Analyzing The Batman Franchise (Pt. 5 of 8): Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins (2005)

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Batman/Bruce Wayne: Christian Bale

Love Interest: Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes)

Villains: Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson), Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson)

Score: Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard

High Points:

• Christopher Nolan must be thanked for making Batman movies relevant again. When this was released in 2005, it had been 8 years since The Dark Knight had graced the silver screen. Nolan had a vision of returning the character to his darker roots while injecting a sense of realism (which I don't always feel was necessary) to the comic book world. Moviegoers and Bat-fans quickly got the taste of Robin's rubber lips out of their mouths with this new interpretation. So thank you Chris for bringing Bat movies back with a bang.
• Christian Bale was the first Batman to journey across the globe to study and train in order to begin fighting crime. His portrayal of Bruce Wayne's duality as playboy billionaire by day and Batman by night is also very spot on.
• Gotham, in particular the Narrows, was exactly what you expected the worst city  in America to look like. It was dank, dingy, and hopeless and all captured beautifully on camera by cinematographer Wally Pfister.
• Bruce Wayne's climb to the top of the mountain and subsequent training from the League of Shadows (or Assassins) was one of my favorite parts of the trilogy.
• Liam Neeson was an excellent Ra's Al Ghul. He captured the villain's comic book motives perfectly while also providing his classic Neeson badass factor. His speeches about injustice and the history of the League were riveting.
• Cillian Murphy thrived in the role of supporting baddie Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow. 
• James Gordon and Batman started their long term relationship. (Strictly platonic...)
• Gary Oldman was actually a character and not just a fat cop like Pat Hingle was.
• The film did a great job of setting up how corrupt Gotham was. With asswipe cops like Flass and crime lords like Falcone, the city was in real turmoil.
• I enjoyed Bruce's playboy facade especially when he bought that hotel like a boss.
• Morgan Freeman's Lucius Fox helps explain where Batman gets all those wonderful toys.
• Michael Caine is an excellent Alfred. He would never let anyone into the Batcave without permission like that dope Michael Gough. Also his overall relationship with Bruce is much more interesting and caring, while their interactions also serve as a good source for comic relief.
• The dialogue is top notch and the film has a lot of quotable lines. "Swear to me!!"
• Batman's interrogation of Flass was classic Bats.
• Batman's take down of Falcone's gang was intense. He instilled great fear in the hearts of those criminals.
• Batman does a little detective work when he gains evidence against Falcone.
• The Demon's Head vs The Bat is a great fight that happens to take place on the train.
• The in-movie flashbacks to a younger Bruce Wayne were compelling. Showed a intriguing path on how he set out to fight injustice.
• Great use of plot elements and themes from Bat-comics Year One and The Long Halloween.
• That Joker card tease!!!!!

Favorite Line: "You must become more than just a man in the mind of your opponent." 
                                                                                         - Ra's Al Ghul

Favorite Scene: So many great scenes to choose, but I have to pick the interrogation of Flass because that reminds me so much of the Batman from comics.

Low Points:

• Bruce Wayne's parents took him to the opera instead of a Zorro movie. If you take your kid to the opera, you kind of deserve to get shot, right?
• Katie Holmes was fine in her part. She didn't hinder the movie in anyway. I just hate Rachel Dawes. There have been so many Batman love interests in comics that I just don't understand why Nolan decided on this uptight Assistant DA. I mean overall she is better than the average superhero love interest (looking at you Natalie Portman!), yet I just didn't buy into why Bruce cared about her so much.
• Rachel Dawes fucked over the Starks and all of Westros by saving Joffery Bartheon from getting killed by the Scarecrow. Why do you hate Sean Bean so much, Rachel?.
• I have never been a fan of child actors and the parts with little kid Bruce I find to be the weakest parts of the film.
• I don't like the Tumbler. I understand Nolan wanted a realistic tank-like that Batman could drive, but Anton Furst's Batmobile to the best Bat-car to date on screen.

Worst Line: "The man I loved - the man who vanished - he never came back at all. But maybe he's still out there, somewhere. Maybe some day, when Gotham no longer needs Batman, I'll see him again." - Rachel Dawes

Worst Scene: There isn't many scenes I don't like in this movie. The weakest parts I found were when Bruce was a little kid. Out of those, I'm picking the opera as the worst part of the movie. No one has ever wanted to be at an opera, let only a 10 year old kid. 

