Thor: The Dark World Reviewed

Does Lightning Strike Twice for the Mighty Avenger? (Spoiler Free)



The god of thunder returns in another entry in Marvel's phase two of movies. The basic premise is that the nine realms are reaching the point of perfect alignment, a time when many of the boundaries between the realms become blurred. This is the perfect opportunity for Malekith and his dark elves to harness the power of the Aether an plunge the nine realms into darkness. If Thor hopes to stop him he'll need to form an uneasy alliance with his brother Loki.

What I Liked:
LOKI. Loki steals the show every time he is on screen. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role with just as much strength, if not more, as the previous movies. The character continues to be well-developed and engaging and in some scenes you can tell that Tom Hiddleston has a lot of fun with his role. Casting has been one of Marvel's strong points when it's come to their Avengers franchise. Most notable for this movie is Chris Hemsworth's performance of Thor, which is still strong, and Anthony Hopkins who does a great job as Odin. If there was a weak link to the cast, it would most likely be Natalie Portman's role as Jane Foster who isn't given much to do that can outshine the other cast members.

The action sequences in this movie are gritty and intense. The camera work is right in the thick of the battle unlike the last Thor. Alan Taylor, who directs this installment, is known for his work as the director for Game of Thrones and thus in no stranger to the medieval style battle sequences. Because of this the action is definitely stepped up a notch from the previous Thor movie.

Maybe it's because I'm such a fan of the Thor comics, but I like the way in which they explore the mythology of Thor. There is a lot more insight into the way the way we explore the Asgardian world. I would appreciate a few cameos of other well-known Asgardians from the comics, but I was willing to settle for the inclusion of Kurse of the dark elves. A little comic book or Norse mythology background might be needed to better appreciate this, but I think it's some
of the nice details of the movie.

My last big praise for this movie is the humor. The jokes and one-liners are still fresh and add a lighthearted touch to a movie that would one of Marvel's darker and grittier Avengers installments. Kat Dennings especially shines here as well as some of Tom Hiddleston lighter moments in the movie. Even Thor's fish-out-of-water bit is still entertaining to watch. Overall, though the movie takes a darkker tone, it is one of Marvel's funniest installments.

What I Didn't Like

Some of the major plot points of the story are underdeveloped or dry. The Aether, for example, is a powerful destructive force, but it never gets truly explained and thus is just sort of their to patch the plot and keep things movie. The romance between Thor and Jane is really flat and doesn't seem to be necessary to the movie except for, once again, keeping the plot moving. Also, Thor's relationship with Lady Sif starts out with some exploration but ultimately goes nowhere. Hopefully it will be more developed as the other movies come out because, as fans of the comics know, this is a very deep and complex relationship for Thor. Ultimately the plot is oversimplified for the sake of making the movie work. I feel that if Marvel had dove a little deeper with some plot devices, the movie could have been much stronger and have more dimension. Instead, it feels like they were willing to settle for less, which is something we don't want studios getting into the habit of, especially with some many more movies slated for release.

My biggest complaint with the movie is that the main villain, Malekith the Accursed, is hugely underdeveloped. The character doesn't really seem to have any motive explored except for the fact that he's just evil. By the end of the movie, I feel like I didn't know anything about the character (aside from my knowledge of him in the comics). This especially bothers me because we know villains in these movies are often very strong. Loki is proof of what potential these villains have to be. Instead we get a villain who is hallow and ultimately just in the movie for the sake of needing an antagonist.

Closing Thoughts
The original Thor is definitely a prerequisite if you want to see this movie. As for The Avengers, it's not necessary to have seen it, but it does help. And as far as the after credit clips go (because I'm sure everyone is curious), there are two. One half-way through the credits, and one at the end of the credits. The first clip offers some insight into what Marvel will be doing in later movies, but I can almost guarantee that this clip will just come off as bizarre and confusing to all those with little to no comic book background. The last clip is just a little extra closure for those of us who want to know whether or not a couple of the main characters get a happy ending or not as well as one last gag
. Also, be on the look out for Stan Lee's cameo in this movie. It's easier to spot than some of his older cameos, but it still humorous and enjoyable.

As for the movie itself, overall, Thor: The Dark World is an enjoyable installment to the franchise, but feels weak in some of it's major plot points. This makes the movie feel two-dimensional with a lot of unexplored territory that could have brought out so much more potential. If your a fan of Thor or the other Marvel movies, or just want to see Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as Loki (who doesn't?) than I'm sure you will be entertained by this movie. Thor: The Dark World is by no means a bad movie but compared to what Marvel has done in the past with movies like the original Thor, Captain America, Iron Man 3, and the Avengers; the movie just seems a little underwhelming. I would probably recommend a matinee showing of this movie rather than full price.

Final Rating: 6.5/10

Check back for more articles coming soon.

Character Spotlight: Dick Grayson (DC Comics)

From Boy Wonder, to Teen Titan, to Caped Crusader.

Dick Grayson

Robin is by far the most well-known sidekicks in comic books and the most popular incarnation is the original Robin, Richard "Dick" Grayson. Introduced in April, 1940, fans of the boy wonder have watched him grow up over the years. From Batman's plucky young ward to the serious leader of the Teen Titans, to darker hero of his own mantra; Dick Grayson is the perfect representation of the importance of continuity in comic books. Unfortunately, few are familiar with this character's origins or the different roles he's played in the comics. Today, the most famous Flying Grayson takes the spotlight once again.

