- It just so happens I'm involved with someone.
Sort of.
Kind of.
- Ever since The Killing Joke
animated movie came out, I've gotten
a bunch of tweets and comments from
you guys asking to clarify something.
This scene, specifically.
Is the concept of Batman and Batgirl having
sex completely random and out of nowhere,
or is there precedent in the classic cartoons
and even comic books?
Yes, we're talking more about The Killing Joke and,
I don't apologize.
The Killing Joke movie had Bruce Timm as a producer,
and if that name sounds familiar,
it's because he also worked on a bunch of
the shows and movies in the DC Animated Universe.
He co-created and produced Batman The Animated Series,
Superman The Animated Series, Batman Beyond,
Static Shock, Justice League both Limited and Unlimited,
and many more projects for DC and Warner Bros.
The movie adaptation of the classic story was
written up by comic book writer Brian Azzarello,
whom Bruce Timm has attempted to
throw under the bus as the one responsible
for the sex scene, even though he did
admit that the idea was something that
he, Azzarello, and Alan Burnett all
agreed was a good idea.
Burnett was another producer on the film,
who has also worked on a bunch of
Batman properties in the past like The Animated Series,
Beyond, and even Batman Mystery of the Batwoman.
Coincidentally, or probably not at all coincidentally,
every one of those Batman shows and
movies have either hinted at or
even blatantly stated how Batman and Batgirl were
at some point in a relationship.
As far as I can tell, it starts with
Batman The Animated Series.
We saw hints that at least Barbara had
somewhat of a crush on Batman,
like in one of her dreams where the two almost kiss.
Later in that same continuity,
we see Batgirl clearly hinting at
their relationship in The Mystery of
the Batwoman animated movie.
- Because if you had, I'd be really upset.
Because I thought you and I were, you know.
- Uh, Barb, we're going through the east tunnel now.
Fraid signal's breaking up.
Talk later.
- [Scott] Even further down the timeline in Batman Beyond,
we see Batman looking through a folder of
the women he used to date.
We've got Zatanna, Lois Lane, yep, that happened,
Catwoman, and yes, Barbara, another old love interest,
Talia Al Ghul, even comments on how Bruce once loved Babs.
Not only that, but Barbara herself even talked
to Terry McGuiness about their past relationship.
- Whoa.
- [Scott] Oh, but it goes so much deeper, my friends.
A phrase that I immediately regret saying.
- You hate me, don't you?
- In issue number 28 of
the Batman Beyond 2.0 comic book,
we get more information about their fallout,
as Babs said Dick Grayson left for Bludhaven,
and that's when Barbara and Bruce began their relationship.
But Dick eventually returned.
He and Babs started becoming more series.
Soon, Barbara found out she was pregnant.
She breaks the news to Batman in
one of the most awkward sequences ever
as she reveals that the pregnancy is
too far along for Dick to be the father.
Bruce, Bruce is the father.
Even though Babs wanted to be the one to tell Dick,
Batman interferes first, and this leads to
the big Bat family fallout, something Barbara still
resents Bruce for.
Now I don't think any of this is
really canon with the current comic book universe,
and I don't think the Killing Joke animated move is
canon with much of anything.
But you can see now that Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett have
shipped Bruce and Babs for decades.
Even if you don't like it, at least you know
that scene from the Killing Joke movie wasn't
apropo of nothing.
But I'm curious to know what you guys think.
Do you ship Batgirl and Batman?
What do you think about how they handled that
now infamous sex scene?
I'd love to know your thoughts down below, in the comments.
And if you missed it, we're currently doing
a whole trilogy of videos breaking down
the Killing Joke comic book.
The first two episodes are out right now.
Click here to watch us bust Grant Morrison's
theory that Alan Moore intended for
Batman to kill the Joker, or click right here to
see how Batman may have secretly used
one of Joker's own gadgets against him
in those final ominous panels.
Links will also be in the description down below.
And if you're new here, make sure you
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about the history, science, art,
and philosophy behind your favorite
comic book superheroes.
My name is Scott, reminding you to
read between the panels and grow smarter through comics.
See you.