Some brief Batman chat

Let's get back to talking about something I'm not sure people care about more or less than business practices of Big Pharma and the challenges of rolling technology and good pedagogy into the classroom.

Today DC Comics rolled out all kinds of news about what the Batman titles will look like after the DC reshuffling (I'm not calling it a reboot anymore) happens in September.

Some highlights:
-the only "Batman" will be Bruce Wayne.  I endorse this plan given the business needs pushing the reboot.
-Dick Grayson will be back in his Nightwing togs, but now in red instead of blue.
-Batman Inc. is on hiatus for a bit, but is coming back
-Sigh.  Jason Todd survived the reboot.  And he's getting his own title.  X-Treme Heroes or some such.
-Catwoman will have a comic.
-Birds of Prey will exist without Oracle, Huntress, Zinda and likely me as a reader.
-No sign yet of fan-favorite Tim Drake, who has been the burger-shop-friendly "Red Robin" for the past year.
-It appears the role of Robin will be filled by Damian Wayne
-A fellow who appeared in Batman, Inc., Batwing, will get his own title.  I think I drew something similar in one of my sketchbooks in college when I was pondering Batman. Only mine looked more like a bunch of squiggles and had grappling cannons on his arm and likely was very, very angry.

Uh...  we do this Batman thing at NIGHT, sir

So, Wonder Woman to be on "Batman Brave and the Bold" (briefly)

Dear lord, its not nearly enough, and I could watch this all day... but Wonder Woman is our partnered-up hero in the opening section of this week's coming Batman: Brave and the Bold on Cartoon Network. 

The main segment is Green Lantern Hal Jordan, which is cool, too, but...  Wonder Woman, ya'll.



See, I haven't seen the Adriane Palicki Wonder Woman, but could it have been anywhere near as much fun as this?  This is a pretty darn good take on the Lynda Carter-infused, retro-40's-60's version of the character.  It's a few degrees away from my George Perez/ Phil Jimenez/ Greg Rucka/ Gail Simone take, but this is pretty great.

By the way, this season's Batman: The Brave and the Bold has been non-stop greatness.  The show was good before, but this year it really came into its own as a fantastic world of DC that's perfect both for kids and adults and just reminds you not just why superheroes are great, but why the DCU is so much fun.

10 things I currently like

As I went on and on about things I didn't like in a few recent posts, I thought I'd share a few things that I have enjoyed of late.

1. Game of Thrones - This show got off to a rocky start with an all-exposition pilot, and I wasn't sure I was going to care all that much about a fictional history of a fictional land when there are very real histories to care about.  But it did have a certain je ne sais quoi, and by the end of the 3rd episode, I was in for the full season.  I can't spell anybody's name, or remember half the names, but its still a really well produced show.  And Peter Dinklage's character is my new hero.

2.  Batman Inc.  - Yesterday I read Batman Inc. # 2-5.  There's not a lot of emotional depth to this one that I enjoyed in prior Morrison Batman work, but its a compelling story and epic mystery. I think he does a great job of picking up Rucka's vibe with Batwoman, and I would likely pick up an El Gaucho series all on its own (which...  probably just me on that one, I guess).

3.  Batman Beyond - I did read Adam Beechen and Ryan Benjamin's first few issues in the collection entitled Hush Beyond, and I quite liked it.  I was a big fan of the TV series and straight-to-video movie, and I wasn't tired of the universe that was developed for the show and the JLU cartoon.  Beechen and Benjamin clearly were both familiar with the series, and its a fun read.  Very glad this series is ongoing and they they're giving Superman Beyond a One Shot to see how that goes. 

4.  Treme - I haven't made it through The Wire*, so don't start on me that this isn't as good as The Wire.  Its a damn good show, although parts have gotten a bit cute for my taste this season.  And its a good reminder of what happened and is still happening in our backyard.  Great ensemble cast, amazing ability to weave in culture and music, and it has Khandi Alexander outside of a CSI show that I can watch without feeling my eyes burn.  It is also job #87 or so that Kim Dickens has had in the last few years (JimD is right, Kim Dickens is pretty great).

