Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!

Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!  He started out as a journalist and one of his early graphic novels was Violent Cases with artist Dave McKean.  Then he wrote Don’t Panic: The Official Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Companion (1988) based on the Douglas Adams’ books.  His first work for DC Comics was the limited series, Black Orchid (1988-1989), with art by Dave McKean.  Afterwards, Gaiman was presented with his own spin on old comics character, The Sandman, it was a series that elevated comic books to literary heights. Sandman #8 (1989) introduced Morpheus’ sister, Death.  Sandman #19 (1990), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, with art by Charles Vess, won the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction.  Then, Gaiman co-wrote with Terry Pratchett Good Omens (1990), an Amazon Prime series, there is a second season forthcoming.  He picked up writing Miracleman with artist Mark Buckingham when Alan Moore left the series with issue #17 (1990).  It abruptly ended with issue 24 (1993) when the publisher, Eclipse Comics, closed it’s doors.  Next, Neil Gaiman worked with Dave McKean on graphic novels; Signal to Noise (1992) and The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch (1994). 

Next, Neil Gaiman worked with Dave McKean on graphic novels; Signal to Noise (1992) and The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch (1994).  Then, he co-edited the anthology book, The Sandman: Book of Dreams.  Gaiman wrote for television with the BBC Two series Neverwhere (1996) with a novelization in the same year.  He wrote the fantasy limited series Stardust (1997) with art by Charles Vess.  He wrote the novel in 1999 and it was later turned to a film in 2007.  Gaiman wrote another novel, American Gods, in 2001.  This was also turned into a television series on Starz that started in 2017.  In 2002, Gaiman wrote the novel, Coraline, it was made into a brilliant animated film by Laika in 2009. Gaiman wrote the screenplay for MirrorMask (2005) directed by Dave McKean.  He co-wrote the screenplay for the animated film, Beowulf (2007).  Gaiman wrote his children’s book, The Graveyard Book, which he won the Newberry Medal in 2009 and the Carnegie Medal in 2010!  In 2011, Gaiman wrote the script for “The Doctor’s Wife” episode of Doctor Who.  He returned to the Dreaming with The Sandman: Overture (2013-2015), a limited series with art by J.H. Williams III.  He wrote Norse Mythology which was published in 2017.  as Morpheus.  Sandman Act II was released on September 22nd of this year.  Almost all of Neil Gaiman's works are being brought to film and television,.  Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!

#NeilGaiman, #Sandman, #GoodOmens, #AmericanGods, #Coraline

Superman `78 #3 Review!

Last issue, Superman knelt before Brainiac, this issue starts off with Lois shouting out for Superman.  Superman `78 #3 has a cover by Amy Reeder where Superman has his hand on a crystalline panel with Jor-El and Lara!, he is turning to see two hands holding each other!  “Brainiac Chapter Three” is by Robert Venditti and Wilfredo Torres.  Four of the Brainiac bots reach out for him.  The people of Metropolis are not going to let them get away with taking away their hero, Superman II (1980) vibes!  

Brainiac levitates above the crowd and says a Kryptonian does not belong on Earth.  Very judgmental.  The crowd roars that they are all from someplace else.  Very cool for these times.  Superman speaks out says that he agrees with Brainiac and asks the Metropolians to let him go.  Kudos to Torres for the expression of the three citizens with downcast eyes while the others look on quietly.  Lois gasps, we see Superman’s super hearing (very nice, I’m not certain if this shows up the comics), it pulses from Lois and back to Superman.  He hears Lois’ heart beating.  A very cinematic scene.  

Superman and Lois say their goodbyes.  He holds his hands before Brainiac and a drone places metal tubes to bind the Man of Steel.  Superman starts to follow the drones to a hovering platform, but Lex Luthor stops them.  He says he is there to congratulate Brainiac for defeating Superman and slaps the Last Son of Krypton on his back, a monitoring device?  Luthor joins the crowd and says, “Brains over Brute Strength.”  He obviously has some plan.  

