Happy Valentine's Day!

Saw this, thought it was just geek enough to make it into the blog. I can see Batman sending this to Catwoman. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Trailer Thursday: Batman - Death Wish

Cool looking fan film:

Trailer Thursday: World's Finest

If only this could have been made it would have been awesome beyond belief...

Trailer Thursday: The Dark Knight Rises

While work and other commitments have kept from from posting the last few weeks, I couldn't let this one slip by without notice. Looks like it's going to be pretty good, though I hate to see Nolan leaving the franchise.

Trailer Thursday: The Dark Knight 60's Style

I love the old series. I love the new movies. Here we have the best of both worlds.

Trailer Thursday: Batman and Space Ghost

Not a trailer, but because your Thursday needed more awesome...





I'm gonna miss this show when it goes off the air.

New Toys from the NYCC

Wish I could be at the New York Comic Con (maybe next year), but here's a look at some of the awesome toys coming up. I know not everyone is a toy collector, but this grabbed me. Watch the 1:15 mark when you'll see the Mad Magazine display behind them. You can just see the Sergio Aragones Black and White Batman statue, along with a few other goodies.

Moments That Made the Bronze (and Modern) Age: The Dark Knight Returns

This one was from the 80's, I know, but I consider this a game-changer for the character. Growing up the 70's to Neal Adams' Batman interpretation that later gave way to the awesome Jim Aparo, I knew Batman was cool and tough. I missed the campy 50's and 60's "fat" version of the character, so I'd always seen him that way. But sales on the title were at a lull and he needed a boost.

And along came Frank Miller.

"The Dark Knight Returns" couldn't be considered a reboot. It's supposed to take place in the future, and to my knowledge it's never been branded an "Elseworlds" title, but at the same time the ramifications were felt back into the "real" version of the character as Alan Moore stepped in with "The Killing Joke" and soon the comic book had a gritty hero again.

What makes The Dark Knight Returns stand out to me is the hopeless view given of Gotham City without its hero. We see this place where anarchy pretty much rules and the police can do little to stop it. Then, over the course of several pages, an aging Bruce Wayne decides to suit up again and stop the madness. He has a monster Batmobile that was a nice precursor to the Tumbler we see now in the movies. In one particularly awesome scene, we see Batman pulling along the mutant leader, goading him into escaping Gotham jail only to find himself in a fight with Batman himself. That's the cool stuff.

I also like how we find Superman aging as well, and not quite the same in his views on everything while still holding on to enough Clark Kent to give us someone to cheer for. And then the Joker was crazier than we'd ever seen him before. I think this story was instrumental in helping everyone perceive him as a true threat to Batman rather than the caricature he'd become over time. 

SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS POINT FORWARD:

Of course, the to-the-death fights in here are what made the story stand out to me. First of all, there is the Joker. How many times have we read: "No more! Tonight this ends!" in Batman comics (even today) and known ahead of time he was just going to put Joker away and let him escape again? But this time...this time was different.

Even though Batman technically didn't kill the Joker (the madman broke his own neck to frame him), it was still nice to see a little closure on this never-ending conflict.

And then we had the throwdown with Superman himself. This fight actually changed the way people saw Batman and Superman after this, with Jim Lee letting him beat Superman down in Hush and everyone else practically making him invincible since then.

And of course, the ending is killer. While the story itself is good, it wouldn't be anywhere near that great if it didn't end well. Fortunately, it does.

Unfortunately, when Miller went back to this universe several years later, he gave the world a horrible sequel that could be consider the "Batman and Robin" movie of the comic book world. It successfully killed the universe for all of us.

The coolest part of this is the fact that the upcoming Batman:Arkham City game will have the option for you to play as TDKR version of Batman, gritty looking and all! It's one of the key reasons I'm buying the game.

While not the best Batman story ever necessarily, it's definitely in the top 5 for me.

Next week, we start a new series of posts called "What I Hate About the 90's". Feel free to chime in about your own hated moments of the "Dark Ages" of comics.

Batman Family Feud

Just saw this the other night and loved it. I'm a fan of Mad magazine, and so far the cartoon has been a hit-and-miss thing with some funny stuff and some stupid stuff (like the magazine, I guess). This was good...

Trailer Thursday: Batman Versus...

