It's episodes like this that make this the objectively best Batman. If I want a maniac who's obsessed solely with their mission of taking down criminals, guys like the Punisher exist.
I wish the recent movies could have a Batman as good as this series. Its all become nothing more than a contest of who can be the darkest and grittiest.
it's all ultimately the censors' fault. Overcorrection is a plague everything suffers from these days, but it's all because of whoever started it. Nobody would just decide one day 'hey i'm gonna be edgy as hell' unless they've grown up with everything sanitized, and the fact that we're STILL doing that today is baffling to me.
Ironically the episode I remember best growing up. Like Sewer King it's easy to make the one-shot villains like Boss Biggis absolutely detestable since they won't be back and we don't need to develop a grudging sympathy for them like the Rogues. I like when amnesia stories reduce a character to their natural instincts, revealing that even without their societal 'programming' they are still good people at their core.
Yeah, always annoyed with people who keep asking why he doesn't just run charities and stuff. He does, like the largest ones in DC are funded by Wayne Industries, excepting those times where Lex Corp. is having a pissing match with them, followed by those done for either Kord Industries(Blue Beetle's Old/New Company, thank you reboots), or Palmer Tech(The Atom's company). For anyone curious, yes, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow does this, but as noted by others, he's not AS rich as the tech giants, and his city does other things to keep his money tied up for their own reasons. Anyway, the reason way Bruce's efforts are not eliminating wants/needs completely is Gotham is still a shithole of a town. The crime lords control their territories, and while his efforts help, he can't/won't take them down the way the Dark Knight had him do, especially given he's not bullet proof/there are other concerns. Batman isn't an idiot, he doesn't go into fights he'll lose, he studies them and does his best to mitigate any negative consequences if he can't just punch the problem away.
Yeah honestly settings like this are best not to pick too many holes in. people are always like 'why doesn't gotham use the death penalty on the mass-murderers in weird costumes just because they're insane, or at least perform involuntary corrective processes on them involving drugs, surgery, or electricity' and of course it all comes down to it being a story about a place that is terrible, created at a time when certain types hadn't yet convinced everyone giant companies are inherently evil, having recently lived through their asses being _saved_ by industry, but also knowing a certain percentage of them are robber barons, that the government is supposed to be servant, not master, and that trusts need to be busted.
Doing the right thing even if you know that the task will never end is what makes a hero. There will always be more to do, more people who need help but that is not a reason to despair, it is a reason to continue.
Batman was born the night his parents were gunned down in front of him (though he wouldn't know his name until much later), and ever since then his primary motivation has been, and always will be, to never let anyone else have to experience what he did that night ever again. It is why he can work with the police one day and go solo the next, donate money to charity as Bruce Wayne or beat up criminals as Batman, and why he does not kill. It all serves to insure that what he went through will never happen in Gotham again.
Bruce Wayne is just a mask that Batman wears, but it is a mask that he very much needs, if he wants to remain on the side of Good. Without the mask, Batman is almost no better than the criminals that he attacks every night, as illustrated in Kingdom Come, Batman Beyond, and other notable stories. With Bruce, Batman maintains a connection to his humanity, which grounds him and keeps him from falling over the edge of his obsession, into the abyss of madness and murder. Bruce is often dismissed as boring or inconsequential, but the mask is a key element of the character, one that separates him from other vigilantes (Lockdown, The Punisher, etc.) and helps explain his complexity and longterm appeal.
And this comes IMMEDIATELY after the Twitter Discourse of the day was ‘why doesn’t Batman just buy crime’. I wonder if we should plaster this about in those threads.
I appreciate that there's been such a reevaluation of what's usually considered a pretty bad episode of BTAS. As another review put it, Cool Hand Luke starring Batman is just an awesome concept.
Also, it's an interesting thought that there may be untapped gold below New York City. Probably not though considering all the "gold" the men found here.
This is why I don't buy that Batman hates his Bruce Wayne persona. Bruce does just as much good without the cowl as with, giving jobs to people who need it and want to work or helping them get work keeps them out of a life of crime. Charity also helps make people's lives better. Seeing him help out at a mission is just as important as believable as his other "mission" against crime.
Got to love that the Batwing says, "Your funeral!" to Alfred! You just know that AI is just itching to kill all humans, but the presence of Batman is the only thing stopping it from executing its plans.
for a second I thought you typed "Al" as in short for Alfred, and I was like "well, he WAS in the army..." I have always liked how Alfred is cool with guns and Bruce is like yeah I get it. They are useful, and I don't want you to die.
It's episodes like this that make this the objectively best Batman. If I want a maniac who's obsessed solely with their mission of taking down criminals, guys like the Punisher exist.
I wish the recent movies could have a Batman as good as this series. Its all become nothing more than a contest of who can be the darkest and grittiest.
it's all ultimately the censors' fault. Overcorrection is a plague everything suffers from these days, but it's all because of whoever started it. Nobody would just decide one day 'hey i'm gonna be edgy as hell' unless they've grown up with everything sanitized, and the fact that we're STILL doing that today is baffling to me.