5.  Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - A co-worker turned me onto this band, and they're much more listenable than  I would have guessed.  I particularly like the cut "I Love Creedence". 

6.  Friday Night Lights - yeah, I know its already been canceled, but I love this damn show.  And its so sad so many people bring their baggage from high school and apply it to missing one of the best shows on network TV.  The one downside is that I'm not sure the show ever got better than its pilot, which was one of the best hours of TV I've ever seen.  Also:  Connie Britton I could watch doing crossword puzzles or delinting sweaters.


7.  American Gods - is pretty good.  I need to just block out some time to finish it.

8.  Edamame - why nobody told me about this stuff before is mindblowing.  You are all on notice for not alerting me to edamame before now.


9.  The ACL Fest Lineup - Go figure, the one year I don't buy a 3-day pass, its a great line-up.  I'm only going Sunday. 

10.  My goofy gym - I love places with goofy names, and that includes my new gym:  Planet Fitness.  It just seems sort of half-baked, like they decided "eh, that's good enough" and called it a day.  Inside, the gym proudly declares itself "The No Judgement Zone" in four foot letters, which isn't a misspelling of "Judgement", but its also not how you see it usually spelled (ie: judgment).  And for that, I JUDGE THEM.  Also, literally everything in the gym is purple, yellow or black.  I can only guess this is seriously screwing up the rods and cones within the eyeballs of the employees.


*park it.  I will watch it eventually.

For the record: "Battle of the Superheroes" on "Batman: Brave and the Bold" was the best half hour of TV I've seen in years

That's probably a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

Look, I know you don't spend your spare time thinking about the statues of criminals and conquerors that Lex Luthor keeps in his secret layer, but as someone who does think about these things, the non-stop Superman fandom tribute that was this week's episode of Batman: Brave and the Bold was one of the most amazing things I've seen on TV in quite some time.

And, of course, whomever worked on the episode was apparently also a fan of the Silver-Age ancillary titles like Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, as the episode imitated classic covers and incidents from those issues.  The episode also paid tribute to the classic look of the cityscapes of the 1990's-era Superman: the Animated Series and through in the Batman armor from Dark Knight Returns for good measure.

And, the episode didn't just include Krypto, they totally got the point of DC's most underrated superhero.

All in all, the only disappointing part of the episode was that it was only half and hour and a single episode.  If DC Entertainment is looking to expand its offerings, I'd love to see the Brave and the Bold team come back with a solid hour Batman/ Superman.

The many references in a single clip from "Batman: Brave and the Bold"

00:05 - Armor from Dark Knight Returns
00:05 - I have to assume Krypto's presence is a reference, but I'm not sure to what. Hondo?
00:12 - King Superman from Action Comics 311 - that's the throne and Superman flag from the issue
00:17 - Metropolis inspired by the designs used in the Bruce Timm-era Superman: The Animated Series
00:24 - Lois and Jimmy's look is pure 1960's Weisinger dictated. Kurt Schaffenberger and Curt Swan style!
00:37 - This is the exact same move from JLU's final episode when Superman took on Darkseid (jump to 1:13 in the clip)

And I'm likely missing something here.

Superman and Batman go Classic on "Brave and the Bold"

found by @deantrippe



I can't tell you how giddy this made me. Right down to Lex piloting a Lex-version of the Supermobile.

Michael Gough, the Alfred of 4 Batman movies, Merges with the Bat-Infinite

JimD has alerted me to the passing of Michael Gough, the British Thespian who played Wayne family butler Alfred Pennyworth in four Batman movies, beginning with Tim Burton's Batman and concluding with (sigh) Batman and Robin. 

Gough was the first actor to bring to life the dry wit regarding his boss's nocturnal activities with which Alfred had become infused in the comics in the 1970's and which became a staple of the character post-Dark Knight Returns.  He also was responsible for conveying the flipside to that relationship as Bruce's unacknowledged father figure (see the dinner sequence in Burton's Batman). 

Unfortunately, his last outing as Alfred included the "Alfred's dying, bring in Alicia Silverstone" decision which was one of many choices made by WB that knee-capped the franchise.  But it wasn't a crazy choice.  As the only actor to appear in all movies of that Bat-era, audiences were emotionally invested in the character, and what can a brother do about Alicia Silverstone's baby-voiced non-acting when his job is to lay there comfortably in silk pajamas?