Creation
The Boy Wonder made his first appearance in Detective Comics #38 only about a year after Batman's first appearance. The character was introduced to attract younger readers to the comic while adding a lighter tone to the dark stories of the early Golden Age. This move immediately doubled the sales of Detective Comics, however, the slightly campier tone that developed in the comic during the 50's caused readers to speculate on the nature of the Dynamic Duo's relationship. The character was not only based on the red-breasted bird, but also on the character Robin Hood who was a childhood favorite of artist Jerry Robinson.

First Appearance of Robin

Origins
Dick Grayson was the youngest member of Haly Circus in which he and his parents performed a family acrobatic routine. The circus planned a performance in Gotham City where the Flying Graysons would be the main attraction and many of Gotham's elite were invited to attend including Bruce Wayne. The night before the show, however, Dick overheard crime boss Tony Zucco threatening the circus owner into paying his gang for protection money. Haly  refused to be threatened and didn't give in to Zucco's threats. As a result Zucco sabotaged circus equipment. The night of the show Dick watched helplessly as the trapeze his parents were performing on broke sending them falling to their deaths. Now an orphan, Dick blamed himself for not warning his parents in time.

Some of the circus performers offered to take care of Dick, but because he had been a witness to Zucco's threats, Police Captain James Gordon, who was in charge of the case thought it wouldn't be the safest decision. Taking pity on the young boy as he had also been orphaned at a young age, Bruce Wayne offered to take Dick into his care. Dick had very little attention from his new caretaker as Bruce would frequently disappear without explanation. This coupled with his frustration over his parent's murder remaining unsolved, Dick snuck out one night in order to investigate the scene himself. Arriving at the circus late at night, Dick happened to run into the vigilante Batman who was investigating the crime scene as well. Seeing himself in the boy, Bruce decided to take him under his wing and revealed his identity to him. Given the opportunity to be trained by Batman and accompany him as his ward, Dick accepted and aided Batman in confronting Tony Zucco who, in the stress of the moment, died of a heart attack.

The Dynamic Duo

The Boy Wonder
Dick was thrust into the crime fighting scene when he was forced to defend the Batcave until Batman arrived from Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Mr. Freeze who had stumbled upon the cave while escaping through an underground tunnel system.
This coupled with the completion of "the Gauntlet"(a test in which Dick must elude Batman in the course of one night), Batman officially swore him in as his new partner in crime fighting.

Dick enjoyed the excitement of being Robin until an encounter with Two-Face gave him the reality check that this wasn't all fun and games. Two-Face had captured Gotham's newest District Attorney and Batman suspending them both from a hangman's noose. Dick used a batarang to cut the D.A.'s rope but had forgotten about Two-Face's obsession with the number two. The D.A. was dropped into a hidden tank of water (part of a two-fold trap). The man drowned and Dick was beaten by Two-Face until Batman was able to free himself and save him. This event left Dick scarred for life.

The Teen Titans

As a teenager, Dick began taking on solo missions in order to prove that he was capable of fighting crime on his own. A short time later, Dick was recruited by the mysterious empath, Raven to lead the newly formed version of the Teen Titans, a team Dick had once been a part of but was currently disbanded. The new team consisted of former members Dick, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl, as well as newcomers the Changeling (aka Beast Boy), Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven. As Dick also began attending college at Hudson University. This as well as his membership to the Teen Titans, who were stationed in New York City, left Dick with very little time for his commitments in Gotham City.

 Batman ended Dick's career as Robin after the Joker had shot him in the shoulder. It was then that Dick realized that he had grown up and was no longer dependent on the Dark Knight whom he disagreed with frequently on their crime fighting methods. This led to Robin leaving Wayne Manor and spending more time with the Titans even though he had passed leadership on to Wonder Girl, in order to help him try to rediscover his own identity. Dick even went so far to talk to Superman. He explained to the man of steel that he couldn't imagine his life without being a crime-fighter, but was unsure of how to do it if he couldn't be Robin. Superman told him a story of a Kryptonian that had been cast out by his family (similar to Dick) and forged a new identity for himself, striving for justice and protecting the innocent of Krypton. The hero's real name was unknown but came to be known as Nightwing.

A New Identity

The Original Nightwing Costume

When the newest member of the Teen Titans, Terra, revealed herself as a traitor aiding their arch-enemy Deathstroke (aka. Slade Wilson) in the capture of the Titans, Dick was the only member to escape. The Titans were taken to the headquarters of a malicious organization known as the H.I.V.E.. Knowing he was the Titans only hope, Dick dawned the costume of a new crime-fighting identity he had been working on: Nightwing (inspired by the name of the Kryptonian hero). Teaming up with Deathstroke's son Joseph Wilson who operated under the name Jericho, the two of them infiltrated the H.I.V.E. headquarters and defeated Deathstroke and the H.I.V.E. henchmen. Nightwing, Jericho, the Titans, and the captured Deathstroke escaped, but Terra was killed in the destruction of the headquarters. Dick soon retook leadership of the Titans and offered membership to Jericho.

