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myasssaysno · 3 months
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Once upon a Time-Lord.... (What does the even mean?)
Why is the Doctor stood in front of a green-screen like the world, no, the universes worst weather man?
Why is Donna so caught up on events that took place fifteen years ago?
Why does this feel like everything between then and now, never happened?
What is happening?
(I'm aware I'm supper late to the party but...)
The Star Beast (Doctor Who Special of 2023) Review.
This felt nerve racking (which is ridiculous) but watching this actually caused me distress.
I watched the 2005 Doctor Who as a child and liked Donna well enough as a companion (she proved a bit much at times but she wasn't in love with the Doctor, so a win as far as I'm concerned.)
But I never expected to see her back on the screen. Especially not with the 10th Doctor (no, I don't consider him the 14th, though I will refer to him as that from now on, but in reality, the whole point of the number system is to identify the Doctor being referred to by face, not regeneration, because that went out the window, with the War Doctor.)
Point is, RTD came back (for some reason) and wanted to remind everyone about his era of Doctor Who (in case we forgot) and retconned the most tragic companion exit ever.
Not that whole Doctor-Donna thing should have happened in the first place, but still.
That being said, RTD came back, Donna's back, 10th is now also the 14th Doctor (and a part time weather man), and all attention is immediately on how things got left last time.
Which is mistake one; (I can take a shitty opening, to fill in anyone who wasn't their to watch Donna's time as a companion) but at no point does it feel like 15-years has passed.
At no point, do I get a sense of this new Donna. We get constant mentions of everything that happened, but that means nothing to me.
Show me Donna's life. We deserve that. I want to see this woman thrive after the Doctor. I want to see her meet her husband and have weird dreams about him cheating on her with a spider, which her husband finds weird but funny. I want to see the challenges of getting a job, and then the stress of having a job you don't like, I want to see her lose said job and have to explain everything to the family. I want to see her have a child, and her reaction to them coming out as Trans. I want them to have a normal, human life, until Rose Noble finds an alien.
No Doctor. No Aliens. No nothing. Just Donna and her family.
Because then maybe I would have cared when she almost died. Which unfortunately didn't happen.
I'm going to be honest, I wanted Donna Noble to die, and I don't dislike Donna Noble, but her entire introduction and her entire time on screen resolved around this missing chunk of her life. It seemed to consume her, and that's completely unfair. In the end, it seemed like, she'd rather remember and die, then live. Despite her saying the opposite, but that was the option and I think Donna should have known that, and made that choice, because she never got the chance to do so the first time round.
That being said, RTD also seems to have learnt all the wrong lessons from Chibnall, by including diverse characters (just about) but not representing anyone.
Rose Noble (and I still can't believe he named her Rose) is a one-dimensional character. She is Donna's daughter. She is Trans. And she is just super nice. We get nothing more than that. I would have loved to see her interact with the Meep for longer. I wanted them to built up trust and respected, only for it all to be one big lie that tears Rose apart.
Which sounds horrible, but it would add to her character, and also make her aware that not everyone who is discriminated against is immediately trustworthy. They might understand, they might relate but that doesn't mean they care.
Meep proved to be this perfect character, or villain, which demonstrated the looks can be deceiving aspect.
And Rose comes across as someone just young and hopeful enough to be deceived but she wouldn't be the only one. Everyone else got deceived too, she's just the one more heartbroken over it. Because she thought they were friends.
Whilst the Doctor should have ended up at the spaceship, met with Shirley, and they should have teamed up. Because once more, there is no point adding a wheelchair user, if they're pretty much replaceable and just sitting around?
I'm aware that people overlook all types of well people, but you mean to tell me, they didn't think it worth it to hold the woman captive. Did she just hide somewhere? I mean that's not bad, but it also feels bad, like she should have had her moment, beyond appearing when the main character's needed her.
Like I would have loved to see her, where she joins the Doctor, and goes with him, on the taxi ride, which would take place after the spaceship lands not before. And then, they would all end up re-meeting at Donna's house anyway. And Shirley's wheelchair can just be advanced enough to get into the house, and become one of those chair-lifts which gets her upstairs.
My point is, if she wasn't a wheelchair user, she'd actual probably be found dead in a corner somewhere.
