Going Through The DCAU Part Sixteen

And we’re back with those wacky cartoon enthusiasts Tom and Jimmy for more of this feature.

This week, they’re covering the Batman the Animated Series episodes “The Man Who Killed Batman,” “Mudslide,” and “Paging the Crime Doctor”.

Comic Review: DC Showcase Presents Batman Volume 6

I’ve long been a fan of DC Comics Showcase Presents line.  These inexpensive reprints of old comics in black and white allowed people like myself who enjoyed Silver Age comics to get a lot of issues without breaking the bank.  These stories were often written in an age where the average reader’s (and writer’s) knowledge of real world science may have been questionable, so pure imagination and outright silliness became the rule.  DC originally put out a volume every two weeks, often alternating between a well-known property (Superman, Green Lantern) and then a more obscure one (Metamorpho, Jonah Hex).

Sales must not have been too good, as over time volumes went on to come out once a month and then less.  I suspect that the sixth volume of Batman stories may be the last one.  I had ordered it from Amazon over a year ago when it finally showed up on my doorstep last February.  Having just finished it, I can review it.  And I will…after the cut.

Probably SPOILER-FREE, but these are 40+ year old comics, so, you know…

Going Through The DCAU Part Fifteen

Yup, time for more cartoon talk with Jimmy and Tom.

This time, we’re covering the Batman The Animated Series episodes “What Is Reality?” “I Am The Night,” and “Off Balance”.

Slightly Misplaced Comic Book Heroes Case File #56: Secret

Smoking kills.

Think about it:  Casper the Friendly Ghost is really creepy.  Not for the whole “wanting to be friends with people” thing, or even how the guys on Cheers observed that Casper must somehow lose all his friends between cartoons, or that one really warped episode where Casper befriends a fox pup that gets killed, only to have the fox’s ghost show up to immediately pick up where it left off with Casper (that’s some demented stuff right there).  No, the fact is Casper is a kid, always will be a kid, and he’s a ghost hanging around for some reason.  That’s some prime potential horror right there.

That sort of thing was realized a bit better with Secret.

Tom Recommends: Young Justice (Animated Series)

Animator Greg Wiseman has had a long string of animated series that have pleased fans but have always seemed to be cut short due to other factors.  He was forced off Disney’s Gargoyles and saw his Spectacular Spider-Man cut short due to the Spider-rights going to Disney.

Then there was Young Justice, an animated series set in the DC universe about a team of superhero sidekicks going on covert missions for the Justice League.

Batman: Bad Blood (Mostly) Spoiler Free Review

From 1975 to 1978 DC Comics published a title called Batman Family which focused on the Dark Knight’s supporting characters.  They were mostly Batgirl and/or Robin stories that had little or no interaction with Batman himself.  This original DC Universe movie made me think of that series.  While Batman Family would not be as “cool” a title as Batman: Bad Blood, it would be a lot more fitting.

After the break I’ll look at the movie in a bit more detail and try to be as spoiler free as possible.

Slightly Misplaced Comic Book Heroes Case Files #51: Danny Chase

Looks like a pre-teen, kinda evil version of Tim Gunn, doesn’t he?  Make it work, Danny.

Creating a credible kid sidekick isn’t an easy task.  The basic concept is always to give the younger readers a character they can personally identify with.  The problems there are legion.  For starters, readers want to be Batman, not Robin.  Furthermore, the sidekick has to have the correct amount of competence.  Too much and the character can outshine the hero and readers don’t like that.  Not enough and the sidekick will need too much constant rescuing.  And then there’s the issue of older writers trying to write “hip” dialogue for a character much younger than themselves, as was the disastrous case of Snapper Carr when he first arrived on the scene as the Justice League’s sidekick.

Good sidekicks and younger characters can be done.  But for every successful Robin, there’s probably three or four (at least) Danny Chases.

Tom Recommends: Astro City

In this space last week, I recommended the comic book series Planetary, the deconstruction of the superhero genre and pulp literature in general.

This week, I’m going to recommend a book that comes from the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to taking a serious look at the superhero genre, namely Astro City.

Spectacular Superhero Stockings Are Perfect For The Holidays

This year, why not make it a point to update that old musty-dusty stocking of yours with a bright shiny new Reindeer! I mean – Stocking! I must have Rudolph on the brain. Thanks to Creations by Catherine, there are many different heroes to choose from, like Wonder Woman, Robin, and of course the staples you see above. Each stocking runs about $35. Curious as to what these harbingers of toys and goodies look like? Check em out after the break!

Hey! A Dick Grayson Batman Animated Movie! Woot!

I’ve always felt that post Final Crisis, DC Comics had pulled off what many would probably say was impossible.  Replace Bruce Wayne as Batman.  Sure there had been pretenders and fill ins over the years, but I thought the handling of the new dynamic duo of Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin struck a perfect balance between appeasing old school fans and satisfying new fans.

Perhaps I’m wrong, and the return of Bruce Wayne was always on the horizon, but I really felt that DC could have run with this to Wally West levels.  At the very least they allowed the duo to continue after Bruce returned and took on a more international role with the creation of Batman Inc.  But then the New 52 came along and mucked everything up.

Either way I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the trailer after the cut for the new direct to video Batman animated movie Batman: Bad Blood due in 2016.  Which features Grayson as Batman, Damian as Robin and also Batwoman and Batwing.  The movie is essentially Batman Inc.  My interest is definitely piqued.