We salute Gough and he will be well remembered here at LeagueHQ.

History of the Batmobile

This has been making the rounds a bit, and a couple of you have chucked it my way (thanks for that, btw, PaulT and MattA!).

I've said before and I'll say it again:  As much as I'm a fan of Batman and his cast of characters, I'm a fan of the very loose concept of the Batmobile.

"yeah, just a minute.  I think this guy wants his phone back..."

Anyway, for those of you who know the Batmobile from the old TV show or movies, in the comics, every artist who comes onboard wants to add their bit to Batlore, and generally the editors seem to be willing to let artists cook up new looks for the Batmobile to build on previous looks, tie in with existing, recent model cars, etc...

Anyhow, here's an absolutely stunning graphic I think you guys might enjoy.  

Click below for website that will launch you to the full image.


see more Funny Graphs

I Kind of Hate this Idea - High School Batman

iO9 posted concept art from a never-developed cartoon idea about "what if Gotham was a high school, and all the villains just people in a high school?  And Bruce the dreamy, broody guy?"

Lately, pretty much any alternate version of any familiar comic property dreamt up on DeviantArt gets big props from the online comics community, and I'm not surprised that a show that hits as many notes of popular generic media spliced with something as popular as Batman is getting oohs and aahs. 

this is funny for as long as it takes for you to figure who is what dumb TV high school stereotype

I LOVE Batman stuff that's for kids, so that's not what I think I dislike.  So much of the high school stuff in comics (and there's a ton of it) feels more like an idea of high school that came from watching movies than from people who went to high school.  And/ or adults working out issues because they didn't feel cool enough in high school.  And there's so dang much of it.

I dunno.  It just seems kind of like trying to make Batman work in Mean Girls, and if you're going to do that, why not make it Batman in day care.  Or Batman in the old folks home.  Or Batman in the office.

But I also know: there's going to be a large fanbase that feels that DC totally missed the boat by not doing this. I semi-respectfully disagree.

I don't know exactly why I'm not crazy about this.  If anyone wants to speculate, we have a comments section.

I guess what I'm saying is I'm glad that DC went with The Brave and the Bold, instead.  And not just because B: B&B has a rocking theme song.

Short Batman Comic Book Review: Detective Comics 871

Written By:  Scott Snyder
Art:  Jock
BackUp feature art:  Francesco Francavilla

Oh my God, somebody at DC remembered that Batman is supposed to be a detective who solves mysteries.

That is all. 


(I also liked this comic, btw.)

I guess they've redesigned Batman's costume a little

So in reading two separate Batman comic-news related bits, I couldn't help but notice that DC seems to have maybe moved to David Finch's Batman: Earth One design for Batman in the mainline titles.

It's not a drastic redesign. Mostly, Batman's belt looks a little different and we see the return of the yellow oval bat symbol on the chest. Also, look! Where are his blue trunks? It's like he's bat-nude!

From the announcement art on Batman: Earth One.




From today's article about Batman, Inc.



Also from the Batman, Inc. article, but it looks like this may be some canned art from Batman: Earth One


article on Batman: Earth One at The Beat.

article on Batman, Inc.

Who knows, though, really. In watching the Robin documentary on the Red Hood DVD, the editors had cut in many shots of the wrong costume, wrong Robin, etc... interrupting the flow of the video for anyone who ever read a Batman comic and wondered "why do they keep showing Tim Drake when they're talking about Dick Grayson"?

My suspicion is that someone has Earth One art lying about and had to use it as its the only art anyone has on hand with the yellow, oval bat symbol Morrison was talking about.

"Batman: Under the Red Hood" isn't very good

I'm a fan of most of the WB's animated DC Universe product. It only rarely hits the highs of Justice League Unlimited, but it does a pretty darn good job of telling very comic-centric stories.

To this point, DC and WB have stuck to either condensing stories or characters down to their essence to create an interesting movie (which is how I felt about Wonder Woman and even the expansive Doomsday storyline from Superman), or they've animated adaptations of existing stories with which I was already on board (like New Frontier).

