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"But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living ... for the price of wisdom is above rubies."

"You, uh, p-promise it isn't going to, hmmm, explode? Promise?" "Now, why would I give you an exploding present? What kind of brother would I be if I did that?" "My kind of b-brother."

"It was a dark and stormy nightmare..."

"Have you ever had one of those days when something just seems to be trying to tell you somebody?"

"It is never "only a dream", John Constantine. Here less than other places..."

"...See the sun set in the hand of the man..."

"It is time for me to walk the abyss. Time to reclaim my own. I must talk to the Morningstar. I do not have high hopes for the meeting."

"There's one at the door, at the gate to damnation... is it thief, thug or whore? There's one at the door... and there's room for one more 'til the end of creation."

"The wood of suicides has changed since my last visit to Hell. I remember it as a tiny grove. Now it resembles a forest."

"Never trust a demon. He has a hundred motives for anything he does... ninety-nine of them, at least, are malevolent."

""The Hellfire Club." It feels like a bad joke. And like everything else in Hell, it is deadly serious."

"I am anti-life, the Beast of Judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds... of everything. Sss. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?" "I am hope."

"The million lords of Hell stand arrayed about you. Tell us why we should let you leave? Helmet or no, you have no power here—what power have dreams in Hell?" "You say I have no power? Perhaps you speak truly... but—you say that dreams have no power here? Tell me, Lucifer Morningstar... ask yourselves, all of you... what power would Hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of Heaven?"

"One day, my brothers... one day I shall destroy him."

"All Bette's stories have happy endings. That's because she knows where to stop. She's realized the real problem with stories—if you keep them going long enough, they always end in death."

"I will be a wise and tolerant monarch, dispensing justice fairly, and only setting nightmares to rip out the minds of the evil and the wicked. Or just anybody I don't like."

"You are utterly the stupidest, most self-centered, appallingest excuse for an anthropomorphic personification in this or any other plane!"

"I find myself wondering about humanity. Their attitude to my sister's gift is so strange. Why do they fear the sunless lands? It is as natural to die as it is to be born. But they fear her. Dread her. Feebly they attempt to placate her. They do not love her."

"There is another version of the tale. That is the tale the women tell each other, in their private language that the men-children are not taught, and that the old men are too wise to learn. And in that version of the tale perhaps things happened differently. But then, that is a women's tale, and it is never told to men."

"For love is no part of the dream-world. Love belongs to desire, and desire is always cruel."

"I've started in a trade. Working with a friend of mine. It won't last. But it's a new trade. It's called printing. Don't need to be a guild member—not yet. Never be a real demand for it, mind you. Hard work."

"Her kind walk amidst the flotsam of lives they have sacrificed, for their own purposes, till friendless and alone they needs must make the final sacrifice."

"Death's a capricious thing, innit?" "Yes. Yes, she is."

"I doubt I'm any wiser than I was five hundred years back. I'm older. I've been up, and been down, and been up again. Have I learned aught? I've learned from my mistakes, but I've had more time to commit more mistakes."

"If I hear another of your theological paradoxes, I'll scream. Frankly, today I don't care if God exists or not." "I doubt He feels likewise, Miss Walker."

"And they left, slowly, one by one, with reluctance, leaving the safety of the light for the chill certainties of the darkness. It seemed like the night sucked them up, took them into its dark heart. It seemed like the darkness swallowed them... perhaps it did."

"Do you know what Freud said about dreams of flying? It means you're really dreaming about having sex." "Indeed? Tell me, then, what does it mean when you dream about having sex?"

"I left because I was curious. And because I was tired. Life as a human contains substance I never dreamed of in the Dreaming, Lord. The little victories, and the tiny defeats. I had my reasons."

"I do not understand—" "Of course you don't. You're obviously not very bright, but I shouldn't let it bother you."

"If my dream was true, then everything we know, everything we think we know is a lie. It means the world's about as solid and as reliable as a layer of scum on the top of a well of black water which goes down forever, and there are things in the depths that I don't even want to think about. It means that we're just dolls. We don't have a clue what's really going down, we just kid ourselves that we're in control of our lives while a paper's thickness away things that would drive us mad if we thought about them for too long play with us, and move us around from room to room, and put us away at night when they're tired, or bored."

""And then she woke up." I suppose there are worse endings."

"Desire, listen to me carefully. Remember this. We of the Endless are the servants of the living—we are not their masters. We exist because they know, deep in their hearts, that we exist."

"Human beings are the creatures of desire. They twist and bend as I require it. If I thought otherwise, I would crack, like Delirium; or I would abandon my realm, like our lost brother."

"And Desire walks the endless pathways of its body, certain that he, or she, or it, is in sole and only control of its destiny. The only inhabitant of the twilight realm of Desire; and it feels nothing like a doll. Nothing like a doll at all."

"The fraternity of critics, in reality a dark brethren, linked by profane rites and blood vows. To destroy an author they sacrifice a child and perform a critical mass..."

"Gryphons shouldn't marry. Vampires don't dance. A man who inherits a library card to the library in Alexandria. A rose bush, a nightingale, and a black rubber dog-collar."

"Justice?" It repeated. "Justice is a delusion you will not find on this or any other sphere. And wisdom? Wisdom is no part of dreams, lithe walker, though dreams are a part of the sum of each life's experiences, which is the only wisdom that matters. But revelation? That is the province of dream."

"All cats can see futures, and see echoes of the past. We can watch the passage of creatures from the infinity of now, from all the worlds like ours, only fractionally different. And we follow them with our eyes, ghost things, and the humans see nothing."

"They dreamed the world so it always was the way it is now, little one. There never was a world of high cat-ladies and cat-lords."

"If enough of us dream... if a bare thousand of us dream... we can change the world. We can dream it anew! A world in which no cat suffers from the malice of humans. In which no cats are killed by human caprice. A world that we rule."

"Dream the world. Not this pallid shadow of reality. Dream the world the way it truly is. A world in which all cats are queens and kings of creation. That is my message. And I shall keep moving, keep repeating it, until I die. Or until a thousand cats hear my words, and believe them, and dream... and we come again to paradise."

"Little one, I would like to see anyone—prophet, king or God—persuade a thousand cats to do anything at the same time."

"So... we are here on your command, my lord, on Midsummer's Eve, by the Long Man of Wilmington. An odd choice of a place for us to perform..." "Odd? Wendel's Mound was a theatre before your race came to this island." "Before the Normans?" "Before the humans."

"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."

"'I am that merry wanderer of the night'? I am that giggling-dangerous-totally-bloody-psychotic-menace-to-life-and-limb, more like it." "Shush, Peaseblossom. The puck might hear you!"

"None of those women are women at all. They're males. I can tell. Human males taste more like rabbit than the females—and they stick in your teeth."

"This is magnicifent—and it's true! It never happened, yet it is still true! What magic art is this?"

"You played me well, mortal. But I have played me for time out of mind. And I do Robin Goodfellow better than anyone."

"Things have changed, and will change more; and Gaia no longer welcomes us as once she did."

"But he did not understand the price. Mortals never do. They only see the prize, their heart's desire, their dream... but the price of getting what you want, is getting what once you wanted."

"During your stay on this Earth the faerie have afforded me much diversion, and entertainment. Now you have left, for your own haunts. And I would repay you all for the amusement. And more. They shall not forget you. That was important to me: that King Auberon and Queen Titania will be remembered by mortals, until this age is gone."

"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact. One sees more devils than vast hell can hold. That is the madman. The lover, all as frantic, sees Helen's beauty in a brow of egypt. The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, doth glance from heaven to earth, from Earth to Heaven. And, as imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown... the poet's pen turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing a local habitation and a name."

"Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot."

"They say that cigarettes will kill you, eventually. Fine. That's just fine. I only wish they'd do it faster. ... I like smoking cigarettes. It's something normal people do. I smoke a cigarette, and pretend I'm normal. And I wish I was dead."

"And you've come for me? Blessed, merciful death. You've come to make it all stop?" "No. I haven't come for you, Rainie. There was a woman upstairs, changing the light bulb in her kid's room. The stepladder slipped... like I said, I was passing and I heard you crying, and, well, the door was open..."

"Anyway: I'm not blessed, or merciful. I'm just me. I've got a job to do, and I do it. Listen: even as we're talking, I'm there for old and young, innocent and guilty, those who die together and those who die alone. I'm in cars and boats and planes, in hospitals and forests and abattoirs. For some folks death is a release, and for others death is an abomination, a terrible thing. But in the end, I'm there for all of them."

"When the first living thing existed, I was there, waiting. When the last living thing dies, my job will be finished. I'll put the chairs on the tables, turn out the lights and lock the universe behind me when I leave."

"Rainie, mythologies take longer to die than people believe. They linger on in a kind of dream country that affects all of you."

"Who am I? Just a friend. Sometimes. Maybe. Sorry I couldn't help any. Be seeing you..."

"The paths fork and divide. With each step you take through Destiny's garden, you make a choice; and every choice determines future paths. However, at the end of a lifetime of walking you might look back, and see only one path stretching out behind you; or look ahead, and see only darkness."

"The garden of Destiny. You would know it if you saw it. After all, you will wander it until you die. Or beyond. For the paths are long, and even in death there is no ending to them."

"Desire smells almost subliminally of summer peaches, and casts two shadows: one black and sharp-edged, the other translucent and forever wavering, like heat haze. ... Desire smiles in brief flashes, like sunlight glinting from a knife-edge. And there is much else that is knife-like about Desire. Never a possession, always the possessor, with skin as pale as smoke, and eyes tawny and sharp as yellow wine: Desire is everything you have ever wanted. Whoever you are. Whatever you are. Everything."

"Despair, Desire's sister and twin, is queen of her own bleak bourne. It is said that scattered through Despair's domain are a multitude of tiny windows, hanging in the void. Each window looks out onto a different scene, being, in our world, a mirror. Sometimes you will look into a mirror and feel the eyes of Despair upon you, feel her hook catch and snag on your heart."

"Destiny is the oldest of the Endless; in the Beginning was the Word, and it was traced by hand on the first page of his book, before ever it was spoken aloud. ... Destiny smells of dust and the libraries of night. He leaves no footprints. He casts no shadow."

"Delirium was once Delight. And although that was long ago now, even today her eyes are badly matched; one eye is a vivid emerald green, spattered with silver flecks that move; her other eye is vein blue. Who knows what Delirium sees, through her mismatched eyes?"

"Dream casts a human shadow, when it occurs to him to do so."

"I lost some time once. It's always in the last place you look for it."

"Well, at least you've got the element of surprise on your side." "That would not be honorable, Matthew. I have already sent a messenger to the Lord of Hell, to let him know that I will be coming. One must do these things properly."

"I move from dreamer to dreamer, from dream to dream, hunting for what I need. Slipping and sliding and flickering through dreams; and the dreamers will wake and wonder why this dream seemed different, wonder how real their lives can truly be."

"Times is, times was, time's past, Sir Robert." "Bold as brass, ma'am."

"You know, the idea of what someone like you considers a long time sends shivers down my spine."

"To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and the seasons of mists; and may each and everyone of us always give the devil his due."

"You must know, of course, of the Cainites? ... They also held that the way to salvation was to give way to lust and temptation in all things. And no greater percentage of them turned up here than of any other religion. Amusing, isn't it?"

"They believe themselves Lucifer's equals, Cain, all these pitiful little gnats. But there is only one that we have ever owned to be our superior. There is but one greater than us, and to Him... to Him we no longer speak."

"'Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.' Eh, little brother-killer?" "Suh-certainly, Lord Lucifer. Whatever you say, Lord Lucifer." "We didn't say it. Milton said it. And he was blind."

"We do what we must, Lucien. Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all."

"I am Breschau of Livonia. I ripped out the tongues of those who spoke against me, and cut the unborn babes from the wombs of my enemies' women, that they would not become warriors to rise against me. I took my mother by force, and I strangled my sister when she would not consent to my advances. Soon my name was whispered in the night by mothers to terrify their babes into obedience. I am Breschau who bathed in the blood of children. I am Breschau who forced the true prophets of the Lord to dance upon plates of hot iron, under which fires were burning, and I laughed as they danced. I am Breschau and when my mistress was unfaithful to me, I cut the nose from her face and wore it about my neck. As for the woman, I had her sewn to her lover, and, skin to skin, I left them in the desert to be eaten by ravens, and I laughed as I heard them scream. I am Breschau, and this is my punishment."

"Would the Lord of Hell destroy his realm? Would the Lord of Hell ever free the souls held in torment? Would the Lord of Hell expel the never-born? Would the Lord of Hell abandon the war with Heaven?" "The Lord of Hell will do what he damn well likes."

"They talk of me going around and buying souls, like a fishwife come market day, never stopping to ask themselves why. I need no souls. And how can anyone own a soul? No. They belong to themselves... they just hate to face up to it."

"I could never again be an angel... innocence, once lost, can never be regained."

"I have the honor to be the personal slave of Lord Kilderkin, a manifestation of Order, here incarnated for us in the form of this cardboard box."

"Even when it's empty, thought Charles Rowland, you're never alone in a school. It belong to all those dead people. All the other kids. The ones that sat at your desk, or slept in your bed, or ran down the corridors a hundred years ago. They never go away."

"I'm the amazing Cain. If you enjoyed our show, tell your friends. If you didn't, I trust you get throat cancer and die without ever again uttering another word. Goodnight."

"The Gods of Nippon are very powerful. We are no longer worshiped as once we were, but we have adapted. Times have changed, and we have changed with them. We are expanding—assimilating other pantheons, later gods, new altars and icons. Marilyn Monroe is ours now, as are King Kong and Lady Liberty."

"I don't want to talk to her, Matthew. I doubt that she wants to talk to me. But still... we will talk."

"There will be no more wanton violence; no further suffering, inflicted without reason or explanation. We will hurt you. And we are not sorry. But we do not do it to punish you. We do it to redeem you. Because afterward, you'll be a better person... and because we love you. One day, you'll thank us for it." "But... you don't understand... that makes it worse. That makes it so much worse..."

"This is a bright place, filled with frightened people, and fast hard things that hurt and wound. No matter. I swore I would remain by her side forever, and until death divided us. I must walk until once more we are reunited."

"I am not afraid. O Princess Barbara, protect me now as I have protected you in days long past. O Murphy watch over me. I will not be afraid."

"There are two ways into another's dreams. We can go through the dream king; or we can go by the moon's road. But the dream king has little time for you women, and even less for my kind; while the moon is ever ours. It's time to draw down the moon."

"Where others ask timorously, Thessalian, your kind commanded, directed, ordered. It galled us. But the others are dust now, and less than dust. And one day you, in your turn, will join them. And then our compact will be over, and you will be ours, as they are."

"I was one of seventeen children. We were all named Wilkinson—I suppose it was roughest on the girls, but we all got used to it in the end. I blame the parents, really. ... It was just when they found a name they liked, they stuck with it."

"She shouldn't mess with the moon. That's dangerous."

"It's like, that people... well, that everybody has a secret world inside of them. I mean everybody. All of the people in the whole world—no matter how dull and boring they are on the outside. Inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds... not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe."

"And if there's a moral there, I don't know what it is, save maybe that we should take our goodbyes whenever we can, and that's all."

"It is sometimes a mistake to climb, it is always a mistake never even to make the attempt."

"Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly."

"Will you kill all the poets, then, St. Just? Will you kill all the dreamers?"

"From that Time on, the Song of Orpheus has always hovered at the Edge of my Perception; a Melody I can never fully recapture, try howsoever I will. And do not doubt that there are many in Authority to whom I would sing it, if 'twere within my Power."

"We write our names in the sand; and then the waves roll in and wash them away."

"Dreams. What are dreams? Dreams are nothing, my brother." "Dreams are 'nothing', sister? Without dreams, there could be no despair."

"I hesitate to tell you this, Sam, but there are certain individuals who have accused me of. Mm. Well, being mad." "You... shock me, Your Majesty."

"His madness... his madness keeps him sane." "And do you think he is the only one, my sister?"

"Desire? You disappoint me. This evening's display: bringing back a dead man to offer Norton the pleasures of the world. It was not very subtle."

"They say that the world rests on the backs of 36 living saints—36 unselfish men and women. Because of them the world continues to exist. They are the secret kings and queens of this world."

"I've met a lot of kings, and emperors and heads of state in my time, Joshua. I've met them all. And you know something? I think I liked you best."

"I must confess, I have always wondered what lay beyond life, my dear." "Yeah, everybody wonders. And sooner or later everybody gets to find out."

"The young man's mother had died bringing him into the world; she gave him life, a small wooden finger-ring, and the name Vassily. There have been worse legacies."

"Of course you don't believe in fairies. You're fifteen. You think I believed in fairies at fifteen? Took me until I was at least a hundred and forty. Hundred and fifty, maybe. Anyway, he wasn't a fairy. He was a librarian. All right?"

"Listen, blood of my blood. Although I'm a hard man to anger, and I love you deeply, if you interrupt me again so help me I'll rip out your throat with my teeth."

"You shouldn't trust the storyteller; only trust the story."

"Do you know how long it's been since I mislaid a book? Well, let's just say the continents weren't in their current shapes, not that that means anything to you."

"Any view of things that is not strange is false."

"Forewarned is seldom forearmed. Not even in the shifting zones."

"You look terrible. White as the man in the moon. Are you always that pale?" "That depends on who's watching."

"There are really patterns. It was a revelation, of a kind. Dreams and sand and stories. Deserts and cities and time."

"You attend the funeral, you bid the dead farewell. You grieve. Then you continue with your life. And at times the fact of her absence will hit you like a blow to the chest, and you will weep. But this will happen less and less as time goes on. She is dead. You are alive. So live."

"Herakles was full of it. He just got dead drunk for a couple of weeks in Phrygia and told everyone he'd been to the land of the dead."

"I don't need to know the future. When the future's over, then it's me..."

"Thou hast made the Furies cry, Orpheus. They will never forgive you for that."

"Abel, the younger brother, had lots of sheep, and he had given the land's creator a sheep as present. Cain, who was the older, grew fruit and vegetables, and he'd given the land's creator some of them. But the creator liked the sheep best, because it was all funny and fluffy and white—" "Because it was warm, steaming meat. It was a bleeding sacrifice, you bloody idiot!"

"There was also in that room the Other Egg of the Phoenix. (For the Phoenix when its time comes to die lays two eggs, one black, one white: From the white egg hatches the Phoenix-bird itself, when its time is come, but what hatches from the black egg no one knows.)"

"You have called me here, Haroun. It is unwise to summon what you cannot dismiss."

"He prays as he walks (cursing his one weak leg the while), prays to Allah (who made all things) that somewhere, in the darkness of dreams, abides the other Baghdad (that can never die), and the other egg of the Phoenix. But Allah alone knows all."

"Change. Change. Change. Change... change. Change. Chaaaange. When you say words a lot they don't mean anything. Or maybe they don't mean anything anyway, and we just think they do."

"In her world there are so many windows. Each opening shows her an existence that's fallen to her—some only for moments, others for lifetimes."

"Some things are changeless. People love, and die, they dream, destroy, despair, go mad. They fulfill their destinies, live out the course of their lives. We fulfill our function, as they fulfill theirs... that will not change."

"I mean, does this always happen when a girlfriend walks out on him?" "Not at all. For example, after the Nada affair he razed the Dreaming. It was a bleak, lonely desert for centuries. I remember the first flower that grew. The first time he smiled again..."

"There are roughly seventy people walking the Earth, human to all appearances (and in a few cases, to all medical tests currently available), who were alive before the Earth had begun to congeal from gas and dust."

"You lived what anybody gets, Bernie. You got a lifetime. No more. No less."

"What's the name of the word for the precise moment when you realize that you've actually forgotten how it felt to make love to somebody you really liked a long time ago?" "There isn't one." "Oh. I thought maybe there was."

"Is there a word for forgetting the name of someone when you want to introduce them to someone else at the same time you realize you've forgotten the name of the person you're introducing them to as well?" "No."

"What the hell would you know? You're a dog." "Did I ever say I wasn't?"

"You know, Barnabas, there are those who claim that for unquestioning respect and eternal devotion, all one needs is a dog." "Hey, schmuck, devotion you've got. Perjury isn't in the job description."

"That person. Farrel-mond. What was he?" "He used to be a god. When we last met, in Babylon, his sacrifices were dwindling, and many of his shrines had already been abandoned. I merely suggested that he find another occupation." "Oh. I didn't know you could stop being a god." "You can stop being anything."

"When I dream, sometimes I remember how to fly. You just lift one leg, then you lift the other leg, and you're not standing on anything, and you can fly."

"So what I want to know is, when I'm asleep, do I really remember how to fly? And forget how when I wake up? Or am I just dreaming I can fly?" "When you dream, sometimes you remember. When you wake, you always forget." "But that's not fair..." "No."

"Um. What's the name of the word for things not being the same always? You know, I'm sure there is one. Isn't there? ... There must be a word for it... the thing that lets you know time is happening. Is there a word?" "Change."

"Listen. I couldn't help overhearing you earlier. You said destiny was blind. Well, didn't you mean love? It's "love is blind". That's the saying, isn't it?"

"I know how gods begin, Roger. We start as dreams. Then we walk out of dreams into the land. We are worshipped and loved, and take power to ourselves. And then one day there's no one left to worship us. And in the end, each little god and goddess takes its last journey back into dreams... and what comes after, not even we know."

"I'm going to dance now, I'm afraid."

"The garden of Destiny. Look behind you: shadow-plays of memory are forever being enacted, on paths you walked too long ago."

"Do you know why I stopped being Delight, my brother? I do. There are things not in your book. There are paths outside this garden. You would do well to remember that."

"Destruction did not cease with my abandonment of my realm, no more than people would cease to dream should you abandon yours. Perhaps it's more uncontrolled, wilder. Perhaps not. But it's no longer anyone's responsibility."

"I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend... I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend."

"The Endless? The Endless are merely patterns. The Endless are ideas. The Endless are wave functions. The Endless are repeating motifs. The Endless are echoes of darkness, and nothing more. We have no right to play with their lives, to order their dreams and their desires."

"Even our existences are brief and bounded. None of us will last longer than this version of the universe." "Except our sister." "So we suppose."

"What's done can't be undone. Or very rarely. And definitely not this time."

"You cannot seek Destruction and return unscathed." "Delirium has." "Delirium has been scathed enough in her time."

"You know, I swore an oath once. I swore I would make him spill family blood. And now he has. I should be triumphant." "It was not your doing." "True. But it was what I wanted." "So. Are you happy?" "No. I'm scared." "So am I."

"I don't really like driving in snow. There's something about the motion of the falling snowflakes that hurts my eye, throws my sense of balance all to hell. It's like tumbling into a field of stars."

"You need help, matey. You and that there young lady. That red stuff, that's blood that is. Meant to be on the inside, it is. Bad sign if it's not on the inside, that's what I says."

"What's going on?" "We're telling stories. You just missed a really good one about a man who won November 1937 in a poker game."

"If a city has a personality, maybe it also has a soul. Maybe it dreams. That is where I believe we have come. We are in the dreams of the city. That's why certain places hover on the brink of recognition; why we almost know where we are."

"If the city was dreaming," he told me, "then the city is asleep. And I do not fear cities sleeping, stretched out unconscious around their rivers and estuaries, like cats in the moonlight. Sleeping cities are tame and harmless things. What I fear," he said, "is that one day the cities will waken. That one day the cities will rise."

"We of Faerie are of the wild magic. We are not creatures of spells and grimoires. We are spells, and we are written of in grimoires."

"When a world ends, there's always something left over. A story, perhaps, or a vision, or a hope. This inn is a refuge, after the lights go out. For a while."

"So, like everyone else, I was staring out of one of the windows of the inn at the end of the words. Worlds. I meant worlds."

"The words said over my father's body were hollow and dumb, and I couldn't find it in me to cry, not then. I knew I was watching the real thing here. There was true grief in each step they took across the sky, and they shouldered the casket as if they were shouldering the weight of the world."

"It was like I knew her. Like she was my oldest, dearest friend. The kind of person you can tell anything to, no matter how bad, and they'll still love you, because they know you."

"She looked at me. Maybe she was trying to tell me something; I don't know. She probably didn't even know I was there. But I'll always love her. All my life."

"I'm Matthew. I'm the raven. Not a raven—the raven. That's one of the weird things about the Dreaming—it's a kind of one-raven-at-a-time sort of place."

"It's never what they want, and if we give them what they think they want, they like it less than ever."

"There are no gryphons, no wyverns, no winged horses in the waking world, raven. Not anymore. But we are here..."

"I can remember the title, author, and location of every book in this library, Matthew. Every book that's ever been dreamed. Every book that's ever been imagined. Every book that's ever been lost. Millions upon millions of them. That's what I remember. It's my job. Other things... I forget sometimes."

"What's he got?" "A feather. Looks like a phoenix's." "They're lucky." "For whom?"

"There's a downstairs in everybody. That's where we live."

"It was then that Delirium noticed that she had absent-mindedly transformed into a hundred and eleven perfect, tiny multicoloured fish. Each fish sang a different song."

"Been there, Remiel. Done that. Wore the tee-shirt, ate the burger, bought the original cast album, choreographed the legions of the damned and orchestrated the screaming..."

"You didn't join the rebellion, not because you felt I was wrong, but because you were too damned scared. What would you have done, had I won? Told me that you'd always supported me ideologically? That you were secretly cheering me on the whole time?"

"I'm on my way to that castle. It's owned by a shape-changing ogre. I intend to wager the silver collar around my neck that the ogre cannot change itself into three things that I shall name for it." "Will the third shape be a mouse?" "Of course." "But... don't they ever learn?" "They can't. They're part of the story, just as I am."

"I didn't say it was my fault. I said it was my responsibility. I know the difference."

"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."

"The gods we prayed to when we were young used up their time so long ago. They cannot answer anymore."

"They never liked us, did they?" "Gods don't 'like'. They love and they hate and they ignore..."

"If you go looking for the Ladies... well, I don't know that that's such a good idea. You might find them."

"I was tttt-told to give you a message." "Oh yeah? Who's the message from?" "Your gggggg-grandmother. She said she had a message for you. She said it was important." "My grandmother is dead, Zelda." "I know. She said that. She said she was dead."

"You don't have to believe in God. But what about gods? Eh? The plurality of powers and dominions. The lords and ladies of field and thorn, of asphalt and sewer, gods of telephone and whore, gods of hospital and car-crash?"

"There is a madness needed to touch the gods, yes, this is true. Few mortals possess it, the willingness to step away from the protection of sanity. To walk into the wild woods of madness..."

"Do you know your tragedy, Carla? ... It's that, for all your goodwill, for all your willingness to help, you never knew what any of this was all about. What was going on. You don't know how it ends. And you'll never get to find out."

"I am the mother to Odin's stallion, Sleipnir. I am the father of Fenrir sun-eater and of Hel half-rotted and of Jormungund the world-serpent. I am Loki Scar-Lip, Loki Skywalker, Loki Giant's Child, Loki Lie-Smith. I am Loki, who is fire and wit and hate. I am Loki. And I will be under an obligation to no one."

"And she wrapped her slimy body around his, and she whispered his name into his ear. And he screams, "Kill me, for God's sake, just get it over with." But she licks her lips with a long worm tongue, and she shakes her head. "A meal this good must never be hurried," she says. "Just hold still, boy, and let me enjoy myself." And she takes her first, gentle bite from his cheek with her sharp, sharp teeth..."

"You puzzle me, Dream-Weaver. Are you a spider who's spun a web of cunning and deceit and now waits patiently for his prey to come to him; or are you a deer frozen by the light of a hunter's flame, as disaster comes toward you?"

"He was a very clever doggy. He said things like... like... "I would feel infinitely more comfortable in your presence if you would agree to treat gravity as a law, rather than one of a number of suggested options.""

"I bear no grudges. I see things as they are: how then can I bear a grudge?"

"I have come a very long way. Further than I've ever gone before. I am seeking the Furies." "Not the Furies, my Lobelia. That's such a nasty name. It's one of the things they call women, to put us in our place..." "Termagant." "Vixen." "Witch." "Bitch." "Shrew." "Virago." "Do we look furious to you?" "No. You look very kind. Very wise. Very gentle."

"Dancing salamanders brought the children silver plates filled with exotic ice-creams of various flavors, and with fruits they had never seen before and would never see again... although they would dream of them, on rare occasions, until they died."

"He spoke to the embryonic silicon dreams who clustered in a far ballroom, and whispered to them, briefly, about the other machines that had dreamed in the distant past."

"The things we do make echoes. S'pose, f'rinstance, you stop on a street corner and admire a brilliant fork of lightning—zap! Well, for ages after, people and things will stop on that very same corner, stare up at the sky. They wouldn't even know what they were looking for. Some of them might see a ghost bolt of lightning in the street. Some of them might even be killed by it. Our existence deforms the universe. That's responsibility."

"I know lots of things. People think I don't but I really do. I know more about us than any of us. That's just one of the things I know."

"I am honor-bound to warn you to stay on the path through the castle. Straying from the path could mean your destruction. You killed my friend, woman. Stray from your path."

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life... you give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like "maybe we should just be friends" or "how very perceptive" turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. Nothing should be able to do that. Especially not love. I hate love."

"The thing you ought to remember about ravens, is that we belong equally to both genders. You don't see that every day. But we're as likely to be the Morrigan's as Odin's, as likely to be Eve's as Dream's."

"Listen, an eye's just an eye. A few more days, and he'll be something not even a raven would eat. Over to the ants..."

"It was like a bad TV show. "He's a reincarnated serial killer—his partner's a bird. They're cops.""

"I am the Puck, called Robin Goodfellow. I am a trickster, an antic prankster, a will o' the wisp. "Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold, mere anarchy is loose upon the world." That's me."

"A Puck is harder by far to hurt than some little lord of malice from the lands of ice and snow. We Pucks are old and hard and wild..."

"I bind you, Loki Sky Walker, malice-monger. I bind you with the guts of Narvi, your son. I bind you with frost and with fire, and with the weight of the world."

"Now, majesty, banishment, decapitation, or something lingering with boiling oil in it somewhere?" "Cluracan, you are a rascal..."

"You guys're an elite corps. [khoff!] They say I'm hard and I am hard. They say I am a bastard, and I'll tell you what, I am a bastard. A hard, tough bastard. A tough, hard bastard with a pumpkin for a head. But that doesn't mean I can't be proud'a you dumb lugs. And I am proud of you. All'a you—Wycziezbsky, O'Brien, McTavish, Silverstein, Pucci, and the little Norwegian. While some guys have skedaddled, and others have bolted into the castle, we're the Joe's that have faced the facts. And the facts are this. Is this. Are... whatever. [khoff] [khoff] We're at war."

"Me? Lady, I'm your worst nightmare—a pumpkin with a gun."

"Gods fear us. Demons fear us. We have hounded kings and angels. We have taken vengeance on worlds and universes. We are the Kindly Ones. We are the Eumenides."

"Yeah? Well, eumenides this!"

"How... how dare you let that happen, Lord? How dare you?" "You will not speak to me like that, Lucien." "I doubt I'll be alive tomorrow, Lord. On that basis I find it particularly easy to say exactly what I think..."

"On reflection, while I cannot give you the thing itself, I could give you a dream of my love." "I already have that, my Lord."

"No miracles. No magic. No dreams. Just pain and death, and Visa slips."

"They aren't your memories." "They are all I have."

"This will be felt across worlds and days as a reality storm; and, as it plays its course, conflicting realities will fall and spin and shatter across time and existence."

"A customer at Lux's, drunk and flirtatious, peeks beneath Mazikeen's half-mask. He satisfies his curiosity, as he loses, one after the other, his drink, his lunch, and his sanity. Mazikeen has no patience with men."

"Alianora foretold that I would receive my scars, in my turn, like the one I left on her cheek, like the one I left on her heart. She knew it then."

"If you don't let me in, I will turn you into a demon half-face waitress night-club lady with a crush on her boss, and I'll make it so you've been that from the beginning of time to now and you'll never ever know if you were anything else and it will itch inside your head worse than little bugses."

"Sorry, sweetheart. I don't do funerals. Life is, as they say, too short. And I can't wear black. I'm an autumn." "Asshole, Hal. The word you're looking for is asshole."

"You're crying." "Lord Shaper is in dire need, and he doesn't love me." "Would it be better if he was in dire need and did love you?"

"The poison spills into Loki's mouth and eyes; he writhes, and a city falls: and in the moment of pain he gains a certain clarity. The master manipulator realizes how, ultimately—how strangely, how elegantly—he too had been manipulated. Perhaps the sound he makes is laughter."

"I had the hubris originally to regard myself as a collaborator, as a co-author... very rapidly I found myself reduced to the status of character, following something of a disagreement in the fundamental direction of the Creation."

"It's the same old story... whatever it turns into on the way, whatever it is you originally undertake to spin or knit or weave, keep it going long enough and, in the end, my lilies, it's always a winding sheet..."

"Flowers gathered in the morning, Afternoon they blossom on, Still are withered by the evening: You can be me when I'm gone."

"The family did not send to ask from whom the messenger had come; it was not the first time that messengers had visited them, after all. And there are some powers that no one, not even the Endless, seeks to inquire into too deeply."

"Eblis O'Shaughnessy: You were created and gifted by five of the Endless, but you can neither dream nor, ultimately, destroy, and that shall be your triumph and that shall be your tragedy."

"The state of his bathroom—I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life, but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems."

"I am not here to mourn him. I mourned the loss of my love a long time ago. I am here to say goodbye to a stranger who once did me a good turn. And to the man who gave my son the death he craved."

"The one I hate is where I'm just an actor on a strange television version of my life. Have you ever had that dream?" "Doesn't everyone?" "I don't."

"We were never lovers, and we never will be, now. I do not regret that, however. I regret the conversations we never had, the time we did not spend together. I regret that I never told him that he made me happy, when I was in his company. The world was the better for his being in it. These things alone do I now regret: things left unsaid. And he is gone, and I am old."

"The bonds of family bind both ways. They bind us up, support us, help us. And they are also a bond from which it is difficult, perhaps impossible to extricate oneself."

"I cared for him, very much. He was so wise; he seemed so certain of the rightness of his actions. And I, who do nothing but doubt, admired that in him. He was a creature of hope. For dreams are hopes, and echoes of hopes. And I am a creature of despair."

"I'm not a young man anymore. I'm retired now. But I sometimes think that all the things in my life that have made it worth the living have been as a result of my connection to the dead gentleman."

"It's astonishing how much trouble one can get oneself into, if one works at it. And astonishing how much trouble one can get oneself out of, if one simply assumes that everything will, somehow or other, work out for the best."

"We never even noticed the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a load of bloody Italians poncing around claiming to be the golden age of the Greeks come around again. Nobody in England had even heard of the Renaissance until it had been over for centuries."

"There were a lot of Moors and Africans in Spain and Italy in the old days. Remember Othello? Trust me, if Catherine of Aragon had been in Alabama in the 1950s they'd have made her ride in the back of the bus."

"When I first met you I thought you were gay." "Why? 'Cos I'm English?" "Uh-uh. Because you seemed to know so many people who were dead." "...That's not funny." "No. It's not, is it?"

"Father? I am your son. That is only a kitten. Why do you abandon me to chase after it?" "When you were alive, you were all my joy. Now you are dead, I see you only in my dreams. And when I awake, my pillow is wet with tears. The kitten is living, and it needs my help."

"Why are you here, in this home of demons? Are you lost? Or are you also a demon? Forgive my bluntness, but I am an old man, and my flesh is sure to be stringy and lacking in taste: I doubt even a demon would relish it."

"I have no liking for prisons, Master Li. Sometimes I suspect that we build our traps ourselves, then we back into them, pretending amazement the while."

"Lord—what was it the barbarian said, as the riders vanished?" "Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. 'Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost.' Fare you well, Master Li."

"But truth or no, still I behaved in the correct manner, and correctness in behaviour is one of the cardinal virtues. I place the kitten in my sleeve once more. I have saved his life, as he saved mine, and am responsible for him. We cannot evade our responsibilities."

"I am banished to the grey waste at the end of the world, but I mourn myself no longer; I cherish the pain in my hand. I imagine the taste of the mulberries in the violet dusk. And tomorrow I shall arrive in the town of Wei."

"Only the phoenix arises and does not descend. And everything changes. And nothing is truly lost."

"My own fine words notwithstanding, life is no play. We meet people once, and never see them again. There is no shape to events, no point at which we turn to the audience for their praise. No time at which we step behind the stage, to see the actors changing their wigs, and painting their faces, and muttering their lines." "But that is precisely where you are now, Will."

"I wanted a tale of graceful ends. I wanted a play about a king who ... leaves his kingdom. ... About a man who turns his back on magic. ... I am Prince of Stories, Will; but I have no story of my own. Nor shall I ever. ... I thank you."

"Look, I'm sorry it's over too. But good things have to end; stories have to end. It's what gives them meaning."

"Looking back, the process of coming up with the Lord of Dreams seems less like an act of creation than one of sculpture: as if he were already waiting, grave and patient, inside a block of white marble, and all I needed to do was chip away everything that wasn't him."

"Roger Zelazny died as I completed the first chapter of The Wake and his memorial informed the second chapter."

"Death is the only major character whose visuals didn't spring from me; that credit goes to Mike Dringenberg. In my original Sandman outline, I suggested Death look like rock star Nico in 1968, with the perfect cheekbones and perfect face she has on the cover of her Chelsea Girl album. But Mike Dringenberg had his own ideas, so he sent me a drawing based on a woman he knew named Cinnamon—the drawing that was later printed in Sandman 11—and I looked at it and had the immediate reaction of, "Wow. That's really cool." Later that day, Dave McKean and I went to dinner in Chelsea at the My Old Dutch Pancake House and the waitress who served us was a kind of vision. She was American, had long black hair, was dressed entirely in black—black jeans, T-shirt, etc.—and wore a big silver ankh on a silver necklace. And she looked exactly like Mike Dringenberg's drawing of Death."

"This is a work of fiction. Any resemblence to any real people (living, dead, or stolen by fairies), or to any real animals, gods, witches, countries, and events (magical or otherwise) is just blind luck, or so we hope."

"From a mundane standpoint, one might merely observe that Neil has arranged appearances here by every major occult figure in DC's history, to the possible end of introducing a new series character. And I do wonder whether Timothy will be back. It is more than a clever story however. It is rich and resonant. Like all good writing it causes the mind to wander off down byways by arousing speculations and leaving them to simmer... Neil Gaiman is a writer I have resolved to watch, and so far the effort has never failed to return more than the price of admission to his worlds."

"In this film, this loony preacher says that there's love and there's fear. And that's what makes the world like it is. I think that's almost right. I think it really comes down to love and fear. Sort of. Even though nobody ever talks about love and fear in science lessons."

"Love is the stuff that keeps things moving so they stay together. Fear is the stuff that makes things hold so still they fall apart. And sometimes you can have both of them inside you pushing and pulling you around, and thats when you cry or laugh."

"I don't know what holds the bloody world together. Unless it's Magic."

"In Faerie, there is only one time : Now. Twilight."

"The war has been shaping up quite nicely on all fronts, with no more than a nudge here and a tickle there. … People do insist on making life difficult for themselves. Peculiar things people... dead certain they know what they need. Dead wrong, more often than not. Stubborn as goats in a herd. Still even the dissidents have their uses. No need to search far for viable offerings these days..."

"What in my life, does not deserve celebrating?"

"My parents reached America the year I was born, 1939. Entering school, I was already exceptionally bright, my perfect scores on early test papers arousing such suspicion that I carefully achieved only average grades thereafter. What caused such precociousness? My parents were intellectually unremarkable, possessing no obvious genetic advantages. Perhaps I decided to be intelligent rather than otherwise? Perhaps we all make such decisions, though that seems a callous doctrine. By seventeen, my parents were both dead, and I faced a different decision. My inheritance offered life long idle luxury, and yet, needing nothing, I burned with the paradoxical urge to do everything. Do you understand? My intellect set me apart. Faced with difficult choices, I knew nobody whose advice might prove useful. Nobody living. The only human being with whom I felt any kinship died three hundred years before the birth of Christ. Alexander of Macedonia. I idolized him. A young army commander, he'd swept along the coasts of Turkey and Phoenicia, subduing Egypt before turning his armies towards Persia. He died, thirty-three, ruling most of the civilized world. Ruling without barbarism! At Alexandria, he instituted the ancient world's greatest seat of learning. True, people died ... perhaps unnecessarily, though who can judge such things? Yet how he nearly approached his vision of a united world! I was determined to measure my success against his. Firstly, I gave away my inheritance. to demonstrate the possibility of achieving anything starting from nothing. Next, I departed for Northern Turkey, to retrace my hero's steps. I wanted to match his accomplishment, bringing an age of illumination to a benighted world. Heh. I wanted to have something to say should we meet in the hall of legends. I followed the path of Alexander's war machine along the black sea coast, imagining his armies taking port after port, blood on ancient bronze. Perhaps because of the challenge it represented: the ancient world's greatest puzzle was there, a knot that couldn't be untied. Alexander cut it in two with his sword. Lateral thinking, you see. Centuries ahead of his time. Heading south, he entered Egypt through Memphis, where they proclaimed him son of Amon, judge of the dead, whose name means "hidden one." Under rule from Alexandria, the classic culture of the great Pharaohs was restored. I followed him through Babylon, up through Kabul to Samarkhand then down the Indus, where he met the first elephants of war. Where he'd turned back to quell dissent at home, I travelled on, through China and Tibet, gathering martial wisdom as I went. Alexander returned to Babylon to die of an infection, aged thirty-three, amongst its ruined ziggurats. I saw at last his failings. He'd not united all the world, nor built a unity that would survive him. Disillusioned, but determined, to complete my odyssey, I followed his corpse to its resting place in Alexandria. The night before returning to America, I wandered into the desert and ate a ball of hashish I'd been given in Tibet. The ensuing vision transformed me. Wading through powdered history, I heard dead kings walking underground, heard fanfares through human skulls. Alexander had merely resurrected an age of Pharaohs, their wisdom, truly immortal, now inspired me. What intellectual magnificence their system encouraged.. Ptolemy seeking the universe's pivot from his light-house at Pharos, Eratosthenes, measuring the world using only shadows … their greatest secrets entrusted to their servants, buried alive with them in sand-flooded chambers. Adopting Ramses the Second's Greek name and Alexander's free-booting style, I resolved to apply antiquity's teachings to today's world. Thus began my path to conquest … conquest not of men. But of the evils that beset them. Today, that conquest becomes assured, in which your unquestioning assistance has proven invaluable. Do you comprehend the triumph which you have contributed, the secret glory that it affords? Do you understand my shame at so inadequate a reward?"

"I suppose I'd have had to catch the bullet, wouldn't I?"

"I don't mind being the smartest man in the world, I just wish it wasn't this one."

"Y'know, this must be how ordinary people feel. This must be how ordinary people feel around us."

"Oh God, I probably sound so Devo right?"

"What happened to us? What happened to the American Dream?"

"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Pregnant woman. Gunned her down. Bang. And y'know what? You watched me. You coulda changed the gun into steam or the bullets into mercury or the bottle into god damn snowflakes! You coulda teleported either of us to goddamn Australia...but you didn't lift a finger! You don't really give a damn about human beings. I've watched you. You never cared about what's her name, Janey Slater, even before you ditched her. Soon you won't be interested in Sally Jupiter's little girl, either. You're driftin' outta touch, Doc. You're turnin' into a flake. God help us all."

"A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there's no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?"

"They call me Dr. Manhattan. They explain the name has been chosen for the ominous associations it will raise in America's enemies. The marketing boys say I need a logo. If I'm to have a symbol it shall be one I respect. [draws a symbol of a hydrogen atom on his head]"

"Everything is preordained. Even my responses."

"I am tired of Earth, these people. I'm tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."

"They claim their labors are to build a heaven, yet their heaven is populated with horrors. Perhaps the world is not made. Perhaps nothing is made. A clock without a craftsman. It's too late. Always has been, always will be...too late."

"I am two-hundred and twenty-seven million kilometers from the sun. Its light is already ten minutes old. It will not reach Pluto for another two hours. Two hours into my future, I observe meteorites from a glass balcony, thinking about my father. Twelve seconds, into my past, I open my fingers. The photograph is falling. I am watching the stars. Halley's Comet tumbles through the solar system on its great, seventy-six year ellipse. My father admired the sky for its precision. He repaired watches. It's 1945, I sit in a Brooklyn kitchen, fascinated by an arrangement of cogs on black velvet. I am sixteen years old. It is 1985. I am on Mars. I am fifty-six years old. The photograph lies at my feet; falls from my fingers, is in my hand. I am watching the stars, admiring their complex trajectories through space and time. I am trying to give a name to the force that set them in motion."

"There is no future. There is no past. Do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet."

"We're all puppets, Laurie. I'm just a puppet who can see the strings."

"Thermodynamic miracles... events with odds against so astronomical they're effectively impossible, like oxygen spontaneously becoming gold. I long to observe such a thing. And yet, in each human coupling, a thousand million sperm vie for a single egg. Multiply those odds by countless generations, against the odds of your ancestors being alive; meeting; siring this precise son; that exact daughter... Until your mother loves a man she has every reason to hate, and of that union, of the thousand million children competing for fertilization, it was you, only you, that emerged. To distill so specific a form from that chaos of improbability, like turning air to gold... that is the crowning unlikelihood. The thermodynamic miracle."

"Yes. Anybody in the world. .. But the world is so full of people, so crowded with these miracles that they become commonplace and we forget... I forget. We gaze continually at the world and it grows dull in our perceptions. Yet seen from the another's vantage point, as if new, it may still take our breath away. Come... dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg. Come, dry your eyes. And let's go home."

