Jab’s Builds! (Whomp 'Em! Plumbers Don't Wear Ties! ToeJam & Earl!)

[Shock]

Physically I think Clayface has to be the most imposing Animated Series villain. Batman had to cheat to beat him. And the ability to be anyone or anything really makes him difficult to even get ready for.

I liked the "Annie" episode so much I ended up stealing the idea for a character named Putty that I played for a bit in one of Horsenhero's online M&M games.

[Jabroniville]

"Chuckie Sol... Your Angel of Death Awaits."

THE PHANTASM (Andrea Beaumont)
Created By: Paul Dini & Bruce Timm
Role: The One That Got Away, Grim Vigilante
Mental Problems: Obsession with Revenge
Voice Actor: Dana Delany (Andrea), Stacey Keach, Jr. (Phantasm)
First Episode: "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"
Finest Moment: First Appearance, killing a man by forcing his vehicle off a ten-story parking lot
PL 9 (139)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 13 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+9)
Deception 6 (+9, +11 Attractive)
Expertise (Science) 2 (+4)
Expertise (Business) 5 (+7)
Expertise (Streetwise) 6 (+8)
Intimidation 4 (+7, +15 Phantasm)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 5 (+9)
Persuasion 3 (+6, +8 Attractive)
Search 4 (+7)
Stealth 5 (+10)
Vehicles 2 (+4)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Attractive, Benefit 2 (Wealth), Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Defensive Throw, Improved Critical (Arm Blade) 2, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close/Concealment), Ranged Attack 4, Startle

Powers:
"Phantasm Costume" (Flaws: Removable) [12]
Protection 1 (1)
"Arm Blade" Strength-Damage +3 (3)
Enhanced Skills 6: Intimidation 6 (+15) (3)
"Smoke Cloud" Concealment 2 (Visuals) (Extras: Attack, Area- 15ft. Cloud) (8)
-- (15 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +13 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Arm Blade +13 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +13 (DC 23), Parry +13 (DC 23), Toughness +3 (+4 Phantasm, +5 D.Roll), Fortitude +6, Will +8

Complications:
Secret (Andrea Beaumont)
Relationship (Bruce Wayne)- Andrea loves Bruce, and only left Gotham to protect him and herself from mobsters.
Motivation (Revenge)- Mobsters killed Andrea's beloved father, and she has returned, swearing vengeance. She gets it.

Total: Abilities: 68 / Skills: 50--25 / Advantages: 19 / Powers: 12 / Defenses: 15 (139)

-Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was an actual theatrical release from the Animated Series continuity, and it was a FANTASTIC piece of work. Moody, romantic, sad, funny (Alfred got his greatest line with the "exploding gas bombs" comment mentioned in my Alfred build) and epically dramatic. A former love of Bruce Wayne's (it was obvious while watching it, really) returns to Gotham as a vengeful Phantasm, hunting down her father's killers one-by-one, leading to some of the only death scenes in Bat-toon history (including a VERY grotesque one- one of the only fatalities of the Joker Gas in the series), and a final MEGA-fight with The Joker in the dilapidated World's Fair grounds that seemingly killed him & Andrea (but not really). Andrea was a great "villain", as the character design was so cool she'd immediately fit into the mainstream comics continuity as a major character if they so tried (unlike Sun Tzu from the video game, or even Hush, who's kind of faltered). Personal connection to Bruce Wayne? Hates The Joker? Dangerous vigilante whom Bats also loves? All checks. She even got an appearance in a JLU episode, as a hired government assassin who refused an assignment- the murder of Terry McGinnis' parents.

-The best part in the entire film, though, is Bruce Wayne's sincere plea to his dead parents to PLEASE let him go from his mission of vengeance. He bargains and negotiates ("I can give money to the police; they can hire more cops!"), and bemoans the fact that he can't go on his mission "if there's someone WAITING for me at home!". Finally, he begs for a sign... and Andrea appears, saying "maybe they sent me". It's just the most PERFECT evocation of the tragedy of Batman- someone who is so compelled by his mission that he's unable to stop. It's his entire LIFE, and he can't see himself straying from that path. And the saddest thing is... you KNOW that his parents would have allowed him to give up his mission. They'd have never wanted this level of obsession. But he just can't see that.

