80 Years of Batman!

Happy Birthday, Batman! 

80 Stories For 80 Years of The Dark Knight

In honor of Batman’s 80th anniversary, I have compiled a list of what I believe to be the definitive Batman works from Vol. 1 (pre-New 52). These comic book stories, arcs or runs introduce important characters and events that are central to the mythos or explore character motivation the best. Some are very popular and obvious, some more off the beaten path. Every era is represented from Volume 1 (pre-New 52). This was a challenge for me as a Batman fan. I poured over every issue (via reprints and digital) of the two main Bat titles and all of the major series.

1. The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge (Batman #251)

2. Strange Apparitions (Detective Comics #469-479)

3. Daughter of the Demon (Batman #232)

4. The Dark Knight Returns (miniseries)

5. Batman: Year One (Batman #404-407)

6. There is No Hope in Crime Alley (Detective Comics #457)

7. The Long Halloween/Dark Victory

8. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (graphic novel)

9. Mad Love (The Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1)

10. The Killing Joke (one-shot)

11. Night of the Reaper (Batman #237)

12. A Vow From the Grave (Detective Comics #410)

13. Night of the Stalker (Detective Comics #439)

14. The Batman Nobody Knows (Batman #250) 

15. Dreadful Birthday, Dear Joker (Batman #321)

16. Shaman (Legends of the Dark Knight #1-5)

17. The Joker/The Joker Returns (Batman #1)

18. A Lonely Place of Dying (Batman #440-442, The New Titans #60-61)

19. Robin the Boy Wonder (Detective Comics #38)

20. Slayride (Detective Comics #826)

21. The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl! (Detective Comics #359)

22. Hush (Batman #608-619)

23. Death Strikes At Midnight and Three (DC Special Series #15)

24. Batman vs. the Vampire (Detective Comics #31-32)

25. The Six Days of The Scarecrow (Detective Comics #503)

26. Death Flies the Haunted Sky (Detective Comics #442)

27. The Man Who Falls (Secret Origins: Batman)

28. Venom (Legends of the Dark Knight #16-20)

29. My Beginning… And My Probable End (Detective Comics #574)

30. Robin Dies At Dawn (Batman #156)

31. The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (Detective Comics #27)

32. This One’ll Kill You, Batman (Batman #260)

33. Shadow Play (Batman #348)

34. The Invader From Hell (Batman Family #1)

35. Blades (Legends of the Dark Knight #32-34)

36. The Player on the Other Side (Batman Special #1)

37. Gothic (Legends of the Dark Knight #6-10)

38. The Case of the Honest Crook (Batman #5)

39. Wanted: Santa Clause — Dead or Alive (DC Special Series #21)

40. The Origin of Jason Todd (post-crisis) (Did Robin Die Tonight? Batman #408, Just Another Kid on Crime Alley Batman #409)

41. No Man’s Land (Batman: No Man’s Land #1, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #83-94, Batman #563-574, Detective Comics #730-741, Azrael: Agent of the Bat #51-61, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #116-126, Robin #67-73, Catwoman #72-77 and Batman Chronicles #16-18)

42. A Hero Reborn (Batman 455-457, Robin 1-5)

43. Riddle of the Human Scarecrow (World’s Finest Comics #3) 

44. Eye of The Beholder (Batman Annual #14)

45. The House That Haunted Batman (Detective Comics #408)

46. Knightfall Part 1: Broken Bat (Batman #491-500, Detective Comics #659-666)

47. Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman #452-454)

48. A Death in the Family (Batman #426-429)

49. The Return of Dr. Phosphorous (Detective Comics #825)

50. Blind Justice (Detective Comics #598-600) * 50th anniversary story

51. Monster, My Sweet (Batman #344)

52. Ticket To Tragedy (Detective Comics #481)

53. The Vampire Saga (Batman #349-351, Detective Comics #517)

54. The Untold Legend of the Batman (the first Batman miniseries)

55. The Scarecrow’s Trail of Fear (Batman #262)

56. Batman: Ego by Darwyn Cooke (miniseries)

57. Batman: The Man Who Laughs (miniseries)

58. Where Were You on the Night Batman Was Killed? (Batman #290-294) 

59. Fear for Sale (Detective Comics #571) 

60. The Secret of the Waiting Graves (Detective Comics #395)

61. Batman: War On Crime (oversized graphic novel)

62. Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas (Batman #309)

63. The Joker: Devil’s Advocate (one-shot)

64. Victims (Batman #414)

65. White Gold and Truth (Batman #416)

66. Death Has the Last Laugh (Brave and the Bold #111)

67. Batman: The Cult (miniseries)

68. The Last Arkham (Shadow of the Bat #1-4)

69. Broken City (Batman #620-625)

70. Fears (Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1) (one-shot)

71. The Black Mask Saga (Batman #386-387)

72. One Batman Too Many (Batman #403)

73. Prey (Legends of the Dark Knight #11-15)

74. Terror (Legends of the Dark Knight #137-141)

75. Images (Legends Of The Dark Knight #50)

76. To Kill A Legend (Detective Comics #500)

77. Madness – A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special (one-shot)

78. Batman: Ghosts – A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special (one-shot)

79. Masks (Legends Of The Dark Knight #39-40)

80. A Bullet For Bullock (Detective Comics #651)

Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000)

* As I did with the FleischerSuperman cartoons and Batman: The Animated Series, I want to take a serious and analytical look at the Superman cartoon of the 1990’s.