Gotta love this one. Not really a trailer, but so funny I couldn't pass it up.

Trailer Thursday: Batman - Year One

Now this looks like some good stuff. I loved the original story, and it was so powerful several instances of the dialogue and scenes from Batman Begins and the Dark Knight were lifted straight from it.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

The Fate of Fathers

For Father's Day this year, my sons both made me cards. Khristian, a comic book fan who knew what his dad liked, drew me a card that said "Spending Father's Day with my dad..." and on the inside was a crying Batman that said, "Something I can do that even Batman can't!" It made me smile and gave both of us a fun afternoon of figuring out what other heroes had a similar problem.

Did you ever stop to realize how many superheroes are fatherless? It seems like a requirement before you put on the spandex!

Here's what we're talking about:

Peter Parker 

Though the fate of his real father is kind of convoluted (spies? Maybe, maybe not), let's look at the man who raised him: Uncle Ben. Here was this kindly old man who gave us the single most famous line of advice in comic book history ("With great power..."), and how does he end up getting repaid? Shot dead by a burglar in the first issue! Of course, that's a better fate than being run down by a car like a stray dog as he was in "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark". Still, that single act changed the carefree direction Peter had taken with his powers and turned him into a superhero.

Tim Drake/Robin 2

This Robin (later Red Robin) actually started out with a fairly decent father relationship. His dad tried, if nothing else, to keep an eye on his son. Even when he eventually found out his little boy was fighting crime with Batman, he kept it cool even though he made it known often that he didn't like it.

Though the relationship had some very rough spots, it ended in a horribly painful way with Tim screaming into the phone for his dad while Jack faced a very out-of-shape Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis.  In the end, the kid became an orphan with his dad dying in his arms. Captain Boomerang came back in Brightest Day, Tim's father did not.

Batman

Can there be any doubt that his father's death was pivotal in this character's development? His all-consuming battle with criminals everywhere began with Crime Alley and hasn't stopped since.

In later years a miniseries called "The Untold Legend of the Batman" would show how Bruce's father was actually the first one to put on a Batman-type costume at a costume party just before they died, which Bruce would later say gave him the subconscious push for his own costume design.

In a very cool twist, the Flashpoint Batman series allowed Thomas Wayne to survive the mugging encounter, with young Bruce dying. In essence it gave us a new angle on the old Batman myth. Apparently, that moment in Crime Alley was destined to create a hero.

Superman

This guy wins the big prize because he lost not just one dad, but two! And not only that, but Pa Kent has died more times than Aunt May so Supes just keeps getting gut punched reboot after reboot!

Originally sent to Earth from Krypton by his biological father, Jor-El, Superman only later learned how his father had sacrificed his own life to save his son. Fortunately, the Kents found young Kal-El and he was assured a happy life forever.

Nope. Pa Kent has died in the comics, cartoons, Smallville and even the movies. No matter how many times he comes back, it seems the writers are determined this man must stay dead for Clark to carry on as a superhero.

Dick Grayson/Robin 1

A circus acrobat...what could be safer? Well, if the mob moves in on your circus, accidents can happen.

Dick and his parents made up the Flying Graysons, a trapeze act that was the hit of the circus. Unfortunately, one night the wires broke and Dick joined the ranks of superhero orphans. Robin was brought into the Batman comics because they were trying to reach a wider audience, and it actually worked. Soon every major hero seemed to take on a child sidekick (Captain America had Bucky, Captain Marvel had Captain Marvel Jr., Sandman had Sandy, etc).

Daredevil

Jack Murdock was a fighter who ended up on the wrong side of some gangsters by not throwing a fight. As a result, they killed him all kinds of dead while his blind son could do nothing to help him. Later on, Matt Murdock would put on the red spandex (or red leather if you saw the movie) and fight crime to avenge his dad's wrongful death.

While by no means a saint, Matt's father showed true character in his death, which is sort of an underlying theme throughout most of the fathers' deaths on here. There was some sort of selfless act that caused it.

Green Lantern

Hal Jordan's dad was a test pilot for Ferris. That meant he got to fly a lot of unstable planes because he was the best pilot there was. See the possibility of problems here?

His dad was a test pilot. Hal himself would grow up to be a test pilot...for the same company. Sounds a little crazy, I know, but it led to him being considered fearless enough for a green power ring when the time came for a new Green Lantern.

