Batman: TAS, episode #58: Shadow of the Bat, part 2

Again, this two-parter ended up almost embodying the nature of Two-Face, the character, as we went from moody, heavy noir in part 1 to largely action, superhero-y stuff in part 2. The pace of the opening scenes kept time with the first episode, as we watch Robin (Loren Lester) and Batgirl (Melissa Gilbert) surveilling Gil Mason (Tim Matheson), where director Frank Paur takes a moment to show Mason pacing back and forth in concern over the upcoming meeting with Two-Face (Richard Moll.) In that moment of extended encounter between the two heroes, it's interesting to note the animation studio's decision to sometimes depict Batgirl with her utility belt clasped tightly around her hourglass waist and at other times see it hanging rather more provocatively on her hips. The depiction of heroines in comics has long been dogged by this kind of presentation, in which the good guys are invariably far more attractive people than either the villains or regular types. Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo) is a great example of someone who's nominally "heroic" but isn't meant to be taken seriously and/or idolized by the younger viewers in that way and, consequently, is overweight and a slob. Batgirl, OTOH, is demonstrably sexy in the same way that The Batman is an inverted triangle-shaped buff superhero. The cartoon, like the comics, was largely constrained by convention (Heroes were supposed to be impressive, look like model examples of humanity, etc.) but it is definitely a line drawn between The Batman (only moderately (and never acknowledged) mentally disturbed and, therefore, drawn as a hero) and his opponents (often clearly mentally disturbed and drawn in repellent/shocking fashion) and regular people (Bullock, drawn in not always repellent but clearly contemptible fashion.) Commissioner Gordon (Bob Hastings) as a hero, but still a "normal" person, crosses the line between the two. This is all regular visual presentation stuff that is as much a part of animation as the comics and it's something that my partner, Jeff, and I used to keep in mind when we were running our studio for any of our artists who were writing about superheroes (aka not me.)

Batgirl is presented as both a figure of sympathy (angered at being belittled by both Robin and The Batman) and a representation of how no one can measure up to our central hero, when she disrupts Robin's attempts to ambush Two-Face and his henchmen in order to effect a rescue. She's clearly capable but not quite at the level of the Caped Crusader, which is a way to make sure this is still The Batman's show, which it is, and also highlight the experience that both he and his primary partner, Robin, have in operating together. There's a great moment when Bruce clearly sees Robin's activity behind the gang and nods to him so that Robin knows he's in on the plan. It's a character-reaffirming action and it's mirrored by Two-Face reacting with outrage to Mason referring to him as "Harvey" ("Don't call me that!") His identity is completely subsumed, whereas The Batman can still step outside himself as both an undercover agent and as Bruce Wayne. Again, it's the question of focus and discipline that defines the difference in irrational behavior between dressing up as a bat to beat up bad guys and being the bad guys themselves. Part of their disdain for Batgirl's presence is their questioning her ability to maintain that focus (not that Robin is especially capable of that in most of his appearances in BTAS.) Batgirl is right to feel offended but the story represents her being the trigger that causes many of their problems when Two-Face escapes the ambush and then floods the tunnels, which our two main heroes have to then survive.

There is some interesting dialogue along the way. At one point, The Batman states that Two-Face's coin is "judge, jury, and executioner." At the time this was written (late 80s to early 90s), that was virtually a tagline of the X-Men, in the middle of almost three decades being written by Chris Claremont, whenever they were questioning someone's ethics/morals in dealing with a problematic situation. Like The Batman, they were outside of society and hated/feared by much of it, but they continually demonstrated that they would try to live by its rules. The problem is that Claremont overused it so it became more of what would later be called a "meme", rather than an affecting statement of righteousness. In a similar fashion, the commissioner has a great line when castigating Mason for his betrayal, as he nods to Two-Face and states: "At least I can see his bad half!" But in the pell mell of superhero action, the writing of this episode tended to fall down a bit compared to part 1. In a flooding subway tunnel, do you really want to enter a subway car where the water can eventually rush in and you'll have that much less space for oxygen, as opposed to the top of the tunnel? Also, how was the commissioner not affected by the tear gas canister that Batgirl tossed right into the middle of the group where he was standing? And Two-Face being halted and then trapped by the falling silver dollar coin sign at the docks was more than a little corny. All of this was a step away from the great atmosphere in the first part that was maintained for a bit in part 2 but then drifted away in favor of superheroics. There's nothing wrong with the latter, as that is indeed why we're watching this series. It's just a step down from how the story was initially delivered. That continues into the end, which is a very staid and clichéd happy ending with no question that everything is wrapped up with a neat bow.

Next time, we're back to The Penguin and the incapacitated Batman in Blind as a Bat.