Luthor tries to offer Lois a cigar, but she just stares at the platform.  The platform attaches to the skull ship and it leaves orbit.  Superman has kept his promise and says that Brainiac’s part was to leave Earth unharmed.  The Coluan says that Superman has to be preserved!  He shows Superman several jars, he uses his Kryptonian vision to look closer, and sees the city of the Hawkman, Thanaldar?, that floats above this piece of Thanagar!  Brainiac activates the preservation process.  Superman screams in pain with the bursts of energy and red glow that covers everything, nice work by the colorist, Jordie Bellaire!  

Then, white with red outlines as the number percentage rises!  This turns into panels that dissolve into white.  I like seeing this process and also that it is painful even to Superman.  The platform Superman was on, only smokes as Brainiac holds one of the containers.  Superman emerges with steam on the ground, he places his hands on a crystal wall, and then turns to see Lara and Jor-El!  

This is an incredible back to Krypton story that reminds me of Superman #141 (1960), “Superman’s Return to Krypton!” by Jerry Seigel and Wayne Boring!  Still, I never would have expected it in this comic, I guess because the movie actors, Marlon Brando and Susannah York, at least Brando didn’t appear in the other films.  I think Vendetti and Torres give tribute to the actors and the films with this comic.  Back at the Daily Planet, Jimmy asks Lois that Perry White could get another reporter, but Lois is driven.  Other reporters could have written the story, but to see Lois write it considering her closeness to Superman shows her strength.  

The headline reads “Goodbye Superman”, I also like the other headline, “Bat-Man Terrorizes Gotham.”  They are in the same universe!  In Superman #75, the polybagged issue comes with an issue of the Daily Planet, “Man of Steel Dies Defending City” by R. Lowell Stern.  Roger Stern wrote part of The Death of Superman comics and also the novel, The Death and Life of Superman (1993), recommended!  The Superman Returns movie had the headline page “Superman Returns!”  There was also a faux newspaper for Superman and Lois.  

We see the Superman suit in a tube and then Superman puts on the House of El robes.  This is the Bottle City of Kandor, it appeared in Action Comics #242 (1958) and Superman had tried to restore it for years.  The city was restored in the Superman: New Krypton storyline, but this didn’t last.  Jor-El and Lara lived in Kryptonopolis, Kandor was another city on Krypton.  Lara asks about his Earth parents and we flashback to scenes from the first Superman (1978).  She says he belongs on Kandor, accepting their life in the bottle city held by Brainiac?  The crystal structures of the city is seen with the background of the green container.  This moves to Jor-El and Lara’s final days on Krypton.  

Lara shows him the Planetary Zoo with an elephant with plates on its back, a hairy hippo and other creatures.  Superman had put an alien zoo in the Fortress of Solitude.   Kal-El reaches out for a large pangolin, a heavy plated mammal, called by Lara a Thought-Beast.  They look more vicious in the other comics including its first appearance in Superboy #102 (1963).  His mother knows that her son is in love with a woman and Kal-El admits her name is Lois.  Lara worries about all of the times lost with her son.  

Jor-El appears and explains that he has only discovered that Brainiac powers the bottle city with red radiation that negates Kai-El's powers.  He poses to his son that he is tired and wants Kal-El to be leader of Krypton!  Back to Metropolis, Jimmy shows Lois a package intended for her.  This leads to a mystery that could be dangerous for Lois!  She may be part of the means to get Superman back, but the question remains about the other Kryptonians including Superman’s parents.  This is an issue that brings up the Superman movies and classic comics, while the biggest issue is not escaping the Bottle City of Kandor and defeating Brainiac, but resolving Kal-El’s Kryptonian people!  

Five Drones out of Five! 

#Superman78, #RobertVenditti, #WilfredoTorres, #Thanagar, #JorEl, #Lara, #BottleCityofKandor

The Eternals Fan Apprecation Night at the El Capitan!

