Thursday, 23 October 2014

Holly Robison (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance: ?
First Refrenced: Batman Arkham City

During a patient interview with Catwoman, Hugo Strange claims that he has Tyger operatives training weapons on her and that she is their prisoner, threatening to kill her if Catwoman did not answer his questions.

This causes Selina great rage at Strange, calling him a "bastard." 

After Catwoman denies loving Batman, Strange tells her that Holly is safe in Gotham as he has better things to do than worry about "teenage deliquents"

Mad Hatter (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham City

The Mad Hatter witnesses Batman saving Vicki Vale from the Joker's sniper riffles after her helicopter was shot down by Joker. He takes the opportunity to plant a remote hypnotic suggestion into his head, where he was ordered to come to his hideout.

After Batman regains consciousness after injecting himself with the "cure", which is really a knockout sedative and hypnotic chemical that made him more susceptible to suggestion, he sees Mad Hatter in his lair in a Park Row apartment under a strip club. He asks Batman if he wants more tea, laughing at Batman when he asks where he is is. Hatter tells him that he made him want to see what he wanted most and inquires if he was going to drink the tea, calling it his "my special tea... my speciality" and comparing her to "Alice" , who never did anything he wanted without a large amount of psychoactive control. He walks across the table, telling Batman that he has developed a special hat just for him, placing a specialised black rabbit mask over his head. He claims Batman is his new soldier until Batman fights the control, defeating him and smashing his hat under his foot and leaving him knocked out.

The Hatter had put rabbit masks on Arkham inmates to make them his loyal henchmen using 
built in hypnotic  controls.

Stephanie Williams (Batman Arkham City)

First Mentioned: Batman Arkham City

Stephanie Williams was a young woman, who Jervis Tetch saw to be Alice in the earlier days of his criminal activities. He lured her back to his lab, where he drugs her with tea and dresses her up, before learning that she is not Alice and kills her.

Before the Arkham Asylum riots, Strange showed her photo during one of the Mad Hatter's patient interview tapes, where he is horrified by the picture with her hair filled with blood. He doesn't recognise her at first, until Strange tells him to look closer and bursts into tears.

She is the first girl that Jervis Tetch kills and it wouldn't be the last.

Calendar Man (Batman Arkham Origins)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham City

Julian Gregory Day was declared by Commissioner Gillian Loeb to be one of the most deadly criminals and after he is apprehended (by Batman- with G.C.P.D taking credit) he was imprisoned in Blackgate, where it was declared that he would face the death penalty for his crimes (despite the possibility he was legally insane.)

He was a patient of Harleen Quinzel, who originally deemed him insane, before being forced to change it so he would die. 

His execution date was set for Christmas Eve and was actually locked inside the execution chamber, bound to an electric chair, when Black Mask (Joker) and his goons invade the facility and free him, (although considering executing him) and says that he owes him and that would be important. He later gets away, where it is quite possible he kills Judge Harkness in revenge, killing a street Santa Claus and visiting his party, strangling him with Christmas tree lights, hanging him from his own Christmas light display.

A week later Calendar Man was still free and attacked a New Year's Eve party, where after getting a restraining order from a girl, he decided to use a flamethrower to burn all the guests.

Alberto Falcone (Batman Arkham Origins)

Quinton Flynn

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Origins

Alberto Falcone is the son of Carmine Falcone, the famous Gotham mob boss leader. 

At some point he was diagnosed with having a split personality tendancies and to stop it from manifesting he has multiple sessions with Dr. Hugo Strange. However he eventually decideds himself that he is okay, skipping two appointments and stating that he would no longer be a test subject for Strange.

He is called by Harleen Quinzel, who was Strange's intern at the time, where she gives the subtle threat that they would tell Carmine about a possible untreated medical condition and asking if they will see him at his usual time.

Alberto goes to the restraunt, Cucinotta, where he is overheard by Black Mask speaking with a tone that almost sounded like he was making decisions for the family. Sionis calls him later and tells him that if he wanted to continue talking about his future, he should do it more privatley and stating that he had the place to do it.

