E-MAIL RYALL | E-MAIL TIPTON | ARCHIVES

MAIL SHOOT

July 11, 2005

COMICS 101 is in Session

Nate C. writes: I was wondering what you thought about BATMAN BEGINS compared to the previous Bat flicks, as well as other comic-book films.

Tipton: I thought it was the best Batman film by far. So refreshing to have a Batman movie actually about Bruce Wayne, one where's he's not overshadowed by a "Special Guest Villain." And Bale is without question the scariest Batman. The scene where he's interrogating the dirty cop 15 stories up was excellent. I really liked everything about it.

Assaf H. writes: I’m a graduate student from Jerusalem, Israel. I'm a regular follower of your weekly classes. I enjoy the spirit of the column, the information it provides and I'm really impressed by your dedication and devotion to comics. Not much of a comics culture in Israel, though. I inherited the enthusaism from my grandfather who used to collect comics back in the sixties. He used to bind them, so I remember reading big, heavy comic books as a kid (only problem was that the binder used a standard binding so he cut off the margins on the top and bottom of the page). I read everything: from Dell's Tom & Jerry or Walt Disney's comics and stories to DC's Batman, Superboy, and Superman.

Anyhow, I strongly remember an issue dated from the mid sixties- I don't really remember the title, but it's possibly JLA - that featured on the cover two groups of superheroes fighting each other. The cover was designed so on the left column were the faces on one group of superheroes in profile and on the right side of the cover the faces of the other group. They were like two football groups ready to go. Could it be JSA vs. JLA? I also remember that one of the featured charachters in that issue was dresses like a mongol/hun warrior.

I have'nt found that issue ever since and I'm really curious about it (you know these nostalgic cravings for old artifacts from your past). Can you please help me with this seemingly impossible mission? Any bit of information will be precious to me.

Tipton: Might these be what you're looking for, sir?

In JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #55 and 56 (August and September 1967), the JLA and JSA team up to battle identical quartets of newly created super-villains appearing on both Earths, thanks to mysterious beings from a negative universe. It's by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. The Mongol-looking guy is named--wait for it--How Chu.

I think these were recently reprinted in one of the JLA/JSA team-up compilations CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS.

Giancarlo R. writes: Moore and Gaiman were the only ones able to pull off Etrigan's rhyming couplets?! What about James Robinson in Starman? It was only in one number if I remember correctly, but for me he did a good job.

Tipton: I stand corrected. Robinson nailed it as well.

Jonathan B. writes: Great column you have here. Well written, very informative. I just got through reading your seven-parter on Batman, and then the three-parter on BTAS and the second run on Batman, and it got me interested in the one Batman animated series you hadn't covered - Batman Beyond. I had never gotten into it when it was on TV on Saturday mornings, as I was into my teens when it debuted, and generally not up before noon, and since then hadn't really looked into it, even when it came on later in the day in syndication on Cartoon Network. However, now that I'm in college, I've gone back and through hook and crook seen most of the first two seasons, and bought the movie. I can't say that I prefer it, episode to episode, to "Over the Edge" and "Growing Pains" and one or two other outstanding programs from earlier in the Dini/Timm team's career, but on the whole, I ended up liking the characters in Batman Beyond above and beyond any like I had for earlier characters - except, coincidentally, Robin II/Tim Drake. That made "Return of the Joker" even more disturbing and poignant - and better, I think.

Anyway, I'd like to ask if you could devote a column to it in the future - offer a perspective on it I've not heard, maybe cover things such as the future Batman's Rogues' Gallery and his relationship with Bruce Wayne from another angle. I've also thought it was always undervalued or ignored when talking about the work of the Dini/Timm team.

Tipton: I love BB, and definitely think it's the overlooked sibling when it comes to the Timm/Dini animated series. I'll be getting to it in the column eventually. RETURN OF THE JOKER is just about the best Batman movie ever made.

Jason R. writes: always loved Green Arrow (made more embarrassing from the fact that i thought his "trick" arrows were kinda cool) and i appreciate the coverage.

though you seem to be a bit cautious of the Grell run, i remember this as being an interesting time for comics...when the divide between DC and Marvel was completely obvious, Marvel appealing to the big-bam-boom action superheroes set and DC developing more adult themes.