-Phantasm isn't ultra elite on points spent, since all she appeared in was the movie, so that's all I could build her off of. She was shown to be very capable though, using her stealth and Intimidation tactics to scare her victims absolutely senseless- hell, BATMAN only draws people to be startled, then start firing. PHANTASM had them running for the hills! It wasn't until she started fighting The Joker in all his crazy-fighting effectiveness that she was even mainly disadvantaged. I figure against Batman, she could hold her own for a bit, but ultimately fall (he's a better fighter all-around, and has more Advantages). She's smart, wise, fast (+9 Initiative) and good at using all of her Combat Advantages to manipulate her caps, but is still a fairly down-to-Earth PL 9 Vigilante.

About the Performers: Andrea is played by Dana Delany, a famous "Sexpot" actress who I'll detail when I get to Lois Lane. Her "Phantasm" voice is done by Stacey Keach, Jr., who's biggest role to modern audiences was probably the borderline-abusive, nasty father on "Titus". His biggest role overall was Mike Hammer in three different TV shows and some TV movies during the 1980s.

[Jabroniville]

The absolute magnificent moment Batman has at his parents' grave. ICONIC Batman. Never better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjAFbEP0wK4


A lot of the YouTube comments are FANTASTIC, too (not a lot of times you hear THAT, right?):

Rob George: Well there’s a sad fact to this scene. While recording, Kevin went back to a dark memory from when he was a teenager. His father was an alcoholic and had tried to kill himself. Kevin said he was by his father’s hospital bed crying and pleading for him to survive. And while recording, all his emotions came up and afterwards, Andrea Romano came in and gave him a hug. Kevin’s even said that a lot of what he draws on for Bruce Wayne and Batman has to do with the difficult relationship he had with his father.

Seeing Bruce Wayne, yes, Wayne not Batman, feel torn and overcome with guilt in that he's found a purpose other than self sacrifice is so rarely explored in media. This is the person Batman was before he became Batman. When Bruce Wayne finally became Batman, he could never go back, he ceased being Bruce Wayne. From then on, Batman was the real identity... this scene speaks volumes of what we fans know and understand our hero truly is.

"Your angel of DEATH awaits...

[Jabroniville]

Also, holy CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPHh2lrmZrM

Giant Starlight Horses! Swimming Elsa! OMG that NIGHTGOWN!! I wasn't impressed by the "glistening pantsuit" but DAMN that purple nightgown! Elsa fighting giants? Elsa looking into her past?

AGHGHGHSGHHGDHSDGHDHGHGGH TAKE ALL MY MONEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jabroniville]

THE MAD HATTER (Jervis Tetch)
Created By: Bob Kane & Bill Finger
First Appearance: Batman #49 (Oct. 1948)
Role: Minor-League Foe, Mind Control Guy
Mental Problems: Obsession with Alice In Wonderland, Women & Mind Control
Voice Actor: Roddy McDowall
First Episode: "Mad as a Hatter"
Finest Moment: Sending Batman into a "Black Mercy"-style Dreamworld where his life was perfect
PL 7 (84)
STRENGTH 0 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Deception 5 (+4)
Expertise (Science) 8 (+12)
Investigation 4 (+4)
Expertise (Psychology) 4 (+8)
Perception 4 (+7)
Insight 5 (+7)
Technology 8 (+12)

Advantages:
Equipment 5 (Gas, Axe, Gadgetry), Inventor

Powers:
"Mind-Control Hat & Chips" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [27]
Affliction 12 (Will; Dazed/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Continuous +3) (Flaws: Chips May be Disarmed) (Drawbacks: Noticeable- Zombie-Like) (35)
Boost Strength 3 & Stamina 2 (Extras: Affects Others Only +0) (10)
-- (45 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Mind Control +2 (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +3 (DC 13), Parry +3 (DC 13), Toughness +1, Fortitude +2, Will +4

Complications:
Responsibility (Lewis Carroll Obsession)
Enemy (Batman)

Total: Abilities: 26 / Skills: 38--19 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 27 / Defenses: 6 (84)

-Geez, I had absolutely no idea that the Hatter debuted so early on. Most sub-level Batman foes were created YEARS later, but this guy debuted before the entirety of the Silver Age! The Mad Hatter was a bit of a weak Batman villain in theory, as he was a weiner of a man who couldn't fight, was weak-willed, and one of the less-popular bad guys in the Rogues Gallery. His advantage in the show was getting good episodes out of his rare (for Batman) "Mind Control" concept. Using his Worry Men or Dream Helmet stuff, he managed to show us the fantasy aspects of Bruce Wayne's life. "Perchance to Dream", where Bruce finds a fantasy world where he's married to Selina Kyle, and Batman is someone else, are among the greatest looks into Batman's mind ever seen, far different from the obsessed vigilante you see elsewhere. So Tetch became a very useful concept, if not a great character (the "I'm obsessed with Alice in Wonderland" gimmick was always pretty weak given his competition for Bat-villains).

