Crisis of Infinite Episodes - DC's World's Funnest #1

I loved the idea of Aardman doing a series of claymation shorts featuring Batman. The idea sounded inspired. Even the off the wall design of The Dark Knight that was released ahead of the shorts seemed fitting enough, but within the first 30 seconds of this short all of my expectations were out the window. My main problem with this short, and those that followed are that I can't even really talk about it very precisely. Other than calling it the first clay short or DC's World's Funnest (also a terrible name) #1 its hard to describe which short I am referring to. In my mind, this is "the one with the jumping," because I guess that's the most memorable part. Its a real shame that this was the first short of the DC Nation era, on the other hand, I guess sometimes its strategic to reserve your strongest efforts for later on.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Deep Freeze

 Oddly, this depiction of Mr. Freeze sounded like he was doing a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger impression (with a little Count Dracula mixed in) as he fanned himself with a Popsicle. We even got plenty of ice puns including Batman saying, "Freeze Freeze!" or was it "Freeze, freeze!"

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - He Who Laughs Last

The joke was on Batman when he got arrested at the opera thanks to a frame job by the Joker. Later Joker left a riddle on a pair of elephants at the zoo and I was not really feeling the entertainment. I wish there was more to say about this, but by the time I got to the elephants dancing to circus music, I pretty much zoned out.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Chameleon

 The shape-shifting Chameleon was like Plastic Man as imagined by Dr. Seuss. Instead of just changing form, Chameleon could actually turn into functional objects like operational rockets or airplanes. In the end, Batman came to the obvious conclusion that Chameleon was a robot, although he was really more of a mecha with a little guy controlling him from inside. I must say, that was a bit of a twist and the one highlight to yet another tedious adventure. 

Onscreen History of Spider-Man

 

Making his first appearanace in 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, Spider-Man needs no real introduction. Basically, he is awesome and has had quite a prolific onscreen career. 

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Reading, Writing & Wronging

Well look who decided to show up. The Penguin. Quack Quack! True to form, Pengy-Poo made this a terrible episode as he taught a bunch of would be criminals in his School of Crime. At one point, Penguin stranded Batman and Robin at the South Pole, and I really have to sympathize with Robin. Having no pants would certainly make enduring the arctic chill even worse.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Bite-Sized

Another day, another new villain. I have a hankering that Electro was created because Brainiac was off limits. His threat to put the city in a bottle was a tip off along with his penchant for shrinking people and the fact that he was an android. Of course, this guy also had a mastery of mind control making him a double threat.