{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Issue 124 - Victor Zsasz","description":"  Issue 124 - Victor Zsasz Intro Erica Schultz Kickstarter Background (02:50) Victor Zsasz created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle in Batman: Shadow of the Bat  #1 (June 1992) Formerly wealthy man, scion to a business empire - when his parents died, he sank into depression, and lost everything gambling - as he was preparing to kill himself, he encountered a vagrant who tried to rob him, and Victor said he realized the man was operating as a \u201crobot\u201d on base emotion and desire - he killed the vagrant to \u201cfree\u201d him, and marked his body There is no MO to his choices - although he prefers to slice the neck, he will kill however he can, and ritualistically marks his body for each kill The number of kills must match the number of marks - marked himself after stabbing Alfred, only to discover Batman saved his life, and he said his skin was \u201ccrawling\u201d because the tally was off Regularly escapes Arkham every time he is held there Considered by Batman to be the nemesis he hates the most Although he typically works alone, he does occasionally partner with other criminals - was working with\/for Black Mask at one point, and during the War of Jokes & Riddles, he sided with the Riddler Issues (05:34) Nihilistic view of the world Ego to think of himself as a \u201csavior\u201d to others (11:00) Compulsion of marks (16:52) Kills because he enjoys it (24:15) Break (30:03) Plugs for BetterHelp, ITK, and Gail Simone A: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Is there something interfering with your happiness or preventing you from achieving your goals? BetterHelp will assess your individual needs and match you with a licensed professional therapist. You can begin communicating within 48 hours. D: It isn't a crisis line, it's not self-help, it is professional counseling done securely online. BetterHelp has a network of over 15-thousand counselors, with a broad range of expertise. You can log in and message your counselor anytime, and get timely and thoughtful responses. You can also schedule regular video or phone sessions, no waiting room required.  A: BetterHelp is committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, so they make it easy and free to change counselors if you feel you don't have a good connection. It's more affordable than traditional offline counseling, and financial aid is available. BetterHelp wants you to start living a happier life today. Visit betterhelp.com\/capes, that's better h-e-l-p, and join the over 1 million people taking charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional.  D: Special offer for Capes on the Couch fans, get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com\/capes. Treatment (31:52) In-universe - Use electrolysis to change the number of marks on his body and see what happens Out of universe - (36:03) Skit (43:49) Hello Victor, I\u2019m Dr. Issues. - Hello Doctor. And which professional school of therapy do you subscribe to? You appear to be too modern for Skinner or Freud. I peg you for a Beck man. I appreciate the guesses, but I find that locking myself into one particular mindset does a disservice to my patients. No one fits neatly into a set of labels. - Oh, but that\u2019s where you\u2019re wrong, Doctor. The overwhelming majority of people walking this earth are zombies. Sheep. Slaves. They know nothing of free will or independence. It\u2019s my job to free them from their prisons. Ironic that a man confined under lock and key talks about freeing others. - As Dean Martin said, \u201clife\u2019s really funny that way\u201d. And I do enjoy a good laugh. I wouldn\u2019t have pegged you for a Rat Pack guy...and even then, would\u2019ve gone with the Chairman. But enough banter, what\u2019s with the killing? -So my intuition let me down for once. I figured this was more of a chess match, feeling each other out. You delivered the first blow. So be it. I want to save the world. That\u2019s...so off the beaten path -*tsk tsk tsk* You tried to be hard-nosed, get to the point, then backtrack when I show my hand? You definitely are an eclectic man. How am I supposed to believe that you want to save anyone when you end their existence AND keep score? -It\u2019s actually very easy once you see all of the pieces lined up properly. Who was it...Sherlock I think...when you have eliminated all other possibilities, the only one remaining must be the answer, no matter how improbable. So that means I\u2019m supposed to follow you down the rabbit hole to see how you came to that conclusion. -It\u2019s only natural. Living is natural. -So is death.  