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romancomicsnews · 1 year

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5 DC Animes I want to see after My Adventures with Superman

My Adventures with Superman opened the door for DC in a big way. Not only did it revitalize fans for more Superman content ahead of Superman: Legacy, but quickly put Jack Quaid up there in the conversation for best portrayal of Superman.

While that conversation is yet to be determined, I think the fact that this version of Superman connected with people made one thing clear, people are hungry for more quality animation.

While I am excited at the potential of more Jack Quaid Superman, I think DC would be kicking themselves if they didn't branch out this universe and try to build to something greater.

I have 5 pitches for characters who I think should get a My Adventures with Superman style show, ideas of who could play them, and what they could bring to this already fantastic universe. Also I gave them all fun titles. Enjoy.

5. Mysteries of the Question

The Question is a character many know from the hit DC show Justice League Unlimited. A wack job with a theory about who is pulling all the strings in the DC Universe, The Question is a ridiculously fun character I'm surprised hasn't been seen in a while.

Putting the Question at the center of a mystery and having to solve cases day to day would make for classic television, all while setting it in a crazy DC world.

The cop chasing him could be the 2nd Question: Renee Montoya, and the mystery could be something as big as an incoming alien invasion or as small as who is leaving riddles across Gotham? Hell he could be after Amanda Waller.

He can run into other detectives like Detective Chimp, Martian Manhunter, even the Batman, and through this side character we introduce half the Justice League.

I'd love a comedian like Charlie Day to voice this mad man, but a good friend of mine brought up Will Arnett and I can't unhear it. The role could be overly dramatic and silly, but can go to the sad levels of Bojack Horseman. He'd be perfect for this universe.

Having a detective who needs to get the a major story out could lead him to our three favorite journalists, making a fun mini crossover imminent.

4. Strange Tales from Arkham Asylum

While What If? Is not my favorite MCU project, the premise itself is quite fun. A narrator telling warped tales of stories we know in a freshing new take.

I'd like to take that concept and add it to DC by exploring Batman's Rogues Gallery in one off, anthology episodes narrated by one Hugo Strange.

Fan favorite characters like Clayface, Mister Freeze, Catwoman, and yes, even The Joker, can be introduced via their backstory with exciting different voice actors, all leading to a breakout in Arkham.

I'd like this to serve as a partial retelling but also reimagining of new characters with an emphasis on the creepy, the macabre, but also the sympathy. I want this to fix the mistakes of past villains in My Adventures with Superman and make them more 3 dimensional and iconic.

For Strange we need a maniacal evil voice who can narrate and keep us captivated. I like Chiwetel Ejiofor for this, and will be happy for the inmates to take him down by the end.

3. Evil-Doers fear the Wrath of Wonder Woman

I'm having fun with these titles.

It is incredibly insane we do not have a definitive Wonder Woman show. I'd like a classic Spectacular Spider-Man or My Adventures with Superman style show centered around ya girl Wonder Woman.

Ares, Giganta, or Cheetah can be the main villain. Hell make her main antagonist Black Adam, but having a magical god character immediately makes the world bigger and the threats greater.

She can run into Shazam (due to their god powers) and round out the League more, but really this is just a project that should already exist. It's wild it doesn't.

Since it is voice acting and we can go any which way with it, I love the voice of Ming Na-Wen. Having a powerful Disney Princess playing Diana also feels appropriate, and brings a sort of wisdom to the League.

2. Blue Beetle Back in School

Blue Beetle in a character basically built for anime.

With the overall critic and audience reviews being positive but the film underperforming, it's clear Blue Beetle has an audience that can steadily grow over time. I think animation is a great way to softly continue the story without it technically being in continuity.

The story should center around Jaime continuing college post getting the scarab, and meeting young heroes like himself along the way all while trying to having a normal life. Classic superhero stuff.

This leaves room for it to be part of any universe you want it to be, or mostly be true, or not at all. Either way, we grow with the character of Blue Beetle, and await his return in the DCU.

This could be a fun way to flesh out the young heroes of the DC universe: Robin, Raven, Cyborg, etc.

It could also start a fun trend of Xolo playing the character across mediums. It's clear Xolo Maridueña loves the character, and if the voice fits, why change it? If Mark Hamill can play the Trickster across animation and live action, so can Xolo.

1. Green Lantern: Cosmic Chronicles

The character done most dirty since his live action debut, Green Lantern could add dynamic interesting fighting to an anime universe. Take Atom Eve from Invincible and her spin-off episode.

