Batman Update: Alfred’s Twitter Feed

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

Everyone knows that Alfred Pennyworth is the loyal and faithful butler to DC Comics’ Bruce Wayne, aka Batman aka The Batman. But if you’re not following Alfred’s Twitter feed, you’re missing all the action at Wayne Manor. Here’s a taste from @BatButler:

I knew Batman wasn’t really dead. Of course, he’s lost weight. Hand-stitched batsuits? Not a good idea.

How embarrassing! Just served high tea to evil Batman robot. Everyone knows he drinks coffee!

My bad. Ran into Diana Prince today in her new costume. Called her Diana Rigg by mistake.

Bat quiz: There’s a life-size statue of Catwoman in the Batcave. Why does it have perky nipples?

Commissioner Gordon called Bruce today just to chat about last night’s Glee. I think he’s a very lonely man.

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Return of Bruce Wayne

Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

It was announced a few days ago that Bruce Wayne would finally be coming back as Batman beginning in April 2010. The event will take place in a min-series entitled Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and it will be written by Grant Morrison. I’m very happy that Bruce Wayne will be returning, but I’m curious as to why both he and Captain America are through the exact chain of events in their lives right now. Both characters saw their side kicks resurrected (Jason Todd and Buck); both were “killed off”; both characters saw side kicks take over the mantle for them (Dick Grayson and Bucky); both are stuck in the past; and both are now trying to make their ways back to the present. What gives? Who’s copying who?

Well the idea of resurrecting Jason Todd began during the Hush storyline in 2002, but we didn’t see Jason return until 2005. The return of Bucky began around the same time in 2005 as well. Steve was killed in early 2007 and Bruce was killed in late 2008. It was revealed a few months ago that Steve was stuck in time, but Bruce was revealed to be stuck in the past at the end of Final Crisis at the beginning of the year. Since we are fans, we are not privy to which company came up with which idea first, but if it were me, I would try to do something a bit different with my company’s character. Also, what good is it for the fans? They will buy it nonetheless, but is it really that interesting to have the same exact thing happen to two iconic characters? What happens when they return?

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Batman Unseen: Doug Moench and Kelley Jones Score

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Batman is dead, you see, but when you’re DC Comics, the publisher of Batman, and you have a lot of companies that have paid $$$ to put his licensed image on toys and cups and action figures, you still have to publish some Batman comics with the Dark Knight Detective actually in them.

Hence, Batman: Unseen, by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, which is sub-titled “A Lost Tale of Bruce Wayne as Batman.” That way, we all know that the story took place, but not while Batman was supposedly dead. Moench and Jones have previously collaborated on Batman And Dracula: Red Rain and Batman: Haunted Gotham and several other Batman-related products and it’s great to see them return.

The Unseen part of the title refers to Batman’s new nemesis, a variant on The Invisible Man named Nigel Glass who’s succeeded in creating a liquid that renders him, well, invisible. His transformation by Jones is horrifically beautiful. The uber-villain (the leader of the newly revived Black Mask Gang) who financed Glass’s invention wants this formula for himself, Batman wants to stop Glass, and Glass is out for vengeance against all those who harshed his crazy. One other small story detail: it appears that Bats is worried he’s losing his ability to strike fear into the hearts of men (and with good reason).

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DC Comics Review: Arkham Reborn #1

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: ***

A few months ago during the Battle for the Cowl series, DC Comics released accompanying one-shots that expanded on the state of Gotham City and its inhabitants during the initial disappearance of Batman. Some were good and some were bad, but one stood out as great. Batman Battle for the Cowl: Arkham was the story of Jeremiah Arkham and his attempts at recovery after the destruction of Arkham Asylum. The story was similar to the mini-series Arkham Asylum: Living Hell in that it focused more on the inmates of Arkham and not Batman. This Battle for the Cowl issue introduced us to several unseen inmates who were special to Jeremiah: No Face, The Hamburger Lady, and the Mirror Man. This is the first issue of a three part mini-series that continues the story of Jeremiah and the inmates from that issue.

