The Great Batman: Brave and the Bold Rewatch: Hail the Tornado Tyrant!

Season One, Episode Twenty: Hail the Tornado Tyrant!
Written by J.M. DeMatteis
Directed by Brandon Vietti

Plot Synopsis

Teaser: Batman, driving the Batmobile,  gives chase to Joker in his Joker Mobile. Green Arrow catches up in his Arrowmobile, and the two heroes usual competetive streak comes out as they both try to catch the arch-criminal and see who has the cooler car. With Joker taken care of, they see Catwoman esacpe Gotham museum in her Catplane, and the two cars transform into planes as they give chase, still bantering.

Episode: Batman arrives at a laboratory, and finds a body under a sheet, only to be surprised by Red Tornado. Removing the sheet, Tornado reveals another robot. Tornado tells Batman he is about to activate the other robot, and Batman takes it to mean he wants to share the moment with a friend. Tornado says he has created an imporved version of himself, and Batman wonders about the creation of life, and what might go wrong. Tornado says he has installed a fail-safe of "my son" goes wrong, and Batman is shocked at the choice of words.

A blast of energy permeates the smaller robot, and Tornado Champion stands up, but does not seem to demonstrate the emotions that Tornado's improvements, the things he does not have, should have bestowed on him. Tornado wants to work together and fight crime to see if that might stir Champion, and finds that the villain Major Disaster is nearby.

Major Disaster is threatening the city with a hurricane as the heroes arrive. As they fight near a rollercoaster, Champion is able to direct Disaster's lightning back at him so batman can punch him out. But as the heroes are distracted after the fight, the still not entirely unconscious Disaster is able to blast Champion. Tornado holds his son, who seems fatally damaged, but a flash of light explodes from his face, and suddenly the previously emotionless Champion, smiles and calls Tornado, "Father!"

Back at the lab, Tornado analyzes Champion, and the younger robot is excited and filled with emotions. Batman looks on, seemingly doubtful. The two robots travel the world, stopping disasters and criminals talking about life and the meaning of it and emotions, all while Batman watches from the distance. Champion seems impatient and a little doubtful about some of Tornado's philosophical answers.

At a fire, Champion saves two children, but they are afraid of him and the crowd turns on him, calling him a robot, though Champion views himself as a person. He and Tornado fly off, and they talk about emotions, and Champion's not understanding why he is not accepted. When Tornado tells Champion he will be accepted someday, he scoffs and flies off, leaving Tornado alone. Batman approaches him, and Tornado reveals he knows Batman has been watching him, but remains sure that Champion is doing fine. Tornado detects Major Disaster attempting to escape jail, and the heroes head off to stop him.

Batman and Tornado confront Disaster in the prison yard, and while Disaster has the upper hand, Champion's arrival turns the tide. But this time it' Tornado who is wounded, and Champion turns on Disaster seeking revenge, beating Disaster with whirlwinds. Batman stops Champion from delivering a deathblow, and the two argue about the morality of revenge, before he strike Batman. Tornado steps in the way, and tells Champion to stop, but Champion says humans are evil and a disease. Batman is able to strike Champion with a Batarang, shutting him down.

Batman and Tornado are back in the lab, Tornado wanting to save his son, Batman telling him that Champion is too dangerous and must be shut off using the fail-safe. Despite Champion's pleas, Tornado decides the fail-safe is the logical solution, and Champion shuts down. The two heroes walk away from the still robot, only for his eyes to glow green as they exit, revealing he removed the fail-safe. He uses Tornado's equipment to upgrade himself, redesigning himself into the more sinister Tornado Tyrant.

On the beach at Coast City, where the boardwalk Major Disaster initially attacked rests, a tidal wave blasts ashore, devastating the area. Two survivors see Tyrant, who follows his handiwork, and says he plans to wipe humanity from the globe. Batman and Tornado head toward Tyrant, preparing to do what must be done to stop him. They confront Tyrant with a device Tornado is sure will scramble Tyrant's programming, but Tyrant puts up a considerable fight, knocking Batman and the scrambler away.

Tornado and his son face each other is a duel of the winds, but Tyrant proves stronger. Tornado begs his son to stop, saying humans deserve better, but Tyrant will hear none of it, and savagely attacks Tornado, crushing him between two cars. Tornado again tries to reason with Tyrant, telling him of humanity's good side, their quest to connect and love, but Tyrant is unmoved.

