By Andrew Kiess

Nothing to Fear is the third produced episode of Batman and premiered tenth on September 15, 1992. This episode was written by Henry Gilroy and Sean Catherine Derek, and was directed by Boyd Kirkland. It stared Kevin Conroy as Batman, Bob Hastings as Gordon, Clive Revill as Alfred, Robert Costanzo as Harvey Bullock, Mari Devon as Summer Gleeson, and Henry Pollic II as the Scarecrow.

I am fear incarnate. I am the terror of Gotham. I am the Scarecrow!

Nothing to Fear opens with an encounter between Dr. Long, a Gotham University professor, and Bruce Wayne. Dr. Long criticizes Wayne for failing to live up to his father’s name. While Summer Gleeson assures Bruce that Dr. Long was just blowing off steam because of a recent crime wave at the University, Bruce seems unconvinced, and is hurt by the comments. Later, he discovers the criminal responsible for the crimes, The Scarecrow, and attempts to put a stop to his reign of terror. However, Scarecrow has other plans in mind. Gassing Batman with his signature fear toxin, Batman begins to hallucinate about his greatest fear: failing his parents. Investigating the toxin, Bruce discovers the identity of Scarecrow to be a disgruntled professor of psychology, Dr. Jonathan Crane, and enters into his most personal battle yet.

I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman!

While the first two episodes of Batman had their bumps, Nothing to Fear is one of the series’ most iconic episodes. Most remember it for the quote above, this episode is the introduction of many of the elements that make Batman who he is. It is a succinct origin story wrapped around an exciting battle with one of Batman’s more unique adversaries. In many ways, this is Batman at its finest, and is the first of many to expand on the pathos of the characters that inhabit Gotham City.

Credit undoubtedly needs to go to director Boyd Kirkland, who would later go on to direct many fan favorite episodes, including Joker’s Favor, Joker’s Wild, Harley and Ivy, and It’s Never Too Late. Throughout many of Kirkland’s episodes, characters find themselves in positions that they normally would not face. Yes, this episode is “A Scarecrow episode”, but the real villain is Bruce’s insecurities, which is what makes it soar.

From a production stand point, Nothing to Fear is the first major success of Batman, and is the first in a long list of classic stories yet to be told. The camera work is precise and quick, the animation style continues the tradition of the Fleishcer 1940s Superman cartoons, and in many ways, emulates the look better than the episodes before it, particularly in the early scenes with Bruce and Dr. Long with the Art Deco design of the set. Overall, this is a classic episode and is what we as fans expect to see when we sit down to watch an episode Batman—quality storytelling, a compelling villain, and a hero overcoming obstacles in between him and the safety of the city and people he cares about.

Warner Bros. Pictures has finally released our first look of Mera in the upcoming film Justice League! Mera who is played by the ever so talented Amber Heard is supporting a really awesome looking costume, which was designed by Michael Wilkinson!

So what do you think of the new look? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comment section below.

 Look Into My Eyes

Ahead of time I must apologize for the change in format. I have been down with a pretty bad flu of late and as a result had to hurry this on a bit. Gotham is off the hook for week 3 but I’ll be back in week 4 with all the honest praise and criticism the show deserves. Thanks for understanding.

At Sirens Nightclub, Jervis Tetch performs a hypnosis show to the audience. He selects a man of the audience to be his volunteer thanks to his guess regarding the man’s wealth. After performing the hypnosis on the man, he whispers something to him before freeing him. Barbara questions whether people can do anything he says to which Tetch explains, “Only things they secretly wish to do.” This was easily one of the best moments of the episode. The Mad Hatter is played excellently by Benedict Samuel. Thankfully we did not have to sit through an hour long “introduction/origin/explanation/justification” of his character. He’s introduced in the actual story by the events of the plot. That’s good storytelling, something many millennials have completely lost sight of. There’s a flawed call for “character development” which can be translated as “lazy explanations coupled with bad rehashing of exposition that ultimately wastes story time.” I don’t know what they taught you folks, but your sense of character development is insane. We don’t need prequels and solo films/series to develop one character. We just need a good writer.

