The Zodiac Crimes The Zodiac Crimes "The Zodiac Crimes" is the 71st episode of the "Batman" television series. It first aired on ABC January 11, 1967 in its second season and repeated June 14, 1967. The first of a three-part story, it was dubbed a ""Batman" special", simultaneously celebrating the show's one-year anniversary and helping to open ABC's "second season." It featured both Cesar Romero as The Joker and Burgess Meredith as The Penguin (dubbed as an "Extra Special Guest Villain"). The Joker pays a visit to Commissioner James Gordon's office at Police HQ and swipes a rare art map. Alerted, Batman and
Homosexuality in the Batman franchise certainly understand the gay readings, though." While Frank Miller has described the relationship between Batman and the Joker as a "homophobic nightmare," he views the character as sublimating his sexual urges into crime fighting, concluding, "He'd be "much" healthier if he were gay." Grant Morrison, writer of both "Batman" and "Batman Incorporated" said in an interview with "Playboy" that "Gayness is built into Batman. I’m not using gay in the pejorative sense, but Batman is very, very gay...Obviously as a fictional character he's intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay." Morrison later said