My Personal List

[Anarky]

A few yrs back I created my own Best of Batman vhs (8hrs). The field was rough but I'm happy w/ the final cut. I didn't record them in order of rank. I pasted them together with a certain rythym in mind. All the greats on it: Joker, Two-Face, Scarecrow... But I also mixed in some episodes that didn't have feature villains. Here's my playlist. Vol II is still in the works.

1. On Leather Wings: the "pilot" episode, great chase scene
2. It's Never Too Late: gangwars
3. P.O.V.: loved the storytelling
4. Two-Face Part I
5. Two-Face part II
6. Off Balance: a cameo by Ra's, whom I'll feature more in Vol II
7. See No Evil
8. Beware the Gray Ghost: a real treat to have Adam West on it
9. Vendetta: I loved the segment w/ Rupert Thorne
10. Robin's Reckoning part I: finally got Robin on my video
11. Robin's Reckoning part II
12. Harley & Ivy: a really fun episode
13. Read My Lips: i loved the jazz on this ep, especially the bass
14. Fire From Olympus: great music a la Clash of the Titans
15. I Am The Night: a grim & moody episode
16. The Man Who Killed Batman: brilliant appearance by Mistah J.
17. The Worry Men: a greater Hatter plot
18. Almost Got 'Im: one of the absolute best eps
19. Riddler's Reform: Nygma goes straight?
20. Dreams In Darkness: Scarecrow is one my faves
21. Second Chance: great mystery & action
22. Heart of Ice: possible the greatest ep of them all
23. The Laughing Fish: classic Joker plot from the 70s

I still had some tape at the end so I mixed in a few Cartoon Network promos for Batman, the opening sequnce from Mask of the Phantasm, and the WB prologue before the series debut of Batman Beyond.

Vol II will have The Demon's Quest, Shadow of the Bat, Trial, Feat of Clay, Night of the Ninja, Tyger, Tyger..., some Riddler, Scarecrow, & Poison Ivy...and more Joker & Harley.

Vol III will have average episodes
Vol IV will feature my least favorite

[Barb Gordon]

that's pretty awesome! Your personal favs of everything. I had to promo opening of Batman Beyond....but I get the feeling I lost it for some reason *sobs*. The only tape of anything I have, besides a 4 BB tapes I got a year or two, is a tape with all of the Nighty eps. Which I finally watched in about a year, and it was so much fun!

Barb^-^

[The Game]

Your selections are pretty good- glad to see how much thought you've put into them. If I ever decide not to be lazy any more (yeah, right) I'll post my fav episodes one of these days. :p

[Anarky]

Originally posted by thegame8866
Your selections are pretty good- glad to see how much thought you've put into them. If I ever decide not to be lazy any more (yeah, right) I'll post my fav episodes one of these days. :p

Thank You

What I really loved about "Almost Got 'Im" was the fact that it was all original material. The writers could've been lazy and just used stock footage from previous episodes for the flashback sequences. But no: what they did was create great short stories for each villain. This episode is the cartoon equivalent to an Annual in comics: lots of names/great short stories.

And the Joker was true to form. The Clown Prince of Crime called his "friends" down to The Stacked Deck to play Poker, or as we now know it as "The Derby" (as referred to in the BB ep "Once Burned"). Joker knew the subject of Batman would come up, being it's the only thing these miscreants have in common. Penguin takes the bait as he's the one who firsts mentions the B-man. An argument breaks out as each brags about how he/she nearly snuffed the Bat.

After hearing the failed tales of his fellow rogues, Joker starts in w/ his, which is a plot in motion. He even brought a small tv/vcr so he can brag about his latest run-in w/ Bats. All the while, he's cheating at the card game. By story's end he reveals his plan to kill Catwoman AND lays down 4 aces. Just before he skips w/ the loot, it is revealed that there was an imposter among them. The criminals are busted and Bats rushes to rescue Catwoman. He collars Harley Quinn and meets Catwoman atop the roof. In a tender moment, she nearly kisses him but he swings away. Catwoman shakes her head left-to-right and says "Almost Got 'Im" :-)

This episode inspired a fantastic limited edition cel from the Warner Bros. Studio Gallery, named after the epsiode. It features The Joker (center), Two-Face, Poison Ivy, The Penguin, & Killer Croc (really Batman undercover) playing poker. I was a happy man when I bought it. I'd rather have this than Dogs Playing Poker!!!