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 discussed Showcase '93 #8, Knightfall Chapter 14, "Bad Judgment" by Doug Moench and Klaus Janson (who also colored the issue), letters by Ken Bruzenak. Bane has broken Batman's back. Alfred, Jean-Paul Valley and Robin have secured Batman and taken him back to the Batcave. Robin and Jean-Paul acquired some medicine that could help save Batman's life. While they wait to see if Batman will wake up, the three of them are just waiting in the Batcave. Robin recalled an incident a while earlier where Batman had been upset with him. While they wait for Batman to wake up (and to find out the extent of his injuries), Robin recounts the story to the others.

It involves Two-Face returning to Gotham, blackmailing a mob boss and then killing him to get the use of his mob goons. Two-Face then laid a trap for Batman and then put him on trial for betraying him back when Two-Face was just Gotham City district attorney, Harvey Dent. Batman luckily freed himself right before his sentence was carried out and then Robin and Alfred showed up to help out even more!

Tom A. opened up by noting that Robin shouted Alfred's name out loud when they arrived, "Great job Tim, just yelling Alfred's name like that for all these criminals to hear." Flavio Sette responded, "Alfred also causes Robin Tim at one point. In front of all the goons."

I pointed out, "What is the hurry for Batman to catch up to Two-Face here? Batman's EXHAUSTED. Dent has just climbed to the top of an unfinished skyscraper. So...what's the urgency?" Flavio joked, "Dent's like the Final Girl in a horror movie. Don't go up the stairs, find the nearest exit!" I continued, "Couldn't the police handle it from this point? He has nowhere to go but down." Tom joked about the cop we noted in the previous installment who filled in Batman on some dinosaur information, "The police are busy studying up on dinosaur trivia." Flavio added, "'Hey, Bullock, did you know T. Rexes used to have feathers? Wild, huh? Guess Batman's gonna have to get a new, historically accurate robot T. Rex for the Batcave.'"

I noted, "Once they get up there, Two-Face almost died, then Batman almost died, then Two-Face almost died. All from Batman chasing after Two-Face, while exhausted...for no reason!" Tom joked, "Perfectly balanced, as all things should be." Tom also wondered, "How the hell did Tim make it to the top of the building so fast?" I replied, "Excellent question. Had he been using his grappling gun, it would make sense, but he wasn't. They show him running up the stairs." Tom guessed, "Maybe Moench meant for him to use the hook but the art says something else?"

Sean Whitmore joked, "Dent was stomping on Batman's hands for like 20 minutes." I noted, "And then we come to the moment behind this entire two-issue flashback. Robin seemingly being willing to allow Two-Face to die to save Batman (of course, Batman finds a way to catch Two-Face before he dies)." Flavio noted, "By the way, Alfred totally killed that guy he hit with his wrecking ball earlier in the issue, right? And yet he doesn't get a lecture from Bruce at the end. Tsk tsk." I replied, "Ha! Yeah, the lecture was so strange. 'You should have let me die, Robin, rather than possibly kill the man who was in the midst of killing me.'"

However, my harshest reaction came later in the issue, when Batman wakes up from his brief coma to let Robin know that he now agrees with Robin's decision. I noted, "And then, for NO REASON AT ALL. He reverses his position after he wakes up from the coma." Sean theorized, "I suppose it's partly meant to be Batman covering up his own guilt/embarrassment by being over critical of Tim?" I continued, "'Bane broke my back, so now I think we should just kill all villains whenever we get the chance.'"

Tom noted, "No wonder Azrael then succeeded him then." I agreed, "Right? It really does seem like it sets up Azrael really well. But I don't think they follow up that thought. As Bruce isn't turning to Jean-Paul because he thinks he's more bloodthirsty than him. It seems like he goes to Jean-Paul for pure desperation. But i guess we'll get to that next chapter." Sean joked, "'What Gotham needs is a hero who knocks criminals off of girders.'" Flavio also joked, "'Or lets them fall into vats of molten metal. If you do that, Jean Paul, it's all good, I used to let guys fall into acid all the time back in the day." I pointed out, "Robin's look is hilarious. 'YAY! Batman doesn't blame me anymore! I'm so pumped, even though his back is broken!" Tom agreed, "He's SO happy." I continued, "'I guess you can die now, Batman! It's all good now! I just didn't want you to die with the last thing you said to me being a criticism. You can go now." Sean noted, "He's 70% happy for being right and 30% for Bruce being alive." I continued, "'Walk to the light! Here, I'll help put a pillow over your head and help you along.'" Sean wondered, "What if the decadron was actually just making Bruce all goofy? And he didn't actually agree with Robin's actions at all?"

Tom again noted how the time frame for this story doesn't make any sense, as Robin worried about that being their last conversation, but the story is ostensibly set THREE WEEKS earlier, "Last thing? It was 3 weeks ago!" I agreed, "Yeah, we have to ignore the three weeks caption. It just doesn't work."

I also pointed out, "Those are big ass tears Robin is crying, right? No one cries that much." Sean noted, "Robin didn't cry that hard when his dad died." Flavio noticed, "Crying over his mask, too." I noted, "Those are, like, manga-sized tears." Sean joked, "Bruce was gonna ask Robin to take over as Batman until he saw those industrial-sized tears."

I asked Flavio where he placed this story in the continuity of the crossover. He guessed, "It would have to be between Stirk attacking the Gordon and Joker and Scarecrow kidnapping the mayor. So mid-Batman 494." Sean noted, "To give this story some undeserved credit...Batman being mad at how Robin handled this situation would've been a good reason for him to not allow Tim to help in all those other chapters." I replied, "So Batman doesn't speak to Robin after Batman #494? Wow." Flavio responded, "That's my No Prize-worthy explanation and I'm sticking to it (although, Batman and Robin DO go after Firefly together after #494." Sean joked, "They should do one of those re-mastered TPB collections where they alter a bunch of dialogue like Infinite Crisis and every time Tim wants to join Batman on a mission, Batman makes some dig about Two Face. 'But WHY can't I help you catch Firefly?' 'Ask Two Face why, you little bastard.'" I retorted, "'I AM TRYING TO KEEP FIREFLY FROM YOU MURDERING HIM! As I then dangle him a foot over an alligator.'" Sean continued, "'Tim couldn't have handled this, he would've dangled Firefly several inches lowers. That little murderous bastard.'"

Tom argued, "In hindsight, this story was pretty pointless and badly placed." I concurred, "Yeah, this whole thing was a mess, Tom, agreed. But it might have helped keep the other books on schedule, so I guess it did its purpose." Sean guessed, "Actually, y'know what? This story reads like it should've been one of those pre-Arkham breakout issues. Like he went from fighting Black Mask to Metalhead to this." Flavio responded, "Might've worked." I agreed, "Yeah, it really does feel more like that. Probably would have been better."

Next time, a certain blonde guy gets given the opportunity of a lifetime (or the curse of a lifetime, I guess).