Category Archives: Robin
Batman Finally Comes to Smallville
But only in comic book form.
Tiny picture
The popular TV show Smallville was about the early years of Clark Kent, and how he eventually embraces his super-powers and becomes Superman. It started as a high school drama, but after running for 10 seasons, he eventually grew up, became a reporter for the Daily Planet and married Lois Lane. They told pretty much his entire life story!
I was a fan for a lot of years, and periodically checked back in to watch some of the good episodes. Before too long, DC started guest-starring a ton of other superheroes in the show. The Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Zatanna, Hawkman, the Wonder Twins and many more all made cameo and guest appearances.
But in all 10 years of Smallville, never once did Batman appear. (Or Wonder Woman, for that matter).
I’m pretty sure it was a legal issue. The rights to Batman, either on TV or in movies, were tied up in another creative arm of Warner Bros., and they just couldn’t bring him into the show. It was a travesty of epic proportions. Not to mention stupid. What moron was holding the red tape to keep Batman and Wonder Woman from appearing on Smallville? I hope he sleeps poorly at night.
Anyway, after Smallville went off the air, DC decided to continue the story in comic book form, considering Superman is a comic book hero and all. I don’t read it, but I guess it’s doing alright. And now that Smallville is no longer on TV, there is no longer any red tape to keep Batman from finally appearing in Smallville continuity! I think that’s a pretty awesome idea! The story is going to be written by writer Brian Q. Miller, and it’s going to be called ‘Detective”. It’s about Batman and his sidekick tracking a suspect in the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, and they bump into Superman. So that’s pretty neat.
All of you Smallville fans waiting for your chance to see Batman, here it is!
Batman’s sidekick in Smallville continuity isn’t going to be Robin though. Miller is picking and choosing from the Robin mythos to make a new Nightwing, alias Stephanie Brown. She’s a little too complicated to explain, but let’s just say she was once Robin in the normal Batman comics. And Miller once wrote her comic book series. So now he’s decided to bring her back because he likes the character. Miller told TVGuide:
“Bruce can be somewhat of an angry man. Stephanie’s personality is so can-do and unsinkable and bright, so it’s very much on purpose on Bruce’s part that he has a good cop going out on patrol with him every night.”
So basically I just think this is all pretty cool. I’d actually like to see the Smallville version of Batman. Here’s a better look at the comic book cover, albeit in black and white:
Big picture, but black and white. I don’t know why the Internet won’t give me a big, color picture
New Green Lantern? New Origin for Tim Drake?
Hi-dee-ho there, comic book fans! Your favorite blogger here bringing you some fascinating news out of DC Comics. Who is the new Green Lantern? And is DC going to change the origin for Tim Drake, the third Robin? We’re going to find out the answer to both questions in September!
In September, the one-year anniversary of the New 52 reboot, DC will be publishing a #0 issue for each of their titles. These will be flashback and prequel issues, revealing a bit of the new backstory that came with the reboot. This is a fantastic idea, because DC have told us very little about large swaths of the back story. You can check out the full solicitations here, if you’re so inclined.
But of the solicitations, two really stuck out to me: Green Lantern #0 and Teen Titans #0.
First, in the Green Lantern issue, we’re finally going to be introduced to the new human Green Lantern who made his first appearance in DC’s Free Comic Book Day issue. Only in that issue, he seemed to be an antagonist against the Justice League. Yeahbuwha?
I’m excited to see a new Green Lantern. I’ve never particularly cared for any of the four previous human Green Lanterns, and so new blood is just what that franchise needs. The ring can go to anyone, after all. And we haven’t had a new Green Lantern since the early 90s. This guy is apparently Arabic, based on the tattoo on his arm, so that’s cool. Diversity is always a good thing. But I am a little worried about that antagonist thing. Hopefully it’ll get sorted out.
My guess is that this guy, whose name we don’t yet know, will be getting Hal Jordan’s old ring. Prior to the reboot, Hal was kicked out of the Green Lantern Corps and stripped of his ring. Meanwhile, Sinestro had been inducted back into the Corps for reasons that remain mysterious. Since the reboot started, Sinestro has used his Power Ring to give Hal temporary Green Lantern powers so that they can go on adventures together. So that still leaves open the fate of Hal’s ring – which I think this new guy is going to get!
Meanwhile, we have Teen Titan #0.
The solicitation says that we’re going to take a look at how Tim Drake became Robin.
“Focusing on the origin of Tim Drake; how a would be Olympic star and computer genius went on to become Batman’s third Robin.”
So yeah, would-be Olympic star? Computer genius? Neither one was ever part of Tim’s original origin. Granted he’s always been good with computers, but he was never a computer genius. And also, Olympic athlete and computer genius? Do those even go together?
Tim’s original origin had him as a youthful detective who correctly deduced the identities of Batman and Robin using only his smarts and some good detective work. Then after Jason Todd dies, Tim notices that Batman has become a lot more reckless without a Robin. Tim tries to convince Dick Grayson to return as Robin, but Dick won’t go for it. Then when Batman is really in danger, Tim decides that he must do something brave and impulsive, and so he goes to aid him wearing the Robin costume. It’s only later that Bruce finally comes around and accepts Tim as a new Robin.
When it comes to the New 52 timeline, DC really shot themselves in the foot by declaring that superheroes have only really been around for about 5 years…yet they kept all four Robins. So Batman had four different Robins over a 5 year span? How does that even work? Especially considering that Damian Wayne, the current Robin, is 10 years old. That would mean Bruce Wayne has been Batman for at leas t10 years to have met Ras al Ghul and Talia…I dunno, it’s all very confusing.
But making Tim a would-be Olympic athlete would cut down on the time needed to train him to be Robin, making him easier to squeeze into that 5 year span. But does this also mean they’re going to change everything else out about his origin?
I sure hope not. The idea that Tim decided on his own that Batman needs a Robin is key to the character, and to the mantle of Robin. I plan to write a lot more on this someday, but it never works out whenever Batman choose who