The Batman Thread

[Slagar the Cruel]

THE BATMAN THREAD

Well, lately I've been revisiting my Batman "obsession" (if you want to call it that) from previous years. I've been re-reading the old comic books, watching the show and I finally was able to watch "Return of the Joker". (AND I was able to tape it! TAKE THAT, VCR!!!) I'm thinking about switching my Cobra avatar with a Joker one, now... ;)

So, I've decided to start a Batman thread. Here's a few things to discuss. 1) Your favorite Batman villain(s), 2) Your favorite interpretation of the Batman mythos, or 3) Just say "I don't like Batman", which I'm sure many of you will. :p Contrary people! ;) 4) Batman in general.

My favorite Batman villain would have to be the Joker (he's just such a great, classic villain)... followed by Scarface (something about a puppet gangster bossing around his puppateer always amused me), and then by Clayface (you've gotta love the shapeshifting).

My favorite interpretation of the Batman mythos would be... well, after thinking it over, I guess it'd be the TV show. The early comics were too light-hearted... the late comics were often too dark and brutal... while the TV show provided a relatively middle ground.

[Lord Servone]

Joker's probably my favorite villain too. I also like Bane (the comic one, not the cartoon(why was he Russian?) or the *shudder* Batman and Robin one), Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Croc.

Actually, my favorite mytho would probably be the cartoon as well....In my opinion, I think that Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was the best of any of the Batman movies, my favorite anyway.
I thought the show was always really good but it got a lot better after they ditched all the 50ish gangster stuff and modernized it.

My favorite episode of the show was the one where his arch-enemies were talking about how they almost got Batman...

Killer Croc:... he kept getting closer...closer!
Poison Ivy: And then?
Killer Croc: I THREW A ROCK AT HIM!
(silence)
Killer Croc: It was a big rock...

Oh ho hoo! Classic! xP

[Slagar the Cruel]

Oh! I forgot about Scarecrow - he's probably my second favorite villain. "Fear is the glue that holds society together. Fear is what controls our worst impulses. Fear... is power."

In my opinion, I think that Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was the best of any of the Batman movies, my favorite anyway.I held that opinion for a while, too... but now I think Return of the Joker is. If that counts as a Batman movie... really, it's a Batman Beyond movie. ;)

My favorite episode of the show was the one where his arch-enemies were talking about how they almost got Batman...That one was classic... "So then I lured him to my Aviary of Doom..." "Your Aviary of Doom?"

[Lord Servone]

I forgot all about that one xD
"My avia...*sigh*...my big bird house..."

Oh yes, Return of the Joker was quite excellent, but I still like Mask of the Phantasm better...although, I don't really classify Return of the Joker with the others though it does have that bit that links the regular animated show with the future one...

Anyway, my list of best Batman movies would probably be: Mask of the Phanstasm, Batman, (if I included it, Return of the Joker would be here) Batman Returns, Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero, Batman: The Movie (Adam West), Batman Forever, and, way way way way way down at the bottom, further then humanly possible: Batman and Robin, IMO, one of the worst movies EVER made...HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT! It shouldn't be! >:(

*waits for Batman: Year One, hoping it will redeem Batman in the cinema*

[Martin the Warrior]

I finally was able to watch "Return of the Joker". (AND I was able to tape it! TAKE THAT, VCR!!!)

There's your first mistake. The version aired on CN is edited to the extreme, to the point of removing the explanation of why Bruce limps and changing Tim shooting the Joker, killing him ("That's not... funny..."), to the Joker accidentally killing himself by slipping in some water with electricity. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Return of the Joker should only be watched, uncut, on DVD.

) Your favorite Batman villain(s),

I"ve always been a Two-Face fan. When done well, the Joker is great, too. It will be nice to see Loeb/Lee take him on. And Ra's al Ghul can be very interesting.

2) Your favorite interpretation of the Batman mythos,

The animated series, without a doubt.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was the best of any of the Batman movies, my favorite anyway.

I'd agree. Sub Zero did a good job with the villain, but the actual Bat side of things was less than stellar.

I thought the show was always really good but it got a lot better after they ditched all the 50ish gangster stuff and modernized it.

That I disagree with. I always preferred the style of the earlier episodes and thought the storylines dealing with Rupert Thorne and Roland Daggot were great. They injected a sense of realism and reminded us that Batman isn't just a super-hero who fights super-villains. The fact that men like them could give the Bat trouble was always a compelling facet of the show. It's the same reason why Lex Luthor-- a powerless, ordinary human being-- is such a great foil for the Man of Steel.

[Lord Servone]

Maybe it was just because I was young, but for some reason I kept getting tired of all the gangster stuff...maybe it was because I wanted more super villain stuff... I don't know. I'd probably appreciate them a lot more if I saw them today, I bet...

I missed out on the uncut version too, even though I did get it on DVD (well, my brother did)... he got it shortly after it came out, thus it was the edited one :\. One of the things I hate about DVDs..they release one version and then they go and release a better version...hmph!

[Slagar the Cruel]

*waits for Batman: Year One, hoping it will redeem Batman in the cinema*It'll be a tough act to follow... (by that I mean that most of the other movies were so BAD, that it'll be tough to erase the horrible memories of live-action Batman from our minds. ;))

I didn't know that ROTJ was edited... hmm... oh well, guess I need to get the DVD after all. :S

Sub Zero did a good job with the villain, but the actual Bat side of things was less than stellar.Agreed... the main focus should always be the man himself. That's the same reason why I like the second season of the animated series a little less than the original - Batman was portrayed rather negatively, leading the viewers to lend their sympathies to his disgruntled co-workers. (Even Alfred turned on him - "He's right. You do treat him like a child." ;) Incidentally, that episode was one of my favorites regardless.)
They injected a sense of realism and reminded us that Batman isn't just a super-hero who fights super-villains. The fact that men like them could give the Bat trouble was always a compelling facet of the show.I agree once more. This is the reason why sometimes, Batman being thrown in with Superman and the lot bugs me - Batman usually seemed relatively down to Earth, but suddenly there are flying aliens with eye-beams coming into his life... not saying anything against Supes, of course. Or the things that throw the two characters together - they're often pretty well done.

I also agree about Lex Luthor. The fact that this average business man can stand up to a guy who's basically INVINCIBLE... and usually end up winning when all is said and done... is pretty cool. :cool:

[Baby Rollo]

My favorite episode of the show was the one where his arch-enemies were talking about how they almost got Batman...

I liked that episode too.

Killer Croc: You know what I think...

Penguin or Joker: No, not the robot theory again.

Killer Croc: It could be true.

That was the funniest line. I also liked the episode that was like the Devil and Daniel Webster were the prosecutor had to defend Batman from all the villains in the Asylum. That was a good episode. I think I taped it.

[Martin the Warrior]

Maybe it was just because I was young, but for some reason I kept getting tired of all the gangster stuff...maybe it was because I wanted more super villain stuff... I don't know. I'd probably appreciate them a lot more if I saw them today, I bet...

I'm sure you would. In my mind, "Appointment in Crime Alley", "The Forgotten", and "Two-Face" (which wouldn't exist without Thorne) beat nearly anything that came out of the Kids WB! season.

I didn't know that ROTJ was edited... hmm... oh well, guess I need to get the DVD after all.

Be advised two versions exist. The initial release, which is the edited version, and then one that has "The Original, Uncut Version" in red letters across the top. There was quite a bit of controversy over whether or not they'd release the original version and it was only due to fan pressure that WB caved and gave us the DVD.

It can be found in Wal-Mart, Target, Suncoast, etc. for roughly $15.