Doctor Who (or should I say its writers) really don't care for side-character like they should, unless they're making them the most sympathetic character's imaginable (then its over the top).
Let's jump back to the actual episode which I haven't even talked about probably yet.
It opens weirdly, with the Doctor and Donna filling everyone in (which I have discussed) and then we immediately jump to the Doctor stumbling into Donna, which is both convenient (or not) and destroys any built up to this moment.
Before we can even get into the episode, before we can really understand that 15 years has passed for Donna, and over a thousand years for the Doctor, we immediately have them meet, and it's alright now, because she doesn't immediately die, by looking at the Doctor's face (something we already knew).
And not to get into too much but having the Doctor get his old face back ruins the whole thing about the Doctor's face not even mattering.
Point is, a spacecraft crash lands (though not really) and everyone sees it but Donna. Which was a thing, that never made any sense the first time round, but what can you do?
Would have been nicer to see how that affected Donna? Or that it had no affect, confusing and troubling the Doctor.
Some nice little foreshadowing that things are different now, that things have changed, since the Master turned everyone's face into his.
The Doctor then gets a taxi ride from Shaun, the husband. And that is all you need to know (other than he's happy man, with happy life, and happy family, that's happy all the time (except his wife lost her job, and they can't afford the house anymore and might have to down-size, oh and his daughter things it's her responsibility now to provide for the family, because she's likely blaming herself for existing.))
None of that matters though, because they gave away the money from the lottery, which is all the Doctor's fault.
Like honestly this is the most annoying thing, throughout the entire episode. The focus on money, for all the wrong reasons.
I don't even get the point of it. Are we saying, giving away money is bad? You will regret giving to charity, because one-day you'll need that money?
Because in all honesty, the lottery money, which happened at least ten-years ago, is completely irrelevant.
At this point, the whole focus should be on the fact that a job fired Donna over spilt coffee. (Which apparently was foreshadowing (for reasons unknown to just about everyone.))
Ah, dead-naming.
I'm sorry, but there is zero excuse, and even lesser reasons to do this. It achieves absolutely nothing.
No attention is brought to this, about how horribly it is to be dead-named. It compared to causal bullying, and I don't wanted to lessen the horrors of bullying in general, but it takes one a whole new level of horror when it against Trans people, for being trans, and involves a group of boys on a trans-girl.
(I will not go into this anymore, you either understand or don't.)
And Donna's response, makes her look like an awful parent. Oh, it's okay sweetheart, because I was once a bully, just like those boys, and I'm going to go bully their mother, which might be the reason, she raised her sons like that.
(Not placing the blame completely on Donna, or the Mother for the boys behaviour, but the point remains, don't comfort your kid being bullied, with bullying.)
Now this wouldn't come across as such a bad parent moment, if we're seen Donna, and how much she'd changed since becoming a parent. We get hints of it, and a nice conversation with Sylvia who has also mellowed out nicely.
Unfortunately, we don't get the same conversation with Rose and someone else. Someone she can express herself to, who isn't family and understands.
The closest we get is Fudge, but he's a little kid, and not someone she can really open-up to. I was hoping, that would end up being the Doctor as some point, but that never happened. (All of their bonding just happened of screen, I guess.)
Once again, we've spoke about Rose helping the Meep, and how tamed it is. We've also spoken about the Doctor and Shirley.
Now I have nothing wrong with the way, everything sort of falls out of control very quickly. We have Donna poking the Meep in the eye, the Meep asking for help, and Sylvia panicking, only for the Doctor to turn up, which makes everything worse until Shuan brings a moment pause to everything once more.
Nicely done, (if a little quick), some part do feel a little random. Like the Doctor hearing Donna. Instead of tracking the Meep, as opposed to the escape pod like everyone else.
Also, almost forgot to speak about the sonic.
Some people don't like it. Other's love it. Everyone knew it's just a special thing, and one kind of has to ask, why bother with a new sonic for just three-episodes?
I feel like its wasted potential.
I like a Doctor without a sonic as much as the next person, but I also see the potential in the sonic which is never used. And it has become a part of the Doctor. I mean the guy runs around without a shield, which exist in-universe, alongside teleporters and other helpful gadgets.