"I am disappointed, Veidt. Very disappointed. Restructuring myself after the subtraction of my intrinsic field was the first trick I learned. It didn't kill Osterman... Did you think it would kill me? I've walked across the surface of the sun. I've seen events so tiny and so fast they hardly can be said to have occurred at all. But you... you're just a man. And the world's smartest man poses no more threat to me than does its smartest termite."

"In my opinion, the existence of life is a highly overrated phenomenon."

"I want you to love me. I want you to love me because we're not dead. Here..take these off. I want to see you. I want to see you and taste you and smell you. Just because I can. Oh God, it's so damn good being alive."

"(Examining Dan's Nite Owl II utility belt.) What else have you got in there? Chocolate rations? Boy Scout knife? Army-issue contraceptives?"

"I'm through thinking about my life, looking back at all my stupid memories. It's been a dumb life, and if there is a design, it's a dumb design!"

"My mother, she eroded my adolescence, chipping me into the shape she'd have been if she hadn't had me. She pushed me into adventuring, fussing over my career, trying to live her life through me."

"I used to be a masked avenger too, remember … I mean, I'm used to going out at three in the morning and doing something stupid."

"On Friday night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Down there, somebody knows."

"Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me...I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "No." They had a choice, all of them. They could have followed in the footsteps of good men like my father or President Truman. Decent men who believed in a day's work for a day's pay. Instead they followed the droppings of lechers and communists and didn't realize that the trail led over a precipice until it was too late. Don't tell me they didn't have a choice. Now the whole world stands on the brink, staring down into bloody Hell, all those liberals and intellectuals and smooth-talkers... and all of a sudden nobody can think of anything to say."

"Soon there will be war. Millions will burn. Millions will perish in sickness and misery. Why does one death matter against so many? Because there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this. But there are so many deserving of retribution ... and there is so little time."

"Why are so few of us left active, healthy, and without personality disorders?"

"None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with me."

"Later: The Deputy Warden just called. Apparently, Kovacs was involved in an incident today, just after he'd seen me. It happened during lunch, in the canteen...the guards intervened, dragging Kovacs away to solitary and the other man to the prison hospital. According to the deputy Warden, his burns were horrific. Hot cooking fat...I don't like to think about it. As they dragged him away, Rorschach spoke to the other inmates. He said 'None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with me.' My earlier optimism was obviously unfounded. He's just getting worse."

"I looked at the Rorschach blot. I tried to pretend it looked like a spreading tree, shadows pooled beneath it, but it didn't. It looked more like a dead cat I once found, the fat, glistening grubs writhing blindly, squirming over each other, frantically tunneling away from the light. But even that is avoiding the real horror. The horror is this: In the end, it is simply a picture of empty meaningless blackness. We are alone. There is nothing else."

"Why do we argue? Life's so fragile, a successful virus clinging to a speck of mud, suspended in endless nothing."

"I never said, "The superman exists, and he's American." What I said was,"God exists, and he's American." If that statement starts to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing religious terror at the concept indicates only that you are still sane."

"[Responding to question on how much of putting on a superhero costume is a "sex thing".] No, I don't… Well, let me say this, for me, it was never a sex thing. It was a money thing. And I think for some people it was a fame thing, and for a tiny few, God bless 'em, I think it was a goodness thing. I mean, I'm not saying it wasn't a sex thing for some people, but, no, no, I wouldn't say that's what motivated the majority…"

"Two-Face: "You're the only person who never treated me with pity. You've been kind to me. You visited me at Arkham. It's obvious how I feel about you, Renee. And I thought that, perhaps, you felt the same. That you loved me, too"."

"Renee Montoya: "Harvey, you outed me! I'm gay! I'm a dyke, a lesbian, I like girls! Didn't you look at the picture before you started sending it around?""

"Two-Face: "Yeah, I know all that. I don't see what that has to do with us. Renee, you have nothing to go back to. I made certain of that. You're staying with me now. And I can make you whole"."

"Renee Montoya: "No. I don't love you. I'm never going to love you. And if you've misinterpreted the kindess I've shown you, I am truly sorry. But you will never get what you want from me, Harvey. Not willingly, not ever...""

"This isn't Metropolis, Captain, and not just because our guy works at night. This isn't the city of tomorrow, it's not San Francisco, it's not New York."

"Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot. So my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, black, terrible..."

"I believe in Jim Gordon. I believe in Harvey Dent. I believe in Gotham City."

"[To Superman] I want you to remember Clark, In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand at your throat, I want you to remember the one man who beat you."

"[To Mutant Leader] You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table. And I'm the surgeon."

"Sometimes it's only madness that makes us what we are."

"Criminals are a terror. Hearts of the night. I must disguise my terror. Criminals are cowardly. A superstitious terrible omen. A cowardly lot. My disguise must strike terror. I must be black. Terrible. Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot. I must be a creature. I must be a creature of the night. Mommy's dead. Daddy's dead. Brucie's dead. I shall become a bat."

"That vase was from the Ming Dynasty. Alfred will forgive me... eventually."

"Batman: (to the Joker) Hello. I came to talk. I've been thinking lately. About you and me. About what's going to happen to us in the end. We're going to kill each other, aren't we? Perhaps you'll kill me. Perhaps I'll kill you. Perhaps sooner. Perhaps later."

"Batman: (to the Joker) Don't you understand? I don't want to hurt you. I don't want either of us to end up killing the other. But we're both running out of alternatives, and we both know it. Maybe it all hinges on tonight. Maybe this is our last chance to sort this whole bloody mess out. If you don't take it, then we're both locked onto a suicide course. Both of us. To the death. It doesn't have to end like that. I don't know what it was that bent your life out of shape, but who knows? Maybe I've been there too. Maybe I can help. We could work together. I could rehabilitate you. You needn't be out there on the edge anymore. You needn't be alone. We don't have to kill each other. What do you say?"

"Without warning, it comes...crashing through the window of your study, and mine...I have seen it before...somewhere. It frightened me as a boy... frightened me. Yes, father. I shall become a bat."

"Ladies. Gentlemen. You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. From this moment on -- none of you are safe."

"I made a promise on the grave of my parents that I would rid this city of the evil that took their lives. By day, I am Bruce Wayne, billionaire philanthropist. At night, criminals, a cowardly and superstitious lot, call me... Batman."

"Criminals, by nature, are a cowardly and superstitious lot. To instill fear into their hearts, I became a bat. A monster in the night. And in doing so, have I become the very thing that all monsters become - alone?"

"Deep down, Clark's essentially a good person... and deep down, I'm not."

"They say that when you kill a man you not only take away what he was, but all he will ever be."

"I have been to too many funerals."

"by Jeph Loeb with art by Jim Lee"

"People think it's an obsession. A compulsion. As if there were an irresistible impulse to act. It's never been like that. I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either."

"(to Superman) Everyone looks up to you. They listen to you. If you tell them to fight, they'll fight. But they need to be inspired. And let's face it "Superman"... the last time you really inspired anyone -- was when you were dead."

"(to the Joker) And when you're sitting here alone in the middle of the night, unsleeping in the dark, remember -- every breath you take you owe to me."

"And as the sun, that had been too afraid to show its face in this city, started to turn the black into grey, I smiled. Not out of happiness. But because I knew... that one day, I wouldn't have to do this anymore. One day, I could stop fighting. Because one day... I would win. One day, there will be no pain, no loss, no crime. Because of me, because I fight. For you. One day, I will win."

"Did I finally reach the limits of reason? And find the Devil waiting? And was that fear in his eye?"

"Up, up, and away!"

"If I go crazy then will you still Call me Superman If I’m alive and well, will you be There a-holding my hand I’ll keep you by my side With my superhuman might Kryptonite."

"Well I know what I've been told You've to break free to break the mold But I can't do this all on my own No, I can't do this all on my own I know, that I'm no Superman."

"I didn't bother getting into it with Tarantino about the Superman thing, because it's not really true," chuckles Carradine. "It's not unique. The idea that Superman's analysis, whatever you want to call it, his image of the human race is Clark Kent, weak, a coward, fumbling, wearing glasses, uncertain of himself, not able to get a girl, all those kinds of things. That's his idea about us and that's the point that Tarantino was trying to make. But the idea of Superman being unique in that he was born Superman, which is another point that Tarantino's trying to make, that that's what these people [Bill, etc.] are, these people are born warriors and they can't help it, but there's also the Silver Surfer, right? And there's Sub-Mariner..."

"None of us really have a choice. The warrior does not have a choice. It's pre-destined, you can't help it. Superman didn't... well, he did have a choice. You know, he could have been a bad guy. And the other thing about Superman that I don't think Quentin pointed out and that isn't part of this movie and maybe isn't part of Quentin, is that even though Superman sees us as weak jellyfish, he loves us. And he wants to take care of us. That's really the big essence of Superman. I prefer Batman. I like the meanness of him, the darkness of him."

"I think Superman's a loner. Without a doubt. I think he recognizes that he has this responsibility, because of the power that he has, and that he has to bear it by himself. And to make sure that he is using it for good and not for evil. He has to keep in check his human emotions, though he's not really a human – because those are the things about living on Earth that can get us in trouble. Greed, power, love -- all those things that take us off the tracks."

"I think Superman likes Batman. In his own private way, he gets a kick out of the fact that he can count on Batman being cynical and pessimistic, and that he sort of relies on that probably in the way you rely on certain friends or family members to do certain things that you shake your head and go, “Oh, jeez.”"

"Villains are really what give comic stories their flavor. Honestly, I think Superman would be quite dull without a really great villain. Batman, maybe not so much, because he's such a twisted character himself. He's struggling with a lot of inner demons. But Superman is the kind of guy who's impossible to hate, because he's a guy's guy, and he's straightforward. He can be a little sarcastic and he has a wryness about him. But he doesn't have a lot of dark corners. So I think that contrasting him with someone like Darkseid, who's a real badass villain, absolutely makes the script more interesting."

"You know, I feel badly that I did not realize how important Superman was to a lot of people. I had a really good time doing it. I didn’t take it as seriously as I perhaps should have because—I mean, I thought I was doing something for kids, right? I didn’t realize that there was this whole Comic-Con thing going on, that people really took that seriously."

"Superman has a lot of power and he doesn’t have to be showy, rather he carries that confidence quietly. He knows what he can do. I certainly am not capable of pulling that off in my own life. But knowing that, I can fake that attitude to help me out now and then."

"Superman has always defended vulnerable communities and he’s always been political, says Joseph Darowski, a professor at Brigham Young University. Darowski is also a comic historian and the editor of “The Ages of Superman: Essays on the Man of Steel in Changing Times.” “It’s an inevitable part of the comic book industry that politics is going to seep in,” Darowski says. “There’s always some reflection of what’s going on on the world stage.” In the 1940s, Superman tried to stop World War II. He’s taken on corrupt politicians and got political during the Cold War, too. “As America gets engaged in the space race, suddenly Superman’s enemies are coming from the stars more frequently,” Darowski says. “Kryptonite and other forms of radiation creeps into the stories after the dropping of the atomic bomb. During the Cold War and the nuclear arms race, Kryptonite becomes much more commonly used in Super-man stories, and villains who get their power through radiation also become much more common. These geopolitical events end up being adapted in fantastic ways into the Superman comics.”"

"If I had to differentiate between [Batman and Superman], I'd say Superman is sort of about hope. You've got this guy who's an alien and not truly human, but he personifies all the best qualities of humanity. He's sort of an example of what it would be nice to be like. We would all like to be like Superman. We would all like to have power, compassion, the ability to settle problems in a good way, and maybe [be able to] wink to ourselves about how nobody else besides us knows we really have this secret power and we keep it ourselves. There's not a lot of angst with Superman. If there is, it's more like, "I wish I could tell Lois who I really was." Batman is how you'd like to be if you [could] break someone's neck: "I'm pissed off, and I want to go out and do something about it." Superman waits for trouble to happen, and then he goes off and stops the problem. Batman's looking for trouble; he doesn't really start it, but he's out there looking. And if he sees something going on, he just jumps into the middle of it."

"He (Reeve) was put on this Earth for... a lot of reasons. He wasn't just here to be an actor. He was Superman."

"[Jews needed] a hero who could protect us against an almost invincible force. So [Siegel and Shuster] created an invincible hero."

"You see all these super hero movies, and super heroes have a moral code that they live by and it seemed like in Kick-Ass, that wasn’t the case. It was survival on the streets and still try to fight crime. I think that’s a more realistic version of what vigilantes would be. I don’t think we’ll see a Superman ever flying in the sky or anything like that, and if that does happen, I don’t think the outcome that we watch in the movies is gonna be the outcome in real life. I think we’d send the army after this person, and the navy, and the air force, and the marines, after this person."

"Christopher Reeve is Superman, right here, right now... Reeve shows us the power, the possibilities and the results of a fierce and persistent commitment to growth and development. With God's help, Reeve is Superman because: 1. He survived the horse riding accident and challenged himself physically during countless months of painful physical therapy. 2. Because he remained committed to his role as a loving husband and doting father 3. Because he kept hope alive in the face of injury and paralysis that can destroy all hope-in the face of having to depend on his wife and many others to feed, wash, change, move and carry him to the doctor. 4. Because he came to the conclusion that God still had something for him to do... Christopher Reeve turned his focus away from his paralysis and began figuring out how he could live afresh. Reeve decided that a lot of people might like to hear his story. Instead of limiting the communication of his story to letters, books and videos subject to edit, Reeve chose the lecture circuit. That meant showing up in public, allowing the public to gawk at his incapacity, talking about his condition and sharing lessons learned. Thus, Christopher Reeve has become Superman for real."

"Jerry Siegel, an intellectually and physically circumcised chap who has his headquarters in New York. . . The inventive Israelite named this pleasant guy with an overdeveloped body and underdeveloped mind “Superman..”"

"I was enamored with Superman because I thought, being Canadian and from Toronto, that the original series was based around Toronto. I remember as a kid being told that. That the Daily Planet was the Star Newspaper and the whole idea was based around that kind of small cosmopolitan city so that caught my attention."

"Everyone’s like, ‘He’s so powerful, I can’t relate to him.’ Are you kidding me? He’s the most relatable character ever. He grew up on a farm, he doesn’t have a lot of friends, feels isolated, he can’t tell everybody what his secrets are. He’s a great character. He feels overlooked — who hasn’t felt overlooked, or wanted to connect with people? All social media is, is people wanting to connect with other people. That’s all it is. Because people long to connect with other people. And Superman is the embodiment of that. He’s more relevant now than ever."

"When Superman came out it galvanized the entire industry. It’s just part of the American scene. Superman is going to live forever. They’ll be reading Superman in the next century when you and I are gone. I felt in that respect I was doing the same thing. I wanted to be known. I wasn’t going to sell a comic that was going to die quickly."

"A very young person can come up with an idea— well, Superman is the classic example, see? All these businessmen are at the top of the pyramid, but the entire pyramid is resting on two little stones, and the pyramid denies the existence of these stones because it’s so big. It’s loaded with officials, but the little stones are the ones that are holding it up because that’s where the support is coming from, and I was in the same position."

"Superman has, despite the fact that he is a super-being, emotions just like everyone else. He's not a robot. If I were a super-being, I'd just be a human being with super-powers, which is the way I see Superman. He's a human being with super-powers and he can be lonely; he has emotions, he can be in love, he can hate people. He hates evil."

"Superman is invincible, and Superman is the first super-being to come into literary life. There he is alone. That's the way I see him. If I were a Superman among two billion people, despite the fact that I was a super-being, I'd feel pretty insecure. For instance, say I was a white hunter in Africa and I were to walk into a cannibal village. Despite the fact that I had a gun and they didn't, despite the fact that I had ammunition and they didn't, I'd feel pretty insecure, despite the fact that I could probably shoot my way out. Superman is alone in our world."

"Superman obeys the Talmudic injunction to do good for its own sake and heal the world where he can."

"Superman is arguably the most powerful person on the planet, but how long can he sit at his desk with someone breathing down his neck and treating him like the least important person in the world?"

"Rather than Clark be this clownish suit that Superman puts on, we're going to really see Clark come into his own in the next few years as far as being a guy who takes to the Internet and to the airwaves and starts speaking an unvarnished truth."

"[S]cholarship frequently appears to pay little attention to the tendency and credibility of sec-ondary sources that confirm their hypothesis. This is nowhere clearer or more troubling than in the instances where Nazi propaganda is cited by popular and academic writers as “recognition” of Superman’s “Jewish roots” and as “highlighting” his creators’ Jewish heritage (Weinstein 25–26; Tye 66; “Surnames”). Less dramatically, popular “Judeocentric” (Fingeroth 25) books are problematic only to the extent that they are uncritically used in academic work. The works of writers like Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, Danny Fingeroth, and Arie Kaplan are not tested for schol-arly rigor or quality and, most importantly, do not aspire to academic rigor. When these generic differences are ignored and they are cited as authoritative sources (e. g. Malcolm 159n18; Royal 1n2), parochial cultural myths can be disseminated into comics scholarship. With repetition, they can become naturalized, possibly muddling the historical record and making new insights into historical connections between comics and identity increasingly inaccessible."

"I am a fan of anybody who can make a living in his underwear."

"The 2 wishes behind Superman are certainly the soundest of all; they are, in fact, our national aspirations at the moment--to develop unbeatable national might, and to use this great power, when we get it, to protect innocent, peace-loving people from destructive, ruthless evil. You don’t think for a minute that it is wrong to imagine the fulfillment of those two aspirations for the United States of America do you? Then why do should it be wrong or harmful for children to imagine the same things for themselves, personally when they read ‘Superman’?"

"A man who can see across the planet and wring diamonds from its anthracite."

"Mark Waid had him as a vegetarian, he sort of ratified it and then people were really angry because they used to say in the 70s his favourite food was beef bourguignon. But I kind of think of course he would be a vegetarian, I mean he would find it hard not to be. He's a super kid who grew up with animals and I'm sure he'd empathise with them pretty early on and just not be. ` Mark Waid had him as a vegetarian, he sort of ratified it and then people were really angry because they used to say in the 70s his favourite food was beef bourguignon. But I kind of think of course he would be a vegetarian, I mean he would find it hard not to be. He's a super kid who grew up with animals and I'm sure he'd empathise with them pretty early on and just not be."

"When Superman was created during the Great Depression, he was the champion of the oppressed and fought on the side of the working man. He was lawless. If you were a wife beater, he’d throw you out the window. If you were a corrupt congressman, he’d swing you from the rooftops until you confessed. I think it appealed to people who were losing their jobs to machines: Suddenly you had Superman wrecking machines and punching robots. But his popularity has declined—nobody wants to be the son of a farmer now. American writers often say they find it difficult to write Superman. They say he’s too powerful; you can’t give him problems. But Superman is a metaphor. For me, Superman has the same problems we do, but on a Paul Bunyan scale. If Superman walks the dog, he walks it around the asteroid belt because it can fly in space. When Superman’s relatives visit, they come from the 31st century and bring some hellish monster conqueror from the future. But it’s still a story about your relatives visiting."

"As an outsider, Superman had a unique view of the forces of good and evil shaping his new world. Although he gained a new identity and built a successful career in America, he isn't cele-brated for being an assimilated refugee; he’s beloved because he used his abilities to improve and protect the society that gave him refuge."

"Superman is more than just an American, but he is no longer Kryptonian either. His identity is shaped both by where he came from and the strong morals and American values instilled in him by his adoptive parents. He inherited his abilities from Krypton ... but it was the Kents who in-spired him to become a hero. Superman was something new and special ... and not just be-cause he had superpowers. Apart from his normal crime-fighting activity, he spoke out against issues including social injustice, corruption, domestic violence and racial inequality. During World War II, he went to Europe to fight the Nazis and fascists. Then he returned the U.S. to take on white supremacists. Superman’s story is the ultimate example of an immigrant who makes his new home better. America's favorite superhero is an immigrant, and that's only fitting because America is a nation made up of people from all over the world—people blending their contributions and creating something new in the process."

"Contrary to the rumours that you've heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father, Jor-El, to save the planet Earth."

"When Superman and Batman came to Japan, it was right after the war, right? Together with the G.I.s. In other words, our height and theirs was completely different. We were totally overwhelmed physically, and got this complex about being unable to compete with White people. It was just then that Superman arrived, the White man’s representative, and I thought who the hell does he think he is? And then Lois Lane, the classic American beauty. Even her outfit and her makeup were like a foreign woman’s. Of course today Japanese make themselves up more like foreigners than foreigners do. Ha ha ha."

"Ha ha ha. But at the time, everyone in Superman looked like an alien from another planet. Compared with that, Mickey Mouse was just an animal, and so was easier to use. That’s the side I got consumed with. So just maybe, had I felt more in common with Superman, my drawing style would have been different."

"When I was little, I think that I wanted Superman to be my boyfriend. So this is the next best thing. I get to pretend to be Superman’s girlfriend. Although the older I’ve become, I’ve sort of decided that I would rather be Superman myself. So I’m trying (she snickers). But even my first memory of a super hero was of Superman, because I had a crush on him. Well, it was on Clark Kent, Superman and Christopher Reeve, all rolled into one."

"Superman, a native of the fictional planet of “Krypton,” landed on Earth as an infant and some suggest that he would therefore be eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, DACA. President Trump recently announced that he would end the program, though he called on Congress to provide a new path for DACA holders."

"The key word for me on him is "inspiration." He is a leader by inspiration. He sets an example. It's quite important that people realize that I don't see him as a glad-handing show-off, a one-man vigilante force who rights every wrong. Basically, he's a pacifist, a man who comes along and says, 'What can I do to help?' He stands on the sidelines until there is real trouble. He does not want to get involved unless it's absolutely necessary because he thinks people should learn to make their own decisions."

"Superman is nothing more than a popular retelling of the Christ story, or Greek mythology. It's an archetype, watered down and made in vivid colors for twelve-year-old's mentality. It's pop mythology, which extends to the actor, then seeps over to a demand that that actor reflect the needs of the worshipers. The worship doesn't only go on in the temples — it goes on in the streets, and restaurants, in magazines. But, you know, I'm from New Jersey, I'm not from Olympus or Krypton, so back off 'cause I can't take the responsibility."

"What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely."

"He's a fairy, I do suppose, flying through the air in pantyhose. He may be sexy, or even cute, but he looks like a sucka in a blue and red suit."

"To me, now and forever, Superman is the guy. If there's only one guy, this is the guy. There's no other guys, there's no better guys, there's nobody competing with this guy. I don't care if he's dead, alive, quadrupled, under a red sun, yellow sun, he's Superman and that's it, case closed."

"If only I could fly..."

"The story would begin with you as a child on far-off planet Krypton. Like the others of that world, you had super-powers. The child’s scientist-father was mocked and denounced by the Science Council. They did not believe his claim that Krypton would soon explode from internal stresses. Convinced that his prediction was valid, the boy’s father had been constructing a model rocket ship. As the planet began to perish, the baby’s parents knew its end was close. There was not space enough for three people in the small model craft. They put the baby into it. The mother chose to remain on the doomed planet with the man she loved, and die with him. Tearfully, hoping that their baby boy would survive, they launched the craft toward the planet Earth. Shortly, Krypton exploded and its millions of inhabitants were destroyed."

"What led me into creating Superman in the early thirties? … Hearing and reading of the oppression and slaughter of helpless, oppressed Jews in Nazi Germany … seeing movies depicting the horrors of privation suffered by the downtrodden … I had the great urge to help… help the downtrodden masses, somehow. How could I help them when I could barely help myself? Superman was the answer. ~ Jerry Siegel"

"The interesting thing about the Man of Steel was that regardless of how extraordinary the mortals of Earth thought him to be, the Kryptonians didn’t think of themselves as super at all when they were together on their home planet. Why? Because on Krypton, everyone was strong. Gilbert and Sullivan said it best in their operetta, The Gondoliers, when the Grand Inquisitor proclaimed, “If everybody’s somebody, then no-one’s anybody.” But when a Kryptonian left the home planet and came to live with the mortals of Earth, the difference was striking."

"Superman stands alone. Superman did not become Superman, Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he is Superman. His alter ego Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He's weak. He's unsure of himself. He's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."

"The police officer who puts their life on the line with no superpowers, no X-Ray vision, no super-strength, no ability to fly, and above all no invulnerability to bullets, reveals far greater virtue than Superman — who is only a mere superhero."

"Superman represents an instinctive problem that we are all born and grown up with, that we can fly ─ after all, we can fly now; we couldn't before ─ and that we can carry on all kinds of scientific investigations, that we can stop crime, which Superman does, and that we can have a good influence on the world, and that we can be protected by the powerful influences in the world which may be our own parents, or may be the authorities, or what not."

"So I advised them that in my experience children throughout the ages, long before Superman existed, tried, to fly, and also it has been my specific experience, since I have been at Bellevue Hospital, that certain children with certain emotional problems are particularly preoccupied with the problem of flying, both fascinated by it, and fearful of it. And we frequently have on our ward at Bellevue the problem of making Superman capes in occupational therapy and then the children wearing them and fighting over them and one thing or another ─ and only about 3 months ago we had such, what we call epidemic, and a number of children were hurt because they tried to fly off the top of radiators or off the top of bookcases or what not and got bumps."

"There is another reason why Superman has had good influence. That is the years of continuity of the Superman character. The children know that Superman will always come out on the right side. On that, I can give you another story about what they wanted to do. At the end of the Second World War we bad the problem of a certain number of soldiers coming home as amputees. One of the script writers got the bright idea that we ought to prepare children for their fathers coming home as amputees by having one of the characters─ I don’t think it was Superman ─ one of the others ─ have an accident and lose his leg. They wanted to know what I thought about that idea. I said I thought it was absolutely terrible because I felt that the children loved this character and, after all, how many children were going to have to face the question of an amputee father? Certainly there are far better ways of preparing such children for such a father than to have to shock the whole comic reading children public. So I disapproved of it."

"Jerry and Joe’s story of the Super-Man-that diabolical scientist who conducted gruesome experiments on unsuspecting homeless men-was still incubating in their minds. Then, according to Superman lore, late one night in the summer of 1934, the answer hit Jerry like a lightning bolt. They had it backward. The world had no need for an evil superman. The world needed a good superman-a trustworthy and powerful ally who would come to the rescue of regular people by protecting them from ruthless criminals, cheating businessmen, and corrupt politicians. With millions of people out of work, the streets full of crime, the stock market in ruins, and a war brewing in Europe, readers were starved for hope, inspiration, and a sense of power. A good superman could provide all of that. ACCORDING TO THE LORE, the essence of the character-the one the world would come to know-flashed into Jerry’s mind that restless night with the force of one of those sci-fi meteors crashing to Earth. In point of fact, the epiphany of the good superman sparked a long collaboration that would lead to the iteration of the character known today."

"The few publishers who considered the proposal rejected it. Frustrated with the failure, Joe went into a rage and began destroying the manuscript, Jerry intervened but managed to save only the cover. The cover, showing the Superman leaping at a gun-wielding thug, was eerily reminiscent of Mitchell Siegel’s death. Still not quite right. The work continued. As the writer, Jerry took the lead in developing the now-classic story line that finally emerged. Superman is born on the planet Krypton. His scientist father places him in a small rocket ship and launches him toward Earth just moments before Krypton erupts in devastating earthquakes and explosions that kill all the inhabitants. The spacecraft lands on earth, where people discover the baby and take him to an orphanage in a small Midwestern town. A family named Kent adopts him, gives him the name of Clark, and raises him on a farm. After realizing the possibilities of his superhuman powers, Clark moves to the big city of Metropolis and becomes a reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper. In times of trouble Clark sheds his street clothes and peels off his glasses to become Superman. He uses his powers to leap great heights, to hoist huge weights, to deflect bullets, to soar into the sky, and to subdue criminals. His only motives are to protect the innocent, to bring the guilty to justice, ad to crusade for a better world. After saving the day, Superman returns to his guise as the mild-mannered Clark, who works at the newspaper with a gutsy “girl reporter” named Lois Lane. But Lois has little time for bespectacled, nerdy Clark. She only has eyes for Superman. Sensing that the character was special, the two creators worked feverishly to fill in the details of his persona. Before long the full picture was on the page. Superman had his rugged good looks, his shock of blue-black hair, his muscular physique, his flowing red cape, and the bold S insignia on his chest. Joe designed his uniform as a cross between a spaceman suit and a classic circus performer outfit-down to the blue tights, red shorts, and cape. He skillfully captured each of Superman’s actions in single comic panels: the caped crusader raising his arms toward the heavens, leaping off the ground with incredible strength, soaring upward at supersonic speed, and landing with both feet firmly planted on the ground. The Man of Steel-also called the Man of Tomorrow in those early days-stands tall, hands on his hips, bullets bouncing off his chest, as befuddled, gun-packing gangsters fire shot after harmless shot. In time the classic image would evolve: The handsome, smiling superhero would save Lois Lane from all kinds of danger, hoist her in his arms, soar over the flickering lights o Metropolis, and deliver her safely home."

"To breathe life into the Superman character, Jerry and Joe drew upon their love of science fiction, their passion for movies, their fascination for books, and their experienced growing up Jewish during the Great Depression. The Greek and Roman myths they learned at school featured heroes with superhuman strength. Strange visitors from distant planets were common in the science fiction stories they devoured night and day. Daredevil heroes clad in masks and capes were all the rage in the movies they watched at the Crown and the Uptown. Even heroes with dual identities were commonplace on the screen and in print. The silent screen character Zorro was the alter ego of Don Diego de la Vega, a sissified aristocrat who ate, drank and dressed the dandy to throw off suspicion of his role as the night-riding avenger. The Shadow, a pulp magazine character, was the alter ego off Kent Allard, a famed pilot who fought for the French during World War I. Just as the name Clark Kent was a cross between actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor, the name of the mythical city of Metropolis came from the 1927 silent film of the same name. For Superman, the magic was in the mix. Jerry and Joe’s Jewish heritage deeply influenced the makeup of Superman too. The all-American superhero reflected many of the beliefs and values of Jewish immigrants of the day. Like them, Superman had come to America from a foreign world. Like them, he longed to fit in to his strange new surroundings. Superman also seemed to embody the Jewish principle of tzedakah-a command to serve the less fortunate and to stand up for the weak and exploited-and the concept of “tikkun olam”, the mandate to do good works (literally, to “repair a broken world”). Before Superman is blasted off the dying planet of Krypton, Superman’s father, Joe-El, names his son Kal-El In ancient Hebrew, the suffix ”El” means “all that is God.” Then there is the Moses connection. Just before Krypton explodes Superman’s parents place him in a crib-size rocket and launch him toward Earth to be raised by loving strangers. In the Old Testament, after Pharoh decrees that all newborn Jewish males must be killed, Moses’s mother places him in a crib-size basket and launches him down the Nile River to be raised by others. Just as Pharaoh’s daughter rescues the infant Moses from the bulrushes and nurtures him as her own, the Kents find and raise Superman on Earth. The Superman story also resembles the tale of Rabbi Maharal of Prague, who created his own superman, called the Golem, to protect the people of the Jewish ghetto from hostile Christians."

"While Superman was a complex conglomeration of influences, Jerry and Joe left plenty to reader’s imaginations. What Superman “wasn’t” was just as important as what he was. The character had no clear ethnic background, no hint of an accent or dialect, no stated religious preference, and no political affiliation. The Superman character offered a little bit to everyone. Coming from a distant planet, he was the ultimate foreigner. Raised in the Midwestern heartland, he was the quintessential American. Growing up in a small town, he was rural at heart. Moving to a big city, he became more sophisticated and worldly. He was both weak and strong. Hi meek, mild alter ego, Clark Kent, was a sheepish bumbler, but he was always ready to transform himself into the all-powerful superhero. So Superman was relevant to the prairie farmer, the urban factory worker, the white-collar insurance salesman, the hardworking waitress, and the struggling immigrant. Millions or ordinary people struggling through the Depression could imagine themselves shedding their plain, run-of-the mill exteriors to reveal their real power within. True, Superman had descended from the heavens with the power of a god. His intention was godly too-to protect humanity from its own worst instincts. But Superman had characteristics the masses could relate to. He could beam with a smile, burst into anger, and form lasting friendships. Beneath it all Superman seemed like a regular guy. Superman was also a creation of his times. To keep up with those times, Jerry and Joe often spent Saturdays flipping through out-of-town newspapers and national newsmagazines for ideas at the Cleveland Public Library. The headlines described crisis after crisis. The New York Stock Exchange had lost 90 percent of its value Millions of Americans were out of work, a Midwestern drought had engulfed prairie farms in the Dust Bowl, and desperate farmers had to pack up their starving families and head to California to start anew. The international news was no more comforting. Headlines warned of economic collapse in global markets, the rise of fascist regimes in Europe, and the new communist experiment in the Soviet Union. The whole world seemed to be heading toward an explosion."

"In his popular fireside chats, broadcast on all the major radio networks in an era before the invention of television, Roosevelt spoke in plain language that resonated with common men and women. As children of the Depression, Jerry and Joe saw hope in FDR’s pledge to help the average person cope with the “hazards and vicissitudes of life,” to provide some measure of protection “to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age.” Superman could get behind goals like that."

"So Jerry and Joe plucked elements from the world around them to stir into their Superman stew. For the most part however, Superman’s millions of fans would ignore his origins. For them the Man of Steel would simply be the defender of the little man and woman-and a big problem for the forces of evil in the world."

"SUPERMAN was introduced to the world in 1938 as the Champion of the Oppressed. In time his moniker morphed into the defender of Truth, Justice, and the American Way. In his journey through comic books, comic strips, radio and TV programs, movies, and more, the character has kept a careful watch over the less fortunate and the downtrodden. From defending coal miners against unsafe working conditions (1938) to supporting protestors opposing the oppressive regime in Iran (2011), Superman has maintained a social conscience that is as strong as steel."

"Despite their success, Jerry and Joe had a beef with the world. Back in 1938 they had signed away the Superman copyright to Harry Donenfeld for $130-$10 for each of the 13 pages of “Action Comics” No. 1. True, they were not making well above the standard industry rate and had a ten-year contract that assured them steady work and a good income. But they knew that millions were flowing in from the merchandise sales and media ventures, and most of it was ending up in the pockets of other people. And why should Harry Donenfeld get rich off Superman? He hadn’t envisioned the character and spent years perfecting it. As the Cleveland collaborators churned out page after page, week after week, month after month, Donenfeld continued to build the Superman empire, even as he added new superheroes and comic books to his stable. Before long, friends would greet the party-loving publisher in fancy restaurants with the line “Hiya, Superman,” at which point he would tear open his shirt and throw out his chest to expose his blue T-shirt with the big red S on the front."

"As a former pulp writer himself, Maxwell knew he had to make sure that the writers wove liberal doses of good old-fashioned “blood and thunder” into each story arc. At the same time he walked a delicate line as he balanced Superman’s thirst for action with his good intentions. Maxwell knew that the show’s young listeners-and their parents-prized the wholesome qualities of honesty and fair play. So Superman-by now referred to as the Big Blue Boy Scout by other, edgier comic book superheroes-remained squeaky-clean on the radio."

"The radio show was no more immune to criticism than the comic books were. Some critics claimed that Superman reflected the concept of “der Ubermensch”, a German term that could be translated into “the Superman.” The term was coined by 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who argued that certain people could transcend the influences of religion, culture, and conformity to become enlightened supermen. According to Nietzsche, the person could reach this pinnacle by rising above the pestering of the masses, who buzz like “flies in the marketplace.” After Nietzsches death, the German Nazis twisted his words to mean that their ideal of the blond, blue-eyed German (what they called Aryan) could rise above all “inferiors” to create a dominant race of supermen. The criticism that Superman manifested a Nazi concept showed a complete lack of understanding of the character. While striving to create a popular superhero who would attract a mass audience Jerry and Joe had forged Superman to embody the best parts of the American way of life and to raise awareness of un-American” attitudes. The notion of un-American behavior applied not only to gangsters who broke the law, crooked politicians who violated the public trust, and wealthy industrialists who exploited workers, but also to foreign powers that threatened democracy. So Superman’s creators-too busy to be sidetracked by the critics-aimed their superhero at the looming Nazi threat in Europe."

"THE CREATORS of the superman character had been firing their initial salvos at the then undeclared enemy even before the United States entered the war. At first the creators kept their attacks subtle-by comic book standards. Superman writers never mentioned German chancellor Adolf Hitler, Japanese emperor Hirohito, and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini by name, even though it was clear that the jabs and barbs were aimed at these Axis leaders, as well as their ruthless lieutenants, devious spies, and formidable combat troops. Furthermore, Superman’s team sought to hammer home to their readers that the foreign dictators followed a philosophy of racial and religious superiority and that their quest for world domination included plans to conquer America. At about that time, nationally circulated “Look” magazine commissioned Siegal and Shuster to create a strip entitled “How Superman Would End the War.” For that special assignment, the collaborators took off their gloves and actually named Hitler as the target. So in the pages of “Look” the caped crusader grabbed the Fuhrer by the scruff of the neck and growled, “I’d like to land a strictly non-Aryan sock on your jaw.” Instead of taking justice into his own hands, however, Superman delivers Hitler to a tribunal of world leaders to face justice. In another direct challenge in a Superman strip the caped crusader demolishes part of the German Westwall with France. That’s when Superman’s fictionalized triumphs over the Nazis came to the attention of the German ministerial bureau that tracked foreign press commentary. The German propagandists did not respond well to the Superman stories, and the U.S. press covered their response. U.S. news paper reports that infamous minister Joseph Goebbels exploded ina meeting over the Superman anti-Nazi crusades were almost certainly exaggerated if not outright false. But it is true that “Das Shwarze Korps”, the weekly newspaper of the infamous Nazi Secret Service, denounced Superman. In April 1940 the paper ran the proclamation, “Superman “ist ein Jude”! (“Superman is a Jew!”) The sarcastic, mocking piece referred to Superman’s primary creator as Jerry “Israel” Siegel and accused him of sowing “hate, suspicion, evil, laziness, and criminality in young hearts”: Jerry Siegel, an intellectually and physically circumcised chap who has hid headquarters in New York, is the inventor of a colorful figure with an impressive appearance, a powerful body, and a red swim suit who enjoys the ability to fly through the ether. The inventive Israelite named this pleasant guy with an overdeveloped body and underdeveloped mind “Superman.” He advertised widely Superman’s sense of justice, well-suited for imitation by the American youth. As you can see, there is nothing the Sadduccees [an ancient Jewish sect] won’t do for money! Jerry Siegellack stinks. Woe to the American youth who must live in such a poisonous environment and don’t even notice the poison they are swallowing daily. Superman “did” reflect the culture of his Jewish creators. The Jewish American story was baked into the personality of his character and his exploits. Superman also seemed to reflect the more modern-and frightening-Jewish realities of the time. The story of baby Superman’s journey from Krypton seemed to foreshadow the saga of the Kindertransports-the emergency evacuations of hundreds of Jewish children, without their parents, from Nazi Germany to safety in Great Britain prior to the war."

"Like most Americans, the Superman creative team foresaw the long road ahead and knew that victory hinged on the effectiveness of the nation’s leadership and the bravery and blood of its fighting men. The creators wanted to use Superman to support the war effort, but there was a problem, which “Time” dubbed “Superman’s Dilemma.” Given the character’s power to soar to the sky, to change the course of mighty rivers, to turn back tidal waves, and to survive massive explosions without a scratch, it only stood to reason that he could single-handedly defeat the enemy in short order. More specifically, Superman ought to be able to drop thousand-pound bombs from the sky on German troops, flick Japanese Zeros out of the air, and drag battleships to the bottom of the ocean. In the end the editors decided against publishing what would certainly be several years of highly implausible Superman combat adventures. Instead Superman would be stationed at home in Metropolis and would make only periodic visits to the front lines to support the troops or to handle delicate, secret missions for the top brass. In Metropolis he would serve as a model for life on the home front, and his encounters with villains like Lex Luthor, the Prankster, the Toyman, and the Insect Master would provide readers with an escape from the weighty issues of the war. Once the home-front strategy was set, the writers needed a plot device to explain why the Man of Steel was not joining the Army, Navy, or Marines and going off to war with the rest of the troops. The solution appeared in the “Superman” newspaper strips that ran from February 15 to February 19, 1942. The story begins with Clark Kent arriving at his recruitment center to sign up for duty. The bumbling reporter is so excited about joining the armed forces that he inadvertently botches his eye exam. The reason: His x-ray vision kicks in, and he accidenatly reads the eye chart in an adjacent room. The doctors declare him 4-F (undraftable) and send him packing. As a result, in the pages of “Superman” comics, Kent does not don a military uniform for the duration, and Superman is free to influence the war as an outsider."

"The homebound Superman encourages Americans to buy war bonds, to ration scarce supplies, and to donate to organizations like the Red Cross and the United States Services Organization (USO). In his adventures, Superman travels outside Metropolis to military training centers to lift the spirits of the troops and to prepare them for the action ahead. In one comic book adventure he travels to a fictional U.S. military training center, where he takes part in a mock war game by taking the side of the blue army in a simulated battle with the red army. Superman ferries blue troops across rivers, bombs red airfields with sandbags, locates red snipers with his x-ray vision, and finally tunnels through a mountain to lead blue troops into the red camp. Facing defeat, the red general implores his men to fight on. “What if they were Japs or Nazis?” he asks, “Would you let down the folks who are counting on your to save your country and the world?” At this point the red army summons the strength to repel the blues and win the game. Superman, happily experiencing a rare defeat, concludes that American soldiers are the real superheroes and congratulates the men for being “Super-Soldiers.” Still, from 1941 to 1945 there were stories of Superman’s periodic trips to the front lines, Siegel clearly designed one newspaper strip to draw the attention of American children to the evil of the enemy. In this strip, Hitler Mussolini, and Tojo (Japan’s prime minister) kidnap Santa Claus as part of their plan for world domination. Superman is forced to rescue Old Saint Nick and save Christmas. In addition to these occasional war stories, a number of powerful “Superman” magazine covers trumpeted the war effort, even though there were usually no corresponding stories inside to back up the symbolic cover art; Superman, seen through the periscope of a German U-boat, swimming furiously toward the submarine in the wake of the Allied ship that the sub just sank; Superman holding an eagle on his arm, standing proudly in front of the Stars and Stripes; Superman delivering supplies to an American machine-gun squad fighting in the jungles; Lois Lane, with an Army soldier, a Navy sailor, and a Marine, telling them with a wink, “You’re my Supermen.”"

"[P]erhaps Superman’s most important war contribution was his direct connection to the troops. The scene of a soldier or sailor passing time with a comic book in hand was common overseas, and Superman was the superhero of choice for most of the servicemen and women. In fact, one of four magazines shipped to troops overseas was a comic book, and 35,000 copies of “Superman” alone went abroad each month. The U.S. War Department and USO made sure that copies of “Superman” magazine were distributed to soldiers, sailors, and marines throughout the war. Military leaders hoped to provide a little entertainment and escape until the troops could come back home for good. As “Time” reported, “Superman got a high priority rating last week: the Navy Department ruled that the Superman comic books should be included among essential supplies destined for the marine garrison at Midway Islands. For the tough Marines, as for all U.S. Armed Forces, the Man of Steel is still super-favorite reading.”"

"What if they used Superman to teach children the values of tolerance and fair play and the importance of accepting other kids regardless of race, religion, or national origin? What if Superman could teach a generation of children to reject those who preached prejudice and hate? After all, the entire country had banded together to win the war. Now most everyone was banding together to build a peaceful and prosperous future. Those grim photographs and films of mass graves and starving concentration camp prisoners had made an indelible mark on the public mind. Could Superman lead the way?"

"QUESTION: As different as they are, what is it that you think creates the dynamic for Batman and Superman to essentially be each other’s best friend?"

"QUESTION: Where do you start as an actor when trying to create a voice for Superman?"

"QUESTION: Are there any specific characteristics you believe are essential to the voice?"

"Q: What do you think has made Superman so popular for over 40 years?"

"Shuster: I was mild-mannered, wore glasses, was very shy with women."

"Siegel: You see, Clark Kent grew not only out of my private life, but also out of Joe's. As a high school student, I thought that some day I might become a reporter, and I had crushes on several attractive girls who either didn't know I existed or didn't care I existed. As a matter of fact, some of them looked like they hoped I didn't exist. It occurred to me: What if I was real terrific? What if I had something special going for me, like jumping over buildings or throwing cars around or something like that? Then maybe they would notice me. That night when all the thoughts were coming to me, the concept came to me that Superman could have a dual identity, and that in one of his identities he could be meek and mild, as I was, and wear glasses, the way I do. The heroine, who I figured would be a girl reporter, would think he was some sort of a worm; yet she would be crazy about this Superman character who could do all sorts of fabulous things. In fact, she was real wild about him, and a big inside joke was that the fellow she was crazy about was also the fellow whom she loathed. By coincidence, Joe was a carbon copy (of me)."

"Siegel: I figured that the character would be so advanced that he would be invulnerable in other ways than physically. Secretly, I kind of enjoyed the thought that women, who just didn't care at all about somebody like Clark Kent, would go ape over somebody like Superman. I enjoyed the fact that he wasn't that affected by all their admiration. When you come down to it, some of the greatest lovers of all time simply aren't that crazy about women: It's the women who are crazy about them. Clark Gable was hard to get, and so were some of the other romantic heroes."

"Q: Were you influenced by the Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter of Mars stories?"