November 4th was the Fan Appreciation Night for The Eternals at the El Capitan Theatre!  The long line to enter was for an early, 5 p.m. entry, where vaccination cards were checked to get wristbands.  There was a photo op and costumes were lined against the back wall.  The lower level room displays are still not open.  It is becoming apparent that while the special ticket price remains that the exclusives are becoming less important.  Still, there was a popcorn and drink as part of admission, now it is only popcorn.  I think there was an offer for D23 gold members for the drink, but I wasn’t asked.  A drink is needed with the dryness of the popcorn.  Also, there was a special movie themed band around the popcorn buckets, that went away.  If a fan wanted to buy special popcorn buckets and drinks, some with figures on top of the drink tops, and metal buckets for popcorn.  There were special El Capitan edition comic books, but I think that stopped with the first Avengers movie.   

                                                                                        The Eternals Fan Apprecation Night at the El Capitan!  

The Eternals’ costumes by Sammy Sheldon who also designed the costumes in Ant-Man (2015). It features the ten Eternals, no props or costumes of other characters, and these are in the standard cubicles.  It is more impressive them seeing in a room with pre-production artwork and maybe copies of the comic books. The first costume is of Gilgamesh (Don Lee), the uniform has a massive gold breastplate, green pauldrons, and gold gauntlets and boots.  Next is the red and black uniform of the speedster Makkari (Lauren Ridloff).  Kingo’s costume worn by Kumail Nanjiani) is purple with two silver circles on his chest (not certain what they represent) and skirt.  Thena (Angelina Jolie) has a gold pauldrons, breastplate, and belt, and the rest is a white skirt.  The blue and gold uniform of Ikaris (Richard Madden) looks less like armor except the gauntlets, armored skirt, faulds, and boots.  There are armor pieces, for the body and gauntlets for Gemma Chan’s character, Sersi, but green and white skirt.  Ajak (Salma Hayek) has a gold headpiece and a gold and blue gown. 

                                           Makkari costume from The Eternals, El Capitan Theatre, photo by the author. 

The costume of Lia McHugh’s character, Sprite, has green and white armor with a skirt and guantlets.  Druig (Barry Keoghan) has black armor and skirt with red symbols etched around the uniform.  Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) had a costume of a long blue coat with gold panels.  The giveaways were a pouch with the lanyard with an Eternals i.d. card.  There was a journal and gel pen that didn’t arrive in time, but that it is perfectly understandable considering the problems with the shipping.  It would be shipped out when information is sent in.  There was a poster given away at the end of the screening.  The screen had pictures of fans inside the theater.  The Nerdist host asked trivia questions, these were quite easy, but I didn’t get a chance to answer.  There usually is an actor or filmmaker who presents the film, but I guess it was too much of a bother to show up for this one.  The fan enthusiasm was good, a few people cosplaying, and the audience had a good reaction to the film.  It doesn’t seem to be a high value for the ticket price, $50, unless someone is interested in taking pics of the costumes which may be displayed at FIDM.  I hope the El Capitan Theatre will give more extras to audience members since the theater itself is a premium experience.   

#TheEternals, #FanAppreciationNight, #ElCapitanTheatre, #Gilgamesh, #Makkari, #Kingo, #Thena, #Ikaris, #Ajak, #Sprite, #Druig, #Phastos  

The Eternals Review!

The Eternals tells the epic story of a hidden race of superheroes that have to protect the world!  Chloé Zhao is the director and co-writer.  She is coming from her Academy Award film, Nomadland (2020).  The story and co-screenplay is by Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo, both of whom wrote short films.  The other screenplay writer is Patrick Burleigh who co-wrote this year’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.  Their work is based on the comic book series created by Jack Kirby.  He was inspired by the Erich von Daniken book, Chariots of the Gods? (1968).  Kirby is a world builder, coming from creating the Fourth World saga, then moving back to Marvel to write and draw his new creation in The Eternals #1 (1976).  The roll up explains that the Celestial, Arishem created the Eternals, who come from the planet Olympia, they have to fight Deviants that came from outer space.   