The reason for that, is the writer's are never actual prepared to handle that level of technology all the time. It would get boring very quickly, for a shield to have to be destroyed, before the Doctor can be injured, each and every time. But honestly, just have it there, and don't bring attention to it.
I don't think the Doctor needs to be in danger, every episode, and the whole, ducking and dodging, just takes away tension, because you know they're going to be alright. Having the Doctor wear a shield, and being shot at, and surviving, makes sense. And only once, you wanted them hurt or to get shot, do you come up with a reason for the shield to stop working, or have then give it to someone else.
I'm saying, with a little thought, having more advanced technology on the Doctor could actual work. But Writer's don't want that, and Doctor Who fans don't want that.
In conclusion, the new sonic is a one-off anyway. Like, even compared to the rest of the episodes, they never use it again. (I guess it costs too much).
I personally liked that it could be used as a screen, which could come in useful (but is never used again). Didn't like the shielding as much.
We take a moment to sit down, bandage up the Meep's hand, and have a little chat. Now, I've briefly mentioned, but I think Donna comes across to brash at times, but more so now. She's supposed to be a mother, and more tamed but, the not clarifying Wilf is in a home, felt out of place, and more so, blaming the Doctor for misunderstanding.
She did it all the time, the first go round, and it annoyed me to no end. As someone who can easily misunderstand people, I guess it doesn't help, I consider her already knowing the Doctor. But still, even as someone not known to you, you don't call them an idiot for being sad, because they think your grandfather's dead.
Have a heart.
Also, Rose getting at the Doctor for using a he pronoun on the Meep, felt all wrong. Like a new touch, and a nice addition to Doctor Who, but would have liked the Doctor to smile, and ask is it 2023 already, and get a massive glare from Sylvia for his trouble.
Like an acknowledgement, he's dumming himself down and has been since the sixties, because of our out-dated views about gender, would be the perfect moment to have the Doctor open up about his own gender, and not have been ignorant to the entire thing. And this continues, and turns out to be foreshadowing for a worse moment.
Also, also, having the Doctor confess to also having the pronoun 'The' (and not have this be a throw-away line) would have worked to, he could even have mentioned how this is true of all Time-Lords, expect their more than comfortable with he/him, she/her, they/them, when applicable. So, it's not wrong to use, any.
Now, we have the sonic save the day, to allow them to escape upstairs. I like that the Doctor lead them to safety through the attic, a clever move.
However, the fact that Unit, who have been possessed, know where the Meep is, is questionable. Beyond that, the fact they're firing into the house, with the Meep in, is also questionable. And even more so, why is the Meep, still playing pretend at this moment, what is the Meep waiting for exactly, other than the Doctor to catch up?
Now, the Doctor works it out, and drives the Meep to somewhere to speak with the Meep. And then summons the Warrior's (Zogroth's my mistake) to have a chat.
This could have been a good moment, if one, Fudge actual spoke with the Zogroth (why did I not know they had such a cool name?) and befriended them, because then, it's Rose and Meep, against Fudge and Zogroth.
Imagine that, this has been building for a few days, maybe a week, and we don't know who to trust, but Rose is convinced the Meep are the trustworthy one's, and Fudge trust Rose, but it turns out, she's actual wrong. And the Meep almost kills Fudge. Or, is honest with Fudge, letting us know the Meep is evil, but only when Rose isn't looking or around.
We could have even had then, on different sizes of the court room arguing their point. The Doctor caught in the middle, Fudge upset and angry that no-one believes him, because he's a kid. It could have been a whole thing, that's slower paced and gives the audience times to think and pick a side, but no, we just have the Doctor speaking fast, the camera spinning, and the Meep just giving up I guess, and confessing.
Point is, we build on this perception, of good vs bad, and not judging a book by its cover. And have the Doctor be there, to get to the truth of the issue, and could still have the silly mock-court, which happened because, they wanted to have the doctor wear a judge wig?
Not sure on that one, but the fact the Meep relives the truth then, and not at any other point, is the first odd point. Also, the second is that the Meep doesn't kill nor eat the Doctor, Donna, or her family.
Then, we get to the Meep's plan. Which is to destroy the earth for some reason? (I'm not actual sure, and I can't be bothered working it out.)
