A love reunion with Batgirl and Red Robin
Posted: 01/20/2013 Filed under: DC, Relationships 7 CommentsTeenage superhero romance. It’s not much different than real life, except with more jump kicks and ninja attacks. And just like real life, super good-looking kids who are in incredible shape have a fair amount of love interests. Nightwing’s list of paramours alone would make most sorority girls blush. But today, we’re about Stephanie Brown and Tim Drake, the replacement sidekicks.
I’ve covered Stephanie’s history before in a previous article, And you should know Tim as the third Robin. Back in the day when Tim had just hit puberty, the two became a couple:
I mean, a couple in the sense that Tim wouldn’t actually tell her his real name or where he lived or any sort of personal details. Robin’s fear over Stephanie’s constant danger and his obvious lack of commitment broke the two apart. That and Stephanie got pregnant with another man’s child. Then she died. But probably more of the first reason.
We jump forward more than a decade to Batgirl #8, written by Brian Q. Miller and drawn by Talent Caldwell. Stephanie has since taken over the role of Batgirl from Cassandra Cain and Tim struck out on his own as Red Robin.
So they haven’t seen each other in years. Stephanie’s resurrection took a while and time has changed them both. Batgirl’s no longer an untrained mess of a fighter. Red Robin’s personality now reflects more Batman than Robin. But the feelings, oh, the feelings never go away.
You know what’s coming up next, right? Unrequited love and an overwhelming insecurity? Of course, but I meant team-up.
A few years ago, Bruce Wayne died taking down Darkseid. It was super famous, I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Tim didn’t handle the news terribly well. His grieving process changed him into a darker superhero. I’m no doctor, but I assume the tapering off of puberty and being the most dangerous teenage martial artist in the world would most certainly bring out an “edgier” side.
Okay, the mission’s simple. Since Leslie Tompkins (the assassins’ target) is hanging out at a fancy rich people party, Tim and Stephanie will go incognito as themselves. After all, Bruce adopted Tim a few years ago.
As you expect, the party takes a sour turn within moments. Ninjas don’t have time to wait for exposition and cocktails.
It took me a while to understand what Stephanie means in the above page. I’m no expert of comic book love, trust me. But the “dance” where they fluidly fight bad guys together — that triggers all the old emotions to flow back to the top. Like hearing a song that you and your ex would always listen to together. For superheroes, it’s uppercutting henchmen instead of Katy Perry lyrics.
Well, kids, this is it. Tim finally sees Stephanie as an equal and Stephanie remembers why she loved Tim in the first place. Are you excited? Years of will-they or won’t-they come down to the final pages of this issue!
The anticipation and suspense has been built so high that the artist forgot to draw in Batgirl’s pupils.
And there you go. Rejection hurts. Or it would if Red Robin wasn’t also sort of dating Lucius Fox’s daughter at the same time this is going on. Fighting skills aren’t the only thing Tim learned from Nightwing.
Mongul and Sinestro’s throne smackdown
Posted: 01/17/2013 Filed under: DC, Fights 3 CommentsSo to make Superman more interesting, super powerful space aliens would come down once in a while to beat up the Man of Steel. Y’know, have someone challenge Superman with equal strength and ability. Mongul was created for that purpose.
And today, he joins the Sinestro Corps.
Mongul, like most space dictators in the past decade or so, caused trouble mainly in the depths of the Green Lantern universe, where the space cops flew around and shot at him with willpower lasers. Wondering the difference between Mongul and Superman’s other dictator supervillain Darkseid? Both look the same, have similar powers, and control alien planets. But Darkseid? He’s blue. That’s all I have. My research faltered this week.
Anyway, with the yellow power ring — just like the Green Lantern ones except they run off of fear — he does the responsibly evil thing. Conquer lots of planets and take control of the Sinestro Corps:
Above scenes from Green Lantern Corps #19-20, 23, and 33 written by Peter J. Tomasi and drawn by Patrick Gleason.
But we’re not here to see Mongul’s reign of terror. We’re jumping ahead two years to Green Lantern #46, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Doug Mahnke. Y’see, when the army’s named after Sinestro, eventually the dude himself is going to show up.
Sinestro, the Green Lantern Corps’ arch-nemesis and all-around jerk, arrives (unexpectedly) to take down Mongul. A few things to note. Korugar is Sinestro’s home planet. So he not only has to beat down a Superman-level baddie, but if he loses, his planet’s permanently enslaved.
