John Byrne's Man of Steel: A New Beginning For Superman

Writer/artist John Byrne seems more like a comics fan first and a comics professional second with regard to his respect of character and mythos. He goes into every superhero project attempting to be as faithful to the original concept as possible (I wish more comics pros took this approach). He has been quoted as asking the question of “How much can I keep?” with regards to reboots. He seems to care about the characters he works on and tries to tell stories that respect them rather than shoehorn them into stories that might not fit that character, as so many modern creators do.

He has been responsible (or partly responsible) for many of the greatest runs in superhero comics. His Fantastic Four run is probably the greatest statement on the FF ever, after the foundation that was laid by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. His X-men stories with Chris Claremont are the definitive X-men stories. His very brief Hulk run is well remembered by some fans also.

His first real involvement with DC Comics on a major level, however, came in the wake of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event. With input by Marv Wolfman, John Byrne was put in charge of the hard reboot and reinterpretation of the Superman mythos in 1986. Byrne was chosen after many other comic book pros, including Carey Bates, Frank Miller and Steve Gerber, all pitched concepts for a new Superman continuity.

Byrne’s ideas for Superman were inspired by every version of the character that he had been exposed to. He drew from four main sources: the original Golden Age Superman stories by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the Fleischer Superman cartoons, the Adventures of Superman TV series of the 1950s and the first Christopher Reeve Superman film from 1978.

Superman’s new beginning debuted in the six-issue mini-series The Man of Steel (which ran biweekly from October to December in 1986). Byrne retold Superman’s origin and the series established the new Superman as once again the “Last Son of Krypton.” In this more streamlined continuity, all of the barnacles that had attached themselves to the Superman legend (Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog, Superman as Superboy and the other Kryptonians that had appeared over the years) were swept away.

As a back-to-basics approach, this series was the perfect jumping on point for new readers. You literally didn’t have to know anything about Superman and could pick up Man of Steel from issue one and become a fan. Byrne depowered Superman from his Silver Age levels to something more in line with how the character appeared in the Golden Age.

The biggest changes to the mythos were in characterization. Byrne’s Clark Kent was more assertive and confident, reflecting the George Reeves portrayal from the Adventures of Superman TV series. Clark Kent was now the real person and Superman was a disguise used for superheroics. Lois Lane was reimagined as a dedicated career woman of the 1980s, a strong and independent feminist. Thanks to writer Marv Wolfman, Lex Luthor received the most dramatic overhaul. He was no longer the mad scientist who used super-armor and robbed banks to build inventions that might destroy the Man of Steel. This new version of Luthor was a capitalist business magnate, one of the richest men in the world. Byrne has mentioned that this Luthor was inspired in part by Donald Trump. Ma and Pa Kent were also kept alive in this continuity. Byrne realized that the Kents could be an asset to the Superman mythos and moral and emotional support for Clark.  

Byrne also took the opportunity to retell the first meeting bewtween Superman and Batman. He put the two heroes at odds, creating an uneasy alliance. Frank Miller would also use this approach in his groundbreaking Dark Knight Returns story.

Krypton was also reinvented completely. Gone was the Flash Gordon-inspired sci-fi planet as conceived by Joe Shuster. This new Krypton almost resembled an amalgamation of the planet Tatooine from Star Wars and the cold ice planet from the 1978 Superman movie. Byrne created an emotionally dead, sterile desert planet with mile-high towers. It’s people were a civilization dedicated solely to scientific pursuits. 

In September of 1986, a month after Man of Steel debuted, this new continuity essentially replaced all of Superman’s ongoing series. The Superman comic (Vol. 1 that began in 1939) was rechristened Adventures of Superman. This made way for the second volume of the Superman title, published as Superman #1 (Vol. 2). Byrne wrote and drew both Superman Vol. 2 and Action Comics (which was still being published as Vol. 1), while Marv Wolfman wrote Adventures of Superman with pencils and co-plotting credit by Jerry Ordway.

For the first year, to the credit of Byrne, Wolfman and Ordway, the books fit together incredibly well. This is especially impressive because they were only loosely related to each other as far as story was concerned. As Byrne continued his run, familiar characters from the old Superman mythos began to reappear, albeit reimagined, including the wonderful reintroduction of Metallo. This was alongside new characters and Superman even shared adventures with old DC Universe staples such as the Metal Men and Jack Kirby’s Demon character.

DC soon began three separate mini-series that built upon the mythos that Byrne was trying to establish. World of Krypton, World of Smallville, and World of Metropolis were all written by Byrne while the art varied. Each of these books ran four issues and expanded upon the characters of each locale. World of Metropolis was my favorite of these series because it gave more background to the character of Lois Lane and showed how the city reacted to Superman.

In 1987 Byrne and Ordway inherited Adventures of Superman after Marv Wolfman left. The various Superman books rolled on impressively with each new issue feeling like fresh, exciting new territory.

The beginning of 1988 saw the release of the prestige-format graphic novel: Superman: The Earth Stealers. Written by Byrne with art by Curt Swan and Jerry Ordway, this story is still memorable. It provides a great statement about environmentalism and the need to protect our planet.

Byrne’s work on Superman ended shortly thereafter, but his finale and one of the better stories to come out of this run was the Supergirl Saga. It really is a master class in comic book storytelling. Starting in Superman Vol. 2 #21, a new Supergirl was introduced. At first, this apparently ignored the “Last Son of Krypton” edict that had helped to define the reboot. This new Supergirl was discovered to be a “biological matrix” or alien shape-shifter from a “pocket universe.” This pocket universe was a way to shoehorn in explanations of how aspects from the old continuity might coexist with the new continuity. This universe brought other Kryptonians to the new canon, culminating in one of the most controversial aspects of Byrne’s run: the execution of three Kryptonian criminals via Kryptonite radiation by the Man of Steel. Because this was Byrne’s final statement before he left, the impact was huge.