On Wayne Manor, Bruce’s doppelganger reveals to Bruce and Alfred that he’s named “514A” but “5” to be short and that he awoke in Indian Hill over a year ago and they performed tests on him. So basically he’s the girl out of Stranger Things. Bruce decides to let him stay with them although Alfred is worried about him. Turns out Alfred is…drumroll…bum bum bum! Once again right! 5 learned to imitate Bruce, cut his hair and up and left! He completed the task he was created for! If it comes out of Indian Hill, let’s have a slumber party, cos that’s gonna end well. Having slept with Valerie (who THANK GOD goes away and actually does her job today) Gordon goes to the GCPD to collect his bounty. He runs into Lee (predictably) who was being offered by Barnes to return. She explains that she is moving permanently to Gotham with her fiancé, who is a doctor in head trauma in the Gotham General and she is seeing to join the GCPD again.

Tetch goes and kills the guy he hypnotized the night before with hypnosis. Already he’s more dangerous than his comic counterpart. Turns out his sister Alice (you smarties) has poisonous blood, which is why she hides from people and torches them if she accidentally infects them. The Mad Hatter wants Gordon to find her, so the price is hefty thanks to his new source of income.

Obviously the funniest part of the whole season, Mayor James announces to the press that he plans on continuing on his position as mayor. However, Cobblepot and his ubiquitous mob interrupts the press to criticize the “corrupt” system and Mayor James and announces that he will run for mayor in the new elections. Cobblepot’s campaign is pretty much something right off the Donald Trump show. It’s obvious but it’s also funny. Who said TV cannot reflect the hilarity of the times? MAKE GOTHAM SAFE AGAIN.

5 has Selina in a car by the way. Even though she notices how different “Bruce” appears. Just thought you should know.

Cobblepot displayed a moment worthy of Season 1. He met with the former mayor James in a café. And the mayor has 5 or so gunmen turn on Oswald the moment he gets snippy. Powerful, sure. Until the entire population of plain citizen eaters stand up and turn guns on the mayor and his paltry gunmen. What a fun moment to watch.

Tetch performs again in the Sirens but almost gets killed by Barbara when he hypnotizes her to believe he does not love her. “She has a problem with rejection.” Gordon confronts Tetch about Alice so he takes him to the rooftop to talk but Tetch hypnotizes Gordon and sends him to climb on the ledge to fall to his death. Alice arrives and stops him. Tetch tries to talk her down but she shoots him in the shoulder, causing Gordon to awake from the hypnosis. Alice saves him from falling from the roof, afterward, he handcuffs her. What a dirty rat. Turns out that guy Lee is fianceing is Mario Falcone. Mario honking Falcone. They have dinner with Carmine Friggin Falcone and he gives them his blessing. When you gotta leave Jim there’s always the HEIR APPARENT TO A STINKING GOTHAM MAFIA GROUP. Why’s Lee even back on this show anyway? She was supposed to be the doctor not Mario. We’ll see how this turns out. Usually not pretty.

The episode was better than the last one. Easily. Many of the problems they had through the first couple were either not there or played a very small part.

8.5/10

Gotham: Burn the Witch Review

I’d like to note that these views and opinions are mine and mine alone and do not necessarily reflect those of Shanlian on Batman as a whole.

Given the fact that this is a DC Comics review article, I shall do the classy thing and stay out of politics. That said, I therefore have zero qualms about taking a little jab at last night’s WWE brawl. Never have I seen a presidential debate lack the word presidential as much as last night. Two corrupt people lying upon lies about things that the dumbest person on earth could Google and find the truth. For all of Clinton’s harping about her “fact-checker” website, she and Trump really could have used a reality fact-checker. I’ve never seen two people just stand there and pretend reality doesn’t exist, and they can say whatever they want and make it true. It was quite fittingly the pathetic show the loonies voted for in the primaries and a complete disgrace to this country.

In relation to Gotham, a conveniently timed storyline found its way into the episode: Penguin using his political standing to rile up a mob. And I’m not talking “let’s go protest something noisily” mob, I’m talking “let’s go kill Franenstein’s monster and any witches along the way” hence the Burn the Witch title. Read on to find out how that turned out.

The good news.