""Any man can transform himself into something else, something beyond reason..beyond supermen.- Michael Setzer"

""You want justice served? You want vengeance taken? You want honor restored? Then do it yourself. That's omertà. When blood cries for blood, you answer the call. And you answer it alone." - Batman: Huntress: Cry for Blood"

"(to Nightwing) "I don't want your help. I don't need your help. Now, get out of my home." - Batman: Huntress: Cry for Blood"

""There were so many flowers. My mother had been shot in the chest. Her casket was open. But my father and my brother, they'd been shot in the face, and there was no way the mortician could repair that damage. I was eight years old and my family was dead and all I thought was that people loved us. It wasn't grief that brought the flowers. It was joy." - Batman: Huntress: Cry for Blood"

""Actually - I play a little rough for Batman's taste." - Nightwing/Huntress"

""Maybe I have something to prove--to him or myself or both. Or maybe I care because I've been alone most of my life. Ever since I was a child. Alone in every kind of darkness. Hunting evil or just waiting for the dawn. It must be some kind of comfort to have a partner. Someone to trust at your back. So maybe when I see him with Robin I want to see me. He's like me--a loner--yet he and his partner somehow make a perfect team." - Batman 80 Page Giant #1"

""If there's a lesson tonight, it's that there's no room for chance in this "business." Lives depend on my being certain. Reason. Intellect. Skill. Nothing else must matter." - Batman 80 Page Giant #2"

"(To a vision of Batman) "It's...It's beautiful. Can I keep it? I won't lose it. Don't go. I want to show you what I can do. I'll make you proud. Say Something!" - Gotham Knights #38"

"(To Batman) "So, nothing condescending to say about my new costume? You weren't exactly focused the last time you saw it. You're welcome by the way." - Gotham Knights #40"

"(To an unconscious Batman) "[darn] you. Not going down. Not in front of you." - Batman: Hush"

"(Batman on Huntress) "Huntress. After all we've been through she still fights for my life. So much rage. Not sure I ever saw it...before. She's better than she knows but wastes too much energy proving it. So much like I when I started out. No wonder the others haven't accepted her..." - Batman: Hush"

""I could stop their screaming with one bolt. Wouldn't stop a ... thing. Seven days since Gotham has been left to rot like Gomorrah. We're better than that. I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, I've seen nothing to so far to support that faith." - Batman No Man's Land #0"

""I hate losing. I hate running away. I don't know what else to do. They don't fear me. Not like they fear him. Where is the Batman? He's all over me when I screw up when I don't play by his rules. "My City!" he says, never let's me forget it. So why isn't he putting the fear of... Are they roasting a bat?" - Batman No Man's Land #0"

"(On her first night as Batgirl) "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. I didn't need to raise a fist. I didn't need to say a word. They took one look at me, one look at my shadow and they ran. No. Not my shadow. No I get it and I like it." - Batman No Man's Land #0"

"I should put this spike in his throat...he'd do it to me. He'd kill me and not blink. Kill him and not blink. Why not? In No Man's Land why...not? (sees Batsymbol reflected on the glass drops knife and lets thug go). Batman No Man's Land #0"

""I'm not even that fond of real cops. But wannabe cops... now they just tick me right off." - Birds of Prey #69"

""You guys sure you want to fire your sidearms around gas pumps? Just asking." - Birds of Prey #69"

""I was brought here at gunpoint and in cuffs, Mr. Brusaw. I don't think a hug is entirely the correct response here." - Birds of Prey #69"

""You. You ratted me out to Brushaw's fake police officers. Now was that polite?" - Birds of Prey #69"

"(upon finding Black Canary bound by tree branches) "This might take a while. I forgot my chainsaw." - Birds of Prey #76"

"(after shooting a crossbow bolt through a crooked cop's hand, Black Canary and John are staring at her) "What? He'll be fine. We're in a hospital." - Birds of Prey #80"

"Nightwing: You want to know a secret? Everyone but me thinks you're nuts, there's a secret!"

"Black Canary: Hey, how'd you know about Cheetah's healing factor?"

"Tom: I don't talk to women who wear make-up, anyway. It's unclean. So just shut up."

"Talia: And Who are you? The Detective's consort? His woman?"

"If Robin and I were to remove our masks, the secret of our true identities will be revealed."

"So it seems, loose to plague us with his criminal conundrums."

"They may be drinkers, Robin, but they're also human beings."

"Bon Voyage, Pussy."

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb..."

"I will bash him brutally."

"Holy Sardine!"

"Catwoman?!"

"Holy nightmare!"

"Holy Polaris!"

"Holy Halloween!"

"Holy heart failure!"

"Holy bikini, that was close!"

"Holy Captain Nemo!"

"Holy heartbreak! Miss Kitka!"

"Holy jumble! Where's the hope of the world now?"

"[meows] You're going to see the purr-fect crime, when I get Batman in my claws! [hisses]"

"Scratch out their eyes!"

"Me-ow-oww."

"I say its crazy. But I say let's try it. We have to do something to get Batman out of the way!"

"Miss Kitka dies if you take one more step!"

"Nothing can stop us now."

"I'll slip into something more comfortable while your cocoa is warming."

"Penguin, you KNOW cats hate water!"

"Narrator: This yacht is bringing a revolutionary scientific invention to Gotham City. On a peaceful afternoon motor ride, millionaire Bruce Wayne and his youthful ward Dick Grayson have been summoned back to Wayne Manor by an urgent but anonymous call for help; the invention AND its custodian are reported in grave danger aboard the yacht! Never ones to shirk responsibility, Bruce and Dick, with characteristic speed and resolve, descend promptly into The Batcave, and then, as they have done many times before, as BATMAN AND ROBIN, courageous warriors against crime, they are off once again to the rescue!"

"The Riddler: Question: Who's going to make the feathers fly and knock Batman and Robin out of the sky?"

"The Joker: Have you heard this one? It'll KILL you, Batman! [laughs]"

"Penguin: There are two eggs this wily bird is gonna scramble. Batman and Robin!"

"FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE MOTION PICTURE SCREEN IN COLOR! Adam West As Batman And Burt Ward As Robin Together With All Their Fantastic Derring-Do And Their Dastardly Villains, Too!"

"MEN DIE! WOMEN SIGH! Beneath that Batcape - he's all man!"

"Adam West - Bruce Wayne/Batman"

"Burt Ward - Dick Grayson/Robin"

"Lee Meriwether - Miss Kitka/The Catwoman"

"Cesar Romero - The Joker"

"Burgess Meredith - The Penguin"

"Frank Gorshin - The Riddler"

"Alan Napier - Alfred Pennyworth"

"Neil Hamilton - Commissioner James Gordon"

"Stafford Repp - Chief O'Hara"

"Madge Blake - Aunt Harriet Cooper"

"Remember, Remember, the 5th of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."

"Good evening, London. I thought it time we had a little talk. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin … I suppose you're wondering why I've called you here this evening. Well you see, I'm not entirely satisfied with your performance lately…. I'm afraid your work's been slipping, and … and well, I'm afraid we've been thinking about letting you go. Oh, I know, I know. You've been with the company a long time now. Almost … Let me see. Almost ten thousand years! My word, doesn't time fly? It seems like only yesterday… I remember the day you commenced your employment, swinging down from the trees, fresh-faced and nervous, A bone clasped in your bristling fist … "Where do I start, sir?" You asked, plaintively. I recall my exact words: "There's a pile of dinosaur eggs over there, youngster," I said smiling paternally the while. "Get sucking." Well, we've certainly come a long way since then, haven’t we? And yes, yes, you're right, in all that time you haven’t missed a day. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Also please don't think I've forgotten about your out-standing service record, or about all of the invaluable contributions that you've made to the company … Fire, the wheel of agriculture … It's an impressive list, old-timer. A jolly impressive list. Don't get me wrong. But … well, to be frank, we've had our problems, too. There's no getting away from it. Do you know what I think a lot of it stems from? I'll tell you … It's your basic unwillingness to get on within the company. You don't seem to want to face up to any real responsibility, or to be your own boss. Lord knows, you've been given plenty of opportunities … We've offered you promotion time and time again, and each time you've turned us down: "I couldn't handle the work, Guv'nor," you wheedled. "I know my place" To be frank, you're not trying, are you? You see, you've been standing still for far too long, and it's starting to show in your work … And I might add, in your general standard behaviour. The constant bickering on the factory floor has not escaped my attention … Nor the recent bouts of rowdiness in the staff canteen. Then of course there's … Hmmmm. Well, I didn't really want to have to bring this up, but … Well, you see I've been hearing some disturbing rumours about your personal life. No, never you mind who told me. No names, no pack drill … I understand that you are unable to get on with your spouse. I hear that you argue. I am told that you shout. Violence has been mentioned. I am reliably informed that you always hurt the one you love … The one you shouldn't hurt at all. And what about the children? It's always the children who suffer, as you're well aware. Poor little mites. What are they to make of it? What are they to make of your bullying, your despair, your cowardice and all your fondly nurtured bigotries? Really, it's not good enough, is it? And it's no good blaming the drop in work standards upon bad management, either … Though, to be sure, the management is very bad. In fact, let us not mince words … the management is terrible! We've had a string of embezzlers, frauds, liars and lunatics making a string of catastrophic decisions. This is plain fact. But who elected them? It was you! You who appointed these people! You who gave them the power to make your decisions for you! While I'll admit that anyone can make a mistake once, to go on making the same lethal errors century after century seems to me nothing short of deliberate. You have encouraged these malicious incompetents, who have made your working life a shambles. You have accepted without question their senseless orders. You have allowed them to fill your workspace with dangerous and unproven machines. All you had to say was "NO." You have no spine. You have no pride. You are no longer an asset to the company. I will however, be generous. You will be granted two years to show me some improvement in your work. If at the end of that time you are still unwilling to make a go of it … You're fired. That will be all. You may return to your labors."

"Happiness is a prison, Evey. Happiness is the most insidious prison of all."

"I didn't put you in a prison, Evey. I just showed you the bars."

"Though recognition's been delayed by its circuitous construction, now the pattern, long concealed, emerges into view. Is it not fine? Is it not simple, and elegant, and severe? How strange, after the long exacting toil of preparation, it takes only the slightest effort and less thought to send this brief, elaborate amusement on its breathless, hurtling race. The merest touch, no more, and everything falls into place. The pieces can't perceive as we the mischief their arrangement tempts. Those stolid law-abiding queues, so pregnant with catastrophe. Insensible before the wave so soon released by callous fate. Affected most, they understand the least, and understanding, when it comes, invariably arrives too late."

"There's no flesh or blood within this cloak to kill. There's only an idea. Ideas are bulletproof."

"Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain, everybody. Everybody has their story to tell…"

"Anarchy wears two faces, both Creator and Destroyer. Thus Destroyers topple empires; make a canvas of clean rubble where creators can then build a better world. Rubble, once achieved makes further ruins' means irrelevant. Away with our explosives, then! Away with our Destroyers! They have no place within our better world. But let us raise a toast to all our bombers, all our bastards, most unlovely and most unforgivable, let's drink their health, then meet with them no more."

"Why does everything need a big demonstration? I ask the simplest question and it's like Alice In Wonderland."

"I give up on the puzzles. I just want to turn the page upside down and read the answers."

"My name is Adam Susan. I am the leader. Leader of the lost, ruler of the ruins. I am a man, like any other man. I lead the country that I love out of the wilderness of the twentieth century. I believe in survival. In the destiny of the Nordic race. I believe in fascism. Oh yes, I am a fascist. What of it? Fascism… a word. A word whose meaning has been lost in the bleatings of the weak and the treacherous. The Romans invented fascism. A bundle of bound twigs was its symbol. One twig could be broken. A bundle would prevail. Fascism … strength in unity. I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it. I will not hear talk of freedom. I will not hear talk of individual liberty. They are luxuries. I do not believe in luxuries. The war put paid to luxury. The war put paid to freedom. The only freedom left to my people is the freedom to starve. The freedom to die, the freedom to live in a world of chaos. Should I allow them that freedom? I think not. I think not. Do I deserve for myself the freedom I deny to others? I do not. I sit here within my cage and I am but a servant. I, who am master of all that I see… I see desolation. I see ashes. I have so very much. I have so very little. I am not loved, I know that. Not in soul or body. I have never known the soft whisper of endearment. Never known the peace that lies between the thighs of a woman. But I am respected. I am feared. And that will suffice. Because I love. I, who am not loved in return. I have a love that is far deeper than the empty gasps and convulsions of brutish coupling. Shall I speak of her? Shall I speak of my bride? She has no eyes to flirt or promise. But she sees all. Sees and understands with a wisdom that is Godlike in its scale. I stand at the gates of her intellect and I am blinded by the light within. How stupid I must seem to her. How childlike and uncomprehending. Her soul is clean, untainted by the snares and ambiguities of emotion. She does not hate. She does not yearn. She is untouched by joy or sorrow. I worship her though I am not worthy. I cherish the purity of her disdain. She does not respect me. She does not fear me. She does not love me. They think she is hard and cold, those who do not know her. They think she is lifeless and without passion. They do not know her. She has not touched them. She touches me, and I am touched by God, by Destiny. The whole of existence courses through her. I worship her. I am her slave. No freedom ever was so sweet. My love, I would stay with you forever, would spend my life with you. I would wait upon your every utterance and never ask the merest splinter of affection. Fate… Fate… I love you."

"You will be SILENT, Mr Almond! Your incompetence has cost us our oldest symbol of authority and a jarring propaganda defeat! Do you understand what happened last night? … And you allowed them to do it. I want this creature and his associates found Mr Almond. I want his head … or by God I'll have yours instead! You will consult Mr Dascombe at Jordan Tower before making any official pronouncements. That will be all, Mr Almond. England prevails."

"Laughing, cheering, crying: They at least have not forsaken me … But why can't I feel anything for them? There's only me here, isn't there? I've known since childhood no one else is real. Just me and God. No boil upon the driver's neck; no stinking leatherette, no crowds, … I'd talk to my creator, about Nigger boys on the estate; and men, naked in bed, rubbing together, rubbing, pushing … When I grew weak, we'd talk. I talked to God, while colleagues laughed … but I was vindicated: God was real, embodied in a form that I could love. When I first saw her screens, her smooth unyielding lines … not as a woman, with strange sweat and ugly body hair, but something cold, hard; sensual. We loved, my God and I. But then … them she betrayed me. Now there's nothing. Now I am alone … except for them; waving beyond the glass. I'll try to love them more. They're all I have. Should I wave back? It mustn't look rehearsed, or insincere, but be instead a gesture from the heart … as spontaneous as their own. They love me. I pass on. England prevails."

"I think he's a psychopath, leader. I use the word in the most precise sense."

"I still don't know who codename V is, but I think I know what he is."

"Despite their faults those two men were human beings; and he slaughtered them like cattle."

"What's holding me back in my life … what's holding me back except..me?"

"I'm you. Only better."

"I'm like my father. The only hero in a world full of villains."

"Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Blüdhaven falls. -- Infinite Crisis #4"

"Tell me, Lex Luthor-- how does it feel to be stupid?"

"Kara will help us, Superboy. And so will Kal-L. Whether they like it or not."

"At last. It will be undone."

"I’m going to fix everything."

"The men and women plugged into the tower will help me re-form the core Earths. But I need the rest of the multiverse back as well. I need thousands and thousands of worlds. Worlds I can sift through like sand, one grain at a time, combining and mixing until I find it. Until I find the perfect earth."

"The Superman of Earth-Two is the key to the return of the rest of the multiverse. For some reason I can’t explain or understand, and probably never will… everything comes from Superman."

"[after creating, then destroying a new Earth] I plated this garden, Psycho-Pirate. I have every right to tend to it."

"Superman, the greatest hero on Earth-Two. My father, Lex Luthor, the greatest hero on Earth Three. The universe says Supermen and Luthors are destined to be at odds. Maybe the universe is wrong. I’ll fuse them together. It will work. It has to work. For the sake of reality."

"You shouldn’t exist, Power Girl. Do you know how lucky you are? Trillions were erased But you slipped through the cracks."

"I… I am like my father was. The only hero in a world full of villains."

"“Heroes Save Earth,” the fools. It isn’t saved. But it will be. It will just take another plan. My calculations have already begun. I will make this world a brighter place. I will make it perfect."

"Everyone looks up to you. They listen to you. If you tell them to fight, they'll fight. But they need to be inspired. And let's face it, "Superman" ... the last time you really inspired anyone was when you were dead. -- Infinite Crisis #1"

"…This wasn’t supposed to happen. …I can’t breathe. Can’t… do this anymore. God…"

"…I wish… …I just wish I could start over."

"Booster. You have no idea how to talk to kids."

""He didn't deserve that. Superboy didn't deserve that. What do you deserve!?" - to Alexander Luthor."

"A legend dies at the hands of another. I'm beginning to see. That's what this world does to legends. It corrupts them. Or it destroys them."

"This dark and corrupted Earth must be forgotten, so the correct Earth can return."

"I'm not the Superman you know. Not yet."

"[about Superboy] His jaw clenches as he opens his shirt. For a moment, I see the man he could be instead of the boy he believes he is."

"[thinking] The clouds part. The yellow sun welcomes me back. I can't help but smile. [to Power Girl] It's been a long' time, cousin. Too long."

"[after Superboy Prime asks how Power Girl survived the last crisis] Or maybe she's still here because of her own will to live. My cousin has more of that than anyone from this earth."

"The world’s finest heroes together again. Bruce… it would have been nice."

"We’re here, Lois. We’re home."

"[to Lois] We did it. We saved you."

"Superman always saves Lois Lane."

"[to Kal-El] You. You killed my wife!"

"A perfect world doesn’t need a Superman… Alex."

"I thought their Superboy was unworthy of the symbol I built. But I picked the wrong one to condone. And the wrong one to condemn."

"They're scared of us because of you. They've been broadcasting those images non-stop, Diana. Don't you understand? They all watched you. They all watched you murder a man. -- to Wonder Woman, Infinite Crisis #1"

"A perfect Earth doesn't need a Superman."

"[to Superboy-Prime] You'll never be Superman. Because you have no idea what it means to be Superman. It's not about where you were born. Or what powers you have. Or what you wear on your chest. It's about what you do... it's about action."

"[looking at an old picture of the paper announcing his death] Bruce is right, Lois. He's always right."

"[after catching the top half of a skyscraper] I got it."

"[to Kal-L] If we’re at all alike beyond the uniform-- I know how much you loved her. And I’m sorry."

"They murdered Superboy. And now they say they’re going to take my city. Then they’re going to take Earth. I say… like hell."

"When Earth needs us standing together again, we find a way. No matter what."

"Actually, you can call me Superboy... PRIME!"

"Are you going to let Lois die, Power Girl?"

"You fooled everyone into thinking you're actually Superboy. You don't even have a cape!"

"Stop hitting me!"

"I'm not stupid!"

"[after decapitating Pantha] ...Oh no! ...I didn't mean to do that."

"Why are you making me? Why?!"

"You're ruining everything! You're ruining ME!!"

"You're making me like you!"

"The Phantom Zone is for criminals! I'm a good guy!"

"You can't get rid of me! When I grow up, I'm gonna be Superman! Don't any of you understand?!"

"[when Conner calls him a hypocrite] What does that word even mean? You probably think you're smart. You're not."

"I'm bringing back Earth-Prime and no one will know what I did to do it! No one."

"Where do you think you’re going? Where?! You can’t send me back into the Speed Force. You’re not fast enough. Oh. I see where you’ve brought me now. To the place this Krypton exploded. But this Kryptonite isn’t from my universe. It won’t hurt me. All you’re going to do is kill this Superman. I mean, did you think these rocks would stop me? Hahahahaha! Did you really? [eyes widen as he realizes they’re taking him into the red sun]"

"I've been in worse places than this...and I always find a way out."

"[to Superman] Of all people, you know who I am... ...who the world needs me to be. I'm Wonder Woman."

"[to Batman] You've lost your way."

"Listen to me Artemis. The O.M.A.C.S are its Eyes. Brother Eye is showing the world everything that is happening here. They see us in pursuit of war. They see us as bloodthirsty warriors. They see us as Kal and Bruce see me. Shut that weapon down!"

"Something out there is going to threaten everything we care about-- and a few seconds is going to make all the difference."

"“A few seconds will make all the difference.” That’s what the Titans meant… I can see it… they’re going to die."

"Superman and Wonder Woman are going to die."

"Every creature on the planet wants off. I need to find out why--"

"[after taking an orb to New Cronus] I feel like roadkill."

"Everybody step back. I don’t know what kind of animal I’m syncing up with out here… but it shoots lightning out of its face."

"A life, some would argue, is a series of problems. There’s no denying the truth in that – but why get lost in it? Why not rise above the truth… and lead a good life? Shouldn’t we all look at problems as a chance for us to find… solutions?"

"I believe there’s something inherently dangerous when something real becomes mythic. Because when faced with a myth? We can’t win. So the mythic must be exposed for what it is. So we can believe in ourselves. Because it’s only what’s in us…the drive to be mythic…that matters."

"But one thing’s clear, beyond the mask he wears… is his passion. A palpable thing, that’s almost greater then the man himself. And if there’s passion… there’s desire. And desire means there’s a hole in the man. (About Bruce Wayne/Batman)"

"What gives measure to a man's choices is what he has to give up to make them."

"Cultist: You-- Boy! How old are you? Answer me! How old are you? Tell me now! SPEAK!Billy Batson: Shazam."

"Billy Batson: I bring it down hard. I can do that now. I can summon the lightning and make it tangible. I can make them feel it. And I wanted these guys to feel it...To feel the power of the Gods."

"Denat: What in God's name are you doing?!Rimeen: I do nothing in God's name."

"Zatanna: For weeks I've been up to my armpits in demonic creatures and empowered evil beings, and they're all--Captain Marvel: Completely new to you. And I assume as a student, a scholar and a warrior of magic--Zatanna: Yeah! I find it all a bit...Well...Captain Marvel: Screwed up."

"Captain Marvel: The books of magic have been...rewritten.Zatanna: Marvel...What does that mean?Captain Marvel: It's a new world. And I have a new place in it."

"Captain Marvel [Standing over a beaten cultist]: Brother, you are messing with the wrong god-power-wielding dude."

"Captain Marvel: I could get used to this. The world of magic becomes unbalanced, and Ol' Captain Marvel sets it right. I can do this. I can protect this world.Captain Marvel: Shazam.[A huge bolt of lightning strikes at Captain Marvel]Captain Marvel: Whu--? Why am I still...? Oh God .[Captain Marvel looks at his hands; his skin and hair has turned white as has his costume]Captain Marvel: What's happening...?"

"Sad list, isn't it? Further proof of what I have always said: too many (male) writers seem able to think of only two things to do with female characters -- rape 'em or knock 'em up. The dead ones might be the lucky ones. At least I made Wonder Woman MORE powerful. That's one ..."

"As for some characters being dead and then alive again -- that happens to both genders in comics. Look at Wonder Man. The thing that, to my mind, separates the male and female characters are the sex crimes. Only the female characters are victims of sex crimes; male characters are never subjected to that. (There may be one or two exceptions when the male character was sexually abused as a child, but that's about it.) It is the number and frequency of THAT which troubles me. (...) A female soldier in battle may suffer wounds; that's different than a woman being stalked, kidnapped, and having violence done to her in civilian life. The former incurs the physical damage because of her occupation; the latter, strictly because of her gender. A female cop may be shot because she is a cop, not because she is a female. That, to me, is part of the difference."

"It's a pretty scary list, scary mostly for what it says about (male) comics creators. What I think about this is the guys have good intentions, to use more female characters, and they try consciously to make them strong and positive role models and all that good stuff, but unconsciously it's very hard for many men to see women as something other than victims. (...) And where it comes from in many men is that men are real and women are vehicles for men's needs. One of those needs is to feel strong emotions such as grief, anger, pain, maturity. There are any number of movies and books in which a weak man becomes a hero, or faces up to life, because a woman has been raped or murdered or has committed suicide. Did the writer realize he was (once more) victimizing women? (...) I just checked out the web site after all, to see the reactions of (some of) the other creators. It was interesting to see how many of the men felt called on to defend (or apologize for) their own murdered female characters. You know, I assume, of the point made by people like Trina Robbins that the powers of female characters in the '60s showed a good deal about the male creators-- a "girl" who turns invisible, another who makes herself tiny and buzzes around men annoyingly (when she's not shopping)..."

"I think it's sad and terrible. I think that too many creators got on the "Bad Girl" bandwagon and did nothing but pander and exploit their own creations. To be honest, many creators that I've talked to solely created those characters to be exploited and exploitative. Now mind you I don't see this as a gender thing as much as I see it as a genre thing. Everybody is out for the quick buck and too many are too lazy to try to come up with something original. I know it's scary but if tomorrow's hot comics are about one-legged Mongolian dwarfs, than you can be sure that more than one respected creator will be jumping all over the concept but will claim to be giving it "their spin." (...) The worst news is that it's a million times worse in other parts of the entertainment field, mainly because there is more money involved and fewer morals."

"I'd chalk most of what's on your list up to lame writing. In desperate search of drama, and unable to obtain it any other way, some writers will resort to obvious emotional triggers/easy pickin's. You can always get a bang by killing Aunt May, or for that matter, Superman. The biggest crime is that many of these stories are unfolded badly, baldly and pathetically, by writers who don't have a clue. People looking for Freudian motives, i.e., hatred of Mother, etc., are wasting their time. Most of these writers sweated cannonballs trying to think of something SO SHOCKING that it would evoke a response from readers, and violence to women was the most horrifying thing they could come up with. Usually, the response to these badly told tales is boredom. Sometimes, they succeed in mobilizing folks like you, who wonder if these writers are sick. Nah. They just suck."

"There's the famous--and true--anecdote of the Hellcat story that consists mostly of her being beaten to a pulp by a man, a story that BY THE *WILDEST* COINCIDENCE was written by a man in the middle of harsh divorce proceedings. (...) I'm responsible for the death of Ice. My call, my worst mistake in comics, my biggest regret. I remember hearing myself ask the editor, "Who's the JLAer whose death would evoke the most fierce gut reaction from readers?" What a dope. Mea culpa. But I've learned my lesson. In fact, one of the only reasons I still hang on to FLASH is because I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that the moment I walk, the next guy's gonna drop a safe on Linda Park's head before my last voucher's been paid."

"I think it generally means killing female heroes is supposed to elicit more emotions from readers than killing male readers. (...) I think the wholesale slaughter is because there's a lot of writers who think all major character motivation is made by killing folk and women characters are easier to kill than male characters since so few of them are major heroes on their own. (...) I fear, that most boys want to read stories about big muscled guy heroes showing off than gal heroes. They want the girl heroes there in the background, and even important to books, but they rarely if ever buy a book starring a female. Younger boys I think are frightened to some degree by the overly muscled women even while they may find a sexual delight in them."

"Having always created lots of female characters, and doing some good work on them, I think, by making them all individuals (whether someone liked the Titans or not, Starfire, Wonder Girl and Raven were not in any way the same person in different latex costumes), I find most female heroes that other writers do are simply cookie-cut outs. Since a very few of these are anything special, it's easy to knock them off. Acknowledging that does not condone it. It merely explains it."

"As regards the female characters thing, I'm afraid I think it's giving male creators a bum deal. The list does read pretty shocking at first until you think of everything the male heroes have gone through, too, in terms of deaths/mutilations/etc. Granted, the female stuff has more of a sexual violence theme and this is something people should probably watch out for, but rape is a rare thing in comics and is seldom done in an exploitative way."

"Before being able to comment on the tragedies which have befallen only female comic characters as any kind of a trend, I would need to see a similar list of the kinds of tragedies which have befallen MALE characters in direct proportion to the number of female characters vs. male which exist throughout the entire industry. (...) As a writer with at least over 500 story credits (I stopped counting. Math isn't my strong suit), I will say that professionally speaking, I believe in treating ALL my characters, male, female, black, white or Kryptonian with equal measure respect and abuse. Basically, you have to respect them enough to abuse them in order to see how they will handle the adversity. Remember, monthly comics publishing is akin to a soap opera with more punches thrown. Characters HAVE to be made to endure both physical and emotional adversity in order for the lifeblood of the genre -- i.e. MONTHLY serial stories -- to work. When you've done more work on the subject, I'd be glad to discuss your results."

"I reserve the right to refuse to like a comic just because there is a girl/woman in it, or someone's decided to take a limp stab at marketing it to girls/women. (...) Push past those posters of giant titties and that one of the impossible pose where some gal is displaying her butt, crotch AND breasts, and that one where the girl looks like she's been oiled up and spanked. Push past all that, my sisters! (...) There, my sisters, under all those eye lemons and tree-killers are comics you will like. Don't hold it against your retailer if he or she is keeping the store going with chromium multi-variant oops-my-tittie-fell-out 1-to-4 short-packed speculator specials — get in there and grab that Previews and you will find something for you, and by God order it and get all your girlfriends to do the same and your store will still be in business after the superhero readers turn 18 and start reading the Mangerotica books and the speculators have left to sell their Beanie Babies to pay the rent! (...) Of course, always give your business to the store that makes it easy to get what you want, and doesn't offended your eyeballs with faux-core (as opposed to soft core) porn. Thank you."

"Steve Darnall and Alex Ross find Uncle Sam out on the street, help him to his feet and send him off to confront those who believe that they alone speak for the founding fathers. A timely idea, brilliantly executed."

"This truly subversive graphic novel — more explicitly radical than anything else from DC Comics in recent memory ... a damning account of American political history that also affirms basic democratic ideals."

"If there’s a thrill here, it’s not that the United States can be junked, but that it can’t be. Everything you ever believed in may go up in smoke, and in Uncle Sam, that smoke is the air you breathe..."

"An old man lies crumpled on the sidewalk: he has thin white hair and a long white goatee. He's dressed in a black coat and red and white striped trousers. People pass on by. There's a fly on the old man's forehead. His left arm is stretched out, his fingers curled like a beggar's, but he looks you right in the face. His angry eyes says he lies on the pavement not to ask you for what you've got but to ask you how you got it. He might be a bum, he might be a judge; as you follow his story you keep changing your mind..."

"Uncle Sam is probably the most thoughtfully radical piece of truly popular culture I’ve seen in the last decade or two. Frighteningly intense and ... also sad in the most eloquent way, patriotic in all the ways that mattered, to all the things that one might justifiably be patriotic to."

"The most eloquent use of a superhuman archetype for a great many years, Darnall and Ross have with Uncle Sam produced a luminous and moving study of America's iconographic landscape, at once an indictment and a reclamation of the nation's oldest and most venerable symbol. As a portrait of a fond American dream at last waking to itself, Uncle Sam is genuinely inspiring and deserves to be read more than once. Highly recommended."

"An immensely powerful piece of work: a demonstration of the artistic and political potential of the medium."

"This is Politics: 'Do what you're told or we'll punish you.' This is Religion: 'Suffer misery now so you can be happy after death.' This is Philosophy: 'The Universe came from nothing, and will one day return to it.' None of these doctrines stands up to rational analysis."

"I don't believe in god. In the future, we will all be responsible for our own acts."

""Quoting Einstein out of context, they say that good and evil are relative; that there are no moral absolutes. They lie. Only two laws are needed to change the entire universe: never use initiatory force, and never cheat. The people who run our world constantly break both."

"My pocket dictionary defines evil as 'bad, harmful.' But that's only half the story. Evil needs to be intentional."

"Science is magic explained..."

"In 1995, the countries of southeast asia spent $435 billion on military expenditure-- Not because the people demanded it, you understand; how many peasants do you know who've started wars? Mao Tse-Tung spouted a lot of nonsense, but he sure got one thing right: 'all (political) power comes out the barrel of a gun.' You don't believe me, do you? You live in a democracy. You vote for your leaders-- So tell me -- what happens if you want to disobey them? Say you don't like the President. You object to paying taxes to support him, his family, his pets, his bodyguards and his friends he wangled jobs for. What do you do? Or say you don't like your taxes being used to subsidize foreign arms sales for slaughter in the third world. How can you stop it? Vote for somebody else, whose policy is the same? Don't vote? The government pretends to be there to serve you. In reality, it's there to tell you what to do-- If you refuse to obey, you'll be investigated--arrested--criminalized. Your assets will be seized and given to the state. You will be jailed. And that's the 'free' America -- -- Imagine what it's like in Iraq."

"Albert Einstein said that 'The only justifiable purpose of political institutions is to ensure the unhindered development of the individual.' But our institutions are the opposite. They enslave us -- Rule us by fear and deceit! They'd gladly bomb us back into the stone age! They don't want the common man to be anything but a slave! The world has gone wrong. But I swear by every breath in my body-- I will put it right again!"

"Imagine – you’re a child again. Filled with innocence, and wonder, and life. Remember how good it felt? That’s what the parasites stole from us. They bled us dry. And like sheep we lined up to give more blood. But we can have back all that they stole, and more. The information age provides a spotlight the parasites can’t squirm away from. Identify them. Negate their evil. Ostracize them. Step with me into a better world."

"Greetings, Gotham City. My name is Anarky. (...) I believe in the absolute freedom of the individual. I believe that the present order must be abolished. I believe that the voice of the people must be heard... listened to... and obeyed! ...I would like to extend this warning to the whole city: you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem. Look into your own hearts. Decide which you are and choose well-- for if you are an enemy of the people -- Anarky will seek you out... and destroy you!"

""'The essence of anarchy is constant surprise.' Spontaneity... Lao-Tse knew, and all those other old Chinese guys. So how come we all forgot along the way? How come you can be wise once upon a time, and two thousand years later you're ignorant as a pig? Doesn't really matter. The dinosaurs are dead, only they don't know it yet. They need someone like Anarky to bring home the news. The Dark Ages are passing -- and their heroes will pass with them. The city needs a new breed of hero. The night needs a new kind of monster. Anarky."

"I always knew I'd get off on this part of it. There's something just feels so good about... destruction. But not destruction for its own sake. This is a cleansing... A ridding of the old... It's necessary."

"The essence of anarchy is surprise... Spontaneity. Lao-Tse knew!""

""The essence of anarchy is surprise -- spontaneous action... even when it does require a little planning!"

"Democracy... Hah! There's a laugh. They pretend that it works -- pretend that the voice of the people, spoken through its elected representatives will be heard. Trash! The world is run by elites -- bankers, the military, government agencies. Criminals all. They prey like vampires on their victims...! I've been thinking a lot about elites lately. How they come to power -- How to stop them!"

"I'm against anything that's against people! Cruelty -- brutality -- exploitation... These are the enemies of the people -- The enemies of Anarky!"

"The world's dying! Poisoned seas -- can't breath the air! The politicians -- the bankers -- the criminals -- they're sacrificing us all on the alter of their greed! Please... please don't kill our planet...!"

"Society is rotten. It will only be changed when the people see the greed, arrogance and brutality of those who rule them! ...Democracy is a sham!"

"The authoritarian system we live under is set to benefit a tiny minority — an all-powerful elite gets obscenely rich, while billions are cheated out of realizing their true potential. But the system is rotten. It's ripe for collapse. It's the duty of every revolutionary — everyone of us — to hasten that collapse... It's not a crime to fight injustice... The system's conditioned us — hypnotized nearly everybody into accepting that life has to be the way it is. We're hypnotized into believing war is natural — famine is natural — crime is natural... but they're not. They're products of the system and its all-consuming greed! People have become robots — zombies — too busy scrambling for day-to-day existence to be able to see they're really victims. It's up to us to open their eyes. From cradle to grave, we're taught — indoctrinated! — that happiness depends on always getting more. Buy — throw away — buy more! Doesn't matter if we destroy the planet on the way! Politicians say they can fix the world's problems. Just give them more power. Religions say do more of what they order and you'll be happy — but only after you're dead! They've been making the same hollow promises for thousands of years, and we, the people — the sheep — have listened. But it's time to wake up and smell the coffee — the days of external authority and force-backed power are numbered... that's the way the system is set up! A sham democracy that acts as a front for the elite's ambitions... It doesn't have to be like that. We can change it!"

"Batman's misguided. He fights the results of crime, but not the causes. He takes on individual cases... but he fails to see the wider picture!"

"Roxanne Machin: "Oh, why can't you just be normal?""

"Lonnie Machin: "Because I'm not normal, mom. I'm something special -- One day -- and soon -- everybody will be like me. Because if they're not, mankind will be extinct!""

"...I guess it's true what they say... the radical of one century is the conservative of the next!"

"His Name is His Goal!"

"Democracy is The Tyranny of The Minority!"

"The Quest For Justice in Gotham City Is No Longer A Fight Between Good And Evil. It Is Now A War Over Who's Right And Who's Wrong. Batman. Anarky. Two dedicated idealists, two champions for two very different causes. If Anarky wins, what will Gotham stand to gain? If Batman wins, what will Gotham lose?"

"He's a straight-A student... Cocky -- confident -- thought he knew all the answers, had to do it his way. Yet I can't help but admire him."

"I know you alright — A 14-year-old genius who thinks his extremist ideals justify any crime."

"Oh, yes, I remember young Lonnie, all right! Sad boy, I always thought. Old before his time. Didn't make friends easily. Spent too much time in places like this. Reading, always reading. Far too serious."

"Actually, he may be right about a lot of things..."

"He's fifteen years old, for pity's sake! Look at these books--! He should be sneaking copies of Playboy around, not Bakunin and Marx and Ayn Rand!"

"I felt he was the perfect character (to express Neo-Tech philosophy) because he's human, he has no special powers, the only power he's got is the power of his own rational consciousness."

"...Norm and I (like I said, we’re very different people) agree with Anarky’s perception of what’s wrong with the world. It is something we feel very strongly about. Although we want the book to be very entertaining, as all comic books have to be, we’re trying to say something else; there is another viewpoint of the world from another direction. You might see that you’re being conned. It is quite difficult to present that in an entertaining fashion. We’ve succeeded, I think, largely in part to Norman’s artwork. It’s as dynamic as anything I’ve ever seen him do. He draws Anarky as if he loves the character."

"Anarky’s world clashes as much with the traditional world of superheroes as it does with the world of crime. So the interplay between him and Green Lantern and him and Superman is not the usual kind of hero interplay."

"(Anarky is) a philosophical action hero, an Aristotle in tights, rising above mere "crime-fighter" status into the realm of incisive social commentary. In fact, Anarky exists primarily to challenge the status quo of hierarchical power, and he may be the first mainstream comics hero of his type to do it consistently and with such rational intelligence... "Although super-heroes' primary goal is to entertain, they also have the potential to meet this higher challenge, and I like to think that Anarky is leading the charge. After all, it's his very nom de guerre and purpose for existing!"

"I'm amused by Alan's originally grooming Anarky to be the new Robin; the Robin role now seems too small for him!"

"We don’t have any conclusive evidence, but Alan and I can’t help but feel that Anarky’s philosophy grated on somebody’s nerves; somebody got a look at it and didn’t like it.... So I’ve generally gotten the impression that Anarky was nixed because of its philosophy. Especially in this age of post 9/11, Anarky would be a challenge to established authority. He’s very anti-establishment, that’s why he’s named Anarky!"

"Anarky, of course, was among the best, if not the best, of the characters Alan created. Alan really created him—along with the other characters—and I was just along for the ride and lucky to be there."

"[Anarky] became—even more than Batman—a more synergistic element between Alan and me. It was the fruition of our professional relationship in that we were discussing (through faxes) a lot of the philosophical issues, day by day, that Alan was putting into the Anarky storyline."

"In the age of the anti-hero, it only makes sense to have the occasional anti-villain as well. But unlike sociopathic vigilante anti-heroes like the Punisher, an anti-villain like Anarky provides some interesting food for thought. Sure, he breaks the law, but what he really wants is to save the world... and maybe he's right."

"Anarky is my favorite comic-book character... Anarky represents an impressive voice for liberty in today's comics."

"Everyone always goes on about what a radical Ollie (Green Arrow) is and I wanted to show that maybe that isn’t the case … especially as Ollie’s radical credentials are pretty antiquated... Anarky as a character - and as a broader idea - is much more radical than Ollie... Also, Anarky is a terrorist! How can that not be interesting in the modern climate?"

"Anarky is one of the more interesting characters of the past fifteen or twenty years, not only because he's a teenager (which is a wonderful revelation in #609) but because of what he wants to accomplish. Anarky is a direct contrast to Batman. He is an active agent of change while Batman is simply a reactive agent, reinforcing the status quo (as all corporate superheroes do) and positioning himself as the opposition to Anarky even though Lonnie, the teenager under the mask, is trying to make the world better instead of simply stopping at beating up the obvious criminals... Lonnie is a fascinating character in that he has a sense of humor (as evidenced by the A-symbol he spray-paints on Batman's cape after the Dark Knight has captured him) and he's very smart. He is able to show how ineffective Batman is against the real problems of society, and although Batman stops his spree, we find ourselves sympathizing much more with Anarky than with the representative of the status quo... Grant obviously liked the character, and he is one of those creations that you wish was used better in the DC Universe. Anarchy as a concept is often dismissed, but it's worth looking at simply because it is so radical and untenable, yet still noble."

"Gotham City's corrupt CEOs and drug peddlers may look over their shoulders for the winged shadow of the Batman, but it is Anarky they truly fear."

"I think Anarky's age is right now. He looks like a street protester. He looks like Anonymous. He's like one of these guys who wants to go out there and change the world to what he believes is the better, and I think of all the Batman enemies, and one of the reasons I'm most excited about Anarky, is he feels relevant today."

"(narration) The Sandman had gone to his grave without one grain of faith in the future. And the saddest part was... he was far from alone. With each passing day, hope for tomorrow has become more precious a commodity among every day folk. Still, I tried to keep the faith... and hew to the scriptures. According to the word of God, the meek would someday inherit the earth. Someday. But God never accounted for the mighty."

"(narration) What happens next is... for the first time... my own fault. I have overheard Flash described as a man too fast to be contained by one plane of existence. Apparently, entire strata of reality are open to him. So settled am I in my role as a spirit... that I have forgotten that fact!"

"(narration) In the time of Superman's absence, Keystone City has become a utopia -- a protectorate relentlessly patrolled by a gale force once human. No one sees him... no one hears him. He runs a lonely race... but all who live here have felt his presence. He is everywhere at once... a guardian angel who rights even the most harmless of wrongs with lightning speed. He lives between the ticks of a second. He is The Flash."

"(narration) Another of yesterday's guardians has since claimed the Pacific Northwest as his aerie. Some call him a savior... others, an environmental terrorist. He is feared, and justly, by those who would deprive the beasts and birds of their sanctuary. His name is Hawkman."

"(narration) Yet another takes his refuge high above the earth's surface... his self-made emerald city twinkling in the night sky like a verdant star. There, Green Lantern commands a lonely throne... ever vigilant, ever waiting for signs of threats extraterrestrial. He waits still."

"I don't know what to do! You can see that, can't you? Every choice I've made so far has brought us here, has been wrong! So listen to me, Billy. Listen harder than you ever have before. There's a bomb falling. Either it kills us - or we run rampant across the globe. I can still stop the bomb, Billy. That much I'm sure of. What I don't know is whether I should be allowed to. Superhumans or mankind... one will pay the ultimate price. And that decision... is not for me to make. I'm not a god, I'm not a man. But you, Billy... you're both. More than anyone who ever existed, you know what it's like to live in both worlds. Only you can weigh their worth equally. You can let me go... or with a word, you can stop me. Do you understand the choice that can be made by you alone? Then decide. Decide the world."

"(re: Superman) After ten years he has finally unleashed a wrath that would cow Satan himself."

"Secretary-General of the New United Nations: Listen to me and understand! There is nothing rational about dispatching tactical nukes into the heart of my own country – But these are not rational times! We are at the flashpoint of human existence! My God... You can hear the battle even here! At any moment, it threatens to spread forth and engulf the world! What then? What then?"

"The brilliance is in the victory, Kanto and now it is time to test the capabilities of this Earth man. Even with these weapons, I am curious if this mortal can actually complete his task. The eradication of the Last Son of Krypton."

"Perhaps too inventive. It is an admirable quality albeit driven by greed. As surely as Superman will fall, Lex Luthor's activities must be closely monitored. Do I make myself clear, Kanto?"

"Yes. And I shall be watching both of you closely. Very closely indeed, Superman."

"Orion: Ruler of Apokolips! Wielder of Holocaust! Disciple of power and death!"

"Darkseid: I like you Glorious Godfrey! You're a shallow, precious child -- The Revelationist -- Happy with the sweeping sound of words! But I am the Revelation! The tiger-force at the core of all things! When you cry out in your dreams--it is Darkseid that you see!"

"Darkseid is very evil. He's the equivalent of a mass murderer, but he wouldn't waste his super-powers on just one individual. He wouldn't go out of his way just to kill one man; it would be ridiculous. He wouldn't do it. He'd just walk away. That's how my villains think."

"If someone took control of your mind and you were not able to think as yourself any longer, you would no longer be yourself. You'd be something in his command. You as an individual would be dead. That's Anti-Life. In other words, if you gave yourself to some cause, and gave up everything as an individual and you were at the beck and call of some leader, you would be dead as an individual. And that's what Darkseid wants. He wants control of everybody. If it was snowing outside and you weren't wearing any shoes and it was 38 degrees below zero and this guy says, "Go out and get me a bologna sandwich," you have to go through all that; you obey him automatically, you obey him meekly. You walk out without a coat and you freeze to death. He doesn't care. You do it anyway despite the fact that you don't want to do it. You're dead as an individual. You have no choice. You can't object and you have no stature as a person. You're dead. A slave is a dead man. That's what Darkseid wants. Darkseid wants complete subjugation of everything at a word - his word. He wants every thinking thing under his control. I believe it's an evil concept but he doesn't think so."

"The right idea to Darkseid is anything that benefits him. He isn't going to worry about you. He sees the world from where he sits, and of course what he sees is big. He's a big man. Darkseid is a tremendous, powerful, evil figure, and he's going to see everything in a cosmic view. He's not going to see a view of the candy store around the corner or what's playing at the Palladium next week. Darkseid is going to see everything in an over-powering cosmic view, and of course what else would he want but complete subjugation of everything? Earth is included in that everything, and my concept is that somewhere on Earth is someone who can solve the Anti-Life Equation, and Darkseid is after that poor soul."