I am not a fan of Judd Winick and find him a middling writer at best (I don't even really like Barry Ween, and its killing me DC put him on Power Girl). Aside from the use of fake-Jason Todd in Hush and Grant Morrison's interpretation of a returned Jason Todd in Batman and Robin, I've been firmly against the move by DC.

As a kid, one of the most memorable comic reading experiences I recall ever having was reading A Death in the Family, the story in which Robin II, aka: Jason Todd, dies. I had been unable to find the issues on the newsstand, and was reading borrowed copies. Despite the fact I knew Todd was killed before opening page 1 made no difference. I stand by the visceral reaction I recall having, and bemoaning my inability to call in (I would have called to save Jason Todd. I thought he was great and a far more interesting guy than Dick Grayson, Robin 1).

All that aside, Winick just isn't the strongest writer at DC. In 2005ish, when Jason re-appeared, DC seemed to have this random assortment of writers on hand that were given assignments based seemingly upon some arbitrary system that had little to do with fan excitement about the writer, and more to do with who the editor's seemed to like.

Winick came to the title and gave himself very little time before he plunged into bringing back Jason Todd, an idea which had likely seemed like a great, missed opportunity when in 2004's Batman: Hush storyline, a master of disguise had masqueraded as Jason Todd, and the fan community went nuts.

I'm a fan of the idea that there are no bad ideas, there is only bad execution. And in this case, the execution went poorly. Winick's reincarnation was uninspired, went nowhere, and left plotholes through which one could safely pilot an Airbus A380 while wearing a blindfold.

In truth, DC didn't seem to know what to do with the character, either, and now that he's alive again, Jason Todd just sort of randomly pops up, filling whatever role as a thorn in Batman's side he needs to this week. And that's the greatest crime of all.

The movie of Under the Red Hood is written by Judd Winick, and every creaky line of dialogue and every "wha---?" illogical plotpoint feels like the slap-dashed writing of the former Real World participant. Winick's tendency to write cliche'd Batman-ese that echoes more talented artists winds up feeling like fanfiction, especially when he tries to cover up holes in his stories with lots of pointless violence and action.

In the format of the movie, even an animated movie, the improbability of Batman's world becomes one of fantastic impossibility, with physics and physiology defying leaps and invulnerability of faces against things like porcelain sinks, surviving point blank bomb explosions, and the dumbest car/ airplane chase sequence I've ever seen in cartoon or comics.

The movie likely requires you have some knowledge of characters like Ra's Al Ghul, and likely Todd himself. Time was that this would have been an issue for Jamie, but its kind of funny/sad that my wife doesn't blink anymore when discussing any of this stuff. To me, the story felt like something plucked midstream out of a year or two's worth of comics, and very incomplete, even as it referenced back story.

But the biggest issue is that (a) like in the comics, nothing particularly interesting actually happens despite a formerly dead side-kick shows up, (b) and there's no mystery at all for the audience as to the identity of the Red Hood. As my brother pointed out "there have only been four characters named in the movie. There's not even any other option." So its got some of the framework of a mystery, but just can't be bothered to go through the motions. But that's okay, because we don't ever really go through the process of the world's greatest detective puzzling it out, anyway. While I think we're supposed to know Batman has deduced the mystery, there's no revelatory sequence other than watching Batman open a piece of software.

I read elsewhere that some folks really liked the action sequences. I did not, and found them just sort of silly for Batman. Maybe in a Spidey cartoon, it would have made sense, but...

Anyhow, its rare I offer up an apology mid-movie and offer to turn it off, but I did so with "Under the Red Hood".

I will say: The bonus features are actually very nice. I'd read a fairly harsh review of the Jonah Hex animated short, but aside from the art team screwing up Hex's scars, I thought it was a pretty good reflection of the character and his Spaghetti Western roots. Its unfortunate some have read the short as misogynistic. The genre operates in such a morally gray (tilted toward darkness) landscape that its much more about survival and survival of the quickest and the deadliest, no matter their weapon. And, of course, about grim consequences of mucking with those deadlier than yourself.

