Welcome to the twenty-sixth edition of Adventure(s) Time, a look back on a classic animated series and an issue of its tie-in comic with a similar theme. Last week, we covered Superman's first visit to Gotham City, which had him donning Batman's cowl in the animated series, and in the Superman Adventures comic, searching for Batman's cowl in an attempt to appease an out-of-character Mad Hatter.

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This week, what happens when Batgirl requires Supergirl's aid against Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn...who never ceased to pester Batgirl in the Adventures comic.

Released in time for Christmas 1997, Batgirl Adventures #1 has Paul Dini returning to the tie-in comics, this time joined by Rick Burchett. This one-shot was one of the very first comics to be released after the revamp of the show, and Burchett proves within the opening pages his knack for rendering the more angular, streamlined designs. In fact, his work on the preceding Batman and Robin Adventures series showed him moving in this direction before the show was even redesigned. If Mike Parobeck influenced the evolution of the character designs in the early days of the series, is it unreasonable to think Burchett's work might've inspired the more graphic look of the New Adventures episodes?

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Batgirl Wonders: Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy a Couple?

Opening with Harley Quinn on what appears to be a mission of random chaos, we soon learn she's deliberately attempting to draw Batman's attention but only finding Batgirl instead. (In her alter ego, Barbara's shopping for Christmas presents, just like the previous Dini Christmas story that was eventually adapted into the "Holiday Knights" episode.) The chase sequence is remarkably cinematic, and a great showcase for both of the Batgirl and Harley redesigns. Just in case this specific incarnation hasn't been ruthlessly merchandised yet, maybe Warner Brothers would be interested in Christmas Parka Harley statues and action figures?

The opening action sequence out of the way, Harley explains she needs a hero's help in order to rescue her friend Poison Ivy, who's been kidnapped by the villainess Kitsune, identified this issue as Kit Nozawa. Kitsune previously appeared in Dini's sequel to Mask of the Phantasm, the Adventures annual that introduced Kitsune as an assassin hired to murder Andrea Beaumont. She didn't make much of an impression in her debut, and her plan here to recruit an all-female terrorist organization is just silly, but this is a far better showing for Kitsune. Not only are fans getting an exclusive Paul Dini villain for these Adventures tie-ins, but under Burchett's pen, Kitsune is far less ridiculous. Plus, it helps that she isn’t being shoehorned into a story with no real place for her.

If Ivy isn't willing to join Kitsune, then she'll be content to hack into Ivy's laptop and steal her files on plant toxins. (Having laptops as plot points in these stories feels odd, given the retro-reality of the earlier years.) Batgirl and Harley are watching the villainous spiel from the rafters, where Batgirl questions just why Harley cares so much about Ivy. What follows was the first acknowledgement of the fan theories going around the early Internet...

(And, hey, Batgirl and Supergirl haven't even met yet...) Harley's eager to jump in and help her friend, yet Batgirl handcuffs her to the railing and goes into battle alone. Harley refuses to stand by, so with the aid of her Joker-ized bolt cutters, she frees herself. After rescuing Ivy, Harley's left with a choice -- flee with Ivy, or help out this Brat-Girl. Against Ivy's wishes, Harley joins the fight. With no options for escape, Kitsune uses her holographic powers to imitate Harley Quinn, in a scene that practically begs for Arleen Sorkin's vocal talents.

Batgirl quickly deduces that the more obnoxious of the two is in fact Harley, and takes out Kitsune. She's still adamant about bringing in Harley, however, but discovers to her shock that Harley was legitimately released from Arkham two days earlier. And only after reluctantly freeing Harley is Batgirl reminded that if Harley was caught in the company of a known felon like Poison Ivy, then she'd have to be brought in. (Should we just forget that Barbara's a Criminology student and wouldn't need the desk sergeant to be telling her something like this?) That's the cutsey ending -- Batgirl going back into the night to find the pair, while her father questions just where Barbara's gone this Christmas Eve.

Now, this story is working under the assumption that Batgirl and Supergirl already know each other...at least for the purposes of that one joke. In late 1997, Batman and Superman had only just met in this canon, but it was inevitable that Barbara and Kara would eventually share an adventure.