As Tyrant is about to destroy his father, Batman is able to snag Tyrant with a grapnel, pull himself up to the robot, and plant the scrambler in Tyrant's head. Tornado uses the opportunity to charge Tyrant, plants his hands inside the other robot, and use his wind powers to destroy the rogue robot, although he averts his eyes, unable to see what he's doing to his son. Tornado collapses to his knees as Batman walks up to him.

One final time at the lab, Tornado mourns his attempts to create a son, saying he should never have done it and he does not understand human emotion. Batman assures him, having heard what Tornado said about human life and love, that Tornado may have found his own humanity. Tornado says that he just parroted what he has seen and read, and has no insight into it, and uses his machines to destroy what is left of Tyrant's parts. He assures Batman he is ok, and as he stands alone, a single tear falls from his eye. Tornado observes it and says he must run a diagnostic, not knowing that it is a most human act.

Who's Who

Red Tornado (Voiced by Corey Burton)
First Comic Book Appearance:  Justice League of America #64 (August, 1968)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Four- Invasion of the Secret Santas!

Major Disaster (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)
First Comic Book Appearance: Green Lantern #43 (March, 1966)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Twenty: Hail the Tornado Tyrant!

Paul Booker has an origin that is similar to those of a lot of Silver Age villains. He was a petty crook who got his hands on advanced technology and decided to use it to become a super criminal. Starting out as a Green Lantern foe (Part of his origin story had him discovering Hal Jordan's secret identity), he would go on to fight Superman, John Stewart, and the Outsiders before becoming a member of the comical Injustice League during the Giffen/DeMatteis era, which reformed and became the Justice League Antarctica. After briefly returning to villainy (and getting his powers made a part of him by the demon Neron), Booker reformed thanks to the faith of Superman, he was recruited by Batman as a member of the substitute Justice League when the main team went missing. When the Justice League returned, he became a member of the Justice League Elite, a covert ops League. He would eventually be killed during the Infinite Crisis crossover, and has yet to appear in DC's new timeline. Major Disaster's power allowed him to create natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. After his deal with Neron, his power became one that effected causality, making bad fortune happen to people from still large events to smaller ones like tripping and falling.

The Joker (Voiced by Jeff Bennett)

First Comic Book Appearance: Batman #1 (April 1940)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Thirteen- Game Over for Owlman!

Green Arrow (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)
First Comic Book Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode One- Rise of the Blue Beetle

Continuity, Comics Connections, and Notes

Comic book writer J.M. DeMatteis returns for his third episode as writer. It's cool that DeMatteis focuses on a different hero in each of these episodes, as opposed to tracking one hero. His first episode was a Green Arrow one, followed by a Green Lantern one, and now Red Tornado in his third.

The origins of Red Tornado from before the DC Comics defining event, Crisis on Infinite Earths, is as complex and knotty as those of Hawkman after the Crisis, but suffice it to say, he used both the identities of Tornado Champion and Tornado Tyrant at different points in his existence. I do my best to sum up this kind of thing here, but it's all so messy that I just have to refer you to Wikipedia to try to read it all. It's... really something.

Tornado Champion's initial design, with the purple cape and briefs, is actually one of Red Tornado's earlier designs before creators settled on his current, more well known, one.

Carl Lumbly, who voices Tornado Champion/Tyrant, is best known in DC Animation circles as the voice of J'onn J'onzz,the Martian Manhunter, on Justice League & Justice League Unlimited.

The Great Batman: The Brave and the Bold Rewatch: The Eyes of Despero!

Season One, Episode Ten: The Eyes of Despero!
Written by J.M. DeMatteis
Directed by Ben Jones

Plot Synopsis

Teaser: In a surreal landscape, the wizard Wotan flies toward the Library of Infinity, which holds the knowledge of all human experience, preparing to take it for himself. He destroys the guardians, but the mystical hero Doctor Fate appears with Batman to stop him. Fate wonders if even the mystical helm of Fate can help him stop Wotan, but Batman tells him it's the man, not the helmet, that makes the hero. Batman fights the creatures Wotan summons while Fate battles Wotan. When Wotan is able to remove Fate's helmet, the doctor proves Batman right by standing his ground and defeating Wotan with his fists, saving the day.

Episode: Many of the Green Lantern Corps leave the Lantern headquarters of Oa, led by Earth's most famous Lantern, Hal Jordan. In space, they find the three-eyed, fin headed alien conqueror, Despero, waiting. The Lanterns attacks prove fruitless, and Despero mentally takes control of them all except Jordan, who tells him his plan has failed, as the Guardians of the Universe, the alien beings who empower the Corps, have been hidden where Despero can't find them. When Despero sends his fellow Corpsbeings after him, Jordan recites the Green Lantern oath, and with an explosion of green energy, seemingly destroys all of them Corps and himself. Despero departs, confident his plan to conquer the galaxy will still come to fruition, as a lone Green Lantern ring shoots through space.

