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The irony that Elisabeth Moss who voiced Kimmy in the episode went on to star in The Invisible Man remake (which was really good) is pretty funny to think about.
That's Elizabeth Moss?! I just thought about how this episode is like the latest Invisible Man movie. Edit: I just started the video when I commented. Serum Lake points out the similarities too.
I'm wondering if the invisibility suit in the movie was also made of a toxic material that will slowly kill the wearer if they kept using it. If not, it should.
In hindsight, Bruce probably knew about the guys criminal past and still allowed him to work at his factory to give him a second chance and Ventrix spat to his face.
That's what Bruce does he hires a lot of the goons he busts. People be like he doens't do much for gotham yet often time his money is helping so many people of gotham because Wanye's name is everywhere.
@@macaemeia146Bruce is willing to forgive people and offer a chance to change but some people will not take it and would rather bite the hand because he knows that Batman being a symbol of fear to crime cannot solve the issues that plague Gotham so Bruce Wane does what he can to prevent people from going to crime but it's down to the person if they want to change or not!!
@@superomegaprimemk2 exactly the point I was trying to make, Batman is not the punisher and his just beating someone up because they have criminal history is stupid
All children deserve parents. Not all parents deserve children What stood out to me about this episode is that in comic books and related media, the super criminals are typically pursuing super crimes. They plan things on a large scale that impacts a lot of people. Here, however, the target the criminal obsessed over was a defenseless child. Love is putting the other person's happiness ahead of your own, and Ventrix clearly had no interest in what made Kimmy happy. All he cared about was his own happiness, which he wanted by owning her
@Mikon596 Funny how even as a kid I got the impression that Ventrix cared more about what he wanted than genuinely making Kimmy happy. But I was too young to fully grasp and articulate the bad vibes his actions gave me.
I see Ventriss as something of a kid's show version of Walt from Breaking Bad. He genuinely loves Kimmy but that doesn't make him any less of a selfish, ego-driven man who ought to stay out of her life. And he's also voiced by a famous sitcom dad.
@@SerumLake I always thought of that moment with the construction worker humorous in the sense that it was a subtle hint from the universe that he's eating a bit too much though I felt that pain as well so many times too lol.
@@SerumLakeThere's also Jor-El and Batman Beyond Superman being voiced by Kent Mansley from The Iron Giant and a certain bad husband in Thelma and Louise.
Something I LOVE about this episode is the subtle way Batman's character shifts. When fighting Lloyd, he's a lot snarkier and more casual - hinting that this isn't the Batman facade, but the real Bruce speaking, because Lloyd's actions have angered him so much.
Lloyd did nothing wrong. He just wanted to see his daughter and his wife ruined his life. End of story. Bruce is just a spoiled rich kid, he could never understand.
@@dangerousdays2052Dude, have you stolen stuff and sold them off to try to bribe your kids love back or something? How could you think Lloyd Ventriss is a good guy when he hurt his only daughter when he man handled her and shoved her in his invisible car? She didn’t even have proper booster seats for a child her size and could’ve gotten really hurt with those very loose 60’s style seatbelts!
Wow imagine pissing Batman off so much, that you end up dealing with his daytime alter ego in a bat costume. Not even freaking Joker managed to piss him off that much and he's exponentially worse!
So as a kid I really, really liked this episode, but I couldn't figure why. It's because Ventrix was such a complicated character. Clearly a badguy who needed to be defeated, but his goal wasn't to rob a bank, it was to prove he wasn't a failure. The problem is he had the completely wrong idea, and it demonstrated why he had a restraining order in the first place. What a great one-off.
I think it’s more of a parents can be evil as well lesson since he was the father but you can argue that since kimmy didn’t know it was her father he was essentially a stranger
@@punfunyay7560 This exactly. It’s about narcissistic family, but the writers somehow still put in the “don’t talk to strangers” message t9 satisfy any network censorship.
There is a really dark irony to Lloyd Ventrix and his seeking to escape being a "Nobody", because the only way he could succeed was in using the suit and becoming nobody. Even when it was in his best interest, he couldn't help himself. Seeing how he muscled through the crowd even when invisible makes it clear that he lacked any kind of subtlety or restraint, his desire to be someone infamous and respected was at odds with the abilities the suit gave him. He was his own worst enemy.
I watched See No Evil with my mother and she'd had alot of the same reactions as Helen when she was watching it and I looked to her and asked what's wrong. Then I started wondered if other parents had the same reactions when watching this episode with their kids, and I got to imagine how terrified they were when watching this episode. Just for that See No Evil is probably one of my favorite episodes of BTAS.
When I think of this episode, I think of actress Judith Barsi and the abusive father she suffered under. It ended tragically because the mother didn't keep the father away. I am thankful this is one of the few children's cartoons that would even attempt to discuss child kidnapping by a parent and the tactics of manipulation. There were others that tackled the topic somewhat, but not only was Batman: TAS one of the first, but one of the best depictions.
Maybe Lloyd is aware that Kimmie's the only good thing he's ever done, and is holding onto the desperate hope that, if they can just be the family he *wishes* they were, everything will be fine. But he's too shallow to understand that it's not his wealth that would need to change to make that possible, it's his selfishness. He at least makes the *attempt* to be kind to Kimmie first, rather than kidnapping her right away. But things don't immediately work out exactly how he wants, so he gets frustrated and resorts to force. A tragedy of someone knowing he should be better, but limited by his ugly nature from ever achieving that. It's also fascinating that he can only appear to be kind while hiding behind a mask.
A lot of people feel sorry for this guy. There are fathers who get shit deal when it comes to their kids. This guy however clearly will not change and deserves no pity and the reasoning for the restraining order is justified
Originally the climax took place at lighthouse with daughter. Yet was change due the censors not wanting the little girl in any danger. Also the suit was supposed to be explosive that was remove.
Especially when you think of his line toward the Sewer King, “I don’t pass sentence, that’s for the courts. But this time, *this time,* I am *sorely* tempted to do the job myself.”
I agree, this is definitely a disturbing episode, and they did a good job getting the message across within the constraints of a kid's cartoon. Also, nice touch with the use of toxicity in the video title, alluding to both the toxic nature of Ventrix as well as the suit. 👏🏻
I think the primary reason why Helen was planning to move her and her daughter away from Gotham City it might have been because her lawyer might have advised it to put some distance between them And her ex husband considering he's pretty much violating the restraining order she has against him.
What I love about this episode is how it doubles as both a "Stranger Danger" sort of message and also a message about how sometimes, family can be the real danger. It's a well-written episode all around and one of my favorites.
Interesting how some voice over actors seemed typecasted in the BTAS series. Richard Moll went from a hulking baliff to a menacing District Attorney. Michael Gross went from a loving father to a damn near deadly father. Imagine if they had casted the actor from THE STEPFATHER films to voice Ventris!😂❤
And Baby Doll's former sitcom co-stars were actual former sitcom stars. Cousin Spunky was played by the former child actor who played Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch, which is the basis for Cousin Spunky.
