Wayne Manor Memoirs

Welcome back Bat-Fanatics! Megan joins Joe for a very special episode dedicated to the first women to make their mark on Batman comics. Our suite of writers starts way back in the Golden Age with Ruth Lyons Kaufman. Then we visit the bronze age with Barbara Kesel before returning to the modern era with Devin Grayson. For artists, we start in the 80s with Mary Mitchell before revisiting New 52's Becky Cloonan.  Don't fret Bat-Fanatic if your favorite female creative isn't on this list! We tried to keep the list focused on big milestones this time. We're definitely interested in expanding our knowledge of the women who've shaped Batman. Feel free to reach out if you have a particular female bat-creator you want us to cover! Comics: Batman vol. 1 #16, Batman vol. 1 #401, Gotham Knights vol. 1 #1, Batman: Gotham Nights vol. 1 #1, Batman vol. 2 #12

Welcome to another B-Side Bat-Fanatics! Joe is joined by special guest (and friend of the podcast) Chris to discuss 11 unpopular opinions about Batman. Well, we think they're unpopular. If you agree with most of them, you're probably listening to the right Batman podcast! If you don't agree, send us a strongly worded letter and tell us! We discuss Batman: The Animated Series, it's sucessor the Batman, Zatanna, Greg Rucka, Batman '66 (of course!), and much more. Plus, we briefly discuss the late, great Kevin Conroy. So buckle in Bat-Fanatics for a show so click-baity you'll be surprised it wasn't downloaded already.

Joe & Kendall return, after an unexpected hiatus, to discuss the single appearances of Bookworm, False Face, and Zelda the Great in Season 1 of Batman ‘66. Plus, they’re joined by Megan! Can the Terrific Trio remember how to record a podcast? Not really. Can Joe successfully edit the episode? No (Sorry Bat-Fanatics, this one is a little rough!). Is the episode chock full of Bat-goodness and fun? Definitely. So listen away, Bat-Fanatics, as we discuss such lurid topics as: would polar repulsion actually break a clocktower? Should Robin be more concerned about Asbestos book covers? Is False Face scary under different contexts? Is Zelda really even a villain? FOR WHOM DOES THE BELL TOLL, BAT-FANATICS?! IT TOLLS FOR THEE!

We’re back, Bat-Fanatics, and rapidly (for us) approaching the culmination of Season 3! This time Joe and Kendall pull a fast one by picking a comic so recent it was only collected in trade a month ago, Batman: The Imposter. Those of you who loved The Batman will find several similarities within this book. He is a Bruce Wayne imagined in the real world. He battles crime with simplistic gadgets, minimal support infrastructure, and near suicidal tendencies. What happens when someone poses as Batman and begins killing criminals? Gorgeously illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, Mattson Tomlin’s script is clearly influenced by his time working on The Batman’s script. There are definitely some great ideas here. The real question Bat-Fanatics must ask themselves is: which Batman do you prefer, one rooted in realism or one rooted in traditional comic book storytelling? We can’t answer that for you, but we sure give you our opinions! Plot Pandemonium: Batman: The Imposter #1-3

Holy Tom King, Bat-Fanatic. As often as we worship at the altar of Tom King, this particular series has been largely overlooked by Joe & Kendall (mostly Kendall). Joe read the first volume a few years ago, but Kendall had never read any of it! As the title implies, Dick Grayson leaves the life of vigilantism behind to take a role as a (sexy) spy for Spyral. This series is co-written by King & Tim Seeley with art by Mikal Janin. Needless to say, this Dick looks great! Can Dick keep his ethos intact in the life of espionage? Can Helena Bertinelli REALLY be a compelling love interest when Babs is still on the table? Is the Midnighter actually cool? These are some of the topics we delve into as we cover the first part of Grayson! Prep your ID concealing hypnos, track down the latest super-power granting organ, and settle in to learn the secrets of supers across the globe!   Plot Pandemonium: Grayson vol. 1 #1-6 + Annual 1

The Devil, Watergate, Molemen, and MORE!!! Joe & Kendall return for their seasonal coverage of Jack Kirby’s Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth! And as usual, they have a blast experiencing these banana pants stories. This time Kamandi must compete in a deadly Kentucky Derby, find the missing Watergate Tapes, learn the secrets that possibly elevated animals to human intellect, meet the molemen, and KO a killer giant worm. Seriously, Bat-Fanatic, what more could you possibly be looking for in your comic entertainment?! So, prepare your giant cricket for battle, do your best impression of a retired linebacker in a blonde wig, crank your emotions up to 11, and get ready for more gorilla violence than you can shake a banana at. THIS…IS…KAMANDI!   Plot Pandemonium: Kamandi Vol. 1 #13 - 18

