Batman: TAS, episode #64: Read My Lips

I don't think John Wagner and Alan Grant get enough credit for their contributions to comics and The Batman in specific, when the two were a regular writing team. After all, Wagner is the co-creator (with Carlos Ezquerra) of the legendary Judge Dredd for 2000 AD. When he and Grant teamed up in the 80s, they continued their partnership in the latter stages of that decade in Detective Comics, often with pencils by Norm Breyfogle, for a single year, but in that period developed some lasting creations. The villain star of Read My Lips, The Ventriloquist, is probably the greatest. The entire concept of the simpering Ventriloquist (George Dzundza) being bossed around by his dummy, Scarface (George Dzundza), who needs the former to exist, but who utterly dominates him, even when not being held, is fascinating. Admittedly, I have something of a childhood fascination with ventriloquist's dummies, having stayed awake one night at the age of nine to watch Magic, with Anthony Hopkins, who has a similar problem with his own wooden companion. Another upside of this episode is the return of Joe R. Lansdale to do the script, whom we hadn't seen since Perchance to Dream. 

With an opponent going by the name of 'Scarface', Lansdale spares no effort to ramp up the pseudo-30s theme of the series to the nth degree, as we not only get the gangsteriffic score during the robbery and chase scenes, but are also treated to the spinning newspaper effect to announce the goings-on in the world, similar to the sequences in the 1960s Batman TV series. If you're going to engage the theme, fully engage it. We also get the not-often-used in BTAS gag of The Batman leaving a conversation with Commissioner Gordon before the latter can even finish a sentence. The opening robbery scene is extremely slick and well-timed, which is a credit to both Scarface and director Boyd Kirkland. Everything feels comfortable and like a well-made gangster flick, even down to the scene where The Batman has to deal with street-level thugs by interrogating Rhino (Earl Boen) for information to try to trail the thieves ("You're breakin' my heart, Rhino!") The fact that he found Rhino by watching the tape of a "home video enthusiast" only to notice a tattoo on Rhino's arm with an exclamation ("A tattoo-!") that made it sound like such a thing was wholly unusual among Gotham's criminals is something we can just let slide. That's especially in the wake of some of the other excellent dialogue, especially from Scarface ("I want yer opinion, dummy, I'll pull yer string!") and when yelling at the Ventriloquist ("Don't put words in my mouth!")

The visual storytelling is equally well done here. When our hero slips into Scarface's bedroom, cloak flowing in a similar manner to the curtains in the breeze, we get an excellent example of his familiarity with the Gotham rooftops. He doesn't move. He simply flows. It's also a nice moment when he's evidently startled by the eyes opening on the dummy that he expects to simply be the inanimate object that it should be. It's notable that he takes a moment to close those staring, piercing eyes before continuing his investigation of the scene. I did think it was odd that they didn't take a moment to indicate that the difference in voice patterns that our hero had recorded and played on the Batcomputer was still the same person. Perhaps it was to emphasize the difference, rather than highlight the split personality disorder? On the one hand, showing that it was still the same person with two voices is creepy, but perhaps having two voices that couldn't even be compared at a base level is even more jarring. Alfred pays compliment to Grant and Wagner again when he points out "You've had your share of odd opponents, Master Bruce, but this one takes the biscuit!"

It's that focus on sound that provides another highlight to this episode. I've already cited the good use of music (just like last time) but the sound execution is excellent all over, most notably in regard to Scarface. The constant sounds of his eyes moving within his head and knocking his own head in emphasis are fantastic in providing that note of substantiveness that underlies the bizarre nature of what's happening between the Ventriloquist and his dummy (or vice-versa.) But the visuals aren't slacking, either, as there's a great still panel of The Batman in shadow in front of the Ventriloquist while fighting with Scarface's thugs. This panel is surrounded by an unusual approach to the action sequences, in which the fights are frequently interrupted by extreme close-ups of both our hero and the opponents, instead of the establishing shots that we frequently see in these moments. It's a more elaborate presentation of the action than we usually see. Also, the absurdity of being suspended above a bunch of mannequin arms carved to have talons is just one of those odd things that would only come from a horror writer (similar to the publisher-required altered scene in Salem's Lot with knives driven through floor tiles, instead of rats.) Unfortunately, one of those visuals is the victim of an editing problem, as the elaborate trap of the theft of platinum from a ship is marred by showing Scarface's thugs not having entered said ship, but with platinum already stacked on their boat. But that's all capped off by an excellent final scene, once again, in Arkham even if it is fairly predictable.

OK. Next is the last episode of season 1, finally, after four years... but, really, it's no worries, men.