In Gotham City, Batman finds the Cavalier robbing a bank. Batman makes short work of the villain as the Green Lantern ring arrives, surrounds him in a bubble of energy, which takes off into space. Batman arrives on Oa and begins investigating, finding the planet empty except for three Lanterns in jail cells: Guy Gardner, the obnoxious human, the canine G'Nort, and the Korugaran Sinestro. Gardner tries to grab the ring that is leading Batman around, but Sinestro tells him to back down, which Gardner grudgingly does. Sinestro tells Batman why he and Gardner are in the brig: Gardner for throwing a tantrum in the commissary and Sinestro for excessive force; G'Nort brought the other two lunch and locked himself in accidentally.

Batman and the three Lanterns use a ring to see what befell the rest of the Corps, and Batman heads off with the others, wearing armor forged by the rings of the others, allowing him to travel with them. Batman puts himself in charge of the mission, which Gardner immediately rejects, but Sinestro gets in the middle, as he and Gardner are butting heads. As the three argue, Despero appears, now gigantic. Guy doesn't listen to Batman's plan and is swatted away, but Batman and Sinestro work together, Batman thinking he can trust Sinestro.

Despero gets the upper hand, imprisoning the heroes in rings of force, but Sinestro uses his ring, and Batman his armor, to channel their will and break free. They seemingly defeat Despero, who turns out to be a psychic illusion. Despero psychically tells the heroes that he has distracted them while he heads to the Lantern who will be his ultimate weapon. Batman is unaware, and Sinestro and G'Nort tell Batman that Despero is heading for Mogo, a Green Lantern who is a sentient planet, and if Despero can control him, Mogo will make Despero unstoppable.

Despero arrives on Mogo and begins remaking the world in his own image. He heads the world of Xudar and uses Mogo to conquer all the minds on the planet before heading to his next target: Earth. Batman and the Lanterns are watching, and Batman tells the three they can defeat Despero if they follow his orders. Gardner says no, that he's working alone from here on out, and Batman decks him with one punch. Gardner grudgingly agrees, and Batman tells the Lanterns his plan: drain Mogo's power battery into one of their rings, thus removing Mogo as a weapon for Despero. Batman sends Sinestro to put a protective bubble around Earth, Gardner to distract Mogo, while Batman himself fights Despero, leaving G'Nort to drain the battery. G'Nort os doubtful he can do it, because he's a screw up and his ring is low on energy, but Batman tells him it's not the ring, it's the man.

Gardner creates a giant construct and challenges Mogo, who uses his own surface as a weapon to fight him. G'Nort finds the power battery, but blanks on the oath that will allow him to use his ring. Batman and Despero are in a full power brawl as Gardner awakens from Mogo knocking him out to find Sinestro planting massive bombs on Mogo to destroy the planet and stop Despero. Sinestro believes the ends justify the means, and while Gardner stands up to Sinestro, Sinestro attacks him. Meanwhile, Despero has again captured Batman and is monologuing at him, and in so doing reveals the truth about Sinestro: Sinestro didn't just use excessive force by attacking the Warlords of Okaara after they surrendered. He massacred them and then the planet he had sworn to protect.

Gardner continues to fight Sinestro, who makes his own speech, saying he is better than all the other Lanterns. Sinestro assumes Gardner is fighting to prove himself the best, but Gardner instead says it's about saving Mogo and G'Nort, and is able to knock Sinestro back. Batman is able to break free of Despero's energy bands and fights him as Garnder and Sinestro continue to battle. Gardner is able to defeat Sinestro, and G'Nort finally remembers he has the Lantern oath written on his wrist, and successfully recites it, draining Mogo's battery.

Batman is able to resist Despero's attempts to control his mind long enough to head butt him, and then the awakened Mogo sends a massive rock to knock Despero out. With Despero defeated and Mogo freed, the Green Lantern ring that sought Batman out leaves his utility belt, and a burst of light reveals that Hal Jordan, the Guardians, and the other Lanterns have been in the ring all along, and Jordan sent the ring to Batman for safe keeping. Back on Oa, Batman and Guy Gardner congratulate each other on a job well done, and Batman finds out Guy has Sinestro imprisoned in his ring. Batman gives the credit for the win to the Lantern he says deserves it most: G'Nort, who jumps into Batman's arms, excited, as the Corps cheers him.


