When it comes to rogues, no hero can match Batman.
Among his greatest, most dastardly opponents, the Dark Knight has faced:
– that harlequin of hate, the Joker.
– Ra’s al Ghul, the head of the League of Assassins.
– Bane, the breaker of bones.
– and, of course, Mr. Polka-Dot.
Uh. Wait. What now who now when now?
Continue reading “That Time Batman Fought His Dottiest Foe Ever”
After a couple years of teasers and with “Doomsday Clock” reaching its last ticks – it only feels as if the miniseries began in 1941 – DC finally announced that the Justice Society of America will be returning to continuity.
And it’s a case of be careful for what you wish for, for the creative mastermind behind the JSA’s long-awaited return will be …
… Scott Snyder.
Jesus H. (expletive, tosses rock, tosses another rock, expletive) Christ.
Can a woman have a Bat-career?
That was the question DC Comics struggled with in the 1950s.
The Dark Knight’s first and best female companion debuted in “Detective Comics” No. 233, cover date July 1956, in the story “Batwoman.”
Trapeze artist, motorcycle rider and heiress Kathy Kane donned cape and cowl to fight crime like her idol. Her career seemingly ended after her first mission when Batman discovered her secret identity. He warned her that if he could do it, criminals could do it as well, jeopardizing her life.
Never mind that he is the World’s Greatest Detective and not the average Gotham crook or that he could have helped Batwoman shore up her security. No, she had to know her place.
And Batwoman agreed she would retire.
Thankfully, that’s not the whole story. Even in the 1950s, Batwoman proved to be too popular to sit at home. So DC had to settle this story hole it had dug.
If you had to guess what DC property would go on to get its own TV show, “Doom Patrol” would probably be waaaaaay down the list, just past “Prez” and “Sugar & Spike.”
Yet here we are: DC Universe, Warner Bros.’ streaming service for all things DC, launched the TV show earlier this month, and after just the first two episodes, I’m impressed. It stars Brendan Fraser as Robotman and Matt Bomer as Negative Man. It leans heavily into the Grant Morrison run, probably the title’s artistic zenith, but it also keeps elements of the original, most notably, the wonderful Rita Farr, Elasti-Woman.
Cyborg is also in it.
Continue reading “To Celebrate the ‘Doom Patrol’ TV Show, Let’s Revisit a Silver Age Classic”
Most of the Justice Society has vanished.
While the senior members of the team search for their comrades, the junior heroes – Star-Spangled Kid and Jakeem Thunder – are left alone in the mansion on Halloween night.
What could go wrong?
For starters, there’s the head from the Statue of Liberty – which lands like an atom bomb outside their front door.
Mark Perigard 