Thoughts on Talia Al Ghul?

What are your thoughts on Talia? Other than being the mother of Damian how important is she to the Batman mythos? Lastly, any good recommendations for stories featuring Talia?

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I’ve always believed that she was important as she was a love interest that was a villain long before Damian was even thought of. The idea that Batman could be in love with a villain, that’s something to get from Catwoman as an interest, but marrying into a family that goes against his morals? Drama! I can see Talia has a soft spot for his character, as well as one for her father, who is also an important villain, so she has always been in the middle position when it comes to the two of them. Which again, this has been going on long before Damian. But she’s still a villain, and she knows that Batman will not join them out of pure free will because of the difference in their philosophies, so Talia would be willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants and that’s just the kind of person she is. She can be good if she wanted to, she could be bad if she wanted to, she could do good things with selfish or ill intentions (such as a way to win over Bruce), or she can do things for good reasons. It all depends on her plan and intent.

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I don’t have much Talia experience. The most I know about is from the Arkham game but after that I saw more of her in shows comics and more.
Normally I see her as Batman’s crazed lover or Skill warrior and daughter of the demon but mostly some mixed of those. I feel she was a way to give Bats a personal connection to Ra’s but not in a greatest enemy way like Joker. But she has grown more with more rivals and villains.
As Damian’s mom its definitely give her love angle a different dynamic the the love a villain like Cats.
Overall she a great character with many possibilities since she just does what she wants when she wants. Also brings great stories in the Batman world and more.

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I really liked her character ever since I first saw her in BTAS and then read her first appearances. She’s a great foil and match for Batman.

However, while I love the character of Damian, I really didn’t like how Morrison characterized her during his run on Batman. They took a character who I thought was a great, morally ambiguous character and basically turned her into Thicc Doctor Evil who did something to Batman that would get my post flagged if I said it.

Now, in their defense, a later issue of Batman Incorporated that focused on her made me kinda see where they were going with Talia. However, the fact that the characterization only came about because Grant didn’t remember the events of Son of the Demon and just went with their hazy memory still stings. I think I now kind of understand why some X-fans hate them for their portrayal of Magneto back in the day (though at least Mags was given a bit of an out with his Kick addiction).

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:rofl:
That story really left me with a bad taste in mouth for Talia. Before then I hadn’t had much exposure to her. I ended up reading Son of the Demon a while back and ended up really liking her in it. Prior she seemed regulated to the jealous, clingy girlfriend role.

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Of course Talia is important to the Batman mythos! Read Batman issues #232, #243, and #244 for the Demon’s Quest Saga presented in Limited Collectors’ Edition C-51. We’re missing issue #242 on DCU, but it works without it.

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OMG- Sir Christopher Lee as the Demon’s Head? Talk about a missed casting opportunity. That would’ve been amaze during the Keaton BMan era.

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And yes, Munro looks as if she stepped right out of the O’neil/Adams Ra’s stories into real life as Talia.

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I have never heard of this saga! Thanks for the recommendation! Also I LOVE the art of the cover, holy cannoli.

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@mccaggers91- The O’Neil/Adams introduction and construction of the Ra’s storyline is one of DC’s most memorable groundbreaking sagas ever to hit the comics pages. Thoroughly compelling storytelling- truly one of my most fave Batman stories of all time. Give it a read when you get a chance- just. so. good. :+1:

https://www.dcuniverse.com/comics/book/batman-1940-232/06af0990-678d-4cf8-8298-46d295f5538b/

https://www.dcuniverse.com/comics/book/batman-1940-243/e30d9e52-ec24-4750-b26b-677d5fa97c0c/

https://www.dcuniverse.com/comics/book/batman-1940-244/da5f68b3-380e-43d7-b55a-6605b19ab9a6/

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I know we covered some of those issues over at WOB earlier this year and we may have some more soon…

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Here’s a clean copy of of the cover.

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It’s out in hardcover with more Ra’s al Ghul stories.

BTAS adapted the story as a two part story.

In case you haven’t guessed this is one of my favorite stories. I bought that Treasury Edition way back in 1977. It was the proto-trade collecting a great story.

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@TravisMorgan- Timm and Dini did a marvelous job with this adaptation. They hit all of the original comic story’s high notes so well without sacrificing the bedrock storyline points. Two of my most fave BTAS episodes of all time here.

@mccaggers91- I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Detective Comics 411, an issue that ties in with the intro of Ra’s storyline (BG has a nifty story in the book as well! :smiley:)

https://www.dcuniverse.com/comics/book/detective-comics-1937-411/8c52dc93-69f8-489a-ae38-a1c11ec536d2/

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