*Warning* I could only find a clip that had the Wayne's death attached, so make no mistake I enjoy that part, just not that damn opera.

Verdict: Batman Begins is the best "Batman" movie of all time. Now before you get out your pitchforks and attempt to crucify me read that first sentence again. I said best "Batman" movie of all time. I like you probably believe that The Dark Knight is the best film in Batman's filmography. Personally I feel though that Batman Begins is the closet interpretation to Batman from the comics. He intimidates, he interrogates, hell he even does a little detective work in this joint. Yes, The Dark Knight is a great movie, but I almost consider that to be the Joker's film and not Batman's. This movie on the other hand is all about Batman. It's how he became the character we all know and love. And for this story Ra's Al Ghul was the perfect foil to the Caped Crusader to show what the latter believes true justice really is. Then you mix in a fantastic supporting cast riddled with great performances as iconic Bat-characters and you have a recipe for the beginning of an incredible Bat-triliogy. Overall Batman Begins gets a 9.0 out of 10. The most underrated Bat-flick of all time and a must watch for anyone who loves the crusade of Batman.

Thanks for reading! Is Batman Begins the best "Batman" movie? Sound off in the comments. And make sure to check out the site soon for my analysis of The Dark Knight as our look back into Batman's film history continues. Also be sure to follow us on Twitter @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73 for all your comic book news.

Check out the rest of our look back at Batman's film history by clicking the links below.

Batman (1989)

Batman Returns (1992)

Batman Forever (1995)

Batman and Robin (1997)

New Gotham Trailer Reveals Even More Villains

Check out the newest Gotham trailer featuring some sneak peeks of some of Batman's most iconic villains.

Sal Maroni, Professor Pyg, Mr. Zsasz, and even a possible Scarecrow. Jesus man, is any villain gonna be left to fight after this first season? Is season 2 gonna have to be a season long arc against KG Beast because everyone else will have already been used because it's starting to look that way. With rumors of the Joker, Killer Croc and Mr. Freeze also on the horizon this really could be the case.

Poor KG Beast

Personally if I was in charge of plotting this 1st season I would have exclusively focused in on the Wayne's murder and the Falcone-Mooney-Maroni gang war. Have Cobblepot building up his own crew in the background and Nygma doing weird shit at the police headquarters. Then causally use just a few low key villains like Pyg or Zsasz. Not just blow through every Batman villain ever created so early on.

This show was supposed to be about Jim Gordon and not just about following pre-villains before they morph into the future geriatric baddies they will be when they finally fight Batman. Well at least there are no current rumors that Bruce Wayne will befriend a strange girl named Harleen Quinnzel. That will help me sleep at night.

What do you think of the upcoming season of Gotham? Too many villains? Sound off in the comments. And check out our Gotham reviews every Monday.

Arkham Knight E3 Overview

Arkham Knight E3 Overview
Before I start getting into the coverage from the E3 gameplay trailer, I would like to start off with a little background information about the series and the game for the people that don't know too much of this game series. Arkham Knight is the fourth installment of the latest batman franchise, which also includes Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Origins. These types of games have a sort of Assassin's Creed like game play and combat system going over a wide, explorable map that is riddled with enemies and secrets. The newest installment, Arkham Knight, is the sequel to the Arkham City game and takes place in Gotham City and is voiced by the almighty Kevin Conroy. The original trailer for this game was released in early March and since then, there have been many speculations on the gameplay and the landscape. The best part from that original trailer was the Batmobile and the fact that the player can now officially drive it around Gotham City. Although the game has been pushed back to 2015, it is still one of the most highly anticipated games for the next gen consoles and with the game play footage being released at E3 this year, everyone can now see it in its glory.

With the game play trailer above, lets begin to pick it apart and see what makes this game one of the best games to come out for the next gen consoles.

The Overview
This game takes place one year after the Arkham City game in the City of Gotham. He is helped by James and his daughter Barbara Gordon, as the Oracle, to help rid the city of the criminals that escaped from Arkham Asylum. The main villain, introduced briefly in the first trailer but more so in this one, Scarecrow, enlists the help of many other super-villains to help take out the Batman once and for all. This game also introduces a new villain to the playing field, The Arkham Knight. This villain is like a militarized version of the Batman that wears a coveted 'A' on his chest to symbolize Arkham. The player will have to take down all the super-villains in Gotham to save its citizens and himself from the Scarecrow.