By the way, notice Mongul’s missing an eye in the above page? There’s been some crazy stories.
Understand that Sinestro, like most supervillains, has an ego problem. But more importantly, Sinestro has zero superpowers besides his ring. Mongul has six rings and the physical strength to bench press small moons.
If you know Sinestro’s back story, he used to be the greatest Green Lantern of them all. Until his pupil and handsome Earthling Hal Jordan discovered Sinestro was using the ring to conquer and brutally rule his home planet for his own selfish desires. Much like what Mongul’s doing now. It’s not as if Sinestro’s morality has changed, it’s just he believes that if anyone should cause endless pain and suffering to Korugar, it should be a Korugarian.
Yes, Mongul would give the entire Justice League a run for their money. Except he forgot something. He’s using Sinestro’s ring against Sinestro. That’s like sending out sharks and jelly fish to defeat Aquaman.
Now you get to witness something rarely seen in comics. A pun made by one of the deadliest beings in the universe.
And Mongul hasn’t been seen since.
Superman being awesome
Posted: 01/15/2013 Filed under: Characters, DC Leave a commentWe all get it. Superman has a bijillion powers and is stronger, faster, and tougher than any superhero alive. So what? Embrace it! While I love a hard-boiled detective noir with clues and struggles as much as the next literary connoisseur, many times I just want to read a big strong guy who punches bad guys really hard. Today, we’re getting just that. Slip into your Aquaman boxers and Green Lantern Snuggie, because we’re getting see Superman being Superman. Zero apologies.
Moment #1
Check out Superman #217, written by Mark Verheiden and drawn by Ed Benes. As required by DC law, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane have been kidnapped.
Interesting to note: the next few pages start from when the bullet’s fired.
You remember the signal watch from the old days? Jimmy Olsen got into so much trouble that Superman gave him a little tool that instantly alerted the Man of Steel when something went wrong. Like once an issue. Now I don’t want to cry foul, but most journalists got their Pulitzer without the help of the most powerful being on the planet.
Enough goodie-goodie stuff. Want to see an insane Superman?
Moment #2
In Superman #185, written by Chuck Austen and drawn by Tom Derenick, poor Clark Kent has had a tough few weeks. The prologue will tell you:
In the Silver Age of comics, Superman was well-known for being a jerk. Whole websites are devoted to that. Every once in a while when PTSD sets in, the Man of Steel reverts for a few precious hours.
Don’t feel bad for Barrage. The guy’s a joke and he knew better, especially when Superman knows who you are. He has some armor that gives him some protection, and truthfully, he’s the type of supervillain that Batman would just Robin after instead of wasting valuable time pursuing himself. The pantsless Robin.
By the way, that’s the end of the fight. No plans to lock Barrage in prison or catch him just as he wet his pants. Nope, Superman chucked the guy a few miles and now he’ll go about his day.
The end. Of course the real plot involves Superman visiting sick children in the hospital. I’m serious. He can bench press the moon and he’s a better person than you.
Moment #3
I don’t want to say that Superman’s a teacher, but sometimes school has to be in session. Like in Superman #185, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Brent Anderson.
The man’s a gentleman, can’t deny that. The kids would be lucky to get so much as a growl from Batman, though a hit like that would most likely just cover the team in Batman goo and batarangs from the once-Dark Knight.
Next, Major Force makes a major mistake. Well, that and starting a fight with Superman. Y’see, like most supervillains, Major Force believes that he can take advantage of Superman’s kindness and unwavering morality. I mean, Superman won’t kill him, but understand this: maybe some skepticism would do a supervillain good.
If you don’t love Superman, you’re wrong. Absolutely wrong.
Nothing funny about Joker and the GCPD
Posted: 12/27/2012 Filed under: Characters, DC 3 CommentsWho’s the scariest of the Gotham supervillains? Sure, a bunch of them have horrific and catastrophic powers, but it’d be difficult to find someone to argue against the Joker. Maybe it’s his unpredictability and psychosis. Maybe it’s his massive body count and lack of motive. But when word gets out that the Joker’s running free, the city pees its metaphorical pants.
