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Batman: The Animated Series #2
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
When a mysterious caped figure is seen leaving the scene of several murders of Gotham City crime lords, the police suspect that Batman is responsible
231 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1993
About the author
Geary Gravel
23 books10 followersGeary Gravel is an American science fiction author and professional sign language interpreter. He lives in western Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 21, 2024
In the early 1990s after the success of the Tim Burton Batman movies, Warner Bros. had presented the world with the Batman Animated Series. The series, created by animators Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, was an instant success that brought viewers young and old to take advantage of the epic superhero known as Batman. The show was so successful that Warner Bros. greenlit a movie from their animated series.
Originally the animators had intended to run a grander film that was cut down to one simple episode of their series. Instead, they loosely adapted two Batman graphic novels as their movie and created what they called The Mask of the Phantasm. The film at the time was originally planned for a simple direct-to-video release but enthusiasm was high, and it was decided to give it a theatrical run. I remember my time as a kid watching the commercials for the movie and it was clear that this was something special. So, I went to watch it in the theater, and I got to admit it was amazing, more so than even the other Batman movies.
Set sometime during the Christmas break of the second season, this movie relates a time in which Batman on an ordinary crime bust is unwillingly set up for the deaths of several mobsters, all of them committed by a costumed figure, the Phantasm. While Batman’s loyal partner against crime Commissioner Gordon swears his innocence, an opportunistic politician wants Batman’s head. All the while Batman does his best to solve the murders just as an old flame from his early days returns. This, in turn, haunts him for a better life than he might have if he chose not to become Batman.
I am a Batman fan through and through and as I’ve grown older, I understand how much I value the character but over time one must value the superhero as an actual person, and through it all I loved this movie for showing just how much Bruce Wayne lost to become Batman. But as I watched this movie and saw some of its characters, in the end, I value Batman for sticking to his principles and his promise. The story itself is a fairly modest mesh of the graphic novels Batman Year One and Batman Year Two. From his early days of crime-fighting to his battle with a vicious killer vigilante, however, that is where the similarities end. The Andrea Beaumont character was not in the story at all. The Joker did not play any role in the original stories. Nor was any opportunistic politician.
Still, despite the invented characters, the spirit of the comics that is present in the Animated Series exists very well in this movie. Maybe the film is darker, as this does not pretend to shy away from several various themes, such as sex, corruption, and murder.
The movie was good but flawed and as I found this adaptation of the film, I could not help but wonder if it was going to be any better than the movie. But the answer is a definite yes. Make no mistake some things prevent me from enjoying the book just like the movie. Both overuse the flashback motif. The pacing of the story is weird as it jumps all over the place from the present to the past and back.
But one great thing I love about the book is that it resolves several extraordinary plot holes from the movie. How is Batman cleared of the murders that the press and the Councilman accused him of? That is due to the work of an ordinary civilian with a camera at the right time who snaps a picture of the crime scene at the first murder. A man by the name of Burton Earny (a silly shoutout to Burt & Ernie from It’s A Wonderful Life or for the kids' Sesame Street) a man overcome with several bad jobs snaps a picture and from there his life from a flashback with Bruce and his girlfriend as well as finding a job helping Bruce’s former guardian Leslie Thompkins in the present day. In those days people who used cameras had to wait until the film was used up before developing them. Burt sends the photo to a newspaper and obtains a cash reward and a hug from a grateful Commissioner Gordon. Even more importantly it is the newspaper that gives the villain the name of The Phantasm. Not to say that Mr. Earny did not make it in the film because he does. He is that tipsy partygoer at the very end of the film.
This as well as other great things such as callbacks to the show with Sal Valestra knowing the Gotham underworld from Arnold Stromwell, Rupert Thorne, and Roland Daggett. As well as Alfred taking time to call Dick Grayson while he is at school. The references are small, but it made me feel better as there are very few references to this movie in the animated series itself.
But there are still plenty of plot holes that were not explained. How did the Phantasm know that the Joker was that gangster? Was it as simple as Bruce found out with that picture? How could Commissioner Gordon just abandon his post while his friend is accused of a crime he didn’t commit? Yes, there was no proof and the Councilman could have used his authority to hunt Batman as a suspect, but Gordon could have involved himself further or better have Batman contact Gordon to assure him of his innocence.
I also hold other criticisms. I for one never really liked Andrea. I was 11 when I saw the movie and understood what was going on between Bruce and her. But even I knew that Selina, Zatanna, or Talia were better for him. Not because I believed Andrea was too good to be true, hardly. If anything, she was too true to be good. Plus, her father brought this on himself. He stole, lied, and ran from the mob, he deserved to be hunted down.
This was a good read, and I did like it better than the movie. It could have done more with the plot, and added more scenes than what was shown in the movie. But I did like that it resolved some plot holes.