Also, a couple of decent docs on the character of Robin.

Batman and Robin is good

One day I am going to make a deal with Jamie, and its going to go like this:

I am going to take some vacation days. I am going to lock myself in the bedroom and ask her to bring me a steady supply of coffee and food, and I am going to read every bit of Grant Morrison's Batman from the past four years, including Final Crisis.

I am not sure that even then I will get everything Morrison tried to do, but... you know, reading this thing in installments over multiple years has dulled my ability to keep every last detail at the front of my mind, and for this story, I kind of think that's required. For me at least.

Anyway, I finally read Batman and Robin #13 today, and... man.



Also, I know someone out there must be annotating the series. I need to find that link.

Real Life Catwoman Kind of Hilarious

Apparently there's a real life Catwoman running around New York. She's not exactly a criminal mastermind, but you have to appreciate her moxie. She walks into a store wearing a kitty mask, gives the clerk a note, they give her cash, she leaves.

Read here. But, mostly here.

Here's the video.



You kind of have to imagine how much having Batman around would escalate this whole situation. Here, the clerk is out $86. In Gotham, the windows would be smashed, the displays destroyed, and two bystanders somehow killed.

Batman is still kind of awesome, though.

Batman "City of Scars" fan film

Over the weekend, Ransom sent along a link to a Batman fan film. Unlike most fan films, this particular item isn't some pudgy guy in an off-the-shelf Batman costume yelling loud enough so that the mics will pick him up over the sound of the wind and his mom telling him to quit embarassing himself.

Created by Bat in the Sun Productions, the movie's production quality is surprisingly high. The folks behind this movie put a lot of love, thought and, frankly, money into making this one. The actor hired to play Batman/ Bruce Wayne is built (unlike Michael Keaton) like someone who could, likely, take your head off with a good spin kick. The actor selected for The Joker, and the makeup, all professional grade.

The story feels a bit like a two or three issue fill-in story that occasionally crops up in one of the main Batman titles. The events of the story include a grisly crime, and the nature of the crime (and the acts of the criminal) provide Batman with fodder for reflecting upon an aspect of his "mission", which, in the comics, we'd normally track with narration boxes, but in this case, we're given a voice over. Comic fans will be pleased to see how the filmmakers deal with Batman's costume, his vehicles and technology, as well as seeing characters who appear to be Montoya and Allen, two homicide detectives from the mid-90's through the mid-00's in Batman titles. Plus, we get a peek at live action interpretations of some of Batman's B-ist rogues gallery.

I don't want to dwell on how the script could have been tightened up, or how the film could have had a more deft directorial touch. There's no question that as a comics fan film, this is the best work to date.

However, this is a long movie for an internet clip, running over half an hour. So, you know, get comfortable.

Batman: What to Read/ What Order?

As much as you'll find a lot of Superman talk around The Signal Watch, I'm also a fan of The Dark Knight Detective.

Batman has been around almost as long as Superman, and its likely there's as much or more in the way of Batman in print out there as The Man of Steel. Reader Mike F. pinged me on Twitter. He's been reading the superlative "Batman: Year One" by Frank Miller and David Mazzuccelli. Which, if you like Batman but don't read comics, you owe it to yourself to read this comic.

There are a few ways to answer the question of "what do I read next?" Do you read more Frank Miller? More David Mazzuccelli? Or more Batman?

Well, I'm generally always going to recommend reading more Frank Miller and David Mazzuccelli. So let's talk Batman.

The biggest problem with jumping into Batman comics at the current date is that the monthly Batman comics are knee-deep in an ongoing, multi-year storyline (in which Bruce Wayne is not currently Batman, btw). So I don't recommend heading down to your local comic shop at the moment unless you're interested in picking up either "Superman/ Batman", "Batman: Confidential" or "Batman: The Brave and the Bold", all of which are intended for various audiences, but all intended so that a reader can pick up Batman comics any time without feeling like they just walked into the third act of a movie.

So, Batman...

I've tried to put these comics down in the order in which I think they should be read. I've also provided a "Required Read Level" or "Req Level", to help you judge how necessary this story might be to understanding subsequent comics. And, of course, this is my opinion and my opinion only. Counter arguments, suggestions, etc... are all welcome in the comments.

