Warner Brothers' Batman Beyond Collector's Set Ideal Gift for Bat-Fans

There have been a few moments in the Batman mythos that have been truly memorable, have truly changed the landscape for the fans. (If you ask Robert Greenberger, there are at least 100 of these, but that's a review for later this week.) 

One such moment came in 1999, when a new animated series took Batman into the near-future; where Bruce Wayne (KEVIN CONROY) is a retired octogenarian, and Terry McGinnis (WILL FRIEDLE) as the latest heir to the mantle, in a New Gotham that has a whole new set of problems.

When we are introduced to the series, Bruce is wearing the jet-black, tricked-out costume. But his age is catching up with him, and his heart isn't holding up. When he finds himself grabbing a dropped gun to defend himself against a common thug, he's horrified at what he's doing, and seals up the Batcave for good.

Years later, a teenaged Terry McGinnis ends up outside the gates of Wayne Manor when he draws a gang of Jokerz away from a crowd. Wayne comes to his rescue, but needs Terry's help back to the manor for his medicine. And that's when Terry discovers the Batcave. When Terry's father is later murdered, Terry races back to the manor to put on the suit and take matters into his own hands. Wayne is furious, and makes moves to stop Terry, but ultimately decides to not only support Terry in his outing, but also to train him to become the protector of New Gotham.

And New Gotham sorely needs protecting. Starting with Bruce Wayne's business rival, Derek Powers, and his right-hand henchman, Mister Fixx (voiced by GEORGE TAKEI). Powers is aptly named, as power is what he craves at any cost. He's responsible for the death of Terry's father, and his greed ends up exposing him to a radioactive mutagen that turns him into the villainous Blight. As the series progresses, we meet new villains like Inque, a new Royal Flush Gang, Shriek, and others. And we find out that some of the older villains are still hanging about as well, like Mister Freeze (a living head preserved by Derek Powers), Bane (wheelchair bound and needing venom to stay alive), and of course the immortal Ras al Ghul, who appears in the creepiest and funniest way imaginable.

There are heroes in the world of BATMAN BEYOND as well -- most notably the Justice League, which continues with Superman and Big Barda as the leaders, and includes a Zen-like Green Lantern, Warhawk (later revealed to be the son of John Stewart and Hawkgirl), the size-changing Micron, and Aquagirl (voiced appropriately by Little Mermaid JODI BENSON). The two-part introduction to the team, "The Call," sees Superman recruiting Terry to join the League to help flush out a traitor in their ranks. It's a compelling mystery that introduces a cast we would have liked to have seen more from.

This set is comprised of six Blu-ray discs: four devoted to the three seasons of the series, a fifth for all the bonus features that delve into the making of the world of BATMAN BEYOND, and the sixth containing the unforgettable and iconic full-length animated feature, BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER, which sees MARK HAMILL return to voice the Clown Prince of Crime. It's a story that reveals Batman's final encounter with the Joker, including the final fate of Tim Drake as Robin.

This gorgeous boxed set is packaged in a sturdy, gloss-and-foil slipcover case for the fold-out disc case. The collectible release also features four oversized lenticular cards featuring 3D scenes of Batman in combat with the villains in his world.

And, finally, for the Funko Pop addicts, this set includes a limited edition Batman Beyond character done in a high-gloss black, with gold-foil lettering on the box. This set truly has something for everybody who loves Batman.

Check out the video below where we unbox the set so you can see it all for yourself.