Just Another Batman Blog

  This is probably the most obscure villain to be featured yet here. With only a handful of appearances, and only two being more than a cameo, this guy is for the weirdo diehards. First appearing in 1966, The Monarch of Menace was created by Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff. He had only one other full appearance in a Batman story in 1981, 15 years later. Mark Russell brought him back as a cameo in 2020, and he's made 2 other cameos since.  Introduced in Detective Comics #350, Batman describes the Monarch of Menace as the only criminal to elude him and escape into presumed retirement. However, the Monarch's son gets caught committing crimes using his father's alias. Batman and Robin use the son as bait to lure the Monarch back to Gotham and have him arrested. When Batman goes missing after a battle with Ra's al Ghul , the Monarch resurfaces again. He capitalizes on Batman's disappearance and claims he has captured the Batman, using that lie to defraud other crimin...

  Created in 2020 by James Tynion IV and Guillem March, the Underbroker is a cool addition to the Gotham underground. I've written extensively on this blog about the difference between cartoon villains, and grounded criminals. I have brought up the idea that most criminals do not see themselves as bad people, and commit crimes for a variety of reasons and motivations. As I've said before, there are no Snidely Whiplashes running around tying damsels to train tracks, but there sure are plenty of Bernie Madoffs and Whitey Bulgers running rackets and pyramid schemes.    The Underbroker appears to be what the Terrible Trio could have been. Through his law firm, Graves Willock and Crain where he is a senior partner, Harlon Graves launders money for Gotham's criminals by hiding it in the hedge funds he manages. The Underbroker is THE banker for Gotham Crime. His clients must include most of the other characters on this blog...  Catwoman , the Penguin , Black Mask , Two Fac...

  This is one of the newest Batman villains to be introduced. James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez created Punchline seemingly as a replacement for Harley Quinn following her upgrade to anti-hero status. Punchline's first appearance is in Batman #89, February 2020 as part of the Joker War storyline.  Punchline could have been just another Harley Quinn clone. Harley Quinn, after all, has become enormously popular, even before the Margot Robbie portrayal made her a household name and a cosplay staple. Aside from the Joker connection, their stories diverge greatly.  Alexis Kaye (no clunky name allusion this time) develops a crush on the Joker all by herself, and seeks him out. This reminds me of Charles Manson fandom among young people, even up to his death in prison, including  this story of Star from Missouri  from 2013. Unlike Harley Quinn, the Joker doesn't need to manipulate Alexis Kaye's emotions to twist her into a psychopath. She already is one, and the Joke...