Meltdown & Heroes

Meltdown & Heroes

Author: The Pensky File April 30, 2022 Duration: 1:20:45

This week on BATTASS Beyond, the frigid face of a familiar foe makes its way to our screens, and Batman Beyond heads across the street for some inspiration from the “distinguished competition,” and riffs on the golden age of the Marvel Universe with Meltdown and Heroes!



“Meltdown” is the fifth episode of Batman Beyond. It depicts the return of Mr. Freeze. Tired of having to use a suit of plastic skin that can crack at any time, Derek Powers decides to try having a healthy body cloned from his original damaged one. However, the procedure is first tested on Mr. Freeze. At first, it seems that the procedure has worked and he tries to lead a normal, peaceful life. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that the procedure is a failure and the people he once trusted have betrayed him. Seeking revenge, the evil personality of Mr. Freeze is born again.



“Heroes” is the sixth episode of Batman Beyond. It depicts the birth of a new team of heroes calling themselves “The Terrific Trio”. After an accident grants them powers, three scientists become heroes to defend Gotham. For a time, it seems that Gotham will no longer need Batman. Unfortunately, the Trio is soon betrayed by their paranoid allies, and Batman eventually has to protect Gotham from those who once defended it.



The return of Mr. Freeze is a welcome addition to the new, futuristic stylings of Batman Beyond, but are they going to the classic villain well too soon for such a new show? And a Fantastic Four pastiche, while fun, is an interesting choice for this show. Either way, it’s pretty clear the creators are having a lot of fun!



So, grab your Joker gang buddies, hop on your most schway motorcycle and join us for the first episode of BATTASS: Beyond!

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
Terror in the Sky | Almost Got ‘Im [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:27
This week, Clay and Sean discuss “Terror in the Sky” and “Almost Got ‘Im”! In “Terror in the Sky“, a giant-sized bat ransacks Gotham harbor and Batman suspects that Dr. Kirk Langstrom is up to his old tricks, taking the…
Moon of the Wolf | Day of the Samurai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:14
This week, Sean and Clay discuss “Moon of the Wolf” and “Day of the Samurai”! In Moon of the Wolf, Batman investigates the appearance of a werewolf-like creature in Gotham, not realizing that the monster happens to be on…
Joker’s Wild | Tyger Tyger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:57
This week, Sean and Clay discuss Joker’s Wild and Tyger Tyger! In Joker’s Wild, Cameron Kaiser builds a casino hotel modeled after the Joker, called “The Joker’s Wild”. The Joker sees this on the news and, enraged, escap…
Heart of Steel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 me…
Night of the Ninja | Cat Scratch Fever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:25
Sean and Clay discuss two more episodes of Batman: The Animated Series – “Night of the Ninja” and “Cat Scratch Fever”! In Night of the Ninja, a mysterious ninja is robbing Wayne Enterprise’s subsidiaries, and Batman disc…
Robin’s Reckoning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:35
This week, the guys discuss both parts of the two-parter, “Robin’s Reckoning”. During a fight with some gangsters at a construction yard, Batman and Robin learn the name of their boss: Billy Marin. While Robin looks forw…
Tim Burton and Batman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:50
To honor the 30th anniversary of 1989’s Batman, you can’t ignore the fact that it was a strange production. Mr. Mom as Bruce Wayne? Nicholson as The Joker? And directed by the guy who did Pee Wee’s Big Adventure? In this…
The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy | The Laughing Fish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:38
This week, the guys discuss The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy and The Laughing Fish. In The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy, Baron Jozek, furious at Batman for humiliating him at a dinner party (over Jozek’s underworld connections),…
Eternal Youth | Perchance to Dream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:14
This week, the guys discuss Eternal Youth and Perchance to Dream. In Eternal Youth, several rich industrialists are invited to the Eternal Youth Health Spa, and that’s where they are last seen before disappearing. The on…