Point is, the Doctor needs Donna, became a glass barrier is slowing him down, and I know a lot of people like the Doctor (this Doctor) running around pressing button, randomly, but um, it goes on way too long for me.
Either way, he has to cause Donna to remember. And I do, like the whole, list of random works to unblock her memorises, but we've had no built up to it, and an even worse pay off.
Donna remembers, they save the day, and she doesn't die. Because she had a baby, (another companions child, where the Doctor is the third-parent, let hope he doesn't marry this one.)
Now because of this, Rose has some of the Doctor-Donna too, and when its activated, she able to save the Doctor and Donna, which is a little forced.
Point against this, I would rather have had it, fade over time, as though Donna had slowly been releasing the built up energy. Or had her, give it away, (as she sort of does), because now she's content in her life, she has a family, and a daughter, and doesn't want to be the Doctor anymore, doesn't want to travel the universe anymore.
That would have been perfect, but nothing builds up to this moment. Our problem is, we have too many characters, and none of them doing anything (but that's only an issue when Chibnall writes it).
Doesn't matter, the point is, the Doctor's now a male-presenting time-lord again, for like a morning tops, (half a day maybe) and is already too ignorant to realise the truth about Donna's condition, which has never happened before.
This actual could have been a brilliant moment, where Donna's like, you don't understand, because you haven't lived with this for fifteen-years. Which would link in, with the fight a lot of people (particularly woman) have with Doctor's presuming they understanding the illness a person is going through, better than the patient.
The Meep is stopped and honestly deserved a little better, some people really liked him. I thought it a mistake to not allow them to take it further in their deception, so it had a point. Also, they whole, they weren't evil, but made evil, and this Meep is the last, feels like, it missing the point, this episode should be aiming for. And that is that, appearance doesn't matter.
Rose has always had the memorises of the Doctor shinning through, wonderful, another character indebted to the Doctor for life, just what we need. (And the first trans character, is a by-product of the Doctor, so she can be trans, but you can't, because you're human and only the Doctor the weirdo who's male, female and more.)
Donna should have gone back to her life after this, we should have seen her visiting Wilf, to watch the stars together. Both of them wondering about the Doctor, missing him. But content to sit and watch from a safe distance, because she is that over the Doctor, and that secure in herself, and her family. That is the ending Donna Noble deserved.
3/10
Forgettable Villain. Misunderstood Characters. Too Much Going On. Happening Too Quickly. And The Worst Offender Of Them All Empty Inclusion.
(OH, and also, it's supposed to be a 60th anniversary of the WHOLE of Doctor Who).
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myasssaysno · 8 months
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On a late foggy London night, a police-officer makes his rounds, only to trend down trotters lane. Upon which he hears a faint humming noise, which leads him to the blue gates of a scrapyard. He dares to open them, only to find a blue police box tucked inside. 
Dun. Dun. Duunn. 
That’s it though. We never see him again. He’s completely irrelevant and he doesn’t even die. 
What nonsense is this? 
Episode one of Classic Who
Full explanation and review under the cut...
An Unearthly Child is not a bad episode per say; I suppose its a very dated one; in the sense, not much happens in it but historically, it’s fascinating. 
Don’t get me wrong; entertainment level; Meh; fascination level; Oooh
We’re quickly introduced to our two companions for the series; 
Barbara Wright the history teacher; there to show the Doctor the power of Compassion
And Ian ChesterTON the science teacher; there to show the Doctor the power of Hope
Which I mean is amazing; Doctor Who truly has always been about four things; Science; History; Compassion and Hope. 
Just wonderful. 
Don’t get me wrong; we no longer get anything half as good, as the dynamic that this TARDIS team has; its all there, and the Doctor’s just along for the ride (for majority of it). 
I wish modern who was more like this. No drama. (Well no relationship drama ((Well no love-triangle bullshit)))
That being said, there are questionable moments. Moments that make you go, Ah the Sixties. 
For example; the whole premise of the episode. 
Basically, Barbara Wright is concerned for a student of hers (Susan Foreman) who she considers to be very bright and wants to help her become unstoppable.  And by that I mean, give her more in-depth lessons outside of school; basically a home-schooling advance learning opportunity; just for Susan. 
Only problem; Susan says her grandfather won’t like nor allow it. 
So, Barbara does the logical thing, accepts Susan’s no and moves on with her life, like any good teacher. 