Eventually his psyche breaks and the persona of the Holiday emerges, making a threatening call to Sionis.

On Christmas Eve, Alberto Falcone was abducted by the Penguin, a new mob boss rivalling Falcone and taken to the Final Offer as a way to try and remove Carmine from weapons deals. He is torutured, where he continuously refuses (getting cigar smoke blown into his face) and calls Penguin a "Psychotic little bastard," and is hit in the stomach with the handle of his umbrella. Penguin starts with a cattle prod, until Alberto says he will make his father stand down from the business. However Penguin says that he doesn't hear the sound he wants to hear, poking him continuesly with the prod, until Batman arrives and begins to interrogate Penguin.

During the confusion with Deathstroke, it is most likely that Falcone escaped and fled from the ship.

Holiday (Batman Arkham Origins)

Quinton Flynn

First Appearance: ?
First Reference: Batman Arkham Origins

Holiday is the split persona of Alberto Falcone, the son of Carmine and the Black-sheep of the Falcone Crime Family.

Alberto went to sessions with Dr. Hugo Strange to try and help him, but eventually decided he was okay and skipped two appointments.

However the Holiday persona manifested itself and prior to the Christmas Eve incident and he made a threatening call to Roman Sioins late at night, telling him that he needed to get his affairs in order and that things are changing in Gotham as the "wolves descend." Sionis begins to make a threat but Holiday declares himself to answer to and be a much more powerful person than Black Mask, hanging up when Black Mask makes another threat.

Wyatt (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance: ?
First Appearance: Batman Arkham City

Wyatt was an inmate in Arkham City, who went missing after he went investiagting in the sewers, which led to everyone believing him to have been eaten by Killer Croc, who had made his home there after being transfered to the prison.

Riddler Trophy (Batman Arkham Origins)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum

The trophy is a box, which stores gears and a small generator that powers a green neon light that lights up the question mark shaped top.

At some point prior to the Christmas Eve incident, Edward Nigma designed and created a prototype of the Riddler trophy, which he kept locked away in his secured room in his Burnley hideout. 

On Christmas Eve after Batman destroyed the data relay networks, hacked all the G.C.R Towers and collected all the data files that he had spread around Gotham, Batman investigates the room and finds the trophy at the very back of a secondary secret room, next to a prototype for the traps he developed at the same time to use in his future crimes against Gotham and Batman.

Talia's Elite Guard (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham City (2011)

Talia's elite guard are a group of highly trained female assassins, who once picked from generations in advance by Ra's al Ghul go on to be trained to the highest level from birth.

The guard shadow her at all times to keep her safe, despite Talia being a fearce advisary already.

Batman Arkham City (2011) Overall Series Review

A five part series that shows a segment of what happened during the year long gap between Arkham Asylum and City. This is a good series, however I feel it lacks the same punch as Batman Arkham Unhinged, which focuses on more current sections of the universe.

To give a synopsis, the Joker is broken out of prison after an assassination attempt was made on his life by security guards, who survived the Arkham riots. 

Arkham City has been improved and prisoners are being rounded up and and incarcerated and Hugo Strange is revealed to be the big shadow that is pulling the strings to Arkham City.

I do like the character interactions, most notably the dialogue between Catwoman and Batman and the idea that Batman disguises himself to find out what is happening amongst the Penguin and Joker's gangs are fascinating, but it doesn't stop me wishing it expanded further on some of the elements that are left unclear or are mentioned in the in-game stories of Arkham City briefly.

But that is my personal opinion, I do like the series but it is not my favourite of the Arkham tie-in comics available. I would recommend it if you are interested in learning the "Arkham lore" or want to read a new comic but would say that Batman Arkham Unhinged (2011) is better in both storyline and information.


