DC and Realm Announce 12 More "DC High Volume: Batman" Chapters Adapting 5 Stories
DC High Volume, a weekly podcast from DC and Realm, has announced twelve more Batman chapters following Batman: Dark Victory.
The 5 stories getting audio adaptations for the podcast are:
Batman: Ego, a two-part event, with chapter one releasing on October 29, 2025, and chapter two on November 5, 2025,
Batman: The Gauntlet releasing on November 12, 2025,
Nightwing: Year One, a six-part event, starting on November 19, 2025,
Batman: The Killing Joke, a two part event, with chapter one releasing on December 31, 2025, and chapter two releasing on January 7, 2026, and
Oracle: Year One, from Batman: Chronicles #5, releasing on January 14, 2026.
New cast members for DC High Volume: Batman are Will Friedle as Dick Grayson / Nightwing for Nightwing: Year One, Troy Baker as The Joker for Batman: The Killing Joke, Shelby Young as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl, Chester Rushing as Clark Kent ' Superman, Stephanie Koenig as Lois Lane, Holland Roden, Danny Nucci, Eric Lange, Keith Szarabajka, Stephanie Sheh, and Richard Epcar. They join the previous cast members Jason Spisak (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Jay Paulson (Commissioner James Gordon), Reba Buhr (Selina Kyle / Catwoman), Adam O'Bryne (Harvey Dent / Two-Face), Simon Vance (Alfred Pennyworth), Dan Gill (The Joker), Jesse Burch (The Riddler), and Kevin Smith (The Penguin).
(Image via DC Comics - DC High Volume" Batman Promo Art)
Much like season five, the back half of the eighth season of 9-1-1 is shaping up to be much better than the front half. Last episode marked the return of the ABC drama and by the end we were left with a pretty gnarly cliffhanger. This week, we learn of Maddie’s fate after she was kidnapped by Detective Amber Braeburn (played by Abigail Spencer). We also say goodbye (maybe temporarily, most likely permanently) to a beloved character. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First things first, this reaction is for the season 8, tenth episode “Voices” which originally aired on March 13, 2025. The episode was written by Ted Griffin and Molly Savard and directed by Jennifer Lynch. Without further ado, let’s talk about the episode.
“Daddy. Where’s Mommy?” – Jee-Yun Buckley-Han
We kick things off with a pairing I honestly need more of going forward. Chimney and Buck arrive at the Han residence after their night out celebrating Eddie’s departure from the 118. Chimney calls out to his wife, but she doesn’t respond. Buck finds her wedding ring on the kitchen sink. It doesn’t take long for them to realize Maddie is not there. Chimney calls her number and her phone starts ringing a few feet away. As fear starts to set in, little Jee comes into the room and asks where her mother is.
Meanwhile, as Maddie slowly regains consciousness, she hears voices. Two very distinct voices coming from the same person. She sees Detective Braeburn engaged in a conversation with … well, herself. It’s giving Smeagol and Gollum from Lord of the Rings. The detective appears to suffer from a mental health disorder called dissociative identity disorder (DID) which is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that alternate in controlling a person’s behavior. In this episode, we see Detective Braeburn alternate between her younger self and a serial killer who is responsible for quite a few murders. The detective notices Maddie is awake and chloroforms her again.
Title card.
Hen arrives at Chimney’s and immediately goes into best friend mode. She calls the local hospitals to see if Maddie has turned up while Buck checks with dispatch to see if her vehicle has been reported in any kind of accident. Eddie arrives and asks if there’s any news. Buck reports there isn’t any. Hen tells Chimney he needs to file a missing persons report but the latter isn’t so sure what to do. Chimney tells them that when he and Maddie found out she was pregnant, they made a deal. Maddie promised that she wouldn’t leave without telling him and in return, he promised her he wouldn’t treat her like she’s broken. Hen tells him that if Maddie is having some sort of mental health crisis, they need to help her. I felt so bad for Chimney in this scene because he can’t help but be reminded of the last time Maddie went missing. He tells the others that Maddie’s been doing so well. Buck reminds him that she was also doing well before … until she wasn’t. Buck reminds his brother-in-law that none of this is his fault and assures him they will find Maddie. Hen takes lead and tells Buck and Eddie to start canvassing the neighborhood while Chimney heads downtown to meet with Athena.