The Suit

One of the first things that is seen in this trailer is Bruce putting on the bat suit. The detail the game designers went into the suit alone makes this game worth while. It's more robotic than the normal cape and cowl, but it makes it more realistic as an armor to protect his body during fights. And the fact that you can see the suit fitting perfectly to his body adds to the game experience to the new and the old fans. If they can get this type of suit into any of the upcoming Batman movies, I think we would all be very happy.

The Landscape

Starting with the Wayne Tower, you can see the amount of details put into the surrounding area. In a small area like the starting place, seeing that much detail can only speculate what Gotham City is going to look like. At first, I thought that if they put that much detail in a small area, the overall map may not be as well done and thank God (or whatever religious deity you thank, if any) I was wrong. The map of Gotham City spans over 5 times the area of Arkham City and every area has so much detail put into it, it probably wouldn't be physically possible for it to work for the previous console systems, such as the 360 and PS3. When Batman first steps out onto the ledge at 0:42, you can see what I mean by a huge landscape. From what is know, everything that is seen from the view is traversable, giving Arkham Knight one of the biggest maps in video game history.

Not to mention how far he drops as well. The closer he gets to the bottom, the more the map expands and you can see the detail put into every little window and door and light etc. Although I still want to keep my old 360, I am glad that this game is a next gen exclusive, just because of the sheer detail put into the design of the game.

The Batmobile

The most anticipated part of this new game, the fully rideable Batmobile. For it being one of the coolest features in the new game, it comes at a cost. The amount of work and detail put into the batmobile made it use up so much data that it would take up an entire 360. How it looks however, it makes a lot of sense in its memory usage. From shown on the game play trailer, the player can summon the batmobile when Batman is nearing the ground and the fabled batmobile appears. The actual driving of the batmobile looks like any other game with cars in it and looks pretty unwieldy. But unlike other games, the batmobile doesn't crash when it hits a lamp post or a blockade, it completely decimates them, not even slowing down. Now the best part of the batmobile starts at 1:52 of the game play trailer; when it gets ready for combat. My jaw hit the floor when I saw the batmobile getting combat ready and I have to say, it is probably the best feature of this game by far. The wheels widening and being put on a pivot point instead of the axle makes the batmobile more mobile and agile, being able to move side-to-side, diagonally, and front-to-back as easy as it is to drive normally. And when the turrets came out of the top, I was ecstatic. The detail put into these guns are just astounding. From the fighting in the batmobile, it looks like you have a rocket, a lock-on missile, and a gatling gun, which I feel is just enough to have, you definitely don't want to go overboard with the amount of weapons, then it would make the game too easy. The last feature that is shown of the batmobile is the ability to rocket yourself out of the batmobile and be able to glide away easily. This, I feel, will be one of the more useful tricks the batmobile can pull off. It makes it easier to dodge enemies while in the batmobile and it makes it so the player can easily start exploring the skies again.

The Combat and Stealth

The combat in this game is just like the other games in the series, where you can gang up on multiple enemies and start combo-ing the crap out of them. One of the newest features added to the combat is called the "Fear Takedown", which is shown at around 2:55 where in the top left corner of the screen, you can see a "Fear Takedown Meter". From what I can understand, the diamonds underneath the Fear Takedown label are the amount of targets acquired. This move can select up to three targets when undetected and slows down the time to be able to take the enemies out quickly and quietly, and all it takes is to look at the target and press one button, easy enough right? This makes the stealth game and combat game a whole lot easier for the player while still making the combat interesting. Like in all the other games, the stealth makes the player essentially invisible to the enemies in the area. We get a good look at the stealth towards the end at around 3:36. I think its cool having the player be able to traverse underneath the enemy in the vent system and then pop out when close enough to the enemy.

The Ending

When I saw the first game play trailer while watching E3, I thought to myself, 'why would they bring in a broken trailer, I feel like they should have checked it out before launching it'. But when Scarecrow was revealed, it took away my sense of shame for the broken trailer and turned it into acting like a giddy little school girl. His reveal as the main enemy for batman, though known from the first trailer, adds a whole new set of questions, like how will his poison be used? or how will he use the Arkham Knight to beat the Batman? All we know for sure is that Scarecrow is enlisting the help of the Penguin, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and the Riddler to take down the Batman. All in all, I can see this game being one of the best games for the next gen consoles and has a good chance of being "Game of the Year" with all of these added features and superb graphics and game play. All I can say is, I can't wait for this game to come out and be able to see its glory in person.