We first saw a Celestial, at least a head, made into the colony Knowhere, in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).  Another Celestial was Ego played by Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).  Olympia was located in Greece in the comics and made into a planet here.  Arishem the Judge first appeared in Eternals #2 (1976).  We see the arrival of the Eternals in their ship which looks like a giant Monolith out of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).  It is apparently called Domo, but I didn’t catch that mention.  This shifts to Mesopotamia, 5,000 B.C., a beach has a young boy and a man fishing.  The time and places around the world flashback and move through the narrative.  The fishing man is swallowed by a Deviant, a dinosaur-like beastie, the Deviants in the comics were humanoid, their people had an unstable genetic code.  Their motive is not clear, just vicious CG creatures like Velociraptors.   

The kid is about to be swallowed, but is struck by beams.  This is Ikaris (Richard Madden) who flies into battle firing his eye beams.  Madden is known for Game of Thrones and also starred in Cinderella (2015) for Disney.  The character appeared in the first issue of the Eternals.  The kid sees Ikaris float down with four other Eternals.  He pursues the winged Deviant into the sky.  Another Deviant is about to attack the kid, but he is swept away by Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) moving at super speed.  The character was Mark Curry first appearing in Eternals #5 (1976).  Then, she speeds away other villagers.  The next Eternal is Kingo (Kumail Nanjani) who generates energy in his palms to finger point lasers at Deviants.  Nanjani had a comedic role in Silicon Valley, but he also played himself in The Big Sick (2017).  The original character was Kingo Sunen, a samurai introduced in Eternals #11 (1977).  

Makkari slams into the monster and Kingo blasts it off a cliff.  I like the signing by Ridloff as a deaf superhero.  Gilgamesh (Don Lee) powers up an arm and fist with the golden energy, this is explained as a power cosmic, the energy that powers Silver Surfer and galactic entities.   He strikes a Deviant with super power.  Lee was in the horror film, Train to Busan (2016).  Gilgamesh was known as the Forgotten One in comics, he debuted in Eternals #13 (1977), and Avengers #300 (1989) was the first time he joined that team.  He fights alongside Thena (Angelina Jolie) who forms a golden energy spear and shield.  Jolie was in this year’s action film, Those Who Wish Me Dead, she has had a Disney connection with Maleficent (2014).  The introduction of The Eternals in the comic book series was gradual, over several issues, but the movie emphasizes the group of superheroes, the number of characters need to be repeated to get familiarity.  The Deviants are defeated, the ship descends, and we see the other Eternals walk down golden steps.   

This is Ajak (Salma Hayek) and Sersi (Gemma Chan).  Hayek is in the action movie, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021).  Chan of course had a MCU appearance in Captain Marvel (2019) and was in Crazy Rich Asians (2018).  Also walking down the ramp is Lia McHugh as Sprite.  McHugh starred in the sci fi movie, Songbird (2020).  Bryan Tyree Henry, who plays Phastos, is also there.  Henry is in the dramatic series, Atlanta, and also in this year’s Godzilla vs Kong.  Druig (Barry Keoghan) is also in the group.  Keoghan’s cameo is the A24 film, The Green Knight (2021).  Ajak heals the wounds of the Eternals, the leader of the group, Eternals #2 (1976) was the introduction of her character with a gender change.  The humans bring up spears, but Druig possesses all of them to drop their weapons.  The character was introduced in Eternals #11 (1977).  

They return to the ship and Ajak has a sphere appear from herself to communicate with Arshem.  The Celestial is massive like Dormammu in Doctor Strange (2016).  This relationship is very similar to Galactus, the cosmic being, and the Silver Surfer, his herald.  The Eternals eventually have a non-interference pact similar to The Watcher in What If...? and they go their separate ways.  There is a relationship between Icarus and Sersi which does become physical, but I saw an episode of Friends that had the same level of intimacy.  Later, a Babylonian child walks up, Sersi forms from sand a dagger with a gold blade, based on the historical Ceremonial Golden Dagger.  The character can transform any matter, she first appeared in Eternals #3 (1976), and joined another team in Avengers #314 (1990).  We shift to London in the present day.  Sersi sees the dagger as an item significant to history on a screen and takes a pic of it.     

