover he's a ball of destructive, lovable energy worse than any of them! As he follows them into misadventures and poorly laid plans, Krypto's pure nature slowly ends up redeeming them, whether they want it or not."
So there you have it. There is no word yet on when Absolute Batman, Joker: Laugh Riot or Krypto will reach our screens. But all three sound like fascinating projects, and each one promises a refreshing new angle on the DC Universe.
