10.08
Issue #1 or “The Case of the Gentle Ghost Man!”
The earliest episode in this feature is from the first half of the first season and was chosen specifically because it was the first episode to show the full potential of the series. While the six episodes before it are all good episodes well worthy of watching, it was really with “Dawn of the Dead Man!” that the show came into its own with much more going on than most viewers would catch on the first viewing. In this episode a lot happens in such a short time frame, so you’ll really need to pay attention to keep up.
So grab yourselves a bowl of heavily salted snack treats (or veggie snacks, depending on your diet) and let’s jump in to this great episode!
#1 – Dawn of the Dead Man!
Written by: Steve Melching
Directed by: Ben Jones
Principle Cast:
Diedrich Bader as Batman
Michael Rosenbaum as Deadman
Greg Ellis as Gentleman Ghost
James Arnold Taylor as Green Arrow
Jason Marsden as Speedy
There have been many stories about the death of the hero and the world’s reaction to it, some even starring Batman himself. However, ‘Dawn of the Dead Man!” twists this idea about in an interesting direction by starting in a somewhat odd spot.
We first start with an ominous shot of Batman’s grave. What? Batman’s dead already?! But this is the first issue?! Who could have put our hero six feet under so fast?!
Well, hold onto your hats folks, we need to step back a bit to see how Batman got here.
Batman gets the first words of this segment when he tells us what we’re already thinking. “You’re probably wondering who got me. The thing is- I’m not dead. Not yet, at least. But I sure was feeling a lot better a few hours ago.” He says this as his spirit begins to leave his body into the night sky just as the episode finally begins.
Though every episode before this started with a bang, this was the first episode to really push the formula. Batman’s basically dead and someone killed him, but as the show would become infamous for later- there’s a lot more than that going on behind the scenes in such a simple looking show. While the audience wonders exactly how can he be a spirit but not dead it doesn’t take long to find out that there’s much more going on than Batman’s supposed death.
When we are taken back to a few hours ago we see Batman chasing the villain known as the Gentleman Ghost through the streets of London where the story apparently takes place. It turns out that the Gentleman Ghost is looking to raise his army of the dead to destroy the world of the living, and to do so he needs three artifacts. He is currently in possession of two- which means Batman needs to work fast to stop him.
You see, Gentleman Ghost was foiled long ago as a man named ‘Gentleman’ Jim Craddock and was put to death for his crimes. But that’s a whole other story and it might involve Sherlock Holmes so let’s skip to why he’s back now- to take his revenge on the world of course! Craddock had always been more interested in control of the supernatural to control and crush the natural since he was still alive, and it was a curse that followed him into his undead existence.
“I’m the man who haunts YOU, Gentleman Ghost!”
“I don’t scare easy, Batman!”
Unfortunately for our hero, Batman takes a spill in mid-air while in pursuit of the monstrous menace and is dumped into a shallow grave to await his death. The Dark Knight struggles to break himself free of his coffin prison, but it is no use. What can he do to get away from this sudden grave danger? He uses an ancient Tibetan astral projection technique to free part of him into the chilly London night.
His spirit becomes stuck in the netherworld between the mortal world and the afterlife giving him a way of seeking help for his dire situation, but he can’t rest just yet. He quickly takes an air capsule to help his body breathe longer, but it won’t last forever. Because he only has a limited time (two hours) before he dies for real and the Gentleman Ghost is free to unleash havoc on the world.
Lucky for him, help comes rather fast.
The strange spirit known only as “Deadman” comes to him thinking that Batman has actually died, but soon learns the truth that the newly deceased superhero is not actually deceased but in need of assistance in more ways than one. Deadman volunteers to dig up his body by possessing another to do the deed, but it isn’t good enough since the coffin is booby trapped and wired to explode should anyone tamper with it. The Caped Crusader’s fate isn’t looking too good at this point. So both the Bat and the spirit-man leave the graveyard in search of other clues in their limited time before his short life comes to an end.
It is unknown exactly how long the mysterious spirit has been walking alone among the dead, but it is implied that it has been a very long time. Either way, there must be something more to him if he volunteers to help our hero without even a complaint. We’ll learn more about Deadman in due time.
Meanwhile, the Gentleman Ghost runs afoul of a fake psychic who has the final piece of his collection. His comment that his proof that she was a fake is because the one mystical artifact in the store is being treated as window-dressing is a nice touch. Those who profit off the spiritual plain annoy him just as much as those who try to stop him from taking over the physical one. He may be a bad guy, but he is a gentleman after all. He has to have some sense of honor and class in taking over the mortal plain.