"Darkseid considers anything evil that's going to stop him. If you stop me, I consider you evil."

"As for his [Darkseid's] creation, this would've been the late 1960s, while Kirby was still at Marvel Comics, before he jumped ship to DC, Mark Evanier is on record saying Jack was channeling Richard Nixon when writing Darkseid's dialogue. Kirby hated Nixon."

"Superman: Darkseid lives for manipulation. He has hypnotists, scientists and sadists whose only functions are to break your spirit. Darkseid is evil."

"Darkseid: To Darkseid there is value in anything that can turn a being of such power into quivering jelly. I think we owe this mother box a debt for relieving his dementia and preserving a record of it for us. Little mother box...you fear me, do you? Haven't you heard that Darkseid is a doddering old fool who spends his days working his cypher? That's right...adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing...I fear this: As long as the Anti-Life Equation is unsolved, as long as a scrap of free will exists anywhere in the universe--then Darkseid remains unfulfilled."

"Darkseid constitutes the kind of men Kirby was acquainted with in his youth. The slum lords, made famous in Will Eisner’s A Contract With God, were men (perhaps women?) with agendas. They operated on morals dictated by their business mindset. The cost of rent, the living conditions, and the quality of life they allowed for their tenants was in line with their standards. To them, that standard was appropriate. To call them “evil” or “unethical” is an inaccurate assessment. They were gods within the worlds they created."

"I shall shed my light over dark evil. For the dark things cannot stand the light, The light of the Green Lantern!"

"In days of peace, in nights of war Obey the Laws forever more Misconduct must be answered for Swear us the chosen: The Alpha Corps!"

"In brightest day, in blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight Let those who worship evil's might, Beware my power...Green Lantern's light!"

"In forest dark or glade beferned, No blade of grass shall go unturned Let those who have the daylight spurned Tread not where this green lamp has burned."

"You who are wicked, evil and mean I'm the nastiest creep you've ever seen! Come one, come all, put up a fight I'll pound your butts with Green Lantern's light! Yowza."

"In loudest din or hush profound My ears catch evil's slightest sound Let those who toll out evil's knell Beware my power, the F-Sharp Bell!"

"Green Arrow: Like what you've seen? Listen, I hope you enjoyed playing super-hero out there...I hope it did a lot of good for your ego."

"I picked out the name from the train man on the tracks who was waving a lantern, going from red to green.... Green meant go and I decided that was it. Then I needed a colorful and interesting costume. I was interested in Greek mythology and so the costume took on elements of that. It just all fell into place. When I sent it in, I waited into the second week before I heard the word to come in. I was ushered into Mr. [[w:Max Gaines|[Max] Gaines]] office, publisher, and after sitting a long time and flipping through the pages of my presentation, he announced, 'We like it!' And then, 'Get to work!' I did the first five pages of an eight page story, and then they called in Bill Finger to help. We worked on it for seven years."

"Green Arrow: That's right, Lantern... apologize. Grovel in front of that walking mummy. You call yourself a hero! Chum, you don't even qualify as a man. You're no more than a puppet... and the Guardians pull your strings. Listen... forget about chasing around the galaxy! And remember America. It's a good country... beautiful... fertile... and terribly sick! There are children dying, honest people cowering in fear, disillusioned kids ripping up campuses. On the streets of Memphis a good black man died... and in Los Angeles, a good white man fell. Something is wrong. Something is killing us all! Some hideous moral cancer is rotting our very souls."

"[his inner voice, the true Batman, taunting him] The time has come. You know it. In your mind. In your heart. In your soul. You tried to hold me back. But you can't, Bruce. You're weak. You're a shell. A rusty trap that cannot hold me. Let it go. Let me OUT."

"You don't get it, son. This isn't a mudhole... It's an operating table. And I'm the surgeon."

"Pull that trigger... and I'll be back for you."

"There's just the sun, and the sky, and him, like he's the only reason it's all here. Then, he ruins everything by talking."

"It's a .45 Caliber Bullet. Hollow point. It explodes in his chest. I feel the shock through his fingers. For the thousandth time... My father dies."

"Clark, you bastard. You let them do it. I always knew you would. Maybe during breaks between police actions, one of your military friends told you what an electromagnetic pulse is. And maybe you listened, Clark. All you need to generate the pulse is the detonation of a few dozen nuclear warheads. That, or a special kind of nuke that both sides have been trying to develop... Yes, Clark. Both sides. The American name for it is Coldbringer. It is designed to cause maximum damage to the environment -- all the while sparing the industrial sites your friends regard so highly. Since my own atoms aren't bouncing around the stratosphere -- since Gotham City squats like a great black graveyard -- since Wayne Manor's emergency generator hasn't kicked in -- and Robin's watch has stopped -- I'll assume Russia has taken the lead in the arms race. I keep track of these things, Clark. One of us had to."

"The dump. It's a breeding ground for insects and rodents. Some rodents fly."

"Tonight, if you are indeed with me, if you all mean it, then together, we restore law & order to Gotham City. And we won't do it-- (holds up rifle) --using this. This loud, clumsy, stupid thing-- This is the weapon of the enemy. We do not need it. We will not use it. (snaps the gun's butt off where it connects to the chamber, and draws three batarangs nested between his fingers) But my weapons? They are quiet -- precise. In time, If you prove yourselves to me, demonstrate if you're deserving, worthy to stand by my side, I'll see fit to teach them to you. But not tonight. Tonight, you'll rely on your fists-- and your brains. Tonight, we are the law. Tonight, I am the law. Let's ride."

"You gotten far too used to being a god, Clark. It's way past time you learned what it means to be a man. It's time you remember what it is to bleed."

"It wasn't easy to make. Took years and cost a fortune. Luckily, I had both."

"Want to know something, Clark? You were right. What you said earlier. We didn't have to do this. We should have been changing the world... inspiring people to be better than what they are... we were heroes... When we were young. When it counted. When people knew what was good for them. When people appreciated the efforts of the selfless. And look at us now...I've become a political liability, an overcapable embarrassment to a self-serving, malicious, incompetent system, themselves an embarrassment ...and you...you're their tool...you've become a joke... a gullible ignorant instrument of that system... You preach to me about letting the past go, and yet you yourself won't. Because the mighty Superman is just so perfect he thinks he knows what's best. If that were true, Clark...you'd be at my side, as we were before. When we were young. We were friends once upon a time, but that ship sailed when you put your judgement in these weak, conceited wretches. In the greedy. When you threw your lot in with the perpetuators of disorder and ill intent. And you had the gall to lecture me, trying to intimidate me, simply because they asked you to. They've made you weak. But you didn't have to be. Lois, Jimmy, Perry, your parents? They'd all be ashamed of what you are now. But, I didn't have to go easy on you...a different binding agent...a potent mix...no I wanted you to stay out of my way...I wanted you to remember, Clark...In all the years to come... in your most private moments... I want you to remember what it means to be human... I want you to remember my hand at your throat... I want you to remember the one man who beat you."

"My timing wasn't quite precise enough. Clark heard. That was the first thing Robin told me when she dug me up. Not that it mattered. He'd have guessed sooner or later. He knows how good I am with chemicals. I was counting on what Oliver said, and with a wink, Clark proved Oliver right. He'll leave me alone now. In return, I'll stay quiet. So will Robin and the rest... we have as many years as we need... years - to study, to train, to plan... here, in the endless cave, far past the burnt remains of a crimefighter whose time has long passed - it begins here, an army - to bring sense to a world plagued by worse than thieves and murderers... this will be a good life. Good enough."

"Bruce, you bastard. You'll ruin everything. For all of us. I always knew you would... The rest of us learned to cope. The rest of us recognized the danger--of the endless envy of those not like us. The normal people. The weak. Diana went back to her people. Hal went to the stars. And I have walked the razor's edge for so long... But you, Bruce--you, with your wild obsession. You never learned to let it all go. They'll kill us if they can, Bruce. Every year they grow smaller. Every year they hate us more. We must not remind them that giants walk the earth. You were the one they used against us, Bruce. The one who played it rough. When the noise started from the parents' groups and the subcommittee called us in for questioning... You were the one who laughed that scary laugh of yours... "Sure, we're criminals," you said. "We've always been criminals. We have to be criminals." We almost threw a party when you retired. By then, the PBI was in it and things were getting out of hand. And then there was that trouble with Oliver. Do you remember why you retired, Bruce? No -- Just look at you -- You'd do it again -- And like a murderer, you'd cover it up again. Nothing matters to you except your holy war. They were considering their options and you were probably still laughing when we came to terms. I gave them my obedience and my invisibility. They gave me a license and let us live. No, I don't like it. But I get to save lives -- and the media stays quiet. But now the storm is growing again -- They'll hunt us down -- Because of you."

"Twenty million die by nuclear fire if I am weak."

""Harmlessly.." The woman... on television... She said the bomb would detonateharmlessly... You cannot touch my planet without destroying something precious. Even her deserts are abundant."

"Our people, Bruce. You laugh at them. They can do this... And you laugh..."

"You have every reason to be outraged, Mother Earth. You have given them everything. They are tiny and stupid and vicious but please, listen to them."

"I have always loved you. Though I was born a galaxy away, I have always served you. The same power, the sun's power, fuels us both. You hold it here, you store it... I beg you. For a suffering world, release it..."

"You are... So generous... You give me... Your beautiful jungle. I swear... your adopted son will honor you."

"Bruce, why can't you understand? This is idiotic. This whole thing is a waste of time! This is exactly what I didn't want to do. This is why they're afraid of us! This is why we are where we are now."

"Batman. Darling."

"I should sleep. I'll be fresh tomorrow. Because tomorrow I go free, and then it's time for my final show."

"No more? Oh, but there will be more, Batsy. There will always be more. I could never have enough. They could put me in a helicopter and fly me up into the air and line up the bodies head to toe on the ground in delightful geometric patterns like an endless June Taylor dance routine — Even then, Bats, it wouldn't be enough. It never will be. Not until we finish it. Not until you break or I do. And it's finally come. The moment we've both dreamed about."

"No, I don't keep count. But you do. And I love you for it."

"You're in trouble now. Go ahead, Batman. Say you've never wanted this to happen. Say you wish there'd been another way. We both know it'd be bullshit though, right? No, you've dreamt of this moment. Been waiting for the right time, the right excuse. The perfect opportunity. The best part about it is, I still won. Because I finally made you lose control. Made you break your one rule. And now, the civilized people you've struggled to protect? They're going to hunt you for this. Hunt you like a dog. They're gonna kill you, Brucie. And when they have, I'll be waiting with open arms....out the gates of Gotham and plunging into the gates of Hell!"

"Commissioner Gordon: All I have to do is think about Sarah. It makes the rest of it easy. She's made it worth it. Her and our girl. Barbara."

"Robin: It only happened once. Just once in the whole night that it showed. He'd given the orders and all the Mutants and the Sons and everybody is gone for a minute. And during it, I caught it. He just sagged in his saddle like an old man. I could see it for just that one moment. The weight of it all on him. The fatigue. Maybe even a smidge of doubt? Hell, fear? Then he straightened up and grinned at me, like it was a joke. He can't die...or he just won't. I don't think he ever learned how to. But why would he? A man like him? So sure and passionate about what he does? He'll live forever. That I know for sure."

"Commissioner Yindel: No. No. He's too big. God, he's SO big."

"Alfred (final thoughts, just before dying of a stroke after destroying Wayne Manor) Of course. How utterly proper."

"My name is Wally West. I'm the fastest man alive. I'm The Flash."

"My name is Wally West and by age fourteen I know I'm trapped...locked into a future that's one dark tunnel of sorrow and despair. A life sentence waiting to be served. But then the impossible happens. Thanks my Aunt Iris, I meet my hero, The Flash. And in one split-second my tomorrows, every last one of them, are transformed from a single bolt of lightning. Now and forever I'm fast...I'm free...and nothing will ever hold me back. - Born to Run"

"[Regarding defeating Professor Zoom] That thought you said you had...that I might not be able to stop him on my own? Put it out of your head. - The Return of Barry Allen"

"Through the years, being able to think at the speed of sound has taught me a lot of patience. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"In terms of raw speed, Superman and I used to be evenly matched. I'd even say he might've been a tad faster. But that was before I got over my fear of replacing Barry. Before I discovered where my speed actually comes from. And before I learned how to tap into the speed force and take complete control of my abilities. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"[While being chased by Superman] I could steal all of Superman's kinetic energy and stop him cold, but it'd be like throwing him out of a car...one moving at over two thousand miles a second. That combined with Superman's strength, he'd create a path of total destruction from here to Moscow. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"[As Kid Flash talking to Robin] Flash says Batman's kinda off. And he knows it. That's why he gets so many lunatics runnin' at him. 'Cause he's a lunatic himsel--[Batman appears] Holy crap. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"Pain. It's the oddest thing when you're able to live between the ticks of a second. When you're in speed mode your perception is so fast, you have time to think about how much you're going to hurt before you hurt. [...] But my pain impulses haven't reached my brain. I can feel them traveling up my spine. [...] Fact is, once in awhile I get dizzy from loss of blood before I even know I'm bleeding. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"[After being 'snuck up' on by Batman] Are you finished? I want you know. You touched me because I let you touch me. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"It's kind of like an internal clock with us. When we run, we just, well, we just know how fast we're going. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"The Flash isn't just me. It isn't about Wally West. Or even Barry Allen or Jay Garrick anymore. It is a symbol. An image for Keystone that helps these people fight to be something better. I'm proud to be a part of this. And I always have been. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"Putting on the scarlet and the lightning is usually instinctive. I can do it in less than a millisecond. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"Some heroes I interact with get frustrated with me because I don't like to debate. I don't for two reasons. One, I've already thought whatever it is through thousands of times. I've looked at it from every angle. My mind is made up. And I don't change it often. And two, I think it's important that we all have different opinions. It's what's great about America. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"Superman has kryptonite. Martian Manhunter has fire. Me? I have a temper. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"[Switching between Wally West and The Flash clothing] I used to do this all the time. Moving so fast, changing clothes and being in two places at once. An old secret identity trick for us speedsters. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"My name is CockZolomon. Despite what the public believes, I am the fastest man alive. I am Zoom. - Rogue War"

"I've been given a gift. A gift I can pass on to The Flash. In order for him to become stronger he must have the ultimate tragedy. He must face his ultimate opposite. A man who has lost his pride, confidence and identity to tragedy. A man who will run him down a hellish road and feel no guilt in bringing him there. Destiny has brought us here, Flash. From friend to foe. There is only one type of man who can make you a better hero. One type of man who can reverse your twisted thinking. One man. Who fits the profile? I fit the profile. - Blitz"

"Wallyismyfriend. Iiiii'mmm helpingggghimmmmmm face fear. - Blitz"

"[Speaking to Linda] You're a target. You need to go away. - Blitz"

"You are not fast enough. With all the speed you've absorbed from you 'allies' you are still not fast enough to stop me. - Blitz"

"Ineedtomakeyou you into a hero that willtakeany riskneeded. You must learn. To see what it's like to live with loss. So that you will do anything in your power to help people. Peoplelikeme. I'm making you a better hero, Flash. - Blitz"

"You made it into my world. We're locked between the ticks of a second. In a place where we are immortal. - Blitz"

"I will do anything to make The Flash a better hero. - Rogue War"

"Therehasn't been enough tragedyyy. - Rogue War"

"My name's...man I hate it. My name's Leonard Snart. It's a bad name, I know. But my parents were bad people. I've got another tag now. Cold. Captain Cold. - Wonderland"

"[After being mistaken for Mr. Freeze] Mr. Freeze? That lovesick freak? He has an ice pistol. Shoots snow. The name's Captain Cold and this is a cold gun. I've achieved what Joule and Thomson only dreamed of. My gun negates thermal motion. Stops protons and electrons dead in their tracks. People too. - Wonderland"

"[In an alternate reality] A world without The Flash. I spent every day of my life dreamin' of what that would be like. But here...it ain't pretty, West. - Wonderland"

"Fact is only thing worse than offin' cops is killin' a cape. - Ignition"

"My fingerprints, DNA, all found at the crime scenes, though I was never even there. I didn't kill anyone...wait. Let me rephrase that. I didn't kill anyone lately. - Ignition"

"[Discovers Mirror Master doing cocaine] Dammit, McCulloch. You wanna make your nose bleed? Let's do it the old-fashioned way. [punches Mirror Master in the nose] You know we don't have a lot of rules here. But I've said it before and I'll say it again. No drugs. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"They say a hero is only as strong as his villains. Meaning The Flash is more powerful than the whole Justice League of America combined. Go ahead and pick the era, don't matter. - Rogue War"

"The Rogues have an unspoken code, a bond stronger than death itself. We watch one another's backs. To the end. - Rogue War"

"[After freezing and killing The Top] Forgot one of the rules, Top. Rogues shouldn't fight each other. 'Cause when they do...bad things happen. - Rogue War"

"My name is Mick Rory. But I like to go by Heat Wave. - Rogue War"

"I'm not like those other Rogues. I know I have problems. I've known since I was a kid. I'm sick. - Rogue War"

"I'm a man who's seen hell. A man who's been surrounded by hell. And a man who raises hell. It's what I do. It's what I've always done. Because I don't have a choice. - Rogue War"

"I've spent half of the money I stole in my career on therapists. Trying to forgive myself, to come to grips with my disease. - Rogue War"

"They labeled me an arsonist. But that's wrong. An arsonist is conscious of his actions, he can stop himself. Me? I'm a pyromaniac. - Rogue War"

"For years, I managed to bury my desires. To ignore my lust. But one evening...one evening for no reason at all, I turned everything back on. - Rogue War"

"After all this. You understand don't you? I'm not a bad person. I'm not a villain. I'm just sick. - Rogue War"

"Quite the weather we're having. - Blood Will Run"

"God, I hate sunshine. - Blood Will Run"

"There's nothing like the power of nature. - Blood Will Run"

"Amazing how much you can do with the weather. The real power behind it. - Blood Will Run"

"I've learned some things, Flash. With the help of a new friend. She's shown me how to better use my weather wand. The climate protects me now. I've learned all kinds of wonderful secrets. - Blood Will Run"

"The sky looks dark for you, girl. Now give me my SON. - Blood Will Run"

"The last girl that tried to hurt me had a thunderstorm grow inside her belly like a baby. - Rogue War"

"Runners. I hate runners. - Rogue War"

"When something travels ta another world via the mirror lands, it leaves a kinda' soot behind. - Wonderland"

"Name is Evan McCulloch. But I spend most days callin' m'self The Mirror Master. - Rogue War"

"I can use a mirror a thousand diff'rent ways. Can turn a man inside out. Cut a hole through a seven-foot concrete wall. Make ye see things from yer fantasies...or from yer nightmares. - Rogue War"

"Guess what kid? My conscience is clear. - Rogue War"

"[After defeating the 2nd Trickster] I ever see you calling yourself The Trickster, I catch you wearing that costume, we'll play patty-cake again. - Rogue War"

"Wally, I'm hardly an expert on relationships. I mean, in all truth I'm a pretty awful musician, too. That's part of the reason I originally became a crook. Frustrated artist, I guess. - Blood Will Run"

"It's time to pay the piper. - Rogue War"

"My heart is dead. - Rogue War"

"Ready to be on TOP of the world! - Blitz"

"Spinning and spinning and spinning. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"No one tops The Top, Flash. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"[Talking about using his powers to reform certain Rogues] Remember what I told you, Flash? 'One day I'll take it all back.' Well, today...today is unfortunately that day. - Rogue War"

"Do you know why I wish to feast on your flesh? You are everything I hate, Flash. A symbol to humanity that makes them believe they are worth something. That they can make a difference. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"That's the trouble with you humans. Your emotions make you weak. - The Secret of Barry Allen"

"Aren't you going to say hi to Magenta? - Blood Will Run"

"Must be my lucky day. I was getting tired of playing solitaire. - Blood Will Run"

"Do you know what it's like, Flash? To feel yourself rust away? - Blood Will Run"

"The name's Tar Pit, not "Guy." Now bring it on, dudes. - Blood Will Run"

""If the police expect to play against the Joker, they'd better be prepared to be dealt from the bottom of the deck!" - Batman #1"

"(to Judge Drake) "You can't win anyway... You see, I hold the winning card!" - Batman #1"

""I won't even waste the usual Joker Venom on you, Brute, but give you something you can understand...lead! - Batman #1"

""Very neat! That ugly head of yours does have a brain!" - Batman #1"

""I'm not mad at all. I'm just differently sane." - Batman and Robin #13"

"(to Superman) "More powerful than a locomotive, and just about as subtle." - Superman/Batman: World's Finest"

""One by One, they'll hear my call. Then this wicked town, will follow my fall." - Batman: The Man Who Laughs"

""In my dream, the world had suffered a terrible disaster. A black haze shut out the sun, and the darkness was alive with the moans and screams of wounded people. Suddenly, a small light glowed. A candle flickered into life, symbol of hope for millions. A single tiny candle, shining in the ugly dark. I laughed and blew it out." - Shadow of the Bat #37"

""It's a clear choice -- me or Pettit. Vote or die. Cancer or tuberculosis." - Detective Comics #737"

""If I weren't crazy, I'd be insane!" - Batman: Dark Detective"

""They could put me in a helicopter and fly me up into the air and line up the bodies head to toe on the ground in delightful geometric patterns like an endless June Taylor dance routine — and it would never be enough. No, I don’t keep count. But you do. And I love you for it." - Batman: The Dark Knight Returns"

""You dirty rat! You killed my brother! My sister! My daughter! She's my sister and my daughter!" - Batman: Dark Victory"

"(to Batman) "Quick question: When the clock strikes twelve, do I get a little kiss?" - Batman: The Long Halloween"

""Hello Late-Show lovers...and lovers of the Late-Show!" - The Laughing Fish"

""Live...and in person! The Caliph of Clowns, the Grand Mogul of Mountebanks, the One and Only JOKER! Prerecorded for this time zone." - The Sign of the Joker"

""What's wrong with the World? After all the AGGRAVATION I went through just STEALING this crop-duster...you'd think they'd give me one that would FLY right." - Batman: The Long Halloween"

"Drive-In Waitress: Take your order, please? Joker: Yes, indeedy. Thank you. (Talking incredibly fast) I'd like the Big Beefer, Heavy Mustard, double pickles, three strips of bacon, make 'em crispy, ranch dressing on the side... Waitress: Ah, sir... Joker: Side order of fries, also crispy, one of those fake pie thingees with the boiling hot juice that scalds the roof of your mouth...I LOVE that... Waitress: Sir... Joker:Two of your special Egg Nog Shakes, a boy's kiddie meal, and I'll pay extra for a full assortment of the toys that come with it. Waitress: Sir! You were talking way too fast. You'll have to repeat all that! Joker: Of all the incompetence! Listen, you brain-dead Cephalapod! I have better things to do than repeat myself in the fleeting hope that through some MIRACLE you might somehow triumph over your own crushing ignorance and get ONE ITEM of my order right! I DEMAND to see your manager! Manager: I'm sorry, sir. How may I help you? Joker:(shoots the manager) I really wanted those shakes."

""Every clown loves kids, captain. Just ask Sarah Essen-Gordon. Oh, that's right, you can't!" - Gotham Central #15"

"(As Nightwing pummels him) "Aw... Jeez... I hit Jason a lot harder than that. (Pause) His name was Jason, right?" - Joker: Last Laugh #6"

""Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand before you, to tell you a story I know nothing about. One morning in the middle of the night two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, drew their swords and shot each other. If you don't believe my lie, it's true, ask the blind lady on the corner, she saw it too." - Emperor Joker"

""Yum Yum. Dim Sum. Chinese food made from real Chinese." - Emperor Joker"

"(To Harley as he turns her into a Constellation) "You get the best seat in the house for Armageddon. Say goodnight, Harley. I always wanted to see my dame in lights. Heh. Even in a moment of abject saccharine, I still got it." - Emperor Joker"

""I did it! I finally killed Batman! In front of a bunch of vulnerable, disabled, kids!!!! Now get me Santa Claus!" - Batman #655"

""If I weren't insane: I couldn't be so brilliant!" - Dreadful Birthday Dear Joker"

""Both of us trying to find meaning in a meaningless world! Why be a disfigured outcast when I can be a notorious Crime God? Why be an orphaned boy when you can be a superhero?" - Batman #663"

""You can't kill me without becoming like me! I can't kill you without losing the only human being who can keep up with me! Isn't it IRONIC?" - Batman #663"

"" The real joke is your stubborn, bone deep conviction that somehow, somewhere, all of this makes sense! That's what cracks me up each time!" - Batman #681"

""You think it all breaks down into symbolism and structures and hints and clues. No, Batman, that's just Wikipedia. You actually believed all it would take is a few chemicals, a couple of days of drug-induced isolation and a cheap little nervous breakdown and you'd have me all figured out? Like there was some rabbit hole you could follow me down to understanding?" - Batman #681"

""You really want to know what it feels like to be the clown at midnight? Where there's only ever one joke and it's always on you? Well, here you are. Now do you get it?" - Batman #681"

""Devil is double is deuce, my dear doctor ... and joker trumps deuce." Batman #681"

""Obvious...And everybody knows. You wear your shame like a badge, because you don't have the balls to actually pin one on.... Yes... Just look at you... Desperate to be feared, you want to be perceived as a monster, draped in black... And yet... You leave that little window... A glimpse at the perfection underneath. OBVIOUS; The chiseled jaw, the mouth of a monster... Why do you let it be seen? Tell me why...... - Joker"

""A bit of advice...don't ever apologize to no one for the way you look" - Joker"

""I am the Champion of the WORLD!"- Elseworlds: Batman/Lobo"

""Laugh, clown, laugh...and laugh again! The police are completely at bay! Batman is baying at the moon! No one can beat the Joker! Soon, now...soon they'll see it my way! They'll know I mean what I say! Today, the American fish... and tomorrow all the fish in the world! But...what if everybody stops eating fish? I hadn't thought of that! What if they all conspire against me...leave my Joker-Fish in the sea? But no...that would never work! The VEGETARIANS wouldn't go along! And anyway...I could use my chemicals on cattle! JOKER-BURGERS! OUTRAGEOUS! - Detective Comics #476"

""Howdy, Stan, the Donutz man! This is a stickup, see? (holds two donuts up to his eyes like a mask) - Laughter After Midnight"

""Here's the cold, hard truth Bats...I don't hate you 'cause I'm crazy...I'm crazy 'cause I hate you. " - Batman: Cacophony"

"Ladies and Gentlemen! You've read about it in the papers! Now witness, before your very eyes, that most rare and tragic of nature's mistakes! I give you: the average man. Physically unremarkable, it instead possesses a deformed set of values. Notice the hideously bloated sense of humanity's importance. Also note the club-footed social conscience and the withered optimism. It's certainly not for the squeamish, is it? Most repulsive of all, are its frail and useless notions of order and sanity. If too much weight is placed upon them... they snap. How does it live, I hear you ask? How does this poor pathetic specimen survive in today's harsh and irrational environment? I'm afraid the sad answer is, "Not very well." Faced with the inescapable fact that human existence is mad, random, and pointless, one in eight of them crack up and go stark slavering buggo! Who can blame them? In a world as psychotic as this... any other response would be crazy!"

"“Remembering’s dangerous. I find the past such a worrying, anxious place. “The Past Tense,” I suppose you’d call it. Memory’s so treacherous. One moment you’re lost in a carnival of delights, with poignant childhood aromas, the flashing neon of puberty, all that sentimental candy-floss… the next, it leads you somewhere you don’t want to go. Somewhere dark and cold, filled with the damp ambiguous shapes of things you’d hoped were forgotten. Memories can be vile, repulsive little brutes. Like children I suppose. But can we live without them? Memories are what our reason is based upon. If we can’t face them, we deny reason itself! Although, why not? We aren’t contractually tied down to rationality! There is no sanity clause! So when you find yourself locked onto an unpleasant train of thought, heading for the places in your past where the screaming is unbearable, remember there’s always madness. Madness is the emergency exit… you can just step outside, and close the door on all those dreadful things that happened. You can lock them away... forever.”"

"(singing) "When the world is full of care and every headline screams despair, when the news are rape, starvation, war and life is vile...then there's a certain thing I do which I shall pass along to you that's always guaranteed to make me smile. I go Loo-oo-oony, as a lightbulb battered bug, simply Loo-oo-oony, sometimes foam and chew the rug...mister life is swell in a padded cell, it'll chase those blues away! You can trade your gloom for a rubber room and injections twice a day!""

"Life's a bowl of cherries and this is the pits"

"So... I see you received the free ticket I sent you. I'm glad. I did so want you to be here. You see it doesn't matter if you catch me and send me back to the asylum... Gordon's been driven mad. I've proved my point. I've demonstrated there's no difference between me and everyone else! All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day. You had a bad day once, am I right? I know I am. I can tell. You had a bad day and everything changed. Why else would you dress up as a flying rat? You had a bad day, and it drove you as crazy as everybody else... Only you won't admit it! You have to keep pretending that life makes sense, that there's some point to all this struggling! God you make me want to puke. I mean, what is it with you? What made you what you are? Girlfriend killed by the mob, maybe? Brother carved up by some mugger? Something like that, I bet. Something like that... Something like that happened to me, you know. I... I'm not exactly sure what it was. Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another... If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice! Ha ha ha! But my point is... My point is, I went crazy. When I saw what a black, awful joke the world was, I went crazy as a coot! I admit it! Why can't you? I mean, you're not unintelligent! You must see the reality of the situation. Do you know how many times we've come close to World War Three over a flock of geese on a computer screen? Do you know what triggered the last world war? An argument over how many telegraph poles Germany owed its war debt creditors! Telegraph poles! Ha ha ha ha HA! It's all a joke! Everything anybody ever valued or struggled for... it's all a monstrous, demented gag! So why can't you see the funny side? Why aren't you laughing?"

"See, there were these two guys in a lunatic asylum...and one night, one night they decide they don't like living in an asylum any more. They decide they're going to escape! So, like, they get up onto the roof and there, just across this narrow gap, they see the rooftops of the town, stretching away in the moonlight...stretching away to freedom. Now, the first guy, he jumps right across with no problem. But his friend, his friend daren't make the leap. Y'see...y'see, he's afraid of falling. So then, the first guy has an idea...He says 'Hey! I have my flashlight with me! I'll shine it across the gap between the buildings. You can walk along the beam and join me!' B-but the second guy just shakes his head. He suh-says... he says 'What do you think I am? Crazy? You'd turn it off when I was half way across!'"

"Aren't I just good enough to eat?"

"April sweet is coming in, let the feast of fools begin!"

"The guy goes into the hospital, okay? His wife's just had a baby and he can't wait to see them both. So he meets the doctor and he says, 'Oh, Doc, I've been so worried. How are they?' And the doctor smiles and says, 'They're fine. Just fine. Your wife's delivered a healthy baby boy and they're both in tip-top form. You're one lucky guy.' So the guy rushes into the maternity ward with his flowers. But it's empty. His wife's bed is empty. 'Doc?' He says and turns around and the doctor and all the nurses wave their arms and scream in his face. 'April fools! Your wife's dead and the baby's a spastic!!'" (he executes an asylum orderly with a gunshot to the head) "Get it? Oh what a senseless waste of human life!"

"(to Batman) "Loosen up, tight ass!""

"Parting is such sweet sorrow, dearest. Still, you can't say we didn't show you a good time. Enjoy yourself out there... in the asylum. Just don't forget -- if it ever gets too tough... there's always a place for you here."

"And who is this pure fool? Lo, in the sagas of old time, legend or scald, of bard, of druid, cometh he not in green like spring? O thou water thou art air, in which all complex is resolved! Oh, yes! Fill the churches with dirty thoughts! Introduce honesty to the White House! Write letters in dead languages to people you've never met! Paint filthy words on the foreheads of children! Burn your credit cards and wear high heels! Asylum doors stand open! Fill the suburbs with murder and rape! Divine madness! Let there be ecstasy, ecstasy in the streets! Laugh and the world laughs with you!"

"And he didn't die all at once. It was hours before the screaming stopped. I almost didn't get to sleep that night. That was the last time I'd used crushed glass..."

"I have been witness to genius in the area of this criminal endeavor. ... The kidnapping of the mayor. The crippling of the city on numerous occasions. Oh, and my glorious abduction of the commissioner and his daughter. MASS MURDER, MAIMINGS, TORTURE AND TERROR! I'VE DONE IT ALL, LADY! YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE EINSTEIN OF CRIME! Sticking some poison on the back of some postage stamps, lady? Amateur night in Dixie. Simple as that."

"[when Tommy Mangles is about to murder the Joker after telling him that apologies don't work] "Really? [attacks Mangles repeatedly] Well, what if I was really sorry? Would that make a-- difference? Would that satisfy you? If I was really... really... REALLY... REALLY... REALLY... SORRY? WELL, I'M NOT!""

"Twinkle, twinkle, little bat. Watch me kill your favorite cat."

"Well, look who it is. I haven't seen you for... how long as it been? Let's see, there was an asylum, some monsters, and oh, that's right! You left me to die. Now you probably don't remember it that way, but who cares? You just need to worry about the bombs. Hurry up, now. Clock's ticking."

"5! ...4! ...3! ...2! ...1! See ya soon, Bats. ...What are you waiting for? We both know how this is going to turn out: you're going to come and find me. You can't stop yourself, can you? Sometimes I wonder if all this would just end with one of us looking down at the other's corpse, trying to work out what to do next? The only question is, whose body will it be? I know who I'm rooting for! [giggles] What about you? [laughs madly] Now, get out of there now, or you'll ruin everything!!!"

"[as Clayface-Joker] "You fell for the old fake Joker gag, Batman! You left me to die! {starts laughing}""

"[after a captive Batman tells him there's nothing wrong with him] "Nice of you to say, but you of all people should know, there's plenty wrong with me. Take my blood, for example. I wish somebody would - this stuff is killing me!""

"Is someone feeling a little down? Well, cheer up, Bats; it won't kill ya.... Oops!"

"It's ok to die, Bats, I'll be here to protect Gotham! I'll do a real good job."

"[as Clayface-Joker] "Good evening, Troops! This is General J here, with a quick update on what's going on down here in Arkham City. As you can see, I'm looking much better. In fact, ohhh, I think I'm looking better than ever! Ha! Oh, I can hear you all now: "How did this happen?" "Can I get me some of that crazy cure?" "Oh, I want answers, damn it! NOW!" Well, here's the thing. Answers don't give you everlasting satisfaction, sometimes you have to brace yourself for disappointment. Now think about it. Imagine your favorite TV show. You've been through it all. The ups, the downs, the crazy coincidences, and then: BANG! They tell you what it's all about. [the real Joker coughs behind the camera] Would you be happy? Does it make sense? How come it all ended in a church?""

"[as Clayface-Joker] "Oh, come on! There's always something to learn. Let's start with 'Getting Your Ass Kicked 101.'""

"Now you wanna talk? Too late."

"So how do you keep a secret from the World's Greatest Detective? Well, do you know? You stick it right in front of him, right under his long pointy nose, and wait."

"Confusing, isn't it? I know I'd want to know just what the hell is going on if I were you. Let's just say in times like these, it's important to keep up [coughs] appearances. But first, if you would be so kind... Hand. Over. My. Cure."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, for one night only, standing in for yours truly, ha, and doing a damn fine job of it, I bring you... CLAYFACE!"

""You're making me late for spa treatment. I mean, it's not like you've got a girl to save anymore, is it?! [laughs] Oh, I'm sorry! Too soon? Would a change of scenery help ease the pain?" [detonates the floor below Batman and Clayface]"

"Get out of the way, Bats! I've got a date with immortality!"

"I've killed your girlfriend, poisoned Gotham, and hell... it's not even breakfast! But so what? We all know you'll save me."

""Think of it as a running gag!" [Stabs Batman in the back, dropping the cure and the Joker's only chance of survival]"

"[After being told by Batman that he would have saved him after ensuring his own death] "That actually is... [coughs] pretty funny..." [Joker dies laughing with a smile on his face]"

"Have you ever tried to burp the National Anthem?"

"Hurry! Batman's just had his way with one of you! Now that's a spicy meat-a-ball!"

"Well, sounds like I can cross 'hear a grown man cry' off my Christmas list. Thanks, fellas!"

"[over radio] "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, must be a bad connection. It sounded like you said that after I shot him, and blew up a building on him, the Bat - somehow survived?!!? ...Well, since I know that's impossible, I'm going to give you a chance to reconcile my vision of reality with your version of reality, and in case your pea-brain can't parse big words, I'll translate it into thug-speak for you: KILL THE BAT OR I'LL KILL YOU!""

"[to Black Mask] "Can't... you... just... play... along?!""

"Aww, too bad, so sad!"

"'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a...' well a Bat was stirring. But a few more blows to the head and he won't be anymore!"

"You just can't get it through your thick skull...WE BOTH EXIST BECAUSE OF THEM!!"

"Looks like I'm gonna need to find a new playmate. Oh, and we were having so much fun, too!"

"Aww, gotta say, I thought you'd have more fight in you! A LOT more fight!"

"Ding dong! The bat is dead! Which old bat? The dumb old bat! Ding dong, the dumb old bat is dead!"

"I present to you: the death of the Batman!"

"NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL A PARTY!! (fires machine gun at hellicopter) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"If you actually let me finish a sentence, you might learn something! You might learn we're not so different. You might even learn something about yourself."

"Mmm! This fruitcake is fantastic! (pause, stabs the knife on the table) Anyone want a piece?"

"You see, it's a tradition in my house to open one present on Christmas Eve... let's see... how about... this one? [blows up an empty building under construction, then laughs evilly and sings a bit of "The 12 Days of Christmas"] And a partridge in a pear treeee!"

"[sings] "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Gotham's quite a mess! Blackgate's mine and you're out of time, which means you'll soon be dead!" [laughs]"

"[sings] "Where, oh where has my little Bat gone? Oh where, oh where can he be? His cowl, his scowl, his temper so foul. I do hope he's coming for me." [evil laugh]"

"So, what our friend Bane holds in his hand is - a heart monitor. Once he clamps it on, every beat of his vacant little heart will charge the battery - on this electric chair. And when it's fully charged - [mimicks being electrocuted, laughs]"

"[sees that Gordon has taken the bullet for Warden Joseph] "Well, that's the Christmas spirit!""

"[after Batman has "killed" Bane] "Well, I'd love to stay and celebrate your victory, but I've got stockings to stuff, mistletoe to hang - and about fifteen skyscrapers to blow up before sunrise. Ciao." [leaves with a laugh]"

"[to Batman] "Fresh off a kill and back for more, eh?""

"Come on, baby! Beat me 'til your knuckles bleed... And why quit there? You know there's only one way to stop me."

"[laugh] Stopped his hearth... [laugh] That IS funny... [laugh] Good one, Bats! [laugh] Oh, this is going to be FUN!"

"All aboard the Bane train!"

"You of all people should know, there's nothing so cruel as memory.... the pointy biting little thunderbolts, unwanted party crashers, SCREAMERS through your synapses.. inescapable, unrelenting.... not at all friendly. You can't even escape into MADNESS!"

"Isn't it funny how one little encounter can cleave off little pieces of your past, deform your memories and persona until you rethink your whole identity — and as you realise how foolish it all is — your laughter reverberates off the walls of your own emptiness?"

"Bats? Bats?? BAAATS!?!"

"He's no better than the creep who killed your parents."

"Get Ready for the Encore" [Manic Laughter]."

"(goes around the screen trying to find his way "in the dark") "What the...? Why has everything gone dark? Are we dying? We better not be dying, Bruce!""

"Off to see mom and pop in that great big county club in the sky!"

"I've really got to hand it to Scarecrow. I've never been a fan of his concoctions up to now, but this batch, it's intoxicating. It really brings out the me in you."

"You should take better care of yourself, Batsy. There's two of us in there!"

"Oh Bats, how I've missed you! All the subtlety and nuance of a napalm enema."

"That guy doesn't know you very well, now does he? What kind of super villain thinks that a handful of bullets to the stomach and a bunch of tanks will stop the Batman?"

"Who's gonna save Gotham now? Robin?! [laughs]"

"I am the Comeback King! The Clown Prince of Chaos! The Jester of Genocide!...You can't stop me."

"Oh, Bats! How very ME of you. Though I can see why you didn't tell him, after Jimbo's hysterical overreaction. Still, if you cared about Barbara the way that little sidekick of yours does, maybe she wouldn't have been kidnapped in the first place. They're star-crossed, Bats! Like me and you. Shame they're being torn apart thanks to your crusade. So let's recap. Barbara's dead. And let's face it, probably dead. You're lying to lover boy wonder about it, and dear old Jim's marched off on his lonesome to save the day. Not your best day at the office, Bats. Something on your mind? Come on, let Robin out of his cage. You can't force him to slave over your cure. Plus, if he gets himself killed out there, you won't have to tell him about Barbara. It's win-win! You think he's really gonna fix your nasty case of Joker-itis? Not a chance. I'm chronic, Brucie. I'm lingering."

"Can you remember when it was simple? Back in the old days, when it was just you, me, a regular war against crime? Well take a look, Bats. Things change. Now it's just war, with you standing right bang in the center. Of course, with any war, there are casualties. It's inevitable, unavoidable. Like death. Well, maybe not death, I seem to have sidestepped that one. Still, not all of us are so lucky."

"Remember Talia? Of course you do. How could you forget a girl like that? All it took was one piece of lead to end your hopes of a happily ever after. You blamed me, of course, but you were wrong. You put her in my crosshairs, Bats. Sure, she didn't do herself any favors, but it was you. You see, people trust you. They believe in you. They follow you into your war, and you are about to get them all killed."

"When I get out of here, I will write my name in blood on every street corner! I'll carve it on every corpse! I -- (stammers) NO ONE'S FORGETTING ME!"

"No, Bruce! Don't leave me! PLEASE!!"

"....I need you..."

"Don't go into the light, bats! It's no fair! They won't let me in!"

"Rockabye Batsy, I'm getting free! Soon you'll be the one trapped inside me! So do take deep breaths, great lungfuls of fear! Soon Bats will be gone, and I will be here!"

"(Firefly) - "You still haven't told us how you're going to take over the underworld." (Jerome Valeska: "Proto-Joker") - "Who says I wanna do that? I'm an artist. I just wanna paint the town crazy. Once that happens, I could care less how you horribles rip this city apart.""

"The police just backed me up in a gunfight....Gotham has finally gone insane!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Yay! We're all going to Hell!"

"There's two things Lex forgot to tell you about me: I don't CARE what happens to the world, and I DON'T play nice with others!"

"If I weren't crazy, I'd be insane!"

"(to Superman) "More powerful than a locomotive, and just about as subtle.""

"It's true, Batsy! I know everything! And kinda like the kid who peeks at his Christmas presents, I must admit, it's sadly anti-climactic. Behind all the sturm and batarang, you're just a little boy in a playsuit, crying for mommy and daddy. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic...... Oh, what the heck, I'll laugh anyway! HA! HA! HA! HA! HAAAA!"

"They could put me in a helicopter and fly me up into the air and line up the bodies head to toe on the ground in delightful geometric patterns like an endless June Taylor dancers routine — and it would never be enough. No, I don’t keep count. But you do. And I love you for it."

"You dirty rat! You killed my brother! My sister! My daughter! She's my sister and my daughter!"

"Lady, you're harder to kill than a cockroach on steroids"

"(to Batman) "Quick question. When the clock strikes twelve, do I get a little kiss?""

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand behind you, to tell you a story I know nothing about. One bright morning in the middle of the night two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, drew their swords and shot one another. If you don't believe my lie, it's true, ask the blind lady on the corner, she saw it too."

"(To Harley as he turns her into a Constellation) "You get the best seat in the house for Armageddon. Say goodnight, Harley. I always wanted to see my dame in lights. Heh. Even in a moment of abject saccharine, I still got it.""

"(discovers that he has killed Batman) "I can't believe it. He's... he's actually gone. Let's take a moment to reflect on the passing of a man who was more than just another do-gooder in tights. He was the best arch-nemesis a sociopath could ask for. [pauses a bit, then...] Okay, let's do it again!" [brings Batman back to life]"

"Oh, Batman, if you had the guts for that kind of fun you would've done it years ago. I, on the other hand..."

"If I weren't insane: I couldn't be so brilliant!"

"What good is my money? Can I spend it like other people? No! Can I go to movies and ball games? No! The only way I can leave this hideout is in disguise... I'm doomed to a living death... [gets a epiphany] Death!... Now that may be a way out for me... That's it... The Joker must die!"

"(when asked if he will really reform) "Of course not! My business will go on as usual...the important thing is that I'll be free! The Joker shall die so that he may live again!""

"(as he is being led to his execution as part of his master plan) "So this is the famous Last Mile, eh? Don't cry, boys...this will hurt me worse than it'll hurt you! Ha! Ha!""

"Reclaimed from the dead! All crimes paid for! The slate wiped clean! The Joker is free! Ha! Ha!"

"Oh, well...I suppose the Joker's holiday had to end some time!"

"[Trying to patent "jokerized" fish]"But the fish share my unique face! If Colonel What's-His-Name can have chickens, when they donť even have moustaches-- And you deny this to me!""

"Both of us trying to find meaning in a meaningless world! Why be disfigured outcast when I can be a notorious Crime God? Why be an orphaned boy when you can be a superhero?"

"You can't kill me without becoming like me! I can't kill you without losing the only human being who can keep up with me! Isn't it IRONIC?"

"The real joke is your stubborn, bone deep conviction that somehow, somewhere, all of this makes sense! That's what cracks me up each time!"