“You took me from my home.” – Maddie Buckley-Han
We learn that Maddie is being held in Detective Braeburn’s basement. When Maddie comes to, again, the detective tells her that she’d been after Richard Bullock for a long time and thanks Maddie for giving her a reason to take him out. She tells Maddie she kidnapped her because it was only a matter of time before she put it all together. Detective Braeburn asks if Maddie has told anyone – Athena or her husband. Maddie tells her she hasn’t had a chance to tell anyone. Detective Braeburn doesn’t believe her. The detective gets a call from Athena and tells Maddie that people probably know that she’s missing now. Without another word, Detective Braeburn leaves, and we get a scream from Jennifer Love Hewitt we haven’t heard since her I Know What You Did Last Summer days.
Chimney heads to the police station and talks with Athena and Bobby about Maddie’s disappearance. Detective Braeburn arrives shortly thereafter and tells Chimney to fill out a missing person’s report so she can get it into the system. The detective sidebars with Athena and tries to throw suspicion onto Chimney. Athena tells her that Chimney’s true-blue and that he would never hurt his wife. Braeburn then asks Athena if she spoke with Maddie after the meeting the previous day. Athena says the last time she saw Maddie was during their meeting.
“A man’s dead. He didn’t kill himself and then kidnap Maddie.” – Bobby Nash
While Maddie tries to free herself, Chimney tells Athena and Bobby that Maddie’s pregnant. Detective Braeburn comes into the room and announces that Maddie’s officially in the system and an APB is going out now. The detective notices some weirdness coming from the other three and asks what’s going on. Bobby tells Chimney he should tell Detective Braeburn what he just told him and Athena. Chimney tells the detective that Maddie is pregnant and past her first trimester. He also tells her about Maddie’s post partem depression after her first pregnancy but quickly says that she hasn’t experienced any signs of depression since. Detective Braeburn asks Chimney if Maddie mentioned anything about the case they were working on. Chimney tells her yes. She then asks if Maddie mentioned anything about how they got Richard Bullock. He says no. Athena explains they were able to take down Richard Bullock because Maddie convinced him to kill himself. Chimney is disturbed by this news.
Detective Braeburn tells Bobby and Athena she wants to talk to Chimney in private. After they vacate, the detective asks Chimney which beach Maddie went to when she tried to off herself. She says she wants to send a police cruiser there, just in case. In the hallway, Athena tells Bobby that something about Maddie’s disappearance isn’t right. She finds it odd that Maddie’s disappearance happens on the same day she helps stop a kidnapper. It’s too much of a coincidence. Back in the office, Detective Braeburn asks Chimney is Maddie has been drinking. He says no. He then asks if he Maddie wants the baby and if I didn’t know this woman was evil, I knew it at this point. Chimney is adamant that Maddie wants their baby. Athena suspects that Richard Bullock had an accomplice and tells Bobby to keep that bit of information to himself. Chimney leaves the office and tells Bobby and Athena that he feels like he should be doing something. Athena tells him the only thing he needs to do is be with his daughter.
“Everything felt like it was finally getting back to the way it should be.” – Evan “Buck” Buckley
Detective Braeburn can’t wait to get back home to tell Maddie everything she’s learned. She tells Maddie she’s going to inject her with Fentanyl. Maddie asks her if she can write a letter to Jee as a means of stalling and the detective acquiesces. Meanwhile, Buck and Eddie are out looking for Maddie. Buck is very worried about his sister. His abandonment issues are surfacing, and he sees this as yet another person choosing to leave him. He then lashes out at Eddie who is planning on moving back to Texas. I am so glad Buck finally got all his feelings out. He’s clearly upset that his best friend is moving away even though logically he understands why Eddie is leaving. Last episode, Eddie lashed out at Buck, and we really didn’t get to see Buck defend himself.
Chimney leaves the police station and heads straight for Hen and Karen’s while Athena meets up with Detective Rick Romero (played by Danny Nucci). They go see the coroner Luann (played by Carole Gutierrez) who is performing the autopsy on Richard Bullock. Luann tells them that prior to his apparent death by suicide, Bullock was chloroformed repeatedly. Romero posits that someone kept him alive long enough for him to be a sacrificial lamb of sorts. After leaving the morgue, Athena and Rick go to see Jayna Whitlock (played by Chloe Csengery), our kidnapping victim from the previous episode, and ask her questions about her captivity. She says she doesn’t remember much. She remembers being in the restroom at the bus station and being chloroformed by Richard Bullock. Thankfully Bullock never touched her. Athena asks if she saw anyone with Bullock. Jayna says there was a woman. The woman was crying but she wasn’t a victim. The woman and Richard were fighting.
Back in Braeburn’s basement, Maddie finishes her letter to Jee. Detective Braeburn reads the letter laments that she never got love from her own mother. Maddie tries to appeal to the younger version of the detective while simultaneously trying to free herself. Back at the police station, Athena and Rick talk with Richard Bullock’s former girlfriend Isabelle (played by Frankie Ingrassia). Isabelle is adamant she is not Bullock’s accomplice and says she was at a casino at the time of his death.
“Jee said her mom was talking to someone who was crying last night after she went to bed.” – Mara Driskoll
Detective Braeburn shows up at the hospital where Jayna is inpatient and tells her she’s been discharged and that she will take her to her mom. Meanwhile, Athena and Rick decide to locate other victims around Jayna’s age. They are only looking at victims whose perpetrators used chloroform as a means of subduing them. Over at the Han residence, Chimney says goodbye to Hen and Karen who have been looking after Jee. When he goes to put Jee to bed, he hears a knock at the door. He goes to answer and finds Hen and Mara (played by Askyler Bell) on his doorstep. Hen encourages Mara to tell Chimney what she told her. Mara tells Chimney that Jee told her that she heard Maddie talking to a woman the night she disappeared. Chimney deduces that someone else was in the house with Maddie. Creepy!!!
Buck and Eddie arrive at Chimney’s after their fruitless search. Hen updates them on recent revelations while Chimney tries getting in touch with Detective Braeburn. We then head over to dispatch with Athena and Rick. They meet with Josh who plays them a 9-1-1 call of a young girl who was taken captive back in 2000 by Richard Bullock. Turns out, the girl is Amber Braeburn. Rick speculates that Detective Braeburn is the one who was working with Bullock, but Athena believes the detective is the one who set up his death. Athena asks Josh to look up Detective Braeburn’s address. Josh tells her he already did when he gave it to Chimney.
“We think she might be a damn serial killer.” – Athena Grant
Back in the basement, Maddie finds a hammer and some news articles about the Richard Bullock’s victims. Detective Braeburn returns with Jayna. Maddie tries to get through to the detective, but the latter tells her she plans on getting rid of Chimney. This sends my girl Maddie into an absolute frenzy. Maddie charges at her with the hammer and the two of them scuffle. Then, in a shocking turn of events, Detective Braeburn slashes Maddie’s throat. When I saw this, I was gooped and gagged. Mostly I was floored. Now I’ve seen some gruesome things on this show. I still have nightmares about the guy who goes stuck in the escalator after proposing to his girlfriend. Seeing Maddie get her throat sliced is officially the second-most violent thing I’ve seen on this show. I will tell you about the first here shortly.
Meanwhile, Chimney arrives at the detective’s house. She invites him in and offers to get him some water. Chimney gets a call from Athena who tells him to act natural. She then tells him that Detective Braeburn is the one who kidnapped Maddie. When the call ends, Chimney turns around and sees that the detective has a gun aimed at him. When she goes to pull the trigger, Maddie hits her over the back of the head. Maddie collapses and is bleeding out. Chimney calls 9-1-1. As he comforts his wife, Detective Braeburn regains her composure and finds her gun. She points it at the back of Chimney’s head. Maddie tries to warn him, but she can’t talk. When the detective goes to shoot him, we get a shot of the window behind her getting sprayed by blood. HEADSHOT! Detective Braeburn is down. This right here is the most violent thing I’ve seen on this show. Athena’s definitely killed before but never like this. The whole scene from beginning to end was just so … shocking.
