The Batman Strikes # 14

 By Mark Rodriguez

The Batman was the first new Batman cartoon to show a different incarnation of the Dark Knight that wasn't tied to The Animated Series and Justice League. I'm not sure how beloved it was when it first came out, but I remember it took a lot of flak because it was different from the DCAU shows. It also came out at an odd time when they couldn't use Robin since he was associated with the Teen Titans cartoon, and they also couldn't use Rahs Al Ghul, Scarecrow and Two-Face since they were in the Nolan movies. Joker got a pass cause he's the Joker. The show inspired a comic book series I didn't know existed and I managed to grab a handful of copies at the mall, so let's check them out one by one. Since I've binge watched the show a few years go, I'll add extra context on this version of the characters when needed.

"Sands of Time" opens with Clayface burying Batman and Catwoman in clay as they fight on a penthouse rooftop. Batman asks his former friend Benett to stop. Clayface says 'Bennett has left the building' and there is only Clayface now. Catwoman can't breathe and Clayface turns one of his arms into a spiked mace and tells them he can end their suffering now. Just then Detective Ellen Yin arrives and fires off some shots at him. She tries to reason with him, since they used to be police partners. Bennett does miss Yin and offers her to join him. She refuses and Clayface says he figured as much. 

Batman grabs Catwoman and rolls out of the clay with her, going for a swimming pool. Clayface grabs and strangles Yin, offering her another chance to join him. Catwoman impales Clayface with the handle of one of the poolside umbrellas. He knocks her off the roof of the penthouse as his clay covers her goggles and she can't see. 

Batman swings out with his rope and catches Catwoman. He tells her to stay alert as he gets hit by one of Clayface's attacks. Batman lands back on the rooftop and pulls out his Batarangs. He tells Yin to get out of there as he tosses his weapons at Clayface. The Batarangs stick into Clayface and he says he'll have to do better than that. The Batarangs explode, leaving mounds of clay everywhere.

Yin asks if Clayface is dead and Batman said he at most stopped him for about 30 seconds. Catwoman says she's going to take her outfit to the cleaners. Clayface starts to reform saying that attack actually stung a little. Batman says he doubts he can propose for him to surrender. Clayface, pretty much a pile of goo now, says to save his proposals for his lady friends as he goes down the drain with the stolen loot. Batman tells the others that he's not done yet as a huge explosion comes from the drain, knocking Yin off the roof. 

Yin is hanging off the ledge and Catwoman taunts her. Batman grabs her and pulls her up, telling Ellen that he got her. Catwoman teases that Batman is on first name basis with the police officer. Yin is ready to arrest her but Catwoman bids her farewell and leaps off the roof. Yin asks Batman if he's going after her. Batman says he will, but not now. Catwoman is just a thief, but Clayface is the real danger. As Batman hits the streets in the Batmobile he calls for Alfred to access some records for him. Alfred doesn't answer.

At Wayne Manor, Alfred is looking at an old picture of Bruce and Ethan on a fishing trip. He says it was a lifetime ago. Bruce arrives and sees this is why he didn't answer him. Alfred says he's been thinking about how much has changed. Bruce sets a hand on his shoulder and says Ethan was like a brother to him. He notices clay on his hand. Alfred smiles evilly and says that Ethan is now 'badder and better' than ever.

Bruce asks what he's done to Alfred. Clayface says he just knocked him out, he was too stubborn to back down. Clayface has a roll of cash and says he sees that Bruce still keeps a bank roll in the bedroom safe. Bruce says he was a good man and he can still turn things around. Clayface says it's already been turned around and upside down and he's just tying some loose ends. Clayface asks if he remembers one time where Bruce saves his life after their canoe hit the rocks. He says he's letting Bruce and Alfred walk away this time, so he considers them even. Bruce asks what if there's a next time. Clayface says then he'll do the same thing to anyone else that gets in his way and he leaves.

Bruce helps Alfred to his feet saying he might have a concussion. Bruce says all they have left of Ethan are memories. Alfred says he remembers when Ethan once visited them and solved a break-in. Bruce says he figured out the missing link that connects these crimes together. Clayface's motivation isn't money, it's Ethan Bennett himself. As Batman drives off, Ellen Yin contacts him and tells him that she figured out where Clayface will strike next. They agree to meet at that location.

Meanwhile some kids are standing outside Kane's Coffee with their dog, complaining about their parents taking so long to buy their drinks. Just the the Batmobile drives by and the kids are amazed. 

Batman arrives at the Gotham International airport, looking for Clayface. He says he knows what he's been doing and it ends now. Clayface arrives in the form of multiple clay versions of Batman, saying that they can put this this to bed for good. Clay-Batman tosses a Clay-Batarang, which Batman counters with his own. The Dark Knight says every crime he's committed has been a replica of a previous crime. These were cases that were solved by Ethan Bennett, and this was his way of dismantling the good he's done with his new legacy as Clayface. Clayface attacks Batman and says he figured it out.

Batman continues to fight the Clay-Batmen and says that creating so many doppelgangers makes them weaker. One of the Clayfaces grabs onto Batman's cape and says his spine will be weak after he slams it against the wall a few times. Ellen Yin jumps in, hitting Clay-Batman with a jumpkick.

All the fake Batmen gets together and reform themselves back into Clayface. As he charges towards Batman, the Dark Knight tosses a vial of chemicals at him. Clayface says the crystallization formula won't work on him anymore since he's gotten too strong for that. He smacks Batman and Yin around, sending them flying. Batman lands in a heap of barrels full of absorbing fluid. Clayface forms his hands into buzzsaws and runs towards Batman. 

Batman spills the absorbing fluid all over Clayface, which dries out his body. Batman hits him with the crystallization formula which turns him into a solid statue. Yin is glad it's over. She says she keeps hoping that somewhere inside Clayface is still a piece of Ethan's soul. Batman says the only thing buried under all that clay is now a heart of stone.

My Opinions- 

It was a cool story and it took me back to one of the story threads that ran through the early parts of the series. The comic had good action, and we even got to see a bit of Catwoman in the beginning. I'm assuming she was also robbing the penthouse and got caught up in all this. The story goes through Clayface's tragic story from the series, since in this version he was actually a close friend to Bruce and Yin before the Joker turned him into Clayface. It was an odd change from the established comics canon, but it did give Clayface an extra connection to Bruce and Yin. What I liked about this was that the series actually started with Ellen and Bennett being in charge of catching Batman, with Yin not trusting him while Bennett did. They gave us about ten episodes to get to know Ethan before the Joker would get to him in the season one finale. 

I was curious about this 'Absorb All' that Batman was conveniently tossed into, which helped him win. Since this was at an airport hanger, the closest thing I could find was de-icing fluid, which is used to absorb water to prevent it from sticking to the wings of the planes. 

One of the downsides of the comic being based on the cartoon is not being able to predict where the cartoon will go. The story did end with the implication that Ethan is forever gone and that Clayface will forever be a villain now, but the cartoon did eventually make Ethan willingly give himself up and serve his sentence and eventually get cured of his powers. At this time the Basil Karlo version of Clayface would take over and be far more villainous. 

One last thing I forgot to mention. The comic also featured a 12 page comic/ad for Bionicle that made the comic feel thicker than it really was. I hate stuff like that. Apparently the story will continue on in 'Sports Illustrated for Kids'. Well good. Go over there and take up 12 pages of that magazine and leave Batman alone.