In 2003, DC had the genius idea to publish a series focusing on the Gotham police instead of Batman. If you enjoy crime procedurals and normal folks mixing it up with Batman’s rogue gallery, you’d love this series. Today, we’re going to focus on the police’s interactions with Joker in Gotham Central #12-15, written by Ed Brubaker & Greg Rucka and drawn by Michael Lark.
So a sniper has been assassinating important people all over Gotham. The mystery simmers for a while, but you can probably already figure out who’s behind the murders from today’s title.
Time to tell the boss the bad news.
Gotham’s savior confirms it:
Remember, while a few of these upcoming scenes may resemble The Dark Knight (though this series came out five years before the movie), Joker has been causing mayhem in the DC universe for probably two decades of comic book years. This is before the reboot, meaning Batman — and subsequently the Joker — are most likely about 40 years old. So when the cops realize the Joker’s behind the string of killings, they know full well what he’s capable of. And rightfully fearful.
Okay, if you buy and read the book, you’ll know a bigger plot about a bomb about to go off in the city, a timer counting down, targets being kidnapped and hidden. It’s extremely well done, but today I want to concentrate only on one single part:
The famous interrogation room scene! All good police dramas have to have them, and for good reason. How’s the Joker’s interrogation go? Would you guess not well?
Now go back and read that scene in your favorite Joker voice. Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, etc. By the way, that female cop in the page above? That’s Renee Montoya, who was outed as a lesbian the arc before this and later becomes the superhero the Question. She becomes a very positive Hispanic and gay role model in comics and her impact shouldn’t be understated. Back to our story, taking into consideration what they’ve learned, the police do the responsible police thing.
A general rule of thumb is to never underestimate the Joker. I believe he once got to the point where he had harvested so much poison and bacteria under his fingernails that the tiniest scratch could kill a victim. Trust me, and Scott Snyder’s current run proves it, whatever’s campy about the Joker has been long gone for many, many years. Dude’s a terror, and a few policemen make a grave error in forgetting that.
You know what scares the Joker? Damn right, nothing.
Know about Sarah-Essen Gordon? She’s Commissioner Gordon’s second wife who the Joker shot while she protected a group of infants. Oh, and now the cop lets his guard down.
Poor intern. Luckily, like all good suspense, the girl gets saved just in time.
Of course the Joker survives. The reason why isn’t as important as the fact that he does. His reign of terror paused momentarily. As you no doubt realized, it’s not easy to be a Gotham city police officer.
Metropolis cops are wussies.
Non-violent interludes and other happy tales
Posted: 12/16/2012 Filed under: Characters, DC, Marvel 4 CommentsI originally had an article all ready for today about the superhero Speedball. For those who don’t know the story, Speedball makes a mistake and ignites an exploding supervillain. The resulting blast kills 600 plus people, including 60 schoolchildren. So in light of recent real world events, that article’s going to have be sidelined for a week or two. Instead, let’s just have a good time. No punching, no bad guys, and no problems. Instead of covering tragedy and pain, we’re going to have some fun. Mostly Spider-Man fun.
First up, Mary Jane and the Avengers watch basketball
Before the demon Mephisto erased Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s marriage, Spider-Man’s wife received all sorts of privileges and benefits. Like living in the Avengers Tower with the other superheroes. And when Galactus or Kang the Conqueror are busy destroying other worlds and dimensions, the Avengers can finally relax and catch up on the Knicks. Here’s a delightfully quick scene from Spider-Man: Web of Romance one-shot, written by Tom Beland and drawn by Cory Walker:
Mary Jane’s such an amazing character. Easily the best non-superheroine wife of a superhero. From a strictly storytelling perspective, making Spider-Man single again is a fantastic idea. But the extreme fan outrage of their “divorce” says wonders about the fan appeal for the dear lady. It’s only a matter of years before the two get back together again, and my bleeding heart agrees.
A brief Zatanna intermission
The biggest obstacle for new fans looking to join the comic book world has to be the decades and decades of insane back story and continuity. Actually, trying to give new fans a good starting point is one of the major reasons I started this blog in the first place. So in the interest of getting everyone caught up, let’s learn about Zatanna’s past in the most lighthearted way possible with a scene from Zatanna: Everyday Magic, written by Paul Dini and drawn by Rick Mays.