The Court avoided the usual villain cliché of stating their name and firing off on a cheesy speech. They just outplayed little baby Bruce and told him what they intend to keep: secrecy, and to be left the heck alone. Even though he should know nothing about the Court and never have spoken to them directly the writers backed themselves out of the corner—for now.

I’m proud that they also removed Jim from his crime-fighting always-righteous pedestal. He’s finally just Jim Gordon again. Not a Batman wannabe. In fact he’s pretty much thrown in the towel overall.

Alfred dancing. Enough said.

The GCPD actually (almost) handled a situation…professionally! Surround area, block press, negotiate for hostage. They’re in good hands when Jim Batman isn’t there to try and play Call of Duty hero and storm the building screw the consequences. The only reason things fell through for them was Penguin.

Penguin stirred up a mob to “kill the monsters” (Fish and her freaks) and walked right up to the building and pushed their way in. It was classic Penguin, and I’m happy to see he’s batting 1.000 in the power department. He’s finally using it consistently.

Poison Ivy’s transformation turned out to be more realistic (well, at least for Gotham) than several feminists in the entertainment media have been whining. She underwent a totally Joker-similar upheaval.

Bad news.

Penguin had Fish at gunpoint in the woods. Again. AND HE LET HER GO BECAUSE SHE LIED TO HIM AND INSULTED HIS EGO. Come on! She’s not that good at lying and he should have no second thoughts about blowing her to hell. The excuses the writers keep cooking up to keep her worthless, annoying, poorly played character on the show are getting too pathetic. It’s unforgiveable at this point. Unbelievable. Hey Oswald: #JUSTPULLTHETRIGGER

Vale’s sole purpose in this episode was not to be a reporter, but to cheat and a-hole her way into Jim Gordon’s pants. Sound crass? Of course. Is it true? Every word. Is it my fault? Nope. Watch closely: she is the star reporter of Gotham city, and all the work she does today does not add up to her story. If she were after Fish and Penguin for the story, she would have quit bugging the hell out of Gordon. Seriously, quit running to his doorstep and his favorite bar and the GCPD and his shower for crying out loud. Everywhere he goes she’s there wagging her tail with her tongue hanging out, waiting for him to throw her a bone (If you get that joke tweet me for a shout out). If she truly wanted to get a story, she would’ve followed Fish into the woods instead of selling out the story to TV networks and running back to Jim’s house like the annoying needy teen she seems to be. At best their relationship is a bad Adam Sandler rom com. At worst it is what it is: a would-be reporter obsessed with a former-glory cop who sacrifices a million dollars and her job to bang the guy she’s been treating like crap for the past two episodes (and he’s only returned the favor). She was abused, mishandled, and downright misused this week by the writers. What a lame, terrible way to get another girl for Jim. Good grief. (And on top of all that, Lee is coming back to Gotham just in time. Wonder if she dumped her guy or he dumped her. Who cares really. She’s going to walk in on this twisted, sick thing going on between Jim and the girl just like Barbara walked in on Jim and Lee).

The villain origins are completely cut and dry now. 1-Wake up. 2-Notice you’ve changed. 3-Kill the nearest person for little or no reason at all, usually simply because they did something inadvertently that happened to tick you off.

Honorable mention: Jim Gordon selling Fish Mooney out to Penguin in the hopes that he’d kill her. Jeez man, just sell her out, sneak up behind her, and capture her to take home the million bucks. Knucklehead.

All in all, we’re seeing good elements of a show. Action, suspense, acting (well, when Pinkett-Smith isn’t making us puke and Mazouz isn’t there at all). Conflict is usually solid. What brings this show down is the recycled shots of the bridge and buildings (they use them 3-5 times per episode) and the writing staff. One minute they introduce a good character and next freaking episode she’s Jim’s toy, behaving dreadfully, and throwing her life away. They gotta get a handle on this thing already. It’s too inconsistent. The writers really are the only thing hurting it though. Gotham has diamond in the rough episodes that are gorgeous (Penguin’s Umbrella, to name one) and when they come along each season they really reward the faithful follower. So keep watching guys, they’re coming. We’re getting payoff for their shortcomings soon enough.

Score 7/10