It’s been a long time Bat-Fanatics, how have you been? Joe and Kendall have switched jobs, fought plagues, enjoyed holidays, and generally taken an unexpected break from podcasting. One month later, they release an episode recorded before CHRISTMAS. Ah well, that’s quality right? We continue to show zero viability for a Patreon. Anyway! This time Joe and Kendall hit you with the “hidden” Batman: Year X story by looking at Marv Wolfman’s Batman: Year Three. Never heard of it? Never read it? Well, they didn’t collect it until 2019! You can read it on DCUI though… Year Three focuses on Robin’s origin and history with notorious gangster Tony Zucco while simultaneously dealing with the fallout of Jason Todd’s death in the present. It’s a book overloaded with potential, that unfortunately fails to deliver. It’s not all bad though! Get ready for helicopter gang slayings, a Batman on the brink that is still more tame than modern Batman, some delightful Dick zingers, and SO MANY opportunities for “PHRASING!”. Plus, at the rate we’re going, who knows when you’ll get another episode!   Plot Pandemonium: Batman Vol. 1 #436 - 439

Happy Holidays, Bat-Fanatics! You know, as we always say on this podcast, there is nothing that prepares you for this festive season more than taking a closer look at another psychopathic member of Batman’s rogues gallery. This holiday season, the Calendar Man has stuffed your proverbial stocking with bits and pieces of Lord Death Man. But don’t fret! He’s gonna be fine! He survived a volcano! That might be getting ahead of ourselves, though… Joe & Kendall put the menace of Bat-Manga under the microscope to find out just how Lord Death Man… lords…over… death? That’s right, Bat-Fanatics. Joe read manga. FOR YOU! And he even liked it. What is the world coming to?   So don your dramatic capes, pull out that skeleton Halloween costume from a few years ago, prepare your best Han Solo in carbonite impression, and get ready to contemplate the harsh realities of insanity and immortality as we cover ALMOST EVERY SINGLE APPEARANCE OF LORD DEATH MAN EVER. That’s right. Almost all of them. Watch out for the volcano.   Infinite Origins: Batman vol. 1 #180, Bat-Manga #1-3   Continuity Crisis: Batman Inc vol. 1 #1-2, Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes! #1, Batman Inc vol. 2 #13, Talon vol.1 #16-17, Batman Eternal vol. 1 #46, Harley Quinn vol. 3 #48-49, Batman: Gotham Nights #16

Welcome back Bat-Fanatics for an episode of particularly weird proclivities! This time Joe & Kendall discuss the unofficial DC/Marvel Meta Crossover from the early 70s. This crossover, orchestrated by Steve Englehart, Len Wein, and Gerry Conway, takes place during the Rutland, Vermont annual Halloween Parade and features said writers (plus Glynis Oliver) as characters within their comics interacting with comic characters. Oh yeah. It’s one of THOSE. So buckle-up because we’re about to cover our first Marvel comics EVER on this podcast! Find answers to all of life’s questions: does Marvel pay Steve Englehart? Who is Tom Fagan and how many rooms does his mansion have? How many hamburgers can Len eat? What keeps happening to Glynis? And (most importantly) why is Steve Engleharts car so crappy?    Oh! And your emails. So many emails!   Plot Pandemonium: Amazing Adventures vol. 2 #16, Justice League vol. 1 #103, Thor vol. 1 #207

Our Quadrology is over, which means it’s time to return to our regularly scheduled, seemingly random, programming. This time Joe & Kendall take a crack at Superman: The Animated Series (STAS)! Turns out, this was another (unintentional) blind spot for Joe. Of course this is a Batman podcast (at least we say it is…), so we’ll be discussing their first team up in the Timm-verse, World’s Finest! This TV movie, with a meager runtime of ~66 minutes, is incredible. Joker/Lex “team up?” Check. Hamfisted but surprisingly satisfying romance between Bruce and Lois? Check. A sense of growth within our titular characters from working with each other? Check. If you’ve never watched this, Bat-Fanatics, stop reading and go do it. Seriously. We’ll wait. Back? Great! Let’s talk Batman & Superman!   Episode Extravaganza: Superman the Animated Series S2: E16, 17, & 18 - World’s Finest