Byrne’s run gave way to impressive work on the character done by Roger Stern in another title, Man of Tomorrow. Because of Byrne’s foundation, future writers took the Superman franchise in creative and bold directions for years afterward. All the work from 1986 to the time when Superman died at the hands of Doomsday in the Death and Return Saga served to humanize Superman and make him more relatable. He was less a distant alien super being and more a man with great power who genuinely cared about people.

It is amazing to think about, now, how much work Mr. Byrne was able to complete and just how much he was able to accomplish in such a short time. He was involved in writing, plotting or art on 68 of the 82 issues from this period.  Overall, this is a career defining run for Byrne and a cohesive work. It is as important to the history of Superman as the work of Siegel and Shuster, the Fleischer cartoons, the George Reeves series or the 1978 movie. This is the best Superman for many fans, myself included, and deservedly so.

If you want to get into modern Superman, need an introduction to the character or just want to read fun comic books, this will not disappoint. The series has been reprinted in 9 trade paperbacks. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest comic book shop and buy/order these. 

Batman: The Animated Series

Next to the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons of the 1940's, Batman: The Animated Series is one of the best animated cartoon series ever produced. Before 1992, action-adventure animation was all but dead on American television. Following the success of its new comedy series Tiny Toon Adventures, Warner Animation President Jean MacCurdy made it known that they were looking to develop a new animated Batman series, a result, no doubt, from the success of the first Tim Burton Batman film.

Tiny Toon Adventures storyboard artist Bruce Timm and background painter Eric Radomski were chosen to put together a sample reel, and their two-minute short won them the jobs as the producers of the new series. Veteran animation producers and writers like Alan Burnett and Paul Dini were brought in to spearhead the scripting of the series. Burnett and Dini shared Timm's vision of how the character should be portrayed: dark, serious and brooding.

The intentions for this new Batman series were made very clear in the series' pilot, "On Leather Wings." This Batman was unlike anything that had been previously seen in television animation. Batman was a dark, psychologically driven detective character, just as he was in the original and modern comic books.

The series was able to get away with a lot of "real world violence" such as punches, kicks and real guns being used. It also utilized serious and dark themes in its stories. This was groundbreaking for what ultimately amounted to a children's cartoon, as that level of seriousness and realism had never been achieved in animation before.

The character design, primarily the work of Bruce Timm, along with artists Lynne Naylor, Kevin Nowlan and Mike Mignola, among others, eschewed the detail-heavy, ultra-real style favored by adventure cartoons that came before, in favor of a more cartoony approach, for lack of a better word. This served to better animate the show. This sense of design combined the barrel chests and square jaws of the Fleischer Superman cartoons of the 1940's with the clean design work of comic book legend, Alex Toth. The influence of such Batman artists as Bob Kane, Dick Sprang, Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli is also evident.

Furthermore, the entire series was given a moody, timeless feel, in which 1940's architecture, wardrobe and roadsters co-existed with modern-day technology, making the series feel instantly nostalgic yet never dated. The moody out-of-time world gave the show a dramatic flair and sense of pathos that has rarely been in American cartoons.

The acting on the series was also top-notch. Series voice director Andrea Romano opened the auditions up to the best actors available. The casting for this show resulted in what I believe to be the most talented cast ever assembled for an animated series. Voices included Kevin Conroy as Batman (the definitive voice of Batman in many people's minds), Mark Hammill as Joker (the definitive Joker voice), and Lauren Lester as Robin and Bob Hastings as Commissioner Gordon among others.

This series also had an incredible score. Danny Elfman wrote a theme that was enhanced and expanded upon by the incomparable Shirley Walker with a full orchestra. She composed most of the music, in fact. The soundtrack was another factor in the show’s greatness and the various themes are still stuck in my head to this day. The expertly crafted, operatic compositions helped to showcase its timeless appeal.

The series, at least in its first incarnation, focused primarily on Batman fighting various rogues, with an 18-year-old Robin (attending college upstate as Dick Grayson) appearing occasionally and in a supporting role. The Robin design combined the Dick Grayson character of the 1970's and early 80's with the current costume of the time worn by the comic books' third Robin, Tim Drake. This series was also partly responsible for bringing a greater visibility to Batgirl.

Much like the comics, however, Batman is only as good as his villains, and this show did a marvelous job of translating Batman's Rogues' Gallery for animation, with far more hits than misses. In many cases, their version wound up being far superior to earlier versions, and often supplanted them not only in the public consciousness, but in the source-material comic books as well. Familiar characters like The Joker, Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman, The Riddler, Clayface, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Man-Bat, The Scarecrow and Scarface were all featured with notable new characters like Lock-Up and Harley Quinn, who would become so popular that she would be featured as a mainstay in the DC Universe eventually.

In its original run, eighty-five episodes were produced for the Fox network before the series was taken off the air. A few years later, the studio ordered 27 more episodes that coincided with the Superman animated series on the WB Network. In The New Batman Adventures, characters were slightly re-designed, with the addition of a new Robin, Tim Drake as well as Nightwing being introduced and Batgirl taking on a more prominent role in a new costume. These new episodes were sleeker and even more cartoony than the first show, a result of budget cuts, but these were still very entertaining.

All in all, this series helped make many children and adults (myself included) into lifelong Batman fans and comic book fans. In this reviewer’s opinion, no animated superhero show will ever top Batman: The Animated Series.

Citation

All info pertaining to this series comes from: 

The documentary, ‘Batman: The Legacy Continues’ (2004).

Will Eisner's The Spirit - An Overview

Although not as popular as superheroes like Batman, Superman or Spider-man, and not as well remembered as comic strip characters like Dick Tracy or Charlie Brown, The Spirit, as created by Will Eisner, is still an icon in the history of American newspaper comic strips and printed media.

In 1939, with the success of Superman and the explosion of the Golden Age of Superheroes, Everett "Busy" Arnold, then publisher of Quality Comics, set his sights on newspaper Sunday supplements, knowing that many newspapers were now having to compete with the then brand-new medium of comic books.