So is survival, struggle, resistance, challenge -And defeat, despair, inevitability. PAIN. All a part of the human experience...and all can be healed, except death. You bring people to that conclusion too quickly. -Are you familiar with hospice, doctor? Imagine if you knew that everything is coming to an end, sooner than you think. How would you live those final days? Would you really be pushing papers and worrying about binary code on a screen with visual inputs to dull your mind? Or would you maintain intimacy with those closest to you? Wouldn\u2019t you want to spend every waking hour with those you care about? Now imagine you could have that life, right now, without the agony of breathlessness or your body riddled with tumors. The freedom to have all of the urgency, without the suffering of losing your mind to dementia. I grant that freedom, and I do it graciously. *pause* The best and worst part of that diatribe is that I find myself resonating with any part of it. It means that we have a connection. I\u2019m going to chalk it up to both of us remaining human on a base level, and nothing more. -I\u2019m glad to let you dip your toe into the water. Now, will you have the courage to dive in? Are you trying to remain civil when discussing this? Because as polite as I may sound, I\u2019m actually disgusted. -*slight anger* Don\u2019t show faux disgust when you just admitted that you have a twisted mind...the kind of mind that most don\u2019t understand. Let me in.  You\u2019re really trying to make this that kind of session, where I get so empathetic that I misplace my ethics. You\u2019re not even close. I\u2019m not going to be an added mark on your visceral scorecard. -*quick switch to excitement* You FINALLY got to it. I\u2019m impressed. Usually therapists comment within the first 30 seconds of meeting me. What took you so long? It\u2019s an obvious thing. I figured you were tired of people asking, so I wasn't going to do it for the millionth time. I wonder though, what happens when you have no more space? -There are ways...in fact, there is one area that I keep a hidden set of marks that no one knows about. -*interrupting* I am NOT that kind of doctor so -Oh don\u2019t be so childish. That's not what I meant. Just a few spots that I have left over, so I savor those occasions...a little bit extra. You know who I\u2019m talking about, right?  Batman. -Exactly.  But you don\u2019t obsess over what hasn\u2019t happened yet. You go over what you\u2019ve done...again, and again. Sounds droll to you, dull to me. -Then I can make it droll to you. There\u2019s one mark that\u2019s incredibly special to me. It\u2019s my most cherished. In fact, without it, I don\u2019t think I can go on like this. It would absolutely devastate me if anything happened to it.  Fascinating. Perhaps we can delve into that specifically, who was it? *stutters* I...I...this is embarrassing...2..3...4\u2026 What are you doing? -I can\u2019t tell you about that mark until I actually get to it *keeps counting, quicker* 47...48..49\u2026***whispering sounds, then excited*** yes...YES! Here! Come quick, I can show you! Here, on my arm! Okay then, let me just ***gags while Zsasz laughs*** -You foolish man. You walk into your own demise for the sake of pitiful transference? I\u2019ll have you know, I have made it my personal mission to maintain my strength through a series of isometric exercises...there is no way that you can escape my grasp. Tell me...is it true about what they say about your life passing before your eyes? *physical struggle, brief* *Doc is gasping but can still talk* I wouldn\u2019t know. - *clearly pissed off* How...HOW? Who knew that doing Tough Mudders for fun and having self defense training for acute care situations would come in handy so well? *pause* Aw crud, call in a medical consult, I may have injured something here...and there\u2019s blood somewhere. -There will be more than blood when I\u2026*realizes he has been cut* you don\u2019t cut your nails...you scratched me...Do no harm indeed\u2026 but it...it touches another...no...it\u2019s wrong. The count is wrong. You\u2019re not dead but your scar is with me! This is not the way! *whispering to someone* and next time have the injection ready ahead of time -You\u2019re not listening? Are you really just going about your day as if you haven\u2019t destroyed the balance of my being?! This is on your head. You will never be forgiven. Yours will be swift, when you LEAST expect it! ...GET THAT NEEDLE AWAY FROM ME! I WILL NOT HAVE MY BODY DEFILED! YOU ARE ALL MONSTERS! RESTRAINTS MEAN NOTHING TO ME! Ending (51:43) Recommended reading: Batman: The Last Arkham Next episodes: Rogue, break Plugs for social References: CM Punk - Anthony (1:48) Birds of Prey - Anthony (05:28) Dr. Langley episode - Anthony (34:18) Evil Cannot Comprehend Good - Anthony (35:32) Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink - Doc (38:16) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Spotify: here Twitter Facebook Patreon TeePublic Discord ","author_name":"Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling","author_url":"https:\/\/www.capesonthecouch.com","html":"