BATMAN IN THE EIGHTIES
© DC Comics
Comicscape - October 12, 2005
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Wednesday, October 12, 2005
You probably noticed that my colleague of questionable esteem, Al Brown, wrote last week's column. I had to return to New Orleans for a few days to help my parents with their house (hurricane, flooding), so I called Al and told him I'd turn over more evidence to the F.B.I. if he didn't cover for me. Needless to say, he agreed and wrote a killer column about character aging. I've heard they really don't like chicken hawks in prison, so I don't blame him.
Al proposed a series of universe reboots every few years a la the Marvel Ultimate line to solve the character aging quandary. While I fear such a plan would lead to continuity nightmares like the pre-CRISIS DC Universe (not to mention more epic can't-miss summer crossovers), he offered an interesting idea to a perplexing problem how long can you write Spider-Man as 30 years old before it borders on ridiculous? If it were up to me, I'm not sure I'd go with Al's plan, but I can't really think of a better one, either.
Last week, I read this bit of spitfire from Image editor-in-chief and Comic Book Resources staff writer, Erik Larson. Click the link later here's the gist: Larson calls most of the comic industry a bunch of pussies for relying on established properties over creating their own characters. He says, "There are thousands of stories that will never be told. Thousands of characters that will never be created. And for what? So we can have more stories of Aquaman and Green Lantern and Daredevil and New Warriors[?] So we can see another character from the X-Men 'in their own book at last'[?]"
Before either of those, I wrote my now-classic rant on the dominance of superheroes in the market. I pointed fingers, named names, and kicked unholy ass as I urged everyone to check out different genres. While I don't intend to use this week's COMICSCAPE to recount everything I've read recently, those three pieces made me wonder about the future of the comic industry and superheroes, in particular. Much as it pains me to say it, I can't help but wonder if some of our beloved characters need to be put out to pasture.
All right, down boy! Get that mouse pointer away from the Outlook icon and take a deep breath. Just read the column, and then you can send me hate mail and leave flaming bags of dog crap on my doorstep (damn kids!). I really just want to stimulate debate and hear what you think, because I don't even know where I stand right now. After you read this, drop me a line at either kurtamacker@yahoo.com or comicscape@cinescape.com and I'll run your letters next week.
I remain unsure about the fate of so many four-color heroes. I love the classic superheroes most of us grew up with, but the industry relies on the same characters that carried it for the latter half of the 20th century. Instinctively, I (and many of you) ask, "So what? Just because Batman's still around, it doesn't mean that we can't try new comics." In a perfect world, that might hold true. We don't need to take Shakespeare out of print or off the stage to make room for new literature and theater. However, the book market remains more accommodating for new material, and it isn't a niche market. Comic readers shell out more money for their fix than the average bibliophile when's the last time you paid $120 a month for books? In a crowded market where new titles fight for shelf space and reader cash, a new X-Men series can be the difference between trying a new title or not.
Of course, these superheroes remain in our hearts and on our pull lists because they resonate with us. No one forces us to buy yet another Spider-Man title (or the accompanying crossover) in lieu of an edgy independent book. Ultimately, though, art must break new ground. The industry spins its wheels, relying on characters created as long as 70 years ago. Pop culture refuses to let anything die. Christ, MGM/UA (now Sony) still makes James Bond films, long after the series descended into repetition and self-parody. After THE DEAD POOL came out and up until recently, rumors circulated about yet another Dirty Harry movie and Clint Eastwood's 75 years old! The first film will be remade instead, further proving my point. I don't mean to stray into sequel-bashing, but the same principle applies to ongoing comic series. People can't just like something without wanting more of it. Yet, everyone fails to realize that if you enjoy something, it will still be there. MACBETH still kicks ass, but no one's asking for the further adventures of MacDuff. Comic writers (and Hollywood, for that matter) should concentrate on creating new stories to excite everyone, not dragging out tried and true properties long past their prime. If Marvel stopped publishing Spider-Man titles tomorrow, over 500 issues of material would remain that we can revisit until the end of time. The greatest stories never get old.
Then again, comic heroes merely renew old character archetypes. Superman is to Hercules as Batman is to Hamlet. Heroes haven't changed much since THE ODYSSEY and GILGAMESH. The details have changed, but the essence stays the same. One wonders if new heroes would serve any purpose, or if they would just similarly fill the niche. For that matter, the heroes we read today look very different compared to their older incarnations. Golden and Modern Age Batman have superficial things in common, but they seem like different characters. WIZARD published a funny piece about that a few months ago (you may recall that the old Batman used to kill thugs with abandon). Practically speaking, it may not matter if we buy the same superheroes, different superheroes, or anything else. I doubt that on your death bed, you'll look up, and mumble, "Why, oh why, did I pick up GAMBIT instead of CEREBUS that month?" Most art simply kills time, and very few works change the direction of our lives. And yet, every work has the potential to do so. Nothing stands in your way of writing the next masterpiece. Larson challenged comic creators to do just that, and I agree with him.
I must admit, doing away with so many beloved characters could kill the industry. When you e-mail me, tell me if you'd continue reading comic books without Spider-Man, Batman, or your other favorites. I know I would, but I may be in the minority. Frankly, I'd rather repetitive comics than none at all. I love the medium as much or more than the genres. I don't want the industry to die, but rather, to branch out and to new territory. We, the readers, contribute to this problem (me included). I still pick up AMAZING SPIDER-MAN every month, and yet, I've asked myself if I really enjoy it anymore, or if I'm just going through the motions.
But, we have a practical problem no one can force the industry to act as a whole. The comic business doesn't have a dictator that can kill all characters older than ten years. However, the industry can embrace trends and move in new directions. As we discussed a few weeks ago, measured, dialogue-heavy stories have supplanted action titles with idiotic titles like DARKSHATTERZ or whatever. But, no one issued an executive order the companies just responded to what sold, thus dumping the responsibility back in the readers' laps. Conceivably, the industry could gradually replace old characters with new ones. Hell, we saw an influx of new characters in the '70s and again in the '90s, but many of them haven't survived (ROM, anyone? How about Quasar?). Admittedly, the industry clawed its way back to respectability with successful film adaptations and reemphasizing classic characters the very ones that may have finally worn out their welcome. But, the writers should be inspired enough to create their own successful properties, rather than milking characters created by Bob Kane, Jack Kirby, and Stan Lee last century.
Again, I'm not even sure where I stand. I don't know that some sort of mass killing is the answer, and I'm sure I'd be sad if Batman died and everything, but the industry needs an adrenaline shot. What do you think?
New This Week
By Al Brown and Kurt Amacker
DARK HORSE
Apocalypse Nerd #2 $2.99
Al: A Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic scenario, except that our hero is not Mel Gibson but some random, incompetent middle-management cubicle slave type. C'mon, that's hilarious.
Kurt: Speaking of Max, George Miller and Mel Gibson need to put their heads together before Mel gets too old to kick ass in the outback or before he starts on another controversial religious film. FURY ROAD has been in development for what, like ten years now? Get on the ball, guys!
Blade Of The Immortal #106 (MR) (note Price) $3.99
Super Manga Blast #56 (MR) $5.99
DC COMICS
100 Bullets #65 (MR) $2.75
Action Comics #832 $2.50
Astro City Local Heroes TP $17.99
Batman Legends Of The Dark Knight #196 $2.50
Batman Strikes #14 $2.25
Breach #10 $2.50
Doom Patrol Vol 3 Down Paradise Way TP (MR) $19.99
The phrase "Down Paradise Way" may also be found in this poem by some old lady named Joyce Hemsley, which I only point out to you because it's a serious contender for the worst poem ever written. She totally says "Kisses pure as a dove from above". Really, shockingly awful. "Down Paradise Way" is also the name of a song by old school orchestra legend Jack Hylton, which can be Real-downloaded right here and which sounds so perfectly like the background music to a black-and-white cartoon that you will not be able to resist hitting someone in the head with a sledgehammer. In other news, this trade collects issues 35-41 and introduces Danny the Street, who is a living transvestite street. Grant Morrison rules. And that "Danny the Street" link goes to some guy who's compiled an insanely exhaustive list of gay and lesbian characters in comic books, so good on him. Except he missed Karolina Dean from Runaways. I totally emailed him about it. I was so bummed when her and Niko ended up not making out...God, alien lesbian makeout session! Hold on, I have to go to the bathroom.
Fables #42 (MR) $2.75
Okay, back! This issue begins the "Arabian Nights (and Days)" storyline, which promises to introduce a ton of new, non-European fables. Sounds like a blast, and like a good jumping-on point for you newbies.
Firestorm #18 $2.50
Green Arrow #55 $2.50
Al's pet name for "little Al." All right, that was kind of lame, but at least I'm trying. What have you done lately!?
Green Lantern Rebirth HC $24.99
JLA #120 $2.50
A story arc with more yelling and tearful confessions than an episode of PASSIONS.
Majestic #10 $2.99
Nightwing #113 $2.50
Scooby Doo #101 $2.25
SCOOBY DOO 101? That sounds like that community college class Al took last semester. They teach you how to solve easy mysteries (blame the elderly), talk to your dog, and find courage in fattening snack foods (Scooby Snacks).
Villains United #6 (of 6) $2.50
Al: You're not supposed to have to read all the Infinite Crisis titles to get what's going on, but I've read most of them and I totally don't get it. Maybe this will help. I doubt it.
Kurt: Forgive my lack of vitriolic cynicism, but I've really enjoyed this series.
Wildcats Nemesis #2 (of 9) $2.99
IMAGE
City Of Heroes #6 $2.99
Based on a MMORPG and written by Mark Waid, who takes the game's premise - when heroes "die" they get teleported to the hospital and instantly healed, which makes sense for the game - and imagines that the system suddenly breaks down. All the heroes that were getting a bit cocky, since after all they couldn't really die anyway, suddenly have to deal with a much more dire reality. Waid, of course, is one of our best writers, and he's got an amazing ability to make nearly anything interesting. (Similar to Greg Pak, who constantly gets the most absolutely thankless jobs Marvel has, and always tries valiantly to make them not suck.) So anyway: this is far from a must-read, but it doesn't blow as many chunks as it ought to either. Is it me or am I even more long-winded than usual today?