Clayface (Period of time between Batman Arkham Origins and Asylum)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum

Karlo took up the mantle (de-powered) while killing members of the remakes cast and crew, however was stopped from killing Batman's fiancee, Julie Madison by Batman and Robin.

He attempted to kill her again, but that failed again. 

A couple of years later he teamed up with villains to form a group called "The Mudpack", who he betrayed after a defeat and stole DNA samples from each member, synthesising into a formula, which he injected into himself and gained the abilities of the team, including shape-shifting and size alteration.

He was eventually captured in Arkham Asylum, where they locked him away in the Penitentiary section of the facility, behind a cell of glass. He was deemed insane and hence was given a doctor to psychoanalyse him for possible rehabilitation.

Dr. Young's Personal Notes on Patient: (Most likely to be his doctor or was asked by either Warden Sharp or another doctor to make them)

"Clayface

Real Name: Basil Karlo

Dr. Penelope Young

While his bizarre ability to shape-change opens him up to the obvious-if controversial-diagnosis of multiple personality disorder, Karlo seems instead to be suffering from borderline personality disorder, with a special emphasis on identity disturbance. He is difficult to pin down on any subject, and defends his wild changes in affect as evidence of his dramatic abilities, which he considers to be wildly underrated. Rarely does he take his own shape, but frequently mimics me when I attempt to interview him.

Additional notes
His identity is at risk of splintering, due to the growing frequency of his adopting the identities of others to the exclusion of taking on his own.
I find his imitation of me to be especially unflattering; I am most certainly not the bitter, calculating academic he attempts to portray me as.

STRONG ESCAPE RISK!"


Basil Karlo (Period of time between Batman Arkhan Origins and Asylum)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum

Before his transfromation into Clayface, Basil Karlo discovered a plan for a remake of "The Terror" and out of anger for the fact that they did not ask him to partispate, went on a killing spree of related cast and crew members using the guise of Clayface (a character from the original film) wearing his old costume. 

However he was captured by Batman and Robin, before he could kill Batman's fiancee, Julie Madison. His police van drove off a cliff, allowing him to esscape and put another atempt on Madison's life, but again Batman defeated him.

He formed an alliance with a group of shape-changing villains, who called themselves the Mudpack and went up against Batman.  After their defeat, Karlo stole samples of his allies and synthesizsed the DNA into a formula, which he injected into himself, giving him the powers to manipulate his flesh into any form and changing size.

Thomas Blake (Batman Arkham Origins)

First Appearance: ?
First Referenced: Batman Arkham Origins

At Gotham Zoo, Thomas Blake was advertised to present a show in which he entertain people with a rare selection of jungle cats at some point during the Christmas Eve period.

Multiple posters have been put up all across Gotham to pull in punters and investors.

Basil Karlo (Batman Arkham Origins)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum

Basil Karlo was an actor, who was putting on an impressionist show called "Funny Faces" at the Jezebel Theatre during the Cristmas Eve and had many posters put up around the Bowery.

He was a famous horror film actor, who starred in "The Terror."


Bud and Lou (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham City

Bud and Lou were the pet hyenas of Harley Quinn and the Joker, which Joker had bought at some point after the Christmas Eve event. 

At some point in time after the Arkham Asylum Riots, they were shot and stuffed either by the Penguin or someone on his orders, after which being put  on display in the Cyrus Pinkney Natural History Museum (Penguin's base) as a trophy in a victory against the Joker.

Riddler discovered their bodies, connecting a riddle to them and tasking Batman to solve it in order to capture him and locate the hostages he had imprisoned. 

"Have Joker's pets laughed themselves to death, or just eaten too much?"

Razor (Batman Arkham City)

First Appearance:?    
First Mentioned: Batman Arkham City

A second person took up the name Razor, who used to work for Joker but went to join the Penguin while they were imprisoned in Arkham City. 

Penguin interrogated him in order to learn any secrets about Joker, before dropping him in a pool of razor blades to die for his own personal amusement.

Razor (Batman Arkham Asylum)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum (2009)

Razor was a henchman, who was transferred to Arkham Asylum after the Blackgate fire. He was a member of the Joker's gang and took part in his escape plan.

Razor was among the Joker's gang who attacked the Medical Centre and took Dr. Stephen Kellerman and Aaron Cash hostage in the Patient Observation Room and release Joker Toxin into the room. However he is too slow and is trapped as well, getting to the higher levels to avoid inhaling it.

When Batman arrives to help, he finds Razor hanging over a small room, clinging onto a rope. Batman cuts him down and he smashes through the roof, surviving the fall and being knocked out, saved from the gas by Batman activating the extractor fan.

He later regains consciousness and goes to the Intensive Treatment Building, where they are just finishing attaching bombs to the gargoyles when Batman arrived. They contact the Joker, telling them they have done and Joker decides to test one out. Razor was still up by the gargyole when it explodes, killing him instantly.

Jonathan Crane (Batman Arkham Origins)

First Appearance: Batman Arkham Asylum

Jonathan Crane was a psychologist, who specialised in fear and over coming it. 

He often frequented Blackgate Prison, signing in to the visitors book using the official channels. During his sixth visit to the the pentitentiary, Black Mask (The Joker) had broken into the prison on Christmas Eve in order to release Calendar Man and kill Gillian Loeb. 

It is unclear whether he was taken hostage or escaped in the panic as he had not signed out when Batman searches through the book.

During this period of time he was looking for candidates for a clinical research trial, sending out flyers to diffrent places including the Final Offer. 

It can be asumed this was the first test of his Fear Toxin and he was scoping Blackgate for prisoners to take part in the trials.

Batman Arkham Origins (2013) Video Game Review

Well this game is certainly another amazing game, this time set five years before the Arkham Asylum Riots. 

The map has increased further with the entire of Gotham becoming your scope. It has more puzzles for Batman to solve from a young Edward Nigma (Eddie Nashton), taking the name Enigma in his battle to bring down the city with leaking information.

The main story on the other hand involves Batman having to hunt down and stop Black Mask from trying to destroy Gotham, whilst having to deal with eight of the world's finest assassins. The twist... the Black Mask is Joker and he is the craziest villain that Batman has ever met. 

The story also has several side mission including an appearance from Mad Hatter and my favourite vigilante, Anarky.  With a large number of crime scenes, case files and collectible pieces to find this game takes a long time to complete, but is well worth it.

If the main game is not enough the DLC gives you the character of Deathstroke to play as, one challenge bundle called Initiation, where young Bruce Wayne is training with the League of Assassins and an additional story called Cold, Cold Heart, introducing Mr. Freeze to the world with a chilly flourish. It also introduces a multiplayer, where you can play as either Joker, Bane, Batman or Robin to fight real players online, almost like a Halo, C.O.D style of game.

I'm  impressed with this game as much as the others, but the controls are a bit hard to master after playing the Asylum and City. That being said a great game and I await the next game with just as much enthusiasm.

Batman Arkham City (2011) Video Game Review

Better than the first one and I didn't think that would be possible.

Arkham City has a much larger game map than the first game, meaning more hours to fight crime, gain experience and solve more of Riddler's puzzles.

The story continues one year after the Asylum riot and criminals have been locked away in a maxiumum security facility, which used to be an old part of Gotham.

Inside the criminals are fighting for survival and Batman determines to find out what is going on and stop it (after being taken prisoner by Hugo Strange and his Tygers.) 

The game has some great battles, but it is the twist that just blows the mind. 

DLC content allows you to play as Robin, Catwoman and Nightwing, with an array of maps and challenges, 4 side missions as Catwoman and Harley Quinn's Revenge, an added story of the events after the previous game.

To top off this game, characters like Talia al Ghul, the Mad Hatter and Harley Quinn just steal the scenes they are in.

This game is just... well out of this world.

Batman Arkham Asylum (2009) Video Game Review

I love this game ammensly and have invested alot of time into completing it 100%, a theat I don't do unless I have attachment to the game.

