The inaugural episode of our new podcast, BatChat with Matt & Will, a podcast where we take every Batman story ever, read them, and rank them on a big list from best to worst. This week, we look at three different first Batman stories.

Batman: Year One (Batman V.1 # 404-407)
Zero Year (Batman V.2 # 21-27, 29-33)
The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (Detective Comics V.1 # 27)

Episode 1: Beginnings

Writer Zac Thompson joins the show to talk about his new Oni Press series Cemetery Kids Run Rabid.

The CXF Interview Podcast Episode 362: Zac Thompson talks Cemetery Kids Run Rabid

Next week, the second season of the HBO Max series Peacemaker drops. The first season featured some seriously obscure DC characters, and this week, to tie in with the release of the new season, we're reading three stories featuring three of those characters: Peacemaker, Vigilante and Judomaster. Now, we're stretching the definition of featured here, since one of these characters has never appeared in a story with a Bat character that wasn't just a panel in some big event, but we made it work.

And as promised in the episode, here's a YouTube link to the opening of season 1 of Peacemaker, because it is awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrr3UNALww

Assault on Arkham (Suicide Squad V.7 # 1-2)
Corvalho (Checkmate V.2 # 11-12)
The Vigilante and the Batman (Vigilante V.1 # 47)

Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/

Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo

Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Episode 199: Peacemaker- Do You Really Wanna Taste It?

Writer Ben Kahn joins the show to talk about their new Dark Horse graphic novel Renegade Royale, getting to write more Monster High comics at IDW, and more.

The CXF Interview Podcast Episode 363: Ben Kahn talks Renegade Royale and Monster High

It's a very special week on BatChat. We have now recorded 200 episodes. 600 stories. It's a whole lot. And to celebrate, Matt and Will are together in one room, face to face, along with our first fan, our first Patreon backer, Matt's bestest pal in the whole world, Dan Grote, to read a milestone Batman story, Grant Morrison's The Return of Bruce Wayne, along with two of the stories that inspired it. We're talking Morrison, so there are some deep dives, and Dan brings his expertise about babies, which Matt and Will are sorely lacking.

Since this is an in person recording, the sound quality is different and a little rough, but stick with it because this is a lot of fun.

It Happened in Rome (Batman V.1 #24)
Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman V.1 #452-454)
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6

Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/

Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo

Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Episode 200: Time Travel Hypnosis (w/ Dan Grote)

Artist Mike Del Mundo joins the show to talk about the Kickstarter campaign for Clover Press' The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo.

The CXF Interview Podcast Episode 364: Mike Del Mundo talks The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo

Lady Shiva walks through the world, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. Not a hero, but often not quite a villain, Shiva has developed relationships with many members of the Bat Family: trainer to Tim Drake, rival and sometimes member of the Birds of Prey, mother to Cassandra Cain. Josh Weill joins the show to take on three of these stories. One is one of her earliest modern appearances with Tim Drake, one where she and Black Canary must avenge their fallen sensei and one where she takes command of the League of Shadows and in the end she must face down her own daughter to bring her plan to fruition.

Going Solo (Robin V.1 #1-5)
Sensei and Student (Birds of Prey V.1 #62-67)
League of Shadows (Detective Comics V.3 #950-956)

Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/

Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo

Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Episode 201: The Deadliest Woman in the World (w/ Josh Weil

Writers Dan Watters and Alex Paknadel join the show to talk about their respective Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spinoff series at IDW, Shredder and Casey Jones, plus their respective DC work.

The CXF Interview Podcast Ep. 365: Dan Watters & Alex Paknadel talk Shredder and Casey Jones

There are periods where certain characters have more of a spotlight than others. Sure, there are always a lot of Batman stories, Joker stories. But then there are pockets of time when we get lots of stories focused on Jim Gordon or the Riddler. Between 2003 and 2006, Mr. Freeze had his day. He appeared in major stories like "Under the Hood" and "City of Crime" in supporting roles, and was central to other stories. This week, John Wickham joins us again to talk about three of these stories: the final arc of the first Batgirl series where Freeze is a small player, a one off fill-in issue and a Legends of the Dark Knight arc with a different vision of Freeze's origin.

Destruction's Daughter (Batgirl V.1 #66-73)
Fire & Ice (Batman: Gotham Knights #59)
Snow (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #192-196)

Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/

Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo

Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Episode 202: Welcome to the Ice Age (w/ John Wickham)

In a special two-part event, Matt Lazorwitz went to Flame Con and recorded interviews with:

IN PART I (dropping on the main feed Tuesday): West Hollywood Monster Squad co-creators Sina Grace and Bradley Clayton, Avengers Academy writer Anthony Oliveira, and Geeks Out President Nic Gitau and Vice President Kevin Gilligan.

IN PART II (dropping exclusively on Patreon this week): How Could You creator Ren Strapp, Lifetime Passes writer Terry Blas, and Voyeur and Gotham City Sirens writer Leah Williams.

The CXF Interview Podcast Episode 366: Matt Goes to Flame Con 2025, Part I

We're joined by first time guest and long time Patreon backer Sam Hopper to read some Damian Wayne stories from earlier in the character's life. Back when Damian was a truly insufferable brat. I know, for many of his haters he still is, but man, in these stories he is really something else. We read his first encounter with a member of the Superman family, his first adventure as Robin with his father and his first team-up with his best friend, Jon Kent.

Fright Night (Superman/Batman V.1 # 77)
Born to Kill (Batman and Robin V.2 # 1-8)
In the Name of the Father (Superman V.4 # 10-11)

Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/

Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo

Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Episode 203: Damian Wayne Was Horrible (w/ Sam Hopper)

Each week, hosts Matt Lazorwitz and Will Nevin look at three Batman stories, discuss them and put them on a list that will encompass all Batman stories. Some are great, some are not, but we hope you enjoy them all!

Episode 1: Beginnings

BatChat With Matt & Will: A Batman Ranking Podcast

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