       Superman: The Animated Series began life as a tie-in idea for the planned but never produced Tim Burton/Nicholas Cage Superman movie reboot. Once that film project started languishing, Warner Bros. handed the reigns of the cartoon series over to the producers and creative team from Batman. And why not? Batman: TAS remains the most successful superhero show of all time.

       Initially, Bruce Timm and company, while being excited at the prospect of working on the biggest superhero of all time, didn’t really know how to handle Superman. They weren’t sure if they wanted to go retro with Superman, ala Fleischer, or just follow the BTAS example. Ultimately, after many discussions and character sketches, the team decided on a retro-futuristic style for Superman. 

       The designs for the characters and their world were streamlined and more cartoony than even BTAS had been. The look was bright and optimistic, while certain episodes still harkened back to the pulp action/sci-fi tone of the best Superman comics.

       This series leaned heavily on the New Gods/Fourth World comics of Jack Kirby, introducing Darkseid and his planet Apokolips as major players. This was done because Bruce Timm believed that most of Superman’s enemies weren’t powerful enough to be any credible threat. Also as a result of this, as John Byrne had done in his comics, the producers felt it would be best to depower Superman from his all powerful Silver Age levels. This was a wise decision indeed. It’s much easier to appreciate and relate to a Superman who is less powerful than one who can blow out a star like a birthday candle.

       The other thing that this show also pulled from the Byrne comics was keeping the Kents alive. John Byrne had recognized the source of drama and the emotional anchorage that Jonathon and Martha Kent would add to Superman stories. This was an ingenious insight that the producers also accepted. It helped to make Clark more human and provide more of a background for him in Smallville.

       The score, once again the brainchild of Shirley Walker, is wonderful. The main theme is very heroic and optimistic. It feels like a Superman theme. Overall, this is a more modern soundtrack than the BTAS score. It’s less operatic, less sprawling and perhaps simpler. It helps the show feel much more like a science-fiction/fantasy cartoon than a dramatic superhero series. It would be impossible to hold this score up to the John Williams Superman theme. The two are incomparable, but both are brilliant.

       Many fans hold up this animated version of Superman as the best animated adaptation. While I agree that it's a fun show, I would have to give that honor to the Fleischer cartoons. While the animation for this series is technically near perfect for the clean, cartoony style that they went with, the stories themselves are hit and miss for me. Of the fifty-four episodes produced over three seasons, I would argue only about thirty-five of them, give or take a few, hit their mark. That said, this show still offers some of the best Superman media, outside of the comics.

       I realize there’s no such thing as a perfect show, and while some of the earliest episodes are truly brilliant, there are quite a few duds. This series simply lacks the pathos and more mature nature of the early BTAS episodes. The creators of this show also didn’t seem to take Superman as sincerely as they did Batman either. 

       There’s something about this show that just screams: missed opportunity. I can’t really put my finger on why, as much as I love this series, it feels like something’s lacking. Maybe it’s the fact that BTAS set such a high bar. Maybe, and this is just speculation, the producers ultimately didn’t know what to do with a Superman cartoon? Maybe it would have been better if the character designs and animation style were less cartoony? I don’t know. Even though I don't think this Superman show offers everything it could have, relying too much on either humor or Jack Kirby's 4th World, it still is a must for Superman fans.

       I still like a lot of what they did. Highlights for me include:

SEASON ONE

Episodes 1–3: The Last Son of Krypton (the pilot)

Episode 7: The Way of All Flesh

Episode 13: Two’s A Crowd

SEASON TWO

Episode 3: The Prometheon

Episode 4: Speed Demons

Episode 6: Target

Episode 9: Action Figures

Episode 12: Brave New Metropolis

Episode 16-18: World’s Finest (3 part Batman crossover)

Episode 22: The Late Mr. Kent

SEASON THREE

Episode 2: Knight Time

Episode 8: Superman’s Pal

Episode 9: A Fish Story

Episode 10: Unity

The Finale: LEGACY

Gulliver's Travels (1939) - Review and Analysis

For this blog entry I’d like to bring some much deserved attention to a film that, today at least, is forgotten by most people. Die-hard animation buffs know this one and some even prefer it to Disney’s later efforts from the 1970’s.

Gulliver’s Travels, while being a cartoon, for many years was the most popular, albeit a very loose, adaptation of Jonathon Swift’s story. Released in December of 1939, this was the Fleischer Studios’ first full-length feature. It was a response and reaction to the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, as such, is the second feature length animation by an American studio. Paramount commissioned the feature after Disney’s success.

Like Disney’s debut feature, Gulliver’s Travels was a resounding success at the box office.The movie earned roughly $3 million in the United States during its original run, impressive because it was limited to just fifty theaters during the 1939 Christmas season. Unlike Snow White however, eleven people, all on staff at Fleischer Studios, ultimately directed this feature. As much as animation in films and television is a group effort, this one truly was.

