BATMAN & CATWOMAN versus HARLEY QUINN

Hush Chapter Six: The Opera (DC)
Where: Batman #613 When: May 2003
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Jim Lee

The Story So Far...
A mysterious new threat has insinuated itself into the life of The Batman, turning his world upside down with a single shot that sent him plummeting from the Gotham City skyline to the streets below.

Sustaining dangerous injuries, a barely conscious Bruce Wayne is inspired to direct his butler Alfred to childhood friend Thomas Elliot -- surgeon of considerable renown! The reunion of friends is a medical and social success! So much so, Dr. Elliot invites Bruce Wayne to accompany him to a performance of Pagliacci in the company of Selina Kyle.

Bursting in to hysterics - and out of the Pagliacci wardrobe - Harley Quinn makes a dramatic entrance at the opera! She's there to rob the rich glitterati in attendance, and sets her maniac gaze on the man pulling out a cell phone in the balcony: Thomas Elliot! With the stakes rising rapidly, Bruce and Selina excuse themselves, returning to the stage as their alter-egos: Batman and Catwoman!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Catwoman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Batman 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Harley Quinn 4 (Gymnastic)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


Harley Quinn is Dr. Harleen Quinzel: A former Arkham Asylum psychiatrist whose thesis in the psyche of crime and romance led to an infatuation with The Joker. Surrendering to her mind's darker desires, she dons a black and red harlequin suit, beginning her criminal career as The Joker's favourite girl!

Harley's academic insights and elective madness are underscored by her gymnastic athleticism. Where oversized mallets and guns fail -- acrobatics and agility pick up the slack! Speed and mobility therefore become her greatest skills in a physical mismatch such as a battle with Batman and Catwoman!

At this time, The Bat and The Cat have been made unwitting players in a grand scheme just starting to take shape. They've levelled their on-and-off rooftop antagonism to forge a full blown Gotham City alliance. When Catwoman was able to break from the manipulative influences of Poison Ivy [Batman #611]; Batman was there to assist her -- combating a mind-controlled Superman, as well [Batman #612]!

The longer it goes, the more the alliance turns up the heat on lingering romantic tensions. It's difficult to predict if romance strengthens Batman & Catwoman's partnership - or complicates it! It was playful flirtation in the chase shown in Solo #1, but created emotional volatility in another mind-control episode, involving Batman, in JLA #118! When the pair were at odds, Catwoman was often able to use the tone to get the better of Bats [eg; Batman: The Mad Monk #1].

Social dynamics are another way Harley Quinn could try to level the playing field! She tends to favor a ditzy, madcap approach to a life of crime, but her past as a studied psychiatrist can never be completely discounted. Batman's willingness to collaborate with morally ambiguous characters has introduced a lot of uncharacteristic uncertainty into the situation!

Batman and Catwoman have a famous history on opposite sides of the law. She's even maintained partnerships with Harley Quinn! Of course, that fact is a two-way street! Harley's found common ground with Batman in the past too, even choosing temporary alliances with The Dark Knight over her beloved Joker [eg; Batman #663]!

Of course, when psychology is too much work -- there are always henchman to even the odds! That's the case in this scenario, which finds Harley Quinn attempting to rob the rich at the opera. Will she get away with it? Most of our metrics point towards a no, but lets see exactly how it went down...

The Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...
Pushed from the balcony by Dr. Thomas Elliot -- Harley Quinn and her masked henchmen open fire at the opera box seats! Elliot sprints to reclaim his stolen mementos, while Selina Kyle and Dr. Leslie Thompkins take cover. The other man in attendance - Bruce Wayne - has already left to change for Act II!

The Batman glides toward the stage with wing-like cape fully outstretched! It provides a target for Harley Quinn, who wildly opens fire upon the descending figure -- hitting only the garb trailing behind him!

As he nears the stage, Batman tosses an arsenal of flash, smoke and mace grenades! The obscuring fog serves his priority of protecting the audience. His boot: beginning the offensive as it shatters one of the goons' masks on contact!

Machine gunfire sprays across stage-right as the goon recoils from Batman's devastating kick! Making ground, he throws his right leg at another nearby henchman. Batarangs whipped through the haze take down three more!

Confronting the harlequin ringleader: Batman squats to avoid another volley of bullets! This time Harley's aim is true, finding the sandbags dangling above the stage. Her bullets send them tumbling toward a Batman who is already nursing a serious head injury from a previous battle! The blow leaves Batman on his knees - dazed and grappling with the mistake of choosing a lighter cowl.

Harley refers to a partnership with Poison Ivy and a mysterious "script" she's considering deviating from. Somebody wants Batman alive, but the temptation to put a gun barrel to his head is too great. Good thing for him, somebody else wants him alive for altruistic reasons as well!

Catwoman leaps onto the stage - launching a fly kick into Harley's face!

The harlequin of crime tumbles into the set wall with a thud, mumbling about a Robin understudy. Catwoman takes extreme exception - slashing her talons across Harley's face as she rises from the ground. This time she goes through the set - sent smashing by Catwoman's stiff body kick!

Catwoman's claws slash through Harley's jester-like headdress, lopping one of the floppy limbs clean off! Harley uses the close quarters contact to make an escape - darting through Catwoman's legs, before vaulting off backstage boxes onto part of the stage!

With all the agility of her namesake, Catwoman keeps in step in the acrobatic harlequin. Being one step behind is enough to turn the tables, though. Whoever wants Batman alive had no objections to offing his "boy hostage" sidekick, or the "understudy" who's there in his place! Harley opens fire!

Taking a bullet to the shoulder in mid-flight -- Catwoman can't control her descent! She tumbles wildly through the turreted set and spills toward the stage. There, a Dark Knight waits to break her fall.

The audience erupts into applause, marvelling at Batman's ability to catch the woman. It was all just part of the show to them. As blood spills from her mouth, Catwoman chastises her ally for choosing to rescue her instead of catching the bad guy. She passes out as Dr. Thompkins arrives to offer medical aid.