"You actually believed that all it would take is a few chemicals, a couple of days in drug-induced isolation and a cheap little nervous breakdown and you'd have me all figured out? Like there was some rabbit hole you could follow me down to understanding?"

"You really want to know what it feels like to be the clown at midnight? Where there's only ever one joke and it's always on you? Well, here you are. Now do you get it?"

"I'd like to bet you have no idea what you're dealing with... I bet, double or nothing, Batman crawls out of that shallow grave with his faculties intact and hunts you down like the dogs you all are. Did anyone think to examine Exhibit A?"

"If the police expect to play against the Joker, they'd better be prepared to be dealt from the bottom of the deck!"

"(to Judge Drake) "You can't win anyway... You see, I hold the winning card!""

"It's a clear choice -- me or Pettit. Vote or die. Cancer or tuberculosis."

"Every clown loves kids, captain. Just ask Sarah-Essen-Gordon. Oh, that's right, you can't!"

"(As Nightwing pummels him) "Aw... Jeez... I hit Jason a lot harder than that. (Pause) His name was Jason, right?""

"The Dark Knight - Joker"

"Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker"

"Batman (1989 film)"

"Gotham TV Series (2014 - 2019)"

"Joker (2019 film)"

"Joker: Folie à Deux"

"Incels are individuals who express frustration from perceived disadvantages to starting intimate relationships. Incel extremists idolize violent individuals like the Aurora movie theater shooter. They also idolize the Joker character, the violent clown from the Batman series, admiring his depiction as a man who must pretend to be happy, but eventually fights back against his bullies."

"Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was the writer. Robinson came to me with a playing card of the Joker. That's the way I sum it up. [The Joker] looks like Conrad Veidt — you know, the actor in The Man Who Laughs, [the 1928 movie based on the novel] by Victor Hugo. [...] Bill Finger had a book with a photograph of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker'. Jerry Robinson had absolutely nothing to do with it, but he'll always say he created it till he dies. He brought in a playing card, which we used for a couple of issues for him [the Joker] to use as his playing card."

"I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices – it was important to try to find a somewhat iconic voice and laugh. I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath – someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts."

"Jesus: See, judge, I don't know you -- well, actually, I do know you. When you were six years old, you decided to be a judge 'cause you wanted to put The Joker away, once and for all. Now, I know you're not a bad person, your honor. But you're not putting The Joker away. You're putting away poor people. Stop destroying families and children. Stop the privatization and profiteering of human struggle. You got the opportunity to do the right thing, right now, your honor, and gain the favor of your creator and mine, god, up in heaven. When you were young, you wanted to help people. It's not too late, bubbles."

"Bill Finger knew of Conrad Veidt because Bill had been to a lot of the foreign films. Veidt ... had this clown makeup with the frozen smile on his face (classic). When Bill saw the first drawing of the Joker, he said, 'That reminds me of Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs. He said he would bring in some shots of that movie to show me. That's how that came about. I think in Bill's mind, he fleshed out the concept of the character."

"They've given many origins of the Joker, how he came to be. That doesn't seem to matter—just how he is now. I never intended to give a reason for his appearance. We discussed that and Bill [Finger] and I never wanted to change it at that time. I thought—and he agreed—that it takes away some of the essential mystery."

"Batman: The real Batman never talked to you much, did he? That's probably why you were so fixated on him."

"Alfred: With respect, Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man you don't fully understand either. A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones, but their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So we went looking for the stones, but in six months, we never met anyone who traded with him. One day, I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing them away."

"Tim Drake: You swore to me you'd stay out of costume."

"[We see an Robin symbol and the camera reveals a wounded Robin as the Joker knocks him across the face with a crowbar] Wow. That looked like it really hurt. [Hits him three more times] Whoa, now, hang on. That looked like it hurt a lot more. So, let's try and clear this up, okay, pumpkin? What hurts more? A? [hits him again] Or B? [hits him again] Forehand? [hits him again] Or backhand? [hits him again, and laughs. Robin then mumbles something, and Joker leans in, imitating the noise] A little louder, lamb chop. I think you may have a collapsed lung. That always impedes the oratory. [Robin spits in his face; Joker slams his head into the ground] Now, that was rude! The first Boy Blunder had some manners. [Robin grins at him as Joker wipes the blood away] I suppose I'm going to have to teach you a lesson so you can better follow in his footsteps. [pause] Nah. I'm just gonna keep beating you with this crowbar. [Joker laughs as he continues beating Robin]"

"[after finishing beating Robin] Okay, kiddo, I gotta go. It's been fun, though, right? [silence from Robin] Well, maybe a smidge more fun for me than you. I'm just guessing since you're being awful quiet. Anyway, be a good boy, finish your homework, and be in bed by nine. And, hey, please tell the big man I said..."hello". [laughs hysterically]"

"[tossed to the floor in an apartment in Crime Alley, after being captured by Red Hood] So, what's the plan? Slumber party? Charades? A little Truth or Dare? Yes! I'll start with "dare"! [Red Hood unzips his gym bag and pulls out a crowbar] Or maybe I'll just go with "truth"..."

"[Batman, having refused to shoot either the Joker or Jason, has thrown a batarang into Jason's gun barrel, thus causing it to backfire and disarming Jason. Joker begins laughing maniacally] I can't believe you got him! You expert, rootin'-tootin', eagle-eyed, Goth-loving marksman! I love it! You managed to find a way to win, and everybody still loses! [laughs] [Jason presses a detonator that trigger a pile of explosives in the fire place. Batman spots them and rushes to disarm them.] [grabs Batman from defusing the bomb] NO! Don't spoil it! This is better! I'm the only one who's gonna to get what he wants tonight! Yes! Big bang boom! We all go out together! Don't you just love a happy ending?! [Begins laughing until Batman punches him out cold. Attempts to grab Jason and escape, but the detonator goes off. Batman fruitlessly searches for Jason but finds nothing.]"

"[Talking from afar] It's gonna be a sleepover, right?, I packed my toothbrush."

"Take note of the PG-13 rating. This is not a film for children. It starts out showing the Joker beating Robin to death with a crowbar, then ultimately blowing him up and killing him. This is straight out of the classic "Death in the Family" comics right down to the imagery. The violence continues as we see the Red Hood deliver a bag full of severed heads to mob leaders, characters getting shot point blank by Joker, red blood spatters on walls as people’s heads are shot, and more. It’s nothing you don’t see in the movies, but it’s kind of surprising if all you’ve ever seen of animated Batman is Timm’s revered TV series."

"The movie has some spectacular action scenes. It seems like there’s an explosion every 10 minutes. We see great chases between Batman and Red Hood, a great pursuit joined by Nightwing, and a fantastic fight scene with some cybernetic bounty hunters. But it’s not all batarangs and kung fu fighting. There’s a surprisingly strong character drama here. We see Batman tortured by the loss of Jason Todd and the appearance of Red Hood making matters even worse. I was also quite impressed by the final showdown between Red Hood and Batman. In it, Batman is confronted with the ultimate question – why did he never kill the Joker? His answer is emotional, dramatic, and perfectly defines the character. Bat-Fans will enjoy it."

"Jason Isaacs: This role is a bit unusual for Ra's al Ghul as he's been Batman's nemesis a lot in the past. But this time he is actually full of regret for a mistake that he has made, and his inability to control the Joker. A lot of what happens for Ra's in this story is him explaining to Batman how things went so badly awry, and how Robin ended up quite so dead."

"Under the Red Hood finds Batman caught up in an underworld mystery; the ruthless Black Mask has murdered his way to the top of Gotham City's underworld and reigns as king - that is until a mysterious (and even more ruthless) vigilante called Red Hood shows up and starts taking apart Black Mask's empire, piece by piece."

"Red Hood is as smart and well-trained as Batman himself - the only difference is that Red Hood has no qualms whatsoever about killing "underworld scum." The Red Hood mantle is something of a tradition in Gotham's underworld, so Batman's first guess is that this is just another crook looking to make a name for himself. However, after each subsequent encounter with Red Hood, Batman begins to suspect that the murderous vigilante may have a direct connection to a dark chapter in the Batman and Robin Legacy."

"And because this is a PG-13 animated feature, the DCU team isn't afraid to keep things a little more adult in tone - good decision when you have villains like Black Mask, Red Hood and The Joker all in one film. You just know some blood is going to be shed, and the filmmakers manage to get in the adult themes without the cartoon being too scary for youngsters to enjoy as well."

"The big thing about the story is that it's a sequel to a big event in the history of DC comics - the death of Robin that happened back in the 1980s - and I didn't see how we could set that up, because it all hinges on being a sequel to that story. Furthermore, the way the pitch was arranged, we were in a room in Burbank and Judd was in San Francisco and had to pitch over the speakerphone. But amazingly, every single problem I thought we'd have trouble making into a movie, Judd had fixed in the pitch. Judd had already clearly put a lot of thought into the entire film - how to stay focused on the main story, how to clean up the death of Robin thing, and how to eliminate all the extra baggage. He pitched for about 45 minutes and when he was done, Alan and I looked at each other and said, "Yeah, that's a movie. Let's do it." And away we meant."

"Seeing that this was going to be our first full-length Batman movie in the DC Universe line, we thought we really needed to have a strong story that wasn't just another adventure story or a caper that Batman foils. We wanted it to be something that truly needed to be told in a PG-13 venue that had a fair amount of, for lack of a better term, adult content that you couldn't normally do on television. And this story is loaded with it. It's also a personal story to Batman - it does have an adventure plot and a crime plot, but the emotional arc of the story is rooted in Batman's messed up history with family relations. And especially in our animated universe, Batman always had a kind of dysfunctional family dynamic going on. He's famously an orphan, he's got Alfred as his surrogate mother/father, he's always bringing in surrogate sons to mentor, and it always kind of goes badly."

"In Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened."

"“Judd Winick’s and Doug Mahnke’s story of a Robin gone wrong introduced Batman’s most personal enemy to date. It’s unbelievably cool to see it brought to life like this,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment."

"“This is absolutely a Batman story,” he emphasises. “It’s about Batman facing his greatest fear, and it’s a fear he was unaware of: failure. All Batman is trying to do is win a war. All he’s trying to do is right wrongs, beginning with the death of his parents and followed by another seminal event in his life, the loss of his partner, Jason Todd [who replaced Dick Grayson as his sidekick, Robin]. It was a major mistake in his life, bringing another kid into this war. So for Batman, it seems like one horrible mistake after another.”"

"Bruce Greenwood as Bruce Wayne/Batman"

"Jensen Ackles as Jason Todd/Red Hood"

"John DiMaggio as The Joker"

"Neil Patrick Harris as Dick Grayson/Nightwing"

"Jason Isaacs as Ra's al Ghul"

"Wade Williams as Roman Sionis/Black Mask"

"Jim Piddock as Alfred Pennyworth"

"Gary Cole as Commissioner James Gordon, Bobo, Shot"

"Kelly Hu as Ms. Li"

"Carlos Alazraqui as Chi-Chi, Thug 1, Baton"

"Robert Clotworthy as Leon"

"Kevin Michael Richardson as Tyler Bramford"

"Alexander Martella as Young Jason Todd/Robin"

"Vincent Martella as Teen Jason Todd/Robin"

"Brian George as Ra's al Ghul's Assistant"

"Phil LaMarr as Rick, Bulk"

"Andrea Romano as Reporter 1"

"Dwight Schultz as Freddie, Yurp"

"Esteban Matos as Sexy Guy 1"

"Fred Tatasciore as Amazo, Mercenary 1, Guard"

"Bruce Timm as The Riddler"

"Keri Tombazian as Reporter 2, Fearsome Hand Leader"

"Michael Villani as Reporter 3"

"Lex Luthor: Here you are, sir! This serum will cure cancer."

"A life, some would argue, is a series of problems. There’s no denying the truth in that – but why get lost in it? Why not rise above the truth… and lead a good life? Shouldn’t we all look at problems as a chance for us to find… solutions?"

"I believe there’s something inherently dangerous when something real becomes mythic: Because when faced with a myth, we can’t win. So the mythic must be exposed for what it is so we can believe in ourselves, because it’s only what’s in us—the drive to be mythic—that matters."

"But one thing clear beyond the mask he wears...is his passion. A palpable thing that’s almost greater then the man himself. And if there’s passion...there’s desire. And desire means there’s a hole in the man. (About Bruce Wayne/Batman)"

"What gives measure to a man's choices is what he has to give up to make them."

"(Talking to Superman) You profess a love for humanity, but that's an emotion you cannot possibly know, because those same abilities make it impossible for you to know its opposite, it's something that today has its grip on every heart of Metropolis: Fear."

"But then, hope is an aspiration, a beacon that shines brighter than any star lighting the way for all mankind. Hope is the refusal of the inevitable, a hand lifted to the clouds. Hope is what makes us humans, for when reality threatens to destroy us, we reach inward and we create Hope. It's the greatest gift we can give each other, though it may just be the foundation to a house of cards."

"(Talking to Superman) "Those red eyes, I'm sure they look right through me like I am nothing more than a nuisance. But when I see you, I see something no man can ever be. I see the end. The end of our potential. The end of our achievements. The end of our dreams. You are my nightmare.""

"I’ve tried to be a model citizen, General Lane. I know I promised I wouldn’t waste my intellect on kryptonite robots and elaborate super deathtraps. I know that. But three months ago, I looked in the mirror at those nasty little spiderwebs of lines around my eyes and I realized something. I’m getting older, and... and he isn’t."

"Chief Judge: Attila the Hun, Genghis Kahn, Al Capone, Adolf Hitler, Lex Luthor. You freely admit that these vile and appalling criminals are the men you revere above all as heroes and role models. Your insane schemes have placed in jeopardy the lives of every man, woman and child on this planet. Have you anything more to say before I deliver the verdict of this court?"

"Lex giveth-- --and Lex taketh away."

"You know, I used to think that it was our families that makes us who we are? Then I hoped it was our friends. But if you look at history, the great men and women of the world have always been defined by their enemies."

"It's a pity Lex Luthor has become a multinationalist; I liked him better as a bald scientist. He was in prison, but they couldn't put his mind in prison. Now he's just a skinny Kingpin."

"Neil Gaiman, Neil Gaiman Interview, Hero Illustrated #18, (December 1994)."

"Mr. Wicker: Although my expert contact is charging one million dollars for a ten-minute consultancy, I think you'll agree he's worth it. We want to destroy an indestructible being. My contact is a specialist in that area. Gentlemen.... Mr. Lex Luthor. Our ten minutes start now."

"Despite my own personal prejudices, I say we leave Lex the criminal businessman he's been for the past 17 years. The Lois & Clark producers liked it, the WB cartoon guys liked it... so clearly, it works on some level. My concern is that, at least in my eyes, the fact that Luthor's allowed to operate uncontested for years makes Superman look ineffectual."

"I never believed the original Luthor. Every story would begin with him breaking out of prison, finding some giant robot in an old lab he hid somewhere, and then he'd be defeated. My view was if he could afford all those labs and giant robots he wouldn't need to rob banks. I also thought later that Luthor should not have super powers. Every other villain had super powers. Luthor's power was his mind. He needed to be smarter than Superman. Superman's powers had to be useless against him because they couldn't physically fight each other and Superman was simply not as smart as Luthor."

""Like the view? It's the only thing you'll be catching tonight". - Hush"

""Rabbiting? I've never rabbited in my life! I've pussy-footed. I've cat-scratched. I've even kittycornered. But I don't rabbit!" - Catwoman Vol. 2 #12"

""Live fast. Love hard. Die young. Leave a good-smelling corpse". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #18"

""They may suspect me, but they'll never see me. They may chase me, but they'll never catch me. Never, never, ever catch me". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #19"

""Little birds should stay away from big bad kittycats". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #25"

""I'm a thief--and stealing is what I do. Not so much for the prize or the possession or even the profit...but for the art of doing it...because I can...and because I'm good". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #38"

""You are part of the night, just like me. We're not afraid of the dark--we come alive in it...we're thrilled by it". [to Batman] - Catwoman Vol. 2 #40"

""A long time ago, before I put on this mask, I was afraid of everything". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #59"

""That's part of the rule. Never quit. Never let them see you're afraid. Above all -- never let them see you're hurt. Never let them see you cry. Never". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #75"

""My world is all just shades of grey, Batman. That's why you'll never really understand me". - Catwoman Vol. 3 #1"

""Show a man what he expects to see, and he won't look beneath the surface". - Catwoman vol. 1 #1"

""It's such a waste when pretty things get broken". - Catwoman vol. 1 #2"

""Life would be so much easier if I didn't have this conscience!" - Catwoman vol. 1 #9"

""The East End. My soul is tied to this place now. Because it's cost me so much in blood and tears. But this is where the Catwoman was born. And if it has to be, this is where she'll die". - Catwoman Vol. 3 #25"

"(To Poison Ivy) "Oh my god. I get it. You're insane, aren't you?" - Gotham City Sirens #18"

"(To Poison Ivy) "We both know you've been looking for a reason to say that for a long time. You never wanted me around. You've never liked me. But you could never justify it. Not to Harley". - Gotham City Sirens #21"

"(To Harley Quinn) "Your ex-lover, a murderous psychopath who has repeatedly made our lives a living hell, nearly burns my new home to the ground and all you can say is 'gross'?!" - Gotham City Sirens #5"

""We are not in control. Every now and then life likes to reiterate that little point. Some people find such reminders disconcerting. They spend their lives in breathless pursuit of meaningless goals, hoping to forget everything they know about their own mortality. Some people anchor themselves to something larger. Religion, Art, Justice. Anything they deem significant in a life that's not. We are not in control. If we were, surely we'd know better than to care about anything". - Catwoman Vol. 2 #57"

"[to Catwoman] You're not safe here... no one is."

"This is not a time for negotiation."

"[to Mr. Freeze] Today is not a good day to push me, Victor."

"Where's Ra's? If he's dead again, I need you to wake him up."

"[to Ra's Al Ghul] You've become what you've always fought against, and I will stop you."

"Surprise! You fell for the ol' fake Joker gag, Batman."

"Nice of you to say, but you of all people should know… There's plenty wrong with me."

"Oh, come on! There's always something to learn. Let's start with "Getting Your Ass Kicked 101"."

"Hand…over…my…cure."

"Good evening, troops! This is General J with a quick update on what's going down here in Arkham City. As you can see, I'm looking much better. In fact... Ohhhh. I think I'm looking better than ever. Ha! Oh, I can hear you all now: "How did this happen?" "Can I get me some of that crazy cure?!" "I want answers, damn it! Now!" Well, here's the thing. Answers don't give you everlasting satisfaction. Sometimes you need to brace yourself for disappointment. Think about it. Imagine your favorite TV show. You've been through it all. The ups, the downs, the crazy coincidences, and then: Bang! They tell you what it's all about. Would you be happy? Does it make sense? How come it all ended in a church? You guys just need to know one simple thing. I'm back. Back for good! Now arm yourselves, boys. We've got a prison break to plan. No hostages. No surrender. Oh, I know. It sounds like suicide, but listen. Whatever happens. I'll be right behind you."

"[after dodging a sniper bullet] This place is dangerous... I like it!"

"Sorry to disappoint you boys. It's just little ol' me."

"[at the Riddler's door] Do you ever learn, Eddie? I'm not interested in your silly little games."

"[at Mister Zsasz's door] Oof, no way am I going in there. Of all the people in Arkham City, Mister Zsasz gives me the creeps."

"How does it feel, Wayne, to stand on the very stones that ran with your parents' blood? Do you feel sad? Full of rage? Or does that outfit help bury your feelings, hiding your true self? Oh, you are a truly extraordinary specimen. I look forward to breaking you..."

"I feel I should thank you. Capturing Bruce Wayne is so much easier than capturing Batman, and now that we have you, Protocol 10 is ready to commence. It will be my legacy. A monument to your failure. And if you try to stop me, I guarantee everyone will know your secret."

"You are mine, new inmates. Let me introduce myself: I am Professor Hugo Strange and I am in charge of the Arkham City Facility. Up until this point, you have shown total disregard for the law, for society, and yourself. From this moment on, you are no longer part of the society that you have shown no respect for. You have been separated from the good people of Gotham. By committing the actions that resulted in you being sent here, you have given up the right to a so-called normal life.""

"While in my custody, you will follow the rules of Arkham City to the letter. These rules ensure your continued well being. Rule 1: Do not approach the security wall surrounding the facility. Any attempt to approach the wall will be considered an act of escape and will be met with extreme force. Rule 2: All prisoners must surrender themselves for full psychiatric examination when requested. Failure to surrender will be met with extreme force followed by a level nine and ten psychiatric profiling. Rule 3: TYGER operatives have full jurisdiction in Arkham City. If for any reason a TYGER operative approaches or issues an order to you, you must immediately adopt a kneeling position and place both hands on the back of your head. Failure to adopt this position will be considered an aggressive response and will be met with extreme force. These rules are mandatory and by the power vested in me, by the people of Gotham City, lawful.""

"Arkham City provides regular food drops at designated points throughout the day. Food drops will only occur at these times and in these locations. Prisoners are responsible for ensuring that food is distributed fairly."

"Prisoners of Arkham City. You have given up your basic human rights because of your crimes against society. Gotham is a safer place without you. You are responsible for your own survival within this facility."

"All Arkham prisoners are responsible for their own care. Limited medical resources are available to all prisoners in the Arkham Medical Center."

"Citizens of Arkham. As I speak, there is a new inmate entering my facility. The more nostalgic among you will recognize him as Quincy Sharp, Mayor of Gotham, and failed Warden of Old Arkham Asylum. Please provide him with the welcome he deserves."

"Lower your weapons. Mr. Wayne will not be any trouble, will you, Mr. Wayne? The cuffs can stay on. We don't want to make things too easy for him."

"Stop right there, Batman! We need to talk, and I know you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if your actions caused this poor man to die... I have a question for you. Before my arrival, this city was drowning under a tide of filth. Had you ever considered that all this is your fault? Your presence creates these animals. Like germs they spread. You created the environment that allowed the germ to mutate, to become stronger. Look at the Joker. Would he even exist if not for you? It must be depressing: all your sacrifices and yet you are the one to blame! Oh, this is beautiful! We have at long last defeated the great Batman! Soon, I will take my rightful place at my Master's side... We will rule over this world... So thank you, Batman, for all your help... Now... KILL HIM!"

"As we move into the final stage of Protocol Ten, I would like to congratulate all TYGER forces on this wonderful achievement. As I look at the screens in front of me I can see that we are rapidly approaching fatalities of twenty-two percent. My projections show that within three hours, every single inmate of Arkham City will be dead and Protocol Ten will move into stage two. By the end of the month, new camps in Keystone and Metropolis will open; each modeled after Arkham City. You should all be proud of your part in this. We are the solution this world needs. We are the future."

"Within the hour, every single piece of criminal scum will burn, and then I will turn my attention to your allies. I will march to Wayne Manor, I will drag your faithful butler through the streets of Gotham and I will make him tell the world how you have failed. My Arkham City experiment is a success and you... you will kneel before me, begging for your life..."

"[Final words] Computer: Activate Protocol 11... Passcode: Wayne..."

"I will turn your blood to ice!"

"Death is cold, Batman."

"You will bring me Nora... or you will die!"

"Have you ever seen a flower die? Watched something that was once so beautiful, so full of life, collapse and rot from within?"

"I learn from my mistakes, Batman. Do you?"

"[to Batman] Look around you. This horrible bunch of psychopaths are all begging to join up with me, but unfortunately for them, I only take the best. And today, the best means whoever can kill you. Come on out, lads, it's initiation time."

"What the hell is happening down there? Hello! Is someone gonna answer me? I give you one simple task: stick up a couple of freaking machines. And what? You couldn't even get that right? I hope Batman broke every bone in your stupid bodies. I hope you lie in there, desperately trying to breathe through fractured ribs and punctured lungs. And if you're not, you better summon whatever strength you've got left and run. 'Cause after I'm done with the bat, you're all next!"

"My family used to own Gotham. It will again."

"Do you admit that I am smarter than a bat?"

"You are all experiencing fear in anticipation of some specific pain or danger. This is perfectly understandable."

"Explore! Find my challenges! And when you fail to solve them and lie blubbering like an ignorant child on the floor, you will know that the Riddler is better than you!"

"[in a "Game Over" screen] Well, well! So the shaved monkey has failed. How utterly, utterly expected."

"[in a "Game Over" screen] Riddle me this: What lies on the ground, is full of holes and gives off a slight burning smell?"

"[in a "Game Over" screen] Question: What do you call someone who prevented a guard from turning into minced meat? Answer: Not you, Batman!"

"Harley Quinn: Shhhhh, there there... [singing] Hush, little baby, don't say a word / Momma's gonna kill for you the whole damn world."

"Tyger 4: We have positive ID on Batman. He is kicking all kinds of ass down there."

"Inmate: Gotham can rot for all I care. Hell, it's rotten enough already. I gotta get out of here, go some place where people don't dress like bats and clowns."

"Inmate: Catwoman needs to be careful. Some of these maniacs ain't seen a woman in years."

"Inmate: Wonder if the Scarecrow made it here? Every other freak did."

"Inmate: [after completing the main story] I hope Strange died in a real painful way..."

"I was wondering what would break first — your spirit…or your body."

"The shadows betray you because they belong to me."

"I'm fine. I eat punks like these for breakfast."

"I'm Batman."

"I am Vengeance!"

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

"This old man looks like he's gonna pee himself. Someone bring me a bucket."

"THAT is childhood trauma right there."

"My heart scares you, and a gun doesn’t?"

""Stand back, fool! I've got a bomb...Oh, right. Heh, heh, heh..." [Remembered why Batman captured him]"

"Hey, Sharpie! Love what you've done with the place! [Warden Quincy Sharp]"

"Yo, Frank-ay. How's the wife and kids. Ya miss me? [Frank Boles]"

"Really, I don't mind walking! [Taken by Arkham Guards]"

"Not so tight, boys. You'll crease the suit. [Strapped to a gurney]"

"Sharpie loves his cameras. Hey, Sharpie! You getting my good side? But heck, they're all good, aren't they?"

"Look at all this new security. How's a guy supposed to break out of here?"

"Oh, it's always nice to return to my sweet little hausenda!"

"Y'know what? I preferred the good ol' cavity search. Much more personal."

"Ooo, whatcha sneak in with you, Bats? C'mon. Tell me, tell me! Batarangs? Batclaws? Ooo, Bat snacks?"

"There'll be time enough for you later, Cash. Speaking of time, tick, tock, tick, tock. Is that a crocodile I hear? [Aaron Cash]"

"'What's up, doc? Pencil me in for tomorrow at four. We've got a lot of catching up to do. [Dr. Penelope Young]"

"Oh, it's my favorite show. "I'm Warden Idiot." "You'll never escape. "[Pulls funny face while speaking and laughs]"

"I'm telling you, the state of the wiring in these federal facilities is shocking. My boys over there could have been hurt in that unfortunate fire. [Blackgate Prison]"

"Boo! [Laugh]"

"Need to take my temperature? I'd be happy to drop my pants."

"Can you smell the excitement in the air? No? Huh. Must have been one of the guards then. Croc old boy, is that you? [Killer Croc]"

"That reminds me. I really need to get me some new shoes. [After encountering Killer Croc]"

"Whee! Great night for a party!"

"Ha ha! The night is young, Bats. I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. I mean, don't you think it's a little bit funny how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here?"

"Oh, Frankie! You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut. It'll get you into trouble!"

"Oh, nothing much. Hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion. All thanks to you and a book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?"

"Tell me something, Harleen. Have YOU ever had a really bad day?" [Dr. Harleen Quinzel]"

"Welcome to the madhouse, Batman! I set a trap, and you sprang it gloriously!"

"Knock me off, I dare you! End this, pull the plug, stop me once and for all."

"You're getting too predictable, Bats! Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a party to organize. I've got guests flying in from all over Arkham. You'll see."

"Having a little trouble up there?"

"You were expecting maybe Two-Face?"

"Silly Bat! I don't want to escape. I'm having way too much fun. I even have you here to keep a smile on my face."

"Oh, I forgot to say. Just in case you were planning on following me, I've arranged a little insurance. Gordon is on his way to Harley as we speak."

"If I see you trying to follow me, he dies. Harley's looking forward to it. Maybe I'll film it and post it on the internet."

"I'm sorry. I've looked everywhere, but I can only find his head! I'll get back to you when I find the rest of him."

"Hey, Bats. I know you can hear me. I've got a little something for you to listen to. Harley and Frank are nearly out of the building with the old man. How are they going to get past all those guards? Let's have a listen, shall we?"

"Stop flirting with the hired help, Harley."

"Did you hear that, Bats? Sounds like Frankie is working out just fine! Another valuable employee for the organization."

"Good. Our friendly neighborhood rodent is on his way. You need to set a trap. He must not leave this building. Do you understand me?"

"I hope you keep your promises, boy. I'd hate to go and punish your family just to teach you a lesson. I can promise you they won't be laughing."

"Just do it! And have fun, I know I will."

"Oh, look who it is! Are your pointy ears burning?"

"I suppose I'd better tell my boys you're on the way. Hey, maybe I won't...It'll be a nice surprise!"

"Joker here with a quick update on what's new in the asylum."

"Some idiot is running around the asylum dressed like a bat. I know. Crazy! Stop him before he gets someone hurt. Really. It's for his own good."

"Do you really think it was going to be that easy, Bats? I've sent a few more of my boys your way. Let's see how you deal with these odds!"

"I like you boys. What you lack in brains, you make up in heart. Oh, and speaking of heart… bring me Batman's."

"Oh, boo! You win again, Bats. Well, savor it. I'll get you next time."

"Greetings, Gotham. This is the voice of your new master. Oh, hang on...I've skipped a bit!"

"Joker here! I'm in control of Arkham Island and you can all consider it out of bounds. If I see any lawmen, vigilantes or do-gooders in tights coming this way, I'll start detonating random bombs around the city."

"What'll it be? A kindergarten? A hospital? A billionaire's mansion? Oooh, choices, choices, choices."

"Hmm. Harley tells me that the Batman's car is still parked just outside of the Intensive Treatment building. Now, we can't just have him up and leave us, can we?"

"Every thug, villain, murderer, and kindergarten teacher that isn't carrying out party orders should head there now and smash it to pieces."

"The entire island will soon be under my control. That's right, boys and girls. Mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. Just wait till you see my plans for this place. It's going to be glorious."

"I just want everyone to know that I really appreciate all the hard work. You know, watching you guys is like a night in, watching my favorite movie. What was the name of that movie again? Oh, yes. Attack of the *stupid bumbling idiots who can't find an even bigger idiot running around dressed like a bat. Now get to it. I'm getting bored."

"Joker here! Let me remind all new residents of Joker Asylum that they are expected to follow 1 simple rule. Punishment for not following this rule is death. No ifs, ands or buts. You know what the best thing is *about the rule? It's a secret."

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm getting troubling reports of a bat infestation in Joker Asylum. Let me remind everyone that it is their civic duty to exterminate this vermin. We can't have it making its way back to the mainland."

"I'm just sitting here watching cartoons. If any of you Blackgate rejects is bored, come over and see me. Don't look up when you open the door. It'll spoil the surprise and my experiment."

"I'm having a great time. You guys just make it look too easy, like you're not even trying. Which is not what I pay you to do. Find everyone. Now."

"Anyone seen the big bad Bat? I warn you. He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."

"Hello, I'm Warden Idiot. Here at Idiot Asylum, there's only rule. You'll never leave us!"

"Joker here. Remember. I'm watching all of you. Wherever you are. Even you. Yes, you!"

"Sorry, Has-Bane. The good doctor won't be a problem much longer. How do you like my puppet? What say we cut him down?"

"Oh, you little minx, I could never stay mad at you."

"I want all the doctors rounded up. Search every inch of the Medical building!"

"I mean it. Search every room, every office, and every trash can!"

"If another doctor tries to get out of the building, then you won't! I'll just flood the rooms with Happy Gas and leave you to die! Hell, I may do that anyway, sounds fun."

"Too easy! Oh, think about it, I've got you trapped in a little metal box, hanging precariously over a deadly drop, what say i just blow the emergency brakes AND DROP YOU LIKE A SACK OF PUPPIES?"

"Tell me, Bats. What are you really scared of? Failing to save this cesspool of a city? Not finding the Commissioner in time? Me, in a thong?"

"I've been waiting for you, listening to Zsasz make the good doctor scream while you played around in Scarecrow's world."

"How was it this time? Learn anything about yourself? Oh, tell me. Pull up a seat! Talk to me! I'm all ears."

"Actually, that reminds me. I could've sworn I heard Zsasz cutting her ears off. Certainly sounded like it. [Dr. Young]"

"Zsasz.... What are you talking about? Just kill her. She's useless to me now. [Dr. Young]"

"Oh, you're not scared of a little bat, are you, Slicey? [Victor Zsasz]"

"Yeah, stay back, Batman! You don't want more blood on your hands, do you? [Dr. Young]"

"That's the spirit! Now stick it to her! [Dr. Young]"

"Good evening, residents of Joker Asylum. Some of our... crazier guests have crashed the party early. And when I say crazy, I mean real psycho."

"Word of warning: If anyone sees a dribbling fool barking at the moon or maybe just purring like a kitten, do your civic duty. Walk up to them. Put your arm around them. Show them that you care. Before you wring their necks. [Laugh]"

"I've waited a long time for this, Bats. Let's start the party. With a bang! [Shoots Batman in the face with his gun]"

"Oh God... does she EVER stop going on about those plants of hers."

"Will you really? Well, that's gratitude, isn't it. Women! You give 'em presents, experimental chemicals, and nice costumes and they still turn on you."

"Well, good luck to you toots. I've got an army, a city-sized dose of Titan, and a bag of weed killer."

"Come and find me when you're done with Bat-brain. It'll be fun! You can bring the wine, I'll make the salad."

"Are you excited Bats? I mean, we've been building up to this point all night."

"Don't tell me you've not been looking forward to it. I know I have."

"SURPRISE! Everyone always said I should be in television."

"10,9,8,7654,3,2,1!" [bomb detonates]"

"You had to spoil everything, didn't you? Beating up Bane, feeding Scarecrow to Croc, slapping around Harley… MY hobby by the way, and ruining all my lovely venom plants."

"Ooh, here we go! We're going to have some fun now, kiddies! You're trying to resist the change! That's not fair! Come on! Give in! So, you wanna play hardball, Bats? Do ya? Your call! Tickle, tickle! Ow! You're ruining my big night! All those months of planning down the crapper! I just wanted to bring down your grim facade, and for once let you see the world as I see it, giggling in a corner and bleeding! But you've denied me even that! I have nothing left to live for. [injects himself with Titan]"

"Two freaks in a fight to the death!"

"My God! Is Joker crazy enough to try that...? What am I saying? You've got to stop him!"

"Can you hear me, Batman? I know you can. It is I, Edward Nygma, the Riddler, and more importantly, your intellectual superior. My genius has allowed me to hack into your primative communications. Ha ha. My goal is simple: you complete a series of amusingly taxing challenges and... well, you'll see."

"What? You're nearly done? Are you cheating? Looking them up on the internet? Tell me."

"I am Edward Nygma. The world's greatest detective."

"You are beginning to impress me, Batman. I'll let you help me find my socks if you keep this up."

"You've ingested enough toxin to drive 10 men insane! What are you!?"

"You married your wife because you were scared of dying alone. You had children because you're scared you won't leave behind anything important. You go to doctors because you're scared of dying... need I go on?"

"What are you, Batman? Chicken?"

"Is your mind playing tricks on you... or am I?"

"Are you enjoying the extra dose, little Bat?"

"Why fight it, Batman? You're as crazy as the rest of us. You need us just as much as we need you."

"At the end of fear, oblivion."

"You failed. Now, suffer!"

"Now, madness takes you forever."

"What's the matter, little bat? Do you need your mommy?"

"Our head of research, Dr. Crane, has made no real progress, but he seems to enjoy his work so, what the hell."

"When I first heard the Joker aimed to take over this bughouse, like many of us, I thought he was crazy. When he outlined his vision of a hospital dedicated to ensuring inmates remain loopy for as long as possible, I thought he was wacky. But when he held me down and razor cut a new smile on my face, I decided he had a point; Situated in a small island in Gotham Bay, we stop at nothing to making sure no screwballs fly the coop."

"Our new patient ward is "manned" by Waylon Jones. I'm assured that he's cured almost every patient sent to him, and boasts empty beds in all his wards."

"I see anything that looks even a little bit like a bat and this guard dies. Do you hear me?"

"[While beating Black Mask up] By my count, there are still nine more ribs I can break."

"[While confronting Killer Croc] You want teeth?! I want answers."

"[After beating Black Mask up] I can control your pacemaker remotely. Wanna see what two hundred and fifty beats per minute feels like?"

"[Scanning the bank manager's body for the cause of her death in detective mode] The laughter was a side effect of a poison. She wasn't laughing - she was dying. If I had known she was poisoned, I might have been able to save her."

"[While looking at Copperhead beating Batman] Kill him and I'll pay whatever you want. Make him suffer and I'll double it."

"[Running while Batman fights Copperhead] Couple a'freaks. You two deserve each other."

"Do you hear that? Sounds like eight tiny reindeer."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Must be a bad connection. I thought I heard you say that after I SHOT HIM, and BLEW UP a building on him, THE BAT- SOMEHOW SURVIVED?!!?"

"I'm the guy with the money… And the gun!"

"So, when I hire you to kill the Batman, you SHUT THE HELL UP AND KILL THE BATMAN!"

"Mmmm! This fruitcake is fantastic! Anyone want a piece?"

"Do they even have manners where he comes from? You see, it's a tradition in my house-to open one present each on Christmas Eve. Hmm…How about…this one? [blows up a building, then laughs evilly and sings a bit of "The 12 Days of Christmas"] And a partridge in a pear treeee!"

"NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL A PARTY! [fires his machine gun at a helicopter]"

"[after Batman saved him from falling to his death as he didn't want to be saved] Now...Why? Why? Why would you do that? Newsflash: I'm the one who's trying to kill you! [shoots and kills two of his minions; points his pistol at Batman] Those were two very, VERY bad men. The things they've done… [clicks tongue] You really don't want to know. They deserved death-just like me."

"You of all people should know, there's nothing so cruel as memory…. the pointy biting little thunderbolts, unwanted party crashers, SCREAMERS through your synapses.. inescapable, unrelenting…. not at all friendly. You can't even escape into MADNESS!"

"I feel adrift- floating -like someone's pulled the stopper on my reality and I'm SUCKED down the drain into something new. It's all very exciting really. You wouldn't know what that feels like, I'm sure."

"It's like meeting someone I can actually relate to-…which believe me, dear, I've NEVER felt before. You understand. You're someone who's not afraid to let go-and fall. Free falling. And I didn't pack a chute."

"What our friend Bane holds in his hand... is a heart monitor. Once he clamps it on, every beat of his vacant little heart will charge the battery... on this electric chair. And when it's fully charged...! [mimicks being electrocuted]"

"Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim. Have a seat, Jimbo. We'll fry together - like two little potato latkes."

"[after Batman defeats Bane] Well, I'd love to stay and celebrate your victory, but I've got stockings to stuff, mistletoe to hang, and about fifteen skyscrapers to blow up before sunrise! Ciao! [runs away, laughing]"

"[fighting Batman] You just can't get through your thick skull! WE BOTH EXIST BECAUSE OF THEM!"

"[Introduction] Oppressed citizens of Gotham, your cries for help have been heard! I am Anarky - voice of the people - here to save you from the plague of corruption that now infests this once proud city! Those hired and elected to keep us free and safe won't lift a finger. And why would they? They've been bought and paid for, encouraged to turn a blind eye! If they won't act, I will! At dawn's first light, the sources of Gotham's ruin WILL. BE. DESTROYED! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming of propaganda and consumerist garbage."

"[Contacting Batman] Hello, Batman. I was hoping to get a minute of your time. See, I've got a story to tell you. About crime and violence. Greed and vengeance. But it's also a story of redemption. Of second chances. Of change. I've planted three bombs where Gotham's corruption is at it's strongest. But unlike those I fight to overthrow, I believe in choice. So, I offer you one: Let them detonate or stop them. Your actions will determine what I do with you."

"[Monologue after being defeated.] You ever wonder how things got to be so bad here? I do. All the time."

"Wonder Woman: Priscilla’s hobby is collecting chains – mine is breaking them! (111)"

"If it means interfering in an ensconced, outdated system, to help just one woman, man or child…I’m willing to accept the consequences."

"If the prospect of living in a world where trying to respect the basic rights of those around you and valuing each other simply because we exist are such daunting, impossible tasks that only a superhero born of royalty can address them,then what sort of world are we left with? And what sort of world do you want to live in?""

"Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman."

"A significant reason Wonder Woman became verboten soon after she debuted was her then-implicit bisexuality, having come from a land populated solely by women."

"She does not believe that Wonder Woman tends to masochism or sadism. Furthermore, she believes that even if it did-you can teach either perversion to children-one can only bring out what is inherent in the child. However she did make the reservation that if the woman slaves wore chains (and enjoyed them) for no purpose whatsoever, there would be no point in chaining them."

"I never really thought of Wonder Woman as a super-racy character. She wasn’t out there being predatory. She was saying: “You have a problem with a strong woman? I am who I am, get over it.” I never played her as mousy. I played her being for women, not against men. For fair play and fair pay."

"I still have women at airports coming up to me saying: “Oh, you don’t know what it meant to me. That show got me through this difficult time, that difficult time.” That’s really where the fantasy became a reality, where Wonder Woman became something much more than a TV show or a comic book. And I’ll tell you this, when women recognize me in airports, I hold them in my arms and they cry. If a guy comes up and says, “Oh my God, I had such a crush on you when I was a teenager,” I say: “Talk to the hand. I don’t want to know"."

"In 1968, under Denny as scripter and Mike Sekowsky as editor, they'd taken away Wonder Woman's powers and sexy costume to remain in "Man's World" rather than accompany her fellow Amazons back to Paradise Island, in Denny's words to me, "to solve the Superman problem," that is: if she can deflect bullets with her bracelet and tie up criminals with a magic lasso and fly around in a magic transparent plane, you run out of stories pretty fast—as well."

"Wonder Woman failed to challenge the long-standing prejudice that the feminine ideal was white. Not only were Wonder Woman and her sister Amazon's all fair skinned, the Wonder Woman comic books reinforced racism by debasing minority characters. While the grotesque and evil "Jap" enemies that populated Wonder Woman's adventures were the most frequent illustration of this racism, the comic book was rife with other degrading characterizations, like the dim-witted African American porter and duplicitous Mexican "hussy" who make an appearance in Wonder Woman #1, (Summer 1942) (187). Hateful depictions of Asian, African American and Mexican characters reinforced the racist association of "white with "right". This inherint racism undercut Marston's message of women's freedom and empowerment and would have required minority readers to negotiate some serious obstacles in accepting or rejecting, his comic book superheroine as a feminist role model. On top of this racism, Marston's view that women deserved to be in power because that were intrinsically virtuous and would use their power to bring about peace and happiness further complicates Wonder Woman's feminist claims. Although Marston aimed to elevate women, arguments that base women's right to power on a set of assumptions about "the female character" ultimately reinforce the idea that women must adhere to the standards identified by the dominant culture as appropriately feminine. Those women who fail to meet society's expectations, whether by circumstance or by choice, risk being denied the rights that "acceptable" behavior would presumably earn them. For such individuals, Marston offered a rather unsympathetic solution: conform."

"Careful to show that women's strength and assertiveness did not unsex them, Wonder Woman adhered to the dominant standards of a acceptable femininity. Marston's Amazon princess was kind, nurturing and self-sacrificing; she was also quite beautiful. Wonder Woman was tall and svelte and had a womanly, if athletic body with "perfect modern Venus' measurements" (Marston and Peter, Wonder Woman #6, 139). She had long eyelashes, painted lips, and long, thick shiny hair. She was also very fashionable and knew how to accessorize with earrings, bracelets, a tiara and knee-high high heeled boots. This keen fashion sense undoubtedly came from her interest in shopping, which was one of the first things she did upon arriving in America (Marston and Peter, Sensation Comics #1, 20). Occasionally yielding to a "girlish impulse, "Wonder Woman could be caught dressing up and admiring her appearance from time to time. She even mooned over Steve Trevor, who was known in their comic world as "the strong girl's weakness" (Marston and Peter, Wonder Woman #6, 118) Rather than emasculate Steve with her incredibly strength, Wonder Woman often played the coquette, protesting for him to stop teasing her while thinking to herself "But I hope he won't!" (Marston and Peter, Sensation Comics #22, 166). Attractive, flirtatious and occasionally frivolous, Wonder Woman delivered a healthy dose of traditionally expected femininity."

"Not only was Wonder Woman a more enduring character than Rosie, her contribution to the war effort was also more direct. Rosie's war job was to make planes, weapons and ammunition that would help men win the war. She was the quintessential woman behind the man behind the gun, Wonder Woman, on the other hand, fought alongside men on the front lines of battle; she was the woman who led the man who held the gun. Defying convention that relegated woman to the role of man's submissive helpmate, Wonder Woman fought not for men, but for liberty and freedom and all womankind!" (Marston and Peter, All Star Comics #8, 15). Whereas Rosie suggested that women work in order to help men, Wonder Woman encouraged women to work because it enabled their independence from men. When misogynistic Dr. Psycho hypnotizes his wife, Marva, and forces her to help him in his plot to enslave American women in Wonder Woman #5 (Jun./Jul. 1943), Marva bitterly laments: "Submitting to a cruel husband's domination has ruined my life! But what can a weak girl do?". Wonder Woman of course, has the answer: "Get strong! Earn your own living- join the WAACS or WAVES and fight for your country! Remember - the better you fight, the less you'll have to!" Because Marston believed that women's economic independence was a necessary step towards their empowerment, he used Wonder Woman to encourage women and girls to pursue work outside of the home for the sake of their own autonomy and personal fulfillment. In doing so, his character directly challenged traditional gender roles in a way that Rosie did not."

