September 18 marks the official Batman Day and this was celebrated by dropping episodes of Batman: The Audio Adventures on HBO Max. Unlike most of the Batman content on the streaming service, The Audio Adventures is a scripted podcast in the vein of old radio shows from the ‘40s.
HBO Max’s new episodes are available to stream directly from the app. Though an audio podcast, viewers can see the image of an old flickering radio as the story unfolds. The first episode opens with the character of Jack Ryder, a reporter for Gotham City breaking the news that Batman is not just a vigilante but now a consultant for the Gotham City Police department. Ryder hits the streets to interview the people of Gotham about the news to varying results.
The show is a tongue-in-cheek story that takes inspiration from Batman’s comic origins. It uses the concept of an old radio show including different voices and Gotham’s own commercials. This idea fits in with Batman’s history of film noir and detective work. The voices and stories are ripped straight from a hard-boiled detective novel. The show is comprised of several short stories voiced and acted by familiar characters.
Voices for this Batman podcast include Seth Meyers as Jack Ryder and Chris Parnell as the narrator. A most notable appearance is Rosario Dawson as Catwoman.
The Batman
The Audio Adventures are a delightful addition to the Batman canon. This is a smart decision as audiences have to wait until March 2022 for Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated movie The Batman. The Audio Adventures seem tonally similar to The Batman’s gritty noir feel which is inspired by The Long Halloween.
Jeffrey Wright will appear in The Batman as Commissioner Gordon but you can catch him in the Audio Adventures as the masked vigilante himself.
Other voices include SNL alumni Keenan Thompson, Bobby Moynihan, and Tim Meadows. Batman: Man The Audio Adventures is a great advertisement for the upcoming film and a wonderful callback to the beginnings of Batman. Viewers can stream all ten episodes on HBO Max.