She hurries into the Natural History Museum with the class prepped by Dane Whitman (Kit Harington).  Jon Snow is a well known role for Hanington in Game of Thrones.  There were other Black Knights, but Dane took up the mantle in Avengers #47 (1967).  Sersi’s lesson is on apex predators, her students mention lions and wolves as examples, but humans are the apex predators and in this world, Eternals and Deviants.  Later, they are at a dance club, Sersi and Dane kiss, and they are interrupted by Sprite.  The character is a gender change and he was introduced in Eternals #9 (1976).  Sprite was the inspiration for Puck and Robin Goodfellow so could be gender fluid with his powers.  He has spent centuries as a child and wants to be treated as an adult, a bit like Claudia in Interview with a Vampire, she could use her powers to shapeshift into an adult (or really any form) like Loki.  Then, they walk along the Thames, and a Deviant bursts from it.  Sprite runs from the Deviant, it is slammed into a building, and then blasted by eye beams. 

Sersi and Dane check on her as Ikaris enters the battle.  He is struck by a Deviant and this overturns a bus which Sersi transforms into flower petals.  The Deviant escapes.  Ikaris says they should get back together.  This brings us to the Eternals in the ordinary world, they don’t take secret identities, like Ike Harris in the comic books.  Using their superhero names just keeps them as distant, superhero figures.  These Eternals travel the world, but also flashback to key moments in time and their lives.  They travel to South Dakota to find the next Eternal, a ranch where Sersi finds the body of Ajak, a sphere travels from her body to Sersi.  She is the new de facto leader of the Eternals.  We next see the set of a Bollywood film, a lively dance number, Bollywood produces an incredible number of films every year so this scene is a good nod to the industry.  We have the star, who looks like a princess (Nikkita Chadha), and her leading man, Kingo.  He is joined by his other Eternals and his manager Karun (Harish Patel) who is impressed by them.  Patel is known for Bollywood films, and also the comedy, Run Fatboy Run (2009).  Karun is the human perspective of this film. 

Kingo tries to capture private conversations and interviews with his video camera, which is part of the comedy with Kingo, but I would have preferred Margo Damian from the comics.  She is an archeologist who is trying to understand the Eternals and brings along her cameraman, Ike Harris. They have to gather the other Eternals, fight the Deviants, and discover their true purpose on Earth.  The Deviant leader, Kro, later mutates into a humanoid form, voiced by Bill Skarsgård.  The Eternals has some incredible visuals, the standout for me was the blue walls of Babylon, but while some of the vistas may be by Ben Davis, it feels like many of the shots are manufactured in CG.  The run time is very long, 157 minutes, to encompass the world and time spanning Eternals story.   Some chances are taken, very brief scenes, but this film may not be for younger audiences.  The cast is an impressive roster of talent headed by Gemma Chan while balancing the other characters.  The Eternals is a bold attempt at Marvel to go epic, but the special effects and number of characters makes it difficult to focus on their relatability. 

Four Spheres out of Five!  

  

#TheEternals, #ChloeZhao, #JackKirby, #GemmaChan, #RichardMadden, #LiaMcHugh, #SalmaHayek, #KumailNanjani, #AngelinaJolie, #DonLee, #LaurenRidloff, #BrianTyreeHenry, #BarryKeoghan, #HarishPatel, #KitHarington  

Batman `89 #3 Review!

 It has halfway through the “Shadows” storyline, Chapter Three of Batman `89 explores the character of Two Face!  The overbuy interior artist Joe Quinones has Barbara Gordon holding the Batsuit symbol while there is Batman's headpiece, sketches, and the Batmobile in the evidence room!  Batman `89 continues with the writing of Sam Hamm and art by Joe Quinones.  The garage has been set on fire, Barbara watches with the crowds outside, and then district attorney, Harvey Dent, carries out the unconscious Drake.  Barbara rushes to hug Harvey.  