I can see where you’re going with that. However, he isn’t the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and so on. He’s just a rouge that gives you an opportunity to explore Gotham suburbia, learn about restraining orders, and see how although all children deserve parents, not all parents deserve children. It definitely deserves some attention and also explains how the suit was made in “Batman Beyond”.
Take note of Ventrix's hellish red pupils made more obvious when he's angrily snarling. He was bad news from the start and whatever happened with the restraining order certainly not good. His fatalistic attitude towards his safety with the suit only adds to it. Sometimes demons are not monsters with elaborate, terrifying appearance or fantastical powers.
After playing a bad dad in the DCAU, Michael Gross voiced a good one in the Batman Beyond pilot. He was great in both parts. Your analysis is excellent, Serum.
When I was a kid it was how they kept focus on Kimmy's doll on the floor as "Mojo" took her away that made me feel this was a super bad idea. I couldn't have been that old myself. But that image is a core memory and as an adult I think this is for sure one of my top episodes of the show. Also rip that sandwich.
Parents split before I was born. I remember we had little meetings where I could see my dad. But I don't even remember his face or voice and I'm still quite happy about that. Even child me knew "this man is not worth remembering". So in a way. He's invisible. So I really like how people use invisibility for stories like this.
'How do you find what you can't see, when an invisible guy goes on a crime spree?' 2:15 He sounds closer to Hugo Strange in appearance and learning Batman's identity really. I'm sure the comics have had at least one other invisible villain too.
Yeah, there were a lot of similarities between Hugo Strange's BTAS episode and the comic book story here. Batman's second mask was used in "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy".
nothing you can see, change is a law of the universe. seriously though, the only thing people can do is change, its impossible for someone to stay the same
I always wondered if the invisibility suit plastic was the basis for the Batman Beyond era suit's ability to turn invisible? It does feel like that suit made use of modified versions of several different technologies villains and old foes alike utilized. And the way the invisibility plastic is operated in this episode does have a very distant resemblance to the BB suit's stealth functions being enabled. Perhaps Bruce eventually figured out a way to sort out the toxicity problem by using a different set of materials over plastic? Or the BB suit gives adequate protection from that particular drawback, making it possible to use safely. Interestingly, even the flying future Batmobile has the same stealth functionality. Ventrix (and his stealth car) thus just might have given Bruce a few ideas during all of this he would make use of later down the line when it came time to construct the cutting edge Batman Beyond suit. As it sure does seem like it's something similar being used.
I believe there was even a later BTAS episode where when discussing a case, Bruce remarked about wanting to make sure they don't have another invisible man running around. Meaning, Ventrix did at least leave an impression on him, even if it was mostly the ill-gotten stealth technology that he thought of.
I’m certain of it. I mentioned the possible connection between Ventrix’s suit and the Batman Beyond costume. Surely they ironed out the toxicity problem after a decade or two…
I love this episode. The acting was brilliant, and the theme of the story was handled masterfully. Even in 2024, this episode is still very disturbing. It reminds me of the Maddie Mclan case, where Maddie was abducted while on holiday with her family and has not been seen since. It breaks my heart that her family will never get closure, unlike the Ventrix family. Bruce lost his childhood, so it is not a surprise that this case hit very close for him. The beat down he gave to Floyd was extremely satisfying.
I remember watching this ep for the first time, i thought it was going to be another ep like Heart of Ice from the beginning but oh i was so wrong. Ventriss's face design just made me feeling unsettled plus what he was doing with Kimmy as "Mojo" makes it even more creepy.
Something I love so much about DCAU Batman, is how kids are never scared of Batman. Adults are scared of him, or misunderstand him, or hate him, but every kid treats him warmly. It really highlights his compassion, that kids in their innocence would only see him as a hero and a friend.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE EPISODE IN THE ENTIRE SERIES. for some reason it was a common rerun on TV so I had a lot of exposure to this specific episode. I feel Lloyd Ventrix was a very memorable one-off villain, in part because of the atmosphere he brought and the horrific, grounded nature of the plot. the parallel of little Kimberly 'talking to herself' with Mojo and then Batman at the end after he saved her life 👏 love it.
I seem to remember at the time that this episode was being written that they chose not to make it actually Floyd Ventrix...so we made it (unofficially) his brother Lloyd. I think Jean Smart deserves a shout out with the rest of the cast as well. She was so good in the role and really helped sell the desperation of an abused wife...without having to say anything specific. This show was one of the shows that was greatly helped by a BS&P that normally would have never allowed the subject matter to air on a kid's show...they gave us parameters to allow difficult themes to be explored.
I find it an interesting parallel between the way Ventrix chooses to ignore the toxicity of his invisibility suit much like his willingness to overlook how much of a toxic influence he was in his family's life, and while the suit gave him the means to (illegally) acquire wealth and supposed status, it couldn't hide his true, less-than-appealing nature. In the end, he was "seen no more" by his wife and daughter, though not exactly in the way he intended.
There was definitely a more eerie and unsettling feel in this episode that I don’t feel we got anywhere else in the show. The way the handle the scenes with Mojo talking with his daughter makes my skin crawl
The tragic thing about Lloyd Ventrix is that he does genuinely seem to have a gift for invention. Think on it for a bit. While the plastic may have been invented by someone else, Lloyd was able to create an invisibility suit, an invisible briefcase, and even an invisible car. He was, with very few resources, able to build practical applications for the technology. The man could easily have used that gift for invention to make an honest living. It's just a shame he couldn't rise above his criminal mindset.
Once again, your analysis is very thorough and thoughtful. This episode was so well written and cast, and sadly, quite a necessary one. On a lighter note, I loved the bit with the random citizen who is flabbergasted that apparently Batman can fly.
I’m going to have to ask Dan Riba if the jokes were in the original script or if they were added later on to lighten the tone of the episode. Come to think of it, I probably should’ve asked him that before making the video…
Great video. I was shocked to learn about the similarities between Floyd Ventrix's comic book appearences and "The Strange Secret Of Bruce Wayne" episode! Floyd even looks similar to Hugo. He learns Batman's secret identity, gets laughed at and then Bruce uses doubles to "prove" he's not Batman. I was expecting you mentioning this in the video but I understand you wanted to focus the video on Lloyd Ventrix and his episode.
Excited for the Metallo episode - I think he consistently got the better stories for a recurring Villain that could pose a physical threat to Superman. The Way of All Flesh is such a well designed episode - that and Action Figures make a good 2 parter that kinda explore the dichotomy of why Superman is a good and Corben prefers the luxuries of sticking with villainy. I never gave See no Evil a big thought. An interesting episode with some solid tropes and well crafted to show Batman discover the villain, find out the weakness, and exploit the weakness (Peekaboo) in order to save the day and the child. However, there's quite a bit to this. I assume Bruce Wayne reaches out to the assistant to get more financing and studying done for the refracting light technology so he can eventually create the invisibility for his Batman Beyond suit. In addition to a peak at the lore we also have a really good comparison made - Ventrix desires to control and finds strength from putting on his costume/hiding in the shadows as does Batman. The difference is that Batman doesn't want what happened to him to happen to another and seeks to help others - Ventrix does not have empathy, caves into the power and corruption his resources provide, and ultimately engages in regular evil.