"Intentionally or otherwise the strip is full of significant sex antagonisms and perversions. Personally I would find an out-and-out striptease less unwholesome than this kind of symbolism."

"The idea was to make the character of Wonder Woman the face of a U.N. social media campaign to promote women's rights via tweets and facebook callouts. Women's rights advocates exploded in outrage, and nearly 45,000 people signed a petition against the decision. "It's an insult, frankly," said Anne Marie Goetz at the time. Goetz, a professor of global affairs at New York University and a former adviser on peace and security issues to the United Nations agency, U.N. Women, said a big issue was the timing."

""It's frivolous, it's fatuous and it reduces an extremely serious human rights problem experienced by half of the world to a cartoon," she said. And not just any cartoon, added Goetz. Wonder Woman in her view was tantamount to a Barbie/Playboy pinup. Like most female comic action figures, she has big breasts bursting out of a skimpy outfit and an impossibly tiny waist. "The message to girls is that you are expected to meet a male standard in which your significance is reduced to your role as a sexual object," said Goetz."

"It was the Amazon Princess' origins in wartime, though - the critical moment of her arrival - that have helped to give her the staying power she has shown as a character. Because her appearance coincided with a moment in history when women were called upon to take on duties, responsibilities, and aspects of gender identity formerly in men's domain, her demonstration of "masculine" qualities was seen as appropriate for the times. Further, she was held to the same standards of female behavior as the World War II women she inspired and represented: her masculinity and power over men were managed, and she maintained her femininity no matter the circumstances. From her inception, beyond merely being entertainment for children, Wonder Woman represented a vision of women's qualities that were equal to or greater than men's and exemplified a mix of gender qualities that adult women and men recognized as necessary to the Allied effort. Wonder Woman rode a wave of wartime feminism that permitted her to show that her greatest qualities were ones that helped win the war. Those same qualities enabled her use as an image of strength, self-reliance and self-belief that were the basis of the Second Wave, pushing women further up the shore to equality."

"We look at the strong, healthy character for some of the same reasons recent psychologists now charge psychology with a criticism her creator made long ago. Too much of psychology has focused on that which is abnormal without exploring that which is normal-hence Marston's classic book, Emotions of Normal People. Whereas other psychologists and other fictional characters might views humankind pessimistically, William Moulton Marston and Wonder Woman look for the best in us all and hope for our world. In the twenty-first century, a psychologist best known for studying the causes and consequences of learned helplessness promotes positive psychology on the belief that psychology has overemphasized the worst parts of human nature to the neglect of trying to understand the best."

"Wonder Woman isn’t only an Amazonian princess with badass boots. She’s the missing link in a chain of events that begins with the woman's suffrage campaigns of the 1910s and ends with the troubled place of feminism fully a century later. Feminism made Wonder Woman. And then Wonder Woman remade feminism, which hasn’t been altogether good for feminism. Superheroes, who are supposed to be better than everyone else, are excellent at clobbering people; they’re lousy at fighting for equality."

"Marston was a scholar, a professor, and a scientist; Wonder Woman began on a college campus, in a lecture hall, and in a laboratory. Marston was a lawyer and a filmmaker; Wonder Woman began in a courthouse and a movie theater. The women Marston loved were suffragists, feminists, and birth control advocates. Wonder Woman began in a protest march, a bedroom, and a birth control clinic. The red bustier isn’t the half of it. Unknown to the world, Margaret Sanger, one of the most influential feminists of the twentieth century, was part of Marston’s family."

"Who needs consciousness-raising and equal pay, when you’re an Amazon with an invisible plane?"

"On one hand, said Lepore, the character has solid feminist roots. She was invented in 1941 by William Moulton Marston, a Harvard-trained Ph.D. psychologist-cum-advice columnist for Family Circle magazine. Marston had been brought on board by the company that eventually became DC Comics to help deal with a public relations problem. The company's first two superheroes, created in the late 1930s, had become controversial. "Superman looked a bit like a fascist — he's an ubermensch. Batman carried a gun and was quite violent," explained Lepore."

"According to Lapore, "Marston said, 'You know, you need a female superhero because she will embody the nurturing values of womanhood. She will be about peace not war.'" The character he set about creating drew largely on a real-life woman Marston knew personally and greatly admired: Margaret Sanger, the co-founder of Planned Parenthood."

"In the comic book — and now in the new movie — Wonder Woman is a princess of the Amazons of Greek mythology, living on an island where there are no men. That story, said Lepore, "comes not from science fiction but from feminist utopian fiction" popular with Sanger and other early feminists of the progressive era."

"A lot of people started to say, 'Why is she the symbol of women's power? She's just so obviously made for men to look at and ogle,'" said Lepore. So it's no surprise that she continues to raise conflicting feelings to this day. "Part of the richness of this character is that there are many layers to understanding her. Wonder Woman is always going to have a mixed legacy."

"...exhorted women to become physically and mentally strong, promoted paid female employment, and critiqued over-masculinized aspects of American culture."

"Wonder Woman breaks the bonds of those who are slaves to evil masters but she doesn't leave the freed ones free to assert their own egos and uncontrolled self-gratification. Wonder Woman binds the victims again in love chains - that is, she makes them submit to a loving superior ... Wonder Woman is trying to show children - who understand this far better than adults - that it's much more fun to be controlled by a loving person that [sic] to go ranting round submitting to no one."

"A male hero, at best, lacks the qualities of maternal love and tenderness which are as essential to a normal child as the breath of life. Suppose your child's ideal becomes a superman who uses his extraordinary power to help the weak. The most important ingredient in the human happiness recipe still is missing-love. It's smart to be strong. It's big to be generous. But it's sissified according to exclusively masculine rules, to be tender, loving affectionate, and alluring. "Aw, that's girls stuff!" snorts our young comics reader. "Who wants to be a girl?" And that's the point. Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."

"Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons have to wear heavy bracelets to remind them of what happens to a girl when she lets a man conquer her. The Amazons once surrendered to the charm of some handsom Greeks and what a mess they got themselves into. The Greeks put them in chains of the Hitler type, beat them, and made them work like horses in the fields. Aphrodite, goddess of love, finally freed these unhappy girls. But she laid down the rule that they must never surrender to a man for any reason. I know of no better advice to give modern women than this rule that Aphrodite gave the Amazon girls."

"As to chains and bonds - my whole strip is aimed at drawing the distinction in the minds of children and adults between love bonds and male bonds of cruelty and destruction.""

"I have given Wonder Woman this dominant force but have kept her loving, tender, maternal and feminine in every other way."

"Oh yes, but not until women control men. Wonder Woman – and the trend toward male acceptance of female love power, which she represents, indicates that the first psychological step has actually been taken. Boys, young and old, satisfy their wish thoughts by reading comics. If they go crazy over Wonder Woman, it means they’re longing for a beautiful, exciting girl who is stronger than they are. These simple, highly imaginative picture stories satisfy longings that ordinary daily life thwarts and denies. Superman and the army of male comics characters who resemble him satisfy the simple desire to be stronger and more powerful than anybody else. Wonder Woman satisfies the subconscious, elaboratedly disguised desire of males to be mastered by a woman who loves them."

"This my dear friend is the one truly great contribution of my Wonder Woman strip to moral education of the young. The only hope for peace is to teach people who are full of pep and unbound force to enjoy being bound--enjoy submission to kind authority, wise authority, not merely tolerate such submission. Wars will only cease when humans enjoy being bound."

"Wonder Woman was from the start a character founded in scholarship."

"Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world."

"Normal men retain their childish longing for a woman to mother them. At adolescence a new desire is added. They want a girl to allure them. When you put these two together, you have the typical male yearning Wonder Woman satisfies."

"Men, (Greeks) were captured by predatory love-seeking females until they got sick of it and made the women captive by force. But they were afraid of them (masculine inferiority complex) and kept them heavily chained lest the women put one over as they always had before. The Goddess of Love comes along and helps women break their chains by giving them the greater force of real altruism. Were upon men turned about face and actually helped the women get away from domestic slavery - as men are doing now. The New Women thus freed and strengthened by supporting themselves (on paradise Island) developed enormous physical and mental power. But they have to use it for other people’s benefit or they go back to chains, and weakness."

"Marston’s Diana was a doctor, a healer, a scientist."

"When Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston died in 1947, they got rid of the pervy elements, and instantly sales pummeted. Wonder Woman should be the most sexually attractive, intelligent, potent woman you can imagine. Instead she became this weird cross between the Virgin Mary and Mary Tyler Moore that didn't even appeal to girls."

"The focus [of the U.N.] was on her feminist background, being the first female superhero in a world of male superheroes and that basically she always fought for fairness, justice and peace."

"Ong has no quarrel with the old-style comics like Mr. & Mrs., The Gumps, Gasoline Alley, and he seems to have a sneaking admiration for Li'l Abner ("sexy and synthetic pastoralism" done with "manifest cleverness.") But, he says, "there seems to be nothing in the good comics which keeps readers from liking the others." He saves his sharpest slings for Superman's female counterpart, a four-year-old character named Wonder Woman, who is described by her creator as "the girl from Paradise Isle, beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, stronger than Hercules and swifter than Mercury." Wonder Woman swears "By Zeus!" and regularly prays to Aphrodite—which Ong says is Hitlerite paganism."

"Wonder Woman is only a female Superman, preaching "the cult of force, spiked, by means of her pretentiously scanty 'working' attire, with a little commercial sex. . . . When not in her outré 'working' clothes she habitually wears a suitcoat and tie among the jeweled guests at luncheon parties and at formal evening affairs." Walter Ong finds Wonder Woman sexy, but "this is not a healthy sex directed toward [marriage]] and family life, but an antisocial sex, made as alluring as possible while its normal term in marriage is barred by the ground rules.""

"Developed as a frank appeal to male fantasies of sexual domination."

"Some heroes get tied up more than others."

"Throughout the [Marston] period...she accomplished her remarkable feats without any apparent definition in her biceps or thighs. Her calf muscles, highlighted by the red boots, are developed only to-but not beyond-the point required for "nice legs" in the pinup sense."

"If you need to stop an asteroid, you call Superman. If you need to solve a mystery, you call Batman. But if you need to end a war, you call Wonder Woman."

"[Wonder Woman's] creator has...seen straight into my heart and understood the secret fears of violence hidden there. No longer did I have to pretend to like the "pow!" and "Crunch" style of Captain Marvel or the Green Hornet. No longer did I have nightmares after reading ghoulish comics filled with torture and mayhem, comics made all the more terrifying by their real-life setting in World War II....Here was a heroic person who might conquer with force, but only a force that was tempered by love and justice."

"If we had all read more about Wonder Woman and less about Dick and Jane the new wave of the feminist revolution might have happened less painfully and sooner."

"Wonder Woman emerged in the 1940s just as American entered World War II. As women entered the war production in various capacities, the image of Wonder Woman spoke to the promise of the future for women strong, independent and career-minded. When the war ended, Fredric Wertham fought to contain that image of the strong, independent, career-minded woman or he felt it threatened the American family and American society. His attempts to contain Wonder Woman forced her, like so many women during the 1950's, to struggle with the tension between family and career. In the end, Wertham may have contained the symbol of the 1940s Wonder Woman - strength and independence - but the 1950s Wonder Woman - having to choose between marriage and career - spoke to and inspired another generation."

"The iconic Wonder Woman fictional character was named an Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls on 21 October 2016, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 5 – to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The designation ceremony coincided with the 75th anniversary of Wonder Woman's first appearance in a comic book in 1941. Wonder Woman has since then been depicted in movies and TV series. She is a global citizen and universally recognized for her commitment to justice, peace and equality and is seen as a model of strength, fairness and compassion becoming a symbol of empowerment for women and girls in much of the world. Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore also half of its potential. But today, gender inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress. In many parts of the world women endure physical and sexual violence, face barriers to opportunities for leadership and education and receive less pay than men for equal work among other forms of discrimination."

"The homosexual connotation of the Wonder Woman type of story is psychologically unmistakable. The Psychiatric Quarterly deplored in an editorial the "appearance of an eminent child therapist as the implied endorser of a series...which portrays extremely sadistic hatred of males in a framework which is plainly Lesbian." For boys Wonder Woman is a frightening image. For girls she is a morbid ideal. Where Batman is anti-feminine, the attractive Wonder Woman and her counterparts are definitely anti-masculine. Wonder Woman has her own female following. They are all continuously being threatened, captured, almost put to death. Her followers are the "Holiday girls", i.e. the holiday girls, the gay party girls, the gay girls. Wonder Woman refers to them as "my girls"."

"Wonder Woman is physically very powerful, tortures men, has her own female following, is the cruel 'phallic' woman. While she is a freightening figure for boys, she is an undesirable ideal for girls, being the exact opposite of what girls are supposed to be."

"Fans know that she carries a golden lasso that compels anyone caught in it to tell the truth. But fewer realize that her creator, psychologist William Moulton Marston, also helped develop the first real-life lie detector. Marston, who earned his PhD from Harvard in 1921, and his wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston (who earned a master's degree in psychology at Radcliffe), conducted the first research that linked systolic blood pressure to emotion—a key part of the modern polygraph."

"Marston set the foundation for what to expect from Wonder Woman comics in the early 1940s. Stories that take place after Marston' death carry the same elements, although not as overtly. Wonder Woman relies on inducement to lead others and fought against the practice of domination, sometimes in the form of corrupt regimes or abusive men. Compliance, including fear, is a cause of concern for Wonder Woman as she protects others. She approaches her enemies with inducement rather than domination, extending her hand when she can. Diana submits when appropriate, especially to her gods and her mother. Without Marston's theory of emotions laying the foundation for his superheroine, Wonder Woman would not embody the spirit of loving submission readers have seen over the decades."

"My favorite thing was the bracelets. I mean, the bracelets are cool, but how do I make that work? In the original comic book, they needed them because they fire guns on Paradise Island. I don't think I'm going there."

"There was a lot in these stories to suggest that Wonder Woman was not so much a pitch to ambitious girls as an object for male sexual fantasies and fetishes."

""Wonder Woman" was conceived by Dr. Marston to set up a standard among children and young people of strong, free, courageous womanhood; to combat the idea that women are inferior to men, and to inspire girls to self-confidence and achievement in athletics, occupations and professions monopolized by men....Since millions of young people are reading "wonder Woman" today, it is quite possible that their acceptance of this womanly ideal may alter our whole standards, as to what is admirable in women. Children who admire the heroic type of woman will no longer have any use for the timid, physically weak, dependent and emotionally possessive woman of the old school, and will model themselves on the self-reliant, strong comradely woman who can be honest and fearless because she is not dependent upon a man for her living."

"I had a war machine to operate. My army needed the energy. We had to drill. Your numbers were inconclusive, useless. I had the vision. I had the will."

"It's funny how things can change so quickly. After a while, you don't even recognize yourself anymore. [pulls out a sphere with a button] Forgive me, Kirk. [presses button and he disintegrates]"

"I have loved two other people in my life... and now they're both gone."

"[Before destroying Platinum] Fry, bitch."

"I watched one mad man destroy my home world. I'm not going to let another harm this one."

"[Before destroying the fused Metal Men] I just burned all your Motherboxes, no more disappearing acts for you!"

"[Last lines] Time to look ahead, Kirk. You know what they say. The past is like another planet."

"From dark heroes, justice will dawn."

"Benjamin Bratt - Hernan Guerra / Superman"

"Michael C. Hall - Kirk Langstrom / Batman"

"Tamara Taylor - Bekka / Wonder Woman"

"Paget Brewster - Lois Lane"

"C. Thomas Howell - Dr. Will Magnus"

"Jason Isaacs - Lex Luthor / Metron"

"Dee Bradley Baker - Ray Palmer, Tin"

"Eric Bauza - Ryan Choi, Stephen Shin"

"Larry Cedar as Pete Ross"

"Richard Chamberlain - Highfather"

"Trevor Devall as Emil Hamilton, Lightray"

"Dan Gilvezan - Pat Dugan"

"Grey Griffin - Tina/Platinum"

"Daniel Hagen - Doctor Sivana"

"Penny Johnson Jerald - President Amanda Waller"

"Josh Keaton - Orion"

"Arif S. Kinchen - Michael Holt, Cheetah"

"Yuri Lowenthal - JorJor-El, Jimmy Olsen"

"Carl Lumbly - Silas Stone"

"Jim Meskimen as Victor Fries"

"Taylor Parks as Victor Stone"

"Khary Payton as John Henry Irons, Granny Goodness, Mugger"

"Tahmoh Penikett as Steve Trevor"

"Andrea Romano - Jean Palmer"

"André Sogliuzzo - Cop, Darkseid, Mr. Guerra"

"Bruce Thomas as General Zod"

"Lauren Tom as Lara Lor-Van, Kimiyo Hoshi"

"Marcelo Tubert as Blockbuster, Tough Guy"

"Kari Wahlgren as Karen Beecher, Livewire"

"[thinking to himself, about going back to being Batman] You try to hold me back, but you're weak. You know it in your soul. You're nothing but a hollow shell. A rusty trap. The time has come."

"[to Mutant Leader] You don't get it, son. This isn't a mud hole. It's an operating table. And I'm the surgeon."

"[to the "Sons of Batman", after the EMP blast that knocked out power in Gotham] Tonight I am going to maintain order in Gotham City. You are going to help me. But not with these. [takes a gun from one of the gang members] These are loud and clumsy. These are the weapons of cowards. [snaps rifle in half, shows them some batarangs] Our weapons are precise and quiet. In time I will teach them to you. But for tonight, you will rely on your brains and your fists. Tonight, we are the law. Tonight, I am the law."

"[to Superman] In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember the one man who beat you."

"So many faces... so few smiles."

"If it's suicide you're after, I have an old family recipe. It's slow and painful. You'd like it."

"[finding Bruce in the Batcave] Master Bruce. You set off the alarm, sir. This somnambulism is becoming a problem, especially for those of us with a penchant for sleeping at night."

"[answering the phone] One moment, it's Commissioner Gordon. No doubt calling for details on the funeral."

"Wife made me quit the cigars."

"Mutants: [catchphrase] Slice and Dice!"

"Mutant Leader: We will kill the old man, Gordon. We will chop him, we will grind him. We will bathe in his blood. I, myself, will kill the fool Batman. I will rip the meat from his bones and suck them dry. Don't call us a gang. Don't call us criminals. We are the law. Gotham City belongs to the Mutants."

"Son of Batman: [former Mutant gang member, after the defeat of their leader] The Mutants are dead. This is the new face of the law. We are the Sons of Batman. And Gotham's criminals are about to enter hell."

"Peter Weller as Bruce Wayne/Batman"

"Ariel Winter as Carrie Kelley/Robin"

"David Selby as Commissioner James Gordon"

"Michael Emerson as The Joker"

"Wade Williams as Harvey Dent/Two-Face"

"Michael Jackson as Alfred Pennyworth"

"Mark Valley as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman"

"Maria Canals Barrerra as Commissioner Ellen Yindel"

"Robin Atkin Downes as Oliver Queen"

"Tress MacNeille as Selina Kyle, Bruno, Old Lady"

"Paget Brewster as Lana Lang"

"Michael McKean as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper"

"Gary Anthony Williams as Mutant Leader, Anchor Bill"

"Conan O'Brien as David Endochrine"

"Andy Richter as Frank"

"Richard Doyle as Mayor of Gotham City"

"Frank Welker as Mayor Stevenson, Weatherman, Lieutenant O'Halloran"

"Grey DeLisle as Anchorwoman Carla, Sarah Essen Gordon"

"Rob Paulsen as Rob, Robber"

"Dee Bradley Baker as Don"

"Carlos Alazraqui as Hernando, Congressman Noches"

"Greg Eagles as Mackie, Ben Derrick"

"Townsend Coleman as Morrie, Fat Abner"

"Maurice LaMarche as Dr. Herbert Willing, Anchor Tom"

"Yuri Lowenthal as Son of Batman, Rookie Police Officer"

"Bruce Timm as Thomas Wayne, Hydrant Fireman"

"Danny Jacobs as Merkel"

"Cathy Cavadini as Joanie"

"Sam McMurray as Anchor Ted"

"Andrea Romano as Woman, Woman 2"

"Jim Meskimen as General Briggs, President"

"Tara Strong as Young Bruce Wayne, Michelle, Anchor Trish, Kevin Ridley, Elsie, Kid"

"James Patrick Stuart as Murray, Governor Mahoney, Voiceover Radio"

"James Arnold Taylor as Mr. Hudson, Store Owner"

"Gary Anthony Sturgis as Silk"

"Gwendoline Yeo as Lola Chong"

"Jim Wise as Femur"

"Lex Lang as Rescued Man"

"Jim Ward as Femur's Lawyer"

"Jason Miller as Axe Fireman, Liquor Store Owner"

"I am Promethea, the child who stands Between fixed earth and insubstantial air, a dream thought who yet treads matter's rain-swept strands, And mortals are the sandals that I wear. I am Promethea. From Mind’s pure light I stoop into Earth's dark gloom, From Fables’ day Descending into Facts’ cold weighty night, From lyric atmospheres to mammal clay. I am Promethea, the rumored one, The mythic bough that Reason strains to bend. I am that voice left, once the book is done... I am the dream that waking does not end."

"Promethea: Don't worry, some symbols always means the same thing...and the archetype of wisdom is eternal."

"Mayor Sonny Baskerville is currently stalling any investigation by demanding separate hearings for each of his forty two personalities. This is TEXTure."

"Andras: You ask alot of questions, bitch. Too bad the rules say we gotta answer 'em. Goetia means howling. It's the chittering of a billion insects in the night. It's what it sounds like where we live."

"[to Joker] You're afraid of being ashes. You're afraid of being forgotten. And you will be forgotten, Joker. Because of me."

"[to Joker] I am vengeance. I am the night! I am Batman!"

"[to Nightwing] I won't be satisfied 'til I bring Penguin to justice."

"You weren't a good man, Ra's. But you had conviction."

"[to Jim Gordon] Look after him, Jim. Look after them all. You've been a good friend. The best I could ask for. You were there at the beginning. Now, you get to see how it ends."

"Gotham needs something more, something... worse to defend her. She needs a new myth, a legend more powerful than I can be right now. A legend that can only rise from the ashes of the Batman."

"The bomb's payload is exposed. I can use the power winch to trigger a controlled explosion."

"[to Batman] The people of Gotham need you."

"[about the Dolltrons] It brings to mind a spate of murders at the beginning of your career. It was Halloween then if I'm not mistaken, turned out to be rather a long one if I recall..."

"Riding in the Batman's car. My little girl's gonna be jealous."

"Try and make sure the men don't find out. I wanna be the one who tells them. You're right. They deserve that much."

"I betrayed those closest to me. Whatever happens, I deserve it."

"I wanted to help. That was all. Things just got messed up. I lost sight of what matters."

"I'd give anything to go back and change what I did. The hell was I thinking?"

"[after Batman's unmasking] Looks like we both had our secrets, huh, Batman? I can't imagine yours ever involved burning down half the city."

"You left me to die in the Asylum. But I will show you no such mercy."

"There is no savior. No more hope. No more Batman."

"Why aren't you scared?!"

"Welcome to Gotham, City of Fear."

"Without fear, life is meaningless!"

"Gotham. This is your only warning. Abandon this city... or I will unleash your greatest fears."

"Why did I warn them, Batman? Why give those terrorized refugees time to flee? You don't know, do you? And it scares you."

"You will bring death to all who follow you."

"Remnants of Gotham, I have messages for you all. To the vandals who stayed behind to pick the still warm flesh from Gotham's bones: have your fun. You are under my protection. To the cowards quaking behind the police department's walls: you will not be spared. And to Batman: I have already won. Emptied your city with a vile of toxin and a few threatened words. That's how little the safety you provided was worth. And when the dawn comes, when Gotham lies in ruin and I turn my gaze to the world beyond, the legend of the Batman will be worth nothing at all."

"How many more bones will you crush? How many lives will you destroy in pursuit of what you call justice? You are the product of everything you fear. Violence... Darkness... Helplessness... All that remains is for you to watch as I drag your beloved Gotham into oblivion."

"What do you seek in those tunnels, Batman? Hope? You will find none. I once searched for terror in chemistry. I thought perfectly arranged atoms could unlock the demons in a man's mind. You proved me wrong."

"How can the world know fear, true dread, when there is you? A stalwart knight, ever ready to slay monsters. Fear isn't pure biology, Batman. It's more than instinct. True fear is the absence of hope. And hope is the spread wings of a bat, shining on the clouds."

"You promised that Gotham would be safe! Protected! But what does the world see now? My toxin choking its streets, blotting out the moonlight, poisoning the saplings you thought could stop me! And now, Dark Knight, I turn to you. But don't be afraid. It's not your life that needs ending, it's your myth. The hope that you stand for. The hope that dies tonight."

"You might fool everyone else, but you can't fool me. There's something... different about you. You're afraid. You've always buried your fears, locked them away deep in your subconscious, hidden. But something is gnawing away in the darkness of your mind, isn't it? Something even you can't control. The cracks are forming as it pushes its way to the surface. I can almost taste it."

"Do you see this, Batman? Your poisoned, desolate city? Its people tearing out each other's throats, their own throats, in terror? The world sees it too. Next, the world will see what happens to the man who tries to stop me. And when it does, the world will know fear. You aren't fighting for Gotham tonight. You're fighting for every desperate fool who thinks that when their worst fears come to pass, a hero might come and save them. And you're losing."

"The violence on Stagg's airship was not your usual cold brutality. It was sadism. Your true instincts emerge, Batman: thorned weeds, creeping through cracked granite."

"Are you scared, petty criminals of Gotham? Of the tanks rolling across the roads? The armed men patrolling your streets? Be calm. They are not hunting you."

"Our army is trained, Batman. Disciplined and loyal. They lack the cowardice you rely on and exploit."

"What scares you more, Batman? The thought that Gotham might fall? Or the notion that when it does, you will no longer be needed to protect it?"

"What do you see when perched on high? Prey that no longer fears you? A dead city that heralds your own demise?"

"It's gone, Dark Knight - the grip you had on Gotham, your long reign of fear. I'm sovereign now."

"You keep fighting, Batman, despite setback, failure and loss. It's a pleasure to watch such resolve deliquesce."

"Enough bravado. It's too late for that. I don't care who you are, but they will. I'm going to rob them of hope. As they stare into your eyes, they will blame you. Failure will have a face and a name."

"When we are done, Gotham will be a dead city, a city of fear. Its skyscrapers will be headstones, its homes will be tombs."

"What does the great Gotham savior fear? We shall see..."

"Didn't you know, Dark Knight? You can't fight fear..."

"You're old, you're predictable, and you never stood a chance."

"You always told me, Bruce: "Focus on what I want to achieve, and it'll happen". Well, you wanna know what I want now, huh? I want you dead!"

"Look at me while you die, Batman. Look. At. Me."

"I did ask if it came in black, but then I thought... Ah, you'd just get all jealous."

"I did it... Cornered you. Did what nobody else could. All these years, all your enemies... but none of them understand you like I do. You think Crane found Oracle on his own? I'm the one that told him about Barbara. Me! Told you I knew everything about you, didn't I? But don't worry Bruce. I kept some secrets to myself."

"How long did it take you before replacing me? A month? A WEEK?! I trusted you, and you just left me to die!"

"Come on, hero! Let's see if you can keep up with me!"

"What happened, Batman? You used to put up a fight."

"It's been a long rivalry, Bat. But this is the only way it could end."

"Shame about the car. I would have kept it when I was finished with you."

"When a man earns my respect, that means I do not rest. I devote all of my energy, everything I have... to killing him!"

"The army was never my idea. I prefer a more intimate approach. Twisting the blade, warm blood running over my hand. Next time, compadre, next time."

"[after Batman's unmasking] I don't care who you are. You're dying just the same."

"Bats? Bats?! BAAAATS?!?"

"He's no better than the creep who killed your parents."

"[talking about Raymond Underhill] Hey, I think prison's going to be the making of this one, Batsy. A few jailhouse tatts, gang initiations, drug abuse. He'll come out a full fledged criminal. Just what Gotham needs."

"[talking about Raymond Underhill] Tut tut tut. Breaking the law for a noble cause? He's nowhere near rich enough to get away with that!"

"[talking about Professor Pyg] Now, old pig-face here, total lunatic. Far too good for this place. Don't worry, you'll be the first one I let out."

"[talking about Professor Pyg] He's sicker than me 'n' Harley's honeymoon tapes but I think he's onto something. What do we say we get him to chisel a smile on that face of yours?"

"[referring to Barbara's kidnapping] Now that I think about it, how did Scarecrow know to go after your IT department? I mean, I had no idea she worked for you when I shot her, I just got lucky. Seriously! I was aiming for her head."

"I can see why you like it up here, Bats. Gives you time to ponder the really big questions. Like "Is Oracle dead?" "Is it all my fault?" "Who's going to die next?" [laughs] Now let's get down there and find out!"

"Those boys have really done their homework! Where do you think they're getting their intel? You think Barbara told them? Those sidekicks of yours! A teeny tiny bit of torture, and they're all "Please make it stop, I'll tell all Batman's secrets! Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!""

"All these years later, and I've still got a soft spot for little Barbara Gordon. Fortunately, mine's not right between the vertebrae!"

"I've just realized! All those times I threatened to kill Bruce Wayne, kidnap Bruce Wayne, blow up Wayne Manor, I was really threatening you! Oh, Bats... If I'd have known, I would have -- let's face it -- try harder."

"[talking about Azrael] I'm digging the suit. He's giving you a run for your money, Bats!"

"[talking about Azrael] Now this guy knows how to do it. He kills bad guys. You need to step up!"

"[talking about Deacon Blackfire] y'think this Blackfire's a real priest, Batsy? I'ts just, I owe Gotham Church an apology for that incident with the hydrochloric holy water. Ho, ho! That was one hell of a baptism!"

"[talking about Deacon Blackfire] You gotta hand it to Deacon Blackbeard: anything that gets the homeless working should be encouraged!"

"[talking about Man-Bat] His wife, your parents - what is it about dead relatives that turn you into a flying rodent?"

"[talking about Man-Bat] The look on your face when you saw him! Who'd thought it? The big, bad Batman, scared of his own reflection?"

"[after Man-Bat is restored to Kirk Lankstrom] It just occurred to me. Kirby-baby didn't have a choice, but you actually choose to be a flying rodent! It's genius!"

"[talking about Firefly] Ah, third degree burns. The cracked, leathery skin; that delightful, waxy sheen. If I had to choose, I think burns would be my favourite scar tissue. Well, burns and mental scars, right Bruce?"

"[talking about Firefly] Look, Garfield, fire's great and all. But what about acid? Electricity? PLIERS?! Come on! Open your mind, man!"

"[talking about Deathstroke] Gather round, kiddies! Uncle Slade's got another tale from the trenches. Ask him to tell the one about the mass grave. Ho, ho. It's a hoot!"

"[talking about Deathstroke] So at what point does World's Greatest Assassin become false advertising?"

"I've had an idea, Bats. PRETEND to get stuck on Riddler's next challenge, and then, just when he thinks he can die happy, break his little question mark-shaped heart."

"[talking about Two-Face] So how's it hanging, Harv? Colour me insensitive, but I've always wanted to ask; did EVERYTHING get split down the middle?"

"[talking about Two-Face] Oh, Bats, you just bring out the best in everyone! Your enemies, your friends- even your bestest frenemies like Harv, here: he's at least halfway interesting these days, and it's all thanks to you."

"[when Nightwing gets kidnapped by the Penguin] It's happening again, Bats. First you got Jason Todd killed. Now old Dick's about to meet his maker. I know what you're thinking, and you're right. This is all your fault! [chuckles] You should come with a health warning, you know that!"

"[taking over Batman's body] Look at me! I'm amazing! And this body… I can't believe how strong it is!"

"[when Batman goes to rescue Nightwing from the Penguin] You're actually going to save him, aren't you? You should leave him, he deserves it, going off on his own like that. He doesn't respect you, Bats. Never has!"

"[talking about the Penguin] Don't be fooled, Bats! Underneath that short, fat, hideous exterior.... there's an icky, fishy, teddy bear wating to get out!"

"[talking about the Penguin] And to think this guy was my nemesis back in Arkham City. Oh, don't look at me like that, Bats. I do have a life outside you! I used to anyway."

"Well, that's what I get for betting it all on black."

"I am the Comeback King! The Clown Prince of Chaos! The Jester of Genocide!"

"[sees a portrait of Batman carrying his dead body] Ah, good times. [sees his corpse being put into a crematorium for cremation] Ooh, crispy! I outgrew that body anyway. Trying to tell me something, Bats? I'm not dead! I've never been so alive! [comes upon his grave and the headpiece falls off] Oh, wait a minute. This… This isn't my grave. Oh, no, no, no, it's too small. It's all overgrown. Where's the head? It's... Oh, right. I get it. They forgot about me. Very funny, Bats, but it's not going to happen."

"This is how it happened. This is how the Joker died."

"When I get out of here, I'll write my name in blood on every street corner! I'll carve it on every corpse! I'll... I'll... NO ONE'S FORGETTING ME! Now, how do I get out of here?"

"So long, Bats! Hell of a ride, but I'm getting off!"

"You know, you almost had me scared back there! Me? Ha, ha! What have I got to be afraid of?"

"[upon his final defeat, being locked away in Batman's mind forever] NO, BRUCE! DON'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE!... I need you...!"

"[in his interview tapes] Right, okay. Riddlerbot memory formatted, adaptive AI algorithms uploaded, joints oiled. Now, ahem... give my creation LIFE! [no sound] ARGH! DAMMIT! Useless hunk of dead metal! Do you want to become a semi-automated theme park mannequin?! Because that's the fate in store for you!"

"[after being captured] Locked in here, surrounded by inferior minds... I can almost feel them sucking the intelligence out of me!"

"[after being captured] You must be so pleased with yourself. I expect that cowl-clad cranium is fit to burst!"

"[after being captured] Don't worry, Batman, I will come back from this. You see, I'm blessed with the capacity for self-improvement - sadly something you lack. It would be nice if your intellect could move beyond its bestial beginnings, but alas, taking the bat out of the cave is far easier than taking the cave out of the bat."

"[after Batman's unmasking] You may have everyone in here fooled with your little "Bruce Wayne" charade, but not me, Batman. You'll never fool me!"

"[to Professor Pyg] Please cease with these mindless inanities. It is beneath my brilliance to be cooped up with one so clearly insane."

"[to Azrael] Your faith in mindless superstition is as misplaced as your desire to emulate Gotham's overrated defender, you outdated eleventh century anachronism!"

"[in a "Game Over" screen] I did it! I ACTUALLY DID IT...! I mean, of course I did. Good! As expected!"

"[in a "Game Over" screen] Now, to be fair, Catwoman, in cat years you had a very good run!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] Well, well, well, would you Adam and Eve it! Bruce bloody Wayne and Batman. The two people I hate most in the world, standing right in front of me!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] I've never forgiven you, Wayne. The Cobblepots should be running this city, not your stinking family!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] My old man lost all that money and who did he take it out on? Muggin's here! Shipped me off to that poxy boarding school."

"[meeting Azrael in prison] Nobody said this was fancy dress!"

"[after being captured] How many times have we done this, Batman? You put us behind bars, only for us to escape. Your life is meaningless! A charade!"

"[after being captured] Satisfaction is short-lived. Enjoy it while you can, because the next time we meet... you die!"

"[after being captured] Feeling lucky, Batman? What do you say we flip a coin? Heads, we walk free."

"[after being captured] Sure you're on the right side of the bars, Batman? From where I'm standing, you look guilty as hell."

"[after being captured] They say time is the best judge. Well, the verdict's in, and Gotham's time is up!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] Why bother with the mask, hero? You got nothing worth hiding now."

"[after Batman's unmasking] Maybe you should think about changing your face? I've got a few ideas..."

"[after Batman's unmasking] I wanted to help people, but Gotham wouldn't let me. Good men don't last here, Bruce. Not when everybody knows who they are."

"This is how it happened. This is how the Batman died."

"Civil unrest? There's a war in the streets, we don't have the manpower OR the equipment!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! The Circus of Strange is coming to a town near you! Never before has such a host of talented performers gathered in one place, to amaze and entertain! Be astounded by Big Top! Is it a man, is it a woman? Who knows, but I guarantee it's the most gigantically grotesque assortment of flesh you have ever seen! Be dumbfounded by the acrobatic oddity that is Siam! Stare open mouthed as these conjoined triplets defy the limits of the human body and its imagination! And last and by no means least, be stunned and horrified by the combustible wonder that is Phosphorus Rex! Folks, you gotta see it to believe it! Come and join us and you'll never look at the world the same way again!"

"Janosz, my dearest son, my perfect child, I make these recordings so you are not alone, so that you know daddy loves his son. Daddy loves his little Pyg! The circus has traveled far and we have brought joy to many sad people. They join us now like a big family, growing week by week! Now they feel no pain, they know nothing of misery. I call them my Dollotrons. To each new home, we move at night, finding a fresh patch of earth to inhabit. Secret places in forgotten parts of town, ugly wastelands where the locals stumble unawares into our candy-stripe tent. The Dollotrons are the first to greet them with open arms and perfect faces! The climax of the show is when I take them to see mother! Oh, I tell you, they are amazed by my imagination, confounded by my dexterity as each is transformed into a beautiful work of art! But, mother is hard to please! She wants more, always more, never satisfied, always driving me to work harder, to obtain perfection! And I will! Night has drawn its curtains yet again and the circus moves on, our numbers swollen, to a different patch of Earth. On the dark horizon, the building tops glimmer, the heat and smog of industry shroud the den of criminals and beasts. Gotham is her name! Janosz, I tell you, the circus has come home!"

"Pyg make it all better. Pain is just the body's way of saying thank you!"

"[singing] Pyg make you invincible! Perfect and invincible! Dollotron feel no pain!"

"Fix him, my darling! Make him perfect!"

"Pyg wants a hug! Pyg wants to feel the nails in his chest!"

"Oh mommy! Are you upset? Pyg tried his best, Pyg tried to help them!"

"It's not too late for you, Batman. Pyg is an artist! I can make a maiden from a monkey, a model from a miscreant... a beauty from a bat!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] Bruce [grunts] Wayne! What a pretty man hiding in that suit, like a big present!"

"Fire is the gift - man's first and only triumph! We are fools who deny its power!"

"Fire is nature's way of clearing the path! Stand in its way, and you will be destroyed!"

"I've seen the answer, Batman, many times over! They commune with me! The flames... have you not been transfixed by their flickering light?"

"You think you've saved this city, Batman?! It will burn! All of it will burn!"

"Gotham needs to burn, Batman! You of all people should know that! It's shrouded in darkness... I just want to bring a little light!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] Rich or poor, it doesn't matter to me! Wayne Manor's next on my list when I get out!"

"You've found the Cheshire Cat, all grinning! Don't be fooled, don't think you're winning."

"The rabbit is gone. He's hopped away! I'm sure he only wants to play. Return the book, and then we'll find how little Alice lost her mind."

"Down and down the rabbit hole you fall, were madness rains from wall to wall."

"Through the rhyming words you tumble, where villains toil and psyches crumble."

"Welcome to Wonderland, it's time to play a game. I'm here to make you understand what drives a man insane."

"And if you ever want to leave this crazy world you now inhabit, all you have to do is follow the white rabbit!"

"Come join me on my journey, a trip down memory lane, where you strapped me to a gurney and declared me quite insane."

"Did you think I had forgotten? No, I owe you quite a debt. And this adventure has just begun. I'm far from done yet."

"Look who's here! White rabbit there wallowing. Freedom waits for the one who's following."

"You're late! You're late! The page is turning. Keep up, Alice, I know your learning."

"What fun we had in Arkham city. Dear Alice never looked so pretty! Well, until you snapped and crushed my hat, did you think you'd get away with that? No."

"Come on now Alice, don't be late. Follow the rabbit and seal your fate."

"There's no way back for you Batman my puppet on a string. You're mine forever more, now it's the Hatter's toon you sing."

"He's back again the white rabbit's head. Will you help him Alice or kill him dead?"

"Sorry Alice it's not yet time. Another page and I'll make you mine."

"Ah, Hallow's eve and Gotham burns, it's here the story twists and turns. The final chapter, where we find how little Alice lost her mind."

"Oh Alice dear please pay attention, don't make me keep you in detention."

"Kill the rabbit! Kill him dead! He's after you! He wants your head!"

"Kill him, Alice! Try, I dare! You can't catch him, he's everywhere!"

"[if Batman beats up Hutch] Hee-hee, you found him, victim three! You're homicidal, just like me. Look back on this and you will find how madness lurks in every mind."

"Where are you, Alice, where'd you go? This isn't right, oh no, no, no!"

"My Wonderland is but a dream away! Next time, Batman, I'll convince you to stay."

"[after Batman's unmasking] Looks like the secret is out, Mr. Wayne. Your tragic youth, your life of pain."

"[after Batman's unmasking] Can you justify the blood you spilled to the boy who saw his parents killed?"

"Life is sick! Death is the cure!"

"You are a corpse with delusions of life!"

"I’ve saved a special place for your mark."

"Your pitiful existence ends now!"

"You’re nothing but an animal ready for slaughter!"

"My skin aches for your mark!"

"I see you, Bat, with your throat already slit."

"I will be baptized, born again in your blood!"

"I’ll make it painless, Batman."

"My knife hungers!"

"Death is freedom, death is peace!"

"Accept death and drift into oblivion!"

"Come, let death take you."

"Life is arbitrary Batman, there is no meaning, no justice… Death is the one true equalizer and I bring it to us all."

"You have nothing to fight for."

"I see it, Batman. In their eyes… the terror of futility."

"Nothing we do matters, death is our release."

"You’re already dead, I will make you see."

"I will cut your death into my flesh."

"Ever hold a razor to your wrist, Batman? Allow me the pleasure."

"My blade yearns for your throat!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] It was tragic what happened to you as a boy, to have survived when your parents were granted release. The city is sick, Wayne. You try to help these creatures but death is their cure."

"[as he is put in lockup] When the walls of this prison crumble, Batman, it’s cutting time!"

"[as he is in lockup] So many lives in here, so many marks to carve in my flesh."

"You fail to see the bigger picture, Batman. My work was about protecting this country. You care more about those animals- AAAAH! Are you crazy?! You can't put me next to that monster! Let me out of here!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] I'm trying to figure out your motivation, Mr. Wayne. And I'm afraid I can only draw one conclusion: you're insane."

"[after Batman's unmasking] By the way, how has the reaction to your unmasking been? I imagine the downtrodden are delighted to discover their tormentor is a billionaire."

"[after Batman's unmasking] When the courts are through with you and you're left desperately selling off what remains of your parents' legacy, perhaps I will generously open my checkbook!"

"[after Batman's unmasking] You’re nothing but a hypocrite, Wayne. How many laws have you broken? Hmmm? How many rights have you trampled on? Justice is coming for you now."

"Aaron Cash: [after Batman's unmasking] Just had the mayor on the phone. Says he's sending over an arrest warrant for Bruce Wayne. Shame. Our fax machine had a little accident..."

"Sergeant Ginn: [after Batman's unmasking] I don't know what to say, Batman. That's big news. I guess now we know where the money for the car comes from."

"Sergeant Groszek: [after Batman's unmasking] What happened at the Asylum doesn't matter. You're Batman to me."

"Officer Styles: [after Batman's unmasking] So, Mr. Wayne, been to any good parties recently? [chuckles] I can't believe people are actually buying it. I mean, "I saw it on TV, it must be true!""

"Firefighter Ashley: [after Batman's unmasking] I was thinking, you better get word to friends and family. Batman's enemies just became your enemies."

"Jack Ryder: [after Batman's unmasking] There you are. Secret identity revealed, huh? You wanna talk about it? On television?"

"Militia: [after Batman's unmasking] So under that mask, you're just a rich punk. Hey, up to you how you get your kicks."

"Thug: [after Batman's unmasking] I hate rich guys! They're just so... rich! You better make the most of it, buddy, cause there's a lot of lawsuits coming your way!"

"Kevin Conroy as Batman and Hush"

"Martin Jarvis as Alfred Pennyworth"

"John Noble as Scarecrow"

"Troy Baker as Jason Todd/Arkham Knight and Two-Face"

"Mark Rolston as Deathstroke"

"Mark Hamill as Joker"

"Jonathan Banks as Commissioner Gordon"

"Tara Strong as Harley Quinn"

"Ashley Greene as Batgirl/Oracle"

"Grey DeLisle as Catwoman"

"Scott Porter as Nightwing"

"Matthew Mercer as Robin"

"Nolan North as Penguin"

"Wally Wingert as Riddler"

"Steve Blum as Killer Croc"

"Dwight Schultz as Professor Pyg"

"Crispin Freeman as Firefly"

"Maurice LaMarche as Mr. Freeze"

"Peter MacNicol as Mad Hatter"

"Khary Payton as Azrael"

"Dee Bradley Baker as Ra's al Ghul and Warden Ranken"

"Jennifer Hale as Nyssa Raatko"

"Marc Worden as Deacon Blackfire"

"Danny Jacobs as Victor Zsasz (deleted scene)"

"Tara Strong as Batgirl"

"Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn"

"Diane Pershing as Poison Ivy"

"Adrienne Barbeau as Catwoman"

"Bob Hastings as Jim Gordon"

"Jennifer Hale as Dora Smithy, Selma Reesedale"

"Dee Bradley Baker"

"[to Hal] Let me tell you, friend. The only way to operate out here is by fear. They hit, I hit harder. They attack, I annihilate. I am the one constant, unassailable force against their chaos and you made them forget that. You think I enjoy this? Look at the universe the Guardians have created. We have the greatest power in the cosmos and what have they made us? Garbage collectors! We pick up the trash. [blasting away at garbage with Power Ring] A thief here, a killer there. Scum, dirt, filth! There's no end to it, but there could be. It's my dream that one day all of this rot will be wiped away. A new order will prevail, one that will end the chaos but it won't be built by the faint of heart. You got soft on me back there, Earth boy, and that I will not tolerate."