The weary Drake thanks Harvey, he has on a orange and green jacket.  Bruce Wayne also congradulates Harvey.  The act makes the next day’s newspaper, the Gotham Globe, with the headline “Dent’s Inferno”. The news reporters note that on Harvey Dent Day, the mayor gave him the key to the city.  Also that Commissioner Gordon resigned.  For some reason, it seems like this was an election ploy to win votes for Harvey.  It skips to “One year later.”  Governor Dent is in his office and sees Commissioner Gordon, Barbara Gordon.  She explains to Harvey that Batman is a group of mercenaries with her father and the city council support.  This is a twist on what is established in the movies and the one year later is new.    

It starts to get surreal, Mr. Otis suddenly appears in Barbara’s place.  Then, Harvey gets a dream-like image of Mr. Otis flipping a coin, it is not what Harvey calls it.  Darkness, two voices, one says that it is sulphuric acid.  Harvey opens an eye with the acid dripping away, Drake and Bruce Wayne are trying to pull him free.  An explosion!  This is the same dialogue as the dream beginning, but we get a fireman cordoning off the area.  He checks on Harvey and then is horrified!  

Harvey Dent with smoke from his wounds, a pale side of his hair, and ruined suit, he looks out into the crowd.  Barbara and the others are stunned.  The reveal is half-Harvey and a gruesome face with bulging eye, snarling lip, as well as a flaring nose, almost like the Phantom of the Opera.  Interesting design with art by Quinones.  He is taken to an ambulance, tries to reassure Barbara, and then talks with Drake.  The teen has seen the criminals who started the fire.  The paramedic sedates Harvey with skull-like face.  Barbara asks about his condition and doesn’t look good as the ambulance races to the hospital.  

At the garage, Bruce is headed to his car when a reporter, Rosalie Kim, tries to get a comment.  She snaps a picture with her camera.  Lt. Harvey Bullock, a promotion for Bullock?, wants to get a statement from Bruce.  Drake says four men as Batman fans run away from the scene.  Bullock says he found suspects in a dumpster, Bruce looks up, and sees Catwoman wave to him in front of a full moon, nice image.  News vans crowd the gate of Wayne Manor held off by Alfred when Bruce drives up.  Alfred recommends he use the "alternative entrance."  

The next day, Drake is wakened by a knock at the door of his Burnside van.  He is told that the reverend has gathered donations for Drake that he lost in the fire.  The R on the Royal Autobody van looks like the R on Robin's costume.  Drake says the gang was looking for him to Mr. Otis.  Catwoman is about lick Bruce in a mask, but it is really a black cat, kinda old gag.  Alfred has brought flowers from Barbara since Harvey has survived.  Bruce sees the headline, "Bruce Wayne, Superhero!"  Goodbye secret identity.  Alfred tells him about all of his calls including one from Drake Winston.  Another reporter, unidentified is covering the arsonists out on bail.  

It starts to get surreal, Mr. Otis suddenly appears in Barbara’s place.  Then, Harvey gets a dream-like image of Mr. Otis flipping a coin, it is not what Harvey calls it.  Darkness, two voices, one says that it is sulphuric acid.  Harvey opens an eye with the acid dripping away, Drake and Bruce Wayne are trying to pull him free.  An explosion!  This is the same dialogue as the dream beginning, but we get a fireman cordoning off the area.  He checks on Harvey and then is horrified!  

Harvey Dent with smoke still from his wounds, a pale side of his hair, and ruined suit, he looks out into the crowd.  Barbara and the others are stunned.  The reveal is half-Harvey and a gruesome face with bulging eye, snarling lip, as well as a flaring nose, almost like the Phantom of the Opera.  He is taken to an ambulance, tries to reassure Barbara, and then talks with Drake.  The teen has seen the criminals who started the fire.  The paramedic sedates Harvey with skull-like face.  Barbara asks about his condition and doesn’t look good as the ambulance races to the hospital.  Commissioner Gordon has to deal with a police department lawsuit.  