I still bad for Ventrix because it's clear he did love Kimmy and her mom even if he was selfish criminal. He didn't even care that he could to die to the chemicals in the end.
I watched this episode not too long ago and tried to put myself in Lloyd shoes in regards to what was driving his actions. While I don't dispute any of your points, at a deeper level I think his desperation with regards to his seeming need for a relationship with her is that due to his own warped perspective that the only way he can achieve respect from adults is though having wealth, power, prestige etc, Kimmy offers him to promise of unconditional love a child feels for their parent provided said parent has not utterly destroyed that relationship. While it's true we don't see much of his integrations with Kimmy when he's pretending to be Mojo the writing and acting implies he has been seeing her for some time and the fact that he can't give himself away by Kimmy not being being able to explain to her mother where gifts come from must mean that relationship was built with something more genuine. Yes, I agree he's selfish in terms of only seeing how his relationship with Kimmy makes him feel, I do think it had at least the abstract potential to be a catalyst for genuine self-improvement from him but it depended on him having the humility to make himself vulnerable and let go of this self imagine he had of himself. You address this partly in your hypothetical of him approaching Helen without the obvious signifiers he was already back to breaking the law but personally I do not believe even that would have been enough, not when he was already showing his lack of respect towards her boundaries by approaching her directly. I think he would have needed to have an third party approach her his parole officer or some kind of social worker and raised the prospect of having a trial run supervised visits alongside a letter for Kimmy saying why he wants to be in her life while also making absolutely clear the decision is firstly Helen's if she even wants to give/read this letter to Kimmy and be open to it and then Kimmy's herself and if either of them say no he will except that. This, clearly, was well beyond what Lloyd was capable of and so was more what of a thought experiment than something I could genuinely see the character do.
"the courts do not give out restraining orders for no reason" just made me think of the movie falling down, where an officer asks why the main character's ex wife got one, to which she says that the judge pushed her to get one, despite there being no threat of danger from him.
Batman always gets extra intense in BATAS when kids are in danger.
6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3
I always dread this episode when I watch it, given how this is very close to every child abduction story for one, and at the same time it given the world this takes place in almost comes off as one of those so-called "true haunting" ghost stories.
So I just realized that in Batman Beyond Terry's Batsuit has a stealth camouflage feature. And being reminded of See No Evil; you think Bruce might have restarted research into Giddell's plastic and perfected it, perhaps with aid from information or even from some members of the Justice League and later incorporated that into the Batman Beyond suit?
If I may play Devils Advocate for Mojo here (🤢), it makes sense to me why so many people would think that he’s original to BTAS…because he’s so detestable and depraved, he’s completely overshadowed his original namesake.
Ventriss it's kind of like the opposite to sandman from Marvel. Well sandman did commit crimes his main motivation was always trying to save his sick daughter and he was driven to a desperate corner but he had reservations about being a criminal. He was also manipulated by other people plenty of times too when he became sandman. But one of my favorite scenes in Spider-Man 3 as Messi as that movie was was when Peter forgave sandman for what had happened to Uncle Ben seeing as though that sandman had a hand in Uncle Ben's death. Uncle Ben tried to talk to sandman and convince him that what he was doing was wrong and he was sort of getting through to him but was scared by his partner at the time who was also a criminal and the gun went off and killed Uncle Ben he never intended to do it but he still technically did kill Uncle Ben and after all that Spider-Man still forgives him. It shows you that the power of forgiveness can not only help the person who committed the act but it can also help the person who forgives too. It helps both of them move on in a way
Ventrix may not be saintly but I don't think we should forget that Batman played as much of a role (or should I say roll) in allowing that delicious looking sandwich to fall...that's the moment in which the show fully solidified Batman's status as something of an anti-hero which is furthered in TNBA
_Where did he go? That Invisibo._ _He's a power-hungry kook_ _With a scepter full of juice._ _So tell me..._ _Where did he go? That Invisibo._ _Drinking up all the wattage_ _He's a nutcase on the loose._
It is hard to believe that Elizabeth Moss, who voiced Kimmy in the BTAS episode, " See No Evil", would grow up to star in the 2020 remake of The Invisible Man! The classic Invisible Man starring Claud Rains will always be in my heart and Claud Rains, as The Invisible Man, was funny and always wore sunglasses and bandages wrapped around him to hide his invisibility!
I agree that's strange. I am aware of circumstances where a kid is held as a weapon, but this story definitely justifies that Ventriss hasn't changed at all. He's still a violent thug who attempts to intimidate Helen through wealth and, when invisible, likes to bully others; all that has changed is that he has a big ticket item that allows him to be extraordinary, which he merely uses to fulfil his fantasies most easily. If he had wanted to do the right thing the right way? He would've taken the longer road. I feel that those who demonize Helen are just projecting on other stories they have heard, rather then what is reflected in reality.
How the court system treats the man in divorce is a very polarizing topic too many people. With the way Gotham's courts are represented its hard to view them as always just So people can view Ventrix as more than just being some low life who wanted to be a big shot. Rather a man who was pushed by society to where he ended up. Its how most BTAS villains were written, Ventrix is no different. If there's one thing BTAS wanted you consider its how bad people weren't always bad (not that it justifies there actions).
For Metallo, you should probably go over both Corben brothers. While John is the best known version in DC Comics, Roger has influenced how most media portray John as Metallo.
Sounds a lot like the invisibility technology that was in the media a while back. It used plastic fresnel lenses to make something look almost invisible.
The rule about humor is something that should be (and for the most part is) a mainstay of Batman media in general, even in the darkest iterations. My mind immediately goes to how The Batman had some funny moments like the thumb drive joke which never fails to get a laugh out of me, but it still remains a dark introspective take on the character.
This episode freaked me out as a kid first time I watched it. Between this episode & Man Bat & Moon of the wolf I always watched on Fox Kids around Halloween 🎃 time. This is why BTAS has always stuck with me growing up next to X-Men 92 & Spidey 94
Love your channel. A lot of TH-cam content about this show tends to just summarize the episode, but you do it in a way to explain your point of view and give a great analysis on the theme. I kind of felt bad for the invisible man😄, but your explanation of why he can’t see his daughter made me appreciate the ending more.
So yeah, in conclusion I think we can all gather and agree that Ventrix is a creep that’s also among the few rogues in Batman’s vast gallery that are truly irredeemable I’m placing him in the DCAU creep gang alongside Mad Hatter, Toyman, And Parasite (because of that one episode with Livewire)
You know, a Flash/Batman Team-up against the weirdly symbiotic duo of Mirror Man and Mirror Master would be pretty rad if done right. Add in Mirror Man's batman Obsession and its key for a lot of plot points in the current iteration
I agree. It showed what a creepy man, Lloyd Ventrix was. Assumably, when Helen and Kimmy moved, they were given new identities, so Lloyd couldn’t find them. They probably moved at least to another state. It was never stated where specifically, probably because that’s not really part of the story.