(of course, anomalies existed on both sides...Justice League and Mister Miracle played well with the kids and the Epic/Marvel Shadowline Saga was anything but simplistic.)

but i've got a question about another title that was out around the same time as Grell's GA. what do you think about Checkmate? i was sort of a spectator to the series, picking up the odd issue here and there, but i remember it being pretty interesting...like what Marvel's SHIELD could be if it wasn't so blatantly phony and over-the-top.

Tipton: CHECKMATE had potential, but I was never overly fond of the Amanda Waller character from SUICIDE SQUAD, and once she became more heavily involved in the book I quickly lost interest.

Cory H. writes: As someone who until the last year or so had read comics in over 15 years (I'm 30), your column is an invaluable resource. I especially appreciate how you encompass the ENTIRE history of the characters/teams and not just the "official" continuity, which is a big part of what drove me away from DC in the 80's.

Especially good in filling in the gaps is your current Green Arrow recap. (in the old days I would have had to buy a ton of back issues or trust "Who's Who" to fill in so much space. One thing did leave me a little confused though. Considering Green Arrow is a pre-silver age hero with roots in the 40's, did he ever have an official or un-official "Earth 2" version in DC comics? Since he doesn't seem to have been a JSA member (just Seven Soldiers of Victory) I wondered if he was always depicted as a single, unique "Earth 1" hero, even with his changing origin/costumes.

Thanks for your columns, esp your letter to the writer of "Amazing Spider-Man" which I picked up for the first time in ages only to walk away from the book again during the current storyline. Happy to say that I have found some new stuff I really do enjoy after leaving comics behind for ages, like the Loeb Superman/Batman, Spider-Girl and the current Green Lantern "Rebirth".

Tipton: Yes indeed, there was an Earth-2 Green Arrow -- he was the one who served with the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and was lost in time for awhile with that group before returning to the present in the 1970s and finally being killed off in the CRISIS. He always wore the original 1940s suit with no beard, and I believe was in later years given brown hair to help differentiate him from the Earth-1 Ollie Queen.

Ciaran D. writes: Thanks for giving Green Arrow the Tipton treatment, especially your praise for 'Quiver' which, along with Daredevil: Guardian Devil and Kingdom Come, got me back into reading comics after a considerable hiatus. 'Archer's Quest' was a fun follow-up and augured well for Brad. All highly recommended.

Allen W. writes: I'm enjoying your long series about Green Arrow.

A couple of notes - I thought that while Grell's colour scheme is more in keeping with Errol Flynn, the actual costume design fits the hood-wearing Robin from Robin of Sherwood better. http://www.boldoutlaw.com/images/praed2a.jpg

Grell was a fan of the series, and RoS actor Mark Ryan co-wrote a Green Arrow annual which had Dinah time-slipping into a Robin Hood adventure that was highly reminscient of the Robin of Sherwood series.

Also, there was definite mutual attraction, but Ollie's dalliance with Shado happened when he was unconscious. So, I think that's a bit like claiming Jack Knight had an affair with the Mist.

I'm curious if you'll give a shout out to Scott McCullar, online Ollie fan extraordinaire. He's become the continuity advisor to the current series. His site is at www.greenarrowfansite.com

Oh, and if you're curious about the original archer in green, there's my website: www.boldoutlaw.com

Tipton: True, the Shado thing wasn't consensual, but his later affair with Marianne, if I'm remembering right, was less innocent.

McCullar does have a great site.

Robert B. writes: Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your column and it's made me start reading again, which seems to be par for the course. I actually just had two Batman-related questions for you: 1) What was the rationale behind Superman giving Bats the kryptonite ring. Also, was it always in ring-form or was that a Bats innovation? 2) Do Nightwing's rogues know that he used to be Robin?

Again, I really enjoy the column. Thanks.

Tipton: Superman gave Batman the ring, which had previously been in the possession of Lex Luthor (who wore it constantly, ultimately resulting in radiation poisoning), so that, if Superman ever lost control of himself or was controlled by others, the one man he trusted would be able to stop him.

As for Nightwing, most of his foes don't know he was once Robin, although some of Batman's foes do, like Joker and Two-Face.

Allen W. writes: I recently re-read the classic GL/GA O'Neil/Adams run. And I found that the quite literal, real-world political issues were a lot less dated than the science fictional-allegory ones that they did in the run. Out-of-work towns, cultists and scum-lords seem more timeless than psychotic brainwashing daycares, overpopulated alien planets and the like. Sure, the whole run was heavy-handed. But at least the real-world tales didn't come off like the "You half-white! You half-black!" Star Trek episode.

