48-3 - Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman

A new figure in a Batsuit has been operating in Gotham without Bruce Wayne's knowledge or permission. Gotham's criminal infrastructure is being systematically dismantled. Batman has three suspects and no idea which one is responsible. The film is not as interested in the answer as you might expect.

This week on Toonami Absolution, Alyx, Jon, and Sam cover Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003), the third theatrical film in the DC Animated Universe, produced during The New Batman Adventures era and arriving after Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and Mask of the Phantasm.

The film introduces three new characters who could plausibly be the new Batwoman: Kathy Duquesne, the daughter of a Gotham crime boss; Dr. Roxanne "Rocky" Ballantine, a scientist at Wayne Enterprises; and Detective Sonia Alcana of the Gotham PD. All three have motive. All three have capability. Kathy's father is directly involved with the Penguin and Rupert Thorne in a weapons deal that Batwoman has been targeting. Rocky has the technical means. Sonia has the training.

The film also introduces Bane as a hired muscle character for the Penguin-Thorne operation, and features Kevin Conroy and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in typically excellent form. Just a shame that the film totally fumbles its three new women and clearly doesn’t know what it wants to be.

We discuss where Mystery of the Batwoman sits in the DCAU theatrical run, whether the composite-Batwoman reveal earns its execution, what the film does with its villain roster, and whether the Bruce-Kathy romance is a feature or a bug.

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Toonami Absolution is a weekly podcast where Alyx, Jon, and Sam revisit the Toonami and Adult Swim shows that made them, and you, you.

From the block's early days with shows like Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and Transformers: Beast Wars to the imported anime that made Toonami and Adult Swim appointment television for a generation of kids, such as Cowboy Bebop, Sailor Moon, and Dragon Ball.

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