“Save your pennies, sir! This woman is a cheap charlatan!”
In fact, spiritual matters are the only thing the ghastly ghost ever appears to take seriously. Mortal men simply bring his long-drained blood to a boil, but put him up against a spirit or a demon and his tune changes fast.
As the Gentleman Ghost saves the day from psychic forgery, Batman and his otherworld escort takes through the darkened skies of London when Deadman informs him of how lonely it is in the world between life and death since nobody can see or hear you. However, somebody does hear Batman when a bright light appears before him that Deadman can’t see. He quickly learns that it’s the way to the other side and that he must make a choice.
This is where the episode takes a bit of a sudden turn.
Deadman states that the light only appears to those who are finally ready to move on and have left all their earthly business behind. He himself has never seen the light, but tells his companion that this light might be his only shot to have a guaranteed spot on the other side because there is no telling what might happen in the future and once he crosses there’s no coming back. What Batman- no, what Bruce Wayne must do is make a choice that can very directly affect the world. There are people waiting for him back home, but there are also people waiting for him in the light.
Keep in mind that we don’t know why Batman exists here. The only hint we are given to his identity is that his name is Bruce Wayne, he’s rich, and he has a butler named Alfred. Why he has a vendetta against criminals is revealed in the sub-plot to “Invasion of the Secret Santas!” because his parents were killed in an alley because of a movie he wanted to see on Christmas due to his parents trying to give him the perfect gift.
We will later learn why he chose the bat mantle in “Return of the Fearsome Fangs!” but for now we only know that he is a hero because his parents died and he wants to make sure nobody goes through that again.
Bruce is told he’s earned a rest and can safely move on, but ultimately decides against it. There’s still more work to be done, and it’s not time for him to go just yet.
It’s at this point where we realize exactly where Batman is in his journey. His parents’ death is no longer the driving force behind his heroism, but is only the catalyst to where it began. He’s long past the days for falling in love with the right person and hoping for a new life (as we will also find out later) and is almost entirely Batman now with Bruce Wayne as the disguise. It’s no coincidence that it takes until a very important season 2 episode before we see Bruce Wayne’s face for the first time. As of right now there is only Batman left.
Either way, Batman decides that he has to stay because it’s his job and Deadman chastises his decision obviously envious that he saw the light before him.
The pair muses about their situation. Certainly there must be a hero around that can help the pair out before it’s too late? Luckily for our floating protagonists, there are just the heroes to help them running through the streets (err, roofs) of London!
Green Arrow and Speedy have been chasing a criminal through twelve cities across three continents (according to Speedy) and have finally managed to catch him when our heroes spot them and attempt to gather their aide. It’s important to mention here that Batman and Green Arrow are direct rivals and remains the one person Batman hates to ask for help. Green Arrow is the very same person always competing with him to be labeled the best frequently comparing criminal captures with him. He’s also the most arrogant of his fellow heroes (aside from a certain Green Lantern) and the first to make a snide comment contrasted with his ward who is always eager to help and is much more modest.
Speedy and Green Arrow share their own tumultuous crime fighting issues, but since they don’t surface in this episode its best to assume this is one of their better nights. No fetching Green Arrow’s bow in the crocodile pit this night for poor Speedy.
What follows instead is Batman using Deadman’s trick and possessing the ever-chipper Speedy to get Green Arrow’s attention. Of course, Green Arrow doesn’t believe his possessed ward until Batman’s trademark intimidation techniques kick in and he finally comes to his senses before his possessed partner beats him to a pulp. He tells the archers to dig up his body at the cemetery before it’s too late (there’s an hour left) and the two take off without further delay to rescue their good friend.
“Hahaha! Golly, you sure sound- Listen to me, you smug jerk! I’m Batman!”
Deadman mopes about when he hears that Gentleman Ghost is involved and resents Batman for getting him involved. Our hero tells the spirit that maybe if he wasn’t busy thinking of himself he would realize there’s a reason he is where he is, and that he can still do some good in the world despite no longer being a part of it. He leaves Deadman alone to sulk while he takes off, but the sour spirit soon joins back up with him and tells him his story.
Batman has a way of speaking sense in this show that always manages to cut through any pretension and bitterness in a way that always follows both his character and the story. It’s a strange balancing act to prevent him from becoming stale and one note, but the show always succeeds at it and Batman’s dry sense of humor always adds just enough wit when needed.
