Episode 05: Pretty Poison
Written By: Tom Ruegger
Directed By: Boyd Kirkland
Original Air Date: 09/14/92   Poison Ivy holds the title of being the first female villain to appear in Batman: The Animated Series, and she makes her debut in the fifth episode of the series titled, "Pretty Poison." Poison Ivy has never really been one of my favorite Batman villains, nor has she been one that I hate. She falls somewhere in the middle between the great Batman villains, and the…

Tags: alfred pennyworth, batcave, batman, batman: the animated series, boyd kirkland, bruce wayne, diane pershing, gotham university, harvey bullock, harvey dent, james gordon, pamela isley, poison ivy, stonegate penitentiary, tom ruegger, two-face

Seemingly skipping ahead from the previous issue, 'Batgirl: The Lesson – Unchained Melody' opens with Stephanie Brown – aka Batgirl – in a whole heap of trouble. Buried under a pile of rumble and masonry Steph reminds herself how she finds herself in such a situation: 'adopted' by the well-intentioned Clancy Johnson, who goes by the name The Grey Ghost, she's come face to face with another of the Reapers … and clearly she's come off worse following their initial encounter.   Wriggling her arms free Steph looks up…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, bryan q miller, clancy johnson, derek fridolfs, dustin nguyen, gotham city, gotham university, grey ghost, guy major, harmony, leslie thompkins, marvin harris, nanda parbat, pere perez, proxy, ramon bachs, slipstream, stephanie brown, tracey graham, wendy harris, xane swift

With a flashback to the last university semester 'Batgirl: The Lesson' continues and concludes with the second part of a two-part story-arc entitled, somewhat ambiguously perhaps, 'Tunnel Vision'.   First at Gotham University, then the Theta-Kappa-Gamma house, and finally a fast food restaurant we witness a student making his way through his academic life with as little effort as possible before, somewhat out of the blue, he receives an email that could just give the student some direction and focus.   Fast-forward to present day and we discover that the young…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, batman incorporated, blackgate, bryan q miller, buffy the vampire slayer, charmed, dustin nguyen, firewall, gcpd, gotham city, gotham university, guy major, harmony, kord tower, nick gage, oracle, proxy, ramon bachs, ricochet, scooby-doo, slipstream, stephanie brown, wendy harris, xane swift

'Batgirl: The Lesson' continues with the first of a two-part story entitled 'Tunnel Vision'. As the issue opens we find our heroine, Stephanie Brown, sitting at the breakfast table across from her mother, prodding, poking at her morning waffles, recounting her recent academic studies.   "And chaos, my dear mother, is a sticky mistress".   Yet Mrs. Brown isn't really paying her daughter much attention as she's distracted by the lead story in the Gotham Gazette that focuses on yet another mysterious bank robbery the night before. Perhaps Steph – as…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, bruce wayne, bryan q miller, clancy johnson, dustin nguyen, firewall, gcpd, gotham city, gotham gazette, gotham university, grey ghost, guy major, kord tower, newton flitwik, nick gage, oracle, proxy, ramon bachs, red robin, slipstream, stephanie brown, wendy harris

Our story – entitled Chalk (heart) Outline – opens amid the rooftops and alleyways of Gotham City: it's Valentine's Night and Stephanie Brown, in Batgirl guise, is enjoying being out in the night air taking a few minutes for herself, eyes closed, breathing in the evening air, the evening peace and quiet only broken by … a scream … "Blood!!!".   Making her way to the scene of the commotion Steph discovers a group of young women in a state of panic, shock and fear. Crouching over a lifeless,…

Tags: batgirl, bryan q miller, derek fridolfs, dustin nguyen, francisco gracia, gotham city, gotham university, guy major, jordanna spence, klarion the witch boy, limbo town, stephanie brown, teekl, valentine's day

  Once again faithful patrons of the Batcave, we return to the small screen for a look at the third episode of Batman: The Animated Series; "Nothing to Fear".   Gotham University finds itself the victim of a rash of crimes that threaten its future. These crimes are seemingly perpetrated by a man dressed up as Scarecrow, leaving all in his path paralyzed with fear. We learn that under the burlap sack, The Scarecrow is one Jonathan Crane….

Tags: alfred pennyworth, batcave, batman, batman begins, batman: the animated series, bruce wayne, efrem zimbalist jr, gotham university, joker, jonathan crane, jor-el, martha wayne, scarecrow, shirley walker, superman, the essential batman encyclopedia, thomas wayne

"Fugitive!" screams the cover as our hero Batgirl – Stephanie Brown – finds herself accused of murder, on the run, quite literally, through Devil's Square and away from the pursuing GCPD. With beads of perspiration on her brow Steph's caught in the police spotlight as she wonders just how she's found herself in this position – she 'knows for a fact' that the murder was committed by a mysterious group of students dressed like the Grim Reaper but the officers just aren't giving her the opportunity to…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, bruce wayne, bryan q miller, devil's square, dustin nguyen, firewall, francisco gracia, fugitive, gcpd, gotham university, grim reaper, jordanna spence, marvin harris, newton flitwik, nick gage, oracle, proxy, richard kimble, ricochet, stephanie brown, wendy harris

This new chapter in the life of Batgirl opens with Wendy Harris recounting to Barbara Gordon an earlier conversation she'd had with Stephanie Brown during which the two young women explored the history of the Bat family … Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Steph herself, Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne – Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, Spoiler, Red Robin: (almost) everything you need to know about the world of Batman in 10 minutes and 3 pages.   As Wendy and Barbara – Proxy and Oracle – continue…

Tags: barbara gordon, bat-signal, batgirl, batman, bruce wayne, bruce wayne: the road home, bryan q miller, clancy johnson, damian wayne, dick grayson, dustin nguyen, firewall, francisco gracia, gcpd, gotham city, gotham university, grey ghost, guy major, jason todd, jordanna spence, kord tower, newton flitwik, nick gage, nightwing, oracle, proxy, red hood, red robin, robin, spoiler, stephanie brown, tim drake, wendy harris

Our story opens with a flashback with Batman – Bruce Wayne – giving Stephanie Brown – as Spoiler – a dressing down. His message is clear: she needs to accept that Bruce is in charge and things will be done his way.   Fast forward to current day and Stephanie – this time as Batgirl – is inside WayneTech Research & Development looking on as an unidentified intruder overpowers four of the security guards. As Oracle, via the com unit, advises…

Tags: alfred pennyworth, amazo, barbara ciardo, barbara gordon, batgirl, batman, birds of prey, bruce wayne, bruce wayne: the road home, bryan q miller, cassandra cain, crime alley, damian wayne, devil's square, dick grayson, firewall, gotham city, gotham university, lee garbett, oracle, pere perez, proxy, robin, shane davis, spoiler, stephanie brown, tim drake, vicki vale, waynetech, wendy harris

With the events of 'The Flood' firmly behind her, Stephanie Brown has most certainly grown – both as a young woman and, just as importantly, as a member of the Batgirl 'team'.   Our story – appropriately entitled 'Trust' – begins with Stephanie, sweat dripping from her brow, facing her opponent who in turn stares back and throws down a verbal challenge. Moment later, it's game on as Steph lets loose a tremendous shot … much to the surprise of her opposite number.   We're at Gotham U, it's the second half…

Tags: arkham asylum, barbara gordon, basil karlo, batgirl, bryan q miller, calculator, clayface, damian wayne, gotham university, lee garbett, nick gage, oracle, pere perez, proxy, stanley lau, stephanie brown, wendy harris