I should also note: There's a period in the mid-90's when I simply wasn't reading Batman. I abandoned Batman just prior to "Broken Bat" and didn't return to read "Contagion" or any of the earthquake/ "No Man's Land" stuff. I sort of regret not reading more of the "No Man's Land" stuff, but there you have it. I came back around 1998, and have been reading fairly steadily since. I invite other Bat-fans to join in with their take on what I might have missed, or to argue some of these "Required Reading Levels".

Batman: Year Two (Req Level: High) This comic isn't bad, but reading it reinforces the notion of what a feat Miller and Mazzuccelli pulled off with Year One to lift Batman out of the standard tropes of superhero comics. Mostly, Year Two serves an important function from a chronological standpoint and to answer some of the questions you might have about decisions a young Bruce Wayne would have had to answer early on in his career. The series is occasionally referenced in other media and the Batman comics.

Batman: The Long Halloween (Req Level: High) Jeph Loeb tells a great story, adding on to Batman's early career, following a pre-Robin Batman as he passes through a year of dealing with his rogues gallery, Gotham mobsters and a mysterious set of murders.

Batman: The Mad Monk and Batman and the Monster Men (Req Level: Low) Not a necessary read, but a darn good one. 80's comic legend Matt Wagner came roaring back with retellings of some of Batman's earliest and greatest stories from the 40's, integrating them into continuity. It definitely leans more toward superhero-ism than just detective work and the gritty feel of Year One, but its great to see DC making an effort to keep some of these original tales alive and updated.

Robin: Year One (Req Level: Medium) I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this particular comic. Retells the origin of Batman's sidekick from some of Batman's better writers.

Batman: Dark Victory (Req Level: Medium) The follow up to Batman: The Long Halloween.

Batgirl: Year One (Req Level: Low) A fun read. The origin of DC's Batgirl.

Batman: Son of the Demon (Req Level: Medium) A favorite 80's-era tale of Batman versus Ra's Al Ghul, one of the most interesting of Batman's Rogues Gallery.

Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (Req Level: Low) Not really necessary reading, and the copy I have was originally timed for release with the Tim Burton-directed Batman film, so you can guess when they quit adding stories to the volume. But its a nice slice of Bat-history in one, very readable volume.

Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told (Req Level: Low) A very similar read to the Batman volume, but featuring tales starring the Clown Prince of Crime.

Batman: A Death in the Family (Req Level: High) One of the most important Batman stories, this four-issue series would be one of a few comics to dictate the direction of the Batbooks for 20 years.

Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying (Req Level: Medium) This series followed not too long upon A Death in the Family, and pulls double duty as Year Three and introducing the third Robin, Tim Drake.

Batman: The Killing Joke (Req Level: Highest) Perhaps the most iconic of all Batman/ Joker stories, The Killing Joke defined how a generation would interpret The Joker, and his relationship to Batman, ultimately spilling out into the movie The Dark Knight. As a kid, this comic melted my brain.

Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth (Req Level: High) A personal favorite. This comic would establish Arkham as far, far more than just a jail for Batman's villains. Today's readers will know the series mostly due to the influence its had on the current Batman titles and the game it helped spawn that sold millions of copies and is due for a sequel. Morrison's writing and McKean's surrealist imagery form an hallucinatory exploration of the archetypes of evil Arkham is damned to contain and create. Its also one of those comics where writing and art gel to create a work that seems to stand outside the genre and form. Unfortunately, its also led to a lot of half-baked attempts to milk the initial concept.

Batman: Hush (Req Level: Low) While I enjoyed Hush, and it was certainly a highlight of the post 2000-era Batman, this story seemed to generate more trouble than it was worth. However, it does contain key plot points and introduces the villain, Hush.

Batman and Son (Req Level: Medium) The first chapter in the current storyline for Batman comics. Spins directly out of the 1980's Son of the Demon comic. The beginning of an epic, multi-year arc.

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Req Level: Low) While not required reading and hardly in continuity or canon, this story is an odd farewell to multiple visions of Batman as seen over the years.