We welcome back beloved Batman fan, and fan-favorite guest, Chris Schrader (Rogue’s Gallery, Hey Do You Remember?, Strange Case of Lucy Chandler) to the podcast for the show stopping finale of the Hugo Strange Quadrology! It only took us 4 to 72 months to finish four REAL episodes of the podcast. That’s quality, right? What are we discussing? Why Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers of course! Didn’t we kinda do that last time? Sure, but this time we’ve invited a guest and given ourselves some REAL breathing room to discuss their creative works in detail. What else did they work on? What are the highlights of their careers? Is there anything else you should look at? ABSOLUTELY!    So dive in, Bat-Fanatics! Joe and Kendall are great fun, but Chris always gets them thinking outside their comfort zone!    Background Bat-File: Steve Englehart & Marshall Rogers

After much delay, Wayne Manor Memoirs brings you the flagship episode of our Hugo Strange Quadrology: Strange Apparitions. This run of comics, largely written by Steve Englehart with pencils by Marshall Rogers, spans Detective Comics #469 - 479 and includes: the introduction of Silver St. Cloud & Rupert Thorne, a reimagining of Deadshot, the return of Hugo Strange, and one of the most iconic Joker stories ever told. This story arc heavily influenced Batman ‘89 and several episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.    Are you enticed yet, Bat-Fanatics? If that weren’t enough, Joe and Kendall read this for the FIRST TIME in preparation for this episode. Look at your little Bat-Hosts growing up. So join them as they discuss this quintessential run on Batman with only a token attempt to contextualize the status of Batman in 70s comics. Gotta love hindsight!   Oh! And Chris Schrader (Hey Do You Remember?, Rogue’s Gallery, Strange Case of Lucy Chandler) joins us next time to help discuss the impact of Strange Apparitions on the Bat-Mythos overall!   Plot Pandemonium: Detective Comics vol. 1 #469 - 479 Chris Sims: https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-277-where-does-strange-apparitions-sit-in-the-batman-canon/

The Hugo Strange quadrology continues with Matt Wagner's Batman and the Monster Men! Can you really take 12 pages of Golden age content and transform it into a 6 issue mini-series? Joe and Kendall aim to find out. Set in the "modern" origin of Batman, this story falls between Year One and The Man Who Laughs and features an updated version of Professor Hugo Strange. This Strange is the pinnacle of diminutive physique and aspires to perfect human genes. Too bad he ends up with Monster Men . . . again.   So prepare yourself for a story of monsters, mad science, loan sharks, gambling dens, obligatory romance, and vigilante justice as Joe and Kendall continue their adventure through the multiverse!   Plot Pandemonium: Batman and the Monster Men #1-6

Welcome Bat-Fanatics to the first part of our Hugo Strange Quadrology! This episode will focus on the Golden Age origins of Dr. Hugo Strange. We’ll follow this with a modern retelling of one of these classic tales then dive into the fan-lauded Englehart & Marshall run on Detective Comics from the 70s. We’ll finish by talking specifically about Englehart & Marshall’s impact on the Bat-Mythos.   Seriously though, Kendall jokes that Joe might be Hugo’s doppelganger. Let’s check. Bald? Yep. Round glasses? Usually. Thick chinstrap beard? Yep. Evil scientist bent on dominating the will of the weak? Definitely. They’re the same person! What’s even crazier? Hugo Strange is the first recurring villain in the Bat-Mythos. That’s right. Before Joker! What’s even more wild? We’re going to cover Batman #1 and talk about the LEAST popular story in the whole issue! That’s how we do things here Bat-Fanatics. Enjoy some classic Golden Age stories from the earliest year of the Batman!   Infinite Origins: Detective Comics Vol. 1 #36; Batman vol. 1 #1; Detective Comics Vol. 1 #46

It’s time for another installment of Talkin’ Tom King! I mean… Wayne Manor Memoirs. This time Joe and Kendall revisit some of the one-shot (single issue) stories from Tom King’s run on Batman. There are some great books in this selection, including two of their FAVORITE COMICS from King. Why? How?! What is the role of a one-shot in an ongoing story arc? Why are these single issues so effective when they are essentially comic book short stories? Joe & Kendall do their best to answer these questions while expounding on the virtues of character driven storytelling. If that wasn’t enough, we get the best team-ups that NO ONE asked for… Batman & Elmer Fudd. Take back that eye roll Bat-Fanatics, this book is SHOCKINGLY good. So give a “Hell Yeah” as you strap on your body-kite, make sure your butler/father has the best equipment for cleaning up swamp detritus, and prepare for bountiful (possibly biased) praise to be heaped upon Tom King. Plot Pandemonium - Batman vol. 3 #23, 24, 38, 54, Annuals 2 & 4; Batman/Elmer Fudd Special

