Heart of Steel

Heart of Steel

Author: The Pensky File August 7, 2019 Duration: 52:42

This week, Clay and Sean discuss the two-parter, “Heart of Steel”!



In this episode, several robberies take place at major companies, including Wayne Enterprises, and Bruce Wayne, as Batman, discovers the thief to be a mechanical briefcase. Bruce meets with his old friend, Karl Rossum, an expert in robotics who lost his daughter to a vehicle accident years ago. He also meets Rossum’s assistant, Randa Duane, and Rossum’s ultimate creation: a prototype A.I. known as Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Computer (H.A.R.D.A.C.) Bruce invites Duane to dinner, and around the same time, certain civilians start acting strangely. Most surprising is when Duane unexpectedly leaves Wayne Manor while Bruce is on the phone, and the entire Batcave turns on Batman.



Batman manages to free himself from the Batcave’s clutches, and brings it back under his control, although he fails to track Duane down. Barbara Gordon approaches Batman to inform him of her father’s sudden change in behavior. A brutal fight between Batman and Detective Bullock ensues, during which Batman pushes Bullock onto the Bat Signal, and reveals him to actually be an android, meaning that the real Bullock and James Gordon have gone missing, and Batman knows who the culprit is: H.A.R.D.A.C. Batman must stop the evil supercomputer before it is too late.



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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
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