I’m joking; she stalks the girl, I mean naturally. 
She first uses her privilege as the girls teacher to get her address from the school’s office; and then tracks her down to this scrapyard, only to be horrified. 
Well I’m sure Susan’s not trilled either Barbara, but save your judgement, my goodness, she doesn’t come barging into your address and judging your living circumstances. 
I mean in all seriousness, Susan attends school regularly (presumably) and is in no means in a state of distress nor dressed poorly. What I’m trying to say is, Barbara has no reason to presume Susan’s ill-looked after. 
That being said, she turns up in the hopes of speaking with Susan’s grandfather, without Susan’s permission, to convince him of the benefits of tutoring Susan outside of school, and I mean, you couldn’t really get away with this now-a-days. 
Possibly a call, but most teachers would hand them a letter and ask the parent to get in contact if they’re interested. 
But Barbara’s dedicated. Only the episode freely admits, she’s more curious about the very clever, very knowledgeable oddity that Susan Forman is. She knows things she shouldn’t, and doesn’t know things she should. 
I mean, she’s just had a sheltered life, she does come across as a very naïve girl who has been raised around a very intelligent role model. That’s it. So in other words, Barbara’s just curious of this grandfather of hers, and everyone acts like the Doctor was paranoid but he had a right to be. 
Ian on the other hand, freely admits this is suspicious behaviour and tries to get Barbara to admit it. All the way to driving up outside the scrapyard and waiting for Susan to turn up. Yeah, two teachers just chilling, waiting for their student to turn up, like weirdos.  
And everyone questions the Doctor’s behaviour, his hostility but these two, the real weirdos, I’m telling you. 
Anywho...
Each teacher takes turn talking about their experience’s of Susan, and in all honestly they fall a little flat. 
For Barbara; she discuss’ Susan’s humiliation; about currency. And oh, prepare yourself for a short little history lesson. 
Basically, British money made zero sense until 1971.  1 Pound = 20 Shillings. 20 Shillings = 12 Pence 1 Pence = 2 halfpennies or 4 farthings
What is this nonsense? And I struggle with modern British currency, my goodness. 
Now to be a barer of bad news. Doctor Who didn’t actually predict the change in currency (with Susan mistaking presuming Britain had already shifted to the new decimal system) as from 1961; the slow process; taking ten-years; had already been happening. How known this was, I couldn’t say, but talk of switching a more easy currency, like in America, had probably already been happening for years. 
This along with the idea that Doctor Who’s first episode aired the same day President Kennedy got assassinated is a little misinforming, but either way, still a little fascinating quirk. 
Doctor Who Air Date: 23rd Nov 1963 (Sat) Kennedy Death: 22nd Nov (Fri)
Back to the episode;
Susan wrongly presumes Britain are on the decimal system 1 pound = 100 pennies Only to embarrass herself in front of the entire class. 
And that’s the only flashback Barbara contributes. Like come on. Not one thing about her showing off her historical knowledgeable. Because apparently, Susan’s corrected the history book, and I don’t know how she managed that one because surely Barbara would believe the book, over a student but....
Ian gets two flashbacks (blatant sexism)
In all honestly, I can see why. He first shows us Susan being bored of science (which high school student isn’t) but it’s not because she doesn’t understand but because she’d rather be working with active chemicals. (Whoa girl calm down, this is a school, go blow up the scrapyard you live in). 
Basically, remember in science class, when you dipped paper into chemicals to see it change colour (I vaguely remember myself) that has apparently been happening since the sixties, which is a little depressing. 
Then, Ian shows us Susan not understanding how dimensions work. As apparently she can’t work in three-dimensions, and instead works in four which is drumroll please, time. 
Again, the idea either teacher would believe Susan is a little questionable at best, sure she’s coming up with novel ideas, sort of, but she sounds like a rambling mad-man or scientist, not a clever girl. If anything, they’re showing the opposite, which makes more sense. 
There here for the Doctor, he needs to RUN! Quick Doctor. They’re on to you. 
Now, I know what you’re thinking; who’s the big bad of the episode. Who is going to try to kill or trick the companions? Is it Susan. Now while that would make for a brilliant episode, no. Technically, it’s no-one. 