"[last words] You are now a... Green Lantern... One of the protectors of the universe... The Guardians... will send for you... Use... the ring... wisely."

"[steps on Sinestro's hand and crushes his ring] Excuse me, poozer."

"Christopher Meloni - Hal Jordan/Green Lantern"

"Victor Garber - Sinestro"

"Michael Madsen - Kilowog"

"Tricia Helfer - Boodikka"

"John Larroquette - Tomar-Re"

"Kurtwood Smith - Kanjar Ro"

"Larry Drake - Ganthet"

"William Schallert - Appa Ali Apsa"

"Malachi Thorne - Ranakar"

"Olivia d'Abo - Carol Ferris"

"David Lander - Ch'p"

"Richard Green - Cuch"

"Juliet Landau - Labella"

"Kath Soucie - Arisia Rrab"

"Richard McGonagle - Abin Sur"

"Rob Paulsen - Weaponers of Qward"

"Jim Wise - Lieutenant"

"Bruce Timm - Bug Boy"

"It all makes sense now. He's brought me here to be the mother of a race of super-children. Can't let that happen. They'll grow up and lie to everybody."

"He's not dead. He's up there fixing the sun. And when he's done, he'll be back. And I'll be here waiting for him."

"They always said they wanted children..."

"James Denton - Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman"

"Christina Hendricks - Lois Lane/Superwoman"

"Anthony LaPaglia - Lex Luthor"

"Edward Asner - Perry White"

"Frances Conroy - Martha Kent"

"Linda Cardellini - Nasthalthia "Nasty" Luthor"

"Matthew Gray Gubler - Jimmy Olsen"

"Steven Blum - Atlas, General Sam Lane"

"Alexis Denisof - Dr. Leo Quintum"

"John DiMaggio - Samson, Ultra-Sphinx"

"Kevin Michael Richardson - Steve Lombard, Tyrannko"

"Cathy Cavadini - Cat Grant, Floral"

"Arnold Vosloo - Bar-El"

"Finola Hughes - Lilo"

"Robin Atkin Downes - Solaris"

"Michael Gough - Parasite"

"Fred Tatasciore - Krull"

"Chris Cox - Lead Agent"

"Obba Babatundé - Judge, Bibliobot"

"When you shape the light of your ring, you walk in the footsteps of the first Lantern."

"Accident is only the will of the universe expressing itself."

"Laira: [to Kentor] I came here hoping that Ree'yu and Rubyn were responsible for Jayd's atrocities, hoping that you were still the man that once tucked his daughter in at night, but you are no longer that man, and I am a Green Lantern. [she uses her ring's power against Kentor] You're not even worthy of that armor! [the ring's energies strip Kentor off his Golden Dragon armor]"

"Deegan: In brightest day, In blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight. You freaking bastards!"

"Deegan: That's Sergeant Deegan to you, poozer!"

"Arisia Rrab: [about Mogo] He might not socialize, but he sure knows how make an entrance."

"Atrocitus : I told you there are things worse than death green lantern"

"Abin sur : this prison is of your doing Atrocitus"

"Atrocitus : I speak not of Ysmalt green lantern or my own fate ,I speak of your, your death"

"Abin sur : I told you I do not fear death"

"Atrocitus : It will come to you sooner than you realise , All because your ring fails you in your most desperate hour"

"Abin sur : Then I will remember to charge my ring often"

"Atrocitus : But it is not your death that is the tragity it is beyond it , I have seen the future of the green lantern corp , it's destiny , should you care to hear it ?"

"Abin sur : continue"

"Atrocitus : Let me go further in time then to a time when all the vile murderers and divience in the universe become united under one leader , there will be a war of light that will burn the surface of Oa black , it will leave scores of lanterns dead , even the the greatest ones will fall and the green light will be extinguished and a new corps will form a corps of fear , Sinestro , Sinestro's corps will terrorize the universe , the Guardians will find themselves without their soldiers , they will be uprehanded and captured, they will be skined alive and eaten by Sinestro's followers , their skulls will be the base of Sinestro's throne on Oa his reign will cover the universe like a shraude ( Abin sur prepares to leave) wait ! where are you going!?"

"Abin sur: You almost had me demon, but you took a green lantern down a path his will power would never let him go, Sinestro may not believe in destiny but I do ( closes Atrocitus' cell ) I know my good friend is destined for greatness , you however are not"

"Nathan Fillion - Hal Jordan/Green Lantern"

"Elisabeth Moss - Arisia Rrab"

"Jason Isaacs - Sinestro"

"Kelly Hu - Laira"

"Roddy Piper - Bolphunga"

"Arnold Vosloo - Abin Sur"

"Henry Rollins - Kilowog"

"Tony Amendola - Appa Ali Apsa, Kentor"

"Michael Jackson - Ganthet"

"Wade Williams - Deegan"

"Steven Blum - Kloba Vud, Palaqua, Ranakar, G'Hu"

"Peter Jessop - Salaak"

"Grey DeLisle - Ree'Yu, Ardakian Trawl, Boodikka"

"David Kaufman - Rubyn"

"James Arnold Taylor - Tomar-Re"

"Bruce Thomas - Atrocitus"

"Jane Singer - Watchet"

"Mitchell Whitfield - Avra"

"Gwendoline Yeo - Blu"

"Bruce Timm - Galius Zed"

"Andrea Romano - Abin Sur's Ring, Deegan's Ring"

"Sunil Malhotra - Bolphunga's Ship"

"Uh-uh. No phoning home! [punches hole in robot]"

"[to Terrorist Leader] You don't know teenage girls, do you? Rebellious, angry at the world, doesn't know her own strength? You're in deep trouble."

"Matt Bomer - Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman"

"Stana Katic - Lois Lane"

"John Noble - Brainiac"

"Molly Quinn - Kara Zor-El/Supergirl"

"Alexander Gould - Jimmy Olsen"

"Diedrich Bader - Steve Lombard"

"Frances Conroy - Martha Kent"

"Wade Williams - Perry White"

"Stephen Root - Zor-El"

"Sirena Irwin - Alura"

"Melissa Disney - Thara Ak-Var"

"Michael-Leon Wooley - Ron Troupe"

"Jason Beghe - Terrorist Leader"

"Will Yun Lee - Parasoldier Leader"

"Ian James Corlett - Kryptonian 1"

"Andrea Romano - News Anchor 2, Superman's Ship"

"Batsy, you complete me."

"[to Batman, after being bitten by Dracula] You're the second Batman tonight, and you're both pains in the neck."

"[Nervously watching Dracula drain the Joker of blood at dusk] Breakfast in bed... fresh-squeezed."

"[getting arrested] It was vampires, I tell ya! Vampires! With big honkin' fangs!"

"[to Dracula, regarding Vicky Vale] Oh, the girl... you HAVE been the grave for a while, haven't you, master? [Eyes her neck] Nice jugulars!"

"[researching Bruce Wayne at the newspaper archive] What is it about you that keeps me coming back? Your boyish charm... hot bod... tons of money... if only I were shallow."

"[to Dracula, aiming the vaccine] Bite this."

"[about Dracula's withered head] I'll be sweeping that into the dust pan, sir."

"Rino Romano - Bruce Wayne/Batman"

"Peter Stormare - Count Dracula"

"Tara Strong - Vicki Vale"

"Tom Kenny - Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin"

"Kevin Michael Richardson - The Joker"

"Alastair Duncan - Alfred Pennyworth"

"Jeff Bennett - Arkham Asylum Inmate"

"[Narrating] When most people think of L.A., they think of the bright lights and glamor of Hollywood. But those lights cast dark shadows. Shadows that hide even darker secrets. My name is Corrigan. I'm a cop, and I have a few secrets of my own."

"[voice-over] Sometimes, there isn't a hell of a lot of satisfaction in my job. It's hard watching talented, beautiful people throw their lives away for nothing... But this is a town where fame and fortune too easily bring out the worst in people. When that happens, I'm here to avenge... That's my secret... I am The Spectre."

"Gary Cole - Jim Corrigan/The Spectre"

"Alyssa Milano - Aimee Brenner"

"Jeff Bennett - Foster Brenner, Peter McCoy, Flemming"

"Rob Paulsen - Drew Flynn, Lt. Brice, Deandre"

"Jon Polito - Police Captain"

"[first lines] My name is Red Doc. And I can whip any man in the house and ride any filly in the place."

"Thomas Jane - Jonah Hex"

"Linda Hamilton - Madame Lorraine"

"Michael Rooker - Red Doc"

"Jason Marsden - Young Man, Bartender"

"Michelle Trachtenberg - Bar Girl"

"Sorry I'm late. But you try changing clothes in a hybrid."

"Pat: [voice-over] And now Sylvester the Sky Man brings you up-to-the-minute traffic from our WST News chopper."

"Neal McDonough - Oliver Queen/Green Arrow"

"Ariel Winter - Princess Perdita"

"Malcolm McDowell - Arthur King/Merlyn the Magnificent"

"Grey DeLisle - Dinah Lance/Black Canary"

"Steven Blum - Count Vertigo"

"John DiMaggio - Merc 1"

"Eliza Dushku - Selina Kyle/Catwoman"

"John DiMaggio - Rough Cut, Motorcycle Dude"

"Liliana Mumy - Holly Robinson"

"Kevin Michael Richardson - Moe"

"Tara Strong - Buttermilk Skye"

"Cree Summer - Lily"

"That looks like it's gotta hurt. Well, I say that like I'm speculating or something. I know it hurts."

"I seem to have made myself an enemy of all the bad guys."

"(after Batman tries to redeem him)"It's too late...you had your chance...and I'm just getting started." - Under the Red Hood"

"(confronting Batman at the Ace Chemicals building) "Hard to forget that night, huh? In a way, Batman, this was the site of your first great failure. Maybe your greatest, but certainly not your last, right? Ah, memories."

"You can't stop crime! That's what you never understood! I'm CONTROLLING it! You want to rule them by fear but what do you do to those who aren't afraid?! I'm doing what YOU won't! I'm taking them out!"

"(after beating The Joker to a pulp) Now tell me... How does it feel?"

"(to Batman) Is that what you think this is about? That you let me die?! I don't know what clouds your judgment worse. Your guilt or your antiquated sense of morality. Bruce, I forgive you for not saving me. But why, why on God's Earth..." (kicks open a door, revealing the Joker.) "...IS HE STILL ALIVE?!?"

"(to Batman, about Joker) Ignoring what he's done in the past-blindly, stupidly disregarding the entire graveyards he's filled, the thousands who've suffered, the friends he's crippled. And I thought...I thought I'd be the last person you'd ever let him hurt. If it had been you that he'd beat to a bloody pulp, if he had taken you from this world, I would have done nothing but search the planet for this pathetic pile of evil, death-worshipping garbage...and send him off to hell!!"

"(after Batman explains why he never killed the Joker) Why? I'm not talking about killing Penguin or Scarecrow or Dent. I'm talking about him. Just him. And doing it because... Because he took me away from you."

"Hey...It's going to be hard to learn a great many things about me, but one I'll give you for free... I am no one's son."

"(to Onyx) "What do you think this was all about? We were going to rough these guys up and teach them a lesson? Welcome to planet Earth, baby! These dead sacks of meat on the floor made their living by beating, raping and devouring! Fear isn't the answer!""

"You son of a b****." (about Batman, after returning from the dead and seeing that the Joker is still at large)"

"Yeah, well if you want answers to questions beyond reason...there is a guy in Arkham Asylum who wrote the book on crazy"

"My name is Jason Todd. Or better known to the NSA, CIA, Homeland Security, FBI, KGB, Mossad and Interpol as the Red Hood. (Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 1 32, 2014; by Scott Lobdell)"

"We were friends, helping each other pick up the pieces of our lives. We were OUTLAWS! (Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 1 40, 2015; by Scott Lobdell)"

"It might not be a popular thought but not everyone wants to be alive (Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 2 3, 2016; by Scott Lobdell)"

"My best friends are a Superman clone and a stray Amazon. I like to think I'm an open-minded guy. (Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 2 15, 2017; by Scott Lobdell)"

"Listen to the city on the other side of the walls. The cars racing to places people don't want to go. The ambulances racing from horror to hope. Listen to the people shouting and laughing and loving and fighting and giving birth and taking lives. Listen for the heartbeat among the chaos of Gotham City... like I did when I was a kid and slept on the sidewalk on more than one night. There is a world out there in this one city. Can you hear it? (Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 2 4, 2017; by Scott Lobdell)"

"My name is Jason Todd. In my short lives, I've been a homeless kid --...and an outlaw. To name a few. Now? God help us one and all... I'm a teacher. (Red Hood: Outlaw Annual Vol 1 3, 2019; by Scott Lobdell)"

"Funny, I actually escaped death...but one life later, the past keeps dragging me back (Red Hood: Outlaw Vol 1 48, 2019; by Scott Lobdell)"

"I may not have been the best sidekick in the world... I was craptastic as a super-villain... but I'll be damned if I wasn't a hell of an Outlaw. (Red Hood: Outlaw Vol 1 50, 2020; by Scott Lobdell)"

"See, now? If Bats were here, he'd have explained that I wasn't probably supposed to do that. He'd say there are better ways to spend your energy. "You're a Robin. Be a Robin." That's what he'd say, if Bats was here. (Robin War Vol 1 1, 2016; by Tom King)"

"This is Red Hood and Red Robin broadcasting on all Spyral satellite communications. The following message is for Agent 37. We have discovered the truth behind Mother's signal and are inbound to your location. Mother's children aren't evil. They're not monsters. They're victims of programming, abuse, and trauma. And they can change. Which means they're not the enemy. Fact is, they're just like us. We may have began as the soldiers Batman built for his crusade. But we became something else, something he never expected. We started as an army. We chose to be a family. And if there's hope for us... there's hope for anyone. (Batman & Robin Eternal Vol 1 16, 2016; by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, James Tynion IV, and Scott Snyder)"

"Really? You don't think I understand what it's like to be abandoned? Forgotten? To be the Robin nobody trusts? (Batman & Robin Eternal Vol 1 7, 2016; by Genevieve Valentine, James Tynion IV, and Scott Snyder)"

"None of us Robins were ever as good as Batgirl. We knew it. Drove us all crazy... I think it was because she didn't do what she does for revenge. Not like ol' dead Nightwing or me. She doesn't fight for some ghost. She fights for someone alive. (Batman Eternal Vol 1 18, 2014; by Tim Seeley, James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Ray Fawkes, and John Layman)"

"The world's greatest detective, and you still haven't figured it out? Life's just a game, Batman... and this time, you lose. (Batman Vol 1 617, 2016; by Jeph Loeb)"

"At this point [Jason] is beyond the point of no return in terms of ever being considered even remotely a hero. What I wanted to do here is put him in a place that he can't come back from. The things that he does here in Battle for the Cowl are things that can never really be forgiven. The only outcome would have to be imprisonment or something worse. But from this point on for Jason the gray area between good and bad has disappeared. It's crystal clear now that he is on the dark side."

"If only Jason could have reached out to us. Any one of us. He could have saved himself. But you know what? Some people don't want to be saved. Because saving means changing. And changing is always harder than staying the same. It takes courage to face yourself in the mirror and look beyond the reflection. To find the you that you should have been. The you that got derailed by cruel childhood events. Events that took your life's natural trajectory and twisted it. Changing it into something unimaginable … or even incredible"

"His name is Jason Todd. A lot of people say he's crazy. Like, say the entire staff of Arkham Asylum. Maybe they're right. I'm hardly in a position to judge. Anyone. But as he pops out of his disguise--blows my chain off my ball--and gives me my bow and quiver? Let's just say Red Hood is my kind of crazy!"

"To me the whole killing of Robin thing was probably the ugliest thing I've seen in comics, and the most cynical."

"It would be a really sleazy stunt to bring him back."

""Once again, my place here is threatened. Someone reaches across the world to take what is mine Gotham is a prize coveted by many. I can never rest. Always there is someone seeking to take what is Bane's. As in prison so it is outside. All I own is challenged. A challenge that must be met with overwhelming force. You understand, mi hermano. You have been with me always. You know what I must do." - Bane: Conquest Vol 1, #1"

""I could kill you... but death would only end your agony -- and silence your shame. (lifts Batman over his head) Instead, I will simply... (snaps Batman's spine on his knee) ...BREAK YOU! (dumps Batman's broken body on the ground) Broken...and done." -Batman: Knightfall"

"“I’d kill for anything. I’d kill to silence a grating voice, to darken the light in the eyes that dared look at me.” -Batman: Knightfall"

""I have only one rule when dealing with the enemy. Give them nothing. Not solace, not mercy, not kindness, not torment, not provisions, and - most assuredly - not satisfaction." - Secret Six #05"

""You break him by breaking everyone he loves and stacking them, defiled and ruined, in his grand foyer." - Secret Six #35"

"I'm listening, and when I say I'm listening, I'm also thinking about killing you."

"[When asked by Li if Red Hood is crazy for selling back their kryptonite for $50,000,000] "No. The crazy ones would make a suit out of the rock and march into Metropolis and play 'king of the mountain'. This one knows what he's doing.""

"I'm not pleased, you know. Not pleased at all. And despite appearances, this isn't a damned smile on my face."

"I swear, it's like trying to run a crime organization with my mother."

"And I'll just wait here... because I'm known for my patience."

""Aw, c'mon, Puddin' -- don'tcha wanna rev up ya Harley? Vroom! Vroom!" - Batman: Mad Love"

""Face it, Harl. This stinks -- yer a certified nutso wanted in twelve states -- and hopelessly in love with a psychopathic clown. Hey, when did my life go Loony Tunes!?" - Batman: Mad Love"

"[to Batman] "I've never seen ya' laugh before... I don't think I like it. Cut it out! You're givin' me the creeps." - Batman: Mad Love"

""I found the Joker's psyche disturbing, his dementia alarming, and his charm irresistible!" - Batman: Harley Quinn"

""My love for my Joker was stronger than their madhouse walls." - Batman: Harley Quinn"

""Face it, Harley-- you and your Puddin' are kaput! You're playin' solitaire now-- not hearts!" - Harley Quinn #2"

"[After being instructed by a SWAT team to "Get on her knees"] "Maybe when we get to know each other better." - "Harley Quinn #28"

"(about Bruce Wayne ) "Brucie's got a lot more on the ball than you'd think. He's got a presence. He hides it under that society suave, but there's a real intensity. Only others I ever met like that were Mistah J... and Batman!" - Harley Quinn #6"

""Get up, you deadbeat! That was the only place in town with a scintillatin' selection of polyester fashion! Where you think I'm gonna shop now? - Harley Quinn #9"

""There's no such thing as safe sex with some alien races. Think acid-for-blood. Think mate-then-kill." - Harley Quinn #15"

""Well, what d'ya know -- looks like we ran outta friends... for a while, at least. And me the social type! Or is that sociopathic?" - Harley Quinn #18"

""If you think Arkham's scary as a doctor, you should try it as a patient." - Detective Comics #831"

""I'm crazy about... Well hey, I'm just crazy." - Gotham Girls"

"(about Arkham) What a dump. - Gotham Girls"

"(To Catwoman about Poison Ivy) "I understand. Yet, as a psychiatrist I feel that Ivy having social interaction with the regular world can only benefit... Ooh, cute puppy!" - Gotham City Sirens #11"

""What is a friend? A single soul residing in two bodies." - Batman: Hush"

""All men by nature seek knowledge." - Batman: Hush"

""Mister, I was born a freak -- I've had to prove myself to creeps like you all my life. I could break you in half. But that wouldn't get me what I want... so I'll steal your crummy computer. And then I'll shove it down your fat throat." - Batman #358"

""Stop me? You worms -- how can any of you stop me? Back in Florida, I was a sideshow freak -- I wrestled alligators to entertain the marks! I broke their backs with my bare hands! Then I got smart. I had the strength, I had the hate -- why shouldn't I use it to get what I wanted? "Killer Croc" -- that's what they called me. But some day, some day, I knew they'd call me king!" - Batman #358"

""You... the Bat-demon again... I wrestle you... in my nightmares." - Batman #849"

""Not so hot without your juice, are ya, Bane? Ya want t'be top man in Gotham, huh? You ain't even a contender!" - Detective Comics #660"

""You slurred me... called me a monster... All my life people have been doing that... people who think they're pretty. But you ain't pretty... and I'm not a monster. The name is Croc... Killer Croc." - Batman #512"

""Stop yer lousy screamin'! All my life people been screamin'... ever since I was a kid -- just cuz I was born different... just cuz I look different, but lemme tell ya... you people ain't no joy to look at neither!" - Batman #521"

""Sometimes she smelled just like magnolias and mint leaves. And if I closed my eyes, it was almost like I was back in the bayou -- almost like I was free again." - Batman: Poison Ivy #1"

""Look at me...! Look at what I've become... That money was to fix..." - Batman: Hush"

""You're gonna fix me again. 'Fore I forget I was a man. And forget not to eat ya." - Detective Comics #809"

""They made me. Do it. Made me. Hungry. Think a' their smells. Their tastes... Hush. Riddler. Black Mask. Batman. Alla 'em. Mouth waters. Gut burns. Gonna love -- every bite." - Detective Comics #810"

""All your life they told you... what you cannot have. What you could not be. Because you were weak. Because you were poor. Because you were a freak. They were wrong. While they fight and kill each other over tiny shreds of territory: docks, alleys streets. You are part of something bigger. An underground empire. The largest territory in all of Gotham City. You are my eyes, above the surface. And I am the deadly jaws beneath it!" - Batman and Robin #23.4"

""I believe in letting people do as they wish, as do I myself. Sometimes, of course, what I wish to do is kill them and they do not wish to die. This gives life interest." - The Question #29"

""Murder by disease. No art in it. No soul. Such a decadent way to kill." - Robin (limited series) #2"

""I cannot destroy you unless you permit me to." - The Question #36"

""I'm a warrior, not a murderer." - Batgirl #8"

""Karma. That I understand." - Batgirl #25"

""I am not allowing you to pass out. I want your men to see you beg. Then you will apologize with a pain you will remember always." - Birds of Prey #62"

""I answer this with blood and pain and cold, damp graves for my enemies." - Birds of Prey #62"

""That's the problem with the amateurs -- the histrionics. No sense of grace at all." - Birds of Prey #63"

""Perhaps death is just a little bit afraid of me." - Birds of Prey #63"

""All this ceremony, and the truth is: the body decays, the spirit is lost. It means nothing. Ashes or earth, I hardly see the significance of where they lay your corpse." - Birds of Prey #68"

""A baby? Certainly. I've had dozens of babies!! [Laughing] I've dropped litters in every corner of the globe!!" - Batman: A Death in the Family"

"I care nothing for what happens or how I am remembered after death. To prove myself the best in life...that is my passion." - Batman #509"

"You are trying to understand madness with logic. This is not unlike searching for darkness with a torch."

""Immediately, I could no longer stand normal temperatures! I could survive only in a sub-zero environment! I lived in virtual isolation ever since -- separated from a world that can't help me and doesn't care. You spent a lot of time making sure I remained behind bars, Batman... did it ever occur to you to use your intellect to free me from the prison of this helmet? To help me rejoin the human race? To cure me? You turned your back on me like everyone else! Now... you'll pay!" - Detective Comics #595"

""That winter, as I watched my "friends" run to their families waiting to take them home for the holidays, I learned the most painful lesson of all... that I had become an embarrassment to my parents, a mistake to be filed away and forgotten. Somehow I knew even then I was destined to live outside humanity, a lonely observer of a world whose warmth would never touch me." - Batman: Mister Freeze #1"

""Of course, I know about bad luck... that's one of the lessons that this city teaches us all, eventually." - Gotham Central #1"

""Time for you is now frozen. Your world will remain at absolute zero. No pain. No sensation. No regrets. God, how I envy you." - Robin Vol 4, #69"

""Yes. Hell. As described by Dante, with its multiple rings. Each one is guarded by a devil. And at the bottom of the universe...is a lake of ice. I am Freeze. I was chosen to guard this realm. All that enters here turns cold, becomes brittle... and breaks." - Nightwing Vol 4, #29"

""The Penguin flies ever alone!" - Detective Comics #611"

""A perfect crime is a work of art, a thing of beauty, and a joy forever, to paraphrase the Bard!" - Detective Comics #611"

""Where's the thrill in committing the perfect crime if nobody knows it was you?" - Detective Comics #611"

""Despite the monetary wherewithal to indulge one's palate, your epicurean tastes run to the mundane. While I, on the other hand, intend to fill my gullet — until I have feted my ravenous appetite!" - Batman: Haunted Knight"

""Ahh... the Batman. While I have an affection for most flying creatures... the winged rat is not among them." - Batman: Haunted Knight"

"(to Batman and Robin) "Why can't you two get a day job?" - Batman #572"

""Fortunately the Penguin is a wise old bird — never one to put all his eggs into one basket." - Detective Comics #824"

"(To Black Canary) "Look at me. No woman in the world ever gets drunk enough, and believe me, I've tried." - Birds of Prey Secret Files & Origins"

""I hate this city. Nothing grows here." - Batman: Poison Ivy"

""Some things are worth dying for, Batman." - Detective Comics #752"

""I don't do that, Harley. I don't save people. I'm poison, remember?" - Harley Quinn #13"

""I have no interest in your deals. No interest in you, in any of you, on the outside. This park, this is Gotham now... its future. Reclaimed by nature, pure without mankind's assaults. It is a sanctuary now, and I am guardian. I will not let it be defiled. Not by anyone. Certainly not by you. Leave." - Shadow of the Bat #88"

""Suicidal men adore me." - Batman & Poison Ivy: Cast Shadows"

""I hate men. Because of what they do. They clip. They prune. They make us remake ourselves into what they want. A Madonna. A whore. A partner. A foe. And we do it. Because we need." - Solo #6"

"(Batman about Poison Ivy) "There's a no man's land between love and hate. Between passion and obsession -- where it's easy to lose all sense of reality -- and in doing so, lose yourself. Somewhere in that emotional minefield... Pamela Isley wanders." - Legends of the Dark Knight #43"

""You're always responsible for the things you create." - Batman: Poison Ivy"

""Hello, lover. Long time, so see." - Batman: Haunted Knight"

""May your hell be a green one!" - Batman: Shadow of the Bat #56"

""Thoughtless. Worthless. Stupid. Man." - Batman: Hush"

""I'm an eco-terrorist of global importance. I make a contribution." - Gotham Girls"

"(To Harley) "If I hear one more word out of you, just one, I swear I'll cram fast growing cactus seeds UP YOUR TUCHUS!" - Gotham Girls"

"(To Harley) "Did you order explosives online again?" - Gotham Girls"

"(To Harley) "Will 'sorry' bring back my beloved barrel cactus?" - Gotham City Sirens #5"

"(To Harley) "Now if I could have a second of what I laughably refer to as your attention..." Harley and Ivy #3"

""Detective, as you know, I am cursed with a love for emptiness... desolation. It is a beauty to which my soul responds... as pure, as untainted as the deserts of my birth. I deem it my mission to purify this planet, to restore it to its former beauty... a mission I will brook no interference in." - Batman: Son of the Demon"

""I have knowledge which is alien to you, for I have tasted food fresh from dark fertile soil, and I have filled my lungs with untainted air, and I have quenched my thirst with water clear as the first day of creation, and you have not -- because you can not. Those things do not exist on this world any longer. They have been destroyed by man's lust for dominance -- a lust I know well, for at times it all but consumes me. All is corrupt, all is sick, all is dying. As am I. As are you." - Batman: Birth of the Demon"

""In the new world, all peoples will be united, every race, every faith, every creed will find common purpose... our world is not for everyone. Only those who prove their worth will enter it. The rest will be purged... and if nine hundred and ninety-nine must perish for every one who lives... so be it!" - Azrael Vol 2, #18."

""Do you think this matters? You are but seconds in my life! Only I know humanity for what it truly is! Only I can see the grand movements of generations! Only I, undying, can live within this world and protect it from itself!" - The Shadow/Batman Vol 1 #6"

""This is a set-back, not a defeat. The advantage is mine. I have eternity... and Batman must win every single time... while I need win but once." - Batman Vol 1, #709"

""The League of Assassins is my legacy. It seems only fair that I have everyone that Bruce Wayne ever loved, everything he ever built, destroyed. The Batman will have no legacy". - Red Robin: Collision"

""We all have our addictions, Detective. Whisper's is me. In turn, mine is the Lazarus Pit. My daughter's is you. And yours is your holy quest. - Detective Comics Vol 1, #750"

""The only thing that thrives outside these walls are the six billion shortsighted parasites who continue to ravage our planet’s natural resources. On its own, humanity is a destructive force. It needs a master." - JLA: Tower of Babel"

""Whoever said a picture was worth a thousand words... is about to see just how badly he miscounted." - JLA: Tower of Babel"

""Everything I have done, I do for the greater good." - Batman: Death and the Maidens"

""Life's full of questions, isn't it, Batman? Though, naturally, I prefer to think of them as riddles." - Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City, part 1"

""Riddle me this, What's black and blue and bleeds profusely?" - Gotham City Sirens"

""I used to be a somebody in this town. Now everybody has a gimmick. I was going to show them all. And I did." - Batman: Hush"

""The Lazarus Pit gives you a unique kind of... clarity. Riddle me this: Who is that under Batman's mask? And now, the world is my oyster. Right, Bruce?" - Batman: Hush"

""Question: How many times have you beaten me? Answers: Five. Ten. A hundred! But... question: What is Batman's greatest defeat? Answer: The death of Robin. Didn't like having your nose rubbed in it, did you?" - Batman: Hush"

""That is a riddle, isn't it?" - Batman: Hush"

""The mastermind always wants more. It's criminal nature." - Detective Comics #828"

""It's a mystery. Broken into a jigsaw puzzle. Wrapped in a conundrum. Hidden in a Chinese box. A riddle." - Batman: The Long Halloween"

""When does a killer... not kill?"- Batman: The Long Halloween"

""You don't understand... I really didn't want to leave you any clues. I really planned never to go back to Arkham Asylum. But I left you a clue anyway. So I... I have to go back there. Because I might need help. I... I might actually be crazy." - Batman: Gotham Adventures"

""I'm the goddamn Riddler! I'm not crazy!" - Batman #686"

"(On being called a poor-man's Joker by Harley) "I am nothing like the Joker! Why does everybody keep saying that?! That clown is only interested in mirth, mayhem and murder! I, on the other hand, live for mental challenges! Games of wit! The chance to outsmart worthy opponents!" - Harley Quinn #6: "Who Wants to Rob a Millionaire?""

"What's happened to us? The Joker's killing people, for Christ's sake!" - "Harley Quinn #6: "Who Wants to Rob a Millionaire?"

"(inside a museum that Batman has broken into trying to beat Riddler to a prized artifact. Riddler wasn't there though, but now he is) "Strapped to a bomb, leashed to a pesky reporter, battered, bruised, outnumbered, outsmarted, and personally granting your greatest enemy access to the very thing you were attempting to keep him from. I'm hazarding a guess here, but... not exactly the way you'd imagined this turning out, is it, sweetheart?" - Legends of the Dark Knight: "Riddle Me That""

"The future is a riddle only time can solve." - Joker's Asylum II #1: "The House The Cards Built"

""If I look like a scarecrow -- then that will be my symbol! A symbol of poverty and fear combined! The perfect symbol to represent Jonathan Crane -- the Scarecrow!" - Batman #189"

""My hero -- my namesake -- had fled in craven terror and cowardice from nothing but a harmless gourd. I couldn't bear the shame... and that's when I finally asserted myself -- in defiance of cruel destiny -- and uttered my fateful vow... In the story of my life, the scrawny Scarecrow will win in the end -- and the last laugh, I swear, will be mine!!" - Batman Annual #19"

""I know an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children, she didn't know what to do. She gave them some broth but gave them no bread. And she beat them and whipped them and put them to bed." - Batman: Haunted Knight"

""Professor Crane isn't here right now. But, if you'd like an appointment?" - Batman: Haunted Knight (also said in Batman Begins)"

""Oh yes, Heaven, father. From where no amount of praying ever draws Him out. 'God in Heaven!' 'God in Heaven!' 'Thank God in Heaven I don't look like that!' - Batman/Scarecrow: Year One"

""I once knew a man whose dog told him to cut his entire family into pieces. Bark. Bark. Bark. BARK!" - Batman: Haunted Knight"

""Knick Knack, Paddy Whack, Give a dog a bone!"- Batman: Haunted Knight"

""Hush, little baby, don't say a word..."- Batman: Hush - volume 2"

""Scream. Scream. Or I will make you scream." - Batman #630"

""Fear is primal. Raw. Blood pressure increases. Veins in your skin contract. Your immune system shuts down. Even if you attempt to steel against fear... it is undeniable. Fear makes us human. That was the conclusion of Charles Darwin. Who am I to argue? I'm a man of science, too. A psychologist. But few know my academic achievements. If you know me at all, you know me as... the Scarecrow." - Green Lanterns #17"

""Fear is irresistible to me. It is my drink. My romance. My gambling. But then I overdosed. Burned out. I couldn't feel it anymore. I became a shell. A shadow of a human. No relief from the pain of being fearless. Until the ring came for me. Can you imagine what that was like? A weapon powered by terror! I wasn't just feeling fear... I was wielding it. So I stole a moment to study it. To learn as much as possible. It was endlessly complex. A combination of emotion and light. Its full potential was beyond me. But I learned enough. And when the ring left me a second time... I was prepared. I was like the caveman who found the burning branch. It ignited the fire within me. After weeks of experiments... I can use it to scare them. But it isn't enough. Not for me to feel fear again. I must try again... I must keep trying. Until I perfect it. Until I am whole again. Until I am consumed by fear." - Green Lanterns #17"

""YES! The Bat is here! I can feel the swell of my hippocampus, the pulse of my amygdala...! I feel afraid! The machine couldn't do it... all I needed was him. I want to cry... this is joy. Relief. Ecstasy. I want him to feel it. I want the Bat to feel fear." - Green Lanterns #17"

"(to Batman) "Beloved, you give too much thought to what is real and what is not, to what is true and what is false. I realize that is your way, but just this once, accept things as they are. Forego your control, your discipline. Just once, let yourself go... and take me with you." - Batman: Son of the Demon"

"(to Batman) "What's wrong with you, Dark Knight? Why is facing psychopathic super-villians so much easier than facing your own emotions?" - Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul #1"

"(after killing Carmine Falcone) "Two shots to the head. If you ask me, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." - Batman: The Long Halloween"

""I did what needs to be done." - Batman: The Long Halloween"

""How much longer did you think I would let the Falcone family tear Gotham in half? Splitting this city between good and evil. My city." -Batman: The Long Halloween"

""Can a man live two lives?" - Batman: The Long Halloween"

""The moon is so beautiful. It's a big silver dollar, flipped by God." (Starts to cry.) "And it landed scarred side up, see? So He made the world." - Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth"

""I am a lawyer. Yes. We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice. Insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure of the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. God bless America." - Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth"

""I am a liar. No. We the acid scarred victims of history of evil and hypocrisy exalt criminals to office. Vietnam, El Salvador, Chile with lovely missiles, roaring bombs of the rich and the white and the pious and burn children and torture women. Forever and ever, amen. God bless America." - Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth"

"(After coming into Vernon's office) "You believe in the justice system, don't you, Vernon? You didn't spend all those years in Law School for nothing, right? Then you know, justice has two sides. Innocent or guilty. Like this coin. One side clean. The other side scarred." -- Batman: The Long Halloween"

""You see, Harvey Dent was one of the good guys. Being good in this town means you need guts. You gotta' be tough. You gotta' do things that aren't in the lawbooks. The bat didn't have the stomach for it. He punked out on Harvey. The great outlaw protector of Gotham hid behind Lady Justice's skirts. But she's blind for a reason, brat. 'Cause she doesn't see what needs to be done in her name. I wanted you to understand that. Before it's all over, I wanted you to know. It wasn't me that killed you. It was the bat." - Robin - Year One"

"[while interrogating a criminal] I'm gonna count to 10. 1... [cocks back his fist] 9..."

"I've been thinking lately about you. You and me. About how this is going to end. About who will end up killing who. Perhaps you'll kill me, perhaps I'll kill you. Perhaps sooner, perhaps later. You know that, don't you? I just... I need to know, for when that time comes... that I've made a genuine attempt to talk things over. To try and avert the inevitable. Just once. [grabs "Joker"'s hand] Listen to me! This is life and death - mine or yours. Our relationship, it's fatal! And I don't want your murder on my-- ["Joker" pulls his hand back, leaving white powder on Batman's glove, and Batman realizes it is a decoy]"

"I spoke with Commissioner Gordon before I came in here. He told me he wanted this done by the book. You know what that means? It means that despite all your sick, cruel, vicious little games, he's as sane as he ever was. So ordinary people don't crack. Maybe... it's just you."

"I find the past such a worrying, anxious place. Yes, memory's so treacherous. One moment, you're lost in a carnival of delights: childhood aromas, the flashing neon of puberty, all that sentimental candyfloss. The next, it takes you somewhere you don't want to be. Somewhere dark and cold, filled with the damp, ambiguous shapes of things you'd rather forget. Memories can be vile, repulsive little brutes. Like children, no? [chuckles] But can we live without them? Memories are what our reason is based on. If we deny them, we deny reason itself! Although... what's wrong with that really? It's not like we're contractually tied down to rationality. There is no "sanity clause"! So whenever you find yourself locked onto an unpleasant train of thought, headed for places in your past where the screaming is unavoidable, remember this: there's always MADNESS You can just step outside and close the door on all those dreadful things that happened. You can lock them away... FOREVER."

"Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I give you... the average man!"

"[after being rescued by Batman, shaken by the Joker's torture, but retaining his sanity] Go after him. I want him brought in... and I want it done by the book! BY THE BOOK! You have to! We have to show him our way works!"

"Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman"

"Mark Hamill as The Joker"

"Tara Strong as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl"

"Ray Wise as Commissioner James Gordon"

"Robin Atkin Downes as Detective Harvey Bullock"

"John DiMaggio as Francesco"

"Brian George as Alfred Pennyworth"

"J. P. Karliak as Reese"

"Andrew Kishino as Murray"

"Nolan North as Mitch"

"Maury Sterling as Paris Franz"

"Fred Tatasciore as Carnival Owner"

"Bruce Timm as Patrolman"

"Anna Vocino as Jeannie"

"Kari Wahlgren as Call Girl"

"Rick D. Wasserman as Sal Maroni"

"Wonder Woman"

"Green Lantern"

"Teen Titans"

"The Books of Magic"

"Hellblazer"

"The Invisibles"

"Kingdom Come"

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"

"Legion of Super-Heroes"

"The Losers"

"The Sandman"

"Swamp Thing"

"Transmetropolitan"

"Trials of Shazam"

"V for Vendetta"

"Vimanarama"

"Lex Luthor: MOS"

"All Star Batman and Robin"

"Batman: The Dark Knight Returns"

"Birds of Prey"

"Gotham Girls"

"Gotham Central"

"Man of Steel (film)"

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"

"Suicide Squad (film)"

"Wonder Woman (2017 film)"

"Justice League (film)"

"Aquaman (film)"

"Shazam! (film)"

"Birds of Prey (2020 film)"

"Wonder Woman 1984"

"Zack Snyder's Justice League"

"The Suicide Squad (film)"

"Black Adam (film)"

"Shazam! Fury of the Gods"

"Blue Beetle (film)"

"The Flash (film)"

"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom"

"Batman (1966 film)"

"Batman (1989 film)"

"Batman Begins"

"Batman Forever"

"Batman Returns"

"Batman & Robin (film)"

"The Batman vs. Dracula"

"The Dark Knight"

"The Dark Knight Rises"

"The Batman (2022 film)"

"All-Star Superman (film)"

"Batman: Assault on Arkham"

"Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (film)"

"Batman: The Killing Joke (film)"

"Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"

"Batman: Under the Red Hood"

"Batman: Year One (film)"

"Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker"

"DC Showcase: Catwoman"

"DC Showcase: Green Arrow"

"DC Showcase: Jonah Hex"

"DC Showcase: The Spectre"

"Green Lantern: Emerald Knights"

"Green Lantern: First Flight"

"JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time"

"Justice League: Doom"

"Justice League: Gods and Monsters"

"Superman vs. The Elite"

"Superman/Batman: Apocalypse"

"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies"

"Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam"

"Superman: Brainiac Attacks"

"Superman: Doomsday"

"Superman: Unbound"

"Wonder Woman (2009 film)"

"Batman (TV series)"

"Wonder Woman (TV series)"

"Birds of Prey (TV series)"

"Legends of Tomorrow"

"The Flash (2014 TV series)"

"Supergirl (TV series)"

"Black Lightning"

"The Penguin (TV series)"

"Batman: The Animated Series"

"Superman: The Animated Series"

"Batman Beyond"

"The Zeta Project"

"Static Shock"

"Justice League (TV series)"

"Justice League Unlimited"

"Superman (video game)"

"Batman: Vengeance"

"Superman: Shadow of Apokolips"

"Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu"

"Batman Begins (video game)"

"Teen Titans (2006 video game)"

"Superman Returns (video game)"

"Batman: Arkham Asylum"

"Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters"

"Batman: Arkham City"

"Batman: Arkham Knight"

"Batman: Arkham Origins"

"Injustice: Gods Among Us"

"Injustice 2"

"The people at DC are some of the most open minded, creative, educated people I have ever met. You’re dealing with characters that are global icons with an audience. It’s not about what DC wants to do, it’s about what the audience will respond to."

"In the summer of 1941 DC instituted a formal code for all its comics perhaps a response to early comic critics. The company declared: "A deep respect for our obligation to the young people of America and their parents and our responsibility as parents ourselves combine to set out standards of wholesome entertainment." Henceforth, Superman, Batman, and DC' other heroes would never take a life. Focusing on the market of young readers and their parents, the company did not go deeply into the horror and crime comics that outsold superheroes in the late 1940s."

"I wanted to put a reference to masturbation in one of the scripts for the Sandman. It was immediately cut by the editor [Karen Berger]. She told me, "There's no masturbation in the DC Universe." To which my reaction was, "Well, that explains a lot about the DC Universe.”"

"Mistakenly in the past I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop. ~ Geoff Johns]]"

"It's kind of a difference based upon mood and vibe of the material. There's something about the stoic heroes of DC that could be contrasted against the hyperkinetic heroes of Marvel."

"Mitchell Hundred: People blame me for Bush in his flight suit and Arnold getting elected governor, but truth is…those things would have happened with or without me. Everyone was scared back then, and when folks get scared, they want to be surrounded by heroes. But real heroes are just a fiction we create. They don’t exist outside of comic books. You know, Mayor La Guardia once read comics over the radio to New Yorkers? It’s true, happened during a newspaper delivery strike back in ’45. Fiorello didn’t want kids to go without their Dick Tracy because of a few squabbling grown ups, so he… Sorry I’m rambling, aren’t I. I do that these days."

"Mitchell Hundred: When I grow up, I wanna work for DC comics, but mom says if I’m gonna draw for a living, I have to learn to be an architect. Kremlin: Here your mother is correct. We do not always get to be what we want to be in life…not even in America."

"Mitchell Hundred: I’m not a professional wrestler, sir. My name is Mitchell Hundred. I’m a retired civil servant who’s dedicated his life to this city. I want to parlay my celebrity, for lack of a better word, into a meaningful political career. Dave Wylie: Listen man, you’d have to reveal your identity before you ran, and the second you did, a dozen different agencies would put out warrants for your arrest. Mitchell Hundred: And so they should. But I highly doubt the town that found innocent will send me to prison for my brief misguided career as a vigilante."

"Mitchell Hundred: My dream was to make a difference in people’s lives. Kremlin: And you did. Now you are just another cog. Mitchell Hundred: I’ve done more good in one hour at city hall than The Great Machine did in a month. Kremlin: You’re mad! How many more lives would have been lost if you had no put this on one last time that day in September? You were a hero! Mitchell Hundred: No, I was a failure. If I were a real hero… I would have been there in time to stop the first plane."

"Commissioner Angotti: Listen to me you arrogant ass hole, do yo remember a high speed pursuit on the west side highway last month? The Great Machine: The bank robbers I caught. Commissioner Angotti: When you disabled the engine on their van, you caused a ten car pile up! You put one of my best officers in the hospital! The Great Machine: I...I did? Commissioner Angotti: With a broken leg, but it could have easily been her neck. The Great Machine: Her? Commissioner Angotti: Yeah women are cops, too, you fucking fruitcake. The Great Machine: I didn't mean-- Commissioner Angotti: I don't care that the slow kids at PS 188 think you're an angel, all right? You are terrorizing New York City, and you're going to get someone killed! The Great Machine: Um... Commissioner Angotti: Take off your mask and turn yourself in or I will start arming my people with fucking bows and arrows... ....and order them to shoot on sight!"

"Curator Rima Barry: The work is untitled it's meaning is open to interpretation. However, through juxtaposing an image of the "great emancipator" with the word some whites still use to keep american blacks shackled to the past, I believe the artist is reminding us that no one can deliver this country from our legacy of bigotry. Mitchell Hundred: What the hell is she talking about? This thing is absurd, it's not even shocking, it's just...ridiculous. Dave Wylie: You're not going to be laughing when you hear who paid for it."