A Special Mention:

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Req Level: incalculable) Probably the most important comic post 1945, The Dark Knight Returns isn't even in continuity, but Frank Miller reset how three generations would think about Batman, superheroes, and the content of superhero comics. It would also, artistically , change the form of the superhero comic forever. Rife with political satire, unpleasant truths about our caped heroes, and perhaps the first real look at how superheroes might play out given time... It also set up generations of people to think Superman was kind of dumb (which was always kind of missing the point).

Some Additional Batman Reading:

Batman: War on Crime A standalone, painted Batman oversized comic. Beautifully told and rendered, and cutting to the core of what makes Batman work as a character.

Gotham Central A series about the police force operating in Gotham City. The series was never properly appreciated in its time.

JLA: New World Order Grant Morrison reminded us why Batman is so crucial to the JLA in a few short issues. Would establish Batman's presence within the DCU for the next 10 years.

Nightwing: Year One

DC Comics Classics Library: Batman, The Annuals Batman used to be really goofy. I don't know what else to say about it.

From now on...

Whenever you see an article pondering the "dark" and "gritty" aspects of Batman, I want for you to think of this picture:






found at Pop Culture Safari

Batman Musical Tribute

This was found at the superlative Pop Culture Safari.

For some reason its a musical tribute to the Batman TV show. If you weren't there, for some reason TV in the 1970's was full of lots of elaborate song and dance numbers. I blame Donny & Marie.



Its worth it to make it to the end to hear:

"up next: John Denver salutes Jacque Cousteau!"

there was something brilliantly weird about late 70's TV.

In Brightest Knight! - Adam West/ Batman/ Paramount Theater

edit: You can read Steanso's post on this same outing with pics of the stage w/ West and Troubles and myself in the balcony


So this afternoon I attended a screening of "Batman", the film made with the same cast, props, effects, etc... as the famous Adam West starring TV series. If you ever remember seeing Batman's BatBoat, or Bat Shark Repellent or Batman running around with a lit bomb, desperately looking for a place to rid himself of the bomb (my favorite scene in the movie)... that's "Batman", or as some in the know call it "Batman 1966".

I grew up on Batman. I talked a bit about my history with the character way, way back in 2005 at the release of "Batman Begins".

Family lore has it that Mr. West's version of Batman aired in syndication each evening around dinner time, and as I was a restless baby, The Karebear figured out that this was the only thing I'd sit for while she tried to cook up some dinner. Further, the family lore states, my first word was "Batman". And, hell, it may be my last. And it's no less likely I'll be running around in a cape and diaper singing the theme song to Batman then.

Our Signal Corps Cinema Event was attended by myself, Troubles, Steanso, Julia P. and her beau, Bill B.

Adam West, Himself, was in attendance. The first thing you need to know about Adam West is that he is COOL. Like, Joe Cool-cool. He had on what looked to be a linen suit, he's still got that voice, and he seems to genuinely love that he gets to meet his fans. He's very witty, and he appreciates that folks appreciate his work.

I have no idea how many seats are at Austin's Paramount Theater, but its hundreds and hundreds, and the place seemed to be 95% sold out. Not bad for a movie that debuted in 1966, at that very same theater with all of the stars in attendance (Mr. West told a story that Burgess Meredith had his wife fly him in in her own plane so he upstaged their airport press conference).

The theater was full of all ages, from four years old to the elderly and everywhere in between. Austin Books made an appearance and showed up with a table full of Batman memorabilia and merchandise. Further, as the screening was part of Austin's bat-celebrating "Night of the Bat", Bat Conservation International was there with our local friends, the Mexican Freetailed Bat (it's a tiny, adorable bat that eats our local bugs) and an African fruit bat of some sort (that was inverted, very large and very, very cute).

Seriously, Austin loves bats.

Mr. West is philosophical about his role in the weird, wacky pop culture world around the character and icon of Batman. He seems to understand that Batman is bigger than anyone, or even any one concept of Batman and talked about how he thought the new movies were cool, but that was the Dark Knight. He was very happy being recognized as The Bright Knight, and I think that was a very popular sentiment with the crowd.