Who's Who

Guy Gardner (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Green Lantern #59 (August, 1968)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

G'Nort (Voiced by Alexander Polinsky)
First Comic Book Appearance: Justice League International #10 (February, 1988)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

G'Nort, one of a canine species, was allowed to join the Green Lantern Corps due to the influence of a powerful uncle. He became a bungling member of the Corps, often causing more trouble than he ever helped remedy. He met the Justice League during the Manhunter invasion in the crossover Millennium, and tagged along with them on Earth for some time, becoming a member of the Justice League Antarctica, a post where the League would ship off undesirables who wouldn't leave them alone. While occasionally portrayed as having a good and heroic heart, as in this episode, G'Nort is usually simply comic relief. G'Nort possesses a Green Lantern ring, which allows him to manifest constructs on pure will, as well as the heightened sense of smell and tracking abilities of a dog.

Sinestro (Voiced by Xander Berkley)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Green Lantern #7 (August, 1961)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

Thaal Sinestro was once considered one of the greatest of Green Lanterns. He was the Green Lnatern of Sector 1417, which included his home planet of Korugar, and would often aid on the training of other Lanterns, including the human Hal Jordan. The two became friends, until Hal learned Sinestro's dark secret: Sinestro had taken complete control of Korugar, believing that the best way to maintain order was through fascism. Hal was able to defeat Sinestro, and the Guardians of the Universe stripped Sinestro of his rank and banished him to the anti-matter universe world of Qward. There, Sinestro had the Weaponers of Qward fashion him a ring that channeled the yellow energy of fear, and Sinestro would go on to be the Corps, and Hal Jordan's, greatest nemesis. He would eventually form the Sinestro Corps, a corps of villains and monsters who used yellow rings, that would challenge the Green Lantern Corps, and while occasionally still acting as an anti-hero, truly believes the universe would be better under his rule. Whether using a Green or Yellow Lantern ring, Sinestro can manifest constructs of intense power. He is a brilliant tactician and a confident and competent leader.

Hal Jordan (Voiced by Loren Lester)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Showcase #22 (October, 1959)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

A test pilot, Hal Jordan was a man who knew no fear. And one day, when Abin Sur, Green Lantern of Sector 2814 came crashing to Earth, it was that characteristic that called Jordan to the alien's side and made him the new Green Lantern of the sector. Jordan would go on to make himself the greatest Green Lantern in the Corps's storied history, as well as its greatest failure. He would defeat Sinestro, the Weaponers of Qward, the Manhunters, and many other foes, both cosmic and Earthbound, but after the destruction of his home, Coast City, he would fall under the sway of Parallax, the fear entity, and nearly destroy the Corps. But Jordan would rise again, defeat and purge Parallax, and return to being a standard bearer for the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan possesses a Green Lantern ring, which allows him to create constructs based purely on his willpower. He is also a remarkable pilot.

Despero (Voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson)
First Comic Book Appearance: Justice League of America #1 (October, 1960)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

Despero was the conqueror and ruler of the planet Kalanor, which brought him into conflict with the Justice League as he often sought to expand his empire to other worlds. Despero would become one of the most consistent thorns in the side of the various incarnations of the Justice League, developing a vendetta against the League and would often test his psychic powers against those of the Martian Manhunter. Despero has appeared in many forms with many different abilities. Initially a more cerebral foe, Despero has a third eye through which he can channel psychic powers almost on scale with those of Martian Manhunter. He can possess the wills of others, cast illusions, and is a telekinetic and telepath. He eventually took magical abilities from the "Flames of Py'tar," which granted him control of his own mass, allowing him to bulk up and gain superhuman strength and durability.

Doctor Fate (Voiced by Jonny Rees)
First Comic Book Appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

Archaeologist Kent Nelson was exploring an ancient tomb with his father when poison gas killed Kent's father. Kent was able to find the Helm of Nabu, an ancient Egyptian sorcerer and a Lord of Order, and along with the cloak and amulet of Nabu, becomes Doctor Fate, on of the Golden Age's first mystical defenders. Kent, along with his wife Inza, would defend the world against mystical threats for decades, both wearing the helmet, which served as a conduit to the mind and consciousness of Nabum and the helmet would be passed along to others over the years, all would be guided by Nabu to defend order. Doctor Fate is one of the preeminent sorcerers in the DC Universe, able to cast a myriad of spells that not only create magical effects but grant him numerous superhuman powers. Kent Nelson was an Egyptologist of some renown, with an encyclopedic knowledge of ancient Egypt.

