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Season 3 of Batman: Wayne Family Adventures is still ongoing on Webtoons, and Ian and Steph are thoroughly enjoying it! They recently discussed the latest 3 episodes.
Steph: Ian, these episodes are packed with excitement! There’s so much happening in each episode thanks to CRC Payne’s storytelling. It’s impressive how much content is being delivered each week!
Ian: These episodes are full of well-developed characters!
Steph: I’m so excited! By the way, did you watch Theo’s interview with her? It was really interesting.
[Editor’s Note: We also interviewed CRC Payne on The Batman Universe Podcast about Season 1]
Ian: Yes, it was a great introduction to her and the series!
Steph: I was surprised to hear that this arc will span the whole season. It changes how I view the stories, knowing there’s a longer journey ahead. With the amount of content in each episode, I don’t think it will drag on.
Ian: Knowing that beforehand is helpful! TBU always has the inside scoop!
Steph: Let’s dive into the first episode we’re discussing: #123 – “What Friends Are For”. Roy and Kori join Bizarro and Artemis to support Jason. The episode kicks off with Tim’s landlady questioning the health of Tim’s temporary dog, Goliath. That was a funny start!
Ian: These three episodes each have an “A” plot and a “Jason” plot, adding complexity while maintaining a structured narrative. It’s a great balance!
Steph: It keeps the story engaging while staying true to the heart of the series.
Ian: Tim’s storyline with his landlady and job at Wayne Enterprises is reminiscent of the excellent Red Robin run from 2009.
Steph: Tim’s interactions with Bruce and Brent were hilarious and added depth to his character.
Ian: The blend of sitcom dynamics and the darker Joker arc is executed brilliantly. It’s a captivating mix.
Steph: It adds a sense of realism to the series, showing that not everything revolves around Batman’s drama. Real-life issues are woven into the storyline seamlessly.
Steph: Tim’s confrontation with Bruce and their discussion about Batman’s approach to apologies was a standout moment. It showcased the unique bond between them.
Ian: It’s a classic Batman move! The conflict between Bruce and his family is intriguing, and I’m eager to see how it unfolds without any physical confrontations.
Steph: Tim and Damian’s intellectual banter adds depth to their characters and highlights their unique perspectives within the Batfamily.
Ian: Tim’s past experiences with the Batfamily add depth to his interactions with Damian and others. It’s a fascinating dynamic!
Steph: The scene with Roy, Kori, Artemis, and Bizarro supporting Jason was heartwarming. Roy’s mature approach and their camaraderie were well portrayed.
Ian: It highlighted the special bond between Roy and Jason, adding emotional depth to their relationship.
Steph: Roy’s response to Jason’s vulnerability was realistic and empathetic. It showed the complexity of their friendship without sugarcoating the challenges they face.
Ian: Jason’s support system is crucial, mirroring the importance of relationships in Bruce’s life as well.
Steph: It was touching to see how Jason values his companions, recognizing their strengths and vulnerabilities. Their unity in supporting him was a powerful moment.
Ian: The comic subtly suggests that Jason has learned from Bruce’s example, emphasizing the mentorship and guidance he has received.
Steph: A heartwarming conclusion to the episode as they unite to help the Bat-family, showing solidarity with Jason.
Which brings us to episode #124 – “Riddles in the Dark”…I wonder who this could feature?
Ian: I bet it features Cluemaster!wait…🙂
Steph: Probably not. Though, I did like that Riddler’s lair was clearly labeled.
However, we start with Dick, Babs, and Steph visiting Duke and coming up with a plan.What do you think of Steph thinking that Bruce might be right? Do you think the family is caving to Bruce’s way of thinking, or are they actually taking into consideration how dangerous it is?
Ian: This scene was REALLY good. I think Steph’s insecurity and emotional analysis continues to show just how good CRC Payne’s grasp of all of the characters’ voices is.
She nails not just Steph’s self-doubt, but also Duke’s kindness and bonds with everyone, Dick’s humor and encouragement, and Babs’s clear rationality. I do think that it’s good that Steph and the rest of the family is taking it seriously – this isn’t light hearted shenanigans, but a full fledged war against the most dangerous villain in the city.
Steph: I agree. I think that this goes beyond Bruce’s normal “I’m Batman and I don’t need help.” I think he very much would love to work with his family, but, like Duke says, Joker doesn’t play fair. He will destroy a whole city if he feels like it.
Ian: And Joker is deliberately leveraging that fear in Bruce’s mind! His family is the most important thing to him, and Joker threatens him with cold sadism. Truly terrifying.