-The weirdest part of that episode is something I only noticed recently- he has Batman trapped in his Dream World device for presumably long enough to have a pretty long dream. The ENTIRE TIME he doesn't just shoot him (or even unmask him). Was he assuming Batman would fight for his life if it were threatened? Hard to say.

-Tetch is one of the lower-level Bat-villains, and it shows. Low on points, but with a very powerful Mind Control weapon. But still, he's got to TOUCH YOU to use most of them. It does boost Strength & Toughness however, so is a bit more useful, especially once he starts turning the civilians against Batman, who doesn't want to hurt them. Using a Touch-Range Mind Control is tricky rules-wise, because I'm not sure how to stat being able to disarm the CHIPS from people. I'll house-rule it that since it's on an Easily Removable Device, you can disarm it like a regular Device, in addition to being able to disarm the Hat from Tetch. The Hat frees ALL victims, the card-chip things free just the one inflicted, and they can't break out until freed (Continuous Duration).

About the Performer: Roddy McDowall had an incredibly-long career in acting- usually as a character performer in all kinds of things- radio, TV, films, etc. He is probably most famous for playing Cornelius & Caesar in some "Planet of the Apes" stuff. He was very successful in theater, and well-respected, but is one of those "work-horse" actors who just does EVERYTHING- he said that he just liked to keep working, and always acted as if this role would be his last- so you see him a lot in everything- bit parts, children's cartoons, etc. He died in 1998.

[Jabroniville]

Roxy got, um, REALLY excited with risks.

ROXY ROCKET (Roxanne Sutton)
Created By: Bruce Timm & Paul Dini
First Appearance: The Batman Adventures Annual (1994)
Role: Action Junkie, Femme Fatale
Mental Problems: Addiction to Danger
Voice Actor: Charity James
First Episode: "The Ultimate Thrill"
Group Affiliations: None
Finest Moment: Escaped Batman more than once.
PL 7 (102)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Aerobatics 6 (+12)
Athletics 7 (+8)
Deception 3 (+6)
Expertise (Criminal) 3 (+5)
Expertise (Stuntwoman) 9 (+11)
Insight 2 (+5)
Perception 3 (+6)
Technology 3 (+5)

Advantages:
Diehard, Equipment 5 (Self-Propelled Rocket, Flare Gun, Grappling Hook), Evasion 2, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-By Action, Ranged Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +10

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +4

Complications:
Addiction (Danger)- Roxy attempts an ever-increasing number of dangerous stunts.

Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 36--18 / Advantages: 16 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 8 (102)

-Roxy Rocket features in a somewhat infamous later episode of The New Batman Adventures, being one of only a few characters to debut under the simplified art style of that season. Her episode is most remarkable for the sheer amount of semi-adult content the animators shoved in, including at least one still of Roxy seemingly in mid-orgasm as she has an... um, CLIMACTIC response to danger. Her gimmick is that she's a TV/Movie stuntwoman who grew so addicted to danger that the insurance company refused to cover her. Needing the thrill, she turned to crime, using movie dialogue and flying around in a giant rocket. Stealing a bunch of stuff in brazen crimes, she ultimately got challenged by Batman, who beat her. This was her only appearance in the show, though she appeared in a guest spot in Superman: TAS, being easily captured by the Man of Steel after finding Gotham "overcrowding" with crooks after Batman's disappearance. This leads Superman to investigate, where he finds out that Batman was brainwashed by Ra's al-Ghul.

About the Performer: Charity James is a career Voice Actress, appearing in video games and TV shows alike, usually in minor parts. She was Elsie on the "Godzilla" animated series for a few years, but her biggest role was probably the sister Kelly on "Bobby's World", which ran for eight years.