I remember being a little girl in a pink nighty, waiting for Batman outside my bedroom window, after having watched that episode. I didn't understand the depths of the episode very well as a six-year-old, my focus was entirely on that little girl who was lucky enough to have BATMAN come see her at night to check on her, and I wanted that too. 😆
I actually like it, too. Mostly because it talked about divorce, restraining orders, and nature of children. Also, about being a single parent and invisibly crimes take place. It was fairly educational, but done in a dark way.
I still think this is one of the best BTAS episodes as it has real world applications and love the idea of invisibility. I did not know Kimmy voice actress is the same woman in the movie that i also watched and really liked as both is about loved ones, turned terrible with an invisibility suit that use it to spy and harass.
In HG Welles's original story, the Invisible Man was a scientist who made himself invisible after going through many painful procedures of turning the cells of his body absolutely clear through a grueling chemical process. However, he did it for the most selfish reasons possible; to assert dominance over other people. He was selfish, petty, vindictive, and completely misanthropic. HG Welles made him as unlikable as possible, to accentuate how creepy and unsettling the idea of an invisible person could be.
Something I adore about this episode is the subtle hints at just who Mojo is. One of the major things needed for a restraining order in New Jersey, which is where Gotham is usually located in, is domestic abuse. This really changes how you view Lloyds plight, as we witness him go from someone who seems to want to change to someone who still pushes those around him, he just now has a way to get away with it. Its very much the classic mindset of "I can change" but only changing surface level, and changing for a goal. He'd likely fall right back into his abusive habits as soon as he could. Thats my reading at least as someone whos been through similar situations.
No wonder he was overshadowed by the popular Flash villain: Mirror Master. Anyway, I was wondering why no one makes a story about a parent-hating vigilante who wants to free children by eradicating their parents because it thinks they are abusive, neglectful, ignorant, selfish creeps who only used them as trophies or slaves. Imagine it as a twisted version of Peter Pan.
I always liked the line that Batman says to Ventrix: “Not in this lifetime pal”, especially as an adult because of DISGUSTED he is over the lengths that Ventrix went through to try and take Kimmy away from her mother
Elizabeth Moss was in the Invisible Man (2020) alongside Aldis Hodge, who plays Hawkman in Black Adam, and Storm Reid, who plays Bloodsport’s Daughter in The Suicide Squad. Coincidence?
I think it was on the DVD Commentary for this episode, but they said that Batman 'Flying' was kind of a throwback to when the show first was being broadcast. One of the very first clips they got back from Japan, showed Batman Flying!! The asked the studio why they did that, and they said he had a cape on, heroes in capes fly. That was the Culture, and the animation studios had to be told Batman couldn't fly despite the cape lol.
Even though it was never publicly acknowledged or confirmed, i always felt that Lloyd Ventrix's invisible camouflage played an important role in helping Bruce Wayne to create the high tech batsuit that we would see in Batman Beyond many years later. I like to think this episode unknowingly helped plant the seeds for this ability which would be one of the signature trademarks for Terry Mcginnis
One of my favorite episodes. Funny story on the funny aside: I remember discovering the Elisabeth Moss connection just as the 'The Invisible Man' remake was about to come out. My wife (then still my gf) and I were binging BTAS, and once I discovered it, I felt I had stumbled upon a trivia gold nugget; not even Walter Banasiak from Channel Awesome mentioned it in his review. I wish I had known he was making those videos sooner, then I would have shared this funny aside in the comments. 😢
Interestingly. Hugo Strange resembles the Lloyd Ventris/Mirror Man from the 1950s comics... In that Batman TAS episode. When he found out Batman's true identity, tried to reveal it to the villains... He failed, nobody believed that Bruce Wayne is Batman...
Kimmy has such a cute character design, doesn't she? It's worth remarking upon, because I don't think I've seen a design like hers elsewhere in the series.
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I think the next Batman should be based on this.
Blumhouse has some explaining to do.
The irony that Elisabeth Moss who voiced Kimmy in the episode went on to star in The Invisible Man remake (which was really good) is pretty funny to think about.
😂😂😂
That's Elizabeth Moss?! I just thought about how this episode is like the latest Invisible Man movie.
Edit: I just started the video when I commented. Serum Lake points out the similarities too.
I'm wondering if the invisibility suit in the movie was also made of a toxic material that will slowly kill the wearer if they kept using it. If not, it should.
I’d had no idea that the voice actress that did the kid’s voice was the Actress from that Movie Invisible Man in 2020. Stunned by that.
He mentioned this in the video
In hindsight, Bruce probably knew about the guys criminal past and still allowed him to work at his factory to give him a second chance and Ventrix spat to his face.
Yeah he did the same for the Ventriloquist.
That's what Bruce does he hires a lot of the goons he busts. People be like he doens't do much for gotham yet often time his money is helping so many people of gotham because Wanye's name is everywhere.
He probably let him go because he cant just beat up anybody with a criminal past, especialy if they are not hurting anybody
@@macaemeia146Bruce is willing to forgive people and offer a chance to change but some people will not take it and would rather bite the hand because he knows that Batman being a symbol of fear to crime cannot solve the issues that plague Gotham so Bruce Wane does what he can to prevent people from going to crime but it's down to the person if they want to change or not!!
@@superomegaprimemk2 exactly the point I was trying to make, Batman is not the punisher and his just beating someone up because they have criminal history is stupid
All children deserve parents. Not all parents deserve children
What stood out to me about this episode is that in comic books and related media, the super criminals are typically pursuing super crimes. They plan things on a large scale that impacts a lot of people. Here, however, the target the criminal obsessed over was a defenseless child. Love is putting the other person's happiness ahead of your own, and Ventrix clearly had no interest in what made Kimmy happy. All he cared about was his own happiness, which he wanted by owning her
Well Said I hope to become a good loving Dad one day like my own Best Friend that I call Dad
@Mikon596
Funny how even as a kid I got the impression that Ventrix cared more about what he wanted than genuinely making Kimmy happy. But I was too young to fully grasp and articulate the bad vibes his actions gave me.
Exactly.
I see Ventriss as something of a kid's show version of Walt from Breaking Bad. He genuinely loves Kimmy but that doesn't make him any less of a selfish, ego-driven man who ought to stay out of her life.
And he's also voiced by a famous sitcom dad.
I love little details like casting Michael Gross - it's a nice touch that adds something to those that know, without being distracting.
@@SerumLake I always thought of that moment with the construction worker humorous in the sense that it was a subtle hint from the universe that he's eating a bit too much though I felt that pain as well so many times too lol.
@@SerumLakeThere's also Jor-El and Batman Beyond Superman being voiced by Kent Mansley from The Iron Giant and a certain bad husband in Thelma and Louise.
He’s significantly worse than Walt in terms of personality, but less bad in deed.
I don’t think Walt and Ventriss loved their family at all. If they had, they’d know that what they’re doing is bad and take opposite steps
Something I LOVE about this episode is the subtle way Batman's character shifts. When fighting Lloyd, he's a lot snarkier and more casual - hinting that this isn't the Batman facade, but the real Bruce speaking, because Lloyd's actions have angered him so much.
Similar to how the Sewer King pissed him off by enslaving the kids.