Steph: Do you think that the Bat-family going after the other escaped Arkham inmates is following the letter of the law enough appease Batman, or will he still be mad?
Ian: He’ll still be mad for sure, but I think it’s extremely solid tactical sense to avoid direct conflict with Bruce that helps no one except the Joker. I love that Steph is the one who gives them that crucial piece from her investigations with Timreally sharp construction from the team for the ongoing story
Steph: 💜 Jason must have been on a similar wavelength to the rest of the family, but he and his crew go after Riddler. I love that they just bypass the riddles. They ain’t got time for that.
Ian: It’s very classic. Riddler needs to learn his lesson! But he never will. I like that it’s a plan involving both using all of Jason’s team AND his mind – really good work there.
Steph: And Riddler makes some good points about Joker and his motivations, or rather, lack thereof.Very scary.
Ian: I do hope that the team has a plan to figure out how to have Batman and family defeated Joker in a way that is satisfying! It’s an awful lot of buildup!
Steph: The issue ends with a mystery character showing up to catch up with Batman and Commissioner Gordon the roof of the GCPD. Who could it be?…🤡
Harley. It’s Harley Quinn. As we see immediately in episode #125 – “The Joke’s On You”.
Ian: I like the fake-out because it allows them to go with the unhinged laughter but also have a funny payoff.And the way they dealt with Harley and Bruce’s pasts without making one or the other character right and the other wrong was really nicely balanced.
Steph: That’s true. I have to say…I was getting pretty irritated with her and wanted to yell at her too.
Ian: This is exactly the kind of redemption arc that I think is well done. I don’t like when they pretend that a villain never did anything wrong.
A villain who is redeemed has to live with the harm they caused. That doesn’t mean they can’t be heroic and have joy – but it does mean sometimes they broke things that can’t be repaired.
Steph: I do have to say, I wasn’t have fan of the comment on the Styrofoam cup and how Ivy didn’t like them. That whole interaction was…I don’t know. Grating? Why does Ivy have the power to influence the types of cups the GCPD uses. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because we don’t really know Ivy’s story in WFA yet.It really didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the narrative.
Ian: I feel that Ivy in general is a weak spot in most writing. I think Ivy is mostly based on her Harley Quinn Animated Series version. But that version, as far as we can tell, isn’t the kind of genocidal murderous lunatic that Ivy has been in the comics. So the redemption isn’t has hard to buy. But comics Ivy just slaughters people and thinks that people should be exterminated, which to me is just as evil as the Joker’s nihilism, so it’s hard to reconcile.
Steph: That’s true, I suppose.
Good point.
I know you touched on Harley and Bruce’s past, but do you think Harley overreacted to Batman’s “flinch”? Again, just from the way Harley was written, and I think it was intentional, Harley was really, really irritating. I know that’s what he was reacting to, but I would struggle not to at least roll my eyes.
Ian: No, I think that it was really good that she realized why Bruce was struggling. That felt like a really good moment to give her character that redemptive depth that you often miss out when just playing her for comedy. The realization that yes, she did hurt people badly. And of course I loved that Bruce came to talk things out with her. That was really good – this Bruce really is a good man.
Steph: I really loved her in the later half of the episode. She takes that step back and analyses the situation and comes to those great conclusions together.
Ian: Indeed! She and Bruce come together in a really touching way.
Steph: I love that she points out that “being strong” and “being lonely” aren’t the same thing.
Ian: WFA remembers the WAYNE part of its title – it’s not interested in demonizing Bruce at all. The therapist part of Harley scores an excellent point!
Steph: And then, we end on a terrible cliffhanger, Jason warns Oracle that Joker plans on attacking the GCPD! Oh no, we’ll have to wait till next time to see what happens with that. What are your overall thoughts about these three episodes?
Ian: That was such a great twist! I love that we have the Bat-family and Batman working hard to detect and fight Joker, so it doesn’t feel like The Batman film where Batman just follows all of Riddler’s clues and sets everything up for Riddler’s plan. Instead, Batman and the Bat-family are actually solving problems before Joker and the villains are able to pull things off – but not to make it too easy. A really nice balance!
Overall, I loved the Steph parts, as usual – a really awesome grasp of her character, voice, and motivations! And with the rest of the characters too!
Steph: Of course. I really appreciate how their handling the Jason story, though I think we might be moving on from him taking up so much panel real estate to focusing on other characters soon. I am very excited.
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