Will Eisner

Arnold went to Will Eisner late in ’39 and enlisted him to find a way to include a comic book in the newspapers. This opportunity made Eisner eventually leave his own publishing concern, the Eisner & Iger studio. Arnold asked Eisner to develop a superhero but Eisner was not interested in superheroes anymore, having created many “costumed characters” at Eisner and Iger. Instead, Eisner developed a detective hero. Eisner was more interested in human interest stories. The strip covered nearly every genre and would spin genuine mysteries, dramatic crime fiction yarns, horror tales or just humorous and cartoony stories.

It was “Busy” Arnold who suggested the name of this new detective hero. He believed that a ghost or supernatural character would be popular. Eisner later realized that he didn’t care about the name and The Spirit debuted as a comic strip (known later as “The Spirit Section”) in the Register and Tribune Syndicate on June 2, 1940 and would run until 1952. Eisner would serve during World War II and, as a result, had many art assistants, ghostwriters, inkers and editors that took over The Spirit’s adventures when he was away. Jules Feiffer and Gerry Grandenetti were the unsung heroes of the strip during the war years.

The Spirit was the heroic persona of a detective named Denny Colt, operating primarily in an urban locale known as Central City. In the very first story, the hero was supposedly murdered by the villainous Dr. Cobra. It was later revealed that Denny Colt was put into suspended animation while trying to capture the arch villain. Believing him dead, the authorities buried Denny Colt in the Wildwood Cemetery. Upon waking up, he shared his existence and secret with his friend, Police Commissioner Dolan. He established an underground base at his own grave site and used his new-found anonymity to begin a war on crime. His costume was simple detective garb, a blue business suit, red necktie and blue fedora hat. He also wore a blue domino mask and gloves for further anonymity.

The Spirit had many great supporting characters, chief among them Commissioner Dolan and his daughter Ellen, who served as something of a love interest for the hero. The hero also had a sidekick, Ebony White, by all accounts the first African-American sidekick. Ebony was a minor (his age is in dispute but he was probably about 14 years old) who, while driving a taxi, acted as The Spirit’s chauffeur and aid.

Ebony White

Eisner drew criticism for his depiction of Ebony White because the cartoonist chose to portray him as a racial caricature. Ebony was typically drawn with large eyes and thick lips and used a speech pattern that stereotyped the uneducated and minority groups, as in a minstrel show. Interestingly however, Eisner was praised by some people of color for including Ebony in the strip at all and for giving visibility to a black character. Ebony was also praised for being treated with respect and admiration by the other characters in the strip. As the strip went on Ebony would become more intelligent, sometimes solving cases all by himself. Ebony would later be phased out of the strip entirely, succeeded by the white, blond junior detective, Sammy Strunk. Whether this was a reaction to criticism levelled at Eisner is unknown, but Eisner did struggle with his characterization of the ill-fated sidekick later in his life.

The Spirit’s adventures would also introduce many femme fatales. Eisner created many strong, intelligent, crafty women, the most famous being the seductive P’Gell and the beautiful Sand Saref. Women like these would routinely bedevil the hero by seducing him or trying to escape justice after engaging in some criminal scheme. 

The Octopus

The Octopus, the archenemy of the Spirit, was a criminal mastermind and master of disguise who never showed his real face. He could, however, always be identified by his distinctive black gloves. He was responsible for some of The Spirit’s most famous cases.

Though the strip would fade from view and be largely forgotten by later generations who never read it, later reprints have kept the strip and character alive. The most famous reprints were done in the 1970s by Warren Publishing and later by Kitchen Sink Press. More recently, Kitchen Sink Press published a series of original non-Eisner Spirit stories, dubbed “The New Adventures” in the mid 1990s with work by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman, Paul Chadwick and Kurt Busiek.

DC Comics has reprinted the entire Spirit strip in the hardcover Archive Editions. A “Best Of” collection was presented in 2005 also by DC Comics. DC also began an ongoing series, The Spirit, in 2007. The stories were written and penciled by Darwyn Cooke with later writers and artists taking over after the first dozen or so issues. It ran through issue #32 (ending in 2009), with most stories being a single 22-page story.

Other publishers, including IDW and Dynamite Entertainment have also dipped their hands into The Spirit mythos, each publishing limited series and a new ongoing series respectively.

The Spirit Movies 

In 2009, there was a big screen adaptation written and directed by Frank Miller. It bore little resemblance to Eisner’s great creation and was largely rejected by fans of the comic strip. Before that, however, came a 1987 TV movie that, while a little cheesy, had heart and at least tried to approximate the comic strip’s weird humor. It is, at the very least, worth a watch.

The Fleischer Superman Cartoons - Review and Analysis

Fleischer Studios, the greatest animation house in the Golden Age of cartoons (behind Disney of course), later known as Famous Studios after being merged with Paramount Pictures, turned out seventeen of the greatest superhero cartoons ever made. They starred Superman, the first—and some would say greatest—comic book superhero. 

The Fleischer brothers, Max and Dave, had previously been responsible for Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. When Paramount, recognizing the success of Superman on radio and in comics, approached the brothers about doing this series, they were hesitant. The legend goes that the Fleischers threw an astronomical number at Paramount for production of these shorts (just over a million dollars per episode in today’s money). The studio actually agreed and, with such a tremendous production budget, the Fleischer’s relented.

There are essentially two reasons for the greatness of this series. Firstly, the animation is stellar. It remains, to this very day, some of the best animation of all time. Secondly, they were extremely faithful to the comic books from which they came. This was admittedly easy to do, since there wasn’t yet that much continuity to draw from. Joe Shuster, Superman’s co-creator, even designed some of the model sheets. It’s interesting to note Superman’s chest shield is black with a red “S.” This is similar to the cover of Superman #1 from 1939. These cartoons played to movie theater audiences before the main feature between 1941 and 1943.

