Gotham Central #108

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Hello GOTHAMITES, and welcome back to the Gotham Central Podcast!

This week, Tim, Justin, and Hunter discuss and review all things, good and bad, that came out this week in the world of Gotham City. Birds of Prey, Batman and Robin, Red Robin, Knight and Squire, and Batgirl all came out this week, and we discuss them! We even have a little Batman: The Brave and the Bold in store, now how does that sound? Also! Be sure to stick stick around for the Pull List where we talk about everything that will becoming out NEXT week!

NYCC: DC Universe Panel

..and we're back! After an extended hiatus, the crew here at Gotham Central are getting up to date on all of the Batman books, returning from New York Comic Con, and bringing along a few treats with them.

There wasn't a lot of Batman news given at the con, but at the DC Universe panel, there were a few nice tidbits given on some of the upcoming storylines in the Batman books, and embedded after the jump are a few videos from the panel. We've got some great pics from the convention, but those are still to follow, but check out the videos for details about the future of Batman in DC Comics.

Gotham Central-Reviews #42

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Hello Gothamites,

In our 98th episode, Hunter pretty much breaks down and tells you that he hated some of the books this week! Also, a short review of Batman: The Brave and the Bold for Wii!

This week's books are:

DCU Legacies #5
Brightest Day #10
Azrael #12
Batman Beyond #4 (of 6)
Birds of Prey #5

Gotham Central-Reviews #37

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Hello Gothamites,

Joining Crazy Quilt this week is none other than Calendar Man himself, Brian "Mosedogg" Moseley! Brian joins us this week to talk about all the recent Gotham news as well as help out reviewing all of this week's books!

This week's books are:

Batgirl #13
Birds of Prey #4

Panel of The Week: August 11, 2010

In an attempt to bring more content to the site, we are instating Panel of The Week which features the single panel that stands out head and shoulders above all other panels. The panel of the week is based on great art, strong determination, intense action, bravery, and above all else, exemplify the qualities of a super hero.

There are some standards that we have to set in, however. For example, the panel must exist on its own, meaning that it cannot be separated into multiple panels to get its point across. Also, splash pages, two pages spreads, and title pages are automatically removed from qualification, but that's pretty much it, so without further ado, the panel of the week is:

Batgirl #14: Pere Perez (Artist) Bryan Q. Miller (Writer)

In the midst of a mirror match fight with Clayface, Stephanie Brown shows all the qualities of a true hero, proving further that she indeed deserves the mantle of Batgirl. Risking her own life to stop crime, bring Clayface to justice, and saving everyone in the vicinity earns her the panel of the week.

Check out the runners up directly after the jump.

Gotham Central-Pull List #37

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Hello Gothamites!

Special guest "Grant Morrison" stops by to discuss the latest news and the previews for this week in Gotham!

This week's books are:

Batgirl #13
Birds of Prey #4
Final Crisis: Revalations (TPB)
Brave and the Bold: Team Ups Vol. 1 Hardcover

Gotham Central-Reviews #33

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Hello Gothamites,

This week on the Gotham Central Podcast, we bring you news and reviews!

This week's books are:

Batman #701
Birds of Prey #3
Batgirl #12

Gotham Central-Pull List #33

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Hello Gothamites,

This week on the Gotham Central Podcast, we bring you news and previews!

This week's books are:

Batgirl #12
Batman #701
Birds of Prey #3
Super Friends #29
Batgirl: Rising TPB
Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Vol. 1
Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Vol. 2 (maybe?)

Birds of Prey: Thoughts and Review

Over the Fourth of July weekend of 2010, I spent my time off watching the entire 2002 series, Birds of Prey.

Birds of Prey was a television series based on the popular comic book series with various creative teams, but found its voice under the guidance of Gail Simone. The comic book mainly focuses on Barbara Gordon (Oracle), Dinah Lance (Black Canary), and Helena Bertinelli (The Huntress), and the show pretty much focuses on the same characters, but with some very weird differences. For instance, the character Dinah Lance, played by Rachel Skarsten, is in actuality the daughter of Black Canary, but still remains a meta human with various abilities with the core being a form of telepathy, while the Huntress, played by Ashley Scott, is for some reason a meta human based on the Huntress of Earth-2, Helena Kyle, the daughter of Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Selina Kyle (Catwoman). Oracle on the other hand is pretty much the same character that we are all familiar with, and Dina Meyer plays a fantastic Barbara Gordon. With all the differences that seemingly make no sense, it can be challenging to get over as a comic book fan.

The show focuses on a time period after an earthquake that shook Gotham City to its core, which ultimately led to a New Gotham and a knock-down-drag-out war between The Joker and The Batman. And like all wars, there were casualties including Helena's mother, Catwoman. Barbara Gordon, who was working as Batgirl, was also gunned down by The Joker, left for dead, and ultimately left paralyzed from the waist down. These events led to Barbara Gordon to take in young Helena Kyle, and mentor her into a life of acceptance and crime fighting, and like the comic book series, Birds of Prey is mainly about the relationships between the characters with a strong focal point of each character's personal life.

