This is "From a Different Point of View," a feature where I discuss a comic book series with other people. This time around, due to everyone having to self-isolate, I figured I'd do a special edition where I discuss some crossovers with whichever readers that wanted to chat about them! We started off with Marvel's original Secret Wars and now we're doing Knightfall!

When last we checked in Knightfall, we were discussing Batman #499, Knightfall Chapter 17, "The Venom Connection," by Doug Moench, Jim Aparo and Scott Hanna, with colors by Adrienne Roy and letters by Ken Bruzenak. Bane has broken Batman's back. Alfred and Robin come up with the idea of faking a car accident to explain Bruce Wayne's back injury. They then bring in Doctor Shondra Kinsolving, who is an expert in spinal injuries and recently had done wonders with Robin's father, Jack Drake, after he suffered a bad injury. She is in love with Bruce. He plans to settle down with her now that he can no longer be Batman. He tells Robin to give Jean-Paul Valley the job of Batman.

In their first team-up as the new Batman and Robin, though, Robin saw that Jean-Paul was a TERRIBLE fit for the job, as he instantly went psycho. Meanwhile, Shondra and Jack Drake were kidnapped and Bruce couldn't save them. Robin, meanwhile, is very concerned about Jean-Paul as Batman but won't TELL anyone.

We not catch up with Bruce, who is trying to figure out who kidnapped Jack and Shondra. Bruce might have to call in some special assistance!

First off, Bruce actually uses some of his detective knowhow to figure out some sort of clue from the blood in the mask of one of the kidnappers. I noted, "It was good to see Bruce breaking out some of his Dark Knight Detective skills. For most of Knightfall, he was just beating people up to get information and was barely doing any actual detective work. Heck, during the Showcase detour, some random cop figured out one of Two-Face's clues (granted, it was a ridiculous clue that no one should have seriously figured out, but still)!"

And then we get the interesting introduction of Barbara Gordon, the former Batgirl who is now the computer expert known as Oracle, into the crossover. I noted, "It's fascinating to see Batman turn to Oracle for help looking up a Malaria vaccine. Surely that's something that the Bat-Computer could do, no?" Sean Whitmore replied, "Yeah, her sudden appearance (in the series, not just the story) was surprising." Flavio Sette added, "Surprising and awesome."

Flavio noted, "This is her first appearance in the Bat books since she became Oracle!" I replied, "Well, Well, O'Neil used her in Sword of Azrael." Flavio adjusted, "Oh yeah, that. The ongoing Bat books, anyway." I replied, "Yeah, fair enough."

I pointed out, "Oracle really only seems to be here just for the chair comment. Which, of course, turns out to be messed up, since Batman's back is healed magically." Sean joked, "Bruce, you’re healed! Any...uh...anything you care to share?'” I actually did a bit a while back about how they handled it (it was not done well)." Sean joked, "Sorry, Babs, my magic girlfriend is a little kid now.'" I joked, "'Ooooh...yeah, I'd like to help you, but my magical girlfriend only had the one shot at this. Sorrrrry.'"

Flavio wanted to note, "I love Oracle and love that she got a cameo here." I replied, "I liked that she had a cameo, but the chair stuff still skeeved me out." Flavio added, "One thing I forgot to mention about this issue, though. I like that this story straight up retcons Ostrander, Yale and Isherwood's Suicide Squad plot point of Babs not knowing Batman's secret identity. I mean, obviously I really dig Ostrander and Yale's run on Suicide Squad, and what they did with Babs, turning her into Oracle, that was obviously fantastic. But yeah, she should know. No real reason why she shouldn't (or wouldn't)." I replied, "Well, we also saw Bane say he broke Batman, so even if she didn't know, she would know Batman had his back broken. But yes, I think she knows, as well." Flavio continued, "And the scene from Suicide Squad is good, which does give me mixed feelings here. But I'm mostly glad Moench retconned it here." Sean wondered, "Did he, or did Babs just look him up like she said she could if she ever wanted to?" I replied, "Ah, good point, Sean." Flavio replied, "I don't think so, I think it's just a straight up retcon. Dixon and Beatty would establish she'd known since her early days as Batgirl. Which, I like that a lot. Here, it feels like her knowing is just the way it is. It feels like she's known for a while." I replied, "I think that the Dixon/Beatty retcon was more the major retcon. A Zero Hour retcon, like Joe Chill never being caught." Flavio agreed, "It is at that, Brian." Sean added, "Babs’ history as Batgirl was another thing it took me a while to figure out; what was and wasn’t still canon after Crisis. Superman had such a line in the sand. Everything before this point, doesn’t count. The Bat books in particular did NOT make it easy, though." Flavio agreed, "Yeah."

Flavio continued, "That scene at the end of Batgirl: Year One, Batgirl standing in front of Batman and Robin, both unmasked, swearing The Oath. Love that scene so freaking much. But yeah, Babs has a cameo this issue and then Dick in #100." I replied, "Back when it was still a treat to see these characters. Instead of them just being accepted parts of the cast." Flavio added, "It feels right. This is momentous and it feels huge that Babs would check in on Bruce, who she modeled her original identity on, and Dick on Tim, who modeled himself on Dick. I do prefer them both as part of the supporting cast. They don't need to show up every issue, but if they do, I ain't complaining." Sean replied, "It felt weird to me when Dick and Babs were folded into the Batbooks, but they were so at home that soon it was instead weird that they were ever gone." Flavio heartily agreed.

Next time, we get into it with Jean-Paul's new...razor gloves?!? Yes, razor gloves.