The game is the start to a series of games, with the last insatlment taking place next year (Batman: Arkham Knight) and it just is so wonderfully dark and twisted.

The game is entirely set in Arkham Asylum, crossing between the many buildings and exploring the whole Arkham Island. To give a brief idea of the story, Joker has escaped after being brought back by Batman (that same night.) With the help of inmates, he is seeking the TITAN formula, which had been developed secretly with his funding by Dr. Penelope Young.

Batman has to stop Joker as well as solve the many puzzles that Riddler has set around the island for his own amusement. 

The game has brillaint graphics and the most beautiful boss battle to ever grace the gaming world (my opinion with Titan Ivy.) The soundtrack is perfectly fitted to each section and has just the right amount of horror to already make Killer Croc's lair, turn into a house on Nightmares.

The games also has DLC, which allows players to play as the "Clown, prince of Crime" as well as have a host of other game maps, which can be uploaded online for a leaderboard system.

If I had to choose a favourite character I would have to pick Harley Quinn, who is just stunning in how she treats the Asylum like her own personal gynasium. 

Well worth playing, then again... I would say that about the entire series as a whole.




Forever Evil (2013) Overall Series Review

A comic book devoted to the bad guys,  what can I say other than refreshing.

Spinning off from the events of Justice League (2011) #23, the story follows the Crime Syndiacte of Earth 3 in there mission on conquering Prime Earth, with the opposition of some very unlikely individuals.

When you think Lex Luthor, Captain Cold, Black Manta, Black Adam, Bizarro and Deathstroke, you think villains down right. In this they are more anti-heroes, giving them a more human side and showing there is some good in them (Cold is the most human even before this event anyway.)

With the Justice League "dead" imagine the surprise when Batman and Catwoman turn up to join the party. The  counter parts are all truly evil and I love the stark contrast between Earth 3, criminal haven and Prime Earth with heroes fighting to stamp out crime.

This entire event has just been amazing, leaving the question what can Dc do to top off this. 

If I had to choose a favourite character I would probably go for either Superwoman or Johnny Quick, who take bad to a whole new level and gives us a fine twist during the series finale.

 Overall I would recommend people read this comic to go alongside the current heroe's titles as it proves that you don't have to be "good" to save the world.

Steppenwolf- Prime Earth (Earth 2 2012): The New 52

First Appearance: Justice League (2011) #6

In #1: During the final battle of Metropolis, Steppenwolf joins the battle with reinforcements via a Boom Tube, running at and impaling Wonder Woman on his sword. He then calmly watches as the Parademons swarm around Superman, connecting wires to his face and causing the hero to explode, silencing his threat of killing him and he answers with a smug smile that "Kal" would not.

In #0: In a flashback to the third year of the Apokolips War (six years before the current story line) he can been seen standing with Darkseid and Desaad in an energy shard, who are towering over people with their heads bowed in defeat.

In #8: Steppenwolf is given freedom around Dherain by the monarch King Marov, who says it is his country for as long as he needed it and called him a friend. He congratulates Marov on his skill with World law, stating that the treaty that allows him to seclude himself from any interventions of the World Army was most brilliant, especially considering that Steppenwolf had aid from Marov during his invasion. Marov tells him that will stand, unless Steppenwolf decided to use his country for any more unrest.  Marvov pours him a glass of champagne, which he says he has never tasted before, however it was not in his nature not to try new things. Marov invites him to dinner, which he says he has grown accustomed to enjoy the idea of even though not needing to. He tells Marov that he has found many things to enjoy in the five years he has been on the planet (Earth 2), who questions him on whether that was the end for him and if he were to be stuck from reaching Apokolips for the rest of his life. Steppenwolf explains that the Boom Tube technology was not easily created and it had increased in difficulty after Batman sacrificed himself on the last day to seal off the planet from any other incursion. Steppenwolf walks away to the window stating at first he was devastated about not being able to return, but currently he didn't mind as time heals wounds and the planet may hold new interests for himself.

