The Cartoons That Made Us Gay: Batman
Added 2022-08-03 01:23:26 +0000 UTC“Feat of Clay,” parts one and two (September 8 and 9, 1992)
When it comes to Batman: The Animated Series, there are likely a lot gayer characters who come to mind before Clayface. However, we argue that the two-part introduction of Matt Hagen to the Diniverse is a very queer story, about a vain actor whose self-worth is tied to his handsome face and whose need for a public-facing career makes him abuse the only man who truly cares for him. And that’s even before turning him into a goop monster renders him, in his own words, “no longer a man.” It’s quite the trip.
And here is Vulture’s oral history of how Batman: The Animated Series came to be.
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Comments
You did mention that Clayface disguising himself as women is a bit trans, but I think there's more to it than that. It's a straight-up transphobic trope to make a villain disguise himself as a woman and then have people act appalled, disgusted, and frightened by the reveal. The difference in how this episode handles the reveal is that the shock comes not just from the gender difference but from Clayface's bizarre physical appearance and super powers. However, I do think there's still some "deceptive big burly man" going on there, and it's not hard to imagine other Clayface stories treating this kind of disguise with more emphasis on the gender reveal.
Marty
2022-08-15 14:08:46 +0000 UTCThat was a great Nick! I loved him and have the line from the breakup episode where Mallory was like I DON'T EVEN WANT TO HEAR HIS NAME! And Alex walks over to the mantel, picks up a tchotchke and says, "This knickknack is nicked!"
Lea Susan Engle
2022-08-11 02:47:21 +0000 UTCOH MY GOD! I have this super clear childhood memory of saying "Hi, I'm Jaime, the robot." And had NO idea the provenance. Also, I had a crush on Rodimus Prime.
Lea Susan Engle
2022-08-11 02:34:27 +0000 UTCBrock Peters was all the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars original trilogy radio adaptations on NPR
Zachary 'Pup GIR' Ledbetter
2022-08-08 14:49:19 +0000 UTCBAHAHA! I love the reference to the sculpture “The Lonesome Cowboy” in this episode! I think Clayface is going to forever read as jizz in my brain now. 💦
Michael Goll
2022-08-05 18:30:28 +0000 UTCThe "Why don't you tell them about me?" bit has stuck with me ever since I saw this episode as a kid.
Joshua Sisco
2022-08-04 17:48:45 +0000 UTCI literally just started this series a couple of days ago, so this is dropping at exactly the right time for me.
Erin Hardy
2022-08-04 14:38:45 +0000 UTCKevin Conroy's story in the DC Pride anthology comic is an autobiographical story about how his struggles with his alcoholic father, being a closeted actor during the AIDS crisis, and having to be caretaker for his schizophrenic brother helped him find his voice as Batman. It is heartbreakingly good.
Turner Arrington
2022-08-04 02:15:49 +0000 UTCThank you! This episode brought back so many memories. I always watched “Batman: TAS” after school and loved this episode back then. I’m pretty sure I thought Bruce Wayne was hot at the time too. P.S. I hope I get to hear an OH She-Ra episode. This show would feel wrong without one. I will rewatch every episode and scour each one for queer references if that’s what it takes. :)
Sandip Sarma
2022-08-03 22:41:24 +0000 UTCI need to go back and watch this. I only really revisit episodes featuring Gotham Girls, so I must have been too young to pick up on the Teddy subtext the last time I watched. I *do* remember the naked HARDAC Bruce in His Silicon Soul and shirtless tied up Robin in the Bane episode though. Oh, and Alfred folding Bruce’s white briefs in Strange Secret. This really is the cartoon that made me gay, isn’t it? 🤣
Ryan Cores
2022-08-03 22:01:13 +0000 UTC