The first issue of Arkham Reborn begins with the reopening of Arkham Asylum. Now I didn’t catch this until after I read the issue, but in the opening scene Jeremiah Arkham is showing off the new asylum to a group of Gothamites. Some of these characters include Commissioner Gordon, new Gotham D.A. Kate Spencer aka the super-hero Manhunter, Aaron Cash head of Arkham security, Jeremiah’s new assistant Alyce Sinner, and ....Bruce Wayne?! I had to do a Wikipedia search to discover that Thomas Elliot, who surgically altered his face to look like Bruce Wayne, escaped from his cell and is now out and about as Bruce Wayne. I think the editors should have mentioned this, as I believe this all happened in the Streets of Gotham title and I don’t read that book.

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DC Comics Review: Blackest Night #4

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: ***

I’m a bit disappointed in this issue. After the first three issues blew me away and I proclaimed that this series was a future classic in the making, writer Geoff Johns stumbles a bit with this month’s issue of Blackest Night. For me, some of Black Lantern Firestorm’s dialogue was written poorly in the opening pages. We also jump to Gotham City for no reason other to see Jean Paul Valley aka Azrael resurrected as a Black Lantern while The Scarecrow whines about admiring the fear that the Black Lanterns are able to invoke (he can’t get scared because he’s used too much of his fear gas). Poor baby. He does have one fear of course - The Batman (cue dramatic Batman music).

This issue mostly focuses on Barry Allen - the Flash and his quest to take the reigns and try to “hold down the fort” here on Earth against the Black Lanterns. He’s with the Atom and Mera of Atlantis and he gives them a good pep talk to try to get them to step up and fight back against the Black Lanterns. The Flash then runs across the Earth continuing his pep talk and informing the other heroes of the situation. He tells them that Green Lantern is off trying to destroy the source of the Black Lanterns’ power and they have to keep fighting until that happens. 

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DC Comics Review: Batman and Robin #5

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: *** 1/2*

Another great issue in Grant Morrison’s run on Batman and Robin.  The issue picks up right where we left off in the previous issue with Red Hood and Scarlet confronting the new Batman and Robin.  Some very cool dialogue between the current Robin Damian Wayne and the second one The Red Hood Jason Todd.  It’s funny.  Even though I’m on the side of Batman and what he stands for, the Red Hood makes a good point when he says that after killing all of these criminals, they will think twice before setting foot in Gotham. 

Damian is being his normal arrogant self here, and decides to try and take Jason out, but Jason proceeds to catch him and ram his face into the ground.  Batman not being too happy about that, returns the favor.  Scarlet grabs Damian in retaliation and holds him at knife point.  Batman backs off of the Red Hood and allows them to escape as they need to turn the Penguin over to police.

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DC Comics Review: Red Robin #3

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: **

This issue of Red Robin is pretty weak. The only reason I didn’t give this issue a lower grade is because I like the overall plot of the story of Tim Wayne searching for Bruce Wayne. I’ve also read a hell of a lot worse over the years in my comic book reading. As we know from the previous issues, Ra’s al Ghul is the only other person who believes Tim that Bruce Wayne is really alive. At the end of the last issue, Tim agrees to join up with Ra’s in his search.

Tim’s investigation takes him to a museum in Berlin. While he’s there, Tim discovers something we don’t see, but his reaction causes him to say, “Oh my God it’s true.” I don’t think that he’s found the information he needs to prove Bruce is alive, but I’m curious as to what it is he found. At the museum, he runs into the Wild Huntsman, a character I never heard of before. Tim has his back to the wall with the Huntsman, when Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Assassins arrive to back him up. 

The story has some flashbacks as we see Wonder Girl meeting up with Tim at a cemetery. She tells him that she’s here to give him some comfort when he tells her he knows Bruce is alive. She doesn’t believe him, and he leaves. She then contacts Dick and tells him that Tim needs help.

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Batman’s Secret For Stress-Free Workdays

Posted by Kris Madden Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

BAT BROTH! That’s right, not your household chicken broth, “Bat Broth” is “a special mixture of nutrients designed to quickly convert to energy under conditions of internal stress.” It’s no wonder Bruce Wayne is able to run a multi-billion dollar business and moonlight as a crime fighter, when he has the modern businessman’s ultimate remedy.

I found out Bruce Wayne’s secret soup at the The Great Batman Equipment Archive. The site takes a comprehensive look into the Dark Knight’s “utility belt” of tricks; highlighting Batman’s inventory from comics, video games, RPGs, films, scripts, books, websites, and TV shows. Most common items are Batman’s tried and true “Batarang”, “Grapple Gun”, cape and cowl, but you’ll be surprised to learn about other items (Besides “Bat Broth”) the caped crusader carried with him from time to time.

