Batman: The Animated Series- Blind as a Bat

 "Your aim appears to be a little off today, Batman..."

This is a fairly basic, run of the mill episode, the gimmick being that Batman has to deal with a plot by the Penguin while temporarily blinded, with the added warning that Lesley Thompkins has sternly warned him that he'll go blind if he doesn't rest.

We know how it'll end from the beginning, of course; the final scene, where he opens his eyes, has no real suspense. But it's a decent enough way to spend twenty minutes, even if not exactly earth shattering. yet again, it's nice to see so many recurring characters- Lesley Thompkins, Hamilton Hill- making this Gothan City feel real and textured. And there's a nice little hint of Bruce Wayne feeling uneasy about Waynetech manufacturing military technology.

There are some nice little moments, such as when there's initially no response to the Batsignal. I'm enjoying the typical overconfidence of the Penguin in the Animated Series. Ultimately, though, this episode isn't going to particularly stand out.

Batman: The Animated Series- Shadow of the Bat, Part 2

 "I hate wet shoes!"

A solid conclusion here, with the newly coined Batgirl earning her spurs and, in the end, the grudging respect of both Batman and Robin, after a few false starts. It's also nicely plotted, with Gil Mason and Two-Face plotting together to rule the law and the underworld respectively. I had to laugh, of course, at the sight of Jim Gordon not recognising his own daughter in that mask, but heigh-ho.

I suppose the plot was rushed a little, what with our baddies changing their plans to spring and then kill the Commissioner, a decision clearly based on the fact that the story needed to be wrapped up quick. But still, this is a solid debut for Barbara Gordon's alter ego. It gets points too for a solid set piece with Batman and Robin trying not to drown, especially as we're only really seen so much of the two of them together in the series thus far.

What's this about Harvey Bullock keeping Thorne's involvement to himself, though...? 

Batman: The Animated Series- Shadow of the Bat, Part 1

 "This place gives me the willies..."

Yes, I know- thirteen straight days without a blog post, something that hasn't happened in a loooong time. In my defence, I'm still adjusting to life after recovering from my surgery with everything being all busy again with fatherhood, my relationship and my career back to being full time again- all good things, but I have less free time than I did before February. I'm adjusting, but I'll get there. Plus there's been the heatwave, a lot of stuff to do, and, er, a YouTube "watch later" list that I'm slowly getting under control.

Anyway, it's back to Batman: The Animated Series. It may have left Netflix but it's now on Amazon Prime so I pick up right where I left off, and this is certainly a strong start to the new season. Functionally, this is the episode where Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl. It is, I think, the first time Bruce uses his "Matches" Malone disguise, something I remember from the comics back in the day. 

It puts all the world building that's been going on to good use in this tale of someone framing Jim Gordon for corruption. The story depends strongly on the supporting cast of both cops and mob bosses, giving Gotham a real sense of place. The animated series is properly established by now and uses all that world building to powerful effect, also giving us some tantalising clues about Jim Gordon's framing. And the ending, with Two-Face revealed and Barbara (with some help from her teddy bear!) debuting her proper Batgirl costume.

Most of all, though, I love how noir this is, from the first class animation to the plot to the mood. This is what peak Batman looks like. 

Batman: The Animated Series- The Man Who Killed Batman

 "Without Batman, crime has no punchline."

We begin with rain, with night-time darkness, with interesting camera angles giving a very noir feel, matching the '40s fashions and cars for which the Animated Series is known. And a small time crook, one Sidney Debris, face drawn in that slightly cartoonish way of which the Animated series can be fond, seems to have killed Batman, in circumstances which he relates to Rupert Thorne, and to us.

This is one op those episodes that are "Batman-lite", and are told from a specific perspective. Such episodes are often among the best, and this is certainly no exception.

Debris, except in his head, is a hopeless loser. Set up to take the fall, he accidentally seems to kill Batman, but the fame proves too much for this mouse of a man. Violence, suspicion, a dangerous encounter with a fascinating nuanced and unstable Joker (by this point the character of the Joker, and his rapport with Harley Quinn, is very interesting), all drives him to desperately seek help from Thorne.

And here we have the two clever twists that really make the episode: Thorne doesn't believe him, thinking him a dangerous rival and, less surprisingly, Batman is not in fact dead (interestingly, not only Montoya but also Bullock must presumably have been in on it) but using Debris as a reward to get to Thorne. It's all delightfully clever, and the ending- Debris finding respect as a big man in prison- is perfect.

As is, perhaps, the episode itself.

Batman: The Animated Series- Off Balance

 "As you said, detective... this is not over!"

This is a magnificent episode. An exciting story, a clever twist, Helen Slater (Supergirl herself!) and a nod to the fact that Gotham City is a kind of fictional knock-off of New York City by featuring a knock-off Statue of Liberty in the opening set piece... this one has it all. 