[Jabroniville]

LOL, more Joshi goodness from Japan:

LCO (vs) Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2HXt2ndpjQ

LCO are Los Cacharros Orientales (literally "The Oriental Bitches"), described to me as "Imagine if the Heathers were also Hells Angels, and would cut you to pieces while taking photos over your dead body" (at 7:45, they literally do a "taunt pose" over Yamada). They are MAD-WOMEN. Mima Shimoda is like if the meanest thing a girl ever said to you in High School was a person, while Etsuko Mita is a positively titanic 5'8" (5'6" is the height of most Huge Schoolgirls in anime & manga; said to be too tall to date) and just as mean. And giraffe-like. How mean? She invented the DEATH VALLEY DRIVER, one of the nastiest moves in wrestling history.

[Spectrum]

I always get Roddy McDowall confused Malcolm McDowell. Both English actors with incredible voices.

[Jabroniville]

BANE (Something Dorrance)
Created By: Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Graham Nolan
Role: Mirror Image Villain, Super-Powered Drug Addict
Mental Problems: Greed, Addiction
Voice Actor: Henry Silva
First Episode: "Bane"
Finest Moment: Easily beat the living HELL out of Killer Croc, and nearly broke The Bat.
PL 10 (190)
STRENGTH 6/7 STAMINA 6/8 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 14 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Acrobatics 2 (+6)
Athletics 5 (+12, +13 Venom)
Deception 8 (+12)
Expertise (Criminal) 10 (+14)
Insight 8 (+12)
Intimidation 11 (+15)
Perception 10 (+14)
Persuasion 4 (+8)
Stealth 8 (+12)
Technology 4 (+8)
Treatment 2 (+6)
Vehicles 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Beginner's Luck, Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Diehard, Extraordinary Effort, Fascinate (Intimidation), Fast Grab, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed) 3, Improved Defense, Improved Grab, Improved Initiative, Improved Hold, Improved Smash, Jack-of-All-Trades, Last Stand, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close/Concealment), Ranged Attack 7, Seize Initiative, Startle, Takedown 2, Tracking, Ultimate Strength Check, Withstand Damage

Powers:
"Venom Harness" (Flaws: Removable) [8]
Enhanced Strength 1 (2)
Enhanced Stamina 2 (4)
Reduced Fighting 2 (-4)
Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Reach) (2)
Leaping 1 (15 feet) (1)
Healing 4 (Flaws: Limited to Self) (4)
-- (9 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +14 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Venom +12 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +14 (+12 Venom, DC 24-22), Toughness +6 (+8 Venom), Fortitude +9 (+11 Venom), Will +10

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)
Obsession (Breaking the Bat)
Addiction (Venom)- Bane needs the Venom to keep going. If left without it, he will soon revert to a much weaker persona (around ST 3, STA 3). If the Venom wires are ever cut (a remarkably easy feat if you get Bane distracted with killing you), Bane will soon be subject to an overdose, which could kill him.

Total: Abilities: 90 / Skills: 74--37 / Advantages: 37 / Powers: 8 / Defenses: 16 (190)

-Oh, Bane. Totally '90s, but successful in his own weird way. See, with the '90s craze of "breaking the heroes and making new, more evil versions", Bane was brought in to snap Batman's spine with the whole Knightfall thing, and generally be this unstoppable genius monster who was therefore better than Batman at fighting. There was also a thing with Azrael replacing Bruce Wayne as Batman for a while, in order to show fans just WHY a Punisher-esque Batman would suck (apparently the Dark Age of Comics had a LOT of fans whining for kill-happy heroes). But, just like Doomsday, Bane's biggest success was WAY too early in his villainous career, and he could never re-do it. Batman subsequently "got his heat back" (to use a wrestling term) by beating Bane, and after that, Bane just became another Bat-Rogue, incapable of catching lightning in a bottle again. These days, he was best-shown a supporting character in Gail Simone's fantastic Secret Six, which did wonders to make him both funnier (as the Deadpan guy on the team, saying funny things without meaning to), AND more successfully bad-ass (killing Junior's henchmen, forming a new plan to break Batman, generally kicking unbelievable amounts of ass). Good job, Ms. Simone.

-Cartoon Bane was pretty successful, but unfortunately couldn't ACTUALLY cripple Batman in their first battle (cuz, y'know, that would end the show), so he was just another guy that Bats eventually just beat up on his own (using the cutting-the-tubes trick). He showed up a couple more times as a threat (one of the "physically threatening guys" instead of 'crazy gas-wielding guys'), but was never a key character. One appearance was in a dream sequence of Batgirl's, and another was on Superman, when Supes imitated Bats for a short while, and ended up beating the CRAP out of Bane.

