I'm interested. I was addicted to the original Outsiders and Titans, and it seemed that when I got into this current Titans (which I adore), the Outsiders just tagged along (which is one of their marketing strategies, the bastards).

It's funny, there's a lot I've not liked about the current Outsiders, but the flaws just make me love it more. And the rampant sex talk doesn't hurt.

I started to collect JSA, but have lapsed.

Is it still any good?

Hmmm, from toonzone a while back:

MERCHANDISING: WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE (by Bill Curtis) Well, well, well. The most talked-about, and sought after current Batman-related item is definately the unreleased, uncut tape of "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker". After originally changing the release date from November 7th to Hallowe'en (October 31st), and then to October 24th, Warner Brothers then did the unthinkable; by announcing it would now not be released until December 12th. The first "official" spin they tried to put on the delay was that they decided to hold it for the more lucrative "holiday" season sales. Cyber sleuths, however, soon deduced WB's real reason for this delay: caving in to U.S. election year politics, the film was being re-edited to a more "child-friendly" edition. Gone is the darker, harder edge that Paul Dini and Bruce Timm were so proud of. What we'll be left with is anyone's guess, but the original vision will be lost, unless WB decides on 2 formats: "kid-friendly" VHS, and maybe a "director's cut" on DVD. This seems to be the overwhelming choice currently on most sites I've seen. 'm not going to use this column to get into a rant about first amendment rights, freedom of speech, censorship, etc. If there are those of you (and I know there are) who can't wait for this film, or are afraid of it being butchered beyond recognition, there are plenty of black market copies floating around out there. Be prepared to pay big bucks, however! Word about this has gotten out, and the video pirates are charging $100 and up for copies (we've seen over $150 at eBay), and God only knows the condition of the video you're getting! My advice is to wait and see what WB releases. If you do seek out these "other" sources: Buyer Beware! NEVER buy a tape without seeing the quality first, and don't cry if you're ripped off! ANY tape (or product for that matter) that you buy that is not sold or sanctioned by WB is illegal, and a bootleg. Okay, disclaimers aside let's talk merchandise: The big talk around this whole ball of wax was from a boxed set WB sent out to distributors as a "Promotional Item Only". It consists of a black box with green writing which reads: "Just when you thought Gotham was safe". When you open the box, a light sensor triggers a sound chip of the Joker laughing. There are three sound bursts of laughter per trigger. Inside the box are a Thunderwhip Batman Beyond figure, a maxi- single CD with music from the soundtrack, and the most important item: a screening copy of the uncut, unedited version of "Return of the Joker." I've seen and heard of this item, but have not been able to get my hands on one yet. Again, a warning: I bid on one of these recently at an on-line auction site, only to be outbid at the last minute. The winner was gracious enough to contact me after the auction, and advised me he'd let me know the quality of the screening video. However, the seller tried to pull a fast one and enclosed a video of the making of the movie, not the movie itself! Again, the best advice is: if you can't see what you're buying, don't buy! That's it for now. Keep your fingers crossed, let's all give WB the benefit of the doubt, that they'll do the right thing. Until next time: same bat-time, same bat-channel!

Oh, good. Liking?

Oh yes.

It's funny, there's a lot I've not liked about the current Outsiders, but the flaws just make me love it more. And the rampant sex talk doesn't hurt.

Yeah, that.

Is it still any good?

I'm still liking it, but the ebbs and flowsof the membership are hard to take sometimes, and I'm annoyed that Lyta Hall is back.

Yeah, that.

I think they had me from, "That's an awful lot of monkies with guns."

Expand! I mean, yes, this, but I'd love to see more about it from your POV.

Well, OK, if you insist....

From the beginning of the more relationshippy stuff -- say, early-ish Nightwing, BOP #8, etc., I'm sure there's a bunch I haven't read yet -- she's the one who pulls back from him. Now, when he was a teenager, she wouldn't even consider him because of the age difference. (Batgirl: Year One.) I don't know enough about Bat-continuity to say where the relationship was when she was paralyzed. But when he's looking to move the relationship past friendship in the more recent comics, her initial reaction is to reject it not because she doesn't care about him, but because she feels like their relationship is one of the Bat-things she had to put on the shelf after she was shot. To her, their relationship is still founded in her being Batgirl. And it's interesting that this is largely the reason that she gives for breaking it off as well.

Now, clearly, this is part of what draws Dick to her, this shared past. There aren't all that many people he can sit around and reminisce with. But she's just as much not coming to grips with her being paralyzed at the end of the relationship as he is, because "you loved me when I could walk" does not mean "you don't love me as I am now." Hem ay not have a fully integrated view of Barbara the independent yet disabled woman, but I think she really still thinks at the beginning of the relationship that she can't be attractive in the chair, and that this is still a Big Issue for her at the end of their relationship. Interestingly, part of what she says to him when she breaks it off is about how he plays dumb when every other woman finds him attractive -- I think she's so worried that he'll find someone else, someone who can keep up with him physically, that his attractiveness turns from a positive to a negative feature.

(And, yeah, he does kind of get around a little, even if it's unintentional at times -- also, I'm convinced he and Tarantula will get it on at some point in the not-too-distant future now that they are working together )

OK, back to work...

Ain't it Cool on the two Return Of The Joker versions

Reading this over, it's not my clearest piece of writing -- will try to clarify if need be when am home with comics scans.

Also, how do you know if your download is the uncut version of ROTJ? Because the one I've got is pretty dark, but who knows...

ETA: Ah! Thanks, Hec.

Can you only download it?

Just check out Amazon — you can buy it on DVD. Has a nice audio commentary, too. And you'll definitely know if it's the uncut version. You can't miss the label on the cover.

Reading this over, it's not my clearest piece of writing -- will try to clarify if need be when am home with comics scans.

I think it was clear, but I'd still like to see an even clearer take.

You've read Chronicles #5, right?

And are you caught up in the current Batgirl?