The animation itself is trademark Fleischer. The characters have that early cartoon style and the movement is very reminiscent of their other work like the Popeye cartoons and Betty Boop. The story takes advantage of techniques and sight gags that were common in early cartoons. I remember as a young kid being fascinated by how lifelike Lemuel Gulliver seemed, and wondered why all of the Lilliputians and the Blefuscu army looked so cartoony. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of the realism of Gulliver’s world and the fantasy of the Lilliputian realm.

Most of the music and songs are typical of the era’s cartoons and nothing really special. There is a standout however. The song, "All’s Well", that gets sung at the beginning by Gabby, the Town Crier, is very catchy and memorable. The love theme, "Faithul/Forever", might also get stuck in your head if you’re not careful.

By today’s standards, the story can be a little slow in places but audiences in 1939 were enthralled and had little problem with the pacing. The battle scenes between Lilliput and Blefuscu are still very enjoyable, but it’s a film very much of its time. Again, while animation buffs appreciate it, it doesn’t hold up nearly as well as the early Disney features. It doesn’t have the realistic quality or pacing of Pinocchio for example. It’s also not as well known because new generations aren’t being introduced to it like they often are with every Disney picture. That being said, it’s an interesting piece of animation history. It’s worth a watch and, for animation buffs, should probably be owned on DVD.

The good news for those who have never seen this movie is that it has fallen into the public domain. It can be viewed online at just about every major video site. It can be downloaded legally as a digital copy here: https://archive.org/details/gullivers_travels1939

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 1990 – Review and Analysis

       One of the greatest comic book adaptations to screen is the 1990 TMNT film. Why this movie holds up so well, why it was so expertly cast, and why the tone was perfect are all a result of the hard work, care and dedication from director, Steve Baron, the actors, producers and designers.

       Production on a live-action feature film of the Ninja Turtles franchise started in 1988. Filming began in July of 1989 and went to September. A budget of $13.5 million was granted by Golden Harvest (up to then known for making low budget Hong Kong action movies). The film was shot almost entirely in North Carolina at Carolco Studios (one of the largest non-Hollywood studios in the U.S. at the time) with inserts and location shots happening in New York City. 

       As an adaptation, this movie hits several marks and blends various elements from the cartoon and comic book. The turtles’ masks are multicolored just as in the cartoon (in the original comics they all wear red bandannas). April is a TV news reporter, though here she works for Channel 3 News while in the cartoon it’s Channel 6 News. The story is constructed around several plots from the first dozen or so issues of the Mirage comic. In the comic it is Leonardo, not Raphael, who is ambushed by the Foot Clan. In the original comic, the farmhouse belongs to Casey Jones, not April. The rooftop battle and Shredder’s defeat come from the end of the first issue.

       The tone is perfect for a TMNT film. It’s humorous enough in places to be great for the kids and mirroring the then ongoing cartoon series, but also it’s surprisingly hard edged enough to be taken seriously by older fans and adults as well, mirroring the Mirage comic book. The jokes and lighthearted humor mesh incredibly well with the gritty real life drama and dark themes of street crime and gang violence. The movie juggles its disparate elements expertly and it's surprising just how "adult" the film can feel, for something that was essentially marketed to six-year-olds.

       In the film, the turtles are actually actors and martial artists in foam latex suits with animatronic puppet heads. Jim Henson and his famed Creature Shop were responsible for designing the suits and heads. The look of the turtles onscreen remains incredible to this day. In fact, it’s surprising how much better these turtles look onscreen than their CGI counterparts from the newer films.

Elias Koteas stands out in his role as the vigilante sports nut, Casey Jones. He is the definitive Casey Jones. Judith Hoag was charming and beautiful as April O’Neil and has defined the role for many fans, myself included. Shredder looks genuinely menacing in his metal armor and the fight scenes and martial arts choreography are also top notch, on par with other low budget action films of the day.

       This movie would go on to become the most successful independent feature in history (until it was unseated by The Blair Witch Project in 1999), earning roughly $202 million worldwide when all was said and done. The movie’s success prompted several sequels, none of which were very good, however, the second outing, The Secret of the Ooze, will always hold a special place in my heart.

       The reputation this flick has garnered as the “best turtle film” and as one of the greatest comic book movie adaptations is well deserved. It’s all about the tone and the pathos of the characters as they struggle to rescue Splinter from the clutches of the Foot Clan. Is the film dated? Yes. The pop culture references of the time as well as a gritty late 80’s looking setting of New York definitely make it stay in a single place and time. But, for TMNT fans there will likely never be another movie like it. Every time I watch this I am swept away by the gritty, urban fantasy. It remains one of my favorite films of all time and should be held up as probably the greatest adaptation in the history of the franchise.   

The Rocketeer - 1991 - Review and Analysis

       To those who have been paying attention to superhero fiction, pulp noir or action-adventure films over the past few decades, The Rocketeer is probably best known as a modestly successful 1991 adventure movie.

       Originating during the indie comics boom of the early 1980s, The Rocketeer debuted as a backup feature in Starslayer #2 from Pacific Comics (publication date, April 1982). The character was the brainchild of one of the most talented illustrators to ever work in the comic book medium, Dave Stevens. Stevens, who had previously dabbled in comics with cover work and concept design, based his character on the movie serial heroes of the 1930's, 40's and 50's. He drew specific inspiration from the obscure film serials, Commando Cody and the King of the Rocketmen.