Tipton: Hey, that Frank Gorshin Trek episode holds up a lot better than the GL/GA issues, if you ask me.

Paul J. writes: Anyway, I wanted to begin by saying that I think you're doing a superb job on you're column for Comics 101. I find it both useful and entertaining. Furthermore, while you're opinions on the comics you discuss are clear, you offer very objective views of the fictional and market history. To my point, I began reading Green Arrow with Mr. Smith's run and have continued as an occasional reader (I am in college and thus poor, so any comics are I read are occasional) since that time. As my interest in the character grew I began looking into his history. I know that the creation of Onomatopoeia was part of the creation of Green Arrow's rogues gallery, which he had been somewhat lacking if my understanding is correct. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to address, briefly, who some of his previous villains actually were. Names I've come across are Rainbow Archer, Slingshot, Red Dart (I know him only from WWIII and a brief flashback of his predecessor in the more recent Archer's Quest Storyline), and Merlyn (who I've seen in several other comics). Resources on GA online are not nearly so useful as Batman or Superman, or even Flash or Green Lantern. I know that current writer's are addressing this issue as well such as Brick and, I assume the new Texan character that is forthcoming. If you could discuss who they were, if for no other reason than to contrast the current villain trend for GA I would appreciate it. If not, then that is fine too. You're doing a wonderful job.

Tipton: Green Arrow's always been pretty light in the arch-enemy department. I think Clock King started out as one of his foes, and Count Vertigo is usually considered a Green Arrow rogue. Other than the few you mentioned, that's kind of it. Since most of his Silver Age appearances were JLA issues, he hasn't really had the chance to accumulate his own Rogues' Gallery.

Matt K. writes: Long time listener, first time caller.

Still remember that "Marvel- your first choice in shitting on the favorite stories of your childhood" routine. Spot on.

Anyway two suggested columns- Concrete where you cover it and plug the upcoming mini and Cerebus where you cover the whole of that saga.

Tipton: Still gotta do more reading for Cerebus, but I do intend to. Concrete is a good idea, although I'll probably wait until his new series comes out.

Jay P. writes: Just wanted to say "Great job!" with the Comics 101 feature. I just discovered it last week, and I find it so informative and immersive I haven't been able to pull away from it since. I especially appreciated the explanation of Crisis of Infinite Earths. As a longtime Marvel fan, it was nice to get an idea of what all the fuss was about with that. I also loved the Batman retrospective -- your comments at the end, especially, about good myths evolving in order to give people what myths are supposed to give, were excellent.

Tipton: Thanks a lot, man. Glad you're enjoying it.

TV RECOMMENDATIONS

Dave B. writes: I was just reading your TV column and noticed that you advised against watching The Emperor's New Groove based on David Spade voicing the main character. Normally, I would avoid all things Spade myself, but I just happened to watch this last week with my nephew, and I was pleasantly surprised. Normally, I can't stand Disney cartoons (unless they are actually Pixar movies), but the Emperor's New Groove (despite it's awful title and Spadedness) is a pretty funny cartoon, in the vein of Chuck Jones - a lot of slapstick, and some pretty unorthodox backgrounds (especially for Disney). I'd recommend it myself, despite the presence of Spade. If you haven't seen it, you may be pleasantly surprised (or you could hate it - who knows?)

Ryall: I admit I've never seen all of THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE, and instead let the title, which seemed to be forcing the "cool," and also David Spade's presence, cloud my judgment, at last as far as making a dumb joke about it in those TV Recs goes. I did like Disney's LILO & STITCH, though, and while I agree that Pixar movies are far superior, I should give the entire film a shot some time. Maybe. Thanks for the recommendation.

Tipton: If I may: I buy a LOT of DVDs. Far too many, to be honest. Of all those DVDs, there's only been one movie I disliked so much that I immediately sold it back. And that was THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE.

I'm just sayin' is all.

Martin-ized

Lynne writes: Can't seem to find a copy of martin's absent-minded waiter. Know how I could get a dvd or cd of the funniest short ever? Thanks.

Ryall: Hmm… I actually don’t know if that’s ever been released on DVD. Anyone?