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Batgirl and Supergirl Get Animated

"Girl's Night Out" debuted on October 17, 1998, as the twentieth episode of The New Batman Adventures. Featuring a story by Hilary J. Bader and direction by Curt Geda, the episode is the only Batman episode to have characters from another show (Livewire and Supergirl) invade his series. Much like last week's entry, "Knight Time," fans of this era really couldn't tell if this was officially a Batman or Superman episode, because both aired under the same banner on the WB.

The episode opens with Superman villainess Livewire being transported into Gotham City, with the hopes that an experimental treatment at GothCorp will cure her of her electrical powers. Not only does Livewire never make it to GothCorp, but within moments of escaping her transport truck, she's managed to subdue Batgirl, who's filling in for an out of town Batman.

Batman makes a call to Clark Kent's apartment, unaware his cousin Kara is housesitting while he's traveling. When Kara realizes that Gotham City is in danger and Batgirl needs her help, she dons her Supergirl disguise and flies to Gotham. Arriving just in time to rescue Batgirl from Livewire, the heroes soon lose the slippery villain, earning a lecture from the gruff Harvey Bullock.

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Soon, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn find their secret hideout (specifically their toaster) invaded by Livewire, who declares "Ladies, meet your edge!" The villains go on a crime spree inside a closed mall, their shopping montages interrupted by Batgirl and Supergirl. There's still too much time left in the episode for the villains to be captured, so they escape and celebrate at the Penguin's Iceberg Lounge. Irritated by his edict to behave, the ladies cause even more trouble. In-between these hijinks, Batgirl and Supergirl get to know each other, reflecting on what they have in common (overprotective male authority figures) and what they envy about each other (life out in the country versus the big city.) Their interactions are sweet, and even though we never really see these characters together again, it's conceivable they do become genuine friends.

Eventually, things come to a head at the Gotham Zoo, where Ivy uses her ability to control vegetation to create a living elephant topiary, one that somehow has the mass to subdue Supergirl. With Harley accidentally knocking herself out with her own spring-loaded boxing glove, and Livewire inadvertently setting Ivy's creations ablaze, the villains are soon defeated.

Back in Batgirl's apartment, the two heroines have a sleepover and celebrate their victory. They're enthusiastic about a news report that has Harvey Bullock declaring their potential as heroes...a scene that was initially conceived as a cute button for the episode, but would now likely find the producers in some amount of trouble. So, Batgirl and Supergirl are just desperate for this slob's approval, huh...?

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The Wrap-Up

Design-y

Ivy's living elephant plant is certainly something. The use of black does evoke Kirby, but it also has the look of a European comic.

Continuity Notes

In the Batgirl Adventures special, Batgirl threatens to send in half of the Justice League to take on Kitsune. Dini was writing this under the assumption that an actual Justice League cartoon likely wouldn't happen, but I view it as more confirmation of my theory that the early episodes of Justice League are actually taking place in-between episodes of Batman and Superman. I realize that Superman's reference in the first Justice League episode to earning the public's trust was an allusion to him being brainwashed by Darkseid at the end of his solo series, but it could also work as an acknowledgment of the public's wariness towards Superman, a concept from the early days of the series that was expressed in the initial "Livewire" episode.

Approved by Broadcast Standards and Practices

The first act of "Girl's Night Out" features a brief “upskirt” shot of Supergirl flying above Gotham. This did cause a minor stir online when the episode aired, and it’s surprising that even the WB’s more lax censors didn’t cut this.

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The Batgirl Adventures special is just as enjoyable as you’d expect, given the pairing of creators and the freedom they were granted to have fun with an underutilized character. "Girl's Night Out", conversely, doesn’t feel significant enough to serve as Batgirl and Supergirl’s first meeting.

In many ways, it’s too derivative of other stories -- we’ve already seen Batgirl face off against female villains, and episodes like “Harley & Ivy” and “Holiday Knights” have already done villainess team-ups, complete with shopping montages. Given that Livewire seemed to be Superman’s answer to Harley Quinn, it’s also surprising that they have no memorable moments together. You’d think Arleen Sorkin and Lori Petty together would be magic, but the story doesn’t truly exploit the pairing. The episode looks nice, however, showcasing some of the better redesigns of the revamp era (although Ivy was too pixyish in this incarnation). The episode could’ve been easily forgettable, but the solid animation and chemistry between Batgirl and Supergirl saves the show.

That’s all for now. If you have any suggestions for future pairings, just leave a comment or let me know on Twitter.