But I have different idea to put across. Because, if anyone in this episode is acting antagonistic, it’s the Doctor. 
Dun. Dun. Duuun. 
Susan arrives home. Enters the scrapyard, and failing to notice or hear her teachers calling out to her. They follow her anyway, and begin exploring the scrapyard, which as you imagine is full of a lot of old junk, nobody wants, and would look at home in a car boot sale. 
It is rather late, after school, but Ian brought a flashlight and also finds the TARDIS hiding beside some steps. He manages to round the entire box, notes its humming and claims it a living being. Which is more than most companions can say. 
At the arrival of the Doctor, both teachers hide behind those steps, as he approaches the box, only to spot them and immediately become suspicious. Which turns into a full blown argument, between Ian and the Doctor over the box, which the Doctor claims a cupboard, and Susan’s disappearance. 
Like these teachers go full on, you’ve abducted her. Um, she willingly entered the scrapyard, you saw her, and um, he wasn’t even in here when she did, because he came after, so, um, good look arguing that one in court. 
After a rather lengthy back and forth, with a lot of condescending comments on the Doctor’s part. Susan opens the TARDIS doors, and Ian attacks him to allow Barbara to rush inside to save Susan. 
Did I say the Doctor’s the bad-guy; whoops; I meant Ian and Barbara; they stuck there noses in where it both wasn’t asked nor needed, and forcefully entered the Doctor’s TARDIS, despite being asked to leave, all because they didn’t like nor understand what’s going on. 
Also, the Doctor drawing attention away from the TARDIS, by admiring junk found in a scrapyard, will never not be funny. (Also, also, did scrapyards have a different meaning in the sixties? Or have I been Americanised beyond hope?)
As episodes go; not as sexist as I feared. I mean there’s this idea that Ian is the man, and he has this role to play (which features throughout the entire series) but its done in a way, that makes you, one, like and trust Ian, and two, not think any less of the other characters. It doesn’t bash on Barbara for being a woman, nor Susan for being a young girl, or even the Doctor for being an old man. It accepts it, even if it takes it a little far, with assigned roles. 
All in all; little underwhelming; quite boring; and um Racist. Yeah, only one comment about the indigenousness people of America not understanding trains, like American’s didn’t think a woman’s womb would explode if she boarded one, and the general lack of POC anything. 
Yeah, I’m afraid the next three episodes are by far the worst episodes of Doctor Who, that I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing. 
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the old Classic Who, I like historical things, and working out how much society has changed, writing has changed, things like that, and by no means recommend this for someone looking for entertainment. Not that its all boring, there are a few serials (stories spread across multiple episodes) that I would recommend, if some of the episodes weren’t missing but as a general rule. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND. 
Part 1 of 4
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myasssaysno · 3 years
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THE BATMAN! Swinging through rooftops. In some unnamed city, while two gown (you know their goons because one of them is awkwardly holding a gun) watch. for some reason. 
This is Detective Comics (1939) with an emphasis on 1939 (despite it being in brackets) The very first Batman story ever published and I'm going to review it because current comics make me want to die.
WARNING: It's a really long post, so only read if you have time and patience to waste.
Okay first lets talk about that front cover, that rope he's swinging on is simply wrapped around one of his arms. In other words, he's lost that arm or at least damaged it quiet badly (don't try this at home kiddos)
Next, he's carrying a man with him, in a head-lock. So, that man's probably dead (again, don't try at home)
And finally, did the sky need to be yellow? The rooftops blue? Or the buildings red and purple? DO ANY OF THESE COLORS MAKE SENSE?
Anyway, quick explanation. Detective Comics don't function like most modern comics, it doesn't resolve around one single superhero and their fight against evil. Instead, it introduces multiple in the same issue. 
Also, the caps lock is permanently on, to make everything exciting! (Pro tip: use exclamation marks for EVERYTHING!)
The Bat-Man doesn't appear until the 27th issue (according to Wikipedia) which is where we'll be starting, other superheroes be damned. 
This is the first introduction of the character of Batman at all. 
And it goes like this:
“The Bat-Man, a mysterious and adventurous figure, fighting for righteousness and apprehending the wrong doer, in his lone battle against the evil forces of society. His identity remains unknown. "
Okay, so immediately drawn to the 'his identity remains unknown' for two reasons. One, everyone knows who Bat-Man is but I get it at this point no-one would know which sounds ridiculous but then it goes on to tell you who Bat-Man is. Like by the end of this one story.