Ironically the episode I remember best growing up. Like Sewer King it's easy to make the one-shot villains like Boss Biggis absolutely detestable since they won't be back and we don't need to develop a grudging sympathy for them like the Rogues. I like when amnesia stories reduce a character to their natural instincts, revealing that even without their societal 'programming' they are still good people at their core.
I like episodes that showcase how much Alfred helps out Bruce, both in his work as Batman and in being one of his emotional rocks.
Yeah, always annoyed with people who keep asking why he doesn't just run charities and stuff. He does, like the largest ones in DC are funded by Wayne Industries, excepting those times where Lex Corp. is having a pissing match with them, followed by those done for either Kord Industries(Blue Beetle's Old/New Company, thank you reboots), or Palmer Tech(The Atom's company). For anyone curious, yes, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow does this, but as noted by others, he's not AS rich as the tech giants, and his city does other things to keep his money tied up for their own reasons.
Anyway, the reason way Bruce's efforts are not eliminating wants/needs completely is Gotham is still a shithole of a town. The crime lords control their territories, and while his efforts help, he can't/won't take them down the way the Dark Knight had him do, especially given he's not bullet proof/there are other concerns. Batman isn't an idiot, he doesn't go into fights he'll lose, he studies them and does his best to mitigate any negative consequences if he can't just punch the problem away.
Yeah honestly settings like this are best not to pick too many holes in. people are always like 'why doesn't gotham use the death penalty on the mass-murderers in weird costumes just because they're insane, or at least perform involuntary corrective processes on them involving drugs, surgery, or electricity' and of course it all comes down to it being a story about a place that is terrible, created at a time when certain types hadn't yet convinced everyone giant companies are inherently evil, having recently lived through their asses being _saved_ by industry, but also knowing a certain percentage of them are robber barons, that the government is supposed to be servant, not master, and that trusts need to be busted.
Doing the right thing even if you know that the task will never end is what makes a hero. There will always be more to do, more people who need help but that is not a reason to despair, it is a reason to continue.
:)
Batman was born the night his parents were gunned down in front of him (though he wouldn't know his name until much later), and ever since then his primary motivation has been, and always will be, to never let anyone else have to experience what he did that night ever again.
It is why he can work with the police one day and go solo the next, donate money to charity as Bruce Wayne or beat up criminals as Batman, and why he does not kill.
It all serves to insure that what he went through will never happen in Gotham again.
He will never truly succeed, but he does make a difference at least
Step 1: I'm Batman.
Step 2: Refer to Step 1.
Be the change you want to see, who batman is a example of the message his life represents.
Reminds me of this story called The Starfish Story: one step towards changing the world. Look it up it's very thought provoking.
Bruce Wayne is just a mask that Batman wears, but it is a mask that he very much needs, if he wants to remain on the side of Good. Without the mask, Batman is almost no better than the criminals that he attacks every night, as illustrated in Kingdom Come, Batman Beyond, and other notable stories. With Bruce, Batman maintains a connection to his humanity, which grounds him and keeps him from falling over the edge of his obsession, into the abyss of madness and murder. Bruce is often dismissed as boring or inconsequential, but the mask is a key element of the character, one that separates him from other vigilantes (Lockdown, The Punisher, etc.) and helps explain his complexity and longterm appeal.
And this comes IMMEDIATELY after the Twitter Discourse of the day was ‘why doesn’t Batman just buy crime’. I wonder if we should plaster this about in those threads.
Alfred manages multiple generations of superheros, of coarse he's one of the most badass people I'm the world.
Hey Chuck, hope things are going ok for you at the moment, it seems like your schedule's gone off abit at the mo. Try and take care of yourself dude
AND WE MINE MINE MINE
TIL THE MORNING LIGHT
DIGGING, CRAFTING,
CARRYING OUT THE ORES
SMELTING AT THE FORGE
Is it just me or does white haired Bruce resemble Steven Martin?
And enjoy the mental image of Bruce Wayne saying "I was born a poor black child."
I can't tell anymore if reviews are new, i'm just gonna think of these as reruns.
I barely remember this episode, barring the glutton of a villain.
I appreciate that there's been such a reevaluation of what's usually considered a pretty bad episode of BTAS. As another review put it, Cool Hand Luke starring Batman is just an awesome concept.
The answer to every question.
I'm Batman. 🦇
This episode should be called : I'm Batman?
Its fun seeing Batman go up against crooks that have no business fighting him.
A very sweet ending.
Also, it's an interesting thought that there may be untapped gold below New York City. Probably not though considering all the "gold" the men found here.
5:52 holy perspective, Batman, how big are these guys?
This is why I don't buy that Batman hates his Bruce Wayne persona. Bruce does just as much good without the cowl as with, giving jobs to people who need it and want to work or helping them get work keeps them out of a life of crime. Charity also helps make people's lives better. Seeing him help out at a mission is just as important as believable as his other "mission" against crime.
a forgotten batman animated series?
Got to love that the Batwing says, "Your funeral!" to Alfred! You just know that AI is just itching to kill all humans, but the presence of Batman is the only thing stopping it from executing its plans.
Well Batman does have a bad habit of creating evil AIs.
for a second I thought you typed "Al" as in short for Alfred, and I was like "well, he WAS in the army..."
I have always liked how Alfred is cool with guns and Bruce is like yeah I get it. They are useful, and I don't want you to die.