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DC Comics Review: Blackest Night #1 - Dave’s Take

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: *** 1/2*

I’m not a huge Green Lantern fan.  As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I was a Marvel Zombie for a long time.  Even when I started reading DC Comics it was just Batman and nothing else.  It wasn’t until the early 90s with the Death of Superman that I started reading other DC books.  For the majority of the time I’ve been reading DC, Kyle Rayner was the Green Lantern, not Hal Jordan.  I liked Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern: Reborn, but I wasn’t crazy about his regular ongoing work on the new GL title.  I can appreciate why many people like it and the art has been amazing, but I preferred other titles. 

I liked the Sinestro Corps storyline and I’ve been reading the lead up to this month’s big event: Blackest Night.  This first issue was very good.  The GL issues have been a bit hard for me to follow because I know very little about GL history and its been hard to connect with these characters.  I also don’t really understand all of the multicolor lantern corps that are popping up and what is the purpose of the Black Lantern Corps which at the center of this storyline the Blackest Night.  All I know and understand is whoever or whatever is behind all this is recruiting the bodies of deceased super-heroes and super-villains.  The Black Hand who is a long standing GL villain, killed himself only to be resurrected as a Black Lantern and he’s become the unofficial squad leader of the corps.

Our story begins on the anniversary of Superman’s “death”.  When it was believed that Superman was dead, the government declared it a day of national mourning.  When he was resurrected, the day became a day to honor the deceased super-heroes who’ve fallen in the line of duty.  In Coast City, the day takes a special meaning as they honor the dead civilians who died at the hands of Mongul and the Cyborg Superman. 

In the beginning of the issue we see Black Hand unearthing Bruce Wayne’s body and talking to his skull.  In a perverse homage to Hamlet, Black Hand speaks and then licks Bruce’s skull and says that he is connected to them all.  Does Black Hand know that Bruce is really alive? 

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Happy 70th Birthday Batman!

Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

According to the publication “Chase’s Calendar of Events”, “Detective Comics” # 27 hit newsstands on May 1, 1939. Wikipedia has it as May 2nd, but since I’m a librarian, I’m going to go with Chase as a more reliable resource. Instead of going through a history of Batman and talk about such things as the 60s TV show and the recent Chris Nolan Bat-films, I’ve decided to take a more personal approach. I mean lets face it, as a comic fan you know the history of Batman already. For you older fans you’ve experienced it first hand. Some of you are old enough to remember watching the 60s TV show when they first aired on ABC. So I will discuss my experiences with the character.

I will be 35 years old this July. So I have been alive for half of the 70 years that Batman has been in existence. My first experience with the character did not come with a comic book. It came with a TV show. I was introduced to Batman with the old Hanna-Barbera Super Friends cartoons. In these cartoons, Batman was far from the cool character that we would eventually see in later years. In fact, the Super Friends Batman was pretty lame. The character was portrayed as being just about helpless if he didn’t have his utility belt. Still, I liked him and Robin and I liked super hero cartoons in general. Looking back at these old cartoons with my oldest son who is four, I do not enjoy them because they are quality stories and adventures. I enjoy them more for nostalgia purposes and laugh to myself at how lame some of the things are on those old shows. But had it not been for the Super Friends, I never would have been introduced to the character.

At the same time these cartoons were on Channel 11 here in NYC, they also would air re-runs of the 1960s Batman TV show. Again, Batman was not the cool character that he is today. Adam West’s interpretation of the character was of course very campy. A young man who works in my library as a page looks at old clips of the show on YouTube and wonders how this show was successful and I said that this is all we had; this was all we knew about Batman.

I was not aware of what was going on with the comics at the time I was watching these shows. I did not begin reading comics until about 1984 and then I was only reading Marvel Comics. I picked up an issue of Batman sometime after I started collecting and the book didn’t really interest me. I don’t really remember why, but it wasn’t until 1989 and the first Tim Burton Batman film that coaxed me into giving Batman comics a second look. I vividly remember leaving the Valentine theater in the South Bronx on Fordham Road. My friend Elliot’s grandmother worked there as an usher and we were able to get in and see free movies. I enjoyed the movie and wanted to continue the Bat-experience so I decided to go to my comic book store that was located just down the block.

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