Like most DC women, Zatanna’s terribly unlucky in love — maybe due to an abundance of male writers or to add emotional layers to the characters or something. I have no idea and that’s a problem I’m not going to touch. Anyway, even sorta sad stories can be made fun with a bit of silly narration. Oh, and if you ever wanted to see Zatanna unleash the occasional f-bomb while teaming up with John Constantine, this might be a good one-shot to pick up.
Finally, Spider-Man bonds with his best friend the Human Torch
You can’t deny they’re best friends. They’re the brother they each wish they had. I don’t care what Harry Osborn has to say. Remember when Johnny Storm “died” a few years ago and he personally requested Spider-Man to be his replacement? I’m just saying Harry Osborn spends most of his time thinking of ways to kill the webslinger. Plus, the Human Torch and Spider-Man fulfill a very important trait lacking in the superhero community: immaturity. In Spider-Man/Human Torch #5, written by Dan Slott and drawn by Ty Templeton, we see the exact moment they became the best of friends:
You see, despite all the arguments and childish games between the two, all they really lacked was the mutual respect that’s so important in superhero partnership. Normally, superheroes will bond while roundhouse kicking ninjas or terrorists, but you know what works faster? Deep, personal secrets.
I love this scene. Johnny’s biggest insecurities — a desire for a parental figure, a legitimate career, the intelligence to match his family, and a steady relationship — are what Peter has in droves. Respectively, Johnny’s lifestyle — the wealth, the unrelenting love from the public, access to the coolest scientific exploits, and an unnecessary need for accountability — are all Peter has ever wanted. See? They complete each other. Thus starts a comic book tradition we can all agree on.
Let’s end happy. We deserve it.
Severely mismatched super battles
Posted: 12/13/2012 Filed under: DC, Fights, Marvel 9 CommentsWe know that superheroes all possesses different levels of powers. Some can move moons while others can backflip really high. The inequality of powers forces writers to think of creative ways for their lesser powerful heroes to win their fights, and comics are better for it. But sometimes the best path to victory is to avoid the fight altogether. Not so with this batch of today’s battles. You’re about to witness some superheroes who make some very poor decisions.
Let me be clear: none of our protagonists win. They’re going up against opponents who massively outclass them in every single way. And the best part? Their opponents know it.
Round 1: Punisher vs. Spider-Man
If you think about it from a statistical point of view, the Punisher can’t compete with Spider-Man. Peter Parker’s probably about three to four times faster than him, at least thirty times stronger, and he has that unfair spider-sense to avoid, say, a vigilante’s machine gun spray. In the critically acclaimed Punisher: War Zone #1, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Carmine Di Giandomenico, fans cheered for what may be the most accurate fight between the two in the history of comics.
Oh, and why are they fighting?
That’s why: Spider-Man’s unbridled hatred and unrelenting frustration for a man who’s killed more people than times Spider-Man has chafed in his skintight outfit. In Punisher Max, I believe they list the official murder count for Frank Castle as over 2000.
I think people forget how durable Spider-Man is. He can’t exactly shrug off an explosion or impalement, but he’s certainly not going to be taken down by an old man’s punch. Time to let Castle know that.
On an unrelated note, have you ever wondered the stink coming off the Punisher? I can’t imagine he has more than one or two skull shirts, and most of his outfits look like Goodwill rejects. Add that to his usual residence of hidden bunkers and abandoned warehouses, and we have a man whose smell probably scares away even dogs. Still, good job with all that mobster vengeance stuff.
Round 2: Slam Bradley vs. Batman
I’ve covered Slam in a previous Catwoman post, but if you’re not caught up, he’s an old-timey detective from comics of the 1930s. He recently reappeared in Catwoman volume 2, apparently having aged in real time. Fortunately for Slam, Catwoman tends to make awful choices when under emotional duress and after a particularly tragic Black Mask incident, she started dating Slam. Well, dating’s probably too strong of a word. Anyway, Batman would like to have a few words with his former paramour’s new paramour in Catwoman #22, written by the fantastic Ed Brubaker and drawn by Nick Derington & Cameron Stewart.
To fully understand just how badly Slam is matched up against Batman, he actually has a son that’s Batman’s age. And yes, Batman’s comment was unwarranted, but being a jerk comes with wearing the cowl.
Sure, Slam is a tough guy for his age, but Batman’s not only in his prime, he’s also mastered dozens of martial arts, wears several layers of armor, and has single-handedly scared the piss out of every criminal in Gotham. Poor Slam.