“Hey, you don’t have to be here. You’ve already done so much. You should be with your family.” – Howie “Chimney” Han
“What makes you think I’m not?” – Hen Wilson
We end up at the hospital – yet again. At this point, all of our characters have found themselves in an operating room. If you’re keeping score, we have Athena’s assault (1), Maddie’s kidnapping by her estranged husband leading to getting stabbed and now her getting her throat slashed (2), Buck nearly choking to death, Buck getting crushed by a firetruck, Buck nearly succumbing to his complications of getting crushed by a firetruck, Buck getting struck by lightning (4), Eddie getting shot by a sniper and then getting hurt during the freeway collapse (2), Chimney getting rebar through his skull, getting stabbed by Maddie’s estranged husband, and contracting encephalitis (3), and Bobby getting shot by the sniper and having a heart attack (2). Come to think of it, Hen’s like the only one who hasn’t ended up in the hospital unless you count when she got concussed during the freeway collapse. These poor people have been through so much, but they always rally together when one of them is down and out.
Thankfully, Maddie is going to be okay. We also get some good news! Well, it’s good news if you’re someone who likes knowing the gender of babies before they are born. Maddie and Chimney are having a boy. I love seeing Kenneth Choi smile. He has such a great smile and he and Jennifer Love Hewitt have amazing chemistry!
“Thanks for helping me get back to him.” – Eddie Diaz
Our final scene is one that should’ve been in the last episode. It’s weird ending an episode where Maddie was the focal point on Buck and Eddie who are acting like two high school sweethearts who are breaking up before they leave for their first year of college. This is total Buddie bait, but I don’t mind it because ultimately, it’s nothing. Eddie is leaving. We’ve known this for a while now. I don’t think this is the last time we will see Eddie, but I do think this will be Ryan’s last season. The two hug it out and the last shot of the episode is Buck looking sad and dejected.
Wow! This was another great episode! Shout out to Jennifer Love Hewitt and Kenneth Choi who acted their butts off. Something that I think this episode did very well was its depiction of how much Maddie has grown over the years. We’ve seen this woman go through it since she arrived in Los Angeles seven seasons ago. We saw her runaway with Doug when she was younger. We saw her runaway from Doug. We saw her runaway from Chimney and their daughter. This time Maddie didn’t run away. This time she fought back. She fought for Chimney and Jee. I loved seeing this side of Maddie.
I thought Detective Amber Braeburn worked as a villain. I do wish they could have waited to reveal her identity. Imagine how gaggy it would’ve been if we found out at the same time Athena did. I’m glad they killed off the detective because honestly I didn’t want another Jeffrey Hudson situation where she comes back two or three seasons from now. With that said, I need Maddie to get through the rest of her pregnancy without incident. Please, writer, if you’re reading this, I need you to leave Chimney and Maddie along for a while. I’m so tired of seeing them in peril.
As for our goodbye, I will miss Eddie being around, I won’t, however, miss the constant speculation about his sexuality and the constant call for him and Buck to get together romantically. I also get the feeling that Ryan Guzman is exhausted of the shipping. The show hasn’t really given him anything to do on this show in a very long time. I feel like his character hasn’t evolved since maybe season four. I do wonder that had the writers not spent so much time catering to shippers, if we would’ve seen some growth in the character by now. The show has zero interest in putting Eddie with Buck, but they also know that a lot of online engagement with the show involves these two. I do wonder what will happen to the Buddie ship now. I’m sure they’ll find a way to spin Eddie’s exit into a sign that Buddie is happening. They always do, haha.
Well, that’s it for this reaction. According to IMDb, we have eight more episodes left of this season. Next episode will feature Bobby’s mom which is exciting. Last season we got a glimpse into his upbringing and I’m anxious to see more! I wonder if Maddie will have the baby by the end of the season since it was confirmed she was past her first trimester. I also wonder what’s next for Buck. I need my boy to pull an Abby and do some eat, pray, love. It looks like Tommy is coming back and I would prefer Buck deal with his issues before he reunites with Tommy. Well, I hope you’ll come back next week when I review the next episode. Until next time …
