Mitch Watson warmed up for Beware the Batman by using the Dark Knight as a template for revamping the Blue Falcon, who had been created as a left-handed homage to the Caped Crusader in 1976, for an episode of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated.
In the episode, "Heart of Evil", Radley Crowne (note the spelling) is a security guard working for Quest Industries. Yes, Watson's pocket universe managed to fit in at least Dr. Benton Quest and his arch-nemesis, Dr. Zin, who now is the enemy of the Falcon, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Zin sends a dragon robot, operated by his daughter, Jenny, to steal some Quest tech. A resulting explosion leaves Crowne's dog, Reggie, badly injured to the point where Quest installs the familiar cyborg parts to create Dynomutt, who is not quite the bumbling boob he was when Joe Ruby & Ken Spears created him in '76.
Newcomer Troy Baker is the new voice of the Falcon, who's been modeled after Frank Miller's interpretation of the Batman, circa the Dark Knight Returns miniseries from the 80's, and Baker appears to have used Kevin Conroy's iconic portrayal of Batman as a basis for his Falcon voice. The Falcon's "F" insignia on the chest has been spray-painted on this time.
Blue Falcon would subsequently return in a Scooby-Doo DTV, but it was a completely different continuity.
Edit, 10/5/16: Had to change the video to a different clip:
Given Cartoon Network's current attitude against action cartoons, a full-on Dynomutt isn't likely, even with his 40th anniversary two years away. However, that's plenty of time for the incoming administration at CN to change the formula, if you will. Couple that with the lack of respect shown to SD: MI and Beware over the last year and a half, and maybe WB & Watson might be forced to consider other options in order to effect a revival.
What say you? Should CN try a new Dynomutt series based on his SD: MI appearance? If so, should it be comedy-adventure, like the original? Or, provided the corporate attitude changes, should it be a straight action show? Let me know what you think.
2 comments:
I loved this episode! Seeing BF getting a Frank Miller inspired makeover was hilarious! Not to mention seeing Dynomutt as his old goofy self but USEFUL!
Having an episode packed with Scooby, BF & Dynomutt, Dr. Zin and a flashback sequence with Dr. Quest and Race Bannon had me grinning from ear to ear!
I would love a reboot of Blue Falcon
- if only so Dynomutt can be a useful sidekick. Think a cross between Data from ST:TNG and Frankenstein JR., with a touch of his original persona.
Well, we know Welker can still pull it off, as he also did Dyno in Mask of the Blue Falcon. But this has to be filed under "shop to networks not named Cartoon Network". The Watsonverse, for lack of a better term, might as well have met its end.
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