This series of animated shorts was Superman's first appearance in any film, animated or live action. In addition to these cartoons, Superman appeared in a famous radio show and two movie serials, themselves some of the best serials ever produced. These three media, along with the Superman comics that nearly ever kid in the United States read, were responsible for making Superman a household name, and later an American icon. These cartoons are also said to be the original place where Superman first gained the power of flight. Before this he could simply leap 1/8th of a mile. 

The first 9 episodes were pure Fleischer. Each was directed by Dave Fleischer and the animation is amazing. The stories are simple and formulaic. A villain, monster, or catastrophe is thwarted by Superman while Lois Lane gets herself into trouble while trying to get the story. After Superman saves the day, Lois writes of the events and Clark Kent smiles or winks at the audience, while Lois criticizes him for not being around. The last 8 episodes, produced by Famous Studios with various directors, are propaganda pieces, more concerned with the events of World War II and nationalism and can be very racist and defamatory when viewed by a modern audience.

Because they fell into the public domain in the years following their release, this series has been widely distributed on VHS and DVD in varying degrees of quality. Until Warner Bros. digitally remastered and gorgeous re-release in 2009, the most well known, and best quality, release of these cartoons was done by a company called Bosko Video on VHS and later DVD.

Voice Casting

Radio fans and budding Superman fans would have recognized Bud Collyer as Superman from the popular radio show. He had voiced Superman and his alter ego, Clark Kent, on the radio program since its start. Collyer was the first superhero actor ever to change his voice to distinguish between hero and secret identity. For Clark Kent he used a higher vocal range. When he became Superman his voice was noticably more baritone. Because of his success in the role, Collyer would continue to perform as the voice of Superman for on the radio for years to come and return decades later to the character for television cartoons in the 1960s. Collyer would find his greatest fame, during his lifetime anyway, as a gameshow host in his later life.

Joan Alexander, one of three actresses, who played Lois Lane on the radio show voiced the intrepid reporter for this series. In this series, as she would later become in the comics, Lois is headstrong, daring and fearless in her pursuit of a story, even if she falls into the role of damsel in distress. In one cartoon she is seen firing a Tommy Gun. Joan Alexander’s performance reflects this masterfully. Her vocal delivery is capable of being confident and frightened when the role calls for it.

Jackson Beck delivered two of the other major vocal performances in this series. He was the only recurring voice actor that had not initially been a part of the radio show. His biggest role in the series was as Perry White but he also provided the opening narration to all 17 cartoons. His vocal performance was so precise and his talent so tremendous that it can be a challenge to tell the narrator apart from the famed paper editor.

Jack Mercer, famous as the original voice for Popeye the Sailor, played the lead villain, the bald mad scientist in the opening short, as well as a copyboy (not meant to be Jimmy Olsen) that appeared in at least two episodes.

Every other speaking part in the series was probably a clever vocal inflection done by either Bud Collyer or Joan Alexander, though this is uncertain due to the lack of voice credit given to the actors in the series. The common practice of the day was to use two or three actors to carry multiple voice roles in any given cartoon.

The Cartoons

Superman (also known as “The Mad Scientist”)

Aired on September 26th, 1941. This is the most famous of the episodes, probably because it was the first. That scene of Clark entering the storeroom to transform to Superman and then fly out the window is one of the greatest sequences in superhero animation.

Note: This was the only short to be nominated for a 1941 Academy Award but it lost to Disney’s “Lend a Paw” cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse and Pluto.

The Mechanical Monsters

Aired on November 28, 1941. This short is often cited as the best of the series and I have to agree. The scene where Clark phones in the event to Perry before entering into a phone booth to transform into Superman then launching into the sky in pursuit of a robot is the most iconic Superman sequence of ALL TIME, in animation at least. The battle between the Man of Steel and Mechanical Monsters at the villains lair is a classic scene. This is the only short that introduces and makes use of Superman’s X-ray vision.

Billion Dollar Limited

Aired on January 9th, 1942. This third short is probably the most cartoony on a technical level, given how attention to physics and the true dynamics of movement are ignored. When the train falls from the tracks and off the cliff it moves in such an awkward way, almost as if the train is personified. Personification and awkward, unrealistic movement is a hallmark of many Fleischer cartoons. A trained eye can spot this style of movement in many of their productions. Note the villain’s car at the beginning. It is reminiscent of a Golden Age batmobile.

The Arctic Giant

Aired on February 27th, 1942. This is Superman’s first battle with a true monster, an inspiration for all prehistoric monsters to follow, including Godzilla. This is the episode where Superman can be seen leaping the most.

The Bulleteers

Aired on March 27th, 1942. This episode contains the phrase “citizens of Metropolis.” It is the first episode to mention location. It also has some of the best visuals of the entire series.

The Magnetic Telescope

Aired on April 24, 1942. This episode is first example of the Superman verses a dangerous meteor plot that has been used countless times throughout the character’s history. This plot would later resurface in the Adventures of Superman TV episode “Panic In the Sky” as well as many other Superman stories and media.

Electric Earthquake

Aired on May 15, 1942. Superman vs. the Native American scientist is interesting. The Native scientist is clearly very intelligent and his underwater lair is breathtaking. The fact that this takes place in Manhattan is odd, considering previous entries mention Metropolis, but maybe Lois and Clark just went on a trip for the story.

Volcano

Aired on July 10, 1942. Behind The Mechanical Monsters, this is probably the best episode of the series. The plot is fast paced, the action and sense of danger immediate. While "Mechanical Monsters" or the debut episode may be the most iconic, this seems to boil Superman down to his essence the most. 

Terror on the Midway

Aired on August 28, 1942. The circus setting is a great way to showcase Superman’s powers by having him face off against dangerous circus animals. Superman verses a gorilla named “Giganto” (yes, the ape's name is supposed to be Giganto though one poster labels him as "Gigantic." This encounter foreshadows (intentionally or not) his later battles in the Silver Age of comics with the giant monkey known as “Titano.”