Dick was now a hero in his own mantra, leading the Titans through some of their darkest moments. However, his relationship with Batman was strained even further by the fact that Batman had taken up a new Robin, Jason Todd who was soon killed at the hands of the Joker.

The New Nightwing Costume (Designed by Alfred)

Dick then sought out by a young boy named Timothy Drake who had deduced Nightwing's identity based on his similar acrobatics to the late Flying Graysons. With this knowledge he was also able to piece together Batman's identity. Tim tried to persuade Dick to return to the identity of Robin in that he believed that Batman needed him just as much as Robin did. Dick refused which led to Tim to trying to prove his worth to Dick to train him to be the third Robin. Eventually, with enough persuasion, Dick pleaded Tim's case to Batman. Tim then underwent training from Bruce, Dick, and Alfred. Tim would later prove to be a core member in the next incarnation of the Teen Titans.

Soon in Gotham, Bruce was crippled by the new villain Bane who had broken his back and left him severely beaten. Reluctant to ask Dick to come back, Bruce recruited Jean-Paul Valley (aka the vigilante Azrael) to take up the identity of Batman while he recovered. However, Valley proved to be unstable and was corrupted by the power of being Batman, even going so far as to build a heavily armored Batsuit equipped with several lethal weapons. Dick was recruited by Tim to take down Azrael and when Bruce had recovered the three of them (with help from Catwoman) brought down Azrael and returned Bruce to the Batman identity.

The Dynamic Duo-Together Again

While Bruce still needed to recover from his broken back, he asked Dick to fill in as Batman. Dick agreed and he and Tim began to form a strong brotherly relationship. When Bruce eventually returned to reclaim the Batman identity, he admitted that the reason he had not originally selected Dick as his replacement was out of respect for his solo crime-fighting career. Having finally revealed his respect for Dick, he and Bruce began to mend their relationship.

Dick began to focus primarily on a solo career, relocating to Blüdhaven, a city outside of Gotham. Dick began to establish his own gallery of villains in this city, most notable the overly-muscular crime lord, Blockbuster. Dick also began to face of with the Teen Titans old enemy, Deathstroke, and the two formed a fierce arch-rivalry. Dick even had encounters with foes he had faced off with in Gotham City such as Two-Face and Scarecrow. Dick also began to build a romantic relationship with the former Batgirl (now Oracle), Barbara Gordon (Daughter of Commissioner Gordon).

Dick Taking on the Mantle of Batman

Shadow of the Bat
During the events of Final Crisis, Batman, operating with the Justice League, was supposedly killed by the New-God, Darkseid. As Dick and the rest of the Bat-family try desperately to bring order to Gotham in Batman's absence, a new Batman using lethal force rises up in a war on crime. After investigating, Dick learns that this new Batman is Jason Todd (the second Robin) resurrected from the dead. Having been resurrected in the Lazarus Pit (a pool of mystic chemicals that grants healing and longevity at the cost of sanity) by Talia al Ghul (daughter of Ra's al Ghul), Jason swore to do what Batman never could and end the lives of the worst criminals in Gotham. After a confrontation between members of the Bat-family that left Damian Wayne (son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul) wounded and Tim injured, Dick decided to confront Jason alone. In a battle that took place atop a moving train, Dick defeats Jason who escapes claiming that they would see each other again. After these events, Dick decides to take on the mantle of Batman.

The New Batman

After becoming the new Batman, to Tim's surprise, Dick chooses Damian to be the new Robin as he considered him to be an equal and believed that Damian needed mentoring and guidance, especially in his father's absence. Furious about this decision, Tim storms out of Wayne Manor and goes on a search to find evidence that Bruce is alive. He also adopts the new identity of Red Robin.

Dick soon learns that Damian is very cold and antagonistic, often criticizing him as unfit for the role of Batman. The more the two work together, however, the more Damian begin to support Dick in his endeavors, but still can be overly critical at times.

Within his career as Batman, Dick had faced off against Scarecrow, Two-Face, Penguin, Firefly, Hush, and most notably, the new Black Mask and Jason Todd. The Batman mantle proved only to last a few years as Bruce Wayne would return, having not been killed but trapped throughout the time stream. Dick would then return to the mantle of Nightwing after the events of Flashpoint, and leave Bruce as the one and only Batman once again.

Nightwing in his Redesigned Costume

Nightwing Once More
Dick has returned to and is currently operating in his Nightwing persona though he has slightly redesigned it in order to reflect a darker tone. He has once again pursuing a romantic relationship with Barbara Gordon (now Batgirl) and is an active member of the Bat-family. 

(*Comic Book Spoiler Alert*) 

His identity has recently been revealed publicly by the Crime Syndicate (an alternate Justice League from Earth-2) in the ongoing crossover event Forever Evil.

Recommended Reading:

Dick Grayson: Nightwing

• Robin: Year One
• Batman Dark Victory (read The Long Halloween first)
• The New Teen Titans Omnibus
• Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
• Batman: Year Three
• Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
• Batman Knightsend
• Nightwing: A Knight in Blüdhaven
• Nightwing: FreeFall
• Titans vol.1
• Nightwing: the Great Leap
• Battle for the Cowl
• Batman: The Black Mirror
• Batman and Robin by Grant Morrison
• Batman: Night of the Owls Crossover

Keep checking back for more articles and character spotlights.

