I watched the premiere episode of the newest Batman television series with my four-year old son, James - he loved it. However, he also likes Caillou and The Backyardigans. If you are a parent with a young child, you know what I’m talking about.

The latest Batman cartoon takes its name and format from the classic original run of the “Brave and the Bold” comic series that featured Batman teaming up with a different super-hero from the DC Universe each month. The premiere episode was entertaining. It’s a decent story that saw Batman teaming up with Jamie Reyes the Blue Beetle. It’s cool that DC and its parent company, Warner Brothers, are sticking with Jamie and introducing him to an audience outside of the comic book world.  I wasn’t crazy about the death of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle, especially with the new Blue Beetle’s outfit.  I hated the outfit when I first saw it, but it’s grown on me.  I also like the character of Jaime himself in the various appearances he’s made in comics over the past two years.  That said, what about tonight’s episode?

Don’t go looking for “Batman: The Animated Series” or “Justice League: Unlimited” with this series. The series is geared for kids under the age of ten. The art is bright and colorful. It’s reminiscent of DC during the Silver Age.  Batman is also wearing the costume of that era with the bright blue cape and cowl; bright gray tights and the yellow oval surrounding the bat insignia on his chest.  Even Green Arrow, who appears in the first several minutes of the show, looks the way he looked when he first came on to the scene - sans beard.

In the episode, Batman and Blue Beetle travel to another planet to save an alien race against Kanjar Ro.  I’m not a DC Universe expert so I didn’t know that this was already an existing character.  The alien race look like Gloop and Gleep from the Herculoids.  Basically they are marshmellow batteries.  A previous Blue Beetle who looked like Jamie, helped them once and they made a statue out of him.  Thinking Jamie is the same person, they think he’s a God and Batman is his sidekick.

They end up defeating Kanjar Ro in the end and in the process, Jamie becomes a better person and a better hero.  It’s good for kids.  The animation is cool.  I’m sure it will sell more Batman and DC Universe action figures.  And if it brings kids into reading comics, so much the better.  So if you have kids, sit down and enjoy.  Next week’s episode has Batman and Plastic Man battling Gorilla Grodd.