Using that type of animation and fluid fight choreography would make for excellent television.

Although we already have a fantastic Green Lantern show (Green Lantern the animated series) with an excellent narrative, I think introducing more Lanterns and wider universe of DC aliens could be really fun. Martians, Thanagarians, Lobo, Mongul, etc all trying to be contained by Lanterns but failing horribly would be awesome. It could all leading to an alien invasion on Earth, putting them directly in line with Superman.

A Green Lantern show could rejuvenate faith in Lanterns before its release, and lead up to the big anime crossover we know we all need.

While I'd love to see all Lanterns, I think having Hal Jordan at the center of it and bringing in others down the line is a good way to go.

Alan Ritchson has played Aquaman, Hawk and even Raphael in Ninja Turtles. A little more hard headed Jordan could be fun to pit against Jack Quaids more hopeful Superman.

While all these shows should get made, I think Lanterns is the most likely. Honestly, I'd be happy to see anything more in the DC Anime Universe.

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edgymuses · 2 months

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i find it wild that people think that btas renee montoya is straight??? even though some of the writers for btas have state that she’s a lesbian and I believe her voice actress says that she’s a lesbian icon plus on board with renee being one

#┄─ 🥀 * OOC : jolyne’s ted talks.#(like I don’t understand why people think this way???)#(also thinking about adding her back to my muse list bc she’s badass and Hispanic lesbian)

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lesbianlotties · 2 years

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RONANCETOBER: all prompts!

all my fics for Ronancetober linked here! including AO3 links (i'll try to add all of them to AO3 eventually!) thank you for reading <3

Day 1: Upside Down 🙃

chapter 7 of my fic open up your heart (like the gates of hell) aka Ronance using the Upside Down as their personal San Junipero

“What does it say about us that we think of this grotesque parallel world as safe enough or at least safer than the actual world.” “I think it means we’re a good team,” Nancy replied, and she let her hand brush Robin’s as they walked.

Day 2: Vampire / Werewolf 🦇

nancy is a vampire. robin thinks that's very sexy of her. that's it. that's the plot

“Well,” Robin shrugged and didn’t dare to move forward just yet, “You did call me, didn’t you?” “I did,” Nancy smiled. It was an indescribable thing, seeing her smile happily instead of devilishly, and still seeing just a small glimpse of those fangs.

Day 3: Body / Style Swap 👭

“That’s not even your size, Robin.” “I feel ridiculous.” “No, I’m not saying I want it to be pink but…” “Baby, how on Earth did you get this hole on the shirt?” “I look like a twelve-year-old boy!” “I mean, it’s nice when you wear it but… are you sure?”

Day 4: Horror Movie AU 😱 (AO3)

THE CONJURING AU 👻: Robin and Nancy as Ed and Lorraine Warren (Movies Version), Nancy has spooky visions and Robin loves her very much!! ft. Steve as Robin's bestie, Max as their adopted daughter, B*lly dying, Vecna getting exorcised the fuck out! (please read this one is my favorite)

Day 5: Multiverse 🤯

what if... we met alternate versions of ourselves from the Upside Down and they were so hot... and we were both girls 😳😳😍💞🙈🥰💗😳

“Robin, do you see it?” the real Nancy said at the exact same time, turning to her Robin with a spark in her eyes and snapping her fingers as she said, “The Upside Down made an exact copy of Hawkins. It also made copies of us. Of course!”

Day 6: Superhero / Super Powers ⚡

BIRDS OF PREY AU ✨💎 starring: Robin Buckley as Harley Quinn, Nancy Wheeler as Black Canary, Vickie as Renee Montoya, Chrissy as Huntress, Max as Cassandra Cain, Henry Creel as Black Mask, B*lly as Victor Zsasz

Day 7: The Sapphic Senate 👭👭

THE CRAFT AU 🔮

“Try me,” Robin whispered. Nancy was close enough to hold and to hurt, to curse and to kiss.

Day 8: Your Ronance Anthem 🎶

Christine by Lucy Dacus → Robin throwing a shoe at the altar during Nancy's wedding <3

Day 9: Free Day! 🔥 (AO3)

DO REVENGE AU ✨

“What if we worked together? What if you could be the one to infiltrate Steve’s bubble to execute a perfect revenge? And I could just as easily shatter Vickie’s life.”

