Cold Comfort & Never Fear

Cold Comfort & Never Fear

Author: The Pensky File June 2, 2021 Duration: 1:22:08





This week on the BATTASS Podcast we welcome back two villains we’ve seen a few times before, Mr. Freeze and the Scarecrow. They’ve both got great new looks, but Clay and Sean are split over the quality of the episodes. Never Fear is a unanimous success, but it’s Cold Comfort that produces the most conversation. Is it the second-best Mr. Freeze episode? Is it the worst Mr. Freeze episode? Should Freeze have stayed in the arctic? Why did Batman straight-up attempt to murder him at the end? Tune in to find out!



First up, in “Cold Comfort”, we have the New Batman Adventures return of fan-favorite Mr. Freeze, fresh off his direct to video film Sub Zero, which we both thought was going to be more or less the end of his story in the animated universe. Batman and Batgirl go on the hunt for villain Mr. Freeze, who has lost his body and faces his new fate as a vengeful living head, intent on destroying society and terrifying citizens with the assistance of his evil henchwomen.



Next up in “Never Fear”,  The Scarecrow threatens to unleash a powerful new toxin on Gotham City that removes all fear, leaving its victims unafraid of deadly danger. Complications arise when Batman is exposed to the gas. It’s the return of The Scarecrow, and boy has he gotten a glow-up since the last time we saw him! Now on his third design (lest we forget condom head and shaggy bag-face), he’s much much scarier, much much darker, and has a brand new voice coming out of his mouth – it’s veteran horror actor Jeffrey Combs, the perfect choice to Re-Animate this creep!



Join Sean and Clay as they get into the finer points of rotten pumpkins as heads, lazy branded goons, the best and worst ways to continue the Mr. Freeze Story, and when re-casting a character voice goes oh so right. Grab your favorite experimental cryogenics scientist, start your own scam self-help racket, and check this one out! It’s “Cold Comfort” and “Never Fear”!

Ever wonder what happens when two working comic book artists sit down to talk about the definitive cartoon version of the Dark Knight? That’s the simple, compelling premise behind BATTASS: The Batman The Animated Series Show Podcast. Hosts Clay McCormack and Sean Murphy bring their insider’s perspective from the drawing board to every discussion, breaking down each installment of the legendary series. Their conversations are less like formal reviews and more like you’re overhearing a deep, passionate, and often very funny debate between two experts who genuinely love the material. You’ll hear them trace the artistic influences in the show’s iconic style, analyze the sharp writing that appealed to both kids and adults, and share personal insights into why certain characters or storylines resonate so powerfully within the broader world of comics. This isn’t a rushed recap; it’s a thoughtful, episode-by-episode excavation of what made Batman: The Animated Series a cultural touchstone. The result is a consistently engaging podcast that feels both educational and entertaining, offering a unique lens on a show many of us thought we already knew everything about. New episodes from The Pensky File dive into a single chapter of the animated saga, making it a perfect companion whether you’re revisiting the series or discovering it for the first time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 98

BATTASS: The Batman The Animated Series Show Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Mask of the Phantasm | Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:41
In this animated feature set in the 1940s, the troubled yet heroic Batman (Kevin Conroy) is pitted against a mysterious figure who is rubbing out Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, and who many believe is the caped…
Mad as a Hatter | Dreams in Darkness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
In Mad as a Hatter, miserable Wayne Industries scientist Jervis Tetch is unable to pursue the girl he loves, Alice the secretary. When she splits up from her boyfriend, he makes an advance and develops a fast friendship…
The Clock King | Appointment in Crime Alley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:37
In The Clock King, after his company goes bankrupt, Temple Fugate becomes the Clock King. Fugate sets out to seek his revenge against the man whom he blames for his misfortunes: Mayor Hamilton Hill. Fugate kidnaps Hill,…
Vendetta | Fear of Victory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:01
In Vendetta, Detective Bullock is arrested for kidnapping. Batman, who dislikes Bullock but nevertheless believes him to be a good man, investigates, and discovers the identity of the real criminal: Killer Croc, who harb…
Prophecy of Doom | Joker’s Favor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:38
In Prophecy of Doom, Batman investigates a cult, called the Brotherhood, founded by the “mystic” Nostromos, after hearing about a number of stories from his colleagues about his ability to predict the future. Batman find…
Feat of Clay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:40
In Feat of Clay, Bruce Wayne is framed for the attempted murder of Lucius Fox. The real perpetrator is an actor and master of disguise named Matt Hagen, who was disfigured in a car accident years ago. In order to keep hi…
See No Evil | Beware the Gray Ghost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:24
In See No Evil, Lloyd “Eddie” Ventrix is on the verge of losing his daughter, Kimberly, to his ex-wife, Helen, due to his past as a con artist. Determined not to lose Kimberly, Ventrix dons a suit, stolen from where he u…
The Cat and the Claw (Part 1 and 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:58
In The Cat and The Claw, Batman encounters a new cat burglar calling herself Catwoman, and around the same time, meets a woman named Selina Kyle (as Bruce Wayne), to whom he is visibly attracted. When Selina runs into tr…
I’ve Got Batman in My Basement | Heart of Ice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:25
This week, Clay and Sean discuss “I’ve Got Batman in My Basement” and “Heart of Ice”! During a fight with Batman over a stolen Fabergé egg, the Penguin incapacitates Batman with poison gas. The Dark Knight is rescued by…
Two Face (Parts 1 and 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:47
In Two Face, Mobster Rupert Thorne attempts to use Harvey Dent’s secret split personality to blackmail him. But when Dent meets with Thorne at a chemical plant, “Big Bad Harv” takes over, and the resulting confrontation…