Batman: The Animated Series- Prophecy of Doom

 "We are but radios for the cosmic transmitter..."

So Heather Locklear plays Lisa! Wow. That's unexpected. And, indeed, possibly the only notable feature about this rather anonymous episode.

I mean, it's not bad, exactly. And it's good to see the animated seroers try to create its own new villains. Not every story can sustainable develop the characters or feature one of the traditional rogues gallery. Everything about this episode is... fine.

We have a fraud of a soothsayer... well, is there any other kind? This one's plot is totrick gullible rich people into giving him loads of money in order to in some way survive a massive economic collapse. Good use is made of Bruce here, and there's a nice little set piece with a lift. But the final set piece with a load of planets hanging on wires just doesn't work.

Filler, then. But necessary filler.

The Return of Swamp Thing (1989)

"They call me... Swamp Thing!"

I looooved this. Am I allowed to say that? In fact I, er, actually prefer it to the first film.

It's interesting to see a sequel made in 1989, after Alan Moore's acclaimed run on the comic book and even opening with some of Steve Bissette and John Totleben's more famous panels to the splendid and inevitable tones of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Would this film reflect that justly famous run? Well, there's a scene where Swamp Thing feeds Abby a suspiciously phallic seed from a certain part of his body. But, er, no. This film doesn't at all try to be poetic but goes full on B movie and isn't afraid to be silly. Thing is, it works.

I've seen this film described many times as overly silly, which puzzles me; wit and humour are part of life, and are well balanced here. Many potemtially po-faced and dull action films would be improved by this sort of humour. And, er, it's funny. Even the casting of Heather Locklear as a very valley girl Abby works somehow. It isn't just that though- the direction is technically inspired, the casting may be eccentric but we get entertaining performances just the right side of camp, Sarah Douglas is in it, and Swamp Thing gets his own little '80s fanfare. We even get some very '80s porn-loving kids as the chorus. What more do you want?