Originally the animators had intended to run a grander film that was cut down to one simple episode of their series. Instead, they loosely adapted two Batman graphic novels as their movie and created what they called The Mask of the Phantasm. The film at the time was originally planned for a simple direct-to-video release but enthusiasm was high, and it was decided to give it a theatrical run. I remember my time as a kid watching the commercials for the movie and it was clear that this was something special. So, I went to watch it in the theater, and I got to admit it was amazing, more so than even the other Batman movies.
Set sometime during the Christmas break of the second season, this movie relates a time in which Batman on an ordinary crime bust is unwillingly set up for the deaths of several mobsters, all of them committed by a costumed figure, the Phantasm. While Batman’s loyal partner against crime Commissioner Gordon swears his innocence, an opportunistic politician wants Batman’s head. All the while Batman does his best to solve the murders just as an old flame from his early days returns. This, in turn, haunts him for a better life than he might have if he chose not to become Batman.
I am a Batman fan through and through and as I’ve grown older, I understand how much I value the character but over time one must value the superhero as an actual person, and through it all I loved this movie for showing just how much Bruce Wayne lost to become Batman. But as I watched this movie and saw some of its characters, in the end, I value Batman for sticking to his principles and his promise. The story itself is a fairly modest mesh of the graphic novels Batman Year One and Batman Year Two. From his early days of crime-fighting to his battle with a vicious killer vigilante, however, that is where the similarities end. The Andrea Beaumont character was not in the story at all. The Joker did not play any role in the original stories. Nor was any opportunistic politician.
Still, despite the invented characters, the spirit of the comics that is present in the Animated Series exists very well in this movie. Maybe the film is darker, as this does not pretend to shy away from several various themes, such as sex, corruption, and murder.
The movie was good but flawed and as I found this adaptation of the film, I could not help but wonder if it was going to be any better than the movie. But the answer is a definite yes. Make no mistake some things prevent me from enjoying the book just like the movie. Both overuse the flashback motif. The pacing of the story is weird as it jumps all over the place from the present to the past and back.
But one great thing I love about the book is that it resolves several extraordinary plot holes from the movie. How is Batman cleared of the murders that the press and the Councilman accused him of? That is due to the work of an ordinary civilian with a camera at the right time who snaps a picture of the crime scene at the first murder. A man by the name of Burton Earny (a silly shoutout to Burt & Ernie from It’s A Wonderful Life or for the kids' Sesame Street) a man overcome with several bad jobs snaps a picture and from there his life from a flashback with Bruce and his girlfriend as well as finding a job helping Bruce’s former guardian Leslie Thompkins in the present day. In those days people who used cameras had to wait until the film was used up before developing them. Burt sends the photo to a newspaper and obtains a cash reward and a hug from a grateful Commissioner Gordon. Even more importantly it is the newspaper that gives the villain the name of The Phantasm. Not to say that Mr. Earny did not make it in the film because he does. He is that tipsy partygoer at the very end of the film.
This as well as other great things such as callbacks to the show with Sal Valestra knowing the Gotham underworld from Arnold Stromwell, Rupert Thorne, and Roland Daggett. As well as Alfred taking time to call Dick Grayson while he is at school. The references are small, but it made me feel better as there are very few references to this movie in the animated series itself.
But there are still plenty of plot holes that were not explained. How did the Phantasm know that the Joker was that gangster? Was it as simple as Bruce found out with that picture? How could Commissioner Gordon just abandon his post while his friend is accused of a crime he didn’t commit? Yes, there was no proof and the Councilman could have used his authority to hunt Batman as a suspect, but Gordon could have involved himself further or better have Batman contact Gordon to assure him of his innocence.
I also hold other criticisms. I for one never really liked Andrea. I was 11 when I saw the movie and understood what was going on between Bruce and her. But even I knew that Selina, Zatanna, or Talia were better for him. Not because I believed Andrea was too good to be true, hardly. If anything, she was too true to be good. Plus, her father brought this on himself. He stole, lied, and ran from the mob, he deserved to be hunted down.
This was a good read, and I did like it better than the movie. It could have done more with the plot, and added more scenes than what was shown in the movie. But I did like that it resolved some plot holes.
Read
July 8, 2020Burton Earny. Awesome name. :D
May 12, 2021
fun read, could have removed a few chapters which made it a bit slow sometimes
January 18, 2018
As anyone who knows me, or has read my other reviews here, is aware, I’m a Batman fan. I grew up on Batman: TAS and Batman Beyond, hence my slight bias toward them for Bat-media - but I’m sure you’d feel the same way, if you grew up with them. And Mask of the Phantasm is probably my favorite Batman movie there is, both animated and live-action. I do like reading the novelizations of my favorite movies, and this one was no exception.
