Batman and Robin Adventures #1 (1995)

Batman and Robin Adventures #1 (November, 1995)
"Two Timer"
Writer - Paul Dini
Pencils - Ty Templeton
Inks - Rick Burchett
Colors - Linda Medley
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Associate Edits - Darren Vincenzo
Edits - Scott Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

Keeping things "light" this Sunday... and toying with the concept of "comfort food" once again.  Not so much my own personal comfort food... but, I know for a lot of folks, the ol' Batman: The Animated Series is a source of many "warm fuzzies".

For me, ehh, I didn't hate it... but, I wasn't really a religious viewer or anything.  It certainly didn't help that it seemed as though every time I tuned in, it was that same Mr. Freeze and the Snowglobe episode!  Man, that got old fast!

Anyhoo... let's check out the first issue from the Batman and Robin Adventures!

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We open with a scene of Batman and Robin taking out some would-be arms-smugglers down at the Gotham City docks.  It's a pretty boilerplate scene, nothing we haven't seen a hundred times before, and only really serves to facilitate the "new normal" for this series of stories.  Ya see, Robin's in College... and so, his team-ups with Batman have become a little less frequent.  We also learn that, while Dick's got classes in the morning, Bruce has an appointment of his own to keep... ya see, he and Grace LaMont (Harvey Dent's on-again/off-again) have a weekly meeting with Two-Face to discuss the progress of his treatment at Arkham.

Harv' reveals that everything is going great... and he's making great strides toward living a normal life, and will even be undergoing a bit of reconstructive surgery in the not-so-distant future.  The Joker, whose cell just so happens to be like right next door, decides he rather prefers Harvey as a madman, and figures he probably ought to intervene to stymie his successes.  Once Bruce and Grace head off, he insinuates to Dent that they're probably banging behind his back.

We follow Bruce and Grace back to Wayne Tower, where they talk a bit more about their man Harvey.  The conversation does, in fact, change to something more personal.  Bruce invites Grace to a Press Party... in order to give her "one night free from worry".  Hmm... was the Joker on to something here?

Back at Arkham, the Joker is still rattling Two-Face's cage about his gal-pal's improprieties... and when Harvey chases him off, the clown drops his newspaper.  Ya know, on purpose... the front-page headline tells of Bruce Wayne's Dream Project coming true... and that Grace will be his "date" for the evening.  I guess with all the baddies already in Arkham, there really wasn't anything else going on in Gotham to be that cover story!

On his way out of the "common area", the Joker pops into a Guard Station to swipe a phone... with it, he makes a very important phone call.

We jump ahead to that Garden Party Dance thing, where Bruce invites Grace to cut a rug for a bit.  She doesn't seem all that into it, but agrees to anyway.  After dancing for a bit, they break away from the group to chat... and, naturally Harvey comes up in the conversation.  It's a pretty innocent talk, that ends with Grace thanking Bruce by giving him a peck on the cheek... a peck, that just so happened to be caught on film by... Harley Quinn!

Bruce grabs Dick... er, um... that is to say, Wayne grabs Grayson... to inform him of what just went down, and so they change into their work clothes and confront the rogue photographer.  Unfortunately, by this time she'd already handed off the Polaroid of the smooch to the press (with the story that Bruce and Grace are... engaged!).

The Dynamic Duo fights Harley for a bit, in what is... kind of embarrassingly for them, a pretty even-matched fight.  Finally... like three-pages later, the fellas manage to take the upper-hand.  I mean, really dudes... Harley-in-heels held you off for three pages?  What is this, a "current year" book?!

Harley backs off, and calls for her "babies"... which, are a pair of hyenas.  They pounce on our heroes, but are taken out pretty quick.  Unfortunately, it's just enough time for Quinn to split the scene.

We jump back to Arkham, where... hot off the presses, the latest edition of the Gotham Gazette is exchanging hands!  The Joker gleefully shares the cover-story with Harvey Dent... and, just as he'd planned, it reports that Bruce Wayne and Grace LaMont are... dun, dun, dunnnn... engaged to be married!

Harvey is... uh, displeased.  So much so that he beats the holy hell out of some orderlies and... escapes Arkham?!  Wow, who knew it was that easy?  Why hasn't the Joker thought of this?

Batman, Robin, and Commissioner Gordon decide to question the Joker about his part in this... and, well... he spills the beans completely!  What does he care about Harvey Dent's well-being, right?  And, what're they going to do to him... double-arrest him?  When asked why he was messing with Harv, the Joker reveals that he did so... because it was Tuesday.  This either means it was "just another day", or maybe he's playing with the "Two" in Twos-day?

We wrap up back at Grace LaMont's place... with Harvey kickin' down the door looking for revenge!

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This was arright.

Weird, for a book named after Batman and Robin, it feels as though the Boy Wonder was something of an afterthought here, dunnit?  I guess DC just needed to put out a book with the same title as the current incarnation of the Animated Series?  Maybe I'm misremembering... I'm not quite so encyclopedic in my knowledge of the Timm/Diniverse... or whatever the hell we're calling it.

Anyhoo, for the story... it wasn't half-bad (HA! Half-bad!  I kill me!)... the Joker spends the entire issue screwing with Harvey Dent to the point where he actually busts out of Arkham in a jealous rage.  Fair enough!  Really shines a light on just how inept the Arkham Security System is, doesn't it?  First, Joker's just able to get into the Guard Station to swipe a phone... and, Second, ya know... Harvey just punches a couple of dudes, and is able to walk out the joint freely!  Bad look, Arkham.

Then, we've got Bruce and Grace.  Now, seeing as though Harvey Dent is... ya know, emotionally fragile (to say the least), why in all hell's is Bruce bothering to bark up this tree?  Even with the most innocent of intentions, if any of this got back to Dent, he was almost certain to flip out.  Honestly, the Joker could have just as easily showed him an article about Bruce offering to water Grace's plants while she's out of town (that's not a euphemism, folks), and Two-Face would've exploded in rage.  This is just an all-around bad idea.

The art here was cool.  You know me, I'm not the biggest fan of the "animated series" look, but this was pretty nice.  The Harley fight scene was especially well-done, though, as alluded to during the synopsis, perhaps a page (or three) too long.  I don't feel as though Harley-in-heels should've been able to dupe the fellas for quite this long.

Overall, had a decent enough time with this... and, if you're a fan of the Animated Series, I'd bet you will too!

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(Not the) Letters Page:

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DCU Holiday Bash! #1 (Demon)

DCU Holiday Bash! #1 (Demon)
"Satan's Little Helper"
by Ty Templeton
Editors - Mike Carlin & Darren Vincenzo

In the grand tradition of our Superman two-pagers in Action Comics Weekly... we've actually got a couple of those in this here Christmas Special!  Good news, however... these are self-contained, so no lollygagging with weirdo Fellowship members!

Also in the ACW tradition... we're going to be checking in with our old friend, Etrigan the Demon.  Love being able to reuse dem ACD assets!

Now to see what trouble he'll bring, with the rhyme that he'll sing.

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We open with a bald fella engaging in a strange ritual in which he hopes to summon a Demon, with whom he'll exchange his mortal soul for... something.  Something really cool, I'd assume.  Wouldn'tcha know it, the Demon he winds up calling is our pal, Etrigan... who runs down how the deal will go.

Before the fella can make his request, however, his precocious young daughter bursts into the room... and wonders who this scary visitor might be.  Dad tells her it's just one of "Santa's Helpers", and to get back into bed.

Well, kiddo, thinking this horned beast is actually pals with Santa, asks what he brought for her.  She reaches into his box o' tricks, and procures a Batman doll... which, we're going to assume she was wishing for.

Since the deal with Dad was still in effect... it turns out that the bald fella just unwittingly exchanged his soul for... that very Batman doll.  Etrigran squeals with glee, and vacates the scene... leaving the little girl wondering why her father is now so down in the dumps.

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This was clever... and fun.  Didn't need more than two-pages to be told, either!  I'm also glad we never found out what Dad was going to swap his soul for... because, that very well could've turned this tale from dark comedy to bleak tragedy.  I think we can assume, however, from the absolute maddened look on Dad's face that... his request was going to fit more into the "selfish" column than "selfless".

I like this use of Etrigan, where... I mean, it's not necessarily a story about him... he's more there just as a tool/facilitator.  He's certainly not a character I'd root for, but I can appreciate him getting a "bargain" on some dude's soul through a fluke like this.  I mean, if you deal with the devil... you're probably going to get burnt!

I just wonder if Dad was trying to dissolve his marriage or something... now, that would be tragic!

Tomorrow: The Holiday Armadillo?