The conceit is delicious- a kind of criminal cult called the Society of Shadows, with eyes everywhere, which kills anyone who spills its secrets and whose agents use a mind-erasing drug when captured. Already this is intriguing. But they are led by a chap called Vertigo, whose powers induce a particularly trippy version of just that, combined with a penchant for set piece booby traps. And naturally this shadowy organisation is after Wayne Enterprises' latest MacGuffin.

Even more intriguing, though, is a lady of ambiguous loyalties who eventually saves Batman, healing him, and seeing who he is beneath the mask, apparently a friend... but then she gives her name: Talia. And yeah, at that point I knew.

It was still enormous fun to see how the episode ending, though, with Talia proving to be loyal neither to the law nor to Vertigo... but to her father, Ra's al Ghul. About bloody time...

And I love the fact that the title is a pun.

Batman: The Animated Series- Moon of the Wolf

 "Thinking of acquiring a new pet, Master Bruce?"

This episode- a straightforward tale with a one-off villain, doesn't seem to be well-regarded. Perhaps that's understandable: fans don't want one-off villains, they want the rogues' gallery. Plus this episode, quite noticeably, gives most of the screen time to the guest characters and relatively little to the Batman, although we get more development of Batman's relations with Alfred, Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock.

And yet... I rather like this clever little script from Len Wein, about a werewolf on the surface but, in reality, about someone who gains fame and fortune from using drugs to achieve success at sport, only to end up controlled and used by the provider of the drug. The ending is very nicely done- it's left open whether or not Milo will ever face justice, there being very little evidence, while Anthony Romulus (nice bit of nominative determinism there) is ruined. One thinks of the likes of Florence Griffiths-Joyner...

This episode has a real subtext and is about something. And art, even if it doesn't claim to be great art, should be appreciated for such things.

Batman: The Animated Series- Vendetta

 "I've had cats that made more noise than you...!"

Another good episode here. Oh, we introduce Killer Croc, whosew portrayal is fine but qho was never one of the more meaningful members of Batman's rogues gallery. No: this episode is noteworthy for how it fleshes out the broader supporting cast.

The conceit is very clever- Harvey Bullock is framed by Killer Croc for the murder of a prospective informer, with Boss Rupert Thorne in the mix. Right awayt it adds nuance to Bullock's character- a cop who cuts corners and not a pleasant individual, certainly, but not corrupt. The moment between him and Batman at the end, too, is nice and nuanced.

So are Batman's respective rapports with Gordon and Alfred, of course, but at this stage that comes as no surprise. But it's satisfying to feel this sense  of so many characters by now familiar- not just Bullock and Boss Thorne but also news reporter Summer Gleeson, Officer Montoya- this is an increasingly impressive aspect of the Animated Series.

And, by this point, we're on a solid run of really rather a lot of solid episodes in a row.

Batman: The Animated Series- Pretty Poison

 "She's not right for you..."

This is, perhaps, a simple episode: Harvey Dent is poisoned by his girlfriend, one Pamela Isley, the poison administered by a kiss, and all done in revenge for the flowers made extinct by the building of Gotham's new prison, Harvey's dream. And so we have some detective work and a showdown involving a splendid Venus flyutrap.

That's it.

Except... there are so many little things, so many nuances. I'm loving how we're starting with Dent back in the days when he used be more, er, singular, and Harvey's rapport with his friend Bruce Wayne is fun. I also like the script's wry commentary- what kind of man has a prison as his dream? The caption "A better, safer, Gotham" as we fast forward to the finished prison is delicious.

Then we have the juxtapostion of Batman recapturing an escaped prisoner to Harvey's description of rich businessman Bruce, who has, er, no secrets from Harvey. Incidentally, are they going for businessman Bruce, 70s style, with Lucius Fox, back in the days when Steve Engelhart did his run, as opposed to Bruce the playboy? We'll see.

Bullocks and the donuts is a delicious touch, though. As is the plot, the revelation, Poison Isley's personality and the conclusion. Even if, like me, you know who Pamela Isley is from the start, this episode is particularly good.

Batman: The Animated Series- Nothing to Fear

 "I am vengeance. I am the night.I am Batman".

Three episodes in. No Robin this time. We've had Man-Bat. We've had the Joker. Now it's the Scarecrow... and his introduction is excellent, certainly the finest episode so far.

It helps that the animation style used to depict the Scarecrow- less realistic, genuinely using the grammer of horrow, slightly cartoonish- is perfect. Yet the script gives us a perfect introduction to the character. Batman's greatest fear is fitting- the disappointment of his father in the playboy/vigilante he's become- and is perfectly set up.

The rapport between Gordon and Bullock is fun, and I love the early-'90s, mildly sardonic Alfred.

It's also fun to explore the series' visual style, not quite realistic, very much influenced by the Tim Burton aesthetic of the movies. And I was amused at both the airship and the Scarecrow's underlings looking like hoods from the '40s, complete with homburg hats and tommy guns, in a deliberate ambiguity as to the time period.

This episode is a real step up. I'm hoping and expecting now to see just what the hype is about...