Review #31: A Buncha AU Stories!
Well, it's time for the next dish-up of the grab-bag reviews and I decided to keep an animated-verse focus for this lot.
The animated titles have a prominent kids' focus and, as such, you could always rely on a lot of cameos and tasty little tidbits from the major-league gallery. They also generally had an excellent team of writers. This made for much happy for all.
The Batman Adventures #1-#3
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Penciller: Ty Templeton
Inker: Rick Burchett
This really quite fabulous little three-parter is a Penguin, Catwoman AND Joker story and is beautifully written so that each part gorgeously exemplifies the individual pathologies of the trio of villains. In addition to this, Joker is the mastermind of the overall scheme, and plays hilarious cameo parts in issue #1 and #2 before taking the lead for a suddenly disturbing and creepy turn in #3.
Both Penguin's and Catwoman's stories are excellent and the crimes perfectly suited to both those characters' peculiarities. However, they commit their crimes under Joker's advice - it's quid-pro-quo - they get him a little something he needs and he shares with them a foolproof way to achieve “X” - what's beautiful about this is how wonderfully it illustrates how well Joker understands his fellow rogues and can exploit them.
But further, both these crimes set-off just how beyond the pale Joker is in comparison. Penguin and Catwoman have real motives for their crimes, and no real victims. The Joker emphatically has no motive- at least, not in an understandable sense. He wanst to instil fear and horror. And, with Penguin and Catwoman's unwitting help (both foiled by Batman naturally), he does. With victims.
And even beside the creepiness, Joker is so FUNNY in this story. So, so, so spot on. He's gorgeous.
Complete with yummy art lovingly illustrated by Ty Templeton, this is a wonderful story.
The Batman Adventures #22
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Penciller: Mike Parobeck
Inker: Rick Burchett
This Two-Face story features the briefest of cameos by the Joker and, sorry to say, it's lame.
The story itself is fine, though I haven't read it that often (a good Two-Face story is always a bit of a weeper for me, but this one hasn't stuck in my head) but some writers make the mistake of tying to show how hardcore a character is by having the Joker defeated or intimidated by him/her. Lame. Doesn't work. I can't actually believe in it, so it just doesn't work for me. That's what happens here - to impress how unhinged Harvey is, he scares the Joker with a threat. But can you really believe in that? I personally can't.
The Batman & Robin Adventures #1 - #2
Writer: Paul Dini
Penciller: Ty Templeton
Inker: Rick Burchett
In truth, Joker only appears in issue #1, but it IS a two-part story. A Two-Face story and, as written by Paul Dini, the way any interaction between Two-Face and Joker should be written. Joker shouldn't be scared by Two-Face but nor should Two-Face be easily scared by the Joker. He's a formidable character in his own right.
No, what Joker does here is so. Much. Yummier than just a simple taunt and tease, though taunting and teasing are definitely involved!
In a moment of sheer mischeivous malice tinged with what appears to be jealousy or resentment, Joker trips up a still-fragile Harvey's mind, inducing him to believe his beloved Grace is cheating on him with Bruce. He even gets Harley in on the gig to assist in providing “evidence”. It's nasty, nasty, nasty. THIS is one of those Two-Face stories that always makes me weepy. Yet, Joker is HILARIOUS in this, yet again, even as he's being a grade-a jerk. Simple, perfect Joker writing. DCAU PWNS.
Joker is not the catalyst for the events of this story, he just sets things in motion. But this is what he's all about: perceiving psychological weakness and exploiting it. This is how he functions in the Gallery - whether overt or covert, he rules them all, even the Asylum itself, another element demonstrated in this tale.
Two thumbs up (*rimshot*)!
The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years #1, #2 & #4
Writer: Hilary Bader
Penciller: Bo Hampton
Inker: Terry Beatty
This five-part mini was intended to be a “filler” between the ending of BTAS and the launch of TNBA. Since a few years had passed inbetween the two series and a whole bunch of stuff had changed, this mini-series filled us in on why and some of the how - like Tim becoming Robin and Dick becoming Nightwing and how Batgirl teamed up with them all properly.
Elements of this series was adapted into various episodes. There are bits I think were done better in comic form and bits that seemed better in episode form.
The Joker bits, weeellll... it's hard to choose. Can I just say they both were awesome for different reasons? XD The thing that killed it in the show was the un-charismatic new Joker design. But how can you go past the lechery of Hamill delivering lines like “she's a feisty little minx - and quite a looker too!”?
But I'm getting distracted - Joker's role in this series is tiny, yet yummy. He's background to what's going on, more a plot device than anything else, but a well-written one so all is forgiven. :) He has some gloriously menacing moments and some lusciously funny ones. And the art and writing are both really solid throughout this series.