The Hammer...
Batman may be standing by the end of the skirmish, but his hands are full with his wounded partner. Harley Quinn lost her fair share of henchmen, but she clearly got the better of both heroes. A surprise winner? Not exactly...

In the big picture, we're working backwards. Longtime readers of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths (and Issue Index divers) know we've already examined the fall out from this issue.

While Dr. Thompkins is tending to Catwoman's gunshot wound, Batman is chasing Harley Quinn. This leads him to run into The Joker in an opera back alley: A final page sting that sets up their showdown in Batman #614! All of the players from today's feature fight find their way into that alley - Catwoman included. Follow the link to see how it all went down!

Hush has been a recurring touchstone throughout the life of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. I'm reluctant to hold the story up in high esteem, but I cannot deny its staying power as an encapsulation of the basic Batman experience.

At the time, it was a re-energizing experience for Batman comics. A back to basics approach that seemed to empower the vision of a quality creative team over broad editorial mandates. Large scale "event" crossovers like No Man's Land had started to overwhelmed the outward impression of what Batman comics were about. As a 12 issue story, Hush was very much a precursor to the overbearing "event" comics steering the past few years - but by containing it within one on-going series, with a simple objective, it felt ironically refreshing.

The appointment of Jeph Loeb as writer really struck a powerful chord! His past work with Tim Sale had been a well crafted revelation - giving us two landmark maxi-series in the Batman canon. The thought that this quality approach might entrench itself firmly within monthly continuity was an exciting prospect!

Of course, the much anticipated return of Jim Lee as a mainstream superhero penciller created a lot of buzz! His approach to rendering characters drew favorably from an iconic past, infusing it with a strong modern sensibility. Previews of his character designs were a tasty entrée! This may have been Lee at his very best. His work was more sharply focused on storytelling, and an intelligent, modern-definitive approach to character design that was permeating superhero comics in the early 2000s. A seemingly writer-driven focus on ideas, without the excesses of unmotivated visual spectacle.

Unfortunately, Hush didn't hit the storytelling highs of the Sale collaborations.

Like The Long Halloween and Dark Victory before it, the story undertakes a twelve issue tour through Batman's rogues gallery. A selection of Gotham villainy, effected together as a concurrent gauntlet with an overarching mystery.

I don't have any real complaints about the basic premise, but it may have been strained by a third go around, impacted by different concerns for where the characters are coming from, and going to. The Sale stories took advantage of the changing of the guard in Gotham's criminal underworld - the rise of the so-called "freaks" to take the city away from old families and mobs. More reactions than Hush, where the rogues are puppets in a more broad plot.

The guessing game of who's manipulating events against Batman certainly isn't as compelling or veiled as The Holiday Killer mysteries. This could be excused for what seems to be a different intent: The creation of a new arch-villain.

Fortunately, the story always has the gauntlet to fall back on, and it's hard not to enjoy an adventure through the super-villains. It slightly overwhelms Batman #613, but giving Harley Quinn a spotlight is certainly a fun prelude to the main event entrance of Joker in the next issue.

Harley Quinn is ultimately the reason we're all here. August on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is all about the stars of the Suicide Squad movie - now in theatres! Margot Robbie stars as Harley Quinn - one of our recent Heroes of the Week, and today's feature fight winner!

If you'd like to find more pieces of the Hush puzzle, more Harley Quinn, or more of the Suicide Squad characters - check out the Issue Index Archive! If you're ready to read the whole story yourself, take advantage of the Amazon purchase link provided for your convenience! Doing so helps support the site, as well!

Stay tuned for the next Friday Night Fights, which is sure to be an enchanting interlude!

Winner: Harley Quinn
#104 (+224) Harley Quinn
#1 (--) Batman
#30 (-1) Catwoman

BATMAN versus JOKER
Hush Chapter Seven: The Joke (DC)
Where: Batman #614 When: June 2003
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Jim Lee

The Story So Far...
When a child heir is kidnapped by Killer Croc the seeds of a plot to undo Gotham City's dark knight protector become unwittingly revealed. Batman's greatest villains are about to be manipulated by an unknown assailant, whose war of strategy against the hero proves deeply personal.

The next chapter in Batman's struggle emerges in the unlikliest of venues, during a night at the opera in the company of friends; Selina Kyle, Dr. Thomas Elliot, and Dr. Leslie Thompkins. When Dr. Elliot resists Harley Quinn's attempts to loot the crowd of their valuables, including a jade ring given to him by his deceased mother, he directs the attentions of the villain's gang on their balcony seats.

While Elliot pursues his heirloom; Wayne and Kyle emerged in their costumed alter-egos as Batman and Catwoman. Their battle with Harley Quinn earns the applause of the crowd, but when Batman tracks the fleeing villainess, he enters the alleys behind the theatre to find his arch-nemesis, the Joker, squatting over the gunshot inflicted body of his childhood best-friend, Thomas Elliot.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


- After witnessing the street murder of his parents, the young Bruce Wayne's destiny was forever shaped to be one dedicated to an ideal. Having spent his formative years studying the various sciences, martial arts, and crime fighting techniques, Bruce is ultimately inspired to become the one-man war on the criminal element in Gotham City: Batman.

Perhaps Batman's greatest power is the millions inherited from his industrialist parents, and the various facilities that came with that. They prove crucial in the design and construction of his many weapons, which are typically non-lethal, and have a variety of uses.

Complimented by his keenly strategic mind is Batman's expertise in the martial arts. He is extensively trained in multiple fighting styles, and commonly regarded to be one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the world. He is also extremely proficient in general urban warfare.

- It has been claimed that he was the victim of one very bad day, which ended with a fall into a vat of chemicals that bleached his skin, dyed his hair, and twisted his face into a permanent grin. The truth of his name and origins remain unknown, but as the Joker, he is one of the most feared killers in Gotham City.