-Bane fits in as a over-pointed PL 10, which is MORE than a match for Batman (PL 9 in the early part of his show) in combat, as well as having a great deal of Skills & Advantages, modifying nearly all of his caps with the Accurate/All-Out/Power Attack traits, and going to ridiculous levels of power (for a Batman guy) with the "Venom" pumping through his veins. Only problem is, Bane is reduced to a mess by cutting his Venom cords (not super-easy to do, but possible). Determining his exact strength is a little difficult, since even in THIS system there's a bit of a log jam at the mid-tiers, but he's at LEAST as strong as Killer Croc to start (able to punch through a BRICK WALL), and STRONGER with the Venom going. He beat Croc EFFORTLESSLY, and pretty much had Batman dead-to-rights with the Venom. I modified him a bit so the Venom drops his Fighting Ability if he accesses it- otherwise he'd shatter his caps beyond what I think he's capable of in-show. Comics Bane is likely PL 11-12 depending on the era.

About the Performer: Henry Silva is a name going WAY back, playing villains in 1950s films. He was in the first "Ocean's 11", opposed Frank Sinatra in "The Manchurian Candidate", and more. He became highly sought-after in Europe, playing a variety of bad boys, from assassins to dark heroes in the 1970s. Most of his roles after that were pretty minor.

[M4C8]

I've just read that the Phantasm is being introduced in the comics.

What's your thoughts on the 2004 'The Batman' animated series.

[Woodclaw]

I always found very funny that the production team redesigned Bane's mask to look more like a luchador's.

[KorokoMystia]

I always found very funny that the production team redesigned Bane's mask to look more like a luchador's.

Some adapations even went all out and made him use Mexican/Spanish words in his dialogue.

[Ken]

THE MAD HATTER (Jervis Tetch)
Created By: Bob Kane & Bill Finger
First Appearance: Batman #49 (Oct. 1948)

-Geez, I had absolutely no idea that the Hatter debuted so early on.

Mad Hatter was a really odd case. He was a one off villain back in 1948. His real name wasn't even given. In fact, he was a secondary feature of the story. The main plot was the introduction of Vicki Vale, and the beginnings of her idea to prove that Brice Wayne and Batman are the same. The Mad Hatter was just a novelty theme villain who resembled the character from the Lewis Carol "Alice" books.

Eight years later, in 1956, a different Mad Hatter appeared. He had shocking red hair, and a huge mustache. He only appeared in a couple of stories at first, but both those stories were adapted for TV, where he was played by David Wayne. This one was explicitly named Jervis Tetch. A g-grade villain, he only appeared a handful more times in the 1970s, mostly in stories where several of Batman's rogues were assembling.

Then in 1982, it gets weird. DC decides to bring back the 1948 Mad Hatter. And these stories were the beginning of the 'mind-control-in-the-headgear' gimmicks. And, he mentions the 1948 story, and he and Batman discuss that he's not the other Mad Hatter. But he never says his real name, not in the stories of his, from that era, I've read. He does refer to the other guy stealing his name/identity, but at the time, it would seem he's referring to the 'Mad Hatter' name.

But in 1986, in the first DC "Who'Who" it states that the guy who looks like Lewis Carol's drawings is Jervis Tetch, and the ginger mustache guy is "unknown" but had used "Jervis Tetch" as an alias. Personally, I think someone misinterpreted MH1's comment in his second appearance.

Actually, if it were up to me, I'd say that the computer genius Hatter I stole the Jervis Tetch identity from Hatter II as revenge for Tetch 'stealing' the Mad Hatter name.

I guess ginger-mustache guy has reappeared in recent years as "Hatman".

[FuzzyBoots]

Some adapations even went all out and made him use Mexican/Spanish words in his dialogue.

Well, he is from South America, right? So of course he speaks the lingo.

[Ken]

I've just read that the Phantasm is being introduced in the comics.

What's your thoughts on the 2004 'The Batman' animated series.

Oddly, the Phantasm was introduced in the comics, sort of.

In the "Batman: Year Two" story (Detective 575-78. 1987) Batman fights a murderous vigilante called the Reaper. The reaper was a skull-faced fellow wearing body armour under a black cloak, and using these mace-scythe weapons. Essentially, the Phantasm looks like the Bruce Timm interpretation of the Reaper.

And when I first saw "Mask of the Phantasm", it followed the "Year Two" story pretty close... up to a point.

Making the Phantasm a woman was a twist that Mike Barr and Alan Davis never included.