The death of Hal's father left a gaping hole in his life, and it motivated him to do some crazy stuff before he got the ring. Even after the ring, though, his father's legacy continued to push him to be a better man. Though we barely even saw the man, his "blaze of glory" moment reverberated through the DC universe for decades.

Save The Retro Action Heroes!

Just found out Mattel is killing off the Retro Action Superheroes lineup due to poor sales. How any company can complain about poor sales when you can never find the product is beyond me. Someone is putting together a petition you can sign to try and salvage the line or at least make it available on MattyCollector.com as a subscription service like they do for Masters of the Universe toys. I'd gladly sign up for that subscription myself.


Mattycollector.com is a weird place anyway though. They complain about how no one buys their stuff enough to keep a line going, but almost every single DC product they put up sells out within minutes of release! You can never find a single DCU product on their website (everything says "Sold Out" except the newest Stewart Green Lantern Retro). If everything you make sells out, how can you complain that you have no sales? It's crazy! They even had a special DCU sale this past Monday morning to help clear up inventory, and those sold out within minutes! Again, if you're selling out then you're either not making enough or what you're making is selling better than you expected!

They even released a special 4 part Green Lantern series set to coincide with the movie. Sinestro and Guy Gardner sold out within hours of their release. John Stewart's GL hasn't fared as well and is still available, with Kyle Rayner's GL due to come out in a few days to complete the set. 

At $20 a pop, these Retro figures were incredibly expensive for what they were. The figures seldom stood on their own due to flimsy construction on the legs--but I still bought all of them and would gladly buy the next sets coming out just due to the nostalgia factor. The problem was you could never find them in stores!

Anyway, please take a moment to sign the petition to keep this line alive, even if only from the website or--preferably--through a subscription-based service that promises everyone who wants one can get one. It's kept the MOTU line going for years now, so there's no reason it wouldn't work for us. Even if you don't collect the line, please sign it for a fellow collector...please!

New Batman Storylines in the DC Reboot

According to an article on IGN, DC is planning on bringing to a close all those Batmen running around out there, making Bruce Wayne the one and only Batman again. This pretty much kicks their newer Batman Inc. series in the butt and says "Thanks for nothing".

Along with such stunners as the return of Barbara Gordon to the role of Batgirl (that should get some folks upset or happy) and the ultimate fate of Dick Grayson now that he's no longer needed as Batman, this return for Bruce Wayne to the mantle of Batman in all of the revolving titles is sure to cause some controversy.

I've actually enjoyed being able to read both Bruce and Dick's adventures, as both were decidedly different Batmen while staying true to the central idea of the character. It was cool to see Dick move from Robin, to Nightwing, and eventually taking the place of his mentor. I actually see this one move as a massive step backward for DC, but only time will tell I guess.

What do you think? Four different monthly issues of Bruce Wayne Batman now...will you jump on as they're hoping?

As a side note, I know I'll definitely be picking up Batman #1 and Detective Comics #1 just to be able to say I have those first issues. They may suck, but at least I'll have them.

As for "news that makes me happy", it's the return of Jason Todd to the regular Red Hood look. True, I'd have preferred him as Red Robin, but at least he's gotten rid of the stupid red fishbowl he's been sporting in the "Batman and Robin" series.  He'll be getting his own ongoing series called "Red Hood and the Outlaws". It's another series I'll be jumping on.

And hey, seeing Dick Grayson as Nightwing again will be good. I was worried they'd do something stupid and kill him off, but this is good news. Still, I'll miss him as Batman.

Heroic Hangouts!

Every hero needs a place to call "home"...even though it's not. Let's just say it's a really cool clubhouse and go from there. These bases would really make fun places to live!

The Fortress of Solitude

The commute for this one would be killer if you didn't have super-speed or flight on your side, but you have it admit it would be a pretty nice place to hang out. Now I'm not talking about the "ice castles" version you see in the movies and on Smallville...I'm talking about the one in the comic books. 

This thing had gigantic statues, a bottled city called Kandor, a full-sized cruise ship (just for decoration!), a private alien zoo, and so much more. Not to mention the fact that it virtually guaranteed no solicitors at your doorstep. They wouldn't even be able to find the place or lift the gigantic arrow key!