Japoteurs

Aired on September 18, 1942. This is the first episode to be produced by Famous Studios. This is the episode that draws the most criticism for its racist depiction of the Japanese and Japanese Americans. This is also the first episode to deal in real world terms presenting a black and white view of World War II and painting the United States as the good guys. The sequence where Superman saves the diving bomber is iconic however.

Showdown

Aired on October 16, 1942. This is the simplest and most basic plot in the series, yet with heightened reality. Superman verses a gangster, a cross between Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson, is probably the purest expression of pulp this series ever attempted. The Superman imposter/hired goon is too stupid to be any real threat but the snares and traps at the gangster’s hideout are enough of a challenge for the Man of Steel to make this interesting. The Superman reveal on the roof is one of the best in the series.

Eleventh Hour

Aired on November 20, 1942. Another example of nationalism and propagandic racism, this cartoon almost could have been sanctioned by the U.S. War Department. This entry presents Superman as a government stooge, imposing his will, or the will of the U.S. government on the Japanese by sabotaging the Japanese war effort. The demonization of Japanese people is horrifying This is not one of the better episodes for this reason though it is interesting to see Clark Kent and Lois Lane as reporters abroad.

Destruction Inc.

Aired on December 25, 1942. This episode is interesting and plays on the fears of industrial sabotage of the time by gangsters, foreign enemies or spies. In many ways this is the most boring of all episodes. The plot is very pedestrian. The motivations of the saboteurs are not very clear either. This episode doesn’t have a lot to recommend it.

The Mummy Strikes

Aired on February 19, 1943. This is the most supernatural of all episodes in the series. The mummified guards that come alive and attack Lois, Dr. Wilson and Superman seem huge and imposing. They are truly hulking monsters and their white eyes always frightened me as a kid. I like that Superman saves the wrongly accused girl, Jane Hogan who was framed for the murder of Dr. Jordan. This also gives the series a sense of ancient history in that King Tush is based upon Tutankhamen, or King Tut, Pharaoh of Egypt around 1358 BC.

Jungle Drums

Aired on March 26, 1943. Despite some impressive animation, this cartoon is another example of racism and demonization, both of German and Native African people. The Nazis, in their disguise as deities, are dressed similar to the Ku Klux Klan. Even though the racism is apparent, what I really like about this one is its obvious inspiration from African art (popular in the Western art world during the first half of the 20th century), as seen in the tribal fire dance.

The Underground World

Aired on June 18, 1943. This is clearly the most science-fiction themed episode of the series. Up to now all episodes deal with highly advanced technology or implausible situations. Okay, so that dinosaur coming back to life after being an ice cube is impossible and those mummies are not very likely either, but this episode has an underground civilization of bird people who worship a statue of Professor Henderson’s father. It’s hard to get more implausible than that. There actually is an air of mystery and menace, a darkness to this that is comparable to an Indiana Jones story. Highly recommended.

Secret Agent

Aired on July 30, 1943. While this entry does contain heavy propaganda, there is something about it that I find highly enjoyable. The gorgeous blonde spy on the run from Nazi saboteurs has all the makings of a good espionage thriller. Superman battling the Nazis and helping the agent get her briefcase full of enemy plans to Washington is very compelling. This is also the only entry in this series that does not feature Lois Lane at all. The ending shots of an aerial view of Washington DC is some of the most detailed animation I have ever seen.

The Score

The musical arrangement for each of the episodes by Sammy Timberg is some of the best scoring for superhero properties ever, comparable in quality only to John Williams' own Superman theme, Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman themes, the work done by Shirley Walker on Batman: The Animated Series, and James Horner’s score for The Rocketeer film in 1991. Sammy Timberg’s sweeping and heroic instrumentals are brisk, really serving the action and mood of these cartoons.

Final Thoughts

These cartoons have never really been surpassed in terms of superhero animation. Some of the stories are weak, particularly the WWII themed ones, but this series still passes as fun entertainment. For fans of superhero fare, and general cartoon enthusiasts, these are a treasure. The closest contender to this series would be Batman: The Animated Series, done by Bruce Timm and company at Warner Bros. Animation in the early 1990’s. Serious film critics and animation buffs consistently site these shorts as some of the best animation of all time. I rate this series 3.5 out of 4 stars. It would receive a perfect score but for the racism and propaganda of many of the final 8 episodes. I would recommend that any superhero fan, any comic book fan or even any fan of animation check these out.

Note: Also, check out anything else that the Fleischer Studios produced. Their Popeye cartoons are of course great and well remembered, their Betty Boop shorts less so, but the Fleischer Brothers turned out hundreds of unique, gorgeously fluid cartoons that are worth the attention of any serious animation fan.

Batman: Knightfall - Not As Good As It Should Be!

              The 3 part Knightfall story (Knightfall, Knightquest and KnightsEnd) that took place in the early 1990s represents a period in Batman comic books that was sometimes overblown, overwritten and ultimately poorly executed. Similar to the No Man’s Land story, Knightfall presents a terrific concept that should have been amazing but could have been delivered in half the amount of issues. The best moments are Bruce Wayne dealing with both his injury and the fallout of the mass escape from Arkham Asylum by most of the villains.

           This marks the first time we see Tim Drake officially as Robin in a major story. The new characters that help to carry the plot are Bane, who is a far more interesting character in his origin story (The Vengeance of Bane), and Jean Paul Valley, who takes up the mantle of Batman after Bruce is paralyzed, and who eventually becomes the anti-hero known as Azrael. Bane is thinly characterized throughout this entire story; he's little more than a terrorist and utilized here only as a reason for Batman to have his back broken and as the catalyst for the Arkham breakout. Azrael is a decent example of what was wrong with 90's comics.