Steppenwolf puts his helmet on, suddenly turning darker and stating that all his men were dead or "as good as." Marov asks what he is talking about and Steppenwolf tells him the ones that Marov had tasked to attack him, asking not to insult him by lying. He reveals that his forces are still on Earth, who haven't been captured or killed by the World Army, who had just fled or went into hiding, with only one loyal enough to stand at his side. He goes on to explain that it is a girl from Earth, who was taken from her home and mother and was trained to be a warrior on Apokolips, already coming from the finest warrior race in the world... "She is from Amazon Island and her mother was the greatest of them all." Marov asks how and why would Fury (Wonder Woman's daughter) would possibly work with Steppenwolf after he was responsible for killing Diana, but Steppenwolf just smirks and says he reached her at an "impressionable age." Marov drops the act stating he would enjoy the poetry of him dying by Apokoliptian weaponry, but Steppenwolf replies that men who see poetry as war "seldom do" fight. Marov blasts Steppenwolf down, activating an Apokoliptian armour suit, stating their pact was over as he had all the weapons he needed and would prefer to have the bounty that was on Steppenwolf's head.

Steppenwolf leaps into battle with Fury, shouting that Marov had made a great error by inviting him to Dherain in the first place. He reveals that he has a plan of his own and wants the throne that Marov sits on and has an interest on the treaty, longing to see if it will stand with the death of Marov and himself in charge. After killing everyone except Marov, Steppwolf hurls his axe at Marov, decapitating him and shouting that kings fell all the time. He praises Fury in her theatrical methods and her head count and asks her to end it. He corrects her when she assumes he means more combat and stating that "words will suffice." He addresses the Dherain people, lifting Markov's head and claims that he was a leader, a fighter and a protector and that he killed him. They bow down to him as Fury shouts that they should "All hail the king."

Two weeks later he listens to Fury's council, saying that dedicating Marov with a statue was the best way to gain the people support, looking like a worthy successor rather than a tyrant. He muses that he has been mastering and shaping minds for years, but now he wants more fun conquering the world and that he should start preparing for the World Army who will come for him.

In #11: Steppenwolf remains in St. Draemyre since gaining the throne, summonig Fury to his side. He tells her that the "lost son of Apokolips" has been located after hiding from him for the last year after his escape and telling her that he wants him recaptured. Fury asks whether he needed her to help with his plan, but he tells her that as his strongest "link" in his army he needs her elsewhere, using the Dherain army that she had personally trained. He tells her he wants her to go and bring "him" back to the remains of Gotham, calling him the "Lost son of the Highfather." (Mr. Miracle)

In #14: Steppenwolf is begrudigly listening to the bells of the St. Draemyre churches with annoyance, always hating them and wishing to tear them down. An officer reports to him the "Wonders" are attacking "outlaying defense convoys." Steppenwolf smiles saying he thought no less would intervenee, telling the officer to "release the hounds." (Refering to the Hunger Dogs.)

In #15: Steppenwolf makes a cameo, smiling during Mr. Terrific saying that Steppenwolf is goading the World Army to attack.

In #16: Steppenwolf launches his army to fight the World Army and kill any he can find. He recalls vaguely the first man he killed, while the others are more of a blur, thinking back to his time as Darkseid's Grand High Marshall of War and his many battles for Apokolips. He states that this time he is fighting for himself, using the three Hunger Dogs who were also lost from Apokolips.

He is attacked by Green Lantern, but is saved by Brutaal. They team up to beat him to death, before spotting the camera of Lee Travis, who has been filming the battle and speaks to the camera, boasting on how he has defeated the heroes. He says that before he was fighting in the name of Darkseid, but now he fighting for himself. However Brutaal appears behind him and cuts him in half with a blast of heat vision, calling him an idiot and fool.

In #17: Steppenwolf is shown dying in a flashback, which in doing so released a powerful blast of energy destroying an entire country in flames.