Ryan's Top 5 Batman TAS

I remember watching both Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series when I was a kid and immediately loving both of them. It wasn't until I got a little older that I started to fully appreciate the darker and more in-depth elements that make Batman stories great. So without further ado, here is my definitive ranking of the animated series:

5) The Forgotten: While investigating the disappearances of Gotham's homeless in an undercover disguise, Bruce Wayne is kidnapped and imprisoned in a chain gang mining camp, suffering from amnesia. Alfred must thus track him down, help him escape and free the rest of the prisoners. 


Why it's a favorite: Got to love a white-haired Bruce Wayne. But beyond that we get an episode early on in the series that gives us a really good look into the character of Bruce Wayne. This is the first time the audience sees Bruce Wayne as someone who genuinely wants to help his fellow man and not just some guy who runs around in a bat suit "because he can afford it".

4) Showdown: Ra's al Ghul narrates a story from his past in which Jonah Hex stops his plan to destroy the new transcontinental railroad by using a war blimp. 


Why it's a favorite: This episode was a lot of fun because you get a story being told to us by Ra's al Ghul that took place years and years before Batman was around. I love it when you get a narration from a villain because it brings into question: Is the information I am receiving 100% accurate? You also get to see Ra's square off against a hero from a completely different time period: Jonah Hex. Watch as they face off on this blimp.

3) Harlequinade: The Joker steals an atomic bomb, and it is up to Batman and Robin to find and stop him. Since there is no time to spare, the duo enlist the help of Harley Quinn to track Joker down. Throughout the episode, it is briefly discussed how Harley met Joker.


Why it's a favorite: Gotta love the classic unlikely allies coming together story. I am also just a big fan of Harley Quinn in this series. For a character that had no history going into this show, she has come a long way and you even get that brief insight into how her partnership with the Joker came to be. 

2) Almost got Im': Joker, Killer Croc, Penguin, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy all meet at a poker table, each telling a tale of times when they almost defeated Batman. At the same time, Harley Quinn is about to kill Catwoman. Will Batman be able to save her? 


Why it's a favorite: Talk about an ensemble cast. You get four Batman stories in one episode, a ton of villains hanging out exchanging tales, and a surprise twist at the end of the episode similar to the one at the end of Cape and Cowl Conspiracy. Also it is just comical to see a bunch of people sitting around the table talking about Batman like he is "the one that got away". 

1) Over the Edge: During a fight with the Scarecrow, Batgirl is ambushed on a rooftop and falls to her death. Having watched his daughter's demise, Jim Gordon blames Batman for her fate and vows revenge, even recruiting Bane in the process. 

Why it's a favorite: I'm a big fan of the "what if" stories. That is why I am also such a big fan of The Flashpoint Paradox. You get a Batgirl death scenario that results in Jim Gordon waging an all out war against Batman. It ultimately results in the deaths of both Gordon and Batman but you find out at the end that it was just a big hallucination that Batgirl was having brought on by some good old-fashioned Scarecrow fear toxin. Also this Battle to the Death between Bane and Batman.

Honorable Mentions: Heart of Ice, The Man who Killed Batman, The Demon's Quest, Laughing Fish, If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?

Hope you enjoyed the list and be ready for the Top Ten Batman: The Animated Series episodes tomorrow!

Adam's 5 Favorite Batman TAS Episodes

My brother got me to watch Batman TAS with him when we were kids. I quickly became addicted to superheroes and their stories. My favorite hero is still Batman because of this amazing show that brought so many great additions to the Batman mythos. So without further a due, here are my top 5 episodes!

5. Fear of Victory: The Scarecrow invents some kind of fear chemical that is activated by adrenaline. Then, he uses it to affect the outcome of athletic events. Whenever a single person becomes agitated, the fear chemical kicks in, turning his excitement to fear. The Scarecrow bets against the sports stars' teams as part of his criminal scheme to scare up some quick cash and Batman and Robin must foil his plot.

Why it's a favorite: This episode combines two of my passions, sports and comics. Scarecrow's scheme is fun and original. I especially love the scene when the bookie sends his thug after a disguised Scarecrow to see how he is always winning. That guy had no idea what he was getting into. This episode really thrives at challenging Robin and his arc comes full circle at the end when he saves the crowd at the football game from fear toxin. And to top all of that we have the incredibly creepy score from the always stellar Shirley McClain.

4. The Demon's Quest Parts 1+2:  When Robin is mysteriously abducted from his college campus, the Batman begins a fruitless search ... until he is astounded by the sudden appearance in the Batcave of Ra's Al Ghul. Ra's quickly reveals that his daughter, Talia, has been abducted under circumstances similar to Robin's, suggesting that the same persons are responsible. So begins an uneasy truce between the Batman and 'The Demon'.

Why it's a favorite: Um, a shirtless Batman in a sword fight alone earns this episode a spot on this list, but its who he fights againist that makes this one of my all time favorites. Ra's Al Ghul. This was the shows introduction to Ra's. His scheme of faking Robin's kidnapping to see if Batman is worthy of replacing him as the Demon Head leads to an exotic episode outside the normal Gotham setting. I also love when Ra's calls Batman "Detective".

3. Christmas with The Joker: After escaping Arkham Asylum on Christmas Eve, The Joker takes over Gotham's airwaves and terrorizes the city for a crime. He challenges Batman and Robin to find his hidden TV studio and free his hostages — Commissioner Gordon, Detective Bullock and Summer Gleason — before midnight.

Why it's a favorite: This episode is a lot of fun. We get to see the Joker sing "Batman smells" and Batman fight a laser shooting canon. There quotable lines left and right, mostly from Mark Hamill, and how can you beat a nice "the train tracks are out" situation. Not to mention,  Joker talking to his hand puppet and a cardboard studio audience makes for comedic gold.

2. The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy: Baron Jozek, furious at Batman for humiliating him at a dinner party (over Jozek's underworld connections), hires Josiah Wormwood, a master in setting traps for his victims, to hunt down Batman and bring back the hero's cape and cowl.

Why it's a favorite: Batman's superior intellect and problem solving abilities are highlighted in this episode. Wormwood is a slimy, but intelligent villain whose near impossible to solve death traps are quite a challenge for the Dark Knight. When Baron Jozek reveals himself to really be Batman, I nearly shit myself. I did not see that coming.

1. Beware the Gray Ghost: Simon Trent, an actor best known for his past role as "The Gray Ghost", is on the verge of bankruptcy thanks to his declining career. To save himself, he sells off all of his Gray Ghost merchandise. Immediately afterwards, a series of crimes related to the old show begin to occur. Batman, having himself been inspired partly by the show to become the crimefighter he now is, goes to Trent for help, and they team up to put an end to the crimes.

Why it's a favorite: ADAM WEST!!! Long before he was roaming the streets of Quahog as mayor, Mr. West lent his vocal talents to the character of Simon Trent, the Gray Ghost, who turns out to be part of the inspiration for Bruce's Batman persona. We get great flashbacks to Bruce's childhood. He watched and idolized the Gray Ghost. So when a villain is recreating an old Gray Ghost episode to commit his crimes, Batman and the Gray Ghost have to team up to stop it. "You can't interview a dead man!"

Honorable Mentions:  Feat of Clay Parts 1+2, Almost Got 'Im, The Man Who Killed Batman, Laughing Fish, If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?

Thanks for reading. Up next Ryan Keough!

Brady's Top 5 Batman TAS Episodes!

Whats up guys, Brady here to give you my top 5 favorite Batman TAS episodes of all time. I would just like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Christian's list and thought he had some really great eps. So with out further a due let us begin....

Coming in at number 5

"What is Reality": Seeking to prove once and for all that he is the superior mind, The Riddler lures Batman into a riddle-solving contest inside the virtual reality of a computer game in order to save Jim Gordon's life. In the course of solving the riddles and escaping The Riddler's traps, Batman learns that he is also able to manipulate the virtual reality landscape much like The Riddler does. 

Why its a favorite: The reason why this is a favorite is because we see Batman and Robin solving riddles in a totally different atmosphere. They are in a virtual reality video game, not Gotham City which makes the duo think outside the box on this one. Also, this episode really shows one of my favorite villains The Riddler in a truly fantastic way. To me he is on top of his game in this episode and the riddles are insane. We see Batman adapt to his surroundings and eventually turn The Riddler's own traps against him. All in all great episode and deserves the number 5 slot. 