My preferred seats at the Paramount are in the balcony, so I did not get anywhere close to Mr. West, which is too bad. But the film print they had was awesome, the sound was better than I remember from the last time I was there, and the crowd was very, very into the movie (including the kids!).

Outside of the theater, I stumbled upon an amazing sight:


In my collection, I have roughly 35 Batmobile toys. 3 of them are this car.


I was, needless to say, delighted.

As a quick note: I am a Batman fan. I am crazy for Superman, but there's no doubting my Bat-fandom. But I honestly think I'm as much a fan of the Batmobile and its many crazy different incarnations as I am of, say, Robin. Or Alfred. Anyway, its weird to be a fan of a fictional car, but it all started with the TV show Batmobile, so seeing the car up close (yes, it was a reproduction, but a stellar reproduction) was sort of a thing for me.


I got off my posed shot. Pretty sharp.


But then I noticed that Batman had wandered off...


I only drove it around the block, like, three times (not really)



I must be a good 5 inches taller than anyone they ever expected to drive that car.



My buddy Batman poses for a shot with yours truly (that guy's costume was awesome)



Why, yes, Catwoman. I will swing by and take you out for a lovely dinner of Fancy Feast and dead mice.

The car was a reproduction created and charactered by Cy Productions. It was AMAZING.

Anyway, a terrifically fun day.

Weekly Watch Wind - 04/30/2010

Congratulations!: A very special double congratulations to our pal Jill Hermann-Wilmarth! (A) Jill just got/won/earned tenure at the university at which she teaches and does other professory-stuff (her tweed jacket collection is amazing). (B) She and her partner, Jess, should be welcoming baby #2 later this year.

That's what we call a good year.

Now, Jill, get out there and start doing crazy stuff. You have tenure, and they can't stop you any more!

Comics: Ransom put up an exemplary post about a Memphis-based indie comic from the 1980's entitled "The Last Generation". It's an amazing case study.

Movies: For those of us born pre-1980, its hard to read a remake of Carpenter's classic "Escape from New York" as anything but a tragedy/mistake. Especially a remake which will not feature Kurt Russell, or John Carpenter behind the camera. But someone is doing it.

While I enjoy reiterations of franchise characters (Superman, Spidey) and their ongoing sequels and adventures (Dr. Who, etc...), something about Hollywood's current zombie-like approach to creativity is a bit unsettling.

Batman: This one is so out of left-field, but makes such perfect sense, that I'm inclined to believe its authenticity. AICN is reporting that there may be an elaborate Batman stage-show in the works. I am hoping for a "Batman: Brave and the Bold" stage show, but we'll see if they don't go all "Arkham Asylum" instead. Or read about it at Comic Alliance.

While the stage show sounds more akin to a Monster Jam rally than the next "Cats" (and if you haven't watched Monster Jam, I secretly think its awesome in small doses), you can see clips of Batman before the footlights from when we pondered a musical Batman at LoM.

Superman: Outside of a the miniature/ putt-putt variety, I don't play golf. But if I did, I would own this golf club snuggy.

Superman/ Batman: Apparently President Obama has recruited Superman and Batman into the State Department. During a meeting discussing an attempt to renew relations with the Muslim world, Obama mentioned a previously undisclosed project:

There has also been cultural outreach, Obama said -- including a comic book series in which Superman and Batman work with their Muslim counterparts.

"And I hear they're making progress," Obama said.

Well, what do you know?

Movies/ Comics: Dark Horse Comics is adapting the movie of "Let the Right One In" to comics. However, that movie was based on a book, and the author may not dig on the idea so much. Here.

Legal/ Comics: Kirby Family v Marvel is moving to New York. Disney is going to have a hell of an interesting fight on their hands. The family of Jack Kirby is looking for a piece of the $4 billion pie that their father co-created (Hulk, Captain America, Thor, X-Men, Fantastic Four... all Kirby) at Marvel, which recently sold to Disney.

Comics: In working in a library, I've learned that librarians work with the long view of time and the world. I mention this as a school library voted to keep all-ages friendly comic "Bone" on their shelves despite a parental complaint that an adult behaved like an adult somewhere in one of the Bone comics.