Day 10: Dungeons And Dragons 🐲

Fluff With Plot And Without Dungeons and Dragons

“So… I think I understand,” Robin said while frowning at the notebook on her lap. “No, you don’t,” Nancy said with her tone full of affection.

Day 11: Time Travel ⏳ (AO3)

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE AU starring: Robin Buckley as an Augmented Super Soldier from The Future (with Mackenzie Davis' arms) suffering from Gay Devotion, Nancy Wheeler as Future Leader of The Resistence against The Robots Apocalypse just some girl™, Joyce Byers as absolute icon Sarah Connor, Jim Hopper as Friendly Terminator :) , Vecna as Unfriendly Terminator :(

Day 12: Autumn 🍂 (AO3)

4 times Nancy made Robin blush and one time Robin did something about it… or something like that 👀👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩🧣🍂

Day 13: Apocalypse AU 🧟‍♀️

"if the world wasn't doomed by a zombie apocalypse and we didn't have to fight for our lives every minute of every day... would you still like me? be honest"

Day 14: Heaven and Hell 😇😈

what if Nancy was an angel but she wanted to do evil instead? what if Robin was a demon but she actually wanted to do good? what if they kept running into each because they're supposed to influence Max, El, and Erica? but what if they fell in love with each other??? haha just kidding!! unless...... 👀

Day 15: Pirates AU ⚓

ah the inherent homoeroticism of a Pirates AU!

“I want to know what you’re hiding behind all these shadows,” Nancy answered, taking one more step forward. “I’ll show you,” the Red Robin whispered. “If you’ll show me what you’re hiding under all these layers.”

Day 16: Trick or Treat! 🎃 (AO3)

Robin and Nancy wear a couples costume and go trick or treating with get bullied by Max, El, and Erica!

“Trick or treat?” Robin said, grimacing a little. “You’re late,” Nancy replied and sent a pointed look at Robin, who squirmed and scratched the back of her head. “Sorry. But look! I brought you kids!” Robin added, waving her arm beside her, and adding in an exaggerated whisper, “It was their fault.”

#well this was so much fun!!! thanks everyone that read my fics! and everyone that created something too!!#ronance #ronancetober #stranger things #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #robin x nancy #nancy x robin #st #my fic

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clay-cuttlefish · 1 year

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Rebirth time, all the way to Event Leviathan. Already bracing myself for some of these, but there's some decent stuff in here too, just gotta pick through the sludge.

Renee spends 2016-2018 bouncing around various Bat comics with a handful of lines an issue like she did pre-character-development, but she mostly works with Kate, which is a bit of a silver lining.

Batwoman #17-18

Kate and Renee get back together and it's cute enough I'm willing to stop being annoyed while I read it.

Almost all their previous romantic moments are immediately followed by divorce so it's nice to see them just being goofy and adorable.

Is this trying too hard? Maybe. Am I charmed anyways? Yes.

Action Comics #1005

Vic's back! Running around Metropolis and not explaining anything!

Genuinely this is such a fun way to reintroduce him, it feels fitting that it's unceremonious. You get no context for who he is, no explanation for why he's here, he's just Doing Things.

Doomsday Clock #9

I feel like I have to mention: Geoff Johns was the one that suggested Renee become the Question. He's also specifically credited with a couple good moments in 52, so clearly he's capable of understanding Vic, he's just chosen not to here for the sake of putting more Watchmen references in his Watchmen crossover.

God Doomsday Clock is so stupid.

Vic does get to save Ted for a panel so that's nice I guess.

Batman #66

The idea that Bruce is so unbelievably bad at processing his emotions that he had to dream up Vic as the fucking Divorce Understander is hysterical.

They haven't been in a comic together in nearly 20 years, Vic just lives rent free in his head that much.

Terrible comic but remembering it makes me laugh.

Action Comics #1009

Back in Metropolis, Vic's chilling out investigating Leviathan.

I'm not a big fan of this look, it's a little too Rorschach for me, but hey it's nice that he's here.

Also not super into his dialogue but it works alright as deadpan snark.

Lois Lane #1

WE ARE SO BACK

You would think a character who's been around for this long would have multiple good writers but nope Rucka is singlehandedly carrying her.

Critically: it's about journalism! That's pretty much the ideal way to smack some characterization back into Renee. So much of O'Neil's Question is about that rift between Vic the reporter and Question the vigilante, and about the ways in which those roles can do good, so drawing on those themes grounds this progression even as it's a sharp course correction.