          The Knightfall saga is indicative of a lot of problems that 90's comics had. While not as ridiculous as a lot of what was going on at Marvel by the middle of the decade (X-men comics were getting pretty convoluted and Spider-man's Clone Saga was a mess), Knightfall definitely was a sign of the times. The Death and Return of Superman was a far better attempt at having an iconic hero leave the role for a time only to be replaced by inferior and perhaps darker versions. Whether the Death of Superman saga is better because it had better writers is debatable. The basic problem with the Knightfall storyline as a whole is the bloated writing. Had the writers tightened the concept into maybe a dozen issues for each part, it would have faired better.

        What never made sense to me was the idea that Bruce Wayne, having known Jean Paul Valley for such a short time, would entrust his greatest secret and something as important as the Batman role to a new young man? Why not have Nightwing fill in for a time, as he later did in the Batman story, Prodigal?

       While many Batman fans fondly remember this event, I don't share their enthusiasm. By no means is it a bad story. In fact there are innumerable moments that are brilliant, particularly in the Knightfall part. The art is also gorgeous by Norm Breyfogle, Jim Aparo et al. However the length of the story, the crossover bloat with other titles, the overly dramatic Jean Paul Valley sequences, and the many D grade villain appearances (Film Freak and Amygdala among others) are enough to downgrade the entire story for me. Is it worth a read? Definitely! Does it deserve the constant praise as one of Batman’s greatest stories? I don’t think so. It deserves remembrance for that time when Batman was paralyzed and eventually did the impossible by coming back from quadriplegia. If any part of the series holds up, it's definitely Knightfall. By the time Jean Paul takes the Batman mantle, it becomes monotonous. Knightquest and Knightsend can be difficult to get through, particularly when whole story arcs like "The Search" have not even been collected in trade paperback. In the context of Bat-history, this story is of course very important, a landmark for sure. I just think it deserves more of a critical analysis by fans.

Batman (1989) - Review and Analysis

Background

            The first Batman movie is one of my favorite films of all time. My early experience with it is probably like many very young kids during the summer of 1989. I can remember being 4 years old and seeing commercials for it on the small TV with my parents in our small apartment in the suburbs of our city. I still remember visiting the local Cineplex and the Batman t-shirt I got along with the Batman doll and action figures. I even collected the trading cards and ate the Batman cereal. Yes, I was only 4 years old in 1989, but remember desperately clinging to as much of the Bat-mania as possible. I lived for this movie. It’s what got me interested in learning about and reading superhero comics. As a result it can be difficult as an adult to analyze and examine the film critically without running into pure nostalgia. Anyway, I’ve had a lot of time to think about this flick, so I’m giving it a shot.

Influences on the film

This movie presents a Batman that is tonally and visually influenced by the comic books of the 1970s and 1980s, but with special attention paid to themes from roughly the first year of Batman’s history featured from Detective Comics #27 to Detective Comics #37, and the first issue of Batman comics which debuted in Spring of 1940, featuring the first appearance of the Joker. 

            Because of Tim Burton’s vision of Batman, audiences were treated to a visually stunning, Gothic world where human monsters lurked in the shadows and political corruption ran rampant. These pulpy motifs had existed in the source material very early on—1939 to very early 1941—and then—barring a nearly three decade slide into camp—continued from 1969 onward. These pulp-inspired stories would help to make the Batman mythos, grim, dramatic and mysterious. This version of Batman was truly a dark, brooding vigilante that deserved to be taken as seriously as the best literature.

            Burton’s film gives us an approximation of the Batman of the 40’s with elements from the Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams period of the 70’s and the Frank Miller influence from the 80’s. It’s an approximation of the comics but not a faithful adaptation. The whole piece is viewed through the cultural prism and excess that was the decade of the 1980's, as well as Burton’s own eccentrically operatic vision. The melding of these elements gives the film a timeless quality or, more accurately, a film that presents a world out of time and outside of our reality.

The movie paid homage to the darker, psychological themes that had been thrust upon Batman with groundbreaking works like The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. The actual story however was a revision of several scripts that had gone all the way back to screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz’1983 draft, inspired almost directly by the Detective Comics run now collectively known as Strange Apparitions, [published in Detective Comics #469 to #476] by Steve Englehart et al.  

The Production

            Thanks to the persistence of producer, Michael Uslan, Warner Bros. had been serious about making a Batman movie since at least 1983 when they hired Superman: The Movie scribe, Tom Mankiewicz to pen the first draft of what would become the Batman movie. Mankiewicz’ script was the same three act structure that he had patented with his Superman script. In Act One of the very first script, we meet Bruce as a child, his parents and see their murder. Act Two sees Bruce training briefly before descending upon Gotham as The Batman. In the Final Act, Batman confronts and defeats the Joker and The Penguin while saving the love interest, Silver St. Cloud. After nine rewrites of the original script, Warner Bros. hired Tim Burton in 1985 to direct. The famed director enlisted his girlfriend, Julie Hickson to write a treatment that went nowhere.

        In 1986, Steve Englehart was hired to write two treatments, again primarily based upon his legendary run with Marshall Rogers. Using these treatments, Burton then brought Sam Hamm, a screenwriter and comics fan, to punch up a completely new script, that still kept a few elements of previous scripts. This would serve as the basic shooting script that later went through even more rewrites during actual filming by other writers.

       In casting the film, producers apparently had Jack Nicholson in mind as the Joker from the beginning, though other names like Brad Dourif, David Bowie and Willem Dafoe were briefly considered. One of the most controversial casting decisions was Michael Keaton, a primarily comedic actor, as Batman. His performance as Bruce Wayne was interesting and fit the film but it was his turn as Batman where he really shined. His is the only live action version of the Dark Knight that feels like the comics’ version of the 70’s and 80’s.

 Review and Analysis

            The movie opens with an interesting aesthetic. As the credits roll, the viewer is transported through a cavernous, stone-like crevice that is finally revealed to be a version of the Bat insignia inspired by Gothic architecture. This is a hint at Burton’s vision. It illustrates the eccentric, artistic mood that the director is trying to establish. This motif is urban and expressionistic, hinting at the set pieces that will later dominate the film. On top of this visual curiosity is one of the best film scores ever written. The operatic main title theme, a march composed by the great Danny Elfman, is a masterpiece.