Batman: Arkham Origins Reviewed

The bat is back with another installment in the series we need, but is it the one we deserve? (Spoiler Free)

 Batman: Arkham Origins is the first prequel game in the critically acclaimed series.  The premise is the crime lord Roman Sionis (aka. Black Mask) has put a fifty million dollar bounty on Batman's head attracting eight of the world's greatest assassins to Gotham City with one night (which just so happens to be Christmas Eve) to kill the hero and collect the reward. The game takes place towards the close of Batman's second year of crime-fighting meaning he is not well established with the people of Gotham and finds himself at odds with the police, most notably Captain James Gordon. As if this isn't enough trouble for Batman, a new criminal going by the name "The Joker" has appeared in Gotham City.

What I liked:
One of the big things about this game that makes it a little different that the first two is that there is more emphasis on Batman's supporting cast this time around. Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon are both given much more prominent roles than their occasional cameos.  I really liked how the game focused on Batman establishing his allies as well as how they define the hero.  It's hard not to sympathize with Alfred who struggles to get through to Bruce throughout the story.  A minor complaint is that, though Barbara Gordon makes an appearance, I don't think the character is given enough to do, especially when the focus on allies is so strong in the game.

I thought that the story for the game was excellent.  It may not be on as grand of a scale as Arkham City, but I did find it more epic than Arkham Asylum.  The story sounds like it should be a simple enough concept; beat assassins before they beat you and then confront Black Mask.  But the story turns into so much more.  I can't reveal much without spoilers, but the game has its twists and turns that change the direction of where the story may seem like it's heading.  And like with any of the previous Arkham games, the Joker steals the show.

Speaking of the Joker, Troy Baker does the voice acting justice.  It's hard to top what Mark Hamill had built for the character but I think Baker acknowledges this and builds on the base of Mark Hamill's work.  The Joker seems to have a specific voice that has been established for him and Baker acts along the line of this voice with only some minor differences that are difficult to spot unless you're really looking for them.  In all honesty, the Joker does sound younger but with the same tone we've come to know which I think is a good thing for a prequel game.

The combat system had some welcome additions to keep it from being a complete rehash of Arkham City.  The first is the martial artists.  These foes are able to counter your strikes and may require multiple counters to avoid their full attacks.  I thought this was a welcome addition as it keeps you a little more vigilante as you can't just jump from foe to foe and have to spend a little more time dealing with a specific foe.  Another addition along these lines was the inclusion of the superior thugs.  These are bigger and stronger foes than the typical thug and are fought similar to a Titan-thug from the previous games.  They are a little easier to beat than a Titan-thug, but still provide the added challenge to the combat system.  Though it's not part of the combat challenges, I thought that the predator missions and maps were good but with a couple minor complaints that I'll get to later.

My last big praise for the game are the boss fights.  Typically the boss fights are the weakest parts of the game being just beat-downs on foes that can just cause slightly more damage (
with the exception of Mr. Freeze from Arkham City).  That changes in this game as button mashers may find out.  Deathstroke (or Slade to you Teen Titans fans out there) can counter your attacks leading you to counter back with the necessary timing in order to keep you from taking damage.  Other characters like Bane, however, were similar to the beat-em-ups but would require better thought and reflexes in order to keep yourself from being vulnerable to stronger attacks.  A minor complaint is that the boss battle with Firefly is difficult at first but once you figure out the system for attacking him it just gets repetitive.  Other bosses such as Killer Croc or Copperhead are perfectly fine, but they just don't shine as brightly as Bane or Deathstroke's fights.

What I didn't like:
This game is a low point for the predator missions.  As I mentioned the maps were good, having lots of opportunities, set up for taking out henchmen.  However, this also means they didn't feel as challenging as the missions in the previous two games.  One of my biggest complaints is how direct the remote claw is in take-downs.   This can allow you to take out 2-3 thugs before you even have to start planning your approach to the map.  I'm fine with using the claw to stun two henchmen or for a gas can take-down, but being able to sit back and hang three henchmen from gargoyles without any planning is just too easy.

In addition to gadgets that make things two easy, I have mixed feelings about the inclusion of shock gloves in close-combat challenges.  The problem is they are too easy to abuse.  The gloves can punch through armor, shields, and batons, which means you can pretty much just mash your way through foes without much thought.  I do see how they can be useful though.  If used properly they can be similar to star-power from the Guitar Hero series.  A little edge that may be necessary when things get too out of control, but like I said, the temptation to abuse the shock gloves in combat is still there and can take away a bit of thought from the battle.

One of my last complaints is that the villains seem a little flat.  This is usually a common problem for most Arkham games.  The problem is having a story that requires so many characters, a lot of them don't get their fair amount of time to shine.  All of the assassins, with the exception of Bane, never feel fully fleshed out.  Even Black Mask, the villain in the spotlight, gets hung out to dry once Joker steals the show.  That being said, the characters the significant characters get a really strong build up.  Characters like this include Batman, Joker, Alfred, Bane, and James Gordon.

My last complaint is that the setting is a little lifeless compared to the other Batman games.  It feels like a lot is reused from Arkham City but without the cameos and Easter eggs that made the game so intriguing.  Also, the map contains a bridge that, though it is necessary to the story, is a little too long and gets monotonous to cross when needed.

Closing Thoughts.