At the beginning of the series, the show looks at the arrival of Dinah Lance into New Gotham and focuses most of its energy on developing a new hero, but the show's strengths lie within the episodes that are Oracle and Huntress centric, which just so happen to be the last episodes when the show's cancellation was inevitable. At the beginning, the show tried to pull from the success of Smallville when that's not what it should have been. Unfortunately, Birds of Prey found its own voice after it was far too late.

Birds of Prey definitely had its share of pros and cons, with a large emphasis on those cons. The acting from the main focal point, Rachel Skarsten, is almost cringe worthy for the majority of the series, and the pacing is way off until about halfway through the show. Another problem with this program is that it keeps driving home the fact that Huntress is a Meta Human and mourning the loss of Selina Kyle, even though her death was far into the past, and Helena doesn't seem too focused on her. The one episode, where it really does become integral to the plot, it is used magnificently, but with the constant exposition, it's almost meaningless. The show also suffered from being too corny in a lot of the episodes, but it ultimately managed to take its own reigns, and bring it around to acceptable levels of cheese at the end of the series. And, as we stated before, the DVD release also got mauled by lack of the original licensed songs for the series.

But the show does have its ups, as well. The scenes based on Helena's anger management therapy sessions with Dr. Harleen Quinzell, are always interesting, and given that she is being treated by Harley Quinn, the show continues to set up an ultimate enemy for the season, and it's done in a terrific way, even though everyone should recognize and remember all of the things in Harley's past. But the ultimate payoff with Harley (is done fantastically with a perfect performance from Mia Sara. 

Other high points are the inclusion of other DC Comics character appearances such as Batman and The Joker (Unaired Pilot), Alfred Pennyworth (entire series), and Clayface ("Feat of Clay"). Again, the relationships and personal lives of Huntress and Oracle should have been more of a focus, instead of the "journey of a hero" storyline that was originally being pushed, because, although it was drug out for far too long, the relationship between Huntress and Detective Reese contained a lot of potential, and could have provided an intriguing catalyst much like the relationship between Wade and Barbara.

Overall, I really came to love the series, and Birds of Prey was worth the time and money invested based on the last set of episodes, and I am truly going to miss it.

Birds of Prey: Original Opening

I don't remember watching Birds of Prey as it aired back in 2002, but over the Fourth of July weekend, I spent my time watching the show on DVD, and one of my main issues with the show was the hilarious opening sequence with the song "Remedy". There's nothing wrong with the song, it just made it seem like a really sensitive show that was about girls bonding as opposed to the ass-kicking-DC women show that it should have felt like.

Well, thanks to friend of the show, Bryan Q. Miller, I learned that this song wasn't the original series opener, and that there were clearance issues concerning the DVD release. And I've gotta say, the original series opener is so much better and appropriate for the show's feel, and it's a shame that we don't get what the creators intended.

Here is the original opening of the show, a song called "I'd Start a Revolution" by Aimee Allen.



Also, something else that is left out of the DVD release is the finale fight scene set to "All The Things She Said" by t.A.T.u., so check out the original finale fight below.

Gotham City Sirens: Waffle Thiefs

I have absolutely no idea what this is about, but I know that it was a promo for the Birds of Prey Full Series on DVD.. well, I think it is, at least. I'm just seeing this now, but I am left confused and bewildered.

Part Batman: The Animated Series, Part Gotham City Sirens, Part Birds of Prey.. completely crazy.



Buy the Birds of Prey DVD on Amazon

Gotham Central-Reviews #29

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Hello Gothamites,

This week, Justin and Hunter talk at length about each of the Gotham book that have come out this week. They go in to detail about each book. There's something for everyone! Hopefully you enjoy!

This week's books are:

Azrael #9

Birds of Prey #2

Brightest Day #4

Joker's Asylum: Harley Quinn (Justin's Pick)

Joker's Asylum: Mad Hatter (Hunter's Pick)

Gotham Central-Reviews #24

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OMG GUYS BRUCE WAYNE RETURNS!!! THIS WEEK IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!! AHHHHH!!!!!

This week's books are:

Justice League: Generation Lost

Batgirl #10

Batman #699 (ONE MORE MONTH!! YEAH!!!)

BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 (of 6)!!!!!!!!!

BIRDS OF PREY #1!!!!!!!!

First Wave #2 (of 6)

Gotham Central-Pull List #24

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OMG GUYS BRUCE WAYNE RETURNS!!! THIS WEEK IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!! AHHHHH!!!!!

This week's books are:

Batgirl #10

Batman #699 (ONE MORE MONTH!! YEAH!!!)

BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 (of 6)!!!!!!!!!

BIRDS OF PREY #1!!!!!!!!

First Wave #2 (of 6)

The Outsiders: The Hunt (TPB)

The Question: Vol. 6 (TPB)

Superboy: The Boy of Steel (HC)

Eye Meltingly Awesome Cliff Chiang Variant Cover For Birds Of Prey #1

DC’s Source Blog just released this gorgeous Cliff Chiang variant cover for Birds of Prey #1. Drooooooool.