The Arkham Sessions: Psychology of Batman & More

Is the Joker actually "insane"? Does Two-Face have "multiple personality disorder" by today's standards? From an ethical perspective, do Gotham's rogues belong in prison or in rehab? In works like  The Penguin, Joker: Folie a Deux,  and  Batman: White Knight,  DC villains have brought "main character energy" to life, proving themselves as enduring figures in media storytelling—but just how well do...

Harley's psychological safety is thwarted, by none other than her abusive ex, the Joker.

Harley Quinn is finally asked to attend a "Prospective Member's Party" at the Legion of Doom's headquarters. Poison Ivy, however, worries that her best friend's fixation on Gotham City's villainous social group is misguided.

As Harley Quinn masterminds strategies to get the attention of the Legion of Doom, Commissioner Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department shows signs of mental exhaustion.  To help the people and animals displaced by the wildfires in California, please donate to the American Red Cross and Pasadena Humane by joining our Patreon or by purchasing merchandise from our Tee Public store . All proc...

In a memorable episode of DC's Harley Quinn series, Harley suffers a paralyzing identity crisis. With the help of Dr. Psycho's telepathic powers, Harley learns about her "stuck points," which are strong beliefs about oneself that can prevent recovery from trauma.

Set immediately after the events that take place in The Batman  (2022), The Penguin a gripping and disturbing showcase of Oz Cobb's self-serving, Machiavellian pathology as he ascends the mob underworld of Gotham City. 

As she continues to learn the ropes of becoming a supervillain in Gotham City, Harley Quinn seeks an important aspect of gaining bad-guy credibility: A nemesis! 

Harley starts to realize that hard work alone will not get her far. In her attempts to recruit henchmen, Harley discovers that even amidst the lawlessness and savagery of Gotham's criminal society, there are unspoken rules, favors, and loyalties that keep her from advancing in her "career." 

Joker: Folie à Deux continues the bleak story about Arthur Fleck (Joker) and his spiraling from misunderstood recluse to deluded sociopath. The film makes use of textbook forensic psychology, melancholic musical performances, and deep dissections of Fleck's psyche to pull audiences into a genuine curiosity about whether there is anything redeemable about the most realistic Joker depicted on screen...

As she explores life as a single lady, Harley Quinn encounters some setbacks and struggles while her ex, the Joker, tries to control the narrative of how their relationship ended. 

The toxic dynamic between Harley Quinn and the Joker is unapologetically displayed, exposed, and unpacked.

Join us as we break down the psychology of the amazing new series X-Men '97  with cast members Alison Sealy-Smith ("Storm") and Lenore Zann ("Rogue"); supervising producer and director Jake Castorena; and writer JB Ballard! Live from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

In the Season 1 finale episode of X-Men: The Animated Series , tensions grow as anti-mutant "fever" consumes the nation. 

The X-Men must prevent a major global catastrophe that is predicted to happen in the distant future and is triggered by the assassination of a government official. Luckily, the X-Men prevent Mystique from harming the senator, but s hapeshifters remind us that, sometimes, identity expression is mutable, adaptive, and performative. 

In the year 2055, the world is a dystopian wasteland. A mutant named Bishop, encounters an aged Wolverine who convinces him that they must travel back to the 90's to prevent the assassination that caused all this destruction. But in the 90's, the X-Men face critical decisions surrounding their pursuit of liberty. 

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Dr. Drea discusses the concept of different trauma responses based on the neurobiology of survivorship. What does fight, flight, and freeze look like among the X-Men? And is it possible that some behaviors, like Rogue's determined activism and Professor X's protectiveness, can be considered adaptive styles of "fight"?     

As the X-Men rebuild their academy, Rogue goes on a quest to find a cure for her mutation. This  episode claims no resolution to the global problems dividing mutants and non-mutants, but lends an insight into our ability to feel empowered, accepted, and valued in our different bodies.  

The X-Men discover their home completely destroyed and set out to search for the person (or mutant) responsible for the attack. They encounter two suspects--Colossus, a Russian immigrant who is helping construction workers; and Juggernaut, a titanic super-powered villain committing crimes in the city in order to lure Professor X out of hiding. It is revealed that Juggernaut is Professor X's half-b...

For this year's WonderCon, we pulled together some amazing old and new friends to examine the psychology of the  X-Men.  Included in that list of friends was original X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES showrunner Eric Lewald; X-MEN: TAS writer Julia Lewald; X-MEN '97 writer JB Ballard; and X-MEN superfan and co-founder of Hero's Journey Fitness, located in Burbank, California, David Nett!

A small group of X-Men are captured and taken to labor camps on the island of Genosha. This episode depicts multiple responses to oppressive-related stress, ranging from learned helplessness to psychological fortitude to organized rebellion, and carries a throughline reminiscent of real-life liberation movements led by civil rights leaders: "knowledge is power."   Join Patreon to watch the exclusi...

Feeling rejected, Wolverine leaves the X-Mansion on a search to find some inner peace. Meanwhile, the rest of the X-Men are sent by Professor X to investigate the island of Genosha, a seemingly pleasant vacation destination rumored to be welcoming to mutants. Both quests raise tensions related to ingroup and outgroup relationships.   Dr. Drea also revisits the practice of "trigger warnings" and wh...

The X-Men discover an underground band of Morlocks, a gang of mutant misfits who perceive themselves as "too unsightly" to live and socialize among non-mutant humans, so they live in the tunnels below the city. With Scott and Jean captured,  the X-Men set out to rescue them, but must also address their own safety, specifically, psychological safety.

To celebrate the holiday season, The Arkham Sessions takes a detour back to Gotham City!  Merry Little Batman  (2023), a new animated film by Warner Bros. and DC Studios (but released on Amazon!), is an Elseworld holiday special that takes place on the night before Christmas. Bruce Wayne has retired to focus his attention on raising his son, Damian, in what has been a crime-free Gotham. However, l...

In "Deadly Reunions," we learn that Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X) uses an incredible superpower involving mind-melding and probing the memories of his students. Though he calls it "therapy," Professor X's methods are uncomfortably invasive, coercive, and arguably unethical.   Watch the video podcast by joining Patreon now!