Let me just say how excited I was to dive back into the Arkham universe as Batman and begin to explore Gotham and encounter the characters that give the Batman franchise so much life as I'm sure many were as well.  This shows just how much this critically acclaimed series has to live up to, and how much pressure is on the company to make another hit (especially when it's not Rocksteady this time).  These games, though, are often always worth looking forward too, and I'm glad the company experimented with new ideas in this installment.

Overall, Batman: Arkham Origins is a good game that just doesn't quite step out of the shadow of its predecessor, Arkham City.  The new ideas are a bit hit and miss, which hopefully means the next installment will improve upon those.  What has already been established for the series wasn't ignored and was built on in order to keep the life in the series.  If you are a fan of Batman, or want an excuse to dive back into the Arkhamverse, than I seriously recommend checking out this game.  Compared to the other Arkham games, however, it tends to stand in their shadows and doesn't quite realize it's full potential.  But hey, it's still one heck of a game.

Final Rating: 8/10

The Top 25 Batman Villains (#1)

The Top 25 Batman Villains (#1)
My pick (and probably everybody's pick) for Batman's greatest foe is finally announced.


1. The Joker
Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Batman #1 (Spring 1940)

The Joker

Was there really any doubt that he wasn't going to be #1.  No villain that Batman has ever faced (or any character in fiction) is crazier and more sadistic than the Joker.  His origin story is shrouded in mystery as the Joker can barely remember it and what parts he can often have been mixed around to result in several possible origins.  As the Joker said himself, "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another...if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!".  The most widely accepted origin by the fans is the one detailed by Alan Moore (Writer of Watchmen and V for Vendetta)  in the graphic novel The Killing Joke.  In this origin, the Joker started out as a chemical plant engineer who decided to quit his job and follow his dream of being a stand-up comedian.  Unfortunately for him, he failed miserably at comedy and could not make anyone even crack a smile.  With a pregnant wife t home, he became desperate for money and agreed to help two criminal break into the chemical plant where he used to work.  As part of the job, he was given the Red Hood persona as the inside man of each of the jobs wore a red hood in order to appear as the leader and distract the police should they be caught while the two ring leaders escaped.  As the heist approached he began to consider backing out which prompted the two crooks to kill his wife and unborn child in order to intimidate him.  During the heist they are quickly caught by security and a shoot-out ensues in which the two crooks are both killed.  Fleeing the scene he finds himself face to face with Batman who was investigating the disturbance.  The two had a struggle and in which the Red Hood fell over the side of the rail and landed in one of the chemical vats.  Resurfacing in a nearby reservoir, he see his reflection and finds that the chemicals caused his skin to be bleached white, his lips a bright red, and his hair green.  The chemicals as well as the days events was enough to drive him totally insane and the Joker was born.

The Four Famous Jokers

Over the years, no villain has ever put Batman through as much grief and pain as the Joker has while testing the limits on his mind and sanity.  The Joker murdered the second Robin, Jason Todd; shot and paralyzed Commissioner Gordon's daughter, Barbara (Batgirl); and murdered Commissioner Gordon's second wife.  The Joker has been Batman's arch-enemy in every form of media the two have been portrayed in .  The most well-know portrayals of the Joker have been Caesar Romero in the 1960's television series, Jack Nicholson in the 1989 film, Mark Hamill's voice acting in the animated series, animated movies, and Arkham games, and Heath Ledger in the 2008 movie, The Dark Knight.   The Joker will always continue to plaque Gotham City, committing horrible and sadistic crimes all for a laugh.

Recommended Reading:

• The Killing Joke
• The Man Who Laughs
• A Death in the Family
• Arkham Asylum: a Serious House on a Serious Earth
• The Last Laugh
• Emperor Joker
• Batman: Under The Red Hood
• Joker: Devil's Advocate
• The Dark Knight Returns
• Joker by Brian Azzarello
• Batman #663 (2007)
• Mad Love
• Going Sane
• The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told
• Batman: Death of the Family

And that's the list.  Remember to keep checking back her at Talking About Tights to see what other superhero articles I write up next.

The Top 25 Batman Villains (5-2)

The Top 25 Batman Villains (5-2)
We countdown the members of the top five as we reach the home stretch.


5. Bane
Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 (January 1993)

Bane

Doomed to serve out the life sentence of his father behind the prison walls of Peña Duro, located in Santa Prisca.  Locked up with the most infamous prisoners as a child, Bane learned that if he were to survive he must better himself.  He began reading every book he could, vigorously working out in the prison gymnasium, and training in combat among the prisoners.  Rising up among the prisoners, by the time he was a young adult, Bane had become the undisputed "king" of the prison.  The prison guards realized this and forced Bane to participate as a test subject for an experimental steroid called "venom" that had killed all the other test subjects.  However, Bane found that he not only survived the experiment, but that his strength had been enhanced by the drug.  Using his newly acquired power to escape from the prison, Bane traveled to Gotham City as he had heard legends of the Batman, who struck fear into all the criminals, and was curious to test his skills against him.  Knowing the direct approach would be foolish, Bane freed several of the Arkham Asylum inmates forcing Batman to hunt them down while Bane followed and observed him, deducing his secret identity in the process.  When Batman was at the point of exhaustion from fighting these criminals, Bane took the opportunity to strike, breaking in to Wayne Manor and defeating Batman in combat before striking the final blow of breaking the Batman's back over his knee.  After this Bane began to take control of Gotham's criminal underground before he was defeated by Bruce Wayne's temporary replacement, Azrael.  Though Bane's major weakness is his dependence on the venom steroid, of which he has tubes pumping it into his body, he will still be known as the only villain to break the Bat.