You know you’ve done poorly when Batman’s laughing at your performance. Especially because Batman has no sense of humor. Having parents murdered in front of you will numb your ability to let go and giggle once in a while. So, I guess happy ending?
Round 3: Red Hood and the Outlaws vs. Superman
Jason Todd, the second Batman and current sorta superhero Red Hood has been adventuring with a few buddies since the DC universe rebooted itself. I’ll happily admit it: Todd’s team has major talent, despite the other members being Green Arrow’s disgraced sidekick and an over-sexualized alien princess. Though they sometimes make horrendous tactical errors. Like threatening the Man of Steel in Red Hood and the Outlaws #14, written by Scott Lobdell and drawn by Pascal Alixe.
If you want to know how little chance Red Hood and the Outlaws have against the most powerful man in comics, even Superman can’t believe they’re attempting to fight him. It’s like their strategy is to do something so stupid, Superman needs a moment to comprehend the sheer stupidity of the decision just made. Seriously, Red Hood’s strategy is to shoot him with bullets.
Can they pull this off with a gunk arrow? No, of course not. Besides being practically invulnerable, Superman also possesses the ability to make up powers on the spot. For proof, see every single Superman comic from the 1940s.
The fight stops abruptly here, if just because the series will have a tough time continuing the story if all the major characters have their skulls caved in.
Round 4: Swarm of archers vs. Hawkeye
In one of Clint Barton’s solo adventures, he travels to Laos to recover a lost Jesus pillar. Every word in that sentence is true. He definitely finds it, but turns out the escape might be a bit harder than he thought:
Normally, a hundred soldiers going up against one non-powered man wouldn’t be so scary. Except they’re going up against a card-wielding Avenger, a man so skilled that an actual god trusts Hawkeye to back him up. Trust me, you’re about to witness a massacre from Hawkeye #5-6, written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by Stefano Raffaele.
By the way, Hawkeye’s body count? Zero. Third degree burns? Most of them.
This story’s canon too, meaning Hawkeye isn’t dreaming he pulled all this off while deep under the covers snuggling his bow. Though you know what else Barton shot up with his arrows? Cultural insensitivity, but that’s a problem for another day.
Superman copes with the election
Posted: 12/02/2012 Filed under: Characters, DC Leave a commentOnce in a while, I submit guest articles to different blogs to help increase my traffic and support my friends’ blogs. But since my main area of expertise (comics) doesn’t always mesh well with other blog styles, the posts don’t always get approved. Well, let’s not it go to waste, right? Here’s an article intended for my dear buddy’s left-wing bile-spewing political blog:
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So the holidays have arrived and you’ve had a month to reflect on the reelection of Barack Obama. It’s okay if you’re not happy about it. The thing about having two sides compete is that one will always lose. That’s kind of how politics works. Though after three weeks or so after the election, are you still angry and disappointed? Probably not on this website, since this site leans towards volatile, stick-prodding liberalism, but you know who’s been in a similar situation as you’re in, Romney fans? Superman.
In 2000, Lex Luthor — the evil, manipulative, wealthy megalomaniac — won the presidency of the United States. Fairly.
Superman’s quite distraught with this news, if only because the president-elect has been trying to kill him ever since the Man of Steel hit middle school. But he can’t do anything about it except learn to adjust. Luckily, his Justice League buddies have some advice for him – and for you too, I guess. Let’s take a look at select scenes from Superman #165, volume 2, written and drawn by a ton of talented people.
Green Lantern:
First lesson: The next four years might not be as bad as you think it’ll be. Optimism amidst reality.
Aquaman:
Second lesson: Checks and balances are set up for a reason. Believe that any lies and broken promises will be paid back in full. But probably not with armies of mermen.
Flash:
Third lesson: Obama did win with over 50% of the popular vote. Trust your fellow countrymen that they’ll do the right thing. Hopefully. Also, Superman gives terrible Christmas gifts.
Wonder Woman:
Fourth lesson: Instead of whining about the loss, use this time to make yourself into someone that can withstand any presidential administration, no matter how much you may loathe them. I’m thinking stocks and jiu-jitsu.
Batman:
Final lesson: Bide your time. And vote. Batman probably means to vote.
See? Don’t worry so much! If Superman can handle his arch-nemesis and confirmed jerk being elected the top position in American politics, then you certainly can. Enjoy the holidays, stop dwelling on political bitterness, and maybe you should check out Dancing with the Stars again. Did you know it’s the All-Stars season?