You would think they'd drag it out a little longer, but old comics don't play around like that. 
Next thing to note, Bat-Man really did start out as a moody loner which is both disgusting and impressive. On account of a lot of character's becoming unrecognizable to their past interpretations, especially spanning decades. 
Now the story is called:
"The case of the Chemical Syndicate."
It starts in Commissioner Gordon's house, who has some of the most colourful furniture. We are talking bright fireman red arm chair, and a sky blue arm chair. Like old comics just went crazy with colours. 
Also, Bruce Wayne used to smoke a pipe (back in the day when everyone smoked) while Gordon prefers what looks like a cigar. Old comics aren't the easiest to tell what's going on half the time. 
Anyway, Gordon is entertaining the young socialite Bruce Wayne. 
(Side note: At the moment Commissioner Gordon doesn't even have a first name which is deeply disrespectful to the man). 
Bruce is playing up the bored rich boy act, head in hand and wishing for death. While Gordon's puzzling over the Bat-Man (which again is extremely disrespectful to my man, Commissioner Gordon who knows better)
Then the phone rings! Dun Dun Duuuun!
We only hear Gordon's side of the story, which explains that a man named Lambert, known as the Chemical King has been stabbed and his son's finger prints are on the knife. 
Okay, first mistake deary. That crime literally just happened, Gordon turns up to the scene is a few panels over and the body hasn't been moved, the crime scene hasn't been analysed and the son's sat waiting for the Commissioner. 
This isn't a case closed, better let the Commissioner know. This is a, their a case that needs the Commissioner phone call. How the hell did they know whose prints are on the knife, how did they know anything about the knife if they're waiting for the Commissioner to analyse the scene. 
But jumping back to the phone call, Bruce Wayne's still in the room. Within hearing distance which is bad but then Gordon asks if he'd liked to come along. 
Commissioner Gordon invites Bruce Wayne to a crime scene. If the people who first read this, didn't immediately work out who Bat-Man is, they're stupid. Plain and simple. 
Anyway, they speed over (because they have to) in a little red car that's looks exactly like Bat-Man's car. (But we don't know that yet)
Arriving at the scene, Gordon examines the scene but doesn't really have anything to say about it. For summary, it's a dead man in a dressing gown who got stabbed in the back (because where else would you get stabbed) and died on his library floor. 
If you haven't worked it out yet, this man is rich. Big mansion, named after him. He's known as Old Lambert, and he's the Chemical King. Which I researched a little into, and it really was early days for chemical corporations in America (and other places) so I'm guessing they wanted to show that's he's some big-shot of a chemical corporation or something?
Either way, Gordon's right on to the good part. Accusing the son of murder, who immediately panics and goes on the defence. Which by todays standards makes him seem guilty as hell. 
As it turns out, he came home early (don't sons just always do that, when their father's getting murdered) heard a noise from the library, found his father with a knife in his back and removed it. 
So technically, he did murder his father. 
The boys story also contains a part where he got the impression someone had jumped out of an open window (not sure what that means) and that the safe was open, and his father's dying words as he held him in his arms were contract. 
God damn it, just once think about your son Old Lambert, but no once again business comes first. 
Gordon then proves himself a good detective and asks the lad about any enemies. Which the boy replies with, no but yeah and lists three names who all become relevant to this story, almost like the boy knew all along. (Kidding)
The first former businessman is Steven Crane, and guess who just phoned the Lambert residency. Steve Crane (maybe it's his brother) who informs the commissioner that Lambert had received a death threat before he'd died, and that he has also received a death threat. 
Gordon tells him to stay put, don't let anyone in. At this point Bruce Wayne taps out and then we're in Crane's library. And oh no, he's just been shot. 
Why give the death threat, did these businessmen just immediately go sit in their libraries and stare at their safe's when threatened?
Crane's murderer steals something from the safe and immediately runs to a nearby rooftop to meet up with Lambert's murderer. 
Okay, mistake number one. If there's two of you, and you're both going to murder a businessman, strike at the same time. Don't wait for the police to turn up to one crime and don't threaten the second victim so he has time to warn the police. 