Joker is known to have an aptitude for creating and working with toxins and other chemicals, favouring trademark concoctions that induce uncontrolled laughter, facial distortion, and often, death. Joker is also a proficient strategist, who is said to regularly reinvent his identity as a part of his vendetta against Batman.
The Joker, though not a skilled fighter, is shown to have an inhuman capacity for pain tolerance and recovery.

Additional: While Batman has one of the most impressive lists of nemesis, few characters reach the status of Joker as his arch-villain. Joker's rivalry with Batman has arguably produced the definitive vision of the classic comic book supervillain, defined by; false deaths, personal attacks (deaths), trap and baits, and a continuing relationship unlikely to be resolved.

Joker's unpredictability often means Batman is forced into a responsive position. The Dark Knight's dedication to non-lethal justice is the means by which Joker maintains his villainous presence, with an uncanny knack for escape.
Despite their continuous rivalry, it is Batman who has a distinct advantage over Joker in physical confrontations, and regularly dishes out defeat accordingly. [Examples include; Detective Comics #781 and Batman #663].

History: Batman (2-0-0)
Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#2)

What Went Down...
He knows the moment he sees him, that Dr. Thomas Elliot is already dead.
Enraged; Batman's mind opens to decades of death and violence, filling his fists with a vengeance that recalls the Joker's crimes against Barbara Gordon, Sarah Essen, Jason Todd, and the many nameless victims who've suffered.

The Dark Knight is unsympathetic to Joker's objections. His fists spray the blood of the clown prince with an uncharacteristic ferocity, bordering dangerously on what seems like a total loss of control, but the Batman is in control.

He pummels the Joker with a barrage of expert punches, each more devestating than the last, and unanswered by the weedy killer. For every uppercut, cross, and hook, the Joker pleads with Batman, through broken teeth and blood.

Unable to stand any longer, Joker buckles under the raging bull that is the Batman. With his enemy floored, Batman pins him down and wraps his powerful hands around the spindly neck of the chalkfaced killer. With a twisted grin, the Joker whispers his innocence to a Batman, stone faced.

The Joker's partner in crime, Harley Quinn, lurks into the alley from the nearby theatre exit. Wielding an oversized mallet, she and Joker lock eyes to hatch an unspoken ambush, but the Batman is more than prepared. He rolls to the side, allowing Quinn to clobber the Joker with with her weapon.

Batman sends Harley Quinn hurtling across the alley with a stiff kick, before returning his stoic attentions to the Joker, who continues to deny responsibility for the death of Thomas Elliot. Batman slams him against a wall, only to feel a whip wrap around his neck to jerk him away.

Catwoman, injured in the previous battle with Harley Quinn and her goons, does her best to pull the weight of the Batman away from Joker. Having developed a romantic relationship with the dark knight, Catwoman offers up her bitter intent to do everything she can to prevent the raging Batman from commiting acts regrettable. Despite their closeness, her words fall on deaf ears.

Batman yanks Catwoman toward him by the length of her whip, but the lithe vixen is able to use her momentum to slash the Bat across the chest with claws in her gloves. She emplores Batman to consider what he'd do if the roles were reversed, but the silent dark knight is submerged in regreat, recalling the death of Jason Todd, a milestone that has informed his every decision since.

Intent on punishing the Joker for his constant crimes, Batman takes advantage of Catwoman's wound, putting her down with a simple palm strike. He rests her gently out of harms way and thinks about how easily he could lose her, too.
With the image of her broken body in his mind, Batman makes his decision: "He dies tonight by my hand."

Attempting to flee, Joker is quickly engulfed in the shadow of the bat.
Batman pins him to the ground once more, allowing only screams of terror to escape from beneath the canopy of his long dark cape.

An authorative voice echoes through the rain, firing shots into the alley that clip the Batman's arm and cowl. "Stand up and put your hands in the air. The next shot, I WILL drop you." The descending voice of reason holds a gun to the back of the Batman's head and tries to remind him of the virtues that have prevented his descent into the madness that he combats. He is Jim Gordon, former GCPD commissioner, and lifelong ally of the Batman.

Gordon compells Batman to think, only to reach the chilling realisation that he has thought about his actions. As if resigned to the Batman's will Gordon makes a final empassioned speech, declaring the thin line that seperates the Gotham vigilante from costumed killers like the Joker. He is successful in finally talking the Batman down, but not relieving his sense of responsibility.

The Hammer...
Successful in overcoming Joker, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman - your winner and new Infinite Wars champion -- Batman!

That's right! After slipping from the top of our cumulative rankings some sixteen months ago; July's 'Dark Knight-sponsored entries have seen the original number one return to the top! Six months of the Spider-Boycott hasn't hurt the Bat-cause, but does this mean a return to the Season 2006 dominance of Batman? Stay tuned to Super Stock updates (and tape stats) to watch as the drama of the rankings resumes!

With the first appearance of the Joker arriving in 1940's Batman #1; the feud between the dark knight and his clowning arch-rival has become one of the most storied battles in comics. It's a relationship that has spawned an empire of cross media success, including a second feature film outing in this month's The Dark Knight; starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger in the respective roles.

Directly inspired by the adventures of pulp fiction and serial films of the 1940's; the Batman's trials began with bashful confrontations against fairly standard criminals. It was, however, the emergence of macabre characters like the Joker who gave birth to the arch-nemesis as we know it today, not as an evasive foe, but as a supporting character within the genre.

Customary of grim tales of the time was the concluding death of an evil-doer, but for Bill Finger and Bob Kane, this proved merely an obstacle through which they would create a standard. This desire to revisit colourful and memorable villains quite immediately created a situation now regarded with chagrin by many fans of the modern industry -- the false death.

Joker's many murderous returns from near-death situations made his duel with Batman a veritable archetype of the genre, culminating in less permanent solves, like Arkham Asylum, which first appeared under the pen of Denny O'Neal during the grim and gritty period of the seventies and eighties. As his criminal acts became increasingly horrific, the plausibility of Joker's constant return and escape from Arkham created new questions, which arguably remain unsolved.