On Sandman, or how to properly retell a story
Posted: 11/19/2012 Filed under: Characters, DC, Relationships Leave a commentThe concept of retelling stories is a significant aspect in all forms of media. Whether it is retelling The Taming of the Shrew through a modern re-adaptation 10 Things I Hate About You to the retelling of general themes, like the story of star crossed lovers that are doomed to fall because of their love. The goal of the author in retelling a story is to change the story. Not a drastic change that the original story becomes something that is completely different, but one that adds the author’s own interpretation to the narrative, giving a story a new light and help us better comprehend both the stories of the past and of the present.
In Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by Bryan Talbot and Mark Buckingham, our story revolves around Morpheus, the being who governs over dreams and a member of the Endless, god-like figures that govern certain realms of reality. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, revolves around the character of Orpheus a mortal whose musical talent is the stuff of legends, and his personal quest to rescue his wife from death. They are two completely different characters, but artfully woven together to produce a stunning interpretation of the old myth.
We begin the story with a wedding, including introducing the family.
But then tragedy struck, leaving Orpheus alone without his wife.
Orpheus then goes to his aunt, Death, in order to find the way to the underworld in order to retrieve his wife.
A rather strange deviation from the myth, but one that helps further moves the story along, leading to the underworld.
And the tragic end of the story that we are all familiar with.
The comic stays faithful with the original myth, albeit with embellishments in order to fit it with the overarching narrative. The story is not just a separate story but one of a greater whole that fits with the rest of Sandman. Gaiman doesn’t try to force the myth as a part of the narrative, but rather tries to weave the myth into the story of Morpheus. Even with the addition of Morpheus as his father and his interactions with the other Endless, we can identify the myth of Orpheus. In that way, we can recognize what is happening if we are familiar with the myth and to understand what is going on if we do not.
We also get to better understand the story of Morpheus in this matter as well. Particularly, the inevitability of fate, the consequences that comes with choice with and that the rules that govern the world must be obeyed. These themes come up throughout the series, so it is fitting that the myth of Orpheus is included, as we observe a mortal fighting against death itself, but being ultimately defeated by it.
This story itself is a part of a larger narrative, one that significantly impacts Morpheus and would significantly spoil the story to people who may want to read the series. The myth of Orpheus becomes a part of the continuity of the Sandman series. And the themes of the Orpheus myth are added to the themes of Sandman. It also connects our past to our present. The stories that provided lessons, inspiration and explored the possibilities and questions about life in the past are connected to to the present and how we choose to interpret them. When a storyteller uses stories of the past, it is a means to better understand the story about ourselves.
Midweek Superman slugfest
Posted: 11/13/2012 Filed under: DC, Fights Leave a commentI bet you’ve had a tough week. Lots of paperwork due right before Thanksgiving, right? I have just the cure for your work/school blues: one insanely strong man punching another insanely strong man. It’s like UFC, but without all that heavy breathing and cage hugging.
Today, we’ll check out the fight scene in Superman #677-680, written by James Robinson and drawn by Renato Guedes. Now, I’m skipping almost all manner of back story and plot. You want the reasons that a shady organization would bring an angry titan through time to battle the Man of Steel? You want to know why Lois Lane is jealous that Superman’s hanging out with Zatanna? You want to see Superman and Green Lantern bond over a game of space fetch? Too bad, you have to buy the book. This article’s just about punching.
Usually when muscular, shirtless men demand to see Superman, we can be pretty sure they’re not looking for ab workouts.
Atlas, a time traveler that has been granted Superman-esque powers, originally appeared very briefly in 1975 before being brought back for this arc. Forgive his manners, by the way. Men from three thousand years ago are always so rude.
What makes this fight different than that other famous punchfest (Doomsday) briefly referenced in this arc? Magic, of course. Y’see, after exhausting every avenue for kryptonite trickery, writers had to find a new weakness. It got to the point where there’s an actual supervillain made entirely out of kryptonite. So they decided on magic, and unfortunately, Atlas is full of it.
While Superman doesn’t have Batman’s intelligence or Wonder Woman’s arsenal, he does have an unwavering persistence. Usually despite overwhelming odds or forces. I guess that’s sort of in the job description for superhero.