Of course, between all the world-saving and the Daily Planet day job, I don't see how Superman spent any time in the thing.

The Baxter Building

Home to the Fantastic Four since the beginning and almost constantly since, the Baxter Building is the antithesis of the Batcave: It's located right in the heart of the busiest city in the U.S. so everyone knows where it is! Add to that the fact that no one in the team has a secret identity and you get the feeling it was begging for visitors.

Filled to the brim with scientific do-dads and even the entrance to the Negative Zone, the Baxter Building packs a lot of function into a small amount of space.

It took several years and multiple battles before Reed Richards finally bought the place. Before that happened, it couldn't have been fun working in that building.

"What's that sound? Oh great, Doctor Doom's attacking the top floor again. Now I'll have to take the stairs to go home! 35 flights of stairs! I'm getting another job!"

The JLA Satellite

A base in outer space is another way to keep the unwanted visitors off your doorstep. Unfortunately, there are those of us who have crippling fears of heights which would immediately strike this off the list of potential heroic hangouts. 

This is definitely the most unsafe of the bases in this list, as any puncture to the hull would result in immediate and terrifying death for those who weren't built for outer space.

This base got a really bad rap during Identity Crisis, when Sue Dibny was assaulted by Doctor Light in it. To me that was something that could have been skipped over altogether.

The JLA no longer have this place, choosing instead to work out of the Hall of Justice. Those of us who grew up in the Bronze Age of comics still think of this place as the JLA's true home. Even the moon base they had for a while didn't seem as cool as your own satellite in space.

The Avengers Mansion

This one is cool because...well, it's a mansion. It's located in Manhattan (where all the cool heroes hang out) and has been the sight of several titanic battles over the years. Tony Stark originally paid for and built the thing for the Avengers back before they knew he was Iron Man and it's served them well over the years.

The mansion has been the site of several heart-wrenching battles. The "Avengers Disassembled" storyline saw the death of Ant-Man and Hawkeye there before it was destroyed. The Masters of Evil also came in the ripped the place to shreds at one point, almost killing Jarvis in the process.

The Avengers moved to their own floating island/building for a while. Big surprise here, but it was eventually sunk during an attack in the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline. Recently it was rebuilt by Stark and given to Luke Cage as a base for the "New Avengers" after the events of Civil War.

The Batcave

Hands down the coolest place to live on Earth, the Batcave won our reader's poll of best overall base and it's easy to see why. Besides being hidden in a cave (and what guy doesn't think that's cool?) it's filled with the latest gadgets and goodies...along with an awesome car, boat, and plane at your disposal at any moment!

Don't feel like being in the dark? Well, you get the best of both worlds here by just walking upstairs to stately Wayne Manor! Now it's nothing but fireplaces and flat-screen televisions in every room, along with your own butler! No more cleaning up after yourself!

Actually though, there's a possibility Batman could have been a bit of a hoarder with all that junk he kept in there (a giant penny and a mechanical dinosaur? Seriously?). Also, what's the point of having such a boss base and never letting anyone else see it? I'd have friends over all the time, which is probably why I'm not the Batman (or am I?).

So Many Masks

Several weeks ago we had a poll asking which type of mask you'd wear if you were a hero. You never really realize how many there are out there until you break them down...which we'll do right now.

Domino Mask

Worn by: Nightwing, Green Lantern, Robin, etc.

Probably the most famous type of mask, it also covers just about the least of the face. I still have a hard time believing this would fool anyone, but it apparently has for years.

The mask begs the question "What in the world is keeping it on your face?" First of all it has to be something that will stay on in the middle of a fight no matter how sweaty you get. But then it has to be removable without ripping the skin around your eyes off.

Yes, I know Green Lantern's mask is created by his ring and is therefore part of the costume, but Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood, and many others have had this little thing stuck to their faces for years without a problem or reasonable explanation.

Cowl

Worn by: Batman, Nighthawk, Red Robin, etc

The most popular choice in our poll, the cowl serves this purpose of keeping the hair covered at least. Now it's not necessarily as easy to figure out who you are under the mask as the domino mask would be.

Add to that a certain streamlined effect and you have a pretty cool look. The fact that it's attached to the flowing cape doesn't hurt either. All in all it can be a fairly intimidating appearance when it's done right.

There's a reason Batman's iconic look has stayed with pop culture for decades. It's an old faithful design that just works.

Full Face Mask

Worn by: Spider-Man, Union Jack, Deathstroke, etc

For a real mystery man look, it's hard to go wrong with this type of mask. Covered completely, heroes sporting this look have that mystery surrounding them that leads a lot of people to wonder what person is really under all that.

Truthfully though, it's hard to imagine Spider-Man without his full mask. And Deadpool just doesn't seem as funny any other way. Union Jack was able to use the look to his advantage to fool Baron Blood into thinking he was an old man when in actually he was young Joey Chapman.

There are a lot of advantages to going this route...though the cost of material goes up a little. That, and it's hard to figure out how you can breathe that well in a tough fight with cloth on your face.

Goggles

Worn by: Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Plastic Man, Vigilante, etc.

Now this one is hard to pull off right. The first time I read a Plastic Man comic in the 70's I couldn't figure out what was going on with his eyes. Which way was he supposed to be looking? Eventually I figured it all out and the craze seemed to catch on.

Now heroes like Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle have added to the mix of using a functional mask. I mean, when it's raining outside which hero can still see in a torrential downpour? Try that Spider-Man!

Seriously though, I think this could be considered cheating just a little.

Sunglasses

Worn by: Nomad, Hitman, Blade, etc.

If you're not up for goggles, there's always a cheaper way out through sunglasses. While I consider Jack Munroe's Nomad to be one of the best heroes out there and best costume for a casual hero type, I've never been one to follow how he kept the sunglasses on. Also, how are they handy in a fight indoors?

It's really hard to see a hero pull this off and not look like someone off "Jersey Shore", but it's been done. Oddly enough, this is the one look that looks best in the movie versions of the characters. It's hard to pull off a mask on a real person, but sunglasses always look tough.

I almost threw Cyclops in with this group, but I'm not really sure it would be fair. I think he'd fall more under a mixture of the goggles and sunglasses crowd.

No Mask

Worn by: Superman, The Sentry, Punisher, etc.

Of course, there are those who skip masks altogether and just say "Here I am. Look at me!" It's usually done by someone with nothing to hide because their identity is public (like the Punisher) or they look differently when in their secret identity (like DC's Captain Marvel or The Sentry). And yes, Superman hides behind glasses (even dumber than a domino mask) and still folks can't figure out who he is.

Whatever the reason, this is the easy way out. Fight as hard as you want to and never worry about someone seeing your face because your mask got shredded. I can't say I'm a fan of this though. For me, I think it's always cooler to see a hero in some form of mask. The only exception I'll give is the Punisher. I think he'd look a little weird wearing one for some reason.

Helmet

Worn by: Ant-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Fate, Forbush Man, etc.

For real protection, it's hard to go wrong with a good old-fashioned piece of metal on your head! Whether you're using it to control an entire suit of armor like Iron Man or just to hide your identity like Red Hood, you can't say anything about the functionality of one. However, hiding the costume takes a lot of creative thinking when you can't just cram it all under your tuxedo and walk in.

I've always  thought artists probably love drawing helmeted characters more than anything else. No worries about emotion on the face or anything...just a blank slate.

The only character easier to draw would have to be the Question.

Hood

Worn by: Green Arrow, The Spectre, Moon Knight, etc

While hiding identity, I have to say this one would be hard to justify as safe. Think about it: your peripheral vision is absolutely shot. True, you're ready for a rainstorm, but if someone comes at you quietly from the side you are dead.

Also, how do you keep this on your head while you're running after (or away from) a bad guy? When I have my hood on and I go running to my car in the rain, it always flies back and lets me get soaked.

Functionally, I have to say this one is at the bottom of the barrel. Yes, the "mysterious stranger" look works when stepping out of the shadows...but it's not the best choice in a fight.

Over-the-Head Mask

Worn by: Captain America, Hawk and Dove, the Atom, etc.

I'm not sure of the official name for this look, so let's just say it's a cowl without the cape kind of thing. It's been popular for years with everyone from the Flash to Vindicator wearing one.

The thing that makes this one slightly less believable is the way the heroes usually have it during "casual times". Most of the time their whole head is through the mouth part with the mask laying behind their head until the pull it up over their head and on. That sucker would be so stretched out it would blow off in a light wind.

There is a variation of this mask where the hair is seen. Marvel's version of Captain Marvel and the original Captain Britain look are two heroes who go that way with it. Again, I'm not sure what it's officially called though. You know what I mean, right?

Weird Everything-But-The-Face Mask

Worn by: Puck, Justice, The Angel, Gambit, etc.

Ok, I had no idea what you actually called this one, but I've seen it from time to time. I guess this would be considered a "face frame" more than a mask.

I suppose this one would be more for those heroes who want to wear a mask, while still wanting people to know what they looked like underneath. This might even fit into the "no mask" category.

Maybe you're proud of your hair, or maybe you just like the way you look in the mirror, either way, if this is your choice it's not very functional for anything other than keeping your ears warm in the wind.


There are a lot of characters that fit into combinations of categories that I didn't cover. For example, Magneto would fit into the helmet/face-frame mixture. Doctor Doom would fit into the helmet/hood group. Deadshot would be an entirely new combination, with full-face mask/eyescope group. The combinations are endless.

As you can tell, it would be impossible to categorize them all. Hopefully I've covered the most often used ones though.

Batman's Greatest Hits

Batman is one of my favorite heroes and I got to thinking about some of the better things about the character. He's really had a lot of great moments and highlights, so I thought I'd cover a few of them.

Granted, this is purely subjective and you'll probably disagree on more than one of these, but these are what I consider top times for the Caped Crusader.

Video Game Moment: Arkham Asylum's opening scene


After years of struggling to get a good video game, Arkham Asylum came along and completely changed the playing field for Batman video games. If you haven't played this game, stop now and do what you must to get your hands on a copy. Clear your calendar, grab some Mountain Dews, lock yourself in your house and start playing. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill showed up to the do the voices of Batman and Joker, but this isn't the cartoon series.

The best moment for me comes in the opening cut scene from the game. As Batman is escorting the captive Joker to his (temporary) confinement in Arkham, they get into an elevator. On the way down, the lights go out and Joker starts laughing. At this point, you figure he's about to escape and the game will begin.

You will be wrong.

Instead, the lights kick back on and we find Batman standing there holding the Joker by the throat, patiently waiting for power to be restored while insuring the villain doesn't get away. It's the first few seconds of this clip:




The game itself is a lot of fun. You really get to be Batman, trying to scare your foes just as much as drop down and beat them up. But to me, that opening scene sets the mood for how this Batman really is.

Statue: Batman Museum Statue

I have over two dozen Batman statues (and an incredibly understanding wife), but the pride of my collection remains my birthday present from last year. It is the museum quality Batman statue.

This monster statue stands over a foot and a half tall, and has real material for the costume. The cape itself is a leathery material that has wires in it to allow you some posing with it. The statue is incredibly detailed and expensive, but worth the money if you're really into collecting.

While the Batman Black and White statue collection has some amazing contributions to the character, I have to say this statue remains my top choice.

Cartoon Scene Moment: Bruce Wayne's Miyagi Moment

While there are hundreds of various Batman animated cartoons out there, I have to say one of my personal favorite moments comes in the pilot episode of Batman Beyond. The cartoon is supposed to take place in the future after Bruce has retired from being the hero because he almost dies during his last mission.

After years of seclusion, we get a scene right out of the first Karate Kid movie. The teen hero is cornered by baddies who have chased him, and now he stands to be beaten down. Instead, an old man intervenes.

Out of the shadows, Bruce comes up with his cane and beats down the gang, showing age means nothing to Batman. Death wanted him years ago but has been too afraid to show up.

Couldn't find a clip I could embed, but here's the link if you want to see it. It starts at 1:20 of the clip:
Bruce Wayne Can Still Fight

Comic Book: The Dark Knight Returns

I will be the first to admit this graphic novel has been thrown into the spotlight a million times, but there's a reason for that. The storyline still grabs me every time I read it.

For many, this is considered the graphic novel that changed the face of the hero for them. That was the case for me. Years of growing up seeing him on Super Friends and in various comic books had given me an image of Batman as a casual hero. The Dark Knight Returns changed it all by showing a hero who would beat the living daylights out of bad guys and hurt them just because.

Giving us the final fight with the Joker, a new Robin, and the explanation for him wearing a bright yellow symbol on his chest (SPOILER: it's bulletproof), the comic book just kept getting better with each issue. The climactic fight scene between Batman and Superman just added to the cool factor because of how it ended.

To see the legacy of this comic, just watch the cartoon series from a few years ago. We were given a glimpse into this Dark Knight world. It didn't follow the comic book, but it did obviously pay homage to what Miller had done.



Miller's attempted follow-up years later confirmed a lot of suspicions that TDKR was just a lucky fluke for the writer, but the original remains a must-read storyline for any Batman fan.

Action Figure: DC Direct Modern Batman

I have a lot of Batman statues, but my figure collection is much worse. I have over 125 different loose Batman figures on display in my house (again, my wife is the most understanding woman on the planet and indulges my quirky habit). After a LOT of personal debate on the issue, I've decided my personal favorite is the DC Direct Modern Batman 13 inch figure.

There have been 4 different 13 inch Batman variations (Classic, Modern, Dark Knight movie, and Alex Ross Justice) and I have them all, but this modern version seems to fit the character. Alex Ross' Justice figure really does look like he came out of a Ross illustration, but his face looks a little too strange to be considered the absolute look of the Batman.

This figure comes with a stand and interchangeable hands that let you put the Batarang in there and pose him as your heart desires. If I had to choose a figure that would show someone who Batman was, this would be the one I went with.

Movie: The Dark Knight

So many Batman movies to choose from, but this one just remains Batman's greatest. The scene where he escapes from the tower using the balloon and the airplane? Tell me you weren't just amazed when you saw that for the first time? And hey, I'd bet money you walked out talking about the Joker's "magic trick".


Christopher Nolan created this beautifully perfect film that gave us a great clash between Batman and Joker. Unfortunately, even though the Joker lived through this film, we'll never see Heath Ledger get his rematch.



Was the movie perfect? No way. The absence of Katie Holmes really took away from the character's final fate in my eyes. I just couldn't get it through my head that Maggie was playing the same character because they look absolutely nothing alike. And Christian Bale's Batman voice? Cookie Monster all the way. But at least this Two-Face looked scary and acted more in line with the comic book, rather than Tommy Lee Jones' attempt to "out-Carrey" Jim Carrey's Riddler.

I'm still waiting to see what Nolan does with the last film, but I remain optimistic.

Cartoon Series: Batman The Animated Series

When I first saw the concept drawings for this series in the early 90's, I thought it was going to be stupid. He didn't look like a real person, but a caricature instead. I still tuned in though, and soon my Saturday evenings were spent watching the episode I'd taped on the VCR that morning.

Bruce Timm brought us a version of Batman that had elements of the light-hearted fare we'd grown used to from the 70's, but kept this grim edge from the comic books that made it appealing to adult viewers like myself.

Though the series began to wear out a little in later years when Robin joined the show, those first seasons kept me very happy. Even now the theme music from this show remains a favorite in comic book shops everywhere.



Comic Book Artist: Neal Adams

Oh, this will start a fight I'm sure and I've already covered this in the past. Jim Aparo did amazing things with him. Alex Ross made him look real and gave his costume wrinkles. Jim Lee made him gritty, while Frank Miller made him tough. Ethan Van Sciver gave him menace. All of these guys were amazing and had their moments, but I have to give the biggest moment to Neal Adams.

Oh, I know he gave a possibly-fatal blow to his Bat-cred with the Batman: Odyssey maxi-series that was recently killed by DC Comics, but during the 70's and 80's this man did some awesome work. I was just a child during his Batman time and had no idea who was drawing the book...I just knew the pictures were incredible.

I was able to attend the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con (thanks, Khristian!), and meeting Neal Adams there was one of the high points of that trip. I'm sure he didn't necessarily feel the same way, but I got so many books signed by him that I don't care.

Neal illustrated a lot of heroes over the years (his Deadman is usually the one you'll see on tee shirts even today). It would be hard to pigeon-hole him into one character, I know, and yet it's hard to think of Batman without seeing him drawn by Neal in my mind's eye.

If you're interested, Jim Aparo would be my second choice of top Bat-artist. He very narrowly lost to Neal.


Now fire away! What would you consider better moments than these I mentioned?