Wotan (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)
First Comic Book Appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!


Wotan has a particularly complicated backstory. Wotan was born a female in ancient times and was raped by the purported servant of a god. She spent her life learning mystical secrets, developing a cult around herself, and eventually learned to reincarnate at her will and choosing. Down the centuries she switches identity and gender until incarnating as the male Wotan of the present. Wotan seeks great power and to supplant all gods, being the only worshiped being in the universe, which often brings Wotan into conflict with the Spectre and Doctor Fate. Wotan is a powerful sorcerer and is equally adept with science, and due to their ability to switch bodies and control reincarnation, is functionally immortal.

Cavalier (Voiced by Jonny Rees)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Detective Comics #81 (November, 1943)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Ten- The Eyes of Despero!

Cavalier is a minor Batman villain whose real identity is Mortimer Drake. A man who obsessively collected rare and exotic historical items, when he started running out of money, he took to crime, never posing a serious threat to Batman. Shortly before the Flashpoint event, he seemingly reformed, working with Leslie Thompkins as her bodyguard. He has only appeared in the background since the New 52 reboot. Cavalier is an expert swordsman and a good hand-to-hand combatant.

Continuity, Comics Connections, and Notes

J.M. DeMatteis returns to write this episode, after writing "Day of the Dark Knight," bringing with him several characters he has written in the comics. Guy Gardner and G'Nort both had featured roles in his run on Justice League International, and he also wrote an extended run on Doctor Fate, both an ongoing and a mini-series.

When Hal Jordan is battling Despero at the beginning of the episode, once of his constructs is a giant green boxing glove, which was a trademark construct of his in the Silver Age Green Lantern stories,

There are comic book precedents for Batman working with not just Earth bound Green lanterns, but the Corps itself, and using Green Lantern rings. In the Elseworlds tale Batman: In Darkest Night, created by Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham (the creators behind the legendary graphic novel, Batman: Son of the Demon) , Bruce Wayne became Green Lantern of Earth. In recent years, Batman has briefly donned a Yellow, Green, and White Lantern ring in stories by Geoff Johns.

The Warlords of Okaara, mentioned in Sinestro's story, are an alien race of conquerors in the DC Universe, and  Xudar, the planet Despero takes over, is the home of Green Lantern Tomar Re in Sector 2815, the neighbor to Earth's sector, 2814.

Batman's knockout of Guy Gardner is directly inspired by a famous scene in Justice League #5. where Gardner challenges Batman for leadership of the Justice League, and Batman knocks him out with one punch, and then just walks off. G'Nort's exclamation of "ONE PUNCH! ONE PUNCH!" and his body language mirrors that of Blue Beetle Ted Kord's in that scene.

Ten episodes in, and we're starting to see a building of an almost repertory cast for the series. Jonny Rees has appeared before as Gentleman Ghost & Dr. Canus, Kevin Michael Richardson  as Black Manta & B'Wana Beast, and James Arnold Taylor as Green Arrow. There are other regular guest voices, who I will call out as they appear, including John DiMaggio who has already voiced Grodd and Aquaman, and Grey Griffin who voiced Fire earlier on and will recur as both that character and Black Canary.

This is another episode where the teaser and the main episode share a specific thematic connection, in this case that it is the man, and not the tool, that makes a hero

The Great Batman: The Brave and the Bold Rewatch: "Day of the Dark Knight!"

Season One, Episode Five: Day of the Dark Knight!
Written by J.M. DeMatteis
Directed by Ben Jones

Plot Synopsis

Teaser: Batman and Green Lantern Guy Gardner bring a prisoner in to the planet Oa. After depositing him, they bump into Kilowog, who is bringing in a tiny and deceptively cute prisoner of his own, who mouths off at Gardner. Gardner dumps coffee on the prisoner, who grows to gigantic size and punches Gardner into the Lantern Corps commissary. Gardner fights with the creature while Batman builds a device to return the creature to its normal diminutive size, leaving Gardner to clean up the literal mess he has made.

Episode: Opening with an explosion at a prison, various super and regular criminals are making their escape when Batman arrives to stop them, followed closely by Green Arrow. The two heroes make short work of the escaping crooks, and find that they have each taken down the exact same number of them. Arrow comments on this, and while Batman says aloud it's not a competition his internal monologue mentions that the two of them are competitive but it never gets out of hand.

One last criminal appears, and both heroes launch their weapons at him, only for him to use magic to stop the attacks and teleport the heroes away. The "criminal" is revealed to be Merlin, who has called the heroes to Camelot to stop Morgaine le Fey, who has conquered the realm. Only "The One Who Is Worthy" can retrieve Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, and use it to defeat Morgaine. Merlin is unsure which of the two is the right hero. Morgaine, watching this, tells Jason Blood that he must stop this, and releases the Etrigan, the demon who is bound to Blood, to do her bidding.

Riding through the forest, Merlin tells Batman and Arrow that he thinks Batman is the one destined to free Excalibur from the stone, just as Morgaine's monsters and Etrigan attack. Batman fights with Etrigan, but Merlin stops the demon, and Batman and Arrow begin competing again at the highest number of monsters defeated. Merlin tries to get Etrigan back under his control, as Morgaine stole him from Merlin, but the demon bests Merlin. Etrigan then turns his attention on Batman and Arrow, and after nearly crushing them with a boulder. they drive him off. Angry at her failed servant, Morgaine heads off to deal with the heroes, leaving a a stone King Arthur behind.

With Merlin recovered, the heroes head out again, with Batman and Arrow bickering over whether or not it was Arrow's exploding Arrow or Batman's Bat-grenade that stopped Etrigan. A frustrated Merlin tells the heroes that they have arrived at the Tower of Excalibur, and the two heroes rush off to reach the top of the tower and get the sword.They find the tower protected by ogres, and when the heroes defeat them, stairs appear to let the heroes into the tower. Arrow grows more frustrated as Merlin continues to favor Batman.

Morgaine appears and after bantering with Merlin, she takes over Batman's mind, garbing him in dark armor, and sends him to retrieve the sword for her. Merlin fights Morgaine and Etrigan while sending Arrow after Batman to prove his worthiness.

Arrow is able to use a trick arrow with a line and pulley to meet Batman, and after a brief duel, Batman nearly defeats Arrow just as Morgaine defeats Merlin. Standing with Arrow hanging off the cliff by one hand, Batman is nearly swayed by Arrow reminding him of their friendship before Morgaine appears and has him step on Arrow's hand, sending him falling. Merlin, with Etrigan holding him and about to kill him, casts a spell that hits Batman with seemingly little effect.

In the tower, Batman and Morgaine reach Excalibur. But Merlin's spell has freed Batman's mind, and he uses a Batarang to knock Morgaine back as Merlin enters, having turned Etrigan back into Jason Blood, who has been freed by Merlin. Morgaine changes into a dragon, and Batman attempts to draw the sword from the stone, only to find he can't; he is apparently not the One Who is Worthy.

Blood changes back to Etrigan, and he and Merlin try to stop Morgaine the Dragon, but fail as she destroys the tower, sending them all crashing down. She turns Etrigan and Merlin to stone, and is about to do the same to Batman when Green Arrow reappears. He is also not able to free the sword, but Batman and Arrow together are able to pull the sword, and Arrow fires it like an arrow into the dragon, who is vanquished, and everyone returns to flesh and blood.

Heading away from the tower, Merlin says Arthur will knight both the heroes, but when they start bickering again, a frustrated Merlin simply sends them back to the present. Batman and Arrow seem to come to peace with their competition, but when an alert comes through of a bank robbery, the two heroes speed off, seeing who can reach the bank first.

Who's Who

Green Arrow (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)
First Comic Book Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode One- Rise of the Blue Beetle

Guy Gardner (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Green Lantern #59 (August, 1968)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

Originally designated as a stand-by replacement Green Lantern for the original Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner was initially a fairly bland character. But in the 1980's, writer Steve Englehart changed Guy Gardner's personality, making him a stereotypical 80s guy's guy, full of arrogance and attitude, a personality made even broader during his time on the Justice League International. Gardner's personality has fluctuated since then, some times becoming even more unlikable than many villains, but in recent years, he has evened out, still maintaining his ego and braggadocio, while becoming  more heroic again. Batman and Guy Gardner's most famous comics interaction took place in Justice League #5, where Gardner challenged Batman to a fist fight for leadership of the League, and Batman knocked him out with one punch before simply walking away. Gardner possesses a Green Lantern ring, a weapon empowered by the Guardians of the Universe to tap into the bearer's willpower to generate constructs and energy blasts. It is only limited by the wielder's will and imagination.

Kilowog (Voiced by Deidrich Bader)

First Comic Book Appearance:  Green Lantern #201 (June, 1986)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

Kilowog is one of the most famous non-human members of the Green Lantern Corps. The last survivor of the destroyed planet Bolovax Vik, Kilowog is the drill sergeant of the Corps, working to train new recruits to be the best Lantern they can be. Kilowog has been a fixture in every incarnation of the Corps since his introduction, and a trusted ally of all of Earth's Lanterns and their allies.At a time when the Corps was disbanded, Kilowog, whose home planet was destroyed, came to Earth and worked doing mechanic work with the Justice League, but was recruited immediately back to his old position. Aside from the standard powers of a wielder of a Green Lantern ring, Kilowog is stronger and more durable then humans, and has a genius level intellect.

Etrigan the Demon (Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker)
First Comic Book Appearance:  The Demon #1 (August, 1972)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

"Gone, gone, the form of man/ And rise, the demon, Etrigan!" Created by Jack Kirby, Etrigan was the demonic servant of Merlin (and half brother to the wizard in his demonic fathers side), who depending on which version of his origin you read is either transformed into a human named Jason Blood to help control him, or bound to a man of that name who is his own person for the same reason. The two traveled down the centuries together, resentful of each other, as only one can be in the real world at a time, leaving the other in Hell. In modern times, Etrigan is often a reluctant hero, with Jason Blood transforming at times that leave Etrigan no choice but to fight against threats that are worse than him. The two continually attempt to find a way to separate and leave the other, but every time this happens, they are bound together again. Etrigan has all the standard powers of a demon, but at a higher level, as he is one of Hell's most powerful demons, including super strength, immortality, invulnerability, the ability to breathe fire, and is a master of the magic arts. Jason Blood shares immortality with Etrigan as long as they are bonded, and is a formidable magic user and hand-to-hand combatant.

Merlin (Voiced by David McCallum)
First Comic Book Appearance:  The Demon #1 (August, 1972)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

Morgaine le Fey (Voice by Tatyanna Yassukovich)
First Comic Book Appearance: The Demon #1 (August, 1972)
First Brave and the Bold Appearance: Season One, Episode Five- Day of the Dark Knight!

Merlin and Morgaine Le Fey are two important figures from classic Arthurian myth; Merlin is the adviser to King Arthur, while Morgaine is his half sister on his mother's side, and often also the mother of his son, Mordred. There are many different comic book versions of both figures across numerous publishing companies, as they are public domain characters, being mythic figures. In DC Comics, they are usually tied to stories involving Etrigan, but Morgaine does tend to appear as a major magical threat fighting various superheroes. Merlin and Morgaine are two of the most powerful mages in the DC Universe, nearly unmatched in their manipulation of magical energies.

Continuity, Comics Connections, and Notes

It might seem an odd choice to use Guy Gardner as the fist spotlighted Green Lantern, but not if you look at the writer credit for the episode. J.M. DeMatteis is a prolific comics as well as animation writer, and one of the projects he's most famous for is the 80s Justice League International, which he cowrote with Kieth Giffen, where the obnoxious Guy Gardner was one of the principal characters.

The episode hearkens back to classic Batman stories of the 1950s, where both space and time travel were common.

This is the first of many episodes that are crammed to the gills with cameos. The teaser on Oa features many comic book members of the GL Corps in cameos, including  Salaak, Chaselon, Katma Tui, Tomar Re, Galius Zed, Arisia, Ch'p, Stel, Olapet, Medphyll, and Larvox.

The opening jail break not only has cameos by many of the villains who have appeared already in the series including Clock King, Felix Faust and Kiteman, but many of the TV versions of, or original villans, from the classic Batman TV series from 1966, including the Mad Hatter, Minstrel, Bookworm, The Siren, King Tut, False Face,Egghead, Louie the Lilac, and Shame.

Etrigan the Demon speaks throughout the episode entirely in rhyme. While this was not a feature of the character when introduced by Jack Kirby (the only rhyme involved there was the summoning chant), in an early appearance in the DC Universe at large, writer Len Wein had Etrigan speak in rhyme. Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Matt Wagner followed suit, and nearly every incarnation of Etrigan has been a rhyming demon since. The exception is the work of John Byrne, who wrote Etrigan in Action Comics, Wonder Woman, and a short lived series called Blood of the Demon, who is anti-rhyme and has only written Etrigan as rhyming to break the spell cast on him by Morgaine to make him rhyme. This plotline has been ignored by all following writers, who continue to have Etrigan rhyme.