Superman can only take so much punishment. Even from a man whose outfit resembles more of a backyard wrestling team than a threatening supervillain. Is the arc over? Any more challengers willing to fight the guy who just KO’d Earth’s strongest man? Well, there is one brave enough.
I know the dog just talked. In comics decades ago, Krypto actually had a human-level intelligence. While I’m not really keen on Krypto doing things like expressing feelings or narrating text boxes, who am I to let it get in the way of a superpowered dog fight? Suffice to say, Atlas (and the reader) does not see this coming.
I assume most comic book readers aren’t terribly fond of animals being punched. Look, Krypto getting slugged serves two practical storytelling purposes. First, if a dog is chewing on your neck, you’d probably punch it too. And more importantly, no one attacks Superman’s dog and gets away with it. No one.
Superman wins. Of course he wins. It’d be a terrible comic if he lost.
Controversial statement: Superman’s a dork. The guy’s unrelentingly cheesy and frustratingly sincere at the same time. The DC universe eats it up, and none of his peers will tell him otherwise. I love it. Being the world’s first superhero has some major benefits.
Someone’s getting an extra bowl of kibble tonight.
Robin vs. Red Hood
Posted: 11/06/2012 Filed under: DC, Fights 3 CommentsTim Drake may be the most “normal” of the Robins. He’s not a former circus acrobat. He didn’t live on the streets as a homeless thug. He wasn’t raised by the League of Assassins. Sure, his parents were famous world-traveling archaeologists, but for the most part, Drake grew up normal and well-adjusted. More importantly, after Dick Grayson left the position to become Nightwing, and Jason Todd’s dislike by the fans prompted his early death, Drake stepped into the role to both critical and fan acclaim. He served as Robin just shy of 20 years, from 1989 to 2009. For the current generation reading comics, Drake is their Robin.
We go back a little in time to the mid-2000s. Todd (now Red Hood) just came back to life, and enraged over Batman’s refusal to avenge his death and a new, younger Robin patrolling the streets of Gotham. Also, Todd’s insane.
You, my friends, get to witness the first encounter Todd and Drake ever had in Teen Titans #29, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Tony S. Daniel. Lucky you.
On weekends, Drake fights crime with other sidekicks in the Teen Titans. I mean, they’re all accomplished superheroes in their own right, but being smack in the middle of puberty makes it difficult to join the Justice League. Oh, and one night, Todd broke into the Teen Titans headquarters to beat the crap out of his replacement.
Yes, I find it as weird as you do that he somehow made an adult Robin costume. As for the two fighters, Drake’s smarter and a far better strategist, but he’s smaller and weaker than Todd. By this point, Todd may have actually had more training – he learned alongside Bruce Wayne’s old mentors during the years everyone thought Todd was dead. Though to be fair to Drake, he does use a stick.
Look, despite Red Hood’s bonafide supervillain status, his anger isn’t totally unjustified. I mean, he’s definitely going about this the wrong way, but he believes with all of his heart and soul that his death meant nothing to Batman and the others. Drake replaced him fairly quickly and the Joker continues to run free and happy. Is Todd wrong? Absolutely, though hard to convince him otherwise.
I just want to make sure you remember that when Todd was Robin, his costume didn’t have pants.
Todd’s biggest weakness has always been his temper. Maybe his victim mentality. Either way, the dude is way overdue for therapy. The adult Robin costume may be the biggest warning sign yet.
By the way, the evidence strongly backs up Drake’s claims. Batman will never forgive himself for letting Todd die under his watch. Makes for powerful character development and whatnot.
Unfortunately, victory goes to Red Hood. But even in defeat, Drake is still a badass. C’mon, buddy, do you think you’re that good now? Do you really, Tim?
And like all good Bat people, the Red Hood disappears into the night, leaving his call sign for any other Teen Titans who dare cross him:
Okay, that dude seriously needs professional help.
If you want to see Drake and Todd battle again, they clash in Batman: Battle for the Cowl #2. And instead of two Robin costumes, both are wearing Batman suits. Stuff like that just happens. By the way on a final note, in the rebooted DC universe, Drake never became Robin, instead crime fighting as Red Robin from the moment he stepped into the Batcave. So this story may not have ever happened in the new DC canon. Though you know where it’ll always be alive and well? That’s right, I’m pointing to my heart.
Arousing Grammar 