Recommended Reading:

Prelude to Bane's Appearance:

• Batman: Venom

Featuring Bane:

• Batman: Vengeance of Bane
• Batman: Knightfall

4. Two-Face

Real Name: Harvey Dent

First Appearance: Detective Comics #66 (August 1942)

Two-Face

Harvey Dent was once Gotham City's white knight; a handsome and driven District Attorney whose alliance with Police Commissioner James Gordon and the Batman would bring the law to all criminals of Gotham City who thought they were above it.  However, Harvey harbored a dark side; a repressed alternate personality with a short temper who was alway pushing Harvey to act out.  With Batman's help Harvey had convicted the crime boss Sal Maroni, but during the trial Maroni splashed acid, that he had hidden in a cough syrup bottle, across the left side of Harvey's face.  This left him horribly scarred and the trauma caused his repressed personality to manifest itself.  Harvey went insane and escaped from his hospital room.  Believing that there was no true justice but chance, he began to commit crimes under the identity of Two-Face.  He would leave these up to chance by making decisions by the flip of his lucky silver dollar coin which had been scarred on one side by the acid as well.  If the clean side came up, Harvey would do the right thing such as leaving the stolen objects, releasing hostages, or donating stolen money to charity.  But if the scarred side came up, Harvey's darker half would make the decision such as taking precious goods, killing hostages, or keeping stolen money for himself.  A tragic character, this duality obsessed villain will always be Batman's biggest failure personified.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman Annual #14 (1990)
• Batman: The Long Halloween
• Batman: Dark Victory
• Joker's Asylum vol.1: Two-Face
• Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth

Recommended Viewing:

• Batman TAS: 215, Second Chance

3. Catwoman

Real Name: Selina Kyle

First Appearance: Batman #1 (Spring 1940)

Catwoman

While many would consider Catwoman to be an anti-hero (a reluctant ally to Batman) it's as a villain where she really shines as she is one of the only villains to cause Batman to question his moral code of dealing with criminals.  Orphaned and forced to grow up in the streets of Gotham, Selina Kyle turn to thievery to survive.  Perfecting her cat-burglary skills, Selina also mastered martial arts and gymnastics in order to pull off more stylized heists.  This has caused her to come in to conflict with Batman and the two have formed a complicated and flirtatious relationship.  As pointed out by Robin, on several occasions Batman has appeared to let Catwoman get away.  As their relationship began to grow, Catwoman often found herself allying Batman and soon began to try to prove to him that she could put her thieving behind her.  This proved not to be the case, however, she would only steal from the criminals and corrupt and donate the riches to the poor and needy.  An on-again off-again flame for Batman, she has begun to prove herself as an anti-hero and a trusted ally of Batman, though her true motives are still questionable.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman: Year 1
• Catwoman: When In Rome
• Catwoman: Nine Lives of the Feline Fatale
• Batman: Hush
• Batman: Heart of Hush
• Catwoman by Ed Brubaker, Vol.1-Vol.4
• Selina's Big Score

2. Ra's Al Ghul

Pronunciation: Ray-sh Al Ghoul

Translation: Arabic-"head of the demon"

First Appearance: Batman #232 (June 1971)

Ra's Al Ghul

This villain is over 700 years old.  Originally a nomad in Arabia, Ra's abandoned his tribe to move to the city where he can conduct scientific research and become a physician and marries.  Ra's is then tasked with healing a dying prince which he does so with the discovery of the mysterious Lazarus Pit which contained magical healing qualities and is even able to raise the dead.  However, the healing comes at the cost of a temporary bout of insanity as Ra's learned as the prince emerged and strangled Ra's wife.  Unwilling to acknowledge that his son had committed the crime, the king blamed Ra's for framing him and sentenced him to be buried alive in a cage with his wife's corpse.  Ra's is saved by the a child of his former tribe who takes him back to the nomads.  Ra's then convinces them to follow him to seek vengeance and true justice by killing the prince and his father as well as the inhabitants of the city.  Ra's believes that human kind has been too corrupted and plans to wipe out most of the population to start anew as well as preserve what is left of Earth's ecology believing that he can create a paradise.  Keeping himself alive with the Lazarus pit for centuries, Ra's eventually sets his sights on the corrupted city of Gotham leading him to come into conflict with Batman.  Though Ra's sees Batman as a worthy adversary, he also sees him as a possible successor to his legacy and has even attempted to have hi daughter Talia seduce him.  One of Batman's most dangerous foe for his many years of training and studying as well as schemes on a global scale, Ra's will always be a thorn in the heroes side for centuries to come.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman: Birth of the Demon
• Death and the Maidens
• Son of the Demon
• Tales of the Demon
• JLA: Tower of Babel

Check back tomorrow as I reveal my #1 pick (as if you didn't already know).

The Top 25 Batman Villains (10-6)

The Top 25 Batman Villains (10-6)
For those of you not familiar with Batman villains, I'm sure you'll begin to recognize some as we reach the major villains.