I'm not a big Superman guy, he's neat but doesn't grab me, but the bits of Clark from Lois' perspective do more to sell me on him than any event I've read. They remind me of my parents and that's 100% a good thing. It's adorable.

The snippets of other news stories about how heroes impact the political landscape do more to create a world that feels alive than, like, 90% of comics I've ever read.

Lois Lane, dyslexic icon.

It's got everything. Intrigue. Drama. Worldbuilding through trashy TV. Renee breaking and entering. Lesbian flirting. Compelling mysteries. DC's best het couple. Comic books are good, actually.

The only thing better than one Question? TWO OF THEM.

Looking at them hugging is not enough I need to eat the panel.

The long silent sequence into the action scene into them hugging is perfectly paced.

Somehow, despite how unwell Vic and Renee make me, Clark and Lois are nearly as good here.

"You were my best friend, you saved my life. And then you died." "I know who you are. You're my friend, you're Renee Montoya, and you're my legacy." They are everything.

It's so good that them catching up is a strange, quiet moment. Yeah, the cause of this is cosmic weirdness, but the effects are so personal.

I can't help but read Lois' "Sage. You're off your beat." to Vic as exasperated. Respectable. He's exasperating.

Vic and Renee both crushing on Lois is cute.

I love how self-assured Renee is here. She's the Question, and she knows exactly how cool that is... but "being the Question with fresh eyes" means having to relearn the limits on violence. Beating people up is one thing, interrogation is another.

Event Leviathan

I've put this all in one chunk instead of trying to interlace it with Lois Lane, since it ends right before issue 6 and there aren't any great ways to spread it out more.

The event so pointless Jimmy Olsen spoiled the reveal.

None of the plot is interesting to me, but Vic's fun, I always like Lois Lane, it could be worse.

I like this characterization for Vic. He's chilled out since he's came back from the dead, and he's got less of a personal stake than most of the others so he's decent at staying on track, but he's also quick to play into whatever dumb banter's going on.

#clayposts #clayreads #the question #vic sage #renee montoya

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phantom-le6 · 3 months

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Episode Reviews - Gotham: Season 1 (1 of 4)

At last, having sorted everything out at home by way of decoration stuff, I’m back to reviewing, and as promised, we get to start in on a new series, namely DC and Warner Brothers’ Batman-based prequel series Gotham…

Episode 01: Pilot

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Selina Kyle is prowling through Gotham City. After stealing a carton of milk and a wallet, she flees into an alley and hides in a fire escape. She watches Thomas and Martha Wayne with their son Bruce walking through the alley as they are walking home from seeing a movie. An unknown assailant approaches them, demanding Martha's pearl necklace and Thomas' wallet. After being given these items, the assailant shoots Thomas and Martha, leaving Bruce shocked in front of his parents' bodies while Selina watches.

Rookie detective James "Jim" Gordon and his partner, Harvey Bullock, are sent to investigate the crime scene. Gordon talks with Bruce and promises to capture the killer after Bruce explains to Gordon what happened when the Waynes' butler, Alfred Pennyworth arrives for Bruce. When they have no clues, they go to see Fish Mooney, an underling of Mafia Don Carmine Falcone, but they receive no information.

The next day, Bullock calls Gordon as he got a lead in the case. The suspect, Mario Pepper, flees from the apartment and nearly kills Gordon with a knife until Bullock fatally shoots him in the chest. During an inspection of the Pepper residence, they find the pearl necklace. As a result, Gordon and Bullock receive acclaim from the media for apparently solving the case. However, a low-level mobster Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot gives information to Major Crimes Unit investigators Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen, revealing Mooney framed Pepper for the murder. Montoya thinks Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) are corrupt and plans on bringing them down.

Realizing Pepper is innocent, Gordon confronts Mooney, only to be kidnapped. Bullock goes to save his partner, only to be knocked out and tied up by Mooney's bodyguard, Butch Gilzean. Meanwhile, Mooney confronts Cobblepot and beats him with a baseball bat for being an informant. Gordon and Bullock are saved by Don Falcone, who says Mooney should ask him first to kill a cop. Falcone then reveals he saved Gordon due to a prior mutually respectful relationship he had with Peter Gordon, Jim's father. When Gordon accuses Falcone of killing the Waynes, Falcone retorts that it would not be in his financial interest to do so while also tacitly admitting to his compliance in framing Pepper.

To show his adherence to the corruption going on within Gotham City, Gordon is ordered by Falcone to kill Cobblepot at the Gotham Docks. Gordon fakes Cobblepot's death by throwing him in the river, telling him to never come back to Gotham. Gordon visits Bruce in his Manor, revealing Pepper was framed and promises to find the real killer. As he exits Wayne Manor, Selina is seen on an outside wall. The episode ends with Cobblepot climbing out of the river and killing a fisherman to steal his sandwich.

Review:

Gotham is an interesting take on the world of Batman in that we’re not focusing on Bruce Wayne and his costumed alter ego as we normally would in most Batman-based story-telling. Instead, the show’s primary focus is Jim Gordon, the future police commissioner, trying to handle being a police officer in Gotham back before Bruce could grow up to be Batman. It’s an interesting conceit, and the pilot episode for the series does well to introduce it, starting off with the iconic murder of the Waynes and letting that bring fans of the source material and new fans into this world.

Of course, to make such a show work, elements of the familiar get jumbled around a bit, and in most cases, these work well. Havey Bullock is now a veteran cop who has some seniority over Gordon rather than working under him, Montoya and Allen are rival cops, Penguin and the Riddler are present in their pre-villain personas and so on. We even have Selina Kyle present as a child pick-pocket, putting her at a comparable age to Bruce so that the option for Bruce-Selina romance down the line is open and acceptable. The nature of the show also allows a bit more exploration of Gotham’s organised crime situation instead of routinely having to go in on the Batman’s gallery of rogues, though as the show goes on, a lot of Batman’s notable foes do start coming to the fore one way or another.

Now I should note that this is a show I only saw the first two seasons of when it originally aired; owing to not catching advertisement for when the third season would hit UK television, I missed the remainder of it, and I’ve not come across repeats of the show since. Due to this, watching through my Blu-ray copy of the series is very much a first-time viewing for me. As such, I may not give every story line its full due at the time. For this episode, I think it’s a solid start and doesn’t seem to have any major issues, but does it blow me away as a top-scoring piece of television. Probably not, if only because this is just the first instalment of the show, and most shows don’t hit their stride right off the bat. On balance, I think 9 out of 10 is a reasonable score for this one. Would be 8, but the clever way Gordon manages to fake his shooting of Cobblepot really raises that part of the story very nicely.

Episode 02: Selina Kyle

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

On the streets of Gotham, two people Patti and Doug, pretending to be volunteers from the Mayor's Homeless Outreach Project, kidnap two kids and kill a homeless war veteran while a third kid, Mackey, escapes. Doug follows him until he accidentally throws Mackey in a restaurant window, forcing him to flee. Gordon and Bullock investigate the war veteran and interrogate Mackey, although Bullock is sceptical of his testimony. Meanwhile, Cobblepot makes his way back to Gotham City hitchhiking. Two boys pick him up and give him a beer, but when the passenger tells him he walks like a "penguin", he kills him, and keeps the driver, bound and gagged with duct tape, as a hostage.

In the GCPD, forensic scientist Edward Nygma reveals a high level of ATP, a knock-out drug with no recreational value, in Mackey’s system. This prompts Captain Sarah Essen to order Gordon and Bullock to investigate but not to reveal any information to the media. Montoya and Allen investigate Cobblepot's disappearance and upon interrogating his mother, Gertrude Kapelput, they deduce he was killed by Mooney and the corrupt cops.

Don Falcone talks with Fish Mooney telling her Cobblepot told him she was going to turn against him. While talking with Butch Gilzean, Mooney plans on killing Falcone. When Gordon shows his frustration to his fiancée, Barbara Kean, she gives the information to the press as an anonymous tip. Gordon and Bullock ambush Patti and Doug in a facility and although they escape, they rescue the children.

Mayor Aubrey James decides to send the kids to the juvenile service. However, one of the buses being used for the children, including Selina Kyle, is taken by Patti and Doug. They take them to a storage container, planning on sending them to "Dollmaker". After trying to get Selina, they're captured by Gordon and Bullock after receiving a tip from their worker, Morry Quillan. At the police station, Selina reveals to Gordon she saw who killed the Waynes in the alley.

Review:

Given the relative lack of Selina in this episode, it feels like a bit of a let-down to have her name be the title. It’s also a little concerning that this episode is somehow praised for being more original than the pilot, yet it involves a bus-related kidnapping amid a mass relocation that is clearly derived from Christopher Nolan’s Batman film The Dark Knight, which by the time of Gotham’s first season was six years old. How can this episode be said to have originality if it’s recycling Nolan’s plot-points? That said, the episode does continue to give us more about the characters in a slow-burn pattern more akin to what the CSI franchise typically does with its characters. Everything that’s meant to be developing continues to do so at one level or another, and we get a pretty good cliffhanger moment on the end of the episode. As such, I’d probably give this episode about 8 out of 10.

Episode 03: The Balloonman

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Cobblepot returns to Gotham City. A breaking news report on a nearby TV reports that a businessman Ronald Danzer is out on bail awaiting trial for a Ponzi scheme that bilked its victims out of a combined total of half a billion dollars. He tries to escape when he is intercepted outside the building by a man with a pig mask. The man ties Danzer to a weather balloon and Danzer floats in the sky.

As Gordon and Bullock investigate the "Balloonman" case (where he kills corrupt citizens), Gordon works with Selina on the Wayne murder case. He takes her to the alley and explains what she saw but Gordon is not convinced that she was really there at the time of the incident. When she reveals she stole a man's wallet before going to the alley and recalling when the man reported it, she says the wallet fell in the sewer. Gordon handcuffs her and goes down the sewer to look for the wallet. He finds it but Selina frees herself and flees.

Fish Mooney is questioned by Montoya and Allen about Cobblepot's whereabouts. She suggests it was Gordon who killed him, which makes them realize it was Falcone who ordered the hit. While practicing fencing with Alfred, Bruce decides to lead his own investigation of the murder of his parents.

Cobblepot gets a job at Bamonte's Restaurant as a dishwasher under the alias of Paolo, after having killed one of the employees. He is surprised when he sees mob boss Salvatore Maroni using the restaurant as a base of operations for his businesses. Maroni notices him and befriends him as Maroni sees Cobblepot as a younger version of himself. Lt. Bill Cranston is the next victim of the Balloonman. Barbara is visited by Montoya, and it is revealed that the two of them were formerly lovers. Montoya tries to tell Barbara of Gordon's involvement in Cobblepot's disappearance but Barbara refuses to believe her.

Gordon and Bullock arrest Carl Smikers, the manufacturer of the balloons, and take him to the station for questioning. They realize that social worker Davis Lamond is the Balloonman and they get orders to arrest him. Arriving at a facility, Gordon and Bullock ambush him. However, Lamond holds Bullock at gunpoint, confessing to having become The Balloonman to stop put an end to the city's corruption. After a fight, during which Gordon and Lamond are carried into the air holding the weather balloon, Bullock shoots the balloon and both Gordon and Lamond fall. Lamond is then arrested.

Bruce and Alfred watch the arrest of Lamond with Alfred praising The Balloonman's actions, but Bruce says that as he killed people, he's a criminal as well. In the Gordon's Penthouse, Barbara opens the door to reveal Cobblepot outside, asking for Gordon.

Review:

This episode somewhat mishandles the plot thread left from the previous one regarding Selina being an eye witness to the murder of the Waynes. Whether we put this down to Jim Gordon being a rookie detective, the show being new and not yet having found its stride, or the need to keep the Wayne murders unsolved for a while, there were probably better ways to handle this. However, this episode does do something right in that it starts to show us that some people in Gotham also want to make it better, but like a lot of Batman’s rogues, they feel that their ends justify the means they use. This thread seems to recur a little in this first round of episodes, providing perhaps some basis for why Bruce ultimately chooses to become the Batman rather than taking some other route.

Now on Wikipedia, I notice one critic claimed that Gotham being constantly shown as a place of corruption makes it hard to care for anyone, and that it seems to routinely foreshadow things for a show that won’t come, that everything is “going nuts way ahead of schedule.” Clearly, this critic didn’t get a couple of memos. One, Gotham is about James Gordon dealing with pre-Batman Gotham City. Once Bruce becomes Batman, that is it; series over. As such, we’re not getting foreshadowing for a series that won’t come; we’re getting Bruce’s path to becoming Batman instead of skipping over it. If you want to watch this show, you need to get that in your head, or there’s no point.

Also, why does Gotham have to wait for a Batman before going nuts? Most story-tellers and fans would agree that Gotham is inherently mad, that Batman is a response to the madness of Gotham rather than the lunatic villains being a response to Batman, so having someone like this “balloonman” show up is hardly “ahead of schedule”. This is Gotham City; buy into that or don’t, your call, but if you don’t buy into it, why even watch the show? Again, a decent episode but not the best. I’d give it another 8 out of 10.

Episode 04: Arkham

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Gordon berates Cobblepot after showing up at his apartment. Cobblepot tells him a mob war will happen with the Arkham Plan, which convinces Gordon. It's revealed that Falcone and Mayor James are backing the project as originally proposed by the late Thomas and Martha Wayne, but a counter-proposal is being backed by Maroni. If the Maroni plan goes through instead of the Wayne plan, it would make Falcone appear weak and begin the mob war Cobblepot predicts.

A councilman, Ron Jenkins is killed by a hitman. Gordon tells Bullock and Essen that the Arkham District is a battlefield between Falcone and Maroni. Later, the same hitman kills Councilman Zeller, who was on the opposite side of the Arkham vote to Jenkins, leading Gordon to theorise that Falcone and Maroni both used the same hitman to try and swing the Arkham vote their way. Upon visiting a prisoner who knows the hitman, Gordon and Bullock look for Richard Gladwell, a possible suspect. They find a paper that reads C.L.M.

Bamonte's is attacked by three masked men, which forces Cobblepot to protect the money until they flee. Cobblepot is promoted to restaurant manager by Maroni after the manager is killed in the attack. It was discovered by Bullock that the real Gladwell was dead for five years and that the hitman was using his name. Gordon figures out that Mayor James will be the next target, due to the C.L.M. referring to the initials of the officers sent to protect the mayor. While protecting James, Gordon fights the hitman until Bullock arrives to back him up. The hitman is killed by Bullock and Gordon.

Meanwhile, Mooney pairs up two possible women for her nightclub job opening against each other where a woman named Liza wins; in reality, she is trying to create someone to use as a weapon against Falcone. Mayor James holds a press conference about the Arkham Plan, which is now a combination of the Wayne and Maroni plans. Cobblepot reunites with the masked men who attacked Bamonte's, turning out he hired them so he could get the promotion. They then die after Cobblepot serves them poisoned cannoli. During the episode, Gordon falls out with Barbara over his secrecy, and she gives him an ultimatum; to let her in or to lose her.

Review:

As the title of this episode implies, we finally get the Arkham region of Gotham brought into play. Unlike some incarnations, where Arkham just refers to the asylum housing Batman’s more deranged opposition somewhere outside the city proper, Gotham makes Arkham into a region of the city itself, the asylum therein being just one part of the city. It’s put at the centre of conflicting agendas in the Gotham underworld, which nicely ties together and accelerates a number of the on-going plot-threads at hand.

Now the critic I noted as not getting the memos on the last episode is being quoted again on Wikipedia, and again has missed a key memo. He notes that it seemed strange for both Falcone and Maroni to hire the same hitman, and for them to hit councilmen one-by-one rather than hitting several on one side or going straight for each other. Clearly, said critic hasn’t read or watched anything involving organised crime in fiction, or at least not enough of it. Top dons like Falcone or Maroni tend to be well-guarded, making a direct hit on a rival boss next to impossible. This is why Mooney is preparing a honeytrap-style weapon in the form of Liza; to bypass with subtlety what the violence of goons or a hitman cannot.

As to why you only target one councilman at a time and not several, that’s because Gotham’s organised crime works within the city’s infrastructure. Take down too many people in any part of that infrastructure at once, instant chaos, which is not what Falcone or Maroni want. Falcone wants to retain control of Gotham, Maroni wants to seize control. What we’re seeing in this episode is more a crude form of chess, especially in comparison to Cobblepot’s more subtle gamesmanship that we see come into play in this episode. For me, this was the first time Gotham has really fired on all cylinders, and I’m inclined to give it 10 out of 10.

Episode 05: Viper

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Bruce plans to find a way to speak to the board members of Wayne Enterprises to learn their connections to the Arkham District Project, as it seems strange to him that Falcone and Maroni would each get deals in the project without intervention from WE. Later, a new drug called "Viper", a prototype of the super-steroid Venom, is hitting the street, which endows users with super-strength but eventually kills them by draining their bones of calcium. Maroni plans to rob a casino owned by Falcone, and Cobblepot reveals his past which results in Maroni assaulting him, and Maroni’s lieutenant Frankie confronting Gordon, telling him to come with him or else he will reveal that Cobblepot is still alive, which could put his life in danger if Falcone were to learn about it.