The novel recreates the movie very well, and even adds a few scenes that weren’t in the movie. Was this stuff from earlier versions of the script, that later got cut? In any case, it’s always nice to see a bit of expansion. One scene has brief involvement from Leslie Thompkins (Bruce’s physician), while another - probably the scene I remember the most from the novel - has this hilarious exchange between Robin and Alfred:
“I cannot say what Miss Beaumont’s purpose is in returning to Gotham City. And as for your second question…”
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have bothered to ask. When have we ever known what was going on inside him (Bruce)?”
“Precisely, Master Dick.”
Another aspect of the book that’s worth noting is that in a few scenes, the narrative goes into detail on the wounds Batman suffers. A particularly disturbing example occurs during the final battle; while grappling with Batman, the Joker is described as having “reached back and grabbed him, his long fingers digging deep into his enemy’s wounded shoulder.” Ah, printed media, where you can get away with the stuff you can’t on television.
An additional plus the book has going for it is the cover art. Rather than simply use the movie poster, like what I’m guessing is a vast majority of novelizations, the book has a new cover art, with three separated panels - one of Phantasm, one of Joker, and the third being Batman’s shadow, above the sihlouettes of an embracing Bruce and Andrea. Joker and Phantasm are drawn in appropriately menacing styles, while Batman’s glaring shadow is super effective. Not surprising, being Batman, but still badass.
There’s really not much I can find wrong with the book - if there’s anything I could change about it, that would be to maybe include a few photographs from the movie, in either color or black and white. But the sheer awesomeness and fun of the book makes it hard if not impossible to find a flaw with it. If ever you can find this book, buy it, trust me. Because it’s Batman.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
The novel recreates the movie very well, and even adds a few scenes that weren’t in the movie. Was this stuff from earlier versions of the script, that later got cut? In any case, it’s always nice to see a bit of expansion. One scene has brief involvement from Leslie Thompkins (Bruce’s physician), while another - probably the scene I remember the most from the novel - has this hilarious exchange between Robin and Alfred:
“I cannot say what Miss Beaumont’s purpose is in returning to Gotham City. And as for your second question…”
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have bothered to ask. When have we ever known what was going on inside him (Bruce)?”
“Precisely, Master Dick.”
Another aspect of the book that’s worth noting is that in a few scenes, the narrative goes into detail on the wounds Batman suffers. A particularly disturbing example occurs during the final battle; while grappling with Batman, the Joker is described as having “reached back and grabbed him, his long fingers digging deep into his enemy’s wounded shoulder.” Ah, printed media, where you can get away with the stuff you can’t on television.
An additional plus the book has going for it is the cover art. Rather than simply use the movie poster, like what I’m guessing is a vast majority of novelizations, the book has a new cover art, with three separated panels - one of Phantasm, one of Joker, and the third being Batman’s shadow, above the sihlouettes of an embracing Bruce and Andrea. Joker and Phantasm are drawn in appropriately menacing styles, while Batman’s glaring shadow is super effective. Not surprising, being Batman, but still badass.
There’s really not much I can find wrong with the book - if there’s anything I could change about it, that would be to maybe include a few photographs from the movie, in either color or black and white. But the sheer awesomeness and fun of the book makes it hard if not impossible to find a flaw with it. If ever you can find this book, buy it, trust me. Because it’s Batman.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
January 13, 2012
Vaya este libro lo encontré a la venta en una revistería de mi localidad de aquél entonces y lo compré de inmediato. No sabía entonces que venía a ser el librito sacado de una película animada del mismo nombre. Se me hizo muy bueno el tema del Ángel de la Muerte y el pasado de Wayne, y el final muy acertado. Lo bueno de leerlo antes de ver la caricatura fue que pude hacer mis propias imágenes mentales que luego comparé con la tv. Entretenido.
May 2, 2013
Batman is my second favourite superhero (behind Wolverine of the X-men!), but this is the first time I have read one of his adventures. I really enjoyed it and was surprised that it was based on an animated movie. Either the movie was superb and not aimed at children, or the the novelisation was excellent. Either way, I liked the story, even it was a bit obvious in places, and the showdown with the Joker in the old exhibition centre was great.
June 3, 2011
I read this in 5th or 6th grade and I still remember the feeling I had while reading it. It is a dark tale about a second vigilante who instead of working to bring criminals to the police, goes on a killer rampage. Some of the scenes of the phantasm killing the different mob bosses are excellent! Great read for adolescent kids and anyone who was a fan of the animated show.
November 27, 2013
the best live action Batman film never made. however, a true testament to the brillance of the Animated series fo the early ninties. this deals with themes of love and revenge in way that previous batman films (certianly before nolan) had ever achieved. both tragic and exciting this is a must for all fans of the Bat. highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews