The Flash "Tricksters" Review/Thoughts

Throwback Thursday came early this week on The Flash as the man, the myth, the legend himself, Mark Hamill, descended from his DC voice acting throne to reprise his original live-action role as the Trickster from the 1990s Flash television series.

Episode Description: When a criminal starts antagonizing Central City under the name "The Trickster", Barry and Joe seek out James Jesse, a.k.a. the original Trickster, in hopes of using his help to stop the copycat. Meanwhile, Harrison Wells senses Barry's growing suspicions and reflects back on how he got to where he is today.

High Points:

• A very exciting opening to this episode! We start off with a look at the fight that happened in Barry's house the night his mother was murdered AND we get the explanation for why Eobard Thawne got stuck in the past. Plus Gideon mentioned the Speed Force! 
• When The Reverse Flash pulled off his hood in the street after learning he couldn't access the speed force and it wasn't Harrison Wells...

Eobard Thawne is going to drive me to drink...

• Much like the Spidey picture from last week's post, Barry and Joe have their own conspiracy board going on Dr. Wells
• Mark Hamill, the voice behind the animated versions of The Joker and The Trickster, and the original Trickster from the 1990s Flash, was amazing as always! And the performance was absolutely an homage to both characters he is known for. Well done sir
• The original Trickster's cell was some Hannibal Lecter level shit
• Mark Hamill told Axel Walker "I am your father". Darth Vader would be so proud
• The Tricksters' scheme was a fun change of pace this week. Usually the villains are doing something pretty straightforward like straight-up shooting a place up, or straight-up kidnapping somebody. You gotta love a good old-fashioned convoluted plan every once in awhile
• The Lesson of the Week from Professor Zoom: Phasing through solid objects! Plus his explanation of the utilizing the speed force was intense
• Eddie Thawne, distant relative of Eobard Thawne, knows Barry is The Flash. Will this decision to reveal himself to Eddie come back to haunt him later on?
• Everything about the "Harrison Wells" flashbacks! RIP Actual Harrison Wells. I feel bad for not saying it sooner because it turns out you were dead the entire show. Mind sufficiently blown.

Low Points:

• Henry you literally just watched half of those parachute presents explode upon hitting the ground and you are still going to go for it? The balls on you kid..

In honor of Henry: The Kid from that One Scene in the Park Who Gave 0 Fucks

•  The Chicago Cubs do not need to be reminded that they haven't won a World Series in 106 years. They literally have 106 years worth of not winning a World Series to do that for them.
• Wasn't really feeling the "New Trickster". He pretty much spent the whole episode standing in the "Old Trickster's" shadow. But then again when you put a rookie like that next to a savvy veteran like Mark Hamill, what can you honestly expect to take away from the rookie? Maybe next time we will get some more out of the new guy

Verdict: Mark Fucking Hamill ladies and gentlemen. We first see him in his Hannibal Lecter-style glass cell with his face shadowed but we know who it is. That villainous voice rings into our ears and instantly reminds us of the childhood we spent watching Batman thwart the Joker's plans time and time again on Batman: The Animated Series. Hamill has accrued quite a resume of villainous voice acting over the years, dabbling in everything from comic book villains like The Joker and The Trickster, to villains in other animated universes like Firelord Ozai from Avatar: The Last Airbender and that sly bastard Turtle from My Friends Tigger and Pooh. 

Behold the vilest creature to ever crawl out of the 7th ring of hell

Mark Hamill also played The Trickster in the original live-action The Flash that aired in the early 1990s. Tonight's episode was a fun homage to that and even came complete with little joke references to the original show like when Joe said his lair hadn't looked like it had been touched since the 90s. However, Mark Hamill's performance was also very much a nod to The Joker in my opinion. The convoluted schemes that had multiple thought-out layers were classic Joker-style schemes and even the small little quips that Hamill would make like calling Axel a "rank amateur" and his comical response of "Well that wasn't very sanitary" in response to Barry giving everyone the antidote were reminiscent of Hamill's quick-witted Joker. And if the flower on the lapel of his suit wasn't a blatant nod to the animated character design of the Joker then I don't know what else it could have possibly been. All that was missing was the laugh. Hamill's Trickster chuckled a handful of times throughout the episode and every time he did I just wanted him to break into that full-on Joker laugh. I understand why he didn't though. His laugh is the trademark "Joker laugh" and at the end of the day Hamill was playing The Trickster, not the Clown Prince of Crime. However, Hamill's reprise of The Trickster made for an incredibly fun-to-watch episode on the villain-of-the-week front, and the episode didn't stop there.

Segway into the weekly Harrison Wells Report where we got a mind-blowing look into Eobard Thawne's past this week. The episode opened up with Barry and The Reverse Flash duking it out in Barry's living room the night of the murder. We then learn Eobard drained his powers jumping back in time and can no longer harness the speed force to get him back to his own time. And when the Reverse Flash removes his hood in defeat, we see no Harrison Wells, but instead a man who actually resembles Eddie Thawne. I know we have all been saying "Harrison Wells isn't the man we think is" and boy has that been an understatement! He isn't even Harrison Wells! We thought the Reverse Flash's true identity was exposed until this episode slapped us around with the fact that he had an even truer identity that still needed to be discovered all along. I mean Jesus Christ is there another person hiding beneath this new identity? How many layers do we have to peel back to get the god's honest truth around here??

But in the best possible way

And now that Eddie knows Barry's identity are we going to see some sort evil story arc evolve around him? Eobard Thawne is from 100s of years in the future but that doesn't mean we couldn't see a present day Thawne/Allen rivalry begin to grow. And what about the already present tension growing between Barry and Eobard? The mind games that are being played between the two right now is palpable and only one of two things can come of it: An intense, season-finale worthy, clash of titans, or a mind-blowing sexual encounter. I'm more inclined to believe the first one is going to happen but I am in no way about to go on record as saying I don't want the second one to happen either. Simply put this was a great episode all around. 9.5 out of 10.

Thanks for reading the review! What is your favorite voice acting role that Mark Hamill has done? Who else should know about Barry's identity before Iris? Let us know what you think in the comments or on twitter @Caped_Informers. Check back here regularly for news, articles and reviews of other shows and movies. The Flash is taking a week break, but will return on April 14th with friends from the cast of Arrow in an "All Star Team Up" episode. 

Superhero Man Crush Monday: (6/9/14)

Man Crush: Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill is The Joker. Now don't get me wrong-- Heath Ledger did an incredible job in 2008's The Dark Knight as the Clown Prince of Crime, but Mark's Joker voice is iconic. He started voicing Batman's arch-nemisis in 1992. In the 20 years since then he has played Joker in several different animated series, movies, and even video games.  Alongside the iconic voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, every moment Mark's Joker graced the screen is pure gold. His voice encapsulates both the playful and dark natures of the Joker. One moment he could be telling a light joke. Then the next he could snap into a frightful rage. But everyone knows that the best part of Mark's Joker is his laugh. Even after years of hearing that laugh, the mere mention of it makes me smile. May the floss be with you, Mark.

Check out some of Mark's Joker's classic moments.

Character Crush: Lagoon Boy

Well actually Lagoon Boy sucks. No one was available to write the other crush today and I'm feeling lazy. So La'gann it is. Go get 'em guppy!

Star Wars Episode VII Releases Full Cast List!

After months of rumors and speculation, many sources including Comicbookmovie.com have reported JJ Abrams has fully cast his Star Wars film. Here is a list and quote taken from CBM:

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film. Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

There we have it, the new cast. Personally I am most excited for Andy Serkis. He must be playing a motion capture alien of some sort. Gonna make Jar Jar look like a bitch. Not like that is hard to do. Star Wars Episode VII is due out in December 2015.

Read more: CBM

Batman TAS Consensus Top Ten Episodes!

All week, each of the informers has been counting down their top 5 favorite Batman TAS episodes, but now we are ready to present our top ten overall picks. Deciding on these ten was not an easy feat. There was much deliberation, fights broke out, marriages were ended, but in the end we finished it. So here are the top ten episodes according to the Caped Informers!

10. Jokers Favor

Why it's in the top ten: Joker keeps an ordinary man in fear for his life for over two years because of something so small as the man, Charlie Collins, yelling at him on the highway. Especially since initially he intends to kill poor Charlie. That is twisted. The Joker's massive ego is once again on display showing us that he cannot even allow himself to brush off just some average joe having a bad day. But most importantly we are introduced to Harley Quinn. That alone gains this episode top ten status. Harley Quinn has become a mainstay in DC comic lore since her beginning here.

9. If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?

Why it's a top ten: "Your about to match wits with the Riddler." The introduction to the Riddler on show comes in at number nine. Some of Batman's rogues only require the Bat to use his fighting skills, but not the Riddler. The Riddler always keeps the Dark Knight's mind sharp with his riddles. So when Batman and Robin get dropped like rats in a maze, they have to fight and think their way through the "Maze of the Minotaur" in order to save a greedy businessman who screwed the Riddler over. Nygma's anger can be justified, but his means of revenge cannot so Batman must intervene. Got to love tampering with the Hand of Fate.

8. Beware the Gray Ghost

Why it's a top ten: We all know Batman's origin story, but this episode adds a nice new wrinkle to the tale. Bruce Wayne idolized the Gray Ghost, a fictional TV hero, as a child. Now combine that with his parents death and you get Batman. The story of the character of Simon Trent, the man who played Gray Ghost, is one that we hear about happening all the time in Hollywood. After his show, Simon had a fall from the spotlight and dove into obscurity. The great Adam West's vocals capture your heart as you sympathize with this broken man, but when Batman needs the Gray Ghost to stop the Mad Bomber he steps up and helps Batman. Adam West and Kevin Conroy are unstoppable together.

7. Robin's Reckoning

Why it's a top ten: Another origin story makes the list. Robin is spotlighted in this episode and we get to see him confront the man who killed his parent's Tony Zucco. The best parts of this episode are when we see the tight bond between Bruce and Dick. Bruce really cares deeply about his sidekick because they have shared such similar experiences. He helps Dick not only become a hero, but becomes his mentor and brother to help guide Dick emotionally as well. Also Robin taking Zucco out on a motorcycle is pretty sweet.

6. Almost Got 'Im

Why it's a top ten: Joker, Killer Croc, Two-Face, Penguin, and Poison Ivy share stories about almost getting Batman over a card game. Enough Said. You got a great villain ensemble that leads to comedic moments. "I threw a rock at him!"

5. Heart of Ice

Why it's a top ten: Mr. Freeze was forever changed after this episode aired. He became a man turned cold from a greedy man's horrendous crime. Paul Dini weaves together an origin story that makes you sympathize with Victor. Once again we see Batman have to save a greedy business man from a super villain. I guess you can't pick and choose who you save, but Freeze's story makes you kinda wish Batman would take a sick day and let him take this greedy bastard out. Freeze also has some of the most moving dialogue that the show ever produced. Powerhouse episode.

4. Joker's Wild

Why it's a top ten: Greedy businessmen are all over this list. This time Cameron Kaiser is out to piss off the Joker by making a casino in his image. Kaiser's hope is the Joker blows up this grotesque building so he can collect the insurance money. Joker's initial reaction to the casino is hilarious. His ego once again drives him to commit a crime. One other note about this episode is we get the only Bruce Wayne -Joker interaction of the whole series. Bruce is just looking to anger the Clown Prince of Crime as he shits on the decor of the casino. Another fun moment is when we see the Joker's police file. The file says his name is Jack Napier, a clear nod to 1989 "Batman" in which Jack Nicholson's Joker was originally named Jack Napier. " Jumpin' Jimney Christmas, an homage to me. Too bad, I'm gonna have to blow it up."

3. The Man Who Killed Batman

Why it's a top ten: Almost every episode of Batman TAS is told from Batman's perspective. So it is a real treat to see an episode from a low level gangster like Sid "The Squid"'s point of view. Sid has a wild ride after he believes he killed Batman. Including a run in with the Joker. Joker's eulogy is the highlight of this episode. The viewer really begins to understand how Batman is the ying to his yang. You'd expect Joker to be jubilant about Batman's apparent death, but Mr. J's intense anger gives us get insight on the Joker's true motivations. "You really put the FUN in funeral"

2. Over the Edge

Why it's a favorite: Bane vs. Batman to the death. Bruce's identity revealed to the world. Commissioner Gordon's one man quest to capture Batman. Scarecrow killing Barbara Gordon. A shoot out in the Bat Cave and even criminals looking to seek damages from Bruce Wayne for repeatedly beating them. This episode is chock full of amazing possibilities on how Batman could meet his end.

1. The Laughing Fish

Why it's a top ten: NUMBER ONE! The Joker's scheme to copyright fish. The Joker terrorizes and publicly threatens a copyright worker because he would not let him copyright fish. That may sound ridiculous, but to the Joker he has the right to profit off every fish that bears resemble to his "frankly fabulous face." So on his quest he threatens several individuals who he believes can make his quest for copyright possible. This leads to Batman dealing with Joker swordfish, Joker cats, and even a Joker shark. Batman vs. a shark. Can't beat it. Except when you have Batman and Joker fight on top of an aquarium and Joker savagely beats Batman with a wrench. That fight alone is not the only "gut busting" parts of the episode. Joker airs several Joker Fish commercials that are filled with classic Joker charm. "They're finny and funny and oh so delish. They're joyful and jolly. Jokerfish!" The combination of a dark scheme with classic Joker charm earns this episode our top spot.

 That is our top ten Batman TAS episodes. Shout to Paul Dini for writing seven out of the ten. Dude is a machine. Speaking of machines, Mark Hamill's Joker makes five out of ten episodes. Mark's portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime is legendary and he deserves all his spots on this list. Do you agree? What is your top ten? Tell us in the comments section. I hope you enjoyed our week long Batman TAS celebration. Thank you for reading.

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!

Wednesday Edition: Christian's Favorite Batman TAS Episodes

Batman TAS was my favorite show as a kid. Every night I would come home from school and immediately turn on the TV to take in some of this legendary Dark Knight adaption. The show is what made Batman made favorite superhero and I have never looked back. Choosing just 5 episodes was extremely difficult, but I managed after much inward debate to make this list. I tried to not use villains more than once because I didn't want the list to be just Joker episodes. Enjoy!

1. Joker's Wild : Cameron Kaiser builds a casino hotel modeled after the Joker, called The Joker's Wild. The Joker sees this on the news and, enraged, escapes from Arkham again, with one thought on his mind: destroying the casino, unaware that this is exactly what Kaiser wants him to do as part of an insurance claim.

Why it's a favorite: Mark Hamill is the Joker. He is the voice I hear in my mind anytime I read a Joker comic. That being said the Joker has so many memorable appearances on Batman TAS. I chose Joker's wild for a few different reasons. We get to see Joker's hilarious interactions with Poison Ivy. Even though he calls Ivy " Red", Joker is definitely not her Andy Dufresne. Not to mention we get to see one of the only times on the show Joker breaks out of the asylum.  I just loved Joker's fury that someone was profiting off his likeness. His huge ego drives him to destroy the casino that has taken his image. The idea of a Joker themed casino really intrigues me. Like this needs to exist. Someone get Donald Trump on the phone.

2. Heart of Ice: Bitter scientist Victor Fries, as Mr. Freeze, attacks several divisions of Gothcorp, each time stealing a piece for a secret weapon he intends to build. Batman investigates the connections, and discovers that the start of Freeze's vendetta against Gothcorp was a bitter falling out between Fries and Gothcorp's CEO, Ferris Boyle, during which Boyle almost killed Fries (mutating him into Freeze) and presumably killed Fries' terminally ill wife, Nora. Batman must find a way to bring Boyle to justice before Freeze carries out his revenge.

Why it's a favorite: This episode forever changed the origin of Mr. Freeze. Before this he was another generic ice villain, but after he was a sympathetic character who was turned cold by the greed of one man. We great moments freeze blast moments and even got to see Batman with a cold. Mark Hamill voices Ferris Boyle and because of this we get some fun Star Wars references. Such as Batman being frozen upside like Luke in Empire Strikes back. Mr. Freeze also has some amazingly moving quotes in this episode. Go Paul Dini! Chicken noodle soup saves the day again!

3. Robin's Reckoning Part 1+2 : During a fight with some gangsters at a construction yard, Batman and Robin learn the name of their boss: Billy Marin. While Robin looks forward to going up against Marin, Batman becomes distant, and after a falling out at the Batcave, Batman doesn't allow Robin to accompany him on the search for Marin. Robin investigates on the Batcomputer, and soon realises that Billy Marin is not the boss' real name. Rather, it is an alias of Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents.

Why it's a favorite: Dick Grayson is my favorite Robin. I enjoy Tim, Jason, and Damien just fine, but Dick has always been my favorite. We see Dick's tragic beginning in this two part episode. His story draws many parallels to Bruce's own story of loss. We see how the strong bond between Dick and Bruce is formed. How they are both heroes born out of tragedy. On top of all that we see Dick confront the man who killed his parents, something Bruce will never get to do. Also Biff from Back to the Future voices Zucco, got to love a nice 80's throwback.

4. The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne: After a prominent judge is injured during a struggle with some thugs demanding money from her in exchange for a strange tape, Bruce Wayne decides to take a trip to Yucca Springs, a resort where the judge had vacationed, and consult Dr. Hugo Strange, a psychiatrist. Bruce soon learns that Strange has invented a machine that extracts people's darkest secrets from their minds and transfers them to videotape — and now Strange has proof of Bruce's secret identity as Batman and plans to auction it to three of Gotham's prominent crime bosses.

Why it's a favorite: Okay, I kinda cheated because the Joker is in this episode, but so are Hugo Strange, Penguin, and Two-face. Between getting to see Joker, Two-face, and Penguin fight over proof of Batman's identity, Bruce Wayne attempting to relax (not really), and Hugo Strange's creepy thought reading machine, this episode has everything you could ask for including Joker's answering machine.

5. Shadow of the Bat Part 1+2: When Commissioner Gordon is framed for taking bribes from Rupert Thorne, his daughter Barbara pleads with Batman to show up at a rally being put on in the commissioner's behalf. But when Batman disappears after finding the person behind the frame-up, Barbara takes the law into her own hands as Batgirl.

Why it's a favorite: Bruce Wayne dons his classic Matches Malone disguise to infiltrate a new gang in town. We get our introduction to Bat-girl, as Barbara Gordon dons her own cape and cowl. She also gets an awesome score to go along with her new identity. And of course I love that subway filled with water scene. Batman and Robin have to be pretty crafty in order not to drown down in an abandoned subway tunnel. Also love me some Harvey Dent. Two faces for the price of one.

Honorable mentions: Fear of Victory, Joker's Favor, Over the Edge, Vendetta, If Your So Smart Then Why Aren't You Rich?

That's my 5. Tell us yours in the comment section. Next up Brady!