Gordon is made to tell his own version of past events to Maroni; if it matches Cobblepot’s story, both men live, but if not then they both die. Luckily, Gordon’s story matches and Maroni allows both men to live, delighted to know that Cobblepot’s survival is a secret, enabling him to use Cobblepot’s insider knowledge against Falcone. Gordon and Bullock learn that "Viper" is being distributed at a charity event held by WellZyn and its parent company, Wayne Enterprises, which is targeted by former WellZyn employee Stan Potolsky, who is planning to reveal Wellzyn's involvement with "Viper" by exposing it to everyone present. Gordon shoots the canister on the roof and Potolsky is exposed, jumping off as he suggests they check out Warehouse 39, where Gordon and Bullock later find nothing. During their search, a WellZyn board member was watching them from afar. As Mooney makes plans to conspire against Falcone with her lover and Russian mob boss Nikolai, a disguised Liza visits Falcone in the park, where she bonds with him while sharing her supposed love for Giacomo Puccini's aria "O Mio Babbino Caro."

Review:

As the gang feud plots nicely continue, we get to see Wayne Enterprises come into events more, but in a very negative light as it seems the company may be as corrupt as wider Gotham. We also get another element being brought in from the source material for fans courtesy of the title drug of the episode being a precursor to Venom, the super-steroid notably used by the infamous Bane. The episode is also the second, thematically speaking, to show someone using their ends to justify horrific means, setting up the notion that prior to the example set by Batman, vigilantism in Gotham was certainly a bad thing. This helps Batman’s eventual acceptance by the GCPD to make more sense, as he’d be the one person taking any kind of positive approach to such a practice. It’s a decent episode, albeit not quite up to the top level we got with the previous instalment. For me, this one earns an 8 out of 10; if a follow-up on Barbara’s issues with Gordon had been included straight away instead of left to the next episode, it could have been 9.

Episode 06: Spirit of the Goat

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The episode begins with a flashback set 10 years ago. A young Bullock and his partner, Dix, are sent to rescue a girl, Shelley Lawson, who was kidnapped by a serial killer known as the Spirit of the Goat, who kills the firstborn of Gotham's elite. They discover her dead and have a fight with the vigilante, revealed to be Randall Milkie. Dix falls through a trapdoor while Bullock kills Milkie.

In the present, the body of a girl, Amanda Hastings, is discovered with a pattern very similar to the Spirit of the Goat. This convinces Bullock that they are dealing with a copycat, but when a key omitted detail turns out to match the original murders, it appears that Milkie wasn't working alone in his crimes, or not even dead after all. After another girl is kidnapped, Gordon and Bullock go to the same place ten years ago and they arrest the vigilante. The identity of the person is a janitor, Raymond Earl, who had no relation to Milkie. Bullock then discovers that both had the same psychiatrist, Dr Marks, revealing that she hypnotized them to do her bidding, which consisted of having the murders committed in an effort to shake Gotham out of its corrupt ways.

Meanwhile, Gordon agrees to let Barbara know all he can so the two of them can reconcile, but when a longshoreman confesses witnessing Gordon killing Cobblepot, Montoya and Allen file an arrest warrant for Gordon. They arrest him in his apartment and they take him to the GCPD. Bullock tries to defend Gordon that he didn't kill Cobblepot and as everyone argues, Cobblepot appears in the door. Bullock then berates Gordon for his actions.

Review:

This episode gives us some great character development for Bullock, who it turns out used to be quite like Jim Gordon in his younger days. The fate of his former partner Dix, combined no doubt with general life as a Gotham cop, seems to have pushed Harvey into becoming the surly and slightly corrupt cop that he now is. Sadly, this episode is another example of TV and film villainising hypnosis, this time as a means to create a serial killer to slay spoiled rich kids. Seriously, this doctor couldn’t have maybe just hypnotised the one-percenters she worked with to donate more to charity? Mind you, the episode is right to note that hypnosis can only make people do things they already want to do, and how many of the rich and powerful ever want to surrender wealth?

Really, this episode probably more notable for bringing the MCU investigation of Gordon for Cobblepot’s murder to a very interesting cliff-hanger. With Cobblepot now revealed as alive, any criminal case against Gordon is sunk, but it’ll be interesting to see how Gordon weathers the fallout in relation to Bullock, Mooney and the Falcone crime family. This should make the episode score highly, but as anything showing hypnosis in a negative light tends to grind my proverbial gears, I’m taking the score way down and only giving 7 out of 10.

#gotham tv show #episode review

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