In reviewing the confrontation in Batman #614, I wanted to look at a question that's probably going to be as relevant to longterm diehards as it is to relative neophytes who've just seen the film: Why doesn't Batman just kill the Joker?

As with Batman, the Joker has gone through many iterations, but the question rests at least on the implication of a Joker who is sufficiently lethal. I tend to think it's modern interpretations that justify the question the best, as Batman delves deeper into increasingly subdued settings, and faces plausible evils.

Because of these many interpretations [and the history just recapped to a questionable quality] it's very difficult to attribute any single reason for the Batman's restraint, and in the context of Joker, Jeph Loeb explores this lethal imperative on the terms of their longstanding relationship.

Quite suitably, the Christopher Nolan films have made quite a good effort to present both sides of the argument. It was Batman Begins that helped distill the character's motivations as they had become through the benefit of decades of refining, presenting a clearer depiction of Bruce Wayne as a man attempting to create an incorruptable symbollic structure for good.

[Christian] Bale's Batman defines himself by these broad ideals, benefitting from a slightly more balance psyche than popular interpretations of the comic book Dark Knight. In the four-colour medium the character is free to indulge much bigger, more fantastic ideals, where his morality and sense of responsibility becomes the spiral point for the Gotham villains to emerge.

The Dark Knight appears to reinstate a sense of individual, if tangential, motivation in the Joker as an independent entity. He is undeniably attracted to the Batman, but appears as a villain with a proclivity for chaos, and intrinsic homicidal tendencies to be played out en masse.
Bruce Wayne's larger-than-life push to be a force for good, without becoming an executioner, justified Batman in the first film, but the sheer scale of Joker's madness quite realistically reconfirms doubt over Batman's non-lethal tactics.

It's a fairly curious thing.
While off the page the answer might simply be a corporate American ideal to present Batman in the moral company of his superhuman counterparts -- the reality reflect by world law enforcement is an increasingly militant presence, forced in greater number to deal with life and death situations.

Geoff Johns has done well to introduce this concept to the Green Lantern mythology, granting even sometimes war-time pacifist, Hal Jordan, the license to do something previously attributed solely to the vengeance of Parallax.
So, as comics continue to confront the reality of a dark world, why not Batman? Why is the distinction between crippling and maiming sufficient for a man so staunchly against lethal force? I might redirect you to previous discussions about our totem of justice, and ponder the subject for our last Dark Knight Friday, where maybe I'll be ready to discuss the matter with more focus.

Oh, and the punchline? Joker didn't kill Tommy Elliot!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5.5

If you want to know more about Batman's attempt to kill the Joker; Gordon's intervention; or the secret war waged against the Dark Knight by a new foe - Hush - then you should head over to Amazon and pick up the trades! The top ten selling storyarc is the perfect way for fans of The Dark Knight to initiate themselves into the world of the Batman, as he is forced to tackle some of his greatest foes (and allies) in an effort to uncover the true identity of Hush! If you don't like what you see, but are looking to get your Bat-fix on, then be sure to check out the Amazonian Gift Shoppe for more legends of the dark knight! Collections featuring most issues reviewed in the Secret Archives are available, and by using purchase links provided, you help sponsor the Infinite Wars!

POISON IVY versus CATWOMAN
Hush Chapter Four: The City (DC)
Where: Batman #611 When: March 2003
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Jim Lee

The Story So Far...
When a child heir is kidnapped by Killer Croc; the seeds of a plot to undo Gotham City's dark knight protector become evident. Batman's greatest villains are manipulated by an unknown assailant, whose war of strategy against the hero begins with a break in modus for a Killer Croc mutated beyond his usual condition.

When Catwoman attempts to steal the ransom from Croc's kidnapping; the plot thickens as Batman takes pursuit across the city skyline, only to be cut down by one of his own weapons!
The resulting injuries from his fall bring Bruce Wayne's past into the present, but even as he becomes reacquainted with old friends; the Batman is thrust into a mystery that takes him to Metropolis and into the path of contemporary allies.

Beneath the lights of the city of the future; Batman and Catwoman begin a search for the puppeteer pulling their strings - Poison Ivy - but even as they do, they play into the hands of the true manipulator, and enter into an arena they could not possibly anticipate...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Catwoman 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Poison Ivy 5 (Professor)
Speed: Catwoman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Catwoman 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Catwoman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Catwoman 4 (Trained)
Energy Power: Poison Ivy 2 (Projectile)


- In her formative years, Pamela Isley was a budding student of botannical biochemstry at a Seattle university. Her introversion made manipulation easy for Dr. Jason Woodrue, a teacher who convinced the shrinking violet to partake in potentially lethal experiments involving botanic toxins.

The betrayal shakes the fragile woman into action, who narrowly escapes death, only to experience a series of personal tragedies. She invests her emotions in environmental issues, discovering an inate ability to converse with, and control, all forms of vegetation.
Using her intimate knowledge of botanic toxins and an unwitting connection with a mystic elemental force known as the Green; Isley settles in Gotham where she becomes the eco-terrorist, Poison Ivy.

To compensate for her limitated combative vocabulary, Ivy relies on the manipulations of more powerful adversaries, and the animation of complex and rare vegetation, to do her battles for her.

- Selina Kyle lives a life on the streets, coming to be known as a notorious thief. Her escapades garner much attention, and eventually force the burglar to lay low, where she continues her career in crime as a dominatrix extracting information from potential victims.

Kyle gains extensive training in the martial arts, and inspired by the mysterious vigilante called Batman, adopts her own leather mask and catsuit ensemble to become Catwoman. As Catwoman, she embarks on a career as an ambiguous entity in the Gotham City landscape. Though regularly acting as a professional burglar and occasional mercenary, Catwoman also comes to be known as a protector of Gotham's East End.

Catwoman is a highly skilled fighter at peak physical condition, with impressive physical strength, agility, and speed. Catwoman also utilizes weapons including a whip, cat o' nine tails variation, and claws contained within her gloves.

