From: pmm34393@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Dr. Vincent Vaugn )
Subject: Re: Batman Animated: Feat of Clay
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 15:44:19 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.131411.26608@midway.uchicago.edu> prec@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>
>Let me begin by saying my opinion of the show as a whole is
>that it is great. The best translation of comic-to-screen I've
>seen in a LONG time, perhaps EVER. 
>
>Now the down side: I thought Tuesday/Wednesday's episode,
>"Feat of Clay" was the weakest shown so far. I knew it was
>going to be trouble as soon as I saw Marv Wolfman credited
>with the story. (Does anyone think he is a good writer?)
>
>Some of my MAJOR problems with the script:
>
>- Batman using blatant methods of illegal coercion (i.e.,
>lifting the crook with his plane and threateninmg to drop
>him) to obtain information. Ditto for the guy in the hospital
>lab with the jar of "germs". (I know it was a trick, but the
>point about coercion remains). Portraying Batman as judge,
>jury and executioner is not an admirable role-model.

I am not a big Batman reader, but I never thought Batman was supposed to
be a role model. TI was under the impression that Batman is supposed to
have a dark side that he is always trying to keep in check. Technically,
every time he sneaks into a place to do his detective work, Batman is 
breaking the law. Might as well throw in a little coercion as long as
you're at it! I never expected to watch this show, because, as I said,
I am not much of a Batman fan. However, unlike other cartoons, this show
is not non-stop action. There is plenty of plot and character development,
which makes it more like a drama than a kiddie cartoon. IMHO, the writers
aren't aiming this show at impressionable young children. It seems more
suited for an older target audience. So far I have been pleasantly 
surpised!

>
>-Speaking of picking the guy up with the Batwing, I'd like to
>know how that could be done without A) smashing into a tangle
>of metal and flesh and B) why it didn't blow like a cherry bomb.

State of the bat technology! :-)

>
>-OK, the one that bugged me the most: Clayface's full power. Has
>Wolfman ever heard of the Conservation of Matter and Energy?
>How does a normal, 180-pound man transform into a blob of
>clay that must weigh 500 pounds? How can this creature spit
>off giant chunks of itself or extend its arms fifty feet and 
>remain the same size?

I looked at it this way: Clayfaces body is porous, so he can just
mix his clay with air bubbles and appear to be larger in size than
he really is without the air added in. This way, he can stretch 
alot, but he would definitely have limits.

>
>Now I'll probably be told "it's only a cartoon, don't worry about
>stuff like that" but that's not good enough. Sloppy writing 
>undermines my suspension of disbelief in an instant.

If you're getting a quality product, there is good reason to 
critique it! Any other cartoon I would say not to worry about it.

>And I forgot to mention the ultimately trite ending of having
>the monster break off its deathstroke when Hagen saw himself
>on the video. You probably heard me groan across the country.

That was kind of expected, but watching Hagen fight with himself was
still pretty cool.

>Anybody else think this episode was inferior to others
>we've seen? I think the Mr.Freeze episode was the best so far.

Thanks to a baseball game (*arghhhhh!!!*) I missed the Mr. Freeze 
episode! 

-------
"I will be interested to see how the world deals with you. For, I shall
 learn from its actions--how it will one day deal with me! Auf 
 Wiedersehn "Mein Fuhrer" -- from Victor VonDoom!"
				 --Dr. Doom to Adolf Hitler, Invaders #33


Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc