Tag: batman

Why is Batman’s Rogues Gallery the Best in the Business?

Aug. 01 Characters, September War no comments

Why is Batman’s rogues gallery the best out of all of the superheroes? Why is it that one particular character’s list of villains can outshine all the others year after year? As we approach Villain Month, Forever Evil, and the September War, let’s take a look at the strengths of Batman’s rogues gallery.

Why is Batman's rogues gallery the best in the business?

Why is Batman’s rogues gallery the best in the business?

Original Batman TV Series

An easy way to understand why Batman’s rogues gallery is at the top of the rogues’ food chain, is to take a look at the original Batman TV series. This show was very popular in the mid to late 1960s and brought many of the characters villains from the printed pages to the small screen. The Joker, Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman all became household names and eventually took their place in American pop culture.

Naming Names in Batman’s Rogues Gallery

If you were to ask a person who does not follow comics for a listing of villains, chances are good that they would not be able to name very many. Mostly, they would be able to name the characters from the recent Marvel and DC Comics movies. The most would be able to be named from Batman’s rogues gallery than from any other because of the pop culture significance. This gallery is the best, because it is the most widely-known.

Insanity vs. Insanity

With the exception of the Penguin, all of the major members of Batman’s rogues gallery are insane. If you take a look at Batman himself, it would be difficult to argue in support of Bruce Wayne’s sanity. Few superheroes could be labeled as being insane, but when you have a man who is hell-bent on revenge, will push everyone away, and will internalize all of his demons until he breaks. Batman’s rogues gallery is full of colorful insane characters which the Batman uses to quench his personal demons. The Dark Knight’s villains are a direct representation of what the main character needs.

They Get Away with Murder

I would not be going out on a limb by saying that there is more murder committed in the pages of Batman family publications than any other major title or line. Sure, The Walking Dead has a ton of death, but nothing compared to what can happen within a few short pages when the Joker shows up in Gotham. The characters in Batman’s rogues gallery get away with more murder than those of other characters. Which other comics can you think of where almost an entire police force can be killed over and over again? Batman’s rogues gallery is the best because it can get away with the most.

They Still Cause Fear

After all these years, the Joke still causes trepidation whenever he shows up in the pages of a Batman comic. I still shudder when Edward E. Nigma rears his head. I find I have to keep a close eye whenever Penguin pops in. Why is this? Batman’s rogues gallery might not kill him, but they always give him a great fight and they often steal more of Bruce Wayne away from Batman. They still eliminate some of his remaining humanity every time they battle him. Batman’s rogues gallery is the best because they are still effective.

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Batman and Red Hood #20 is My Pick of the Week – Spoiler Free!

May. 08 Comics, News no comments

Batman and Red Hood #20 comes out today and I highly suggest picking it up even if you are not a fan of the Dark Knight. There are aspects of this issue which reflect the darkest Batman stories ever and it is sure to become a classic issue we talk about for many years to come. While I do not want to ruin the story for you, I do want to say that as a father, I can relate more to the Death of Damian storyline than any other Batman story I have ever read and Batman and Red Hood #20 is an integral part of the story we are experiencing right now.

Batman and Red Hood #20

Batman and Red Hood #20

Disclaimer About This Posting on Batman and Red Hood #20

This is not a spoiler article. The points I am going to write about from the issue will be general (with the exception of one sentence). To this point, I have been able to avoid using this site to spoil stories for readers and I do not want to start running spoilers on current issues now. If you want to read everything that happens in Batman and Red Hood #20, I am sure there are at least a dozen sites running the complete story this morning.

What You Should Know About Batman and Red Hood #20

Essentially, what you need to know about Batman and Red Hood #20 could already be assumed from the title and from what has already been assumed about the progression of the story. Yes, Carrie Kelley is in the issue but that is not important to the overall story. Red Hood, though, is crucial.

Relating to Batman and Red Hood #20

I have been a Batman fan my entire life and have read hundreds (if not thousands) of his stories over the years. I have never been able to relate deeply to Batman or Bruce Wayne until now. As a father, my worst fears would revolve around something happening to my daughter. In Batman and Red Hood #20, our favorite caped crusader goes to more of an extreme than he has so far to displace his anger at the loss of Damian and goes to a darker extreme than he did when he consulted Frankenstein about bringing Damian back from the dead.

The Most Important Line in Batman and Red Hood #20

“Because I am seeing red” is a key line in the issue and a key line in Batman’s rage about what happened to his son. Batman is not able to deal with the death and is filled with a level of anger few writers will ever experience writing about. Without telling where the line is used in the issue, we have to wonder if Batman is seeing red because of the death of his son or because he was not able to save him.

One More Step in Batman and Red Robin #20

As I stated before, I know my greatest fear is something happening to my daughter. In this issue, Batman continues to lash out at those he cares about. I am sure (though I hate to admit it) I would end up lashing out if I lost a child and have to commend Peter Tomasi for including this common step in the healing process which is often forgotten.

There are workers in our Detroit area comic book store which have picks of the week. Even though Constantine, Batman, and Suicide Squad came out this week, I would have to name Batman and Red Hood #20 as my Pick of the Week. I highly suggested picking it up and seeing (if you are a parent) how you relate differently to Batman and Bruce Wayne after reading it.

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WWC March Madness Finals Are Set!

Mar. 27 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News no comments

The votes have been cast and the Final Four Round in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest has ended. It was a heavy day for voting. If yesterday is any indication of how today will turn out – it will be epic!

The Finals are set in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest

The Finals are set in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest

March Madness Final Four Match 1: Young Avengers vs. The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead 63% Winner

Young Avengers 37% Loser

The Marvel bracket went head-to-head with the 5%ers, and Image Comics’ The Walking Dead was able to pull out the victory in the March Madness Final Four Round. This was one of the most contested matches of the tournament. Young Avengers had the early lead, but fans of the zombie thriller were able to come back and rally in the last half of the day. Marvelites tried to pour it on in the last few hours, but stalwart fans of Rick and his crew stayed online until the bitter end to fend off the attack.

March Madness Final Four Match 2: The Legend of OZ: Wicked West vs. Batman

The Legend of OZ: Wicked West 60% Winner

Batman 40% Loser

This matchup pitted the winner of the DC bracket against the winner of the Independent bracket. Batman was the favored winner as many people had the headlining title making it to the Championship. Big Dog Ink fans declared that scenario was not meant to be as they were rallied by the publisher throughout the day. The Legend of OZ: Wicked West has had one upset victory after another and ended up winning the most contested matchup – there were 9,500 votes cast in this matchup alone. Sorry Batman, but it is time to return to the Batcave because Big Dog Ink made you it’s bichon!

The Walking Dead vs. The Legend of OZ: Wicked West

Voting is open for the Championship Round and fans of The Walking Dead are at war with the fans of The Legend of OZ: Wicked West. Will today’s voting cast a shadow on the record set yesterday? Will Big Dog Ink continue to rile their fans until the bitter end? Will Image rile their fans in an attempt to have their headlining title win it all? Will Cinderella be eaten by zombies before the clock strikes 12? Will the power of OZ be too much for Rick and his companions?

The Discount

For making it to the March Madness Championship Round, The Legend of OZ: Wicked West and The Walking Dead will both receive a 25% discount on 3/27/2013. The winner of the final matchup will be granted a 25% discount for the next week!

The Bracket Winner

Tomorrow (Thursday), I will go through the large stack of brackets to tabulate the winner. I should have an announcement sometime tomorrow evening about which bracket posted the most points and who won the Wonderworld gift card!

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New Robin in Harper Row? Good and Bad

Mar. 19 Characters no comments

One of the hot topics in our Detroit comic book store is about the possibility of Harper Row becoming the new Robin in the upcoming months. While this is pure speculation, the amount of time dedicated to the character in Batman #18 could easily lead readers to suspect more from Harpo very soon. Is the character as the new Robin a good thing, or a bad thing?

Harper Row as New Robin?

Harper Row as New Robin?

Damian Fans and Harper Row

I could understand how Damian’s fans might automatically turn down the idea of Harper Row filling the boots left behind by Batman’s deceased son. Many are holding out hope that Damian will be tossed in the Pits and rejuvenated. This might still happen, but as we know from the upcoming changing titles of Batman & Robin – this is not going to happen right away. I believe DC Comics might have learned a lesson from the backlash Marvel received after bringing back the “deceased” Johnny Storm so soon after they made a big deal over his apparent death a few years back.

Harper Row as New Robin: Negatives

Is one issue enough to develop the store of the girl who might become Robin and headline one of the top DC Comics titles with Batman? Could DC Comic simply be trying to gain another pip in the press by assigning a female Robin? Even though Bruce Wayne is typically able to keep his emotions in check, can Batman move past the death of his own son so quickly?