@@Xehanort10 Yep. Going after kids seems to be a real red line for Bats, considering his own trauma.
Lloyd did nothing wrong. He just wanted to see his daughter and his wife ruined his life. End of story. Bruce is just a spoiled rich kid, he could never understand.
@@dangerousdays2052Dude, have you stolen stuff and sold them off to try to bribe your kids love back or something? How could you think Lloyd Ventriss is a good guy when he hurt his only daughter when he man handled her and shoved her in his invisible car? She didn’t even have proper booster seats for a child her size and could’ve gotten really hurt with those very loose 60’s style seatbelts!
Wow imagine pissing Batman off so much, that you end up dealing with his daytime alter ego in a bat costume. Not even freaking Joker managed to piss him off that much and he's exponentially worse!
So as a kid I really, really liked this episode, but I couldn't figure why. It's because Ventrix was such a complicated character. Clearly a badguy who needed to be defeated, but his goal wasn't to rob a bank, it was to prove he wasn't a failure. The problem is he had the completely wrong idea, and it demonstrated why he had a restraining order in the first place. What a great one-off.
Yeah, he's almost sympathetic because anyone can relate to a dad wanting to see his daughter. His character has a lot of other flaws, unfortunately.
I also really like the implications that Bruce would refine the process of the invisibility suit for the batsuit that both he and Terry wear
5:38 I feel like Helen got a restraining order because Lloyd probably abused her and she was afraid he'd hurt Kimmy as well.
I forgot how good this episode was. So dark and relatively sci-fi and yet still teaching kids to not talk to strangers.
I think it’s more of a parents can be evil as well lesson since he was the father but you can argue that since kimmy didn’t know it was her father he was essentially a stranger
@@punfunyay7560 This exactly. It’s about narcissistic family, but the writers somehow still put in the “don’t talk to strangers” message t9 satisfy any network censorship.
@@JohnNathanShopper that’s pretty genius how they got those two messages in seamlessly
That was her dad, not a stranger, ffs. Batman was wrong. Him and the wife were the bad guys. End of story.
@@dangerousdays2052
True it was her father, but since she didnt know, it still apply to a degree.
There is a really dark irony to Lloyd Ventrix and his seeking to escape being a "Nobody", because the only way he could succeed was in using the suit and becoming nobody. Even when it was in his best interest, he couldn't help himself. Seeing how he muscled through the crowd even when invisible makes it clear that he lacked any kind of subtlety or restraint, his desire to be someone infamous and respected was at odds with the abilities the suit gave him. He was his own worst enemy.
I watched See No Evil with my mother and she'd had alot of the same reactions as Helen when she was watching it and I looked to her and asked what's wrong. Then I started wondered if other parents had the same reactions when watching this episode with their kids, and I got to imagine how terrified they were when watching this episode. Just for that See No Evil is probably one of my favorite episodes of BTAS.
When I think of this episode, I think of actress Judith Barsi and the abusive father she suffered under. It ended tragically because the mother didn't keep the father away.
I am thankful this is one of the few children's cartoons that would even attempt to discuss child kidnapping by a parent and the tactics of manipulation. There were others that tackled the topic somewhat, but not only was Batman: TAS one of the first, but one of the best depictions.
Maybe Lloyd is aware that Kimmie's the only good thing he's ever done, and is holding onto the desperate hope that, if they can just be the family he *wishes* they were, everything will be fine. But he's too shallow to understand that it's not his wealth that would need to change to make that possible, it's his selfishness. He at least makes the *attempt* to be kind to Kimmie first, rather than kidnapping her right away. But things don't immediately work out exactly how he wants, so he gets frustrated and resorts to force. A tragedy of someone knowing he should be better, but limited by his ugly nature from ever achieving that. It's also fascinating that he can only appear to be kind while hiding behind a mask.
its almost as if being kind is everyone's true nature
A lot of people feel sorry for this guy. There are fathers who get shit deal when it comes to their kids. This guy however clearly will not change and deserves no pity and the reasoning for the restraining order is justified
Originally the climax took place at lighthouse with daughter. Yet was change due the censors not wanting the little girl in any danger. Also the suit was supposed to be explosive that was remove.
It’s such a shame these original scripts were never published.
Granted, what we got felt more natural to me. Hostage situations aren't always a favorite of mine.
Honestly I really digged the car chase that happened instead
To be honest, I prefer the invisible car scene and the showdown under the water tower.
Batman is a proud father himself. He must've felt a special hatred for Ventriss
Consider whenever a child is endangered, Batmans first instinct is to punch the man who is harming them, I'd say yes, yes he does.
@@tylerbertram7065 His intense hatred for the villain in "The Underdwellers" was palpable.
Especially when you think of his line toward the Sewer King, “I don’t pass sentence, that’s for the courts. But this time, *this time,* I am *sorely* tempted to do the job myself.”
"proud father" my ass. and he endangers children.
@@tornadochaser2457 man was ready to fucking murder
I agree, this is definitely a disturbing episode, and they did a good job getting the message across within the constraints of a kid's cartoon. Also, nice touch with the use of toxicity in the video title, alluding to both the toxic nature of Ventrix as well as the suit. 👏🏻
Thanks! I had the hardest time picking an image for the thumbnail - probably not too surprising given that he’s invisible most of the time!
I think the primary reason why Helen was planning to move her and her daughter away from Gotham City it might have been because her lawyer might have advised it to put some distance between them And her ex husband considering he's pretty much violating the restraining order she has against him.
What I love about this episode is how it doubles as both a "Stranger Danger" sort of message and also a message about how sometimes, family can be the real danger. It's a well-written episode all around and one of my favorites.
Interesting how some voice over actors seemed typecasted in the BTAS series.
Richard Moll went from a hulking baliff to a menacing District Attorney. Michael Gross went from a loving father to a damn near deadly father.
Imagine if they had casted the actor from THE STEPFATHER films to voice Ventris!😂❤
And Baby Doll's former sitcom co-stars were actual former sitcom stars. Cousin Spunky was played by the former child actor who played Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch, which is the basis for Cousin Spunky.
And then became a loving father again as Warren McGinnis in Batman Beyond.
I find it hilarious that the Sewer King in BTAS was George Liquor from Ren and Stimpy.
Actually, no. In Wells’s original novel, the formula WASN’T what drove people mad; that’s a movie-only invention.
The Power of 1-shot Villain stories is vastly underrated these days
Whenever watching this episode I always felt EXTREMILY uncomfortable and I think it was due to being raised by somebody that angry and aggressive.
Batman wearing a mirror mask beneath his regular mask to counteract the mirror scanner is the most golden age Batman thing I've ever heard
Glad to see this episode get some attention. It’s criminal this villain was never used again
I can see where you’re going with that. However, he isn’t the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and so on. He’s just a rouge that gives you an opportunity to explore Gotham suburbia, learn about restraining orders, and see how although all children deserve parents, not all parents deserve children. It definitely deserves some attention and also explains how the suit was made in “Batman Beyond”.