10. Black Mask
Real Name: Roman Sionis
First Appearance: Batman #386 (August 1985)

Black Mask

Roman Sionis was the son of multi-millionaire parents, however, he resented them for the way they would drag him to parties and put on social masks in order to seem like friendlier people to other high class Gotham members such as the Waynes.  After his parents suspicious death, Roman gained control of the family business and proceed ed to drive it to bankruptcy prompting a buyout by Wayne Industries and causing a hatred by Roman for Bruce Wayne for taking away his legacy.  He then dawned a "Black Mask" carved from his fathers coffin and began murdering Wayne Industries employees.  This Prompted Batman's intervention and in the their confrontation a fire broke out and permanently fused his mask to his face.  Returning as the leader of the gang known as The False Face Society, Black Mask began to slowly take over Gotham's underworld and became infamous for sadistically torturing his enemies.  Eventually becoming the undisputed leader of Gotham's criminal underworld, Black Mask met his end when he targeted Catwoman's friends and family leading her to eventually kill him.

Recommended Reading:

• Catwoman: Relentless

9.  Hugo Strange

First Appearance: Detective Comics #36 (February 1940)

Hugo Strange

Predating the Joker as Batman's oldest recurring foe, Prof. Hugo Strange is a brilliant psychologist and chemist, and one of the only foes to deduce the dark knight's true identity.  Claiming to have psychologically analyzed the dark knight from afar, he soon developed an obsession of the caped crusader and lusted after the identity for himself.  Strange first scheme involved mutating test subjects into large hulking monsters to aid him in committing his crimes.  One of his most famous schemes though is the systematic destruction of Bruce Wayne's life after deducing his secret identity.  A deranged scientist, Strange continues his plots to defeat the dark knight and take the Batman identity as his own.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman and the Monster Men
• Batman Annual #10

Recommended Gaming:

• Batman: Arkham City

8. The Penguin

Real Name: Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot

First Appearance: Detective Comics #58 (December 1941)

The Penguin

As a child, Oswald Cobblepot suffered much abuse from his peers for his for his short height, long nose, and obesity.  His constant torment led him to being rejected by his high class family as well due to their need to keep up their appearance.  Oswald's mother was also very protective of after his father died of pneumonia, and made him carry an umbrella wherever he went.  His only friends as a child were birds that he had befriended and trained as he had a fondness for aviary life.  Feeling resentment for everyone who had treated him as an outcast, Oswald went on to become a member of Gotham's high society in order to show everyone that he could be somebody.  Establishing The Iceberg Lounge as a front for illegal activity, he took on the criminal alias of The Penguin as it had been a nickname used to taunt him as a child for his short and stalky build.  The penguin also has stocked up on trick umbrellas outfitted with weapons or tools needed to commit his crimes.  Fancying himself as a gentleman of crime, he and Catwoman are the only exceptions of criminals Batman is willing to tolerate as he acts as an underworld informant to Batman.

Recommended Reading:

• The Penguin: Pain and Prejudice
• Joker's Asylum vol. 1: The Penguin

Recommended Viewing:

• Batman TAS: 147, Birds of a Feather

7. The Riddler

Real Name: Edward Nigma

First Appearance: Detective Comics #140 (October 1948)

The Riddler

From a young age, Edward Nigma was obsessed with puzzles and riddles.   As Edward got high grades in school his father physically beat him as he was unable to comprehend that his son was brilliant and believed that he had cheated.  Regular beatings for any dishonesty left Edward with a deep-rooted desire to always tell the truth as well as try to prove his intellectual superiority.  As a young adult Edward began to put his obsession with riddles to criminal use.  Taking on the identity of The Riddler, he began a crime wave across Gotham City while leaving behind a cleverly worded riddle as to where and when he would strike next to baffle and taunt the police.  This eventually caught the attention of Batman who used his strong intellect to foil Nygma's plans and finally give Riddler the mental challenge he so strongly desired.  Riddler has tried to stop leaving riddles at his crime scenes but the compulsion has become to strong for him to resist.  Edward has also discovered the answer to the ultimate riddle, the true identity of Batman.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman #179 (March 1966)
• Batman: Hush
• Dark Night, Dark City
• Joker's Asylum vol. 2: The Riddler

6. Scarecrow

Real Name: Jonathan Crane

First Appearance: World's Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941)

Scarecrow

From a young age Jonathan Crane learned the power of fear.  Being born by a teenage mother, he was sent to live with his religiously-fanatical great-grandmother.  His great-grandmother would often punish him by locking him for days on end in a decrepit church where he would often be attacked by the crows that taken up residence there.  He was also bullied constantly by his peers for lanky build.  After murdering his great-grandmother (and leaving her remains in the old church as food for the crows) he went on to become an accomplished psychology professor, specializing in the study of fear.  After being dismissed as a professor from Gotham University for his questionable teaching methods, he went on to become a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum.  He then began testing experimental fear toxins on his patients until he had perfected a toxin that can be administered in liquid or aerosol form that will induce fear in the victims.  he then used this as a weapon to begin a crime spree across Gotham that soon caught the attention of the Batman.  Over-exposure to his fear chemicals have left Crane not only unable to feel fear but any emotion whatsoever.  Scarecrow is one of the only villains that can induce fear in the dark knight.