Harper Row as New Robin: Positives

If Harper Row were to become the new Robin, she would give the female characters at DC Comics even more strength. This adds more inclusion as female readers (and potential readers) decide to give the character a chance. I don’t like the idea of rotating partners with Batman right now since it might harm the contiguous storyline so I am accepting of allowing for a new Robin in the coming months and see nothing wrong with making that character Harper Row as long as they are able to develop the character effectively.

Harper Row as New Robin: Needed Progress

As stated above, Scott Snyder needs to develop the character of Harper Row over the next few months. She needs to be toughened-up and she needs to be able to prove herself not only to Batman, but to the fans as well. She needs to spread out from the pages of Batman to other titles to give her more exposure and make her someone the fans can respect and accept as the new Robin.

Down the Road

When it is time to move on away from Harpo, DC Comics can resurrect Damian if they want to. Let the new girl have a run as the new Robin, if the powers-that-be see fit to grant her the mantle. Sometimes, change can be good and this is a transfer which I can get behind if Harper Row can be developed quickly enough.

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Superman and Batman: Views on Humanity

Mar. 05 Characters no comments

Superman and Batman are as opposite as two crime fighters could possibly be. This series has explored some of the various ways in which the two characters differ in their perspectives on life. This article continues the series by exploring Superman’s view of humanity and comparing it to Batman’s view.

Superman and Batman

Superman and Batman

Superman’s View of Humanity

Kal-El believes humanity is a state of purity in the universe. He fights crime in order to preserve the innocence and ideal of humanity. His love for humanity has progressed to the point in which he has wished himself to be human. There have been a few instances in which he has obtained humanity for a short time only to realize his place in the universe is to preserve and to save humanity and not to every fully become part of it.

Batman’s View of Humanity

Batman tries to hide his own humanity under the caul of his batsuit. Humanness is a sign of weakness since humans feel pain and other emotions which get in the way of any goal. A bat does not feel love or sadness, it survives. Bruce Wayne pushes others aside because he does not want to intertwine with someone else’s humanity. It has been said that the night is not the place for a person. He strives in an environment which average people would shun. The darkness symbolizes a lack of humanity so it is the perfect place for the Dark Knight.

Superman sees humanity and humanness as a strength and as something which should be preserved for as long as possible. Batman sees humanity and humanness as something which should be shunned and avoided as much as possible. Complete opposites for sure. We should all expect this difference to be exploited in Batman/Superman when it comes out later this year.

Batman/Superman: Differences in Fighting Crime

Batman and Superman: DC’s Yin and Yang

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Penguin: Differences With Rest of Batman’s Rogues Gallery

Mar. 03 Characters no comments

There were many changes made to characters in the transition to DC’s New 52, but certain basic points about the Penguin remained the same. While all of the members of Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery are original, there are certain aspects of the Penguin’s character which completely separate him from the other members of the group.

Penguin

Penguin

Funding

Have you ever wondered how members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery make money? Of course, they all have budding schemes, but how do they afford their henchmen? For the most part, DC avoids the issue by saying Joker has a cult-like following or different baddies have “secret investors.” Usually, the question is completely avoided and we just jump right into the story.

The original Penguin, Burgess Meridith’s portrayal on the 1960’s TV show, and the New 52 version are all businessmen. He is one of the few members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery which makes his own money through a network of nefarious businesses. He might make money from an umbrella company in Gotham or he might make money off of the stock market. Either way, he does not need to commit crime to be rich. Only to become unbelievably rich.

Penguin’s Drive Towards Crime

Two-Face’s ambition to commit crimes is typically driven by revenge for what happened to him in the past. The Joker’s crimes usually revolve around getting at Batman or making money so that he can bring the Big Black Bat down. Harley Quinn was usually driven towards committing crimes to profess her love for Joker while Catwoman pretty much only knew a life of crime.

Penquin is different from the other members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery in the fact that he is driven towards crime out of greed. Sure, he finds he sometimes has to gain revenge against the other members of the gallery (as we see in Arkham Asylum) but the majority of his crimes are performed in the hope of gaining more territory in Gotham or for making him as rich as possible. We could say that his drive is one of the cleanest of all in the gallery.