The animated titles have a prominent kids' focus and, as such, you could always rely on a lot of cameos and tasty little tidbits from the major-league gallery. They also generally had an excellent team of writers. This made for much happy for all.
The Batman Adventures #1-#3
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Penciller: Ty Templeton
Inker: Rick Burchett
This really quite fabulous little three-parter is a Penguin, Catwoman AND Joker story and is beautifully written so that each part gorgeously exemplifies the individual pathologies of the trio of villains. In addition to this, Joker is the mastermind of the overall scheme, and plays hilarious cameo parts in issue #1 and #2 before taking the lead for a suddenly disturbing and creepy turn in #3.
Both Penguin's and Catwoman's stories are excellent and the crimes perfectly suited to both those characters' peculiarities. However, they commit their crimes under Joker's advice - it's quid-pro-quo - they get him a little something he needs and he shares with them a foolproof way to achieve “X” - what's beautiful about this is how wonderfully it illustrates how well Joker understands his fellow rogues and can exploit them.
But further, both these crimes set-off just how beyond the pale Joker is in comparison. Penguin and Catwoman have real motives for their crimes, and no real victims. The Joker emphatically has no motive- at least, not in an understandable sense. He wanst to instil fear and horror. And, with Penguin and Catwoman's unwitting help (both foiled by Batman naturally), he does. With victims.
And even beside the creepiness, Joker is so FUNNY in this story. So, so, so spot on. He's gorgeous.
Complete with yummy art lovingly illustrated by Ty Templeton, this is a wonderful story.
The Batman Adventures #22
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Penciller: Mike Parobeck
Inker: Rick Burchett
This Two-Face story features the briefest of cameos by the Joker and, sorry to say, it's lame.
The story itself is fine, though I haven't read it that often (a good Two-Face story is always a bit of a weeper for me, but this one hasn't stuck in my head) but some writers make the mistake of tying to show how hardcore a character is by having the Joker defeated or intimidated by him/her. Lame. Doesn't work. I can't actually believe in it, so it just doesn't work for me. That's what happens here - to impress how unhinged Harvey is, he scares the Joker with a threat. But can you really believe in that? I personally can't.
The Batman & Robin Adventures #1 - #2
Writer: Paul Dini
Penciller: Ty Templeton
Inker: Rick Burchett
In truth, Joker only appears in issue #1, but it IS a two-part story. A Two-Face story and, as written by Paul Dini, the way any interaction between Two-Face and Joker should be written. Joker shouldn't be scared by Two-Face but nor should Two-Face be easily scared by the Joker. He's a formidable character in his own right.
No, what Joker does here is so. Much. Yummier than just a simple taunt and tease, though taunting and teasing are definitely involved!
In a moment of sheer mischeivous malice tinged with what appears to be jealousy or resentment, Joker trips up a still-fragile Harvey's mind, inducing him to believe his beloved Grace is cheating on him with Bruce. He even gets Harley in on the gig to assist in providing “evidence”. It's nasty, nasty, nasty. THIS is one of those Two-Face stories that always makes me weepy. Yet, Joker is HILARIOUS in this, yet again, even as he's being a grade-a jerk. Simple, perfect Joker writing. DCAU PWNS.
Joker is not the catalyst for the events of this story, he just sets things in motion. But this is what he's all about: perceiving psychological weakness and exploiting it. This is how he functions in the Gallery - whether overt or covert, he rules them all, even the Asylum itself, another element demonstrated in this tale.
Two thumbs up (*rimshot*)!
The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years #1, #2 & #4
Writer: Hilary Bader
Penciller: Bo Hampton
Inker: Terry Beatty
This five-part mini was intended to be a “filler” between the ending of BTAS and the launch of TNBA. Since a few years had passed inbetween the two series and a whole bunch of stuff had changed, this mini-series filled us in on why and some of the how - like Tim becoming Robin and Dick becoming Nightwing and how Batgirl teamed up with them all properly.
Elements of this series was adapted into various episodes. There are bits I think were done better in comic form and bits that seemed better in episode form.
The Joker bits, weeellll... it's hard to choose. Can I just say they both were awesome for different reasons? XD The thing that killed it in the show was the un-charismatic new Joker design. But how can you go past the lechery of Hamill delivering lines like “she's a feisty little minx - and quite a looker too!”?
But I'm getting distracted - Joker's role in this series is tiny, yet yummy. He's background to what's going on, more a plot device than anything else, but a well-written one so all is forgiven. :) He has some gloriously menacing moments and some lusciously funny ones. And the art and writing are both really solid throughout this series.