Drake overhears Burnside citizens saying the city is going to burn.  At a medical office, the doctor says that they can’t restore Harvey’s face without knowing the damage to his lungs.  Bruce tells Barbara that he wants Harvey to get plastic surgery in Switzerland.  This is an interesting modern take on how Two Face could go back to having one face.  Harvey is wakened in his hospital bed, he sees his dream self, who takes him in the dream world.  The funhouse like walls makes me think of Batman `66.  Dream Harvey goes over his tragic history, thrown into jail while with his friends robbing a liquor store, and then drops patient Harvey down green hypnotic swirls.  

The temptation of his perfect life and Harvey’s violent side is interesting.  Barbara wakes him up at his hospital bed.  She has brought his coin which he scratches with her nail file and then flips it.  The coin shows that she loves him. Bruce sees on a Shreck's note paper, Max Shreck was the owner of the department store in Batman Returns (1992). He changes into Batman and pursues Catwoman across the rooftops.  They kiss.  Catwoman explains that there is someone behind the bank robbery he defeated.  Batman`89 has a clear story without any confusing points, ramps up the Two Face confrontation and his character, with excellent artwork!   

Four Batarangs out of Five!  

#Batman89, #SamHamm, #JoeQuinones, #MrOtis, #RosalieKim, #MaxShreck

Happy Birthday Steve Ditko!

Happy Birthday Steve Ditko!  He was a very private person and his life and work was explored in the documentary by British chat show host and comics fan, Jonathan Ross, with In Search of Steve Ditko.  You can see it on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfxVO0fLHvA. Ditko then worked with Charleton Comics co-creating Captain Atom in Space Adventures #33 (1960). This character was brought into the DC universe and was the inspiration for Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen.  Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) before getting his own title starting with The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963) which had Spider-Man surrounded by the Fantastic Four!  One of the most stunning pages in comic books was Amazing Spider-Man #33 (1966) which has Spider-Man trapped under tons of iron and just struggling for pages.  Spider-Man No Way Home hits theaters on December 17th.  Still, Ditko left the title with Amazing Spider-Man #38 (1966) apparently over disagreements with Stan Lee.  

One of Ditko’s strangest and well known characters was Doctor Strange introduced in Strange Tales #110 (1963).  His final arc with Doctor Strange was in Strange Tales #130 (1965) to 146 (1966).  Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is opening next year in theaters on May 22nd.   Ditko left Marvel and went back to Charlton where he created the Silver Age incarnation of the Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, in Captain Atom #83 (1966).  In 1967, he also created The Question in Blue Beetle #1 (1967).  Both characters had analogues in Watchmen with Kord becoming Night Owl and The Question turned into the enigmatic Rorschach.  At DC Comics, Ditko co-created Hawk and Dove in Showcase #75 (1968) who are going to be featured in the The Titans streaming show.  He returned to Marvel and one of the strange titles that I first saw his artwork was Rom Spaceknight where the cyborg character finished his war with alien Dire Wraiths using his Neutralizer.  In 1992, Ditko did the artwork for Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special (1992) which was the debut of Squirrel Girl, a character in the animated film, Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (2018).  Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man, died in 2018, but we still his creations on screen and in comic books!  Happy Birthday Steve Ditko! 

#SteveDitko, #CaptainAtom, #SpiderMan, #DoctorStrange #TheQuestion, #HawkAndDove, #SquirrelGirl 

Batman: The Audio Adventures Review!

The new radio show, Batman: The Audio Adventures, harkens back to the days of yesteryear complete with a black and white radio set and.  The program currently streams on HBO Max and began on September 18th.  It is written and directed by Dennis McNicholas who also worked on Saturday Night Live.  There are ten episodes in season one.  Episode 1, “Life and Death in Gotham City”, begins with the broadcast of Gotham-1 with reporter, Jack Ryder (Seth Meyers), this feels like the old radio programs.  Meyers is of course a chat show host and comic book fan.  Ryder is the real identity of the superhero, The Creeper, who made his debut in Showcase #73 (1968).  A car crashes in front of the host of “Gotham is Talking Live.”  He then talks about the Batman becoming a “special consultant” to the Gotham police.  Ryder gets the thoughts of various Gothamites, kinda funny.  He finds himself covered by a gun by a woman, who calls herself Peach Fuzz, and her gang.  They steal Ryder’s camera and then hear noises. 

The gang is defeated.  Ryder says it best, “It’s Batman!”  Then, we get the intro to the show with narration by Chris Parnell.  He notes that it is “February 2nd” in an office of a crimelord, a keypad is unlocked, and a man enters with a blond woman who is a native Gothamite.  The man (Fred Armisen) introduces himself as King Scimitar, “The Cavalier of Crime”, his first appearance, Armisen is another SNL vet.  He shows her various swords and one special one.  It is sword he will use to kill Batman, and leave the pieces to his pet tigers, Dagger and Shank!  She has freed the tigers and now has the sword.  He realizes that she is Catwoman (Rosario Dawson)!  Selina Kyle says she will take everything along with the tigers, but will leave the sword.  She throws the sword and knocks him out.  I like that there are other crimes that do not involve the Batman.  There are some programs as the radio flips through channels including commercials like Grabbo the Birthday Clown who likes to emphasize he is not the Joker!  

Then, we get the rooftop in Chinatown.  There is sizzling electricity while a hostage is in a bathtub!  Arguing with himself is former district attorney, Harvey Dent (Ike Barinholtz), otherwise known as Two Face!  I like Berinholtz characterization of Dent with two different voices, one normal and the other gravely, like Jekyll & Hyde.  He flips a coin and then is about to attach alligator clamps on the victim.  Batman (Jeffrey Wright) reports to Robin (Melissa Villaseñor) who is in position and she has to take out Harvey’s thugs are with the hostages.  Wright has another voice role this year as The Watcher in What If…?  Villaseñor is known for SNL and also voiced Karen Beverly in Toy Story 4 (2019).  He is working out a non-lethal way to take down Two Face.  Then, Batman uses thermal vision to see thirty two hostages and two armed gunmen.  Robin notes they are Bob and Bob, the Trigger Twins.  Batman says that it is exactly two years since Dent became Two Face.  Robin says, “Holy trigger warning”, funny!  

Batman goes over that Dent tried to separate the hostages, but the last one was an odd number!  I really like Batman talking over his strategy with Robin.  Two Face is about to electrocute the victim and then we hear the whistling sound of a Batarang!  The sound effects and the narration replace visuals perfectly.  It hits a fuse box and Batman faces Two Face.  He has a .22 gun held to Mr. Yen, Batman waits for Two Face to make a mistake, and gets his personalities to argue with each other.  Batman speaks in Latin, something only the Harvey Dent personality would understand.  Two Face gives the hostage another chance flipping a silver coin that comes up innocent.  Robin has the hostages safe, but Bob and Bob escaped.  A plane fires on the rooftop and Two Face makes his getaway.  The next part has a commercial for the Iceberg Casino, operated by The Penguin (Bobby Moynihan) and a song by Stovepipe Sullivan.  We get an epilogue, a waterfront of the former Amusement Mile, now abandoned.  Two people enter the Fun Fair, Charlie and Rocco, they want to be henchmen.  They are confronted by The Joker (Brent Spiner)!  He is slick and dangerous, but goes into rants.  Spiner played the Riddler in Justice League Action.  The Joker takes them into his fun house.  Batman: The Audio Adventures episode one is a great intro with many stories that have a fun touch that is the best of Batman!     

Five Batarangs out of Five!   

#BatmanTheAudioAdventures, #DennisMcNicholas, #RosarioDawson, #FredArmisen, #IkeBarinholtz, #MelissaVillasenor, #BobbyMoynihan, #BrentSpiner