       Inspired equally by pulp magazines, movie serials, old Hollywood gangster films and a general interest in aviation, Dave Stevens steeped his hero deeply in the period of the 1930’s. Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot and barnstormer in 1938 Los Angeles, discovers a mysterious jetpack and uses it in a fight against evil and corruption. The stories featured many famous (yet unnamed for copyright purposes) faces from the pulp magazine world, including a character who bares strong resemblance to The Shadow as well as the jetpack’s inventor, an unidentified Doc Savage. Cliff's girlfriend, Betty, is modeled after pinup goddess, Bettie Page.

       The Dave Stevens stories, as well as some of the Rocketeer adventures that have come since the character’s initial run, are some of my favorite stories of all time. I think the appeal lies in escapist fantasy: the idea of flying and fighting crooked gangsters with nothing but your wits and a strong sense of morality.

       Development for the film had begun almost immediately when Stevens optioned the rights in 1983. Initial plans fell through until writers Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo were offered a free option by Stevens. The project went through several phases, eventually being turned down by every major studio in Hollywood. A low budget adaptation was also considered until Disney, seeing the potential for merchandise, accepted a deal.

       The original story from the comics was slightly overhauled and Betty  was changed from a pinup model to an actress named Jenny Blake. The mysterious inventor of the rocket pack went from an unnamed Doc Savage to the famous aviator, Howard Hughes. The film was brilliantly cast with Billy Campbell as Secord, Alan Arkin as Peevy, and Jennifer Connelly as the girlfriend. The film’s baddie, Neville Sinclair, an actor doubling as a Nazi agent, was played by the incomparable Timothy Dalton. Tiny Ron Taylor was very impressive as the Lothar character.

       The film bombed at the box office, mainly due to lack of a good marketing campaign as well as being up against some pretty heavy hitters like Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Critical reviews were mixed but, overall it’s a delightful piece of escapism. Although it takes some liberties with the source material, this film can be seen as one of the best comic book adaptations of all time and one of the best comic book movies, pre Marvel Cinematic Universe.

       The Rocketeer is probably the only pulp-inspired character from modern comics that has carried on past an initial spark of interest. Since initial publication he has seen the movie adaptation, toys, video games and more comics (by different authors than Stevens) released by IDW Publishing. Dave Stevens died tragically in 2008, at the age of 52, after a long battle with cancer, but talk about a legacy. Pulp adventure characters don’t seem to be as popular to modern audiences as the better-known superheroes of DC and Marvel, so what a treat it is that IDW continues to help the character endure. 

Citation

‘http://www.pjfarmer.com/secret/marvelous/ironman.htm’.

‘http://uk.comics.ign.com/articles/958/958239p1.html’. 2010.

Spider-man: The Animated Series

The Spider-man animated series that debuted from November 19, 1994 (1994-11-19) to January 31, 1998 was one of the highlights of my childhood. Sure, the animation was standard 90’s animation that Marvel used for all its shows, in the style of G.I. Joe, but the show felt smart. It created its own continuity and, for many young fans, myself included, was a gateway into reading Marvel Comics. 

While not as timeless or iconic as Batman: The Animated Series, this show offered a modern, fresh window into the Spider-man mythos. It was serious and compelling enough for older audiences but still entertaining for little kids. It is obvious that the producers cared enough to make the show dramatic and not just a formulaic or generic adventure cartoon. The use of CGI for the backgrounds of New York City showed that they were trying something different. I like the CGI segments, no matter how dated they may look today. And, even though the series played fast and loose with the comic book continuity, I appreciate the attempt to adapt some classic storylines. The spirit of the Spider-man comics was captured (particularly the comics of the 70’s and 80’s) with a 90’s flair.

The voice cast was stellar. Professional actors and veteran voice actors were used. To this day, when I read Spider-man comics, I am never able to separate Peter Parker’s voice from Christopher Daniel Barnes. For my money, even more than any of the live-action portrayals, Barnes delivered the most dramatic and best voice for our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler. Other classic portrayals included Roscoe Lee Brown as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. That’s the voice I hear when I read his appearances in Spider-man or Daredevil. Ed Asner is also great as J. Jonah Jameson. Efram Zimbalist Jr. (the voice of Alfred on Batman) is the definitive voice for Doc Ock as well.

The music is also memorable. The classic main theme, a hard rocking composition performed by Joe Perry of the band, Aerosmith gets stuck in my head for days when I hear it. Shuki Levy, Kussa Mahchi and Udi Harpaz were the composers of the orchestral background score. The score is both fast paced, operatic and fun.