4.The Joker's Favor: After a man named Charlie Collins accidentally curses at the Joker on the road for bumping him, the Clown Prince of Crime corners him and intimidates him into doing him a "small favor". Two years pass, and the Joker finally decides how to use Charlie: to sneak a bomb into Gotham University, where Commissioner Gordon is to give a speech at an award ceremony. Charlie, who merely has to open the door, is skeptical at first, but for the sake of his family, he reluctantly decides to obey. But is the Joker really the type to let someone who insulted him live? This episode features the debut appearance of the Joker's sidekick/girlfriend, Harley Quinn

Why its a favorite: We have this innocent man who yells at the Joker, Charlie who expects nothing to come of it. Boy is he wrong. The Joker and the truly twisted person that he is decides to intimidate Charlie and force him to do him a "small favor" for him. The most twisted thing about it, is that he waits 2 years until confronting him about the favor. 2 YEARS!!! Could you imagine knowing someone like The Joker has asked you to do him a favor and waits two years to bring you up on it, yet here you are waiting on pins and needles everyday hoping that it won't happen. That is the beautiful thing about the Joker and the mind games that he plays. Also, in this episode we have the debut of probably one of the greatest female villians of all time. Miss Harley Quinn. This episode alone sparked an entire following for this character. She is phenomenal and just as twisted as her dear ol' Mr. J. Coming in at number 4 The Jokers Favor. 

3. The Man Who Killed Batman: When a small time gang member seemingly kills Batman by accident, he gets involved with gangs all over Gotham, as well as the Joker and Rupert Thorne, none of whom believe his story that everything that is happening is by preposterous happenstance. 

 Why its favorite: There is one reason this made the list. The Joker/Mark Hamill's brilliant eulogy to Batman. A small time mobster, Sid "The Squid", supposedly "kills" The Batman and initially The Joker is ecstatic and holds a funeral, the whole 9 yards. After awhile we see that The Joker begins to lose his mind and realizes that he needs Batman, Batman is the one who keeps him going, who gives him that spark to be so diabolical and twisted. That's what I loved most about this episode, you see the true relationship that the two characters have. 

2. Nothing to Fear: Batman encounters The Scarecrow and attempts to foil his scheme to burn down Gotham University, but in the process is exposed to the Scarecrow's fear gas and is forced to face his own guilt over the death of his parents. This episode introduced the popular line: "I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman!"

Why its a favorite: Scarecrow, Scarecrow, Scarecrow. My FAVORITE villain of all time is first introduced in this episode. The man who creates fear toxin gas and makes you see, hear, visualize your worst nightmares. Wow that is seriously some awesome shit. If that were real life and something like that could be created where you literally see your own nightmares before you, the world would be a horror show. Anyways, Scarecrow attempts to burn down Gotham University and Batman comes to save the day. This time though we see a terrified Batman because he comes to grips of what he sees when exposed to the fear gas. The death of his own parents. As if once wasn't enough for him, he has to relive the nightmare. Also, we hear that famous line that all bat-fans love to shout "I AM VENGEANCE, I AM THE NIGHT, I AM BATMAN!" Classic shit, comin in at #2 Scarecrow rules!!!

The music really fits....

NOTE: Not all these scenes are from TAS.

Finally #1 Laughing Fish: Joker creates a toxin that affects only fish, mutating them into Joker fish. Then, he targets innocent men who refuse to copyright his Joker fish. The Joker also captures Harvey Bullock and Batman must rescue him and foil the Clown Prince of Crime's insane scheme.

Why its a favorite: Ah yes, Laughing Fish. Probably one of the most famous Joker episodes of all time if I do say so myself. I think for me this is my number one favorite episode is because this is what really got me interested in the Joker and how truly twisted he was even for a kids show. If you were to re-watch this episode you too would have those haunting images of the deathly smiles on everyones faces who were infected by the Joker toxins. Truly dark images if you ask me but that is why I loved it. There were no flaws in this episode, it kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time thinking what will Joker do next? How will Batman react? What is the fate of Batman when he is infected? Just everything about it is fantastic. Deserves to be at the top of my list owning the #1 slot. Also, this was the first episode I ever watched so it has a special place in my heart. 

Honorable Mentions: "Robin's Reckoning parts 1+2", "Jokers Wild", "Shadow of the Bat parts 1+2", "Christmas with the Joker", "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne"

Hope you guys enjoyed the list! Tomorrow we hear from Adam Strand!