Take note of Ventrix's hellish red pupils made more obvious when he's angrily snarling. He was bad news from the start and whatever happened with the restraining order certainly not good. His fatalistic attitude towards his safety with the suit only adds to it. Sometimes demons are not monsters with elaborate, terrifying appearance or fantastical powers.
God, 50s Batman comics were unhinged.
I know! Isn't it great?
90s batman you mean?
After playing a bad dad in the DCAU, Michael Gross voiced a good one in the Batman Beyond pilot. He was great in both parts. Your analysis is excellent, Serum.
When I was a kid it was how they kept focus on Kimmy's doll on the floor as "Mojo" took her away that made me feel this was a super bad idea. I couldn't have been that old myself. But that image is a core memory and as an adult I think this is for sure one of my top episodes of the show.
Also rip that sandwich.
Parents split before I was born. I remember we had little meetings where I could see my dad. But I don't even remember his face or voice and I'm still quite happy about that. Even child me knew "this man is not worth remembering". So in a way. He's invisible. So I really like how people use invisibility for stories like this.
There's something else I thought of. If the plastic is toxic while invisible, then when it have also been toxic to his daughter?
Very good point, especially since children are more vulnerable to toxin exposure (because they're smaller.)
'How do you find what you can't see, when an invisible guy goes on a crime spree?'
2:15 He sounds closer to Hugo Strange in appearance and learning Batman's identity really. I'm sure the comics have had at least one other invisible villain too.
Yeah, there were a lot of similarities between Hugo Strange's BTAS episode and the comic book story here. Batman's second mask was used in "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy".
You need to see change when it comes to forgiving someone. But when it comes to Ventrix, there is nothing to see.
Well said!
nothing you can see, change is a law of the universe. seriously though, the only thing people can do is change, its impossible for someone to stay the same
I always wondered if the invisibility suit plastic was the basis for the Batman Beyond era suit's ability to turn invisible? It does feel like that suit made use of modified versions of several different technologies villains and old foes alike utilized. And the way the invisibility plastic is operated in this episode does have a very distant resemblance to the BB suit's stealth functions being enabled. Perhaps Bruce eventually figured out a way to sort out the toxicity problem by using a different set of materials over plastic? Or the BB suit gives adequate protection from that particular drawback, making it possible to use safely. Interestingly, even the flying future Batmobile has the same stealth functionality. Ventrix (and his stealth car) thus just might have given Bruce a few ideas during all of this he would make use of later down the line when it came time to construct the cutting edge Batman Beyond suit. As it sure does seem like it's something similar being used.
I believe there was even a later BTAS episode where when discussing a case, Bruce remarked about wanting to make sure they don't have another invisible man running around. Meaning, Ventrix did at least leave an impression on him, even if it was mostly the ill-gotten stealth technology that he thought of.
I’m certain of it. I mentioned the possible connection between Ventrix’s suit and the Batman Beyond costume. Surely they ironed out the toxicity problem after a decade or two…
Oh, yes, "Time Out of Joint", which was set 56 eps later, is the story that callbacked on Ventrix.
There's also Luminus' light manipulation tech.
I love this episode. The acting was brilliant, and the theme of the story was handled masterfully. Even in 2024, this episode is still very disturbing.
It reminds me of the Maddie Mclan case, where Maddie was abducted while on holiday with her family and has not been seen since. It breaks my heart that her family will never get closure, unlike the Ventrix family.
Bruce lost his childhood, so it is not a surprise that this case hit very close for him. The beat down he gave to Floyd was extremely satisfying.
I remember watching this ep for the first time, i thought it was going to be another ep like Heart of Ice from the beginning but oh i was so wrong.
Ventriss's face design just made me feeling unsettled plus what he was doing with Kimmy as "Mojo" makes it even more creepy.
Something I love so much about DCAU Batman, is how kids are never scared of Batman. Adults are scared of him, or misunderstand him, or hate him, but every kid treats him warmly. It really highlights his compassion, that kids in their innocence would only see him as a hero and a friend.
This is actually one of my favorite B:TAS episodes.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE EPISODE IN THE ENTIRE SERIES. for some reason it was a common rerun on TV so I had a lot of exposure to this specific episode. I feel Lloyd Ventrix was a very memorable one-off villain, in part because of the atmosphere he brought and the horrific, grounded nature of the plot. the parallel of little Kimberly 'talking to herself' with Mojo and then Batman at the end after he saved her life 👏 love it.
I seem to remember at the time that this episode was being written that they chose not to make it actually Floyd Ventrix...so we made it (unofficially) his brother Lloyd. I think Jean Smart deserves a shout out with the rest of the cast as well. She was so good in the role and really helped sell the desperation of an abused wife...without having to say anything specific. This show was one of the shows that was greatly helped by a BS&P that normally would have never allowed the subject matter to air on a kid's show...they gave us parameters to allow difficult themes to be explored.
Good to see your thoughts on this, Mr. Riba.
thank you for making this episde Dan. its a favorite of mine!
I find it an interesting parallel between the way Ventrix chooses to ignore the toxicity of his invisibility suit much like his willingness to overlook how much of a toxic influence he was in his family's life, and while the suit gave him the means to (illegally) acquire wealth and supposed status, it couldn't hide his true, less-than-appealing nature. In the end, he was "seen no more" by his wife and daughter, though not exactly in the way he intended.
There was definitely a more eerie and unsettling feel in this episode that I don’t feel we got anywhere else in the show. The way the handle the scenes with Mojo talking with his daughter makes my skin crawl
The tragic thing about Lloyd Ventrix is that he does genuinely seem to have a gift for invention. Think on it for a bit. While the plastic may have been invented by someone else, Lloyd was able to create an invisibility suit, an invisible briefcase, and even an invisible car. He was, with very few resources, able to build practical applications for the technology. The man could easily have used that gift for invention to make an honest living. It's just a shame he couldn't rise above his criminal mindset.
Reminds me of Mercy Graves' opinions on Lex Luthor in Superman Adventures issue 41, I think.
Dude needed to stop trying to out do himself and settle for what he has. He could've found a better way to use that suit but he went the basic root.
Lloyd tries to force his family back together. Bruce tries to keep other families from falling apart.
The comic version seems more like Hugo Strange, even his first appearance was like the episode " The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne."
Once again, your analysis is very thorough and thoughtful. This episode was so well written and cast, and sadly, quite a necessary one. On a lighter note, I loved the bit with the random citizen who is flabbergasted that apparently Batman can fly.
I’m going to have to ask Dan Riba if the jokes were in the original script or if they were added later on to lighten the tone of the episode. Come to think of it, I probably should’ve asked him that before making the video…
Those were the days, before Superman moved to Metropolis and became well publicized...
@@SerumLake Either way, it made for a balanced and memorable episode. I have to imagine the levity was added intentionally.
Great video. I was shocked to learn about the similarities between Floyd Ventrix's comic book appearences and "The Strange Secret Of Bruce Wayne" episode! Floyd even looks similar to Hugo. He learns Batman's secret identity, gets laughed at and then Bruce uses doubles to "prove" he's not Batman. I was expecting you mentioning this in the video but I understand you wanted to focus the video on Lloyd Ventrix and his episode.