Penguin’s Sanity

Try to name a member of Batman’s Rogues Gallery which is sane other than Penguin? Joker and Harley are completely insane and could not even be considered as remotely sane. The argument could be made that Bane and Killer Croc can’t be considered as insane or sane since they both simply refer to animal-like instincts. Two-Face, Riddler, and the Mad Hatter are well out of the realm of sanity as are Scarecrow and Poison Ivy. Penguin is the only sane one of the bunch.

The next time you read a story about Penguin, think about how he differs from the other members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery. Instead of being a criminal driven by insane goals, he just wants to make as much money as possible. Batman is not always a target, but is always in the way of Penguin’s next score.

 

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Batman/Superman: Differences in Fighting Crime

Feb. 26 Characters Comments Off on Batman/Superman: Differences in Fighting Crime

The release of Batman/Superman gets closer every day, and it makes sense to explore the characters differences before the launch of the new title. Superman and Batman are very different characters as one draws power from the sun while the other draws power from the darkness in his own heart. This series explores some of the ways that Bruce Wayne is the anti-Kal-El. This addition will explore why each character fights crime.

Superman and Batman

Superman and Batman

Superman

Superman wishes to preserve the sanctity of humanity, and his goal should be expected to carry over in Batman/Superman. Since he cannot become fully human himself, he attempts to preserve what he visualizes as the innocence of humanity. He is driven to make the world a better place for others and the easiest way to do so is to eliminate crime. Of course, he has gone off the deep end such as when he wanted to rid the world of nuclear devices – but we will not discuss that at length here since I don’t want to go off on a tangent about the stupidest movie in the original series or about how sad it was that the story carried over into the printed pages.

Batman

Batman is different from Superman in that he does not simply want to preserve the sanctity and innocence of humanity. Wayne’s alter ego wants to make criminals pay for the sins which they committed. Where Superman cares more for the victim, the victim of a crime is often insignificant to the Dark Knight when compared to the inner need to make a criminal pay. Fans should hope this difference becomes a cause for friction in Batman/Superman.

Which Side Drives You?

I remember reading an essay years ago in college in which a professor believed certain aspects about a student’s personality could be discerned by finding out if he or she related more to Batman or Superman. The explanation went through the idea of people who wanted to push for peace would identify more with Superman while people who believed criminals should pay their dues the hard way would identify with Batman. If I can ever dig up the essay, I will be sure to link it here. Then you could read the upcoming issues of Batman/Superman and see where you fall.

Batman/Superman

While Batman/Superman will not be the first mixing of Superman and Batman, it will be the first in the New 52. Read about my ideas on the title by following this link.

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Batman and Superman: DC’s Yin and Yang

Feb. 14 Characters no comments

Batman is often considered a polar opposite of Superman. Even though both fight for good, they go about doing so in opposite ways. Some even consider Dark Knight is the anti-Kal-El. The differences between the two can sometimes be as apparent as night and day. You could easily explain Batman and Superman as the Yin and the Yang of the DC Universe.

Superman and Batman

Superman and Batman

Superman’s Power

While the residents of Krypton are smarter than humans, the benefits of the now-dead civilization end at technology. Once Kal-El arrived on Earth, he was granted superpowers by the rays of our yellow sun. During instances in which he has left our plane of existence, he has lost the majority of his strength and superpowers.

This symbolizes how Superman is a hero of the light and has led to analogies between the character and messiah-like characters throughout human mythology. The sun is a life-giver to the Earth and it would make sense that a messiah character from the comics would gain “new life” through the power of the sun’s light.

Batman’s Power

Batman cannot fly on his own will and he cannot create tornadoes while running. He does not have super strength and does not have laser-shooting eyes. He is a man who can create interesting tools to help him avenge victims of crime. Instead of being a child of the sun, he is the son or darkness.

The shadows of Gotham match the darkness in Bruce Wayne’s heart. Just like his costume, Batman wears the darkness like a cloak. The darkness reminds criminals that the Dark Knight might be hiding around the next corner.

The Yin and the Yang

Superman is mostly good, but has displayed a dark side when Lois Lane or any other character he cares about is in trouble. Bruce Wayne is mostly a dark character but has a bit of light in his heart. It would be an easy analogy to state that the two characters are the Yin and the Yang of DC Comics. The two comics constantly balance the other with one being a positive story about bringing criminals to justice and the other being a darker story about giving criminals the beatings they deserve. At times, the two characters find themselves working together, but know it should never be a permanent endeavor.

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