Keeping Batman Original
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
If they make more games, I hope they do one that is nothing but adversaries who modified Batman's name by one letter.
ie., Catman, Fatman, Gatman, Hatman, Matman, Oatman, Ratman, Tatman, Vatman, and Bratman, Botman and Batfan.
They could call it Bathouse: Arkman
ie., Catman, Fatman, Gatman, Hatman, Matman, Oatman, Ratman, Tatman, Vatman, and Bratman, Botman and Batfan.
They could call it Bathouse: Arkman
Man, that site needs better people to write/edit the content... unless Rupert Thorne is a fish or instrument.chikusho said:
I wonder if Aquaman ever had to fight a crime bass?
- Feb 7, 2011
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I take issue with Yahtzee saying that Black Mask, Deadshot, and Firefly are dregs from the bottom of the Batman Villain barrel.
Black Mask is a really interesting character. He's essentially a deconstruction of what Bruce Wayne would have become if his childhood had sucked and his parents had been assholes and hated him. He's essentially the "anti-batman."
Deadshot and Firefly as just plain cool. Firefly is basically the Buba Fett of the modern Batman universe. Deadshot is interesting because of the way in which Batman has to approach any confrontation with him. Deadshot is a perfect marksman who never misses, and has complete long range superiority over Batman. He essentially exploits Batman's greatest strength and weakness, the fact that he's incredibly stubborn (in this regard, he's incredibly stubborn in that he refuses to use guns, which would put him on an even playing field against deadshot).
Black Mask is a really interesting character. He's essentially a deconstruction of what Bruce Wayne would have become if his childhood had sucked and his parents had been assholes and hated him. He's essentially the "anti-batman."
Deadshot and Firefly as just plain cool. Firefly is basically the Buba Fett of the modern Batman universe. Deadshot is interesting because of the way in which Batman has to approach any confrontation with him. Deadshot is a perfect marksman who never misses, and has complete long range superiority over Batman. He essentially exploits Batman's greatest strength and weakness, the fact that he's incredibly stubborn (in this regard, he's incredibly stubborn in that he refuses to use guns, which would put him on an even playing field against deadshot).
I should point out that while Cat Man was updated into 'a merc sort', the series in which it occurred was one that I suspect Yahtzee would appreciate for how much silver age levity it celebrates. The Secret Six, set in the leadups to one of the 'big DC cross-comic events' where all the villains group together and encourage people to spend more on supporting an annual system where you have to buy all the crappy comics for a month to get the gist of the overall plotline, are a group of non-powered most C-grade (well, one has powers, but he's basically one of a demonic villain's near-braindead mooks) Batman villains.
Deadshot has had a rehabilitation in later times (and ALL the characters did after the Secret Six), but here it's mostly a bunch of gimmick-heroes trying to (a) not get arrested by the heroes, and much more importantly (especially in the first arc) not get killed by all the A-grade supervillains who have teamed up and are trying to make an example of any villains who won't get on board.
Ironic, because before this title, a 'world cross-over event' was the only way that Catman was ever going to get another run.
Here, he leads his band of determined-yet-woefully-underpowered C-listers as they get hunted down by (primarily) Deathstroke and Batman.
And yes, Catman has his conversion from silver age gimmick to gritty merc, but it's delightfully toungue-in-cheek - the series starts with Catman as a fat washed-up individual who might be called a 'hasbeen' except he was always crap in the first place. He decides to leave the US to overcome his drinking problems and get his life back together...and lives with a pack of African lions until he returns as a badass wanting vengeance on the poachers who killed his pack (this part is delivered delightfully deadpan, as though it's the most natural comic book occurrence in the world).
Like most focussed-story comics, this one went passed its best, but for a while it did a great job of combining the above kind of knowing schtick with the same modern grit feel that it's sometimes mocking, with a crowning moment of glory where Catman eventually refights Batman, knowing he can't beat him, but managing to stay on his feet long enough that the rest of the team can break ought one of their members from Batman's prison, and then escape.
Gritty...but in a really endearing 'Rocky 1' kind of 'underdog gains respect' kind of way.
Deadshot has had a rehabilitation in later times (and ALL the characters did after the Secret Six), but here it's mostly a bunch of gimmick-heroes trying to (a) not get arrested by the heroes, and much more importantly (especially in the first arc) not get killed by all the A-grade supervillains who have teamed up and are trying to make an example of any villains who won't get on board.
Ironic, because before this title, a 'world cross-over event' was the only way that Catman was ever going to get another run.
Here, he leads his band of determined-yet-woefully-underpowered C-listers as they get hunted down by (primarily) Deathstroke and Batman.
And yes, Catman has his conversion from silver age gimmick to gritty merc, but it's delightfully toungue-in-cheek - the series starts with Catman as a fat washed-up individual who might be called a 'hasbeen' except he was always crap in the first place. He decides to leave the US to overcome his drinking problems and get his life back together...and lives with a pack of African lions until he returns as a badass wanting vengeance on the poachers who killed his pack (this part is delivered delightfully deadpan, as though it's the most natural comic book occurrence in the world).
Like most focussed-story comics, this one went passed its best, but for a while it did a great job of combining the above kind of knowing schtick with the same modern grit feel that it's sometimes mocking, with a crowning moment of glory where Catman eventually refights Batman, knowing he can't beat him, but managing to stay on his feet long enough that the rest of the team can break ought one of their members from Batman's prison, and then escape.
Gritty...but in a really endearing 'Rocky 1' kind of 'underdog gains respect' kind of way.
It's clear to me that Yahtzee didn't actually play the game. The game features the first clash of wits between Batman and the Riddler (who didn't even have his supervillain name yet, referring to himself only as Enigma), the first fight between Batman and Killer Croc, the first few fights between Batman and Bane (not to mention an altered Knightfall story arc), and one of the first confrontations between Batman and the Penguin (it's clear that Penguin has been around Gotham for a few years, but not too long because he's only now muscling in on the Falcone's part of the weapons market). So by my count that's the origin of 4 big-time Batman villains being incorporated in the game. By Yahtzee's count, that's the origin of 3 big-time Batman villains and 1 mid-tier villain.
Seriously, Yahtzee, play the game before you write any parodies about it.
Seriously, Yahtzee, play the game before you write any parodies about it.