Batman
From Homestar Runner Wiki
From the Halloween Fairstival DVD commentary:
STRONG BAD: "Hello, kiddies! A-meet the Joker!"
MIKE CHAPMAN: That was a quote from the same Batman episode that there's probably, at this point, 20 or 30 references to on our website.
MATT CHAPMAN: {laughs} Including the name of our company.
RYAN STERRITT: I love that it's just all one episode, too, isn't it?
MATT CHAPMAN: Right. We certainly have an appreciation for and are familiar with—
MIKE CHAPMAN: Many episodes. But there's one in particular that we know backwards and forwards.
The Brothers Chaps have made many references over the years to the famous superhero Batman in Homestar Runner. Most references are to the campy '60s TV series, especially the episode "The Joker Goes to School". Additionally, the only Twitter account @StrongBadActual follows is Batman 66 Labels.
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[edit] Appearances
[edit] Batman TV series references
- Email i she be — Strong Bad says "Same Strong Bad time, same Strong Bad channel," a reference to the line "Same bat-time, same bat-channel...!" Episodes of Batman were structured into two-part story arcs, this phrase was repeated at the end of each first-part episode to encourage viewers to watch the conclusion.
- Where's The Cheat? — Scene transitions parody the typical one from the show, substituting Homestar Jr. and a poster of The Cheat for the Batman logo and with the musical sting sung poorly.
- Email ghosts —
- Strong Bad tells The Cheat to meet him up at "the Strong Bad Cave," a joke on the oft-repeated line, "Quick! To the Batcave!"
- Another Batman scene change is used, this time with Strong Bad's mask instead of the Batman logo.
- Email fingers — The announcer in the beginning of the email parodies the announcer in the television series. This is mentioned in the commentary.
- Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon — The Cheat's "henchman" resembles the black, white-labeled outfits that villainous henchmen wore in the television show.
- Email dangeresque 3 —
- The scene where Dangeresque and Dangeresque Too "climb" the skyscraper is a parody of recurring "Bat-Climb" scenes in the show. The scenes were acted horizontally on a set constructed to look like a wall, then filmed at a 90-degree angle to give the appearance of climbing a sheer building face.
- "The End?" title card in the final shot is a reference to the end of the 1966 movie released as a companion to the series.
- Halloween Fairstival — Strong Bad dresses as "Cesar Romero as the Joker", as seen in the '60s show and movie.
- Email long pants — Strong Bad mentions Adam West, the actor who portrayed Batman in the series.
- Email cliffhangers — The Strong Badian Administration of Some Aluminum Foil cliffhanger is similar to the end of a Batman episode.
- Email love poems — Strong Sad owns a Strong Badphone, a device similar in concept to the Batphone used by Commissioner Gordon to contact Batman in time of need.
- Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective — After Professor Experimento finishes the serum that Cutesy Buttons requested, Dangeresque exclaims, "To the Dangeresque Cave!" (see Batcave, above)
- Disk 4 of 12 - Vampire's Castle — The Cheat's illustration of the Vampire resembles Romero's portrayal of the Joker, even including a partially-visible mustache under his makeup.
- The Office of the Brothers Chaps has a bust of William Shakespeare, a replica of the one seen in Bruce Wayne's office that concealed the secret entrance to the Batcave. This bust can also be seen in @StrongBadActual's profile picture.
[edit] "The Joker Goes to School" references
Batman episodes formed two-part stories. Some of these references appear more prominently in "He Meets His Match, The Grisly Ghoul", the second part of the story arc started by "The Joker Goes to School".
- Harmless Junk, Inc. — Chief O'Hara remarks that the Joker has purchased a company that produces "Gum machines, pin balls, that sort of harmless junk." This reference was confirmed in the DVD commentary for Halloween Fairstival.
- Yearbook Character Page — Bubs attends night classes at Disco Tech. The similarly-named school Disko Tech competes against Dick Grayson's school basketball team.
- Homestar Quiz — The question asking where Bubs attend night classes has two alternate Batman references as potential answers:
- Woodrow Roosevelt High is Dick Grayson's alma mater.
- The Easy Living Candy Store is the location of the Joker's hideout in the episode.
- No Loafing Sign — The Joker has a "No Loafing" sign in his lair. This reference was highlighted in the no loafing DVD commentary.
- Email flag day — The Cheat's penny has the words "A Bad Penny" imprinted on it, which was the name of the Joker's criminal gang in this episode.
- Halloween Fairstival —
- Strong Bad calls The Cheat and Strong Mad his "bad pennies". (see above)
- Strong Bad's line "Hello, kiddies! A-meet the Joker!" is taken directly from the episode.
- Two More Eggs — Production company Citywide Hoop Champs Inc. takes its name from a banner championing the high school basketball team as "Citywide Hoop Champs 5 years in a row".
- Trogdor!! The Board Game — The naming of the "Baubles of Astray" item is from one of Batman's lines explaining how a woman had been bribed: "the Joker must have promised her some baubles, led her astray."
[edit] General Batman references
- Main Page 11 — When the cursor is hovered over "E-mail," the H*R logo is projected onto the night sky in a similar manner to the Bat-Signal.
- Email caper — A sleepy Homestar Runner calls The Cheat "Batman".
- Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 10.2 — Homestar calls himself "Batman" during a bad attempt at a prank call.
- Stinkoman 20X6 — The Stinkowing's design closely resembles that of the Batwing, especially as seen in Batman and Batman Forever.
- Email fan club (DVD commentary) — At one point, Strong Bad compares the whites of Twelve-Times-a-Day Man's eyes to "Batm'n's".
- Xeriouxly Forxe and Main Page 26 — S. Bad has a variation of the Batman emblem on his mask.