Next mistake, don't meet on a rooftop, that draws attention. Meet inside a car, or a back alley or at least a few streets away, not down the street from victim two's house.
Finally, don't carry paper around in your hands when your going to meet on a rooftop. Like nothing happens to that paper, but I'm telling you that's the biggest lie of this comic, that paper should be gone.
Instead, they get their ass kicked by Bat-Man who sends one of the criminals flying through space. (The comics words not mine) like Bat-Man just yeets one over his shoulder without looking. 
Anyway, the police turn up, Gordon shouts about catching Bat-Man who is able to disappear into the night with his piece of paper (unrealistic) and then Gordon gives up on finding Bat-Man and goes to Crane's house. 
That's right, one panel of Gordon shouting at Bat-Man and then he's outside Crane's house, speaking with the man's butler who explains Crane's dead. And it's terrible. Heck, Gordon doesn't even check just takes the butler's word for it. 
Gordon then comes to the conclusion that if two out of four businessmen, who Lambert's son mentioned got death threats before dying, the other two businessmen must also have gotten death threats. 
Once again, the are just mention as former businessmen, not even if they knew each other or were part of the same business. Gordon's going out on a limb here. 
Doesn't matter anyway, because he's investigation ends here. 
Bat-Man on the other hand is sat in Bruce Wayne's car, grime smile as he looks at a piece of paper. And then he speeds forward onto an unknown destination. (Um, what?)
Next we jump to the former businessman number two, Paul Rogers whose heard of Lambert's death on the news. Rushing over to the last businessman the son name dropped Alfred Stryker. 
Rogers is met by Mr Jennings, the assistant of Stryker at the door to the neighbouring lab, who lets Rogers in. Only to sock him in the back of the head. Ouch!
He's then tied up, taken to the basement and placed under a glass cylinder. Mr Jennings explains its a gas chamber he's used on guinea pigs (why always guinea pigs)
Anyway, Bat-Man jumps in through the skylight and picks up a wrench. Jumping into the cylinder with Rogers, plugs up the gas jet with a handkerchief before breaking the glass. 
I want to call bullshit, but like it could work. Maybe. I don't know.
Jennings pulls a pistol on Bat-Man. Idiot. He's thrown over Bat-Man's shoulders for his troubles and sat on (that's right) by Bat-Man who then punches him in the face a good few times. 
Stryker finally arrives. Tries to kill Rogers with what looks like a butter knife, Bat-Man immediately twists the knife of out his hands, before grabbing him by the front of his clothes. 
Now comes the part where Bat-Man explains what's going on. Okay, so basically, Stryker didn't have ready cash to buy the company (Apex Chemical Corporation) off the other three. So, he set up secret contracts saying he'll pay them off in set amount, but instead had them killed. 
Not much of a chemical syndicate (which is an organized crime)
Anyway, then Bat-Man kicks the man into a tank of acid (did I forget to mention the tank of acid) for hiring people to kill of some businessmen. I mean what about the people who actual kill them. 
Whatever, Jason's proud Bruce. 
Bat-Man leaves with a quick “a fitting end for his kind” before pulling the disappearing act on Rogers, the only surviving businessman who can't prove Bat-Man was ever there and has to explain the disappearance of Stryker. 
Anyway, Bruce joins the Commissioner again at his house and hears all about the Bat-Man. Not sure what Gordon actual knows about that but Bruce pretends to be uninterested and Gordon thinks Bruce has a boring life and he's disinterested in everything. 
Then, we see Bruce return home and disappear into a room, only for Bat-Man to step out. OH NO! BAT-MAN KILLED BRUCE WAYNE.
Quick summary, four former businessmen. One gets stabbed in the back and for a hot second it looks like his son is the murderer. Businessman two get shot in the front. Both have contracts stolen from their safe. The murderer's meet on the rooftop and are beaten up by Bat-Man.
Businessman three goes to businessman four whose assistant tries to kill him. Saved by Bat-Man. Businessman four is kicked into a tank of acid for his trouble and businessman three goes down for the crime. Maybe, he can't prove Bat-Man murdered businessman four. 
Bat-Man says keep calm and yeet criminals into space (and the one's who hire them into tanks of acid)
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