Recommended Reading:

• Scarecrow: Year One
• Batman #455-457: Identity Crisis
• Batman: Terror
• Heart of Hush

Recommended Viewing:

• Batman TAS: 128, Dreams in Darkness

Recommended Listening:

• Arkham Asylum Patient Interview Tapes: Scarecrow

Be sure to check back Saturday for picks 5-2.

The Top 25 Batman Villains (15-11)

The Top 25 Batman Villains (15-11)

We start to get to some of the big names in Batman's rogue gallery as we continue the countdown.

15. Man-Bat

Real Name: Kirk Langstrom

First Appearance: Batman #400 (June 1970)

Man-Bat

Dr. Kirk Langstrom was a scientist who specialized in studying bats.  Due to his increasing deafness, he developed a serum from some of his lab bats that would give humans sonar abilities similar to bats.  After testing the serum on himself he realized that his formula was successful but at the cost that he began to slowly mutate into a large humanoid-like bat.  With the animalistic instincts taking over in Kirk's mind, Man-Bat went on a rampage that caused him to clash with Batman.  Although Batman was able to administer formulate and administer an antidote, Langstrom suspects that an element was missed as this transformation has reoccured.  Batman's worst fear personified, Man-Bat is especially well known for being the first villain to appear the well received Batman the Animated Series.

Recommended Viewing:

• Batman TAS: 101, On Leather Wings

14. Hush

Real Name: Thomas Elliot

First Appearance: Batman #609 (January 2003)

Hush

A successful surgeon and childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, Hush has created some of the most elaborate plans the defeat Batman.  A child-sociopath, Thomas attempted to kill his parents in order to inherit their vast fortune as his father was an abusive drunk and his mother ,who was formerly a prostitute, would only put up with him for his money so that she would not have to return to her old lifestyle.  Thomas's plan backfired as his father was killed but his mother survived and gained control of the fortune and forced him to care for her well into his adulthood.  Because of his distain for his parents and craving for his fortune he envied Bruce Wayne's "luck".  Hush began to try to work his way up in the criminal underworld by teaming up with other villains and planning schemes to take down Batman who he had learned the true identity of.  The most recent villain on the list, Hush is known for always being one step a head of the dark knight and attacking him where it hurts most, his heart.

Recommended Reading:

• Batman: Hush
• Hush Returns
• Heart of Hush

13. Harley Quinn

Real Name: Harleen Francis Quinzel

First Appearance: Batman the Animated Series: Season 1, Episode 22, "Joker's Favor"

First Appearance in Comics: The Batman Adventures #12 (September 1993)

Harley Quinn

Debuting in the cartoon rather than the comics, Harley Quinn was introduced as a comical sidekick and love-interst for the Joker.  Originally a doctor at Arkham Asylum, Dr. Quinzel had become a psychiatrist to discover why her own father had been a con-man.  While working at Arkham she found herself becoming fascinated with the inmate known as the Joker.  She leapt at the opportunity to interview the patient and found that he had had issues with his father as well.  As the Joker opened up to her she found herself become smitten with him and would eventually create the Harley Quinn persona in order to break out the Joker and aid him in his fight against Batman.  Soon after though, she found that everything the Joker had told her was a lie and found herself regularly abused by him.  Though she stills retains feelings for the Joker she has also used her impressive acrobatic and combat skill to to take on solo heists or with her sister-like figure, Poison Ivy, however she always seems to come crawling back to the Joker.

Recommended Viewing:

• TNBA: 121, Mad Love

Recommended Reading:

• Batman Adventures: Mad Love

12. Mr Freeze

Real Name: Victor Fries

First Appearance: Batman #121 (February 1959)

Mr. Freeze

Dr. Fries was an accomplished cryogenic scientist whose wife, Nora, had contracted a rare and fatal disease.  In order to save her Victor had her placed in suspended animation using his cryogenics in order to preserve her while searched for a cure.  However, when the corporation found out that Fries was using their equipment and resources for personal use they tried to shut it down and in the struggle Victor was exposed to his cryogenic chemicals.  His body now requiring sub-zero temperatures in order to stay alive, Victor created a suit that would constantly keep is body at freezing temperatures.  Taking on the name Mr. Freeze, Victor developed a freeze gun and his strength was augmented with his suit.  A tragic villain he know commits crimes in order to gain the money and resources needed to continue researching a cure for Nora.

Recommended Viewing:

• Batman TAS: 114, Heart of Ice

11. Poison Ivy

Real Name: Pamela Lilian Isley

First Appearance: Batman #181 (June 1966)

Poison Ivy

Originally a shy and timid botany student, Pamela Isley was seduced by her professor into what she thought would be assisting him with lab work.  His real plan was to inject her with various altered poisons and toxins from plants in order to study the effect on humans.  The result caused her to go through a transformation that caused her body to be able to secrete toxins derived from plants.  In addition she can also communicate and control plants as well as give off pheromones that can put men under her control.  A prominent eco-terrorist, Poison Ivy's criminal schemes are often aimed at protecting plants and the environment.  She has also been known to team up with as well as give advice to Harley Quinn.

Recommended Viewing

• Batman TAS: 205, House & Garden

Check back tomorrow for picks 10-6.