Dark Claw Adventures #1 (1997)

Dark Claw Adventures #1 (June, 1997)
"Face to Face"
Writer/Breakdowns - Ty Templeton
Finishes - Rick Burchett
Colors - Linda Medley
Letters - Tim Harkins
Associate Editor - Darren Vincenzo
Editor - Scott Peterson
Special Thanks - Dan Slott
Cover Price: $1.95

We've brushed up against the Marvel/DC co-promotions of the late-1990's from time to time here at the ol' blogstead... but never actually discussed an honest to goodness Amalgam comic.

And there's a reason for that...

I wasn't (and I'm still not) a fan of 'em!  We'll ramble on about why in the "down below"... but, for now... heeeeeeeere's Dark Claw!

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We open with Patch Malone taking in his weekly poker game with a bunch of nogoodniks.  He doesn't get to play long as he's approached by a pair of Cyber-Ninja Assassins... and before we know it, a fight is on.  During the fracas, Logan is shot in the shoulder... however, he manages to win the day.  Ya see, Dark Claw ain't no killer... but since these creeps are mostly-machine, he doesn't have to worry so much about holding back.

After taking care of business, he heads outside where his Clawmobile (don't call it that!) is waiting for him.  In the driver's seat is, Sparrow... an amalgamation of Robin and Jubilee.

As the heroes take off into the night, we can see that their progress is being tracked by a woman called Lady Talia, an amalgamation of Lady Deathstrike and Talia al Ghul.  Ya see, she's ticked off at Logan for the murder of her father... wait for it... Ra's-a-pocalypse.

We flash back to a desert duel between Logan and Ra's... that has something to do with a scorpion, but it's not really clear exactly what.  Anyhoo, while Ra's-a-pocalypse makes his exit via jet, Logan grabs a conveniently-placed bazooka... and blasts the baddie out of the sky.

While Lady Talia admires her new Adamantium limbs, we shift scenes over to "The Burrow", which is, naturally, kinda like Dark Claw's Batcave.  One neat touch is, instead of the giant penny, there's a giant Canadian Nickel.

Logan deduces that it's Lady Talia who's after him, and suits up for action.  In order to prepare for battle, he initiates a training sequence in the Danger Cave, an amalgamation of... oh, you know.  He faces off against the Two-Faced Goblin (Harvey Osborn), Cybercroc (Cyber + Killer Croc), Bloodcrow (Bloodscream + Scarecrow), Spiral Harley (oh, c'mon), and the Omega Beast (Omega Red + K.G.Beast).

Suddenly, the lights turn out.  Dark Claw assumes that this is just the next stage of his training... that Sparrow kicked it up a notch... but, no... it's Talia.  She claims that she knows him well enough to use his secrets in order to find him.  As the wrestle around, Dark Claw pleads with her to cool off... Ra's gave him no choice but to kill him.

Finally, she backs off long enough for him to plead his case.  He begs her to control herself, and expresses how important she is to him.  Then he holds his hands out, and tells her that whatever her next move might be... he's not going to stop her.  And so, she guts him!

As Logan lay dying, Talia heads over to Sparrow... she chooses to spare her, as she's nothing more than an innocent.

In her final act, Lady Talia decides she'll plunge her claws into her own heart... the only part of her that she still considers human.  Before she does so, however, she soliloquizes about how much she regrets everything that's gone on between she and Logan over the past few years... and what she wouldn't do to have him back with her now.  Uh, lady, are you really forgetting about the healing factor?!

Oh course dude ain't really dead.  Talia rushes to his side, and they make nice.

Unfortunately, nobody ever untied Sparrow.  Some say she's still there to this day.

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You familiar with "strain theory"?  For a quick 'n dirty, it's a sociological concept having to do with why crimes might be committed... has to do with classism and racism, and it's predicated on the assumption/perception that resources (material/tasks/opportunities/capital) are limited.  The "strain" is on resources, which leads folks to do whatever they can (legal or not) to get those resources.  Ya follow?

Now, to completely bastardize and trivialize the subject, I can't help but consider talented creators and popular characters to be (relatively) limited "resources".  I look back at the late-90's as a very small window where Marvel and DC were willing to "play nice" and put equal amounts of "skin" in the game in order to create something special.  And what we get... is this.

Naturally, I'm not talking about crimes being committed or anything... but, look at the "resources": the talent involved in Amalgam... and look at the wonderful characters.  This is really the best we can do?  We get all the big brains at Marvel and DC together in a room, and "Hey, let's just mash 'em up!" is the best idea that comes out of it?