Though well known as antagonist of the Batman; Catwoman's moral ambiguities err on the side of good, often resulting in brief alliances (or romance) between the sometimes-enemies.

Math: Catwoman Ranking: Catwoman (#17)

What Went Down...
Having been freed of Poison Ivy's influence; Catwoman plans to track the villain to a safehouse in Metropolis. Batman and she form an alliance amidst romantic tensions, but the fiercely independent Catwoman proves difficult to tame. Only on her terms to the pair later reconvene to devise a plan.

Catwoman descends on the hideout alone, faking the lingering influence of Ivy's poisons. The villainness is not so easily deceived.

Poison Ivy swats the ill-prepared Catwoman with a backhand slap, but the surprise attack garners little advantage. With her ruse uncovered, Catwoman is given license to offer a little payback for manipulations suffered.

Payback takes the form of an unrelenting combination of punches and kicks from the well trained burglar! Ivy quickly finds herself on the ropes, and with a claw to her throat, attempts to bargain with her former-puppet, offering up a share of the ransom she had used Catwoman to steal. The thief remains uncompelled, but the tables are quickly turned...

A branch twists out from the millieu of plantlife adorning the hideout, wrapping itself around Catwoman's neck! Like an anaconda it yanks Ivy's attacker from her body, wrenching it's grip as it lifts Catwoman's flailing body upward.

A batarang flings from the gloom, slicing effortlessly through the animated vine!

Just as the Dark Knight makes his presence known, another hero stirs nearby.
It begins with a thoom and then a krrrkk as the foundations of Ivy's dockside building begin to crumble under the might of Kryptonian strength.
Superman tosses the building aside, wounding Catwoman in the process. With that, he takes Poison Ivy's side, while Batman surveys the carnage.

The Hammer...
I hate to say it, but the double victory goes to surprise entrant Superman, and the lady pulling the strings, Poison Ivy!

This isn't one of the promised July Dark Knight entries, but if we're going to be nearly two weeks behind schedule, I figure it's going to be more worthwhile if we cram in plenty of meat in the sandwich. Indeed, cram we have, as we make a belated acknowledgment of Catwoman's inclusion in Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.

I have to admit to a bit of a double motive, because, one of these things [pictured right] is not like the other...

We've touched upon it briefly in other entries, but we might as well just take the gloves off and get down to business: Poison Ivy has no business appearing in a beat 'em up video game!

It might surprise the initiated to learn that there's been a surprisingly vocal response to the idea of Poison Ivy appearing in the game. One assumes the shouting minority probably doesn't include many of our regular readers from the DC Nation, because, as we'd all know, Poison Ivy isn't really a fist-fighter.

That's not to say Poison Ivy doesn't have a place in video games, which are, for the most part, centred around the mechanics of a combative exchange. There's a lot of validity to the concept of a plant-manipulating Ivy in a video game, but as we saw in this particular entry, Ivy's MO is to surround herself with quantities of vegetation, or minions bewitched by her toxins. Gamers might instinctively equate these qualities to an adventure/platformer, which seems fair.

I have to admit; I'm the first person to acknowledge a disappointing history in the gameplay of previous Mortal Kombats. 2002's Deadly Alliance led with Tekken-inspired fighting styles applied liberally, but with a fluidity that made it everything it's predecessors (and successors) failed to be.

The jury remains out on whether or not MKvsDC, and it's many incrementalized mini-modes, will be able to salvage the brief reputation garnered by MK:DA. I do, however, feel that recent history of slapping the names of fight styles on-screen emphasises the lingering connection between Mortal Kombat and the martial arts. Early games might have suffered from a serious disconnect due to the homogenous palette of kicks and punches shared across the roster, but the implication was there to be fulfilled.

Poison Ivy not only lacks the requisite fighting abilities that even unrefined brawlers, like Flash and Captain Marvel, bring to the table, but is more specifically characterized by her removal from physical altercation. Few examples come to mind where Ivy has physically opposed her arch-rival, Batman, beyond the delay of a vine-tangled struggle -- which, as we saw in this entry, is usually remedied quite quickly.

I don't expect the descent of reason to interrupt the claims of uninitiated fans clamoring for Poison Ivy in a fighter - but hopefully we can at least contribute context to those interested in researching the names being bandied about.
Suffice to say, I do not expect Poison Ivy to beat out the many characters sure to be cut from the list. If you'd like to know more of those, you should track through our long series of related entries, which can currently be found starting here!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5.5

Fresh off The Dark Knight and keen to do some reading? Want to know everything that happens in the big battle of Batman #612? The good news for you is that 2003's Hush is collected in two convenient, affordably priced paperbacks. Better yet, if you use purchase links provided on the Inifinite Wars, you help sponsor future Bat-entries! And hey, looking for more classic Batman stories? Why not browse through the Secret Archives to see what takes your fancy, or scroll over to the Amazonian Gift Shoppe where there are many recommended and reviewed reads on offer! It's all part of the plan!

HUSH versus BATMAN
Hush Chapter Twelve: The End (DC)
Where: Batman #619 When: November 2003
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Jim Lee

The Story So Far...
When a dramatically mutated Killer Croc partakes in the kidnap of a rich man's child; Batman unwittingly enters into a game of manipulation design to break his will, and lead him down a path toward destruction.

Having suffered severe injuries after a fall from a batline, severed by an anonymously thrown batarang; Wayne recalls the name of renowned surgeon, and former childhood friend, Dr. Thomas Elliot. The doctor returns to Gotham to perform the surgery and reacquaint himself with the city and his former friend, but the trip is cut short when the Joker and Harley Quinn raid a stage show. After taking pursuit of the clown prince of crime in an effort to recover a family heirloom; Thomas Elliot is murdered -- or so it seems!