Deadman tells his new friend that he was once a trapeze artist in the circus until he was murdered by a man with a hook for a hand for reasons he doesn’t actually know. His death was such a small event that nobody even talked about it and he was soon forgotten which made him bitter. A man who always brings attention to himself now receives none. It’s quite a pill to swallow for the arrogant acrobat. However, Batman being the smart guy that he is knows exactly who he is and how he died and informs Deadman that he’s been working his case since he died promising that he will find his killer eventually. But first, Deadman must make a decision to writhe alone in the past or help Batman in the present before things get worse.
This is possibly the third time a dead body is shown in this episode, but who’s counting?
“I’m putting a stop to your afterlife of crime!”
“You don’t stand a ghost of a chance!”
While Green Arrow and Speedy try to save Batman’s life, the Caped Crusader and Deadman chase after the Gentleman Ghost who actually can be hurt by spirits just as he can by mortals. Though Gentleman Ghost shows no fear to Batman while he’s alive, he shows plenty more fear now that he sort of-isn’t. The specter flees in terror from the sight of two vengeful spirits though the sewers and the group ends up back at the cemetery as the clock continually counts down. The trio end up in a hidden catacomb under the cemetery where the grisly ghost attempts to summon executed spirits to do his bidding on earth.
The pair quickly finds themselves overwhelmed by the spirits of the underworld and Batman sends Deadman to retrieve the nth metal tools from his utility belt as they are the most effective against the undead. While their enemy amasses an undead army for himself to destroy the mortal world, our heroes both mortal and not scramble to save one of their own before it is too late.
“Tonight, we burn London to the ground!” The Gentleman Ghost cries as we come into the final act.
As we head for the climax, Green Arrow and Speedy rescue Batman’s body from the booby-trapped coffin just as Deadman arrives to take control of his body and direct the two bowmen to their plight. He uses Batman’s utility belt to blow a hole through the ground to help his friend while the Gentleman Ghost rises to the surface and the two archers are left to deal with the oncoming undead menace.
Being his usual gloating self, he looks down on the two archers who are unaware of what it is they are truly facing.
“Stand aside, fools… or I shall cast your broken bodies into the Thames!”
“Oh yeah, you and what army?”
“Never ask that question, Speedy.”
While Batman returns to the battle with body intact, Deadman sticks around to help against the horde and a knock-down drag-out brawl occurs where the four heroes fight against Gentleman Ghost’s army. It turns out the undead is no match for nth metal arrows and fists (and a possessed ward) leading to him dropping his artifacts.
Batman promptly blows the artifacts causing Gentleman Ghost to quickly lose control of his own horde that promptly turn on him and drag him to his… well, imprisonment, most likely. He’s already dead, after all. He curses Batman one last time as they drag him through the cemetery ground and the army vanishes with him back to the underworld. It’s safe to say this is the last we’ve seen of Craddock.
Maybe.
“No! Help me, I beg you!”
”Your army isn’t as loyal as you thought, Craddock.”
“Curse you, Batman! Curse you!”
The Dark Knight thanks Deadman for his help (though he can’t see him) and vows to find his friend’s killer like he always said he would, though Speedy has no idea who he’s talking to being unaware of Deadman’s existence unlike the older heroes.
The spirit flies off triumphant in saving the world to see the light for the first time staring him in the face. Deadman finally finds what it is he is looking for and smiles as it finally comes upon him giving him what he wanted most of all.
Before the story ends we are treated to an epilogue that takes place three months later. Some bad people have taken Batman prisoner aboard a ship and are ready to kill him when suddenly he is visited by a familiar friend. Deadman takes control of the one who is about to kill Batman and frees him saying that he still has things he can do to help on earth and that maybe there is a reason he has the powers he has. The episode ends as Batman and Deadman take on their confused enemies in a good old round of beat down.
So what we have here is the first episode of Batman: The Brave & The Bold that showed exactly what it can do. In the same story you have a race against time, a choice between life and death, a battle against an undead army, an introduction and redemption of a brand new character, back-story, funny lines and gags, and excellent character moments all packed tightly into one episode. It is quite easy to see how the show swings from action to comedy, from drama to tongue in cheek all effortlessly and without any issue. “Dawn of the Dead Man!” is the first episode to show every side of the fantastic show all in one place both in its potential and in its execution. Pun always intended.
It’s one of the show’s best.
Hopefully that was whetting enough for what is to come in the wonderful world of Batman, ladies and gentlemen. There’s still plenty to go and we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface!
Until next time, Bat-fans! Same brave blog, same bold place!