Amalgam Comics, while perhaps still to this day a novelty to some, and I'm only speaking for myself here, just reeks to me of a missed opportunity.  Nothing more than a throwaway to fill a Fifth-Week, when (theoretically) any other kind of Marvel and DC co-promotion could've meant so much more.  I mean, this looks like it took the same amount of care as Marvel Mangaverse... or Marvels Comics... just low-effort fluff.  Time and shelf-filler... the fulfillment of a contract.

I compare it now to the DC/Looney Tunes or DC/Hanna-Barbera crossovers.  Meaningless books that occupy creators and shelf-space that could be better used.  I'll concede that they make for really good "retweet bait", but really... to me, with the "limited resources" we have, it's such misdirected effort.  Heck, maybe I'm just "anti-fun".  I've been accused of that a time or two.

With all that being said... it's hard to be objective about something like Dark Claw Adventures.  For what it is, it's a "funny, ha-ha", and not much more.  The art is strong, and (naturally) evokes the Batman: The Animated Series style well enough.  People who aren't me, might get a giggle or two out of it.

Unfortunately, all I can do when I look at the Amalgam Age of Comics, is think: What could'a been.  Of course, I'm coming at this as just a fan... I don't know what the legalities were, or the logistics of "reprint rights" or anything like that... but, speaking as "just a fan", I know I wanted something more special than this.

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Letters Page:

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1078

The Spirit #13 (2008)

The Spirit #13 (February, 2008)

"One Hundred!"

"Family Treasure"

"The Cold Depths of the Icicle Heart"

Writers - Glen David Gold, Denny O'Neil & Gail Simone

Pencillers - Eduardo Risso, Ty Templeton & Phil Hester

Inker - Ande Parks

Colorists - Alex Sinclair & Jim Charalampidis

Letterer - Jared K. Fletcher

Assistant Editor - Kristy Quinn

Editors - Ben Abernathy, Scott Peterson

Cover Price: $2.99

Hey, it's the shortest day of the year... right?  So, howsabout we take a look at three short stories to really get us into the holiday Spirit.  See what I did there?  How's that for a stretch!

Full disclosure before we begin.  I might be killing my "comics historian" cred here, but I know next to... er, make that absolutely nothing about The Spirit.  Other than he was created by Will Eisner.  I always thought he looked cool... but growing up in the 90's, the only way (that I knew of) where I could read his stories would've been to cough up fifty-bones for an Archive Edition.  That just wasn't going to happen.

So, with that said... we'll try and get through best we can.  My apologies ahead of time if I miss any obvious connections or references.

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Our first story opens on Halloween (well, that's not the Holiday I had in mind) with a gaggle of goons (called the Argonauts) all dressed as The Spirit.  In between some... fairly annoying dialogue (including a gag about Emily Blunt which refused to end), we learn that they have stolen one-hundred blue azure diamonds.  They plan to cut through the zoo as they cross Central City (probably not that Central City).  While there, they visit a monkey cage... which facilitates another Emily Blunt joke... and also allows one of their number to break rank.  Ya see, one of these Spirits was actually... The Spirit!

A fight takes place in this tangle of trench coats... and in the struggle, the bag of diamonds falls into the tiger cage!

We rejoin The Spirit (should I refer to him as just "Spirit" or is it always "The Spirit"?) as he meets with Commissioner Dolan.  He's advised that there's only one person capable of of nabbing the diamonds, and it's a girl grown woman named Felicia Stripe.

And so, we join the pair back at the zoo.  Felicia greets the Tiger, Vida... and laments the fact that there are only ninety-eight of them left in the world.  Suddenly a Spirit-dressed Argonaut arrives to confuse the proceedings... in the struggle, the tiger becomes agitated... and is ultimately shot.

Back at the office, Spirit and Dolan discuss what just went down.  Spirit looks at the gun that shot the tiger... and learns, the hard way, that it wasn't loaded with bullets... but a sleep agent.

Turns out Ms. Stripe just kayoed the big cat to take her back to her own wildlife preserve.  One year later... we see that, thanks to her, there are now 100 tigers.

Our second story opens with an old woman being dragged into a car by a nogoodnik.  Luckily, The Spirit was in the vicinity... and pops in for a rapid rescue.  Spirit recognizes her as Sonia... an immigrant from East Klovonia that Dolan had told him about.  Apparently she's looking for a buried family treasure in the "Rowdy Forest".

She and the Spirit hop into his car and head out to search.  Along the way, The Spirit realizes that she might just be talking about the Wildwood Cemetery... get it?  Rowdy Forest... Wild Wood.  A half-hour later, they arrive... and our man proceeds to dig.  While he works, a pair of baddies arrive.

The Spirit uses some shovel-fu to make short work of them.