What the shock? More Batman Beyond content? Oh yeah, Bat-Fanatics. We’ll keep serving it as long as you keep eating it up. This time Joe & Kendall look at the direct to home video Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. This was another blind spot for Joe and it did NOT disappoint. I mean, the inclusion of Mark Hamill makes everything better. Originally released after Season 1, Return of the Joker aimed to bridge the gap between Batman:The Animated Series and the rest of the Batman Beyond Universe. Boy, does this get dark! So dark that the original film was edited for initial release and eventually restored a few years later. Chief among them? The ultimate fate of the Joker. So prep a bag of popcorn, don your futuristic bat-suit, and discover why no-one in Batman Beyond really likes any of their former friends! ** This episode was recorded before Batman ‘66 volume 2, so the ongoing “plot” of Season 3 will be slightly out of order. Don’t let your back get Bane’d! It’s bad for podcast continuity ** Plot Pandemonium: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Inside the Panel: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Vol 1 #1

We hope you’re ready for some ‘66 shenanigans Bat-Fanatics! This week Joe & Kendal are joined by special guest Megan to delve into the second volume of the Batman ‘66 comic series. They covered the first volume way back in episode 29!    The second volume focuses on many of the one-arc villains from the series, plus two VERY unexpected returns: Eggbert & Lisa Carson (Lisa was part of our King Tut discussion in Episode 46). Do these stories hold up to the first volume? Do they still capture the “vibe” of Batman ‘66? More importantly… will Bookworm discover the secret identity of Batman? How many women will try to marry Batman/Bruce Wayne? How do identical cousins work? Listen in and find out!   ** This episode was recorded after Return of the Joker, so the ongoing “plot” of Season 3 will be slightly out of order. Don’t let your back get Bane’d! It’s bad for podcast continuity **   Plot Pandemonium - Batman ‘66 vol. 2: Physical Issues #6 - 10, Digital Issues #16 - 30

Look, Bat-Fanatics! It's our first character episode of Season 3 and we choose… Dr. Trap? You know, the guy with the metal jaw who tried to kill Harley, Ivy, Selina, and Kite-Man in that one episode of the second season of the Harley Quinn TV show? THAT guy? Oh yeah, Bat-Fanatics. That guy. This is easily the weirdest character progression Joe and Kendall have seen to date. In fact, Dr. Trap doesn’t appear as a “real” character until almost 3 years after his original design. That design? A methodical serial killer of supers, both heroic and villainous. Great premise right?! So join us as we read, perhaps, the most eclectic batch of DC comics that we’ve ever read to figure out where this mysterious metal-mouthed menace starts, and where he ends up! Infinite Origins: Chase vol. 1 #3 & #6Continuity Crisis: Martian Manhunter vol. 2 #20 & #36, Harley Quinn vol. 1 #23, Manhunter vol. 1 #26-30, Batwoman vol. 2 #19Outside the Panel: Harley Quinn S2 E3 - Catwoman

Well, Bat-Fanatics, it isn’t Batman, but he does make an appearance . . . so it counts! This time Joe and Kendall dedicate a whole episode to a Wonder Woman comic, specifically Wonder Woman: Dead Earth. Daniel Warren Johnson is both writer and artist on this wild, monster-filled ride. BEWARE! Spoilers abound if you haven’t read this, and man, you should read it! Wonder Woman in the post apocalypse? Check. Survival of humanity pushed to the brink? Check. Shocking appearances from the other members of the Trinity? Abso-freakin-lutely. This is a strange but extremely satisfying take on Wonder Woman, Bat-Fanatics! So strap on your Amazonian utility belt, turn your lasso of truth into a weapon of war, and prepare to battle your way through the apocalypse Wonder Woman style! Plot Pandemonium: Wonder Woman: Dead Earth 1-4

We return to 1980 to discuss the much beloved Untold Legends of the Batman! An adamant favorite amongst some of our more vocal Bat-Fanatics, this summary of Batman’s Pre-Crisis origin has never been seen by Joe & Kendall . . . until now! What an amazing time capsule this book is! Written by Len Wein with art by John Byrne (Issue 1) and Jim Aparo (Issues 2 & 3), this book served as a much needed jumping on point for new readers. It also happens to be the 2nd mini series ever published by DC. Joe & Kendall even include a “reader’s guide” for folks looking to find the original stories references within. So dust off your dad’s Batman Halloween costume, seek your long desired vengeance against Joe Chill, and join us in this defunct but wildly entertaining Batman origin.   Plot Pandemonium: The Untold Legend of the Batman #1-3Crisis of Infinite Interpretations: ULotB Reader’s Guide YouTube Recordings of the Audio Cassettes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K92KciDNWoY&ab_channel=DarthPaul83 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCsOzSR6hn8&ab_channel=DarthPaul83 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49rP-NVtNaU&ab_channel=DarthPaul83