The show sometimes featured guest appearances by some of Marvel’s other well known superheroes.The most famous was the two-part crossover with the X-men show. The other great guest spots are the two-part Daredevil episode (my favorite episodes of the series), the episodes featuring The Punisher, the Doctor Strange episode and the ensemble shows toward the end of the series’ run that feature everybody from The Fantastic Four to Captain America.  (1998-01-31)

       The main problem with the show comes from a perceived censorship by fans, whether true or not. There has been conjecture by many that the series was heavily censored, even for a children’s television show. The series head writer/producer, John Semper Jr., denies this. Some tampering, whether by network heads or the Standards and Practices (S&P), has to be true, considering the use of laser guns, in most scenes, in place of realistic weapons, lack of realistic violence (Spider-man rarely throws a punch in the show) and replacement words such as “destroy,” “end” or “obliterate” for more threatening words like “death,” “murder,” or “kill.” Whether heavily censored or not, the tone of this series is so melodramatic that any censorship doesn't really take you out of the stories they are trying to tell. Also, the censorship sometimes works to the show's advantage. The laser guns in place of real firearms gives the show a distinct look. And because they hardly show Spider-man punching, his use of other maneuvers for attack, like landing on villains from above, holding them from behind, or the various aerial kicks he uses, seem creative instead of restrictive. Not being able to directly reference death also gives the show a kind of gravitas because when death or murder is discussed, they dance around it as if it is a serious issue.

      Of all the animated Marvel properties of the 1990s, Spider-man was the best (though X-men is a close 2^nd place). Some fans may argue that the Spectacular Spider-man show of the early 2000’s is a better show. While I do also love that show, and find it to be a better show at times, it's this series that I watch more often. I think this series looks better and, at least to me, seems much more like classic Spider-man. Maybe this show shouldn’t have been any good, considering it was made for, or heavily marketed with, a line of toys. And sure, it’s a little dated, watching it 25 years later, but the series is just so fun and I lose myself in it every time I see it. The real shame is that, as of this writing, it still hasn’t been released in its entirety on any home media in the U.S. All in all, I love this series. Spiderman: The Animated Series will forever be my favorite adaptation of the webslinger outside of Sam Raimi’s Spider-man 2.   

The Magic of Frank Miller's Daredevil

Before Frank Miller, Daredevil was a B-grade character in the pantheon of Marvel superheroes. Sure writers like Marv Wolfman amped up the pulp action on their runs but it was still just a standard superhero comic—pretty average stuff.

Roger McKenzie can be credited with introducing the noir themes to the series. His interesting and dramatic plots really took advantage of the mystery aspects of Daredevil. Frank Miller began drawing McKenzie’s plots with issue #158 of the Daredevil title. By issue #165, roughly half a year later, the legendary Daredevil run began. Frank Miller, influenced by old black and white film noir and crime comics, as well as Japanese manga and an eastern influence, crafted a run that would turn Matt Murdock from a swashbuckling urban adventurer into an antihero.

Miller drew the layouts almost entirely during his run but was aided by the incomparable Klaus Janson on finishes and inking. The Miller/Janson team is one of the first instances in mainstream superhero comics that pushed the medium to its artistic edge. The plotting was terse and intense and the art was breathtaking yet provocative. Janson is one of the best artists/inkers in the field.

Three major accomplishments came out of this run: The Kingpin was turned from a rarely used Spider-man villain into Matt Murdock’s arch-nemesis.  He became a genuine threat and was developed into one of the major baddies in the Marvel universe. Secondly, ninjas were introduced, bringing a martial arts aspect to the title that had never been explored before. Out of this came The Hand, a ninja clan that would plague Daredevil for years to come and Elektra, Matt’s college girlfriend turned assassin. Stick, leader of a rival ninja clan the Chaste, was also introduced. He was Matt's sensei after he was blinded and taught the young blind boy to hone his other senses. Thirdly, Bullseye, a creation of Marv Wolfman, was firmly defined as one of Daredevil’s prominent adversaries. The landmark issue (#181) where Bullseye murders Elektra with her own sai is one of the greatest comics Marvel has ever published. Its aftermath still influences the Daredevil/Bullseye relationship.

Miller’s final issue, #191, “Roulette,” cemented Daredevil as a lone, obsessed vigilante who always puts justice first. The story sees Daredevil break into Bullseye’s hospital room with a gun, playing a game of Russian roulette. The hero tells the villain of a young boy who idolizes Daredevil, only to find out that the boy’s father is corrupt. This sends the boy over the edge when he shoots another boy. The story ends with Matt remembering that he was beaten as a child by his father, effectively rewriting the character of “Battlin’ Jack” Murdock and revising Matt’s reasons for becoming a lawyer.

The run ended well and the Miller/Janson team was replaced with a short, yet  underrated run by Denny O’neil and a number of artists. One of those artists was David Mazzuchelli, who would aid Miller in his return.

Frank returned to the character with, what I consider to be the best Daredevil story ever, the acclaimed Daredevil: Born Again. Running through Daredevil #227–233, this tale reintroduced Karen Page as a heroin junkie and pornographic actress. She sells Matt’s secret identity. The Kingpin gets wind of this secret and proceeds to ruin Matt’s life, costing him his attorney’s license and destroying his home. By the end, however, Matt has reunited with Karen Page and meets his long lost mother, a nun named Maggie, previously thought to be dead.

Miller’s other Daredevil stories include: Love and War, a wonderful painted graphic novel from 1986, with Bill Sienkiewicz, and the definitive origin story, Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. Written as a five-issue miniseries in 1993, Man Without Fear expands upon the death of “Battlin’ Jack” and Matt’s early years and delves deeper into the role of characters like Stick and Elektra in the Daredevil mythos.

