by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor
The Joker is back! The Clown Prince of Crime has unleashed a computer virus that has allowed him complete control over all technology in Gotham City. Can Batman, Red Robin, Nightwing, and Green Arrow save the city and stop “King Joker” and his super villain gang? Now you can enjoy Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem on DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital Download, and On Demand.
Batman has many super villains in his rogues gallery: The Joker, Clayface, Silver Banshee, Solomon Grundy, Scarecrow…and more. What happens when all of these villains team up to take on the caped crusader and his allies? What does The Joker’s new plan have to do with the heroic Cyborg? And why is Batman riding a robot dinosaur on the cover of this release? All these questions and more will be answered in Monster Mayhem.
This release is the second feature in the Batman Unlimited Direct-To-Video series. While the character designs are a bit offsetting for long-term fans (primarily because they are designed specifically for toy sales), the overall story itself is actually a fun Batman adventure that everyone can enjoy. It is an interesting take on the Batman franchise that falls somewhere in between Batman: The Animated Series and The Batman.
The best element of Monster Mayhem is the voice cast. The ensemble has been pulled from all corners of the DC Universe: Roger Craig Smith (Batman: Arkham Origins) returns as The Dark Knight himself. Troy Baker (Batman: Arkham Origins) joins the series as The Joker (channeling Mark Hamill’s Joker the entire time). Teen Titans fans will be happy to hear Chary Payton back in the role of Cyborg. Batman Beyond fans will love Will Friedle as Nightwing. While all of these actors were great in their respective roles, my favorite performance in this release was by Yuri Lowenthal (Young Justice, Batman: The Brave and The Bold), who played Red Robin/Tim Drake. His voice perfectly matched how I always thought Tim would sound, and he truly nails this role.
Overall:
While the Batman Unlimited series is meant to be a family friendly take on the Dark Knight, Monster Mayhem still manages to perfectly capture the spirit and ingenuity of Batman. Bruce Wayne is more than just his gadgets, and his various skill sets are apparent throughout this story. I was very skeptical about Batman Unlimited when I first saw the promotional material, but I ended up having a great time with this installment. I can’t wait to see what this creative team does next. My one suggestion: keep this stellar voice cast intact for all future releases.
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem 4.5 out of 5 times Batman rode a dinosaur.
Go for a ride on your Robot Bat-Dinosaur with ComicsOnline.com, and be sure to check back for more Batman Unlimited coverage, and everything geek pop culture!
Tagged:BatmanBatman UnlimitedGreen Arrownightwingred robinroger craig smithThe JokerTroy Bakerwill friedle