Excited for the Metallo episode - I think he consistently got the better stories for a recurring Villain that could pose a physical threat to Superman. The Way of All Flesh is such a well designed episode - that and Action Figures make a good 2 parter that kinda explore the dichotomy of why Superman is a good and Corben prefers the luxuries of sticking with villainy.
I never gave See no Evil a big thought. An interesting episode with some solid tropes and well crafted to show Batman discover the villain, find out the weakness, and exploit the weakness (Peekaboo) in order to save the day and the child. However, there's quite a bit to this. I assume Bruce Wayne reaches out to the assistant to get more financing and studying done for the refracting light technology so he can eventually create the invisibility for his Batman Beyond suit. In addition to a peak at the lore we also have a really good comparison made - Ventrix desires to control and finds strength from putting on his costume/hiding in the shadows as does Batman. The difference is that Batman doesn't want what happened to him to happen to another and seeks to help others - Ventrix does not have empathy, caves into the power and corruption his resources provide, and ultimately engages in regular evil.
I love these video essays so much. Please never stop making these.
That’s nice of you to say. Fortunately I’ve got content for the rest of the year mapped out and will doubtlessly keep going
I still bad for Ventrix because it's clear he did love Kimmy and her mom even if he was selfish criminal. He didn't even care that he could to die to the chemicals in the end.
This dude was a whole as stalker..
He was very much a psychopath.
I watched this episode not too long ago and tried to put myself in Lloyd shoes in regards to what was driving his actions. While I don't dispute any of your points, at a deeper level I think his desperation with regards to his seeming need for a relationship with her is that due to his own warped perspective that the only way he can achieve respect from adults is though having wealth, power, prestige etc, Kimmy offers him to promise of unconditional love a child feels for their parent provided said parent has not utterly destroyed that relationship.
While it's true we don't see much of his integrations with Kimmy when he's pretending to be Mojo the writing and acting implies he has been seeing her for some time and the fact that he can't give himself away by Kimmy not being being able to explain to her mother where gifts come from must mean that relationship was built with something more genuine.
Yes, I agree he's selfish in terms of only seeing how his relationship with Kimmy makes him feel, I do think it had at least the abstract potential to be a catalyst for genuine self-improvement from him but it depended on him having the humility to make himself vulnerable and let go of this self imagine he had of himself.
You address this partly in your hypothetical of him approaching Helen without the obvious signifiers he was already back to breaking the law but personally I do not believe even that would have been enough, not when he was already showing his lack of respect towards her boundaries by approaching her directly. I think he would have needed to have an third party approach her his parole officer or some kind of social worker and raised the prospect of having a trial run supervised visits alongside a letter for Kimmy saying why he wants to be in her life while also making absolutely clear the decision is firstly Helen's if she even wants to give/read this letter to Kimmy and be open to it and then Kimmy's herself and if either of them say no he will except that.
This, clearly, was well beyond what Lloyd was capable of and so was more what of a thought experiment than something I could genuinely see the character do.
"the courts do not give out restraining orders for no reason" just made me think of the movie falling down, where an officer asks why the main character's ex wife got one, to which she says that the judge pushed her to get one, despite there being no threat of danger from him.
That construction worker is one og my favorite reaction faces
rip sandwich
This episode reminds me of the cover for Korn debut self titled album in that they both became a lot more terrifying when you become a parent.
The best part was when Batman outsmarted the guy by causing water to fall on him. "Peekaboo!"
"The courts do not issue restraining orders without good cause."
Batman always gets extra intense in BATAS when kids are in danger.
I always dread this episode when I watch it, given how this is very close to every child abduction story for one, and at the same time it given the world this takes place in almost comes off as one of those so-called "true haunting" ghost stories.
So I just realized that in Batman Beyond Terry's Batsuit has a stealth camouflage feature. And being reminded of See No Evil; you think Bruce might have restarted research into Giddell's plastic and perfected it, perhaps with aid from information or even from some members of the Justice League and later incorporated that into the Batman Beyond suit?
If I may play Devils Advocate for Mojo here (🤢), it makes sense to me why so many people would think that he’s original to BTAS…because he’s so detestable and depraved, he’s completely overshadowed his original namesake.
Ventriss it's kind of like the opposite to sandman from Marvel. Well sandman did commit crimes his main motivation was always trying to save his sick daughter and he was driven to a desperate corner but he had reservations about being a criminal. He was also manipulated by other people plenty of times too when he became sandman. But one of my favorite scenes in Spider-Man 3 as Messi as that movie was was when Peter forgave sandman for what had happened to Uncle Ben seeing as though that sandman had a hand in Uncle Ben's death. Uncle Ben tried to talk to sandman and convince him that what he was doing was wrong and he was sort of getting through to him but was scared by his partner at the time who was also a criminal and the gun went off and killed Uncle Ben he never intended to do it but he still technically did kill Uncle Ben and after all that Spider-Man still forgives him. It shows you that the power of forgiveness can not only help the person who committed the act but it can also help the person who forgives too. It helps both of them move on in a way
Ventrix may not be saintly but I don't think we should forget that Batman played as much of a role (or should I say roll) in allowing that delicious looking sandwich to fall...that's the moment in which the show fully solidified Batman's status as something of an anti-hero which is furthered in TNBA
Pour one out for the dear departed sandwich...
_Where did he go? That Invisibo._
_He's a power-hungry kook_
_With a scepter full of juice._
_So tell me..._
_Where did he go? That Invisibo._
_Drinking up all the wattage_
_He's a nutcase on the loose._
Loid probably did kill him. It'd be a call forward to Sneak Peek which had a similar plot and villain to both Invisible Man and Mirror Man.
It is hard to believe that Elizabeth Moss, who voiced Kimmy in the BTAS episode, " See No Evil", would grow up to star in the 2020 remake of The Invisible Man! The classic Invisible Man starring Claud Rains will always be in my heart and Claud Rains, as The Invisible Man, was funny and always wore sunglasses and bandages wrapped around him to hide his invisibility!
Am impressed how the special effects for the original have remarkably aged well, and with no CGI either.
Funny - in other videos there are people demonizing Helen for keeping Kimmy away from Ventris. Strange.
I think she's right to keep him away from her until he gets his act together!
I agree that's strange. I am aware of circumstances where a kid is held as a weapon, but this story definitely justifies that Ventriss hasn't changed at all. He's still a violent thug who attempts to intimidate Helen through wealth and, when invisible, likes to bully others; all that has changed is that he has a big ticket item that allows him to be extraordinary, which he merely uses to fulfil his fantasies most easily. If he had wanted to do the right thing the right way? He would've taken the longer road.
I feel that those who demonize Helen are just projecting on other stories they have heard, rather then what is reflected in reality.
Anyone who actually justifies the kidnapping of a child should be b-slapped back to reality @@lordbiscuitthetossable5352
How the court system treats the man in divorce is a very polarizing topic too many people. With the way Gotham's courts are represented its hard to view them as always just
So people can view Ventrix as more than just being some low life who wanted to be a big shot. Rather a man who was pushed by society to where he ended up. Its how most BTAS villains were written, Ventrix is no different.