"Mitchell Hundred: Forget who footed the bill for a second, why is this in the same building as Homer and... and Rodin? I'm as open minded as any politician alive, but this is just puerile. Curator Rima Barry: Really? I think Trista Bravings work is quite extra-ordinary. She dares to confront ideologues, those with an aversion to the harsh reality of life. Mitchell Hundred: The artist is she...? Curator Rima Barry: Is she what Mr. Mayor? Mitchell Hundred: Is she, you know... Dave Wylie: Is she black? Curator Rima Barry: I don't see how that's relevant. Dave Wylie: It's relevant because of that word, Rima. That word is all about context, context like the race of the person behind it. Curator Rima Barry: So you have to be part of a select group to use a certain noun? Doesn't that just fetishize it? Doesn't it make it more powerful? I think creators of all colors have a responsibility to appropriate "taboo" phrases form hatemongers. After all, Mark Twain used the N-word dozens of times in Huckleberry Finn, and it's considered the greatest novel in American literature. Mitchell Hundred: Oh fuck, that means she is white. Dave Wylie: Rima, what about our responsibility to the community? The museum's a few blocks from crown heights, for Gods sake! It's been ten years since the riots, and this neighborhood still hasn't finished healing. You didn't think people could be hurt over this? A "Nigger Lincoln?" Mitchell Hundred: Well at least African Americans and Republicans are going to have something they can unite against. How long before the media gets wind? Curator Rima Barry: We sent out press kits an hour ago. Mitchell Hundred: This week is gonna suck, isn't it? Dave Wylie: Like an airplane toilet, sir."

"Mitchell Hundred: I've got 30,000 homeless people sleeping in municipal shelters, at least another five freezing to death out there... and people care about this? Candy Watson: Well , the flip answer is that this is sexy, statistic ain't. But if we play our cards right, we might be able to make some friends on the right. Store up some political capital to send on, you know...reversing cut backs to housing assistance. Dave Wylie: Play our cards right how? By withholding funding to the second oldest museum in the country?"

"Dave Wylie: Sir I know a man is dead, but we can't ignore this exhibit. Koch always said that being mayor is about balancing the seemingly mundane with-- Mitchell Hundred: Relax, I'll review the museums charter. I'm just going to do it down stairs. Too much noise up here, not enough signal."

"Mitchell Hundred: I asked journal to speak with our Lincoln artist, she's going to visit the girl's studio first thing tomorrow morning. Dave Wylie: Why? Mitchell Hundred: If we financially pressure the Brooklyn museum into taking down Miss Braving's painting, it's censorship...but the museums guidelines say that a work of art can be removed at an artist's request. I figured it wouldn't hurt to send someone on a diplomatic mission, just to get inside this girl's head. Maybe she'll voluntarily withdraw after she realizes how much pain her work is causing. Dave Wylie: But we're dealing with a world-famous artist! You don't think she'll be insulted that city hall sent an intern to talk with her? Mitchell Hundred: If I had sent you or another senior staff member it might have looked like we were trying to strong-arm her into pulling out of the exhibit."

"Mitchell Hundred: I don't know what you want, but you're a cunt hair away from being disintegrated. Kremlin: You forget that I help you construct your old raygun, boy. I know how to protect myself from your trigger finger. Mitchell Hundred: Kremlin? Jesus, you can't just break into , you nutjob! Kremlin: Yes, when I come here from Russia as child, this whole place was filled with nothing but filthy restrooms for the park-goers. Mitchell Hundred: Funny, somebody just told me my office downtown was once a jail. Everything good in New York used to be something awful, I guess. Kremlin: And everything awful used to be something good."

"Commissioner Angotti: Oh, what the fuck, Bradbury? You're his head of security and you let him come to an active bomb squad investigation? Bradbury: He wouldn't listen to me, commish! I even tried putting him in irons, but apparently hizzoner can talk to handcuffs too. Mitchell Hundred: I needed to see this for myself Amy. Before I addressed the city. Commissioner Angotti: Not much to see. FDNY just put out the blaze, and the coroner already hauled off the driver…what they could find of him , anyway. Mitchell Hundred: Who would stand to gain anything from killing these poor bastards? Bradbury: Well, no offense, but my girls will be pigs in crap this morning. You say “snow day” dto a kid, and it’s like yelling “free beer” at— Mitchell Hundred: Go shoo away reporters or something, would you? Please?"

"Mitchell Hundred: Three Musketeers? Is that supposed to be some kind of calling card, or did the bomber just get sloppy and, I don't know...drop it? Commissioner Angotti: Why don't you let detective Bando and me figure that out, while you make sure the rest of New York stays inside today. Mitchell Hundred: I'd say mother nature has taken care of that for me, wouldn't you? Commissioner Angotti: Tell that to the sixty-odd people protesting that "Nigger Lincoln" painting down the street this morning. Mitchell Hundred: What? You said the roads-- Commissioner Angotti: Yeah, they're undriveable, but a few subway lines are still open, including the 2 and the 3... Mitchell Hundred:...which drop you off right in front of the Brooklyn Museum of Fucking Art. Jesus, what's wrong with people? It's freezing out here! Commissioner Angotti: Hey, the weather was shittier than this at that ridiculous "Battle In Seattle" a few years ago. Folks are willing to brave the elements when they're pissed off enough and/or looking to meet liberal coeds. Anyway, I don't want to tell you how to run your circus, but I'd do whatever it takes to make those protesters happy enough to go the fuck home. Both of these plow drivers were killed within a few miles of the BMA If we are dealing with you-know-what, our bomber might see that crowd as a target."

"Journal: Sorry I’m late Ms. Braving! I live in Queens, and with the blizzard, the only way I could get to Soho was-- Trista Braving: Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my studio? Journal: Oh, uh, my name is Journal Moore, someone from the mayor’s office was supposed to call you? I’m the new special adviser on youth affairs and-- Trista Braving: You know who else destroyed paintings they didn’t like? The Taliban. Journal: Trista, no one is going to destroy your artwork. But the taxpayers are partially funding its display, and if mayor hundred is going to convince them that it’s a worthwhile use of their money, he could use your help. Can you tell me what your intention was with the piece? What you were trying to say? Trista Braving: It’s not my job to explain my paintings. They speak for themselves. Our generation’s been ruined by cliffs notes and director’s commentaries, people should learn to make their own goddamn conclusions about art. I mean, I know you’re just some glorified intern, but if your parents were fruity enough to name you Journal, they probably taught you something about culture, right? What do you think when you look at this? Journal: Honestly I think it’s a joke. I saw your first installation when I was a freshman at Columbia. This stuff you did with an old Gameboy camera? Sweet. Really cool commentary on modern society’s sexualization of young women. You totally deserved the Coyle Medal that year. Your next exhibit was standard sophomore slump though, a little too precious…and it looked like you knew it. Br> But the reviews were still amazing, huh? Like no critic wanted to be the first to say you might not be everything they hyped you to be last time. Your next show lashed out at them for evaluating you and not your art …but they totally missed the point, and the notices were even more glowing than ever. So when it came tim for “30 under 30” you submitted the most inane hateful piece of clichéd taboo you could imagine, just so you wouldn’t have to endure their empty praise again. But instead of catching on to your little prank, they fell for it, and hung it in a fucking museum, where it’s currently delighting pretentious critics and alienating the real people you set out to reach when you started. But I’m just a glorified intern…what do I know? It’s not too late for you to voluntarily remove Lincoln, replace him with something else, a painting you really care about. Trista Braving: If I… If I do that now, do you have any idea what the art world will say about me? Journal: Maybe it’s time you stop giving a shit about what the “art world” thinks about anything. Trista Braving: Get out of here, would you? I’ve got to finish this piece before kickboxing. Take your overpriced B.F.A. and cheap shoes back to whoever you had to blow to get your little ambassadorship."

"Mitchell Hundreds: Trip, the city is drowning, we can’t afford to lose another day of commerce, but my plow drivers are refusing to do their job…even 'with police escorts. You have to convince the governor to call the national guard. Trip: Sorry, hundred. Those men and women are too busy fighting a war on terror to shovel your walkway for you."

"Journal: Evening Trista. Trista Braving: What, you come to gloat? My evil art-work’s gone the way of lady justice’s tits…concealed from the delicate public’s view. You win, Journal. Journal: Trista if you’d like your painting to go back up, my bosses want you to know that off-duty police officer could be arranged to protect— Trista Braving: Why bother? You heard what they did to it right? The critics have spoken."

"Journal: Oh my god You actually figured out a way to withdraw a piece you were secretly ashamed of…without looking like you were caving to the establishment. You assaulted some innocent guard just to— Trista Braving: I’d hardly call a little tae-bo assault. Journal: So you did do this? Trista Braving: You can’t prove anything. And even if you could all I’d be guilty of is giving my own painting a second coat."

"Mitchell Hundreds: Kremlin, we found the copy of Three Musketeers at the crime scene. Kremlin: I know. I hear you and police commissioner Angotti discuss your discovery already. Mitchell Hundred: What? Bradbury:How? Kremlin: The tie pin I give Mitchell at his inauguration. It is listening bug, reverse engineered by me from circuity in this gizmo, so it would not interfere with his thoughts and— Mitchell Hundred: You’ve been eavesdropping on me? Kremlin: No, I have been looking out for you. Your pin told me when you were in trouble, like signal watch Superman gave to his young friend. You remember the character of Superman yes? The one who taught me to read your language? The one who taught you about truth and justice and— Mitchel Hundred: You son of a bitch! Bradbury: Mitch easy!"

"Kremlin: When I hear Bradbury tell you how happy his girls would be with snow days I realize who stood to gain from plowmen’s death. Mitchel Hundred: Start making sense and start making it now. Kremlin: I used computer to look for all schools in Brooklyn with three musketeers on reading list. Only two. From here I check for student who win big awards in chemistry…because of exploding plow no? There are few dozen. But any girls and girls do not make bombs. Mitchel Hundred: You think a kid did this? Kremlin: I am left with list of four or five boys. If one had record for getting into trouble I believe he is killer…but only police have access to such files. Mitchel Hundred: Bullshit. You’re just stalling for time. Bradbury: What if he’s not, boss? Everyone’s been chasing mobsters and…terrorists here, but Krem could be onto something, we should at least call the cops. Kremlin: No need. I phone in anonymous tip two hours ago."

"Kremlin: No thank you? No apology for falsely accusing me of murder? Mitchel Hundred: You’re lucky I don’t bring you in on federal wiretapping charges, Ivan… Bradbury: Let him go Krem! Kremlin: "Ivan?" Do not speak to me like I am some stranger, boy! I am the man who helped your mother slay dragon that nearly took me! I am the man who cared for you as if you were— Bradbury: You did good today old man. You just did it in a bad way. Kremlin: You too Bradbury? When Mitchell was reluctant to bring his first criminal to justice as Great Machine you were the one who said, “There is no wrong way to do right.” Bradbury: Yeah, well, I was wrong… …Right?"

"Brian K. Vaughan: After 9/11, I knew I wanted to write about power and identity and the way Americans on all sides of the political spectrum often mythologize our leaders, which are themes that the superhero genre has always handled really well. Whether it was Bush putting on that flightsuit or John Kerry running largely on his war record or an action star getting elected governor of California, it felt like American politics and mythical hero worship were starting to converge in fascinating ways. I had way more questions than answers, and whenever that happens, I type. What came out was Ex Machina, a story about a retired superhero turned mayor who hopes to do more good inside New York’s City Hall than he ever did in costume."

"Melissa Benoist – Kara Zor-El / Kara Danvers / Supergirl & Kara Zor-El / Overgirl"

"Chyler Leigh – Alex Danvers"

"Jeremy Jordan – General Winn Schott of Earth-X"

"Mehcad Brooks – Guardian of Earth-X"

"Chris Wood – Mon-El"

"David Harewood – J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter"

"Stephen Amell – Oliver Queen / Green Arrow & Oliver Queen / Dark Arrow"

"Emily Bett Rickards – Felicity Smoak"

"Echo Kellum – Curtis Holt / Mister Terrific"

"Rick Gonzalez – Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog"

"Juliana Harkavy – Dinah Drake / Black Canary"

"David Ramsey – John Diggle / Spartan"

"Paul Blackthorne – Quentin Lance"

"Grant Gustin – Barry Allen / The Flash"

"Candice Patton – Iris West"

"Danielle Panabaker – Caitlin Snow / Killer Frost"

"Carlos Valdes – Cisco Ramon / Vibe"

"Jesse L. Martin – Det. Joe West"

"Tom Cavanagh – Harry Wells & Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash"

"Keiynan Lonsdale – Wally West / Kid Flash"

"Caity Lotz – Sara Lance / White Canary"

"Victor Garber – Dr. Martin Stein / Firestorm"

"Franz Drameh – Jefferson "Jax" Jackson / Firestorm"

"Dominic Purcell – Mick Rory / Heatwave"

"Brandon Routh – Ray Palmer / Atom"

"Maisie Richardson-Sellers – Amaya Jiwe / Vixen"

"Tala Ashe – Zari Tomaz"

"Nick Zano – Nate Heywood / Steel"

"Wentworth Miller – Leo Snart / Citizen Cold"

"Russell Tovey – Ray Terrill / The Ray"

"Christina Brucato – Lily Stein"

"Isabella Hofmann – Clarissa Stein"

"Colin Donnell – Tommy Merlyn / Prometheus"

"Frederick Schmidt – Metallo (voice only)"

"See Last words in Batman media."

"Boodika. Hannu. Go after Ion. Laira and I will--"

"The possibility of my power battery being destroyed, Lantern Salaak, is--"

"I love you Soranik. [Soranik Natu: What? Kyle, where are--] And you too, Guy. You've been like a brother to"

"You see, Kyle, everything YOU did led Major Force to killing me that day. It was as if you did it yourself. Your NOT being there was really just a TECHNICALITY. There's only one way you can make sure it doesn't happen again to someone else, Kyle. So go ahead, put that all-powerful ring under your chin and make it all go away. You TASTED what I want for you. A Black Ring found your finger for a few fleeting moments. You now understand the beauty and solitude of NOTHINGNESS."

"See Last words in Superman media."

"[talking to Tim on the phone] He's at the door... Tim, if something happens-- Tim, I need you to focus... Tim!"

"[recording a message] Hey... Uh... Hey, there... It's me... Dad. You listening, Tim? Good. Then understand one thing: If you don't get here, it's not your fault. I need you to know this, Tim-- It's not your fault. Okay? You didn't do this. I love you, Tim. I love you just like your mother loves you. I just-- wanted to say how great it was today. Honest. Just--it was great. Anyway, if you have some time, make sure to watch the news tonight--yer old dad's gonna finally make you proud. Don't worry-- This is the one, lad. I mean, the real one. The one that puts m-- that puts us back on the map. What you do... for all those people... it's worth it, Tim. Never question it. It's worth it. Tell Bruce to take care of you..."

"Ah, I detect an unseen audience. No, young warrior, he's probably not dead. Can one kill a ghost? But we seem to have stopped him. I detect no power left in him."

"[Superboy-Prime: I just wanted to talk to Superboy. You started this!] "You started this?" He's just a stupid kid!"

"I've lived an absolutely wonderful life with you. [Superman: Don't give up.] I'm not giving up, Clark. I'm grateful for the extra years we've had. [Superman: We'll have more. I couldn't save our Earth back then, but I will save you. That's what I do. That's what I always did. Superman always saves Lois Lane. I can't be another survivor of a dead world. Not without you.] With all your powers, with everything you saw and did... ...you still never... [Superman: It can't end this way.] ...it's... ...not... ...going... [Superman: It's not going...? What? It's not going to end this way? Is that what you're trying to say? Lois? Lois, tell me it's not going to end this way. Lois... Please... ...Be strong... Be...]"

"Black Adam? You're afraid, you're afrai--"

"[Cassandra: You did it, Conner. You saved the Earth. You saved everyone.] I know, Cass. Isn't it cool?"

"I'll always be with you, Kara. Even if you can't see me. I'll always be here. It's not going to end. It's never going to end...for us... (silence) ...Lois."

"N-no, p-please..."

"Not YOU. I'm not afraid of you. [Sinestro: No? What about death then?] N--"

"--Eh? What manner of creature is THIS? Get away you--"

"That's not the councilman. He–"

"No. I think it's going to be a whole lot funnier than that."

"Phil! Let him go, you freak!"

"Three times. The same nose. Three times."

"Robin doesn't beat people once they're down!"

"You can't...kill me. I'm immortal...I'm a god!"

"You never trusted me. Two aliens and you always followed the one who looked like you. And you both always underestimated me. You see yourselves as invulnerable. But right now I'm inside you. I'm in your lungs. I can strangle your organs. I've been in your head, Diana. You've changed so much. I've seen the violence in you. Maybe the world would be safer if you weren't in it. I can make that happen. I can cut off the oxygen to your brain."

"You can't hurt me. I'm already dead. And I'm taking you with me."

"Sure they will. They'll make me feel better."

"Ring! Broadcast to–"

"Sure. I'll even try not to permanently damage him."

"What is this?! Release my hands!! Sinestro!"

"Batman. I guess I... I guess I get to disappear on you for once."

"I don't want to..."

"Hal. You can still be the best of us."

"You can't do this!!"

"I... I can't!"

"Gone. Gone form of man. Rise the demon, Etri–"

"Please! Constantine!!"

"You were the only choice – Dick Grayson."

"I am the Phantom Stranger. I am eternal."

"I can't...I was only ever here because Klarion conjured me. I'm afraid with him gone, I will once again cease to be."

"We'd rather die as martyrs...than be slaves to a tyrant!"

"Raven. I would and...I'm sorry."

"There's nothing you can do. B-but I have to warn you...d-don't...don't...don't trust...Cuh...Cuh..."

"Stop?! I'm just getting started! I'm on the green stuff–lots of it! And I'm gonna use it to kill all of you... including Superman–"

"Very well...finish it."

"My queen..."

"I don't know how ta properly insult yer mother in yer language, so..."

"First of all...It's rude to talk about someone while they're right there. Second of all, I'm...gonna...eat...YOU–?"

"It does. Put his finger on the manual button and press down before fake Superman has us for lunch!"

"We...we are free citizens of the United States of America. This is a lawful assembly of the Joker Underground. We do not recognize the authority of a tyrant!"

"It's you and me, pal. Friends forever."

"Hurts...hurts...much..."

"Who...sent...you...?"

"Shut your face!"

"Happy halloween, kids. I..."

"Huhhh. Of course. Must protect Veidt's new utopia. One more body amongst foundations makes little difference. Well? What are you waiting for? Do it. [Dr. Manhattan: Rorschach...] DO IT! (Is then blown apart by Dr Manhattan)"

"Sometimes it takes a war to remind us of the precious freedoms inherent in this land. Sometimes... it takes sacrifice. A sacrifice I am, today, prepared to make... by revealing that my colleagues have in their possession the diary of this man... in which he admits that the real Tex Thompson is dead and that he is actually the criminal genius the Ultra-Humanite, who-- [Tex Thompson orders Robotman to stop her and Hourman tells her to run, but she dismisses them.] Who further took another villain's br-- [Robotman covers Miss America's mouth. Hourman knocks him away from her and starts to fight with him.] Another villain's brain... The greatest villain... put in the body o-- [She is instantly killed by Robotman's retractable arm.]"

"[Michael (ghost): Lance... Touch the goddamn mark.] No! Go to hell!! ...and take this big metal bastard with you!"

"No!! Kill you! [Manhunter is shot through the chest by Ultra-Humanite.] Dead!"

"Thorns in my side."

"Go on then... Do it... I'm not afraid! [He is pierced by Starman's Cosmic Rod.] Gott."

"For Batman media, see Last words in Batman media"

"For Superman media, see Last words in Superman media"

"See Last words in DC Comics."

"See also Last words in DC Extended Universe media."

"Jack, listen. Maybe we can cut a deal."

"[in alien language] Explorer 6 to Base; our ship has crashed in the northeast quadrant of the Lost Sector...Please send help immediately."

"Hal Jordan, I am Abin Sur, protector of Sector 2814. The ring...It chose you. Take it! Place the ring in the lantern. Place the ring, speak the oath...Great honor, responsibility..."

"Call the police, Gene. Call the police."

"This time I got ya' you lousy stinkin'- [Phantasm escapes with smoke] What?!"

"Boys, hurry!"

"I'm sorry, Andi. I just wanted a chance for you.. Uh, I'll get you out of this; Somehow, we'll be free of those guys, whatever it takes; That's a promise."

"[Mr. Freeze: She's behind the generators, over there! You go that way!] Are you crazy?! There's no way now! [Mr. Freeze: We're going to finish this!] You're insane! The whole place is gonna blow any minute! We gotta get out! [Mr. Freeze: We're not leaving until you PERFORM THAT OPERATION!] [A fuel tank collapses] Look out!"

"[Hyppolita: You were given a life of piece and beauty.] And denied one of families and children. Yes, Hyppolita. The Amazons are warriors...but we...are women too."

"Zeus! ZEUS!!"

"You are now a...Green Lantern...One of the protectors of the Universe....The Guardians...will send for you. Use...the ring...wisely."

"Humans...!"

"Oh, it's you."

"Do you know what you've done?!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm down to my last joke anyway...but this one'll kill ya!"

"It doesn't matter."

"Did we save the world, then? [Batman: We did.] And all that rubbish about me being faster than Flash? You knew this was gonna happen. Good one, mate."

"I am glad...I can be there for you in my last moments. I see now...the true protector of Jayd is not the Golden Dragon...but Laira Omoto. Green Lantern..."

"Battle Stations!"

"Well, at least I know I was right."

"Beware my Power, asshole!"

"What I do now, I do for the good of all."

"What are you doing?"

"As long as I can siphon off the Speed Force, you can't escape this timeline. I'm afraid there just isn't enough Speed Force to go aro-"

"Why won't you listen?! Why won't you understand?! I love them! I love them! I..."

"Talon, my darling, Forget them. The two of us can..."

"Don't doubt your instincts."

"It's funny how things can change so quickly. After a while, you don't even recognize yourself anymore. Forgive me, Kirk."

"John, please! Help me! [panics as a portal to Hell opens] Help me, you bastard! Help me!"

"Don't be. It's a welcome end."

"The Justice League will stop you."

"That song was monumentally dope."

"You're that fool, Deadshot. Ain't this some shit? Did Black Mask find out about my side gig and send you? I'm gonna mess you up real good. And it's his turn."

"What the heck's going on? This wasn't part of the mission. Vertigo... [screams painfully and groans] Why?!"

"Waller? Listen to me. I beg you...!"

"[moans and screams fearfully] Floyd, please, don't let her. I know. I know I was a bad girl. And it was all Vertigo's idea. Please don't let her kill me, Floyd! [sobs] Don't let her blow my head off-"

"Waller! I'll see you in Hell! You dirty...!"

"Fuck...my life..."

"You would serve us, monster."

"No, Medusa! No, don't! Stop!"

"And so it ends. My race is run. I regret nothing. It was fun."

"Looks like I get the last word. Suck it, bitches!"

"No! You're mad! NOOOO!!!!"

"How did he survive that car bomb? How?? He's SUPERMAN!"

"Go on, you mangy buzzards! And don't come back!"

"Your lungs are going to burn!"

"Forget, Kal-El; He'll never survive without air!"

"Help me! I can't stop!"

"No, you need me; You wouldn't be much of a hero without a villain, and you do love being the hero, don't you. The cheering children, the swooning women? You love it so much, it's made you my most reliable accomplice! (Alternate Superman: Accomplice? What're you-) You could've crushed me anytime you wanted, and it wasn't the law or the will of the people that stopped you; It was your ego. Being a hero was too important to you. You as much responsible for this as I am! So go ahead, fix this somehow, put me on trial, lock me up, but I'll beat it; And then we'll start the whole thing all over again."

"Do you think Grundy's soul is waiting for him? (Hawkgirl: Grundy, I don't believe... yes. Yes, it's waiting for you.) Then... Grundy gets his reward."

"Wait, you can't leave!"

"Let JUSTICE PREVAIL!"

"Thank you, my friend."

"You think I'm scared?! I'll be running this dump in a few ye--! (notices the massive meteor headed straight for him) Aw, phooey."

"What are you--"

"When I get rid of you, I'll be the only--"

"Are you going to fight me, boy?"

"You twisted pink rat-hole of a hominid! I'm not done with you! I'll get outta this, and when I dooooooooooooo--!!!"

"You were the best friend I ever had."

"You will never be alone. You have a family now. And somehow I know I will be with you, too. Watching over you always. (Razer: I don't understand.) I do not, either. It is just... a feeling."

"Just tell them, okay?"

"I know it's soon, but... Think you'll ever love again? Maybe you won't kill your next family... (Laughs madly, then screams in pain)"

"Your peace... your peace... is a joke..."

"Hundred... twenty one?"

"Stupid... humans... (Aquaman: The people of Atlantis demand justice.) Against Brainiac? Hehe. I've seen his mind, felt his power. He can't be stopped. (Aquaman: But you can.)"

"You must keep order, or the Lords will impose it. If not through Brainiac, then—"

"[General Zod: This Council has been disbanded.] On whose authority? [General Zod: Mine.]"

"Who: Ro-Zar"

"We've had a child, Zod. A boy child. Krypton's first natural birth in centuries. And he will be free. Free to forge his own destiny."

"Silencing me won't change anything. My son is twice the man you were, and he will finish what we started, I can promise you that."

"Lady Lara, the Phantom prods are coming online."

"Lady Lara, shouldn't you find refuge?"

"There is no refuge, Kelor. Jor-El was right, this is the end. Make a better world than ours, Kal."

"Get your mom to the overpass."

"We've had a slight set-back."

"A good death is its own reward."

"If you love these people so much, you can mourn for them! [uses heat vision, putting innocent people at risk of getting killed] [Superman: Don't do this! Stop! STO-O-O-OP!] Never."

"So that is what provides the son of Krypton with newfound power."

"Mercy, phone my attorneys. All of them."

"LexCorp was never there."

"I have rights! I have nothing to say to you. [Dark Superman: How about goodbye?]"

"Protect...the people... [Superman: It's why I'm here]"

"[Leo Quintum: Is that...?] A map of Superman's genetic code. I reverse-engineered it from his 24-hour super serum. I also finally figured out how to replicate it. [Leo Quintum: No...] Of course, it will require an ovum from a healthy human woman."

"You won't kill me, and I won't stop until I kill you. [Superman: You're right. It's not how I'm programmed. But you should know...I've got a wildcard up my sleeve.] What?! What is this? [Eradicator: Eradication.]"

"[Superman: We need to close the gap between our highest communist ideals and the cruel reality I saw today.] Then I urge you to try, but you'll quickly find that the only way to achieve that goal is to follow my example. The unpleasant truth, my son, is that certain people must die in order for the system to work."

"Everyone, please proceed to the exits in an orderly fashion! There is more than enough time for us to--"

"You don't understand at all, do you? It may be a game to you, but not to me. Never to me."

"Everything...go dark...hello, Superman...hello..."

"KLTPZYXM...NOOOOOOOO!!!"

"Doomsday...Is he...is he..."

"Grant Gustin - Barry Allen / The Flash"

"Stephen Amell - Oliver Queen / Green Arrow"

"Melissa Benoist - Kara Zor-El / Kara Danvers / Supergirl"

"Candice Patton - Iris West"

"Danielle Panabaker - Caitlin Snow"

"Carlos Valdes - Cisco Ramon"

"Tom Cavanagh - Sherloque Wells & Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash"

"Hartley Sawyer - Ralph Dibny / Elongated Man"

"David Ramsey - John Diggle / Spartan"

"Emily Bett Rickards - Felicity Smoak"

"Echo Kellum - Curtis Holt / Mr. Terrific"

"David Harewood – J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter"

"Jesse Rath – Querl "Brainy" Dox / Brainiac 5"

"Chyler Leigh – Alex Danvers"

"Mehcad Brooks – James Olsen"

"John Wesley Shipp -- Barry Allen / The Flash (Earth-90)"

"LaMonica Garrett -- Mar Novu / The Monitor"

"Jeremy Davies -- John Deegan"

"Tyler Hoechlin -- Kal-El / Clark Kent /Superman & John Deegan / Superman"

"Elizabeth Tulloch -- Lois Lane"

"Ruby Rose -- Kate Kane / Batwoman"

"Liam Hall -- Joe Wilson"

"Cassandra Jean Amell -- Nora Fries"

"John Barrowman -- Malcolm Merlyn"

"Bob Frazer -- Roger Hayden / Psycho-Pirate"

"Caity Lotz – Sara Lance / White Canary"

"Brandon Routh – Ray Palmer / The Atom"

"Nick Zano – Nate Heywood / Steel"

"Tala Ashe – Zari Tomaz"

"Amy Louise Pemberton - Gideon (voice)"

"Melissa Benoist – Kara Zor-El / Kara Danvers / Supergirl"

"David Harewood – J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter"

"Jesse Rath – Querl "Brainy" Dox / Brainiac 5"

"Nicole Maines – Nia Nal / Dreamer"

"Azie Tesfai – Kelly Olsen"

"Chyler Leigh – Alex Danvers"

"Katie McGrath – Lena Luthor"

"Tyler Hoechlin – Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman"

"Elizabeth Tulloch – Lois Lane (Earth-38) / Lois Lane (Earth-75)"

"Jon Cryer – Lex Luthor"

"Ruby Rose – Kate Kane / Batwoman"

"Camrus Johnson – Luke Fox (Earth-99)"

"Grant Gustin – Barry Allen / The Flash"

"Candice Patton – Iris West"

"Danielle Panabaker – Caitlin Snow / Frost"

"Carlos Valdes – Cisco Ramon / Vibe"

"Hartley Sawyer – Ralph Dibny / Elongated Man"

"Tom Cavanagh – Harrison Nash Wells / Pariah"

"Stephen Amell – Oliver Queen / Green Arrow (Earth-1) / Oliver Queen / Green Arrow (Earth-16)"

"David Ramsey – John Diggle / Spartan"

"Sea Shimooka – Emiko Queen / Green Arrow"

"Katie Cassidy Rodgers – Laurel Lance / Black Canary (Earth-1)"

"Juliana Harkavy – Dinah Drake / Black Canary"

"Rick Gonzalez – Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog"

"Caity Lotz – Sara Lance / White Canary"

"Dominic Purcell – Mick Rory (Earth-1) / Mick Rory (Earth-74)"

"Brandon Routh – Ray Palmer / Atom & Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman (Earth-96)"

"Matt Ryan – John Constantine"

"Tala Ashe – Zari Tomaz"

"Nick Zano – Nate Heywood / Steel"

"John Wesley Shipp – Barry Allen / The Flash (Earth-90)"

"Cress Williams – Jefferson Piece / Black Lightning"

"LaMonica Garrett – Mar Novu / The Monitor & Mobius / Anti-Monitor"

"Audrey Marie Anderson – Lyla Michaels / Harbinger"

"Johnathon Schaech – Jonah Hex (Earth-18)"

"Kevin Conroy – Bruce Wayne (Earth-99)"

"Tom Ellis – Lucifer Morningstar (Earth-666)"

"Erica Durance – Alura Zor-El & Lois Lane (Earth-167)"

"Tom Welling – Kal-El / Clark Kent (Earth-167)"

"Brec Bassinger – Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl"

"Wil Wheaton – Doomsday Protester"

"Robert Wuhl – Alexander Knox (Earth-89)"

"Russell Tovey – Ray Terrill / The Ray (Earth-X)"

"Burt Ward – Dick Grayson (Earth-66)"

"Ashley Scott – Helena Kyle / Huntress (Earth-203)"

"Dina Meyer – Voice of Barbara Gordon / Oracle (Earth-203)"

"Derek Mears – Swamp Thing (Earth-19)"

"Amanda Pays – Tina McGee (Earth-90) ()"

"Evil-Lyn: Well, this is certainly uncomfortable."

"He-Man: Might wins the war but honor wins the peace."

"Zodac: Where there is life there will always be hope."

"Hordak: Let the rest of Hordak's testament be writ in blood!"

"Despara: My father was right to be concerned."

"He-Man: So, old friend, would you care to join me as I commit an act of treason and disobey a royal command?"

"Sorceress Evil-Lyn: Death is the only legacy of life. Soon, even the Goddess must yield to it."

"The Sorceress [narrating]: For make no mistake…"

"[Recap from Under the Red Hood: Joker captures Robin in Sarajevo, and begins beating him with a crowbar] Wow. That looked like it really hurt. [Hits him three more times] Whoa, now, hang on. That looked like it hurt a lot more. So, let's try and clear this up, okay, pumpkin? What hurts more? A? [hits him again] Or B? [hits him again] Forehand? [hits him again] Or backhand? [hits him again, and laughs. Robin then mumbles something, and Joker leans in, imitating the noise] A little louder, lamb chop. I think you may have a collapsed lung. That always impedes the oratory. [Robin spits in his face; Joker slams his head into the ground] Now, that was rude! The first Boy Blunder had some manners. [Robin grins at him as Joker wipes the blood away] I suppose I'm going to have to teach you a lesson so you can better follow in his footsteps. [pause] Nah. I'm just gonna keep beating you with this crowbar. [Joker laughs as he continues beating Robin]"

"[after finishing beating Robin] Okay, kiddo, I gotta go. It's been fun, though, right? [silence from Robin] Well, maybe a smidge more fun for me than you. I'm just guessing since you're being awful quiet. Anyway, be a good boy, finish your homework, and be in bed by nine. And, hey, please tell the big man I said… "hello". [laughs hysterically]"

"Greg Eagles as Lobo (episodes 1-5)"

"Kevin Michael Richardson as Lobo (episodes 6-14), Slaz, Sniff, Fat Whutzat"

"Tom Kenny as Sunny Jim (episodes 3-5), Major Snake, Snake, Space Penguins, Stumpy"

"Grey DeLisle as Darlene Spritzer and the Nutcracker Sisters"

"Dee Bradley Baker as Sunny Jim (episodes 1 and 2), Tubo"

"Thursday, October 31st. The city streets are crowded for the holiday, even with the rain. Hidden in the chaos is the element, waiting to strike like snakes. But I'm there too, watching. Two years of nights have turned me into a nocturnal animal. I must choose my targets carefully. It's a big city. I can't be everywhere, but they don't know where I am. We have a signal now, for when I'm needed. But when that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning, to them. Fear is a tool. They think I am hiding in the shadows, but I am the shadows."

"This whole city is a powder keg, and Riddler's the match."

"God, I... I never thought I'd feel fear like that again. I thought I'd mastered all that. I mean... I'm not afraid to die. But I realize now there's something I haven't got past. This fear of ever going through any of that again. (looking at Alfred) Of losing somebody I care about."

"I’m starting to see now. I have had an effect here… but not the one I intended. Vengeance won’t change the past, mine or anyone else’s. I have to become more. People need hope. To know someone’s out there for them. The city’s angry, scarred, like me. Our scars can destroy us, even after the physical wounds have healed. But if we survive them, they can transform us. They can give us the power to endure, and the strength to fight."

"Come on, vengeance. Let's get into some trouble."

"Hello, people of Gotham. This is the Riddler speaking. On Halloween night, I killed your mayor because he was not who he pretended to be. But I am not done. [shows Pete Savage in a rat trap around his body with rats eating him] Here is another who will soon be losing face. I will kill again, and again, and again, until our day of judgment when the truth about our city will finally be unmasked. Goodbye!"

"The Waynes and the Arkhams, Gotham's founding families, but what is their real legacy? Twenty years ago, one reporter set out to uncover the dark truth. He found shocking family secrets. How, when Martha was just a child, her mother brutally murdered her father, then committed suicide and how the Arkhams used their power and money to cover it up. How Martha herself was in and out of institutions for years and they didn't want anyone to know. Thomas Wayne tried to force this crusading reporter into a hush-money agreement to save his mayoral campaign. But when the reporter refused, Wayne turned to longtime secret associate Carmine Falcone and had him murdered! The Waynes and the Arkhams, Gotham's legacy of lies and murder! I hope you're listening, Bruce Wayne. This is your legacy too, and Gotham needs you to answer for the sins of your father. Goodbye."

"Unmask the truth."

"You are a part of this too. Find out why."

"Robert Pattinson - Bruce Wayne/Batman"

"Zoë Kravitz - Selina Kyle/Catwoman"

"Paul Dano - Edward Nashton/Riddler"

"Jeffrey Wright - James Gordon"

"John Turturro - Carmine Falcone"

"Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson"

"Andy Serkis - Alfred Pennyworth"

"Colin Farrell - Oswald "Oz" Cobb/The Penguin"

"Ah, Metropolis! It's the little things that really change a city's vibe. The weather, gentrification, the alien invasion..."

"Got a point though -- justice for people like them, not a lot of justice for people like us."

"[regarding Joker's death in "Batman: Arkham City"] I compartmentalized all this. In a box, in another box, in a fridge... in a junkyard."

"Flash, I'm calling you out! Only one of us pulls off the red tights look, and it ain't you, Speedy!"

"You know how many guys I saw get put into traction saying they could whup Batman's ass?"

"[to Wonder Woman] You went out like you lived, doll -- lookin' sharp and never listening to us..."

"[as Harleen] So, tell me what you've been working on, H.Q. Because it looks like you traded one killer clown dependency for three more."

"Listen, Harleen. I got this worked out, an'... I hope you'll be proud of me one day."

"Well, someone's about to get a heapin' helpin' of hubris. Hope it ain't me!"

"[to Batman] See, you might be immune to your fear toxin, but you ain't immune to mine."

"Time for us bad guys to save the world."

"[to Green Lantern] I wanna learn how far I can shove this foot up your glowing green ass!"

"What can I say? Killing your first Justice League asshole perks you right up!"

"[about Green Lantern] Man's an A-grade asshole, but a C-grade killer!"

"Green was my favorite color, asshole! I'm coming for you next!"

"What matters now is our plan. We're out here making it work. So... what's the plan?"

"Isn't Deadshot supposed to be white?"

"[regarding the depiction Joker's death in "Batman: Arkham City"] Could've been me and Flash... I mean, I wouldn't hold him like that!"

""Barry"? Who the hell's "Barry"?"

"When I think of the Justice League, I think of Wonder Woman! Superman! Green Lantern! Batman! You don't wanna mess with that lot. But you, -- Barry -- you're just the team mascot, aren't you, mate? The comic relief! The speedy, flaming larrikin... Yeah. He's the loser of the League, folks! The fastest man alive, according to all his girlfriends. Ha! It's the Fla--!"

"Time for the ol' Davey and Goliath action, folks!"

"If I split and the others stay, then they die! Is that the prisoner's dilemma?"

"Well, we only went and did it, you bloody beauties! WE KILLED SUPERMAN! Hell, we murdered the whole Justice League! In self-defense, since they were all totally evil..."

"I am in a tunnel. It only has two exits despite its length! Human architecture is fascinating..."

"I cannot don the helm of Ares; he is a lesser god."

"[regarding Boomerang's penis] Makes sense. The gods have cursed you in every other way."

""On fire" is not a natural state for sharks!"

"If my friends are overdosing on the fear toxin, I too will overdose on the...!"

"Any last words, tyrant?! Make them memorable because this group is easily distracted."

"Task Force X -- stop sightseeing and see if you can kill everything in sight, got it?!"

"You're tenacious as junkyard dogs. Desperate. Hungry. You know how to survive. Now that might make you the kings and queens of Arkham. But outside these walls? The world's forgotten about you. And you're going to spend the rest of your lives picking maggots out of prison meatloaf. I could change that. I could be your way out. A chance to do some good."

"I only need one of you. As for the other three? You're dead already. So... show me what you got."

"Your sentences will be posthumously commuted in recognition of your service."

"Whatever happened in those other universes, Brainiac, you won't have this one!"

"Hang on, Barry, I'm coming! I just hope you're still you when I get there..."

"I'm a warrior for peace! I swore an oath to never strike anyone in anger. You four are seriously testing my resolve!"

"[last words] Thought the four of you... couldn't achieve anything... Prove me wrong."

"Really, Bruce Wayne? Your limited human body constantly outpaced by its mind? The process of integration is less painful if you permit it!"

""Fight or flight". I'm not letting you do either just yet."

"How did you defeat my Justice League, hm? You four! With your... chaos. Your every fractal failure. Your every inexplicable success. Pure, unpredictable... fascinating."

"Ah... the "Suicide Squad". Hm. A fitting moniker, given how the next few minutes will proceed. A bit on the nose, possibly."

"I'm going to break your bodies, hollow out your minds, and rebuild you as my pets."

"I fear that I'm losing my impartiality. It's best that I take a step back."

"Excellent! They gave their lives for the greater good: Mine."

"Ha... My projections predicted something akin to this. I never intended to experience it."

"At too young an age, I lost my parents to the city's greatest enemy -- crime. From that day forward, I swore I would dedicate my life to defeating those who would prey on the heart and the spirit of Gotham. So I became a symbol. Something even evil would fear. I became vengeance. I became the night! I became Batman."

"Hrm. You know what they say about good intentions, Clark..."

"No. Not a threat at all. Still, let their corpses strike fear into those who'd resist..."

"You'll need to rely on all your years of highly specialized training. Discipline. Loyalty to your team. None of us can do this alone. The team you lead... the family you choose... together, you'll be formidable. That's something you taught me, son."

"Your faith in Harley Quinn delivered you right to me. Brainiac told me to preserve your bodies... but I'm going to enjoy destroying your minds."

"Now, fear the Batman!"

"You think you're a team now? You're herd animals. Dependent on someone else to survive."

"[last words] Are we done with your bad stand-up routine?"

"Now I know what you're thinking: That big "S" on my chest can only stand for one thing, right?"

"I love this world. My friends. And yes, even Batman. Let's make a promise everyone -- we'll always try to help. Always give people a chance, no matter who they are or where they're from. And we'll always watch out for one another."

"You know, Pa used to say to me "Don't ask for lighter burdens, ask for broader shoulders"."

"I didn't choose how I got here, Flash. Now, I'll admit it's not the most... inviting presence, but if we can avoid fighting altogether, we owe it to the people of Metropolis to try. They know the strength of the League; everyone does. Now let's show them our heart. Our compassion."

"It's over, Harkness. Try to be brave."

"It seems we've come to casting stones! This is the most human I've ever felt."

"All my life, I've moved heaven and earth to protect you. Now is when most people would start to pray."

"I can move your entire planet with my fists alone. What can you do? Pull a trigger?"

"The Justice League isn't only about what I can do. And it's not really about what the others can do either. It's all about you. You can be a superhero every day by doing the right thing. It's you who inspire us to be great. So thank you."

"The souvenirs that we keep in the Hall aren't just here to look cool... but I'm not gonna lie: I HAVE tried on Riddler's bowler hat."

"All of us in the Justice League believe that part of being a hero isn't just remembering the good stuff, but the bad stuff too. That's what makes us stronger. That's what really makes a hero."

"He got... He got Kal. I mean, how do you even get Kal?!"

"[to Deadshot, who has attempted to shoot him] Really? Why don't you just mail me the bullet?!"

"You have to kill us, Diana. We have to die to save the world."

"Hey, Metropolis! Do you like live executions? Well, don't touch that dial! Or I'll break your fingers."

"I did wanna grab you one at a time and run fast enough to burn the skin off your bones. Friction, you know? Ouchie. But I don't need to touch you to tear you apart. So let's play!"

"I made a tornado for your four! And this is the thanks I get?!"

"I can run between seconds. You still think you're a threat?!"

"Oh boy. Oh, wow. I'm not really used to... getting winded. [coughing laugh] Hey... Hey, shouldn't you all... be in... jail?"

"[to the Squad] Don't worry! You'll have time for last words."

"[to Deadshot] Oh. You need another lesson, convict?"

"You're just making a mess and wasting my time, convicts!"

"Let's get your sorry asses contained!"

"You could've been part of a new world!"

"I'll say "hi" to Zoe for you, Lawton."

"No bad ports in a storm, right? Can I get a hand up, since we're all working together now?"

"Lex Luthor (Earth-2): I've dreamed of seeing my Superman broken before his own pompous statue. To have that dream realized with this Superman? It moves me..."

"Kamo: "King" Shark. Hm! You abandoned your people and your legacy to be a prawn in Man's cocktail!"

"Lois Lane: Metropolis, this is Lois Lane. From all reports, it seems that Batman is... gone. As Batman and as Bruce Wayne, everyone knew him. Everyone knew his voice. Always prepared, he left a communication with The Daily Planet in the event of... Well. It reads, "When I put on the cowl, I became a symbol. But I never stopped being Bruce Wayne, citizen of Gotham. Remember that we are all handed adversity in our lives. No one's journey is easy. It's how we handle that -- how we help others -- that makes us unique. That's what the Batman will always stand for." Metropolis... we'll get through this. And Batman? Goodbye. You will be missed, but never forgotten."

"Tara Strong as Harley Quinn"

"Daniel Lapaine as Captain Boomerang"

"Bumper Robinson as Deadshot"

"Samoa Joe as King Shark"

"Debra Wilson as Amanda Waller"

"Jason Isaacs as Brainiac"

"Nolan North as Penguin and Superman"

"Scott Porter as The Flash"

"Dan White as Green Lantern"

"Kevin Conroy as Batman"

"Zehra Fazal as Wonder Woman"

"Corey Burton as Lex Luthor"

"Seychelle Gabriel as Lois Lane"

"Duane R. Shepard Sr. as Aaron Cash"

"Wally Wingert as Riddler"

"Rick Pasqualone as Gizmo"

"Omono Okojie as Hack"

"Christopher Sean as The Toyman"

"Darcy Rose Byrnes as Ivy"