With the geeks out of the way, the Spirit continues to dig... until he finds the buried treasure... a photograph of Sonia's Aunt.

The Spirit notices that while the photograph is quite old... the frame looks brand new.  He pulls the photo out... revealing a bearer bond (with plenty of zeroes) hidden behind it!  Sonia nabs the loot and rushes away.

We wrap up some time later with the revelation that the riches have gone to Sonia's head.

Our third and final story opens with "Ice" McQueen shaking down a local man who looks a bit like Alfred Pennyworth for "protection money".  The Spirit witnesses this go down, and attempts to intervene... only to have his lights knocked out by a blackjack.  This story uses a pretty neat "dialogue" gimmick... we'll talk more about it below.

"Ice" ponders her next move... and decides it might behoove her crew to dispose of The Spirit in the nearby frozen lake.  And so, they tie a cinder block to his body and hurl his unconscious body from a bridge.

Luckily, the shock of cold is enough to wake our man up... and he pulls himself from the slushy drink.  Not so lucky, he's forgotten who or where he is!

He's eventually taken in and given clothes by some hobos... and almost remembers who he is.  He's got all the letters, just doesn't know the order.  What happens next isn't entirely clear.  There's a man (maybe Dolan?) crying at the bridge... who is approached by a police officer... who goes to beat him with his billy club... I think.  I dunno... either way, The Spirit is there to save the day.

Another hobo fills The Spirit in on what's gone down... and suddenly "Ice" McQueen and her gang strike again.  Our man is able to win this round... and in so doing, remember who he is.

We wrap up with... The Spirit giving a hobo his hat... "Ice" behind bars... the bad cop being reamed out... and the Spirit lounging by the warmth of his fireplace.  I guess that's as "Christmassy" as we're going to get this time around.

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Well... some "Holiday Special", eh?  I guess "Holiday" is vague enough to get away with not having a single Christmas story included, right?  I mean... it's not like we'd have any hint from the cover as to what might be inside... right?

Anyhoo...

What we do have here is three fun stories.  As mentioned, I have no frame of reference for anything Spirit-related.  I don't know his backstory... hell, I don't even know his real name (if he even has one!).  That said, I enjoyed this... for the most part.

Before going into detail... I wanna give it up for the art.  All three stories look fantastic.  I feel like this is the kind of style you want for a character/world such as this.  Really... excellent stuff!

Now... let's start with the first story.  Never-ending Emily Blunt gag notwithstanding, this was pretty neat.  Though, there is this odd dissonance here.  The Spirit talks very much like a detective in a pot-boiler mystery... talking about "the two types of girls" out there... however, this story takes place during the present day.  Was this fella frozen in ice like Captain America?  I dunno... is he a relic from the 1940's thrust into the present?

The play on the "100" was pretty clever.  The whole time you assume that the title is referring to the azure diamonds... when really, it was about the endangered tigers.  Thought that was a cool twist.

The second story was a cute little affair.  Nice balance of humor and action... we get to see the Spirit doing some of the more unglamorous aspects of his work.  Digging up graves is probably not on anybody's short-list of fun things to do.  At the end, it was all a gag... the poor immigrant woman turns into a hawty socialite.  Silly fun.

The final story... well... I really wanted to like it.  I think the gimmick employed was a great one... very creative work using symbols and "hieroglyphs" in lieu of actual dialogue.  My only problem was... I couldn't follow the damn thing!

It started out straightforward enough... however, gets muddled (at least for me) during the climax.  Maybe if I had a better familiarity with the cast it would help... I just don't get why an officer would attack the man on the bridge.  Also... I couldn't keep the hobos straight... how many were there?  Was it the same guy all along?  What about the dude from the beginning who looked like Alfred?  Why was he running up with a shovel toward the end?  Dunno... maybe I'm just too dense.  That's always a possibility.

Overall... if you're looking for a good Christmas story... I'm sorry, but you're not going to find it here.  If you wanna have a little bit of noirish fun, however... give this a look.  I think I'll keep an eye out for Spirit books of this vintage should I come across 'em in the cheap-o bins.  It doesn't look like this one's available digitally... I'm pretty sure DC no longer has the rights to the character.  Shouldn't be too hard to track down, though...

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On the Eighth Day of Christmas on Infinite Earths, I give to you The Spirit #13, Justice League Unlimited #28, Shade the Changing Man (vol.2) #19, Action Comics #762!  Young Justice #40, Superman: The Man of Steel #109, Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special, and a Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #2 Review.

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