If there's one thing BTAS wanted you consider its how bad people weren't always bad (not that it justifies there actions).
Guess they're red ties.
Saw the episode last night...very scary...especially at the beginning...creepy music...masterpiece!
For Metallo, you should probably go over both Corben brothers. While John is the best known version in DC Comics, Roger has influenced how most media portray John as Metallo.
Pretty sure that restraining order was because Ventrix made some threats against Helen.
Sounds a lot like the invisibility technology that was in the media a while back. It used plastic fresnel lenses to make something look almost invisible.
The rule about humor is something that should be (and for the most part is) a mainstay of Batman media in general, even in the darkest iterations. My mind immediately goes to how The Batman had some funny moments like the thumb drive joke which never fails to get a laugh out of me, but it still remains a dark introspective take on the character.
This episode freaked me out as a kid first time I watched it. Between this episode & Man Bat & Moon of the wolf I always watched on Fox Kids around Halloween 🎃 time. This is why BTAS has always stuck with me growing up next to X-Men 92 & Spidey 94
Love your channel. A lot of TH-cam content about this show tends to just summarize the episode, but you do it in a way to explain your point of view and give a great analysis on the theme. I kind of felt bad for the invisible man😄, but your explanation of why he can’t see his daughter made me appreciate the ending more.
So yeah, in conclusion
I think we can all gather and agree that Ventrix is a creep that’s also among the few rogues in Batman’s vast gallery that are truly irredeemable
I’m placing him in the DCAU creep gang alongside Mad Hatter, Toyman, And Parasite (because of that one episode with Livewire)
what is wrong with some of you people. big bad ventrix that only wanted to see his daughter, yeah hes worse than all the other murderers like joker
Definitely one of the creepiest episodes; especially in the scene when "Mojo" revealed his face to the little kid.
I always absolutely loved this episode. Always stayed in my mind since I was a kid
The animation of the suit’s fabric was always oddly satisfying
You know, a Flash/Batman Team-up against the weirdly symbiotic duo of Mirror Man and Mirror Master would be pretty rad if done right. Add in Mirror Man's batman Obsession and its key for a lot of plot points in the current iteration
His head only showing is pretty disturbing.
I agree. It showed what a creepy man, Lloyd Ventrix was. Assumably, when Helen and Kimmy moved, they were given new identities, so Lloyd couldn’t find them. They probably moved at least to another state. It was never stated where specifically, probably because that’s not really part of the story.
I remember being a little girl in a pink nighty, waiting for Batman outside my bedroom window, after having watched that episode.
I didn't understand the depths of the episode very well as a six-year-old, my focus was entirely on that little girl who was lucky enough to have BATMAN come see her at night to check on her, and I wanted that too. 😆
See No Evil is One of My Favorite Episode.
mine too
I actually like it, too. Mostly because it talked about divorce, restraining orders, and nature of children. Also, about being a single parent and invisibly crimes take place. It was fairly educational, but done in a dark way.
I still think this is one of the best BTAS episodes as it has real world applications and love the idea of invisibility. I did not know Kimmy voice actress is the same woman in the movie that i also watched and really liked as both is about loved ones, turned terrible with an invisibility suit that use it to spy and harass.
In HG Welles's original story, the Invisible Man was a scientist who made himself invisible after going through many painful procedures of turning the cells of his body absolutely clear through a grueling chemical process. However, he did it for the most selfish reasons possible; to assert dominance over other people. He was selfish, petty, vindictive, and completely misanthropic. HG Welles made him as unlikable as possible, to accentuate how creepy and unsettling the idea of an invisible person could be.
Yet Griffin became very popular all of a sudden.
Something I adore about this episode is the subtle hints at just who Mojo is. One of the major things needed for a restraining order in New Jersey, which is where Gotham is usually located in, is domestic abuse. This really changes how you view Lloyds plight, as we witness him go from someone who seems to want to change to someone who still pushes those around him, he just now has a way to get away with it. Its very much the classic mindset of "I can change" but only changing surface level, and changing for a goal. He'd likely fall right back into his abusive habits as soon as he could. Thats my reading at least as someone whos been through similar situations.
No wonder he was overshadowed by the popular Flash villain: Mirror Master.
Anyway, I was wondering why no one makes a story about a parent-hating vigilante who wants to free children by eradicating their parents because it thinks they are abusive, neglectful, ignorant, selfish creeps who only used them as trophies or slaves. Imagine it as a twisted version of Peter Pan.
I always liked the line that Batman says to Ventrix: “Not in this lifetime pal”, especially as an adult because of DISGUSTED he is over the lengths that Ventrix went through to try and take Kimmy away from her mother
I see what you did with ‘toxicity’, considering he literally is using toxic suit
This was also one of my favorite episodes. Never knew the comic connection.
I’m a big fan of the “Alfred-dresses-like-Batman” trope. As if the elderly British butler would look and sound like Batman
This was basically the Hollow man before that was even a thing.
I actually like that movie. Criminal how it seems to have a low critical score.
Freekazoid still had the best invisible enemy.
🎶Where did he go? That Invisibo!🎶
Elizabeth Moss was in the Invisible Man (2020) alongside Aldis Hodge, who plays Hawkman in Black Adam, and Storm Reid, who plays Bloodsport’s Daughter in The Suicide Squad.
Coincidence?
Ah yes, my favorite episode: Batman serves custody papers
I think it was on the DVD Commentary for this episode, but they said that Batman 'Flying' was kind of a throwback to when the show first was being broadcast. One of the very first clips they got back from Japan, showed Batman Flying!! The asked the studio why they did that, and they said he had a cape on, heroes in capes fly. That was the Culture, and the animation studios had to be told Batman couldn't fly despite the cape lol.
Great vid as always! Im totally looking forward to the vid on my main man Metallo!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the Metallo video too 🫡
Even though it was never publicly acknowledged or confirmed, i always felt that Lloyd Ventrix's invisible camouflage played an important role in helping Bruce Wayne to create the high tech batsuit that we would see in Batman Beyond many years later. I like to think this episode unknowingly helped plant the seeds for this ability which would be one of the signature trademarks for Terry Mcginnis
One of my favorite episodes. Funny story on the funny aside: I remember discovering the Elisabeth Moss connection just as the 'The Invisible Man' remake was about to come out. My wife (then still my gf) and I were binging BTAS, and once I discovered it, I felt I had stumbled upon a trivia gold nugget; not even Walter Banasiak from Channel Awesome mentioned it in his review. I wish I had known he was making those videos sooner, then I would have shared this funny aside in the comments. 😢
Interestingly. Hugo Strange resembles the Lloyd Ventris/Mirror Man from the 1950s comics...
In that Batman TAS episode. When he found out Batman's true identity, tried to reveal it to the villains...
He failed, nobody believed that Bruce Wayne is Batman...
Kimmy has such a cute character design, doesn't she? It's worth remarking upon, because I don't think I've seen a design like hers elsewhere in the series.
Especially with the hair. Don't see that much unless it's in anime like Dirty Pair.