Overall, Frank Miller’s work on Daredevil defines the character. These are some of the best superhero comics anyone can read. The amazing thing is that they are nearly 40 years old at this point. Taken in pieces, the reader is treated to small bits of brilliant superhero storytelling. As a whole, Matt Murdock’s motivations and character become clear. The entirety of Miller’s work represents the best of Daredevil. It is only rivaled by the runs of Ann Nocenti and, later, Brian Michael Bendis. Do yourself a favor: read Daredevil comics.

In Defense of Disney’s Dark Age

Disney, the company that, these days, dominates popular culture in many ways, did suffer a dark period. Animation buffs and historians define this “Dark Age” or the “Bronze Age” of Disney as taking place between the years 1966 and 1988. This was the time when the quality of their animated features suffered. This is especially apparent when compared to its earlier period when Walt and his team were turning out masterpieces. But why did it happen? Who’s to blame for the downward spiral?

In the years just before the death of Walt Disney, the company suffered a crushing defeat. Sleeping Beauty was a disappointment for the studio upon its release in 1959. The financial losses were so serious that Walt actually considered shutting down his animation division. He would spend the next few years focusing on live action features and his theme park projects. And then Walt Disney died in 1966.

The death of Mr. Disney took the floor out from under the company. By the 1970s, the company began to financially suffer. Shareholders began to scramble the company up into pieces, believing the worth of this major corporation to be more valuable as parts than as a whole. After the death of Roy O. Disney, even leadership of the company changed several times. It was clear that behind the scenes Disney was a shadow of its former self, but, although the animation had suffered and the original Disney studio was gone, some of their output—not all—still deserves to be heralded as “classic.”

A technology known as xerography was first used on the 1961 classic, One Hundred and One Dalmatians. This new process allowed Disney animators to transfer their artwork directly onto the acetate rather than the old time consuming job of tracing and inking, frame by frame, onto a cell. It was cheaper and saved time, but xerography didn’t produce the same fluid quality, the same aesthetic impact, that the previous cartoons had. Disney animation would never be the same and beginning in 1970, eight films, all created with xerography, would define the Disney’s Dark Age.

The Aristocats 

The first film to come out of this fabled downturn was The Aristocats in 1970. Sure, the animation doesn’t compare to Snow White, Dumbo or even Pinnochio, but its still one of the most entertaining films that the company has ever put out. It’s story has been seen as a rip-off of Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp by some, but the main characters, Duchess and her kittens as well as O’Mally, the alley cat, are memorable. The film has heart and the settings are spectacular. This is probably the best of all movies from this period, in terms of quality and storytelling.

Robin Hood

After the Aristocats, came Disney’s take on Robin Hood in 1973. This movie began as an adaptation of Reynard the Fox, a popular children’s story. After Walt's death, the film morphed into an adaptation of the Robin Hood stories. Because the movie used a lot of recycled animation from other Disney features (because of financial difficulties at the time), this film is not well regarded by many serious animation buffs. Despite its mixed critical reception and its reputation today, the film did receive an Academy Award nomination. For a certain generation, this version of the legendary Robin Hood myth may be definitive. Perhaps more than any other “Dark Age” movie, this one has the largest cult following. I have an admitted nostalgia for this one, as I am always entertained every time I see it.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was Disney’s first compilation feature film. Repackaged for theaters in 1977, this boasts three segments (Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!), all of which were released to theaters separately in the 1960s. Walt Disney had actually planned on making an entirely new Pooh movie but financial difficulties and time never allowed it. This was not a financial success but the film would garner praise from critics for being a faithful adaptation to the Pooh books. Looking at it today, however, can be challenging because it is more juvenile and pedestrian than any other Disney picture. The best Disney films can entertain people of all ages. While this can be quite entertaining for little children, older kids and adults probably won’t enjoy it.

The Rescuers

The Rescuers, also released in 1977, was a critical and commercial smash. Heralded as Disney’s biggest hit in years, it even broke the record for most money made for an animated film on opening weekend, a record it held until 1986 when Don Bluth's An American Tai was released. The film was seen as Disney's comeback movie at the time. It’s quite possible that without the success of this feature Disney’s future may have been very different. The film is now seen as one of the most popular films of the period, permitting a sequel in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under. The biggest problem with it is the animation. More than any film in the Disney animation library, this fails to live up to the Disney standard. The movement is muddy and the character animation is stiff. The color in this film also seems to be flat and diluted. That said, the film tells an entertaining story and has memorable characters. Medusa, in particular, makes for a genuinely creepy villainess.

The Fox and the Hound

This film started production after the release of The Rescuers but wasn't released until 1981. Don Bluth left and took many of Disney’s top animators with him. When it was released however, the film was a financial success. Critically, it faired less impressively. Fans of the original story, as well as critics, were disappointed with the story changes. However, the film has developed a strong fanbase. This is probably my favorite film in the Dark Age. The story is engaging and, while there are a few problems, the animation is an improvement over the past few releases. This is an excellent coming-of-age story that is as moving and heartfelt as any feature from the Renaissance era. It’s one of the best examples of all-ages animation that has ever been produced. 

