Bud and Lou are The Joker's two pet laughing or spotted hyenas. Their names are references to the comedy duo Abbott and Costello. The Joker's hyenas have also appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, The Batman and the comics, but remained unnamed or simply referred to as "Babies" by Harley Quinn. Joker finally confirmed their names as Bud and Lou however in The New Batman Adventures episode "Joker's Millions".
History
DCnU
In the "Death of the Family" storyline, Harley Quinn escapes the Joker's attempt to make her "fully realized" by dropping her into a vat of chemicals. However, she is confronted by Bud and Lou, who both have been turned rabid by the Joker to turn them into "pure animal instinct." They both attack Harley, who is forced to kill them, much to her sorrow.
Characteristics
In Krypto the Superdog, both hyenas have red fur with black spots and black rings around their eyes. Bud wears a purple collar, has a black right front paw, and speaks in a higher voice. Lou wears a green collar, has a black left front paw and right hind paw, and speaks in a more gravelly voice. (However, in Batman: The Animated Series they are identical and both wear red collars; in The Batman, they are identical, wear no collars, and are grayish in color.) Both hyenas have a distinctive odor. This was first mentioned by Ace in the episode "The Cat and the Bat". Later on, in the episode "Funny Business", Ace told Krypto he could smell their evil.
Bud and Lou in Krypto the Superdog
Like their master, Bud and Lou love to laugh maniacally and play jokes on their foes. Like the other animal characters on Krypto the Superdog, they also seem to be quite intelligent (a reference to the intelligence of actual hyenas). For instance, in "Bat Hound and the Robin", while stealing pillowcases for The Joker to carry loot in, they deduced that the pillowcases made of one material would be better because pillowcases made from the other fabric would shrink in the wash, meaning less loot could be put in them. Also, The Joker has given the hyenas items to use in combating Bat Hound. At one point in "The Dark Hound Strikes!", Bud pretended to give himself up. When Ace seized Bud's collar in his fangs, he received an electric shock. Bud then announced he had a joy-buzzer collar and laughed. In "Funny Business", the hyenas had a bubble shooter which shot special "giggle bubbles". These bubbles caused Ace to laugh uncontrollably, like a mild version of Joker venom.
Batman: The Animated Series
Bud and Lou appeared in Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures numerous times. They appeared to prefer Harley Quinn over The Joker, and when Harley wasn't present The Joker refused to feed them. They were also featured in Batman: Gotham Adventures several times but appeared mostly as brief cameos on covers rather than appearing in the actual story. Harley was able to summon them to protect her by simply screaming "Babies!" and she refused to leave with the Joker when he was planning to nuke Gotham, because Bud and Lou would have been caught in the explosion. It has been speculated by fans that the reason why Bud and Lou prefer Harley in this version is due to spotted hyenas having a matriarchal society, putting Harley above Joker in the hyenas' eyes.
The Batman
Bud and Lou appear briefly with the Joker on The Batman, but are actually depicted as being more monstrous and disgusting, mangy critters. Unlike their original versions, they were albino, a fact remarked on by the Joker, who said they resembled "their dad". They were sent after Batman, Batgirl and Catwoman on Killgore Steed's private island, but were subdued and befriended by Catwoman, who remarked that hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs in response to Joker's surprise that a "canine" would be so friendly with her.
Batman: Arkham City
Bud and Lou, stuffed and displayed in The Penguin's Museum in Batman: Arkham City.
Before the events of the game, when Black Mask first wound up in Arkham City and ran into Joker and Harley, Bud and Lou tried to attack him.
Bud and Lou appear in the game Batman: Arkham City. They are on display in Cyrus Pinkney's Institute of Natural History, which has become the Penguin's stronghold in Arkham City. When activating the display, the Penguin's recording says "Recognise Joker's pets? Me too. That's why I had them shot and stuffed!" Scanning the hyenas solves the Riddler riddle "Have Joker's pets laughed themselves to death, or just eaten too much?"
Behind the scenes
- Bud and Lou are named after the renowned Comedic Duo - Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.
Appearances
- Batman: The Animated Series
- Krypto The Superdog
- The New Batman Adventures
- The Batman
- Batman: Arkham City