In reality, this is but another chapter in the tale of Hush, the newest villain to enter Batman's murderous rogues gallery! Vengeful over wrongs commited when they were children, Hush has manipulated the heroes and villains of Gotham City in an effort to play Batman for a fool, but even as the dark knight desperately tries to unravel the mystery, the bandaged villain prepares to play his final hand.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Batman 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


- Born into wealth; Thomas Elliot spent his childhood in loathing of his parents. In an effort to gain independence and control of his family's estate, the child orchestrated a murder plot to sever the brakes on his parent's vehicle, after convincing them to pardon their driver. The horrific accident that ensued would bring the socialittes under the knife of Dr. Thomas Wayne, father to Elliot's best friend, Bruce Wayne. The doctor would fail to save Tommy's father, but leave him a mother to care for.

As Hush; Elliot is soon revealed to be the manipulator whose influence had led Batman to call upon his services as a surgeon when he suffered head injuries from a fall, also part of Hush's plan. Having teamed with The Riddler and an adult Jason Todd; a spiteful Elliot fulfills a lifelong goal of revenge for the Waynes' part in his mother's survival, and the jealousy felt toward Bruce for living the life he wanted.

- After witnessing the street murder of his parents, the young Bruce Wayne's destiny was forever shaped to be one dedicated to an ideal. Having spent his formative years studying the various sciences, martial arts, and crime fighting techniques, Bruce is ultimately inspired to become the one-man war on the criminal element in Gotham City: Batman.

Perhaps Batman's greatest power is the millions inherited from his industrialist parents, and the various facilities that came with that. They prove crucial in the design and construction of his many weapons, which are typically non-lethal, and have a variety of uses.

Complimented by his keenly strategic mind is Batman's expertise in the martial arts. He is extensively trained in multiple fighting styles, and commonly regarded to be one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the world. He is also extremely proficient in general urban warfare.

The Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#2)

What Went Down...
Revealed to be the man responsible for planting subliminal messaging devices on his computer hardware, Batman's once malformed technical supporter, Harold, drops with two bullets in him. The gunman -- Hush -- a man who has helped orchestrate a string of horrific events and attacks in the life of the Batman.

Alone with the killer on a bridge in the pouring rain, Batman launches himself into action, avoiding further gunfire from his newest nemesis. Perched atop the bridge structure, he returns fire with a handful of batarangs, but like Hush's own ammunition, they fail to make a crucial hit.

Closing in, the dark knight jumps toward the gunman as he counts the final bullets in his round, and unleashes weapons of his own. Hands and feet, trained to kill, and so masterful they need never strike a lethal blow.

A boot and a fist don't stop the marksman, but they reveal the necklace Tommy Elliot was buried with; his mother's. The distraction gives Hush the opportunity to the turn the tables, while Batman continues to analyse every fine detail in an effort to deduce the bandaged man's identity.

Hush makes continued references to Tommy Elliot's childhood with Bruce; facts that plague the dark knight detective as much as the physical blows from the masked man. Hush denies him the opportunity to pull the bandages from his face, impaling Batman's hand with a blade.

Hush challenges Batman to puzzle the reason for their confrontation on the bridge in the rain. Resonance of the night Tommy Elliot's parents crashed their car is not lost on the Batman, but still he refuses to believe the taunting of a masked man, over the facts of his witness to Elliot's death at the hands of Joker.

The two engage in an exchange of acrobatics and fisticuffs, continuning to dance around the specifics of both man's true identity. Hush returns the favour for a punch to the face, and Batman strikes back with a chop to the neck, each blow bringing with it a little piece of the past.

With a kick, Hush puts some distance between he and the wounded Batman, only to reveal the true motivation for his endless machinations: The thwarting of his childhood dream to murder his parents to inherit independence and wealth!

The revelation rocks Batman almost as hard as the bullets that cause the Batmobile to explode behind him, triggering C-4 charges planted during Batman's brief reunion with Harold.

Revealed, the truth floods from Hush like the deluge hitting the bridge.
He compares the struggle of life with his mother, and her slow death to cancer, as tokens that Bruce Wayne was lucky enough not to have. In so many ways, he is revealed to be the anti-thesis to every aspect of the Batman, who now lies badly injured at the villain's feet.

A commanding voice echoes onto the bridge, and from out of the bellowing smoke steps former GCPD commissioner, James Gordon. Implicated in the staged murder of Thomas Elliot, Gordon is accompanied by a man intimately aware of the details of his innocence -- Harvey Dent.

Dent, having had his facial scarring repaired by Elliot as a part of his sinister plot, appears ironically cured of his alter-ego, Two-Face. With clarity and a zealous penchant for justice, he willfully turns his back on his agreement with Hush to take the shot, when Jim Gordon proves unable to fire with Batman at such close proximity.

He doesn't miss.
An appropriate two shots hit Hush in either shoulder, forcing him away from his would-be victim, and off the side of the bridge. Batman does his best to find a body, but even with nightvision technology, he proves unable to find anything in the murky Gotham waters below. Hush lives to strike another day.

The Hammer...
So, for striking the deciding blow, I've got no choice but to call it a victory for Harvey Dent! For fighting valiantly, despite very nearly suffering defeat, Batman picks up the assist, with Jim Gordon sharing in the honor. Valuable info for you Fantasy Fighters out there!

As you might have seen, the Infinite Wars is gearing up for all the hype surrounding the recently announced, Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe video game, set to be released in the fall. The unlikely crossover pits the fighting kombatants against DC's icons in a story featuring contributions from Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, as well as series co-creator, Ed Boon, and the rest of the MK team.

Since Batman is bound to be at the forefront of the DC movement, I wanted to throw a feature up here that at least touched on his capacity to exist in this environment. With the announcement of the game, it seems the two camps have quickly devolved into violent distain over the dimished degree of violence, and utter bemusement, for those comic fans disinterested in the gimmick-laden fighting property. It seems all perspective has gone out the window, so hopefully the Infinite Wars can become a middle ground for both groups.