The Final(?) Words on EPISODE III

Greg G. writes: You might recall I've written you before, but I wanted to send along some thoughts your way after reading the last few Mail Shoots of the past month or so. I think you guys at Moviepoopshoot.com definitely have earned a right to plaster a big fat I TOLD YOU SO on your main page when it comes to Family Guy.

Ryall: FAMILY GUY in any form on the home page? The horror!

I actually have the DVDs from the original run, and admit to watching them, but this new series is BEYOND groan-inducing. When you cut away all the pop culture jokes - which do little else but show what we would've had to suffer had the Simpsons been created by a latchkey kid of the 70s and 80s, and not an accomplished satirist - what you have left are stories that don't even stand on their own. My girlfriend and I watch, and just stare in astonishment. It's getting so that you could create a game for college folk: for every time your jaw drops and you find yourself mumbling "what the fuck?" do a shot!

Ryall: Dude, FAMILY GUY is proven to be a libido-killer for women. You might want to be careful with that. Whereas ENTOURAGE is said to be an aphrodisiac, even if your women are actually picturing Adrien Grenier’s face while they’re taking care of you. But, really, does it matter who they’re picturing as long as you’re receiving?

Also, I was noticing that there were a few guys in the last Mail Shoot that actually written you guys expressing opinions IN FAVOR of Episode III. It's so refreshing to see people actually come out and say something positive about a Star Wars prequel movie, because I will watch Episodes I and II at home and sometimes I think something's wrong with ME because I actually understand everything I'm seeing!

One of your readers made mention of the Darth Vader "NOOOOOOOOOOO" scene close to the end, and it made me realize something about Episode I - midichlorians really are relevant, at least to the Old Republic era.

Now, a lot of Star Wars fans roll their eyes about these things, but think about it - if the amount of these cells have a lot to do with how attuned to the Force someone is, then there's one very good reason why Darth Vader didn't kill Palpatine: because he COULDN'T. Now, he's WEAKER than Palpatine. In his last battle with Obi Wan Kenobi, he lost his remaining organic arm and both legs, plus whatever might have been burned away from his body as he crept closer to the lava. That amounts to a HUGE loss in midichlorians. Which means the Force isn't as strong with him as it was before. The novel kind of gives that away, but without the concept of midichlorians, major disfigurement like what Anakin suffered at Mustafar shouldn't have stopped him from destroying Obi Wan even as he lay at the edge of that lava bank. And even if he now has new mechanical parts to replace the organic kind, the midichlorians haven't been replaced. And Palpatine finally has the perfect apprentice: The Chosen One, twisted and crippled. Just powerful enough to help him maintain order and keep his enemies afraid, but not powerful enough to challenge his rule.

Midichlorians are probably totally irrelevant to the resurrection of the Jedi, thanks to the new knowledge Yoda and Obi Wan gained from Qui Gon Jinn - which itself explains why Darth Vader doesn't know WHAT happened to Obi Wan after delivering the killing blow in "A New Hope," but they mattered when they needed to. And so they served their purpose in these prequel films.

Ryall: Mmmaybe. Even if that’s one “ret-con” I’ll never be crazy about—it makes the mysticism of the Force a bit more clinical, which is something I just don’t dig. I do find the idea that each limb contains a portion of the body’s overall midichlorians to be pretty funny. Monty Python’s Black Knight would be screwed.

I really hope as time goes by, more fans realize that all three of the prequel films are much better than they're currently getting credit for. That and Seth MacFarlane is unmasked as the TRUE phantom menace in the world of quality television. As if American Dad weren't proof enough...

Tom A. writes: In the June 2, 2005 Rolling Stone issue, George Lucas is interviewed, and this is what he had to say about Darth.

Q: Even as you were building up this iconic villain, you knew the tragedy behind it.

A: He's so overwhelming in that first film, but you get to the point where you say, "Wait a minute, if he's so powerful, why doesn't he run the universe?" He even gets pushed around by the governors! They know the Emperor is the final word, so what happens is the same thing that happens in any corporation: Everybody worries about the top man, they don't worry about his goon. And by the time the Death Star is finished, it gives them the sense that they have a bigger, better suit than Darth Vader. In a standoff between the Death Star and Darth Vader, they have no question about who would win, and it's not this mumbo-jumbo Sith guy. So it's even more tragic, because he's not even an all-powerful bad guy, he's kind of a flunky.

Q: He's not Satan, he just goes down to the corner and gets Satan's cigarettes.

A: You got it. And when he finds out Luke is his son, his first impulse is to figure out a way of getting him to join him to kill the Emperor. That's what Siths do! He tries it with anybody he thinks might be more powerful, which is what the Emperor was looking for in the first place: somebody who would be more powerful than he was and could help him rule the universe. But Obi-Wan screwed that up by cutting off his arms and legs and burning him up. From then on, he wasn't as strong as the Emperor -- he was like Darth Maul or Count Dooku. He wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that.

Lucas: ...And also with Hayden in Episode II. He said "I don't want to be this whiney kid", I said, "Well you are, you gotta be a whiney teenager." He said "I want to be Darth Vader," I said, "You gotta be a petulant young Jedi. Youre not going to be the guy you though you would be when you signed the contract."

And I guess this quote from Lucas really sums it up: "Vader's done a lot of horrible things in his life that he's not particularly proud of. Ultimately, he's just a pathetic guy who's had a very sad life"

Sorry it's so long, but who can argue with the creator of the Star Wars Universe? Not I.

Ryall: I wonder if 1977 George Lucas would have said all these things… but you’re right, doesn’t really matter—it’s his world, and his vision.

Welcome to EXTERMINATOR CITY

Clive C. writes: I have recently produced a sci-fi horror movie entitled Exterminator City which is due to be released on dvd in the States on the 19th July 2005 by York Entertainment. I would extremely grateful if you could give it a mention on your site.

The film is based around the expliots of a serial killing robot and features cameos from a host of B-Movie Scream Queens, Adult Stars and Glamour Models.

The cast includes Julie Strain, Brinke Stevens, Teresa May, Cathy Barry, Zenova Braedon, Fembomb, Rhiannon, Lilith Stabbs, Jill Kelly, Syn Devil, Amy Lynn Best, Katarina Nikita, Lana Cox, Penny Lynn, Taylor Wayne, Persephone and Jacklyn Lick to name but a few.

The synopsis is as follows -

The year is 2027. A robot pest controller turned serial killer has embarked on a murderous rampage carving his way through the occupants of Atro City.

Following in the wake of his destruction are a Tough robot homicide detective and a sinister robot psychiatrist.

Their investigation will take them on a journey into a twisted technological nightmare more terrifying than you can ever imagine.

It would be great if you give it a mention.

Ryall: Sorry, we don’t do that sort of thing here.

Get a Piece of the Pope-Mobile

Ryall: I love some of the random press releases we get around the Poop Shoot office. Put me down for 500 Euros!

John Paul II given Ford Lincoln Continental as present during 1979 trip to US

Pope road cruiser goes under hammer

The auction runs on 17th September 2005 at Henry's in Mutterstadt - Internet bids starting at 500 Euros also possible.

Mutterstadt, 2005/07/01 (profact) - Collectors of spectacular papal religious items await the next auction highlight. This time, however, it does not concern a simple Golf but instead a full-sized US road cruiser: a white Ford Lincoln Continental, 1979 model with a 6.5 litre engine and almost six metres long. The vehicle belonged to the dead, and now standing before beatification, Pope John II. The auction will run on the 17th September at 2pm at Henry's auction house in Mutterstadt and on the Internet at www.henrys.de.

The car was given to Pope John Paul II as a present during his visit to the US in 1979. Numerous press reports from that time cover this story. Not long after, the Ford Lincoln was imported to the Vatican state and registered to the government under the license plate S.C.V 1. The Vatican confirmed this to the auction house. His Holiness later presented the vehicle to the Caritas Foundation in Rome with the order to sell the car and donate the proceeds to aid the Cambodian refugees. Caritas sold the vehicle to the Roman car dealer, Marco Berti. The car was sold again in 1980 to a car dealer in Germany. The Ford has been in the hands of the current owner since 1988. According to Henry's, the history of the Pope's road cruiser is completely substantiated by relevant documents. According to experts, the vehicle is in excellent original condition with a minimal mileage of 6,000 miles. Among other things, the car has a white cream leather interior, air-conditioning, radio, electric sunroof, electrically adjustable seats and electric windows - and a Cartier clock.

You can find more information as well as printable photos at: http://papstmobil.henrys.de/

Photos of the Week

E-MAIL RYALL | E-MAIL TIPTON | ARCHIVES