           

The first scene is probably the most pure expression of Batman ever put to live-action film. We open to a view of Gotham City that is at once pure German expressionism but also not too far off from how the city sometimes appeared in the comics by the mid 1970s. A family hurries through the streets of Gotham City and into a dark alley, where they are mugged. Two thugs knock out the patriarch and disappear into the night with the man’s wallet. They then hide out on a rooftop to count their spoils only to be stalked and confronted by The Dark Knight. This scene was lifted from a story called “Night of the Stalker” in Detective Comics #439, written by Steve Englehart. Keaton’s delivery of the line “I’m Batman” is perfect and his whispery Batman voice is second only to Kevin Conroy’s from Batman: the Animated Series.

            The film moves on to introduce the supporting cast:

-  Billy Dee Williams is an inspired choice to play the famed district attorney, Harvey Dent. Unfortunately, like most supporting characters in this film, he is given very little purpose. I can only imagine what his Two-Face would have been like.

- Pat Hingle plays Commissioner James Gordon really in name only and without any of the pathos, toughness or charm that is so inherent in the character from the comics. I’m sure any other actor would have done just fine in such a one-dimensional role.

- Kim Basinger really tries to portray Vicki Vale as a smart, confident, career minded woman of the 1980’s and she mostly succeeds. However, because of getting caught between Batman and the Joker, her character falls flat. She has a lot more to do, and is given more screen time as a love interest than most other female roles in superhero movies, but, by the end, she comes off as little more than a damsel in distress. She screams and yelps in this movie more than any other woman in film, outside of the horror genre.

- Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox is interesting. He’s almost a throwaway character and mostly exists as a hanger on to Vicki as she obsesses over Bruce Wayne and tries to investigate Batman. Knox does serve one important function however. He represents the average Gotham citizen, powerless to have any effect on the events going on around him and yet curious as to whom Batman is and how the Harlequin of Hate’s mad scheme will be stopped. Wuhl’s portrayal of the reporter is quirky and expository. The film would probably be less interesting without him. 

- Michael Gough as Alfred is great. He plays much more the butler side of the character here than the aid to Batman that, in the comics, often helps his master in his war on crime. He gives a very nuanced performance in places and comes off as much more of a father figure.

- Lee Wallace as Mayor Borg serves no real function in the film, except to act as the central authority figure for the city and preside over the planning of Gotham’s bicentennial celebration. Another role than anybody could have played.

- Carl Grissom is an interesting analogue for Rupert Thorne. Jack Palance is particularly menacing as the head mobster. His sense of menace and presence add a dramatic flair to each of his scenes. 

The main subplot of the movie, the planning of Gotham’s bicentennial celebration is really just filler for what really matters: the introduction of the Joker and his battle with Batman.

The benefit gala at Wayne Manner only serves to introduce Bruce Wayne and underline his awkwardness, isolation and brooding nature. It’s interesting to see how Bruce reacts to Vicki, Knox and the whole party. The man is really just a shell of a person until he becomes Batman. Batman being the real person and Bruce as a façade is a theory on the character that has existed since at least the early to mid 70’s when writer Len Wein was writing the character. Keaton’s portrayal as Bruce Wayne is nothing like the comic book incarnation, but it works here since the film is such a depressed and moody piece.

The next scene, the action packed Axis Chemical Plant scene, is the best scene in the film and one of my favorite scenes of all time in any movie. This is a very briskly paced, well-shot set of sequences. This scene serves 2 purposes: establish Batman further, i.e. give the main character more screen time and highlight the creation of the Clown Prince of Crime, who is the true star of the film. It’s Batman verses the mob and shows his ultimate mistake in taking part in the creation of the Joker. Keaton looks and moves great in a foam rubber batsuit that is essentially just a black version of the Neal Adams costume from the 70’s. Keaton’s Batman is a lone, obsessed vigilante, a close approximation of his comic book counterpart. 

The date between Bruce and Vicki is very awkward. The dining room scene is supposed to illustrate that Bruce is out of touch and repressed but it creates an unnecessary tension to Bruce Wayne that is not very likable. He’s too tortured to be relatable and it makes me wonder how someone like that could have the energy, strength and will to train for years, to wear a batsuit and fight crime.

The plastic surgery scene where Jack Napier truly becomes the Joker is disturbing. The whole sequence is framed like an old silent horror films. An underworld surgeon with substandard tools has performed facial reconstruction surgery and is now horrified by the famous ghastly grin of the Joker. Just like in the original comics, the Joker looks into a mirror and is driven mad enough to become a literal clown. The moment when he sees himself for the first time, and that laugh, give us the first true taste of the playful, maniacal nature of Joker on screen.

           The Joker/Boss Carl Grissom scene is actually creepy. Up to now, Jack Nicholson, as the mobster, Jack Napier, was just playing Jack Nicholson. Once he transforms into the Clown Prince of Crime however, he really begins to shine. When he steps out of the elevator he is funny yet moody, homicidal yet zany. This Joker, more than any other portrayal ever, is closest to the Joker from the Bronze Age of comics. His look and costume is very reminiscent of the character as drawn by Jim Aparo et al in the 70’s and 80’s. This scene is where Nicholson begins to steal the show. His Joker is the best part of this film.

Bruce and Vicki sleeping together hearkens back to the Bruce Wayne/Silver St. Cloud liaison hinted at in Detective Comics #471. Batman hanging upside down on the metal framework is probably more of a Tim Burton inclusion, making literal the bat aspect of the Batman.

The boardroom scene, a scene that was included in a lot of comics based movies that followed this one (Dick Tracy, The Phantom and Spider-man are examples), is exciting. It’s another chance to see the Joker’s craziness. Probably more than any other scene, this gives us a chance to see, if he has one, Joker’s motivation. He wants to become top dog in the Gotham underworld. 

