Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling

It's time for another Bat-family episode, this week it's Azrael! We break down the Az-Bat and discuss how religion impacts his outlook on life! Plus we get real about current events - you won't wanna miss it!

SHOW NOTES:

• Intro
• • Talk about last week’s call to action
• Background (10:35)

• • Jean-Paul Valley created by Denny O’Neill, Joe Quesada, Grant Morrison, and an uncredited Peter Milligan in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (Oct.1992)
  • Jean-Paul Valley is a computer science student in Gotham City, who discovers his father was an assassin for a secret religious society called The Order of Saint Dumas, and that he is next in line
  • He was sent to kill Carlton LeHah, who had murdered his father, and in so doing crossed paths with Batman - ends up saving Bruce and overriding his conditioning, becoming his own man
  • Joins WayneTech, and after Bruce is paralyzed by Bane, takes over as Batman
  • Operates much more ruthlessly, as a combination of his conditioning and his belief that Bruce is too lenient on criminals - after killing one villain, Bruce realizes Jean-Paul is going too far, rehabilitates himself, and battles Jean-Paul, finally winning after snapping Jean-Paul out of his deluded state
  • Bruce takes pity on him, and gives him money, encouraging him to find out where he came from - discovers he was a test tube baby whose DNA was spliced with animals
  • Works to regain Bruce’s trust, which he does after saving several Senators
  • Later killed while battling his father’s murderer - later revived as part of Black Lantern Corps
  • New 52 - Jean-Paul Valley was cloned by his father as the newest member of the Order of Saint Dumas
  • Sent to battle Bane on Santa Prisca, where he encountered Red Robin (Tim Drake) & Red Hood (Jason Todd) - began to question the Order, and joined the Bat-Family
  • His conditioning returned, and Bruce & the family were forced to battle him - Bruce then created a suit that would allow Jean-Paul to stay in control
  • Became a member of Justice League Odyssey
• Issues (15:38)
• • Struggles with conditioning - ultimate nature vs nurture argument
  • Extremism as a result of the Order - belief that mercy is weakness (24:35)
• Break (34:24)
• • Plugs for Parent Quest & Popcorn Psychology, plus Gail Simone
• Treatment (35:47)
• • In-universe - Create structure within the Bat-family for “controlled complexity”
  • Out of universe - (42:00)
• Skit (47:49)
• Ending (53:33)
• • Recommended reading: Batman: Knightfall
  • Next episodes: Northstar, Erica Schultz interview, Raphael
  • Anthony’s appearance on P3
  • Plugs for social

References:

• Bane episode - Anthony (12:22)
• Laura Kinney episode - Anthony (16:03)
• Jason Todd episode - Anthony (39:48)
• Dick Grayson episode - Anthony (39:50)
• Forrest Gump - "Life is like a box of chocolates..." - Anthony (59:05)

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