The Black Cauldron

Next up is the film that is consistently pointed to as the company’s worst film. What detractors of The Black Cauldron fail to understand is, whether they attempted to or not, Disney released an experiment in more mature animation. This came out in 1985 and was the first Disney animated feature to get a PG rating. This feature has a darkness and set of scary visuals that would only be surpassed later by gothic adventure features like Beauty and the Beast or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It’s an interesting movie that is, at the very least, worth a watch. While an abysmal failure, both critically and commercially, the story is decent and the animation is better than it had been in decades up to this point. Am I actually defending Disney’s worst film? Yes! However, I find more to enjoy in this one that I ever did in Winnie the Pooh.

The Great Mouse Detective

Despite being too young to realize it when I first saw this, The Great Mouse Detective is just Sherlock Holmes with mice. Arriving in 1986, this could be an argument that Disney had run out of ideas. The idea seems a little silly at first glance but if examined critically this is actually a brilliant film. Stylish design and dark visuals, combined with memorable death traps and Vincent Price as the menacing Ratigan, make this an entertaining picture. It was a much-needed critical and financial success after the disappointment of Cauldron, even saving the animation studio from insolvency. It remains a truly underrated gem.

Oliver and Company

The final animated feature of the Dark Age is an adaptation of the Oliver Twist story. It is the most quintessentially 80’s Disney film. The animation, musical cues and character design is reminiscent of an almost Saturday morning cartoon approach. Oliver and Company came to theaters in 1988 and faired moderately well critically. It was the highest grossing “Dark Age film.” Disney fans, however, don’t know what to make of this film. Reviews are mixed, but I think it’s the weakest of the series. Even The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh wasn’t this saccharine. The film’s attempt at some sort of social relevance by dancing delicately around poverty is a miserable failure, no matter how cute that orange kitten is. The inclusion of many famous voices was also surprising as Disney had rarely been so shameless in their promotion of celebrity before. That said, the story is decent, if a little reminiscent of Lady and the Tramp. The animation is standard for the late 1980s. Like Pooh, this might be one for the very little kiddies to enjoy.

Overall, the Dark Age of Disney was hit or miss, but, in this reviewer’s opinion, every film here has something to recommend it. Even the weaker efforts like Pooh and Oliver can still hold up in their own way for children, while adults may get some nostalgia out of great films like The Aristocats, Robin Hood and The Fox and the Hound. If you’re a fan of cartoons or animated movies, each of these deserves another look. Although Disney did suffer financially and creatively in the 70’s and 80’s, these films still matter and should not be dismissed in the wake of the arguably better works of the Disney Renaissance.

Citation

'https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Disney_Dark_Age.' Disney. (2019).

Lobster Johnson: A Wonderful Homage to Pulp Heroes

While Mike Mignola is best known for his Hellboy franchise, and its spin-off series, B.P.R.D. (the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense), his truly unsung creation is a character called The Lobster (published as Lobster Johnson). Such a character works so well in the Hellboy universe, sometimes referred to as the “Mignolaverse,” precisely because he is a throwback to the pulp heroes of the 1930’s and 1940’s.   

As a major fan of pulpy heroes and pulp-inspired superheroes like Batman, I have enjoyed this series probably more than any other comic published after the year 2000. This is the only ongoing series in recent memory that acts as a meditation on the mystery men and pulp-action heroes from the Golden Age of pulp magazines. It builds its own mythology while giving credence to the tropes and conventions of pulp fiction in an incredibly entertaining and fresh way.

The Lobster’s story is very easy to follow if you have never read a Hellboy comic, so it works very well as a standalone saga. Within the Mignolaverse, the public, in modern times, believes the Lobster to be merely a fictional character called Lobster Johnson that was created by a retired detective turned writer. He did exist, however, as a vigilante in 1930s New York. He had a group of assistants (similar to The Shadow’s agents) that helped him fight crime and injustice. He is unique amongst masked crime fighters in that his true identity and origin remain a mystery.

Like most other men of mystery, The Lobster was an expert combatant. He usually wielded a pistol that has been dubbed by some as “The Lobster’s Claw.” He has been known to use other weapons on occasion as well. Like The Spider before him, The Lobster could be very violent at times. After killing mobsters and criminals he burned his calling card, a lobster claw symbol, into their foreheads.

The Lobster also seemed to have incredible endurance, at times living through explosions and heavy gunfire. No explanation has been given as to how he could survive such attacks. He did, however, possess technology that was advanced for its time. He used a bulletproof vest on occasion, and he also possessed a radio that was small enough to fit inside his helmet. Inventions like these, along with help from his assistants, may explain his ability to survive. He is not invulnerable though, as he has been shown to get injured and even bleed.

His first appearance was in a backup story featured in Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1. The story was called The Killer in My Skull and featured a scientist, Stanley Corn, that worked for Zinco-Davis Laboratories. The scientist is responsible for the deaths of 4 other lab workers, killing them with furniture. The Lobster determines that Corn was doing “brain research” and that the scientist has been able to use his mind to telepathically kill. Corn shoots himself after The Lobster confronts him. Then Corn’s brain launches out of his skull and attempts to kill The Lobster. The Lobster reacts and the brain dies. It’s a pretty strange first appearance for any character but Mignola’s art serves this bizarre tale well.

