Consume All Media! Batman: "Chapter Two: The Bat's Cave"

Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe began Batman. This time, they continue with the second chapter.

Batman: “Chapter Two: The Bat's Cave” - 17:11 (Available on Archive)

Release date: July 23rd, 1943

Batman lands on some scaffolding, disrupting some painters. Hilariously convenient!

He climbs back up to the roof where he apprehends a henchman and the Radium Gun. Batman and Robin interrogate the henchman in the Bat’s Cave. The henchman is terrified of bats, so he spills some information.

Meanwhile, Alfred reads a comic book out loud.

Alfred doesn’t notice Bruce and Dick step out of the clock behind him. As Alfred reads about a vase exploding due to electricity, Bruce shoots a vase with the Radium Gun.

They all have a polite laugh at Alfred freaking the hell out, then go by the police station to drop off the henchman, complete with the customary forehead bat tattoo (or Battoo).

Another henchman calls Linda pretending to be her Uncle Martin. She apparently has no idea what her uncle sounds like, so they arrange a meetup at a place called the Blue Parrot.

Linda calls Bruce to explicitly not invite him. But Bruce and Dick go there anyway.

Linda gets gassed and kidnapped while taking a phone call.

Bruce and Dick somehow track this down to a hotel where they go undercover as a random guy and a paperboy, respectively.

Bruce finds the location of the bad guy’s hideout and they change into Batman and Robin.

They climb up to the room where they are holding Linda and start fighting, knocking over some bottles that release a gas into the room. Everyone leaves and Batman and Robin tightrope walk across a wire, carrying an unconscious Linda.

One of the henchmen rubs some metal across the wire sending violent sparks Batman’s way, causing him to fall.

Let’s hope Robin can catch both of them.

Should you watch it, though? A definite step up from the first chapter. This chapter focuses a lot more on Bruce and Dick/Batman and Robin and it’s fun to see them actually doing some detective work (an aspect of Batman’s character that tends to get overlooked nowadays). Also, the scene with Alfred reading a comic book is both meta and hilarious. Alfred is definitely a highlight of this serial and he brings a strong comedic presence that helps smooth over some of the serial’s rougher edges.

Tune in next time for Batman: "Chapter Three: The Mark of the Zombies" (Available on Archive.)

A version of this article was previously published on The Dipp.

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