Mage The Hero Defined Vol 1 TP $9.95
Ring Of Roses TP (RES) $13.99
Sea Of Red #5 (MR) $2.99
MARVEL
Cable Deadpool #21 $2.99
How the hell has this lasted 21 issues? Anything spawned from the twisted psyche of Rob Leifeld shouldn't last 21 pages! For shame!
Essential Spider-Man Vol 7 TP $16.99
Essential Werewolf By Night Vol 1 TP $16.99
Now I sing the "I Love Marvel" song! But just this once!
Exiles #71 $2.99
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 $2.99
Al: Wait, is this a new ongoing series? What's going on here? All I know is that it's the start of a mega-crossover spanning 4 books, 3 months and 12 parts. Yech.
Kurt: This is...I just...god damn it. I'm seriously thinking about dropping the one Spidey title I read just because of this crossover.
Ghost Rider #2 (of 6) $2.99
This month: will anything actually happen? Tune in to find out! Or, y'know, don't.
Ghost Rider Directors Cut #1 $3.99
Al: Featuring full-frontal skull nudity!
Kurt: So, you're into the whole Calysta Flockheart anorexic angel thing? God, Al, when will it end?
Gravity #5 (of 5) $2.99
This has been a really fun little miniseries. Sean McKeever deserves a regular writing gig, and hopefully now that he's part of the "Ten Terrific" writers at Marvel (why do they insist on making superheroes teams out of everything?) he'll get it.
House Of M #7 (of 8) $2.99
Dun-duh! It's the penultimate issue, in which things had damn well better start happening!
House Of M Larroca Variant Cover #7 (of 8) (PP #684) $2.99
Livewires Clockwork Thugs Yo Digest TP $7.99
Remember when I was yelling about how awesome this series is and how you should buy the trade when it comes out? Here it is.
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #5 $2.50
Marvel Knights 4 #23 $2.99
Hee hee, it's Impossible Man. That dude cracks me up.
Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Human Torch Vol 1 HC Var ED $54.99
I'm sure if you told the guys at Timely that worked on this material that there'd be two covers strictly to stimulate the collectors' market, they'd have a good, hard laugh. Then, they'd kick your ass. Men were tougher in those days.
Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Human Torch Vol 1 New ED HC #1 $49.99
Marvel Milestones Blade Man-Thing & Satana $3.99
Marvel Monsters Where Monsters Dwell $3.99
Al: Clearly Marvel is (slowly and cautiously) trying to reintroduce their horror line, and I'm psyched about it in theory. I'm not sure how I feel about their strategy, though; so far they're going the campy, old-school route. I think a dark, serious reintroduction of the characters - under the Knights imprint - would be more effective. As it is, the attempt seems half-assed and easily ignorable.
Kurt: I have to agree with Al, here. The only other time I've agreed with him was when he decided to leave the country. But seriously, I love horror. I'll probably check these books out (well, maybe not DEVIL DINOSAUR), but they look a little on the light side for me.
Marvel Nemesis Imperfects #6 (of 6) $2.99
Mega Morphs #4 (of 4) $2.99
Mutopia X #4 (of 5) $2.99
She Hulk Vol 1 Single Green Female TP $14.99
Spellbinders Signs And Wonders Digest TP $7.99
I've put some thought into it, and I don't think there's any other conclusion: this series has no reason to exist. Sorta like Heath Ledger.
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol 11 Carnage TP $12.99
Ultimate X-Men #64 $2.50
Wolverine #34 $2.50
Welcome back to the House of M. The last issue was surprisingly decent.
X-Men Bizarre Love Triangle TP $9.99
You know, this just begs to be mocked, but I think I'm out of jokes.
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@cinescape.com.
Would killing Doc Sampson, The Shadow, The Green Hornet and the other Plup heroes have saved the pulp magazine industry? No, if anything it would have killed it quicker.
Now I love comics, few things make me happier than getting a big ol stack of new comics on Wednesday and lossing several hours reading about Spider-Man, Captain America, the FF, ect.
That said, I think we are the declining period of the industry. Hopefully comics won't cease to exist the way the Pulps, Dime Novels, or Penny Dreadfuls did. Hopefully they will survive the end of their hayday better than the Sunday Funnies have. But no matter what happens I doubt comics will ever be anything other than a niche market from here on out.
I think there are certain characters who be come permenantly liked with a particular medium, and while they may experience temporary success in other mediums, it is their existance in the parent medium that keeps them going. Batman movies will come and go, but with out the comics Hollywood is unlikey to pay him much attention. These characters also end up being the supports that keep their parent medium alive. Kill off Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and the X-Men... permenatly... a there will be even fewer new readers picking up their first comic.
Well, this has been rather wandering and random, but it was mostly a stream of consiousness thing. So take it for what it's worth.