Animated Discussions: Batman Vs. Robin

In July of 2013, Warner Bros. Animation made a change to the way they were handling the DC Comics direct to DVD movie program. Instead of a series of one off stories, they were going to start making most of the animated features fit into a cohesive universe based loosely on the New 52. You haven't seen me talking about this new program thus far because I felt it met with mixed results. There was a feeling to me that they were pushing the boundaries of blood and violence simply because they could. But each none has gotten progressively better, and I would have written up the previous entry, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, if not for want of time. But last week, Batman Vs. Robin was released, and I enjoyed it so much that I felt I had to write it up, despite being a bit behind the curve, putting the review up a week after release.

The plot revolves around two conflicts, one external to Batman's family, and one internal, that come together in the end. The external conflict is Batman dealing with the appearance of the Court of Owls, a secret society that has shaped Gotham City's history for centuries. The internal conflict is Batman dealing with his son, Damian, who came to live with him in an earlier film, Son of Batman, and who, having been trained by his maternal grandfather, Ra's al Ghul, to be a master assassin, is having a hard time fitting in with Batman's more strict morality. As the Court makes its play to not only destroy Batman and win Brcue Wayne to its side, Damian is wooed by Talon, the Court's assassin, to become his apprentice and abandon Batman.

This story isn't a direct adaption of any one story, but actually draws it's main inspirations from two, and neither of those is the Grant Morrison story, "Batman Vs. Robin." The first story is obviously Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's "Court of Owls," the very popular inaugural arc of the current volume of Batman. The Court and their Talon are the main antagonists of the film. The second story is the first arc of the second volume of Batman and Robin, "Born to Kill," by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. The stories are blended together well, having the Talon take the place of Nobody, the villain of the latter story, who was trying to win Robin away from Batman.

With a screenplay from comic book writer J.M. DeMatteis (who also wrote a handful of episodes of Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold), this is one of the best written of the DC animated movies. DeMatteis gets to the heart of Batman and Robin's relationship, and establishes the conflict between them well; it's not just that Damian is a brat with a chip on his shoulder, it's that Bruce doesn't know how to be a father. Nightwing and Alfred both appear, giving their own opinions on how Batman should be dealing with this, but they are used sparingly, allowing the conflict between father and son to keep the central place in the narrative.

By removing Lincoln March, the central villain of the initial Court of Owls story, the movie allows the Talon to take center stage as the villain. That Talon remains unnamed throughout the story, but his background is revealed, and he is not one of the Talons that we've met in the comics. His background is not a direct parallel for Batman's, making him another anti-Bat, but with his training and his being raised by a criminal father he betrays to the police, it's clear that he is meant to understand Damian and what it's like to have a father who doesn't understand and love you, allowing for a logical conflict between Batman and Talon for Damian's loyalty.

The new animated style is also starting to grow on me. While it's not as clean as the classic Bruce Timm style, it has a great sense of fluidity and lends itself to more detail. The designs for the Talons, and the creepy way they move and heal, was a highlight of the movie. The characters in costume look great, but the one place I feel still needs a little work is some of the more sedate moments. This style is very action oriented, so the faces when not masked or in motion can occasionally look a bit off model, with oddly flat faces.

Jason O'Mara, now in his fourth outing voicing Batman, has grown well into the role. It's always hard to hear a new Batman, since Kevin Conroy has inhabited the role for so long, both in screen and in my head, but O'Mara is finding a nice balance, making his voice gruff but understandable. Stuart Allan also does a good job as Damian; it's not often that an actual kid voices a kid in an animated feature, but Allan is a professional, and his Damian can sound both haughty and tragically young at the appropriate times. Jeremy Sisto, who once voiced Batman in the Justice League: The New Frontier feature, voices Talon, and is well suited for the villain. Because it's a Batman project, do keep your ears open for the requisite Kevin Conroy cameo, this time as Bruce's father, Thomas, who gets to read the Court of Owls nursery rhyme. And listen for a brief appearance by an almost unrecognizable Weird Al Yankovic as this world's version of the Dollmaker, who combines the version from the pre-Flashpoint continuity with the current version, giving him an interesting and creepy tie to classic Superman villain, Toyman

I know there has been some grumbling from various internet corners about Warner adapting these new stories when there are so many classics to still be adapted. But for the reason that they're new and can be changed, versus something like Killing Joke that is etched in stone after twenty plus years of being regarded as a classic, it makes sense to me. While I too would love to see Kingdom Come on my TV, this is anew bit of universe building. And if Batman Vs. Robin is any indication, this new program is moving in the right direction.