If you haven't already seen them, you might like to check out the first of our weekly rundowns of potential match-ups between the two brands [Fantasy Fights: Round 1], as well as a C2C flashback to previous entries touching on some of the characters and action you might be seeing in the game.

With the benefit of hindsight, I can see it might have been better to go with a scenario more flattering to Batman, but then, I think the grim tone of the issue is probably good for MK fans to see.

Hush was a twelve-issue storyarc with a lot of momentum. Written by Jeph Loeb, the man behind stories vital to inspiring the movies; The Long Halloween and Dark Victory; it promised another year-long romp through Gotham City, with the introdution of a brand new villain, sure to menace Batman far into the future, should he survive that long!

Batman: Hush also brought superstar artist, Jim Lee, back to the drawing board, after taking an active interest in less involved responsibilities with Wildstorm Comics (bought-out and assimilated by DC comics, as it so happened).

Despite mixed reactions to the conclusion of the story, which effectively resolved the year-long mystery with a reveal described by many as anti-climactic and heavy handed, given the first-appearance introduction of Tommy Elliot (Hush) at the beginning of the story. So disappointing was this fact, it nearly dwarfed Elliot's partnership with the Riddler, and the shock implication of the dead Robin's resurrection; later confirmed under writer, Judd Winick.

Fans of the comics might be surprised to learn of scepticism from the Mortal Kombat fans for DC's ability to assimilate into their gothic world of interdimensional mayhem, infernal resurrections, and frivilous ninjary.
Much of this has been sparked by the announcement of a T rating, and the first time a Mortal Kombat game will be released without their trademarked finishing system of gory, over-the-top slayings -- fatalities.

MK's penchant for gore has earned the series it's fair share of infamy. Often viewed as little more than a distraction for a teen demographic overlooking the technical flaws of the series; I tend to think of fatal violence as an expendable trademark of the series. I'm much more interested in the characters and story of the MK universe, which are obviously arenas the DC universe is more than ready to match them in.

The balance of power has been another keenly debated topic.
I probably could've done better to showcase Batman's ability to battle foes far more powerful than he. On the Infinite Wars alone we've been routinely privvy to successful matches against the likes of; Gorilla Grodd, Dr. Light, Killer Croc, Superman, Amazo, Captain Nazi, killer robots, murderous cults, et al.

Likewise, confusion at the other end of the scale has caused a glitch in the suspension of disbelief. The unfortunately common misconception that Superman somehow dwarfs all other superheroes, and is therefore a terminally flawed character, is the result of a lot of supposition, and the phenomenon of internet chinese-whispers. A lot of unconfident and uncertain fans have latched onto this belief, but in reality, it simply isn't true. The Infinite Wars, a site dedicated to tracking heroic defeat and victory, rates Superman at only a 54% win-rate, highlighting the potential fallibility of the character, at least on a fight-by-fight basis.

This argument is also quickly quashed by the prominent existence of playable characters, like Raiden; who is a god and already existant in-game on the precipice of suspended disbelief. Likewise, even the already confirmed Sub-Zero is more than capable of freezing his opponents (ala; Mr. Freeze) to take fatal victory in an instant if not for the competitive mechanics of a video game.
Unfamiliarity shouldn't be left to cloud common sense and precedent for what might be a conceptually flawed compromise between two companies, but otherwise works, strictly based on fundamentals.

Ironically, I don't want to come off too supportive.
I personally regard the game a misstep for a series that promised to step into the arena of the next generation of gaming with a newly rebuilt fight mechanic, and a fresh slate. While it's fair to say everything vaguely promised has been delivered, the implication of losing many mainstay characters suggested something far more immersive for fans awaiting a conclusion to the last game's apocalyptice endings. Though story shouldn't be short with Palmiotti and Gray contributing to a split mode revealing perspectives from both franchises, the longterm viability of referencing crossovers with licensed properties is always unlikely -- effectively rendering this a prolonged interruption in the MK saga.

For me, it comes down to context, and the looming threat of homogenization that was talked about during our last Street Fighter entry [Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1]. DC, notorious for it's sub-par video games, is presumably attempting to extend the reaches of it's branding, while also improving it's stock in the gaming genre. On the flipside, MK benefits from similar expansion of an already incestuous fanbase, with far more expansive mainstream connotations.

I'm interested! With the dust settled, there's no doubting that this is the game that has my attentions as of this moment! That just doesn't distract from the fact that the MK design team have outstanding debts with dedicated fans, and as games gradually become increasingly detached from their brands, MK runs the risk of joining the trend having not yet established it's footing in this generation.
Will it be sloppy seconds for companies classically chasing their more successful counterparts, Marvel and Capcom, or is this the beginning of a turnaround for both? We've touched upon just some of the issues that are sure to be talking points on the Infinite Wars for the next few months! All you MK/DC fans should make sure to stay with us as we count down to the game every Monday with more fantasy match-ups: PLUS! This weekend, a special look at fatalities!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6

Not the greatest reveal in the history of comics, but definitely a much better read without the baggage of monthly release, and a year's worth of anticipation. Though not showed off to it's fullest, Loeb and Lee choreograph a fantastic fight scene, despite much of the battle keeping Hush at arms length! If you're looking to get better acquainted with the dark knight and some of the movers and shakers in Gotham City, Hush is a great place in history to start! You can get the whole story in two convenient volumes from Amazon! Amazon not only offer great prices, but by using purchases links provided here, or in the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe, you help sponsor future melees in the Infinite Wars!

BATMAN versus KILLER CROC
Hush Chapter One: The Ransom (DC comics)
Where: Batman #608 When: December 2002
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Jim Lee

The story so far...
Someone has gone to a lot of trouble in Gotham City to assemble a motley crew of mercenaries and muscle in order to kidnap Edward Lamont IV, boy billionaire in waiting for the Lamont chemical fortune.

The Batman is swift in retrieving the boy who was snatched two weeks prior from his school, by a man wearing a trenchcoat. Unfortunately for him, the large man was a newly mutated Killer Croc.

With a paid ransom of ten million dollars, Killer Croc challenges the Batman's interference with the conviction of a motivated man. Killer Croc claims he needs the money, but in this city of stone and steel, it's greatest champion is unsympathetic to the wants of a career criminal. Thus, they come to blows, but little does the Batman know, each is but a pawn in a game much larger...

Previous Form:
Batman (#2): Has toppled foes such as; Hyena, Two-Face, Amazo, The Joker & Superman.
Killer Croc (#172): Suffered a harsh defeat to Batman.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Killer Croc 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Batman 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


This one's a rematch [Batman #621], so there really isn't a great deal to run down as far as predicting who should/shouldn't, will/won't win based on the standardized measurements provided by the tape. Plugging them into the patented Haseloff Tape Measure will only garner the same scientific results.

However, in the interest of streamlining, the statistics entered do not take into account the variables presented by time and space. A very different Killer Croc faces the Batman this time around, more monster than man, as opposed to the thuggish misfit that was featured in Broken City.

This hulking, over developed Killer Croc represents a far more formiddable physical obstacle for the Batman. Sitting somewhere in the upper echelon of his burly foes, Batman likely has some portable methods of contingency for dealing with him. If nothing else, less specific devices comparable to that used by Jason Todd against Danny Brickwell [Green Arrow #70], or those employed by Batman himself in encounters with Amazo [Batman #637] and Captain Nazi [Batman #647], are likely on hand.

As mentioned in the intro, Killer Croc is fighting for something. His motivations are much more personal than a lot of his usual work, which gives him an added spark in combat, but ultimately, his record suggests Batman is ready and willing to put him down as hard as necessary. Unlike many of Batman's other foes, particularly in this state, Croc can take it.

The Math: Batman (Meta Class)
The Pick: Batman (Kicker of Ass)

What went down...
So, having taken out the mob of mercenaries, Batman drags the boy into the light of the city. He think about the superior reassurance Superman could offer, but the kid is probably less afraid of the man in the batsuit, and more concerned about the big green crocodile-man charging at them!

Croc makes good with a briefcase uppercut that knocks the Batman straight to backfoot city. The bulky Croc continues to press the assault, charging forward with a following shot with his free hand.

With Batman dazed and against a wall, Croc declares his intentions to eat his longtime foe, but instead gets a face full of pipe thanks to Batman's superior speed. Taking the path of least resistance, Batman rises from his crouch, striking Croc under the chin with a stiff headbutt, before following it with a devestating boot to the face!

Croc's concerns devolve into a feral bloodlust, letting the briefcase containing the ransom slip from his grasp, he instead seeks the innards of one Batman!

Croc slashes wildly at Batman, knocking him back once more.
Batman is again able to return through superior agility, leaping over his opponent while slappinga tiny device onto the base of Croc's skull.

Taking full advantage of a vulnerability to hypersonics, Batman sets off his device, disorientating his stronger more feral foe to the point where he runs headlong into industrial piping.

Using a nearby chain, Batman wraps Killer up and leaves him hanging from the pipe as the FBI descend on the scene. With the Beureau taking the boy into custody, Batman takes off in pursuit of a heat signature carrying a briefcase.

The hammer...
Rrrring the bell! Round two goes to Batman once more!

For those of you salivating curiously over who stole the money, it was of course none other than Catwoman! Like you didn't guess it already. While in pursuit of Catwoman, Batman's batline is sabotaged and he plummets to certain doom, so begins the storyline that is Hush.

After talking at length about the scenario that was presented during the release of Azarrello and Risso's Broken City, it seemed fitting to take a look back at the story that effectively sealed it's fate. Not that I'm going to fault Hush for being a successful, top ten performer on the sales charts. Suffice to say, I think it's a shame that Broken City struggled under the weight of it's predecessor, but have been pleased to see a lot of people go back and give Broken City a go.

Hush, despite it's success, was ultimately met with a pretty surly critical response. What had begun as an exciting year-long mystery through the Batman mythos, ended as a sudden conclusion that delivered little surprise to most reading it. It served up the excessively obvious culprit, in cahoots with the obscurely unlikely, and eventually through the addition of others, the downright absurd.

Having reinvigorated Jim Lee as a regular comics penciller, it seemed Hush was only going to lead to bigger and better things. Early-on Loeb and others recounted in interviews the intent to follow the story up with a six parter at a later date, but what eventually unfolded may have only served to further garble what was, for many, an disatisfying end to the year's biggest mystery.

Hush soon resurfaced in the pages of Gotham Knights, weaving his way through a much less intentful story, coming to further blows with Batman, and new enemies too, like Poison Ivy and Green Arrow. Hush would ultimately overstay his welcome, slipping into relative obscurity after a busy couple of years.

What would really shock was the pursuit of Jason Todd, one of the small handful of deceased characters considered untouchable. What had originally been a psychological attack on Batman, because the means for resurrecting Jason Todd for a career as the Red Hood: vigilante with attitude. The answer for his timely resurrection? The apparent influence of an enraged Superboy from Earth-Prime, who had pounded so hard on the confines of his non-space home, he had shaken the very fabric of reality, thus undoing Todd's death while he lay buried.

We'll probably get a chance to talk more about the specifics of the Hush story and character as we featured more issues from the arc. For what it was, I enjoyed the overall presentation, and the excitement that really spurred me to return to Batman after years of ridiculously neglecting most DC properties.

Meanwhile, if I can break into a tangent, you may have noticed that to the right there's a new addition at the top of the menu. Yes, the first issue of a comic written by yours truly has finally hit the virtual shelf, and is available for purchase! I hope there are a lot of things to come for me in comics, and hope all you Secret Wars readers can come along for the ride.

If you haven't already, hit-up Nite Lite Theatre, and follow the links to find a brief teaser preview that gives very little away, and consider picking it up. It's ridiculously affordable for a small press book. Cheers!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5.5
[As a first issue, the action is thick, but the plot is well established. None of this neo-fascist three-issue meandering to build up the players!]