The Lobster received his own series beginning with Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #1 (published Sep. 5^th, 2007). The Lobster’s stories vary from full 5-issue mini-series to short stories and one shots. As of this writing, there have been 31 issues and 6 trade paperbacks released for the series. His universe and mythos allow for genre-bending tales, from straight up horror stories, sci-fi, crime fiction or just good, old-fashioned high-stakes action-adventure. If you have never heard of The Lobster, have been thinking about branching out into other parts of the Mignolaverse or just want to read great action-adventure comic books, you can’t go wrong with this series.

My Top Ten Comic Book/Superhero Movies

The following is a ranking of, what I consider to be, the best comic book movies ever made. There are many great superhero films and as a result this list was hard to compile.

I rate these movies on 3 criteria:

1) Faithfulness: Does the film boil the source material or character(s) down to its essence, hit the major points of the character or at least give a decent idea to the viewer of what the mythos is all about?

2) Entertainment Value: Is the film entertaining? Does it leave the viewer with a sense of wonder, amusement or enjoyment?

3) Story: Does the film tell a compelling story? Does the story fit the character?
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10) Hellboy (2004)

Although director Guillermo Del Toro took some liberties with the movie version of Hellboy, this film tells a compelling story. The film is well paced and gives a succinct origin for the hero, hitting many of the major beats of the first Hellboy story, Seed of Destruction. For many people, myself included, this was what got them into the Hellboy comics.
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9) Road To Perdition (2002)

Although not a superhero movie, this film is based on one of the greatest graphic novels ever written. Famed crime fiction writer, Max Allan Collins wrote a fast paced, suspenseful tale that was turned into one of the greatest modern noir films. Tom Hanks was brilliantly cast as the lead, Michael Sullivan. This should be held up as an example that great comic book movies don’t have to feature long underwear characters.
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8) Batman Begins (2005)

While this is probably the best Batman movie ever made on a filmic level, it forsakes much of the fantasy of a superhero in favor of grounded realism. The film is a master class in dramatic storytelling, taking its main cue from the story, Batman Year One. It even manages to tell a great origin story, playing on the fears of a post-9/11 world. However, it misses the escapism that a great superhero story can provide. This is a great Batman movie. The rest of the Dark Knight trilogy, while well-made films, are not good adaptations and explicate too much.
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7) Spider-man 2 (2004)

This movie is the most impressive statement about Spider-man ever put to screen. It boils everything about the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko creation down to its essence and features, arguably, the best villain in Spider-man’s rogues gallery, Doctor Octopus. It’s a movie with great action, a fun story, and is probably as close as classic Spidey will ever come to being straight off the page.
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6) The Avengers (2012)

This film is probably the best superhero team movie ever made. It is the blueprint for how to film a team of superheroes. It builds off of many of the solo hero movies that gave birth to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and manages to be mostly faithful to the origin of the team. Impressive visual effects and a credible villain make this film an entertaining spectacle.
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5) Wonder Woman (2017)

Before seeing this I had not been very impressed with DC’s attempt at a cinematic universe for their heroes. Man of Steel and Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice were not that great. Wonder Woman changed my mind. It is one of the best superhero films to ever come out of DC and one of the best superhero movies of the last few years. Gal Gadot is impressive in her role as the Amazon Princess but the story is what really blew me away. There is faithfulness to the origin and it works well as a period film.
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4) The Rocketeer (1991)

The Rocketeer is the perfect example of a pulpy action adventure film. It tells an engaging story, features plenty of action, has heart and is one of the most faithful adaptations of a graphic novel ever put to screen. Billy Campbell is perfectly cast as The Rocketeer and Timothy Dalton expertly plays the villainous Neville Sinclair. Jennifer Connelly isn’t too bad either. This is one of the greatest adventure films ever made.
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3) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles nails the tone of its source material better than any superhero movie ever made. It perfectly captures the gritty, fun and absurd flavor of the original comic book. It adds a few details from the wildly popular cartoon show of the late 80’s and melds everything that was ever good about the TMNT into a masterpiece. Its compelling story is constructed out of bits and pieces of the first dozen issues of the original comic series. It’s probably the greatest TMNT movie that could ever be made.

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2) Batman (1989)

This film is more style over substance and doesn’t really feature much of a plot, but its importance in the pantheon of superhero movies cannot be denied. I rank this so highly as a superhero movie almost purely out of childhood nostalgia. It takes liberties with the mythos and is very indicative of the time it was created in. That being said, every time I watch it, I am impressed and awed by the set pieces and the mood. The film is such an entertaining spectacle, and gives me such a feeling of joy, that it will forever be one of my favorites. It’s also the purest expression, in live action anyway, of the Batman from the 70’s and 80’s, my favorite eras in the bat books. For more on this movie, go here.
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1) Superman: The Movie (1978)

In 1978, when Superman was released, director Richard Donner delivered a blueprint for all future superhero movies to follow. This is the gold standard for all comic book films. Christopher Reeve was perfectly cast as Superman. The story was an epic three-act fantasy that also served as a compelling origin. The effects were like nothing ever seen at the time and are especially impressive because they were all practical effects. It perfectly captures the essence of Superman’s character and is an affectionate tribute to one of pop-culture’s most important icons.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

The Dark Knight (2008)

X2: X-men United (2003)

Black Panther (2018)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)