When Vicki follows Bruce Wayne into Crime Alley we see the first glimpse of a tortured, sad Bruce Wayne. This torment offers the most logical explanation as to why this version of Bruce Wayne became Batman. As in the books, Bruce’s loss affected him so profoundly that he stepped into a vigilante role, attempting on a nightly basis to scare the hell out of the wicked and right the wrongs done to average citizens.

 The scene where the Joker hacks the television station and broadcasts on every TV in Gotham is classic Joker. The Joker has appeared in countless comic book stories announcing on TV his latest scheme or that someone was going to die. The Joker toxin was also used innumerably throughout the characters history to produce a frozen grin on his victims.

            Bruce Wayne never really gets the chance in this movie to be a detective. We see him study Jack Napier’s police file and, late in the film, we see him put it together that it was Jack Napier who killed his parents at a young age (something that fans still can’t rightfully forgive). How he concludes that the tainted beauty products are part of a compound and only toxic when mixed is never explained.

Note: Batman’s parents being murdered by the Joker and not by Joe Chill, as it was in the comics, is a sore point with many fans, myself included, but it is a classic convention in fiction. Connecting the hero to the villain by having them share in each other’s origin or personal tragedy builds complex drama and pathos. Whether it works in this movie is another matter. 

The Flugelheim Museum scene culminates in another impressive action sequence. Defacing priceless works of art and dancing playfully to the music of Prince is weird. The Prince music really dates the film but Joker’s men look great in those purple leather jackets. Joker meeting Vicki, reviewing her work and then threatening her when she refuses to help him is also great. Joker’s ambition to become “the world’s first fully functioning homicidal artist” is something that comic book Joker might actually try. Batman crashing through the skylight, saving Vicki and the reveal of the batmobile (let’s be honest, the coolest car ever put to screen) is an amazing sequence for Batman fans. The car chase is fun and the battle with the Joker’s men is a blast!

Bruce confronting Vicki in her apartment ultimately is just a setup for Joker’s arrival to pine over Vicki and taunt Bruce Wayne. The question “You ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?” is one of film’s all-time great lines and it shows how Joker’s more serious moments always descend into silliness. Keaton’s attempt to intimidate the Joker with “You wanna get nuts, c’mon, let’s get nuts,” is just overacting and just not that funny.

Vicki figures out that Bruce is Batman by studying the murder of his parents with Knox at the newsroom. How is this discovery the reason why she ultimately decides she loves him?

When Mayor Borg announces plans to continue with the 200^th Birthday Gala and Joker interrupts, this is again classic Joker. This is another case of Jack playing Jack. The Joker adopts a very serious manner when he challenges Batman to the “Big Dukaroo.” Bruce is of course watching this and begins to brood. This is the moment where he recalls his parent’s murder and realizes that Jack is the killer. Wow! What a detective! Good call, Batman. This totally connects the hero to the villain, which is something that was prevalent in 80’s action flicks.

Vicki shows up in the batcave (Congratulations, Alfred. YOU ARE FIRED). This does serve to add a little more depth to their romance, but for a guy who wants to remain hidden, both literally and emotionally, why did Alfred let her in?

Batman suits up and proceeds to KILL nearly ¾ of the Joker’s goons. The batmobile driving to the chemical plant and blowing it up is outrageous. Batman in the comics, at least since the mid 1940’s, possessed a strict moral code against killing. This was thanks to editor, Sheldon Moldoff, and later the introduction of the Comics Code in the 1950’s. Batman had not really killed since his earliest days but at one point in his history, the very first year, he was a indeed a murderer. So, YES! THERE WAS A PRECEDENT FOR BATMAN KILLING! Since this movie is based largely on early Batman, it makes sense for this movie, right? Right! Besides, this movie is from the 80’s so the Rambo/action-movie influence should not be ignored.

The 200^th Birthday Gala kicks off with the Joker balloons. The balloons are definitely reminiscent of classic Joker appearances from the 70’s. The murder of Bob the Goon was so sudden and unexpected that it’s a total gut-punch moment. I’ve always felt that the batwing in this film was awesome looking. The shot of the plane against the moon to form the bat-insignia is a classic image.

The Joker’s elongated trick pistol shooting down the bat-plane is nonsense. Batman’s targeting system sucks. He had the Joker perfectly targeted and completely missed him.

From the time that the batwing crashes to the point where Batman finally confronts the Joker I am left just marking time. For me, it is tedious to watch. That whole sequence is overlong and kind of boring. Batman fighting a few of the henchmen in the bell tower just drags on. 

The final battle isn’t very impressive either. Joker’s false teeth and the fake hand gag recall the comics, and the impressive set piece of the Gothic Cathedral recalls Phantom of the Opera. Those are both fun aspects to the scene, but in the end the Dark Knight just trades barbs with his archenemy before knocking him onto a ledge and it is just kind of predictable and flat. Given how brutal Batman has been throughout the rest of this flick, attaching Joker’s foot to a gargoyle via a bat-line while the villain attempts escape in the Joker-copter, to cause the Joker’s ultimate death is no surprise. Batman also probably kills almost as many people in this film as the villain.

In the end, Vicki says goodbye to Knox and gets escorted away in the Rolls Royce by Alfred. Batman gives police a gorgeous looking Bat-signal and stands heroically on a parapetic structure, his cape flowing in the wind, a classic Batman image. The closing theme, like the rest of the score, is some of the best film music I have ever heard. Panning upward and through Gothic city buildings is an amazing way to end such a Gothic feature.  

Overall, this movie is style over substance without much plot. I suppose you could base the entire film’s theme on obsession and madness and how dramatic events and tragedy can drive people over the edge to vigilantism and insanity. Either way, the plot is not really evident. That being said, it has such an impressive visual style that I am able to forgive nearly all of the movie’s shortcomings. How much of that is out of nostalgia and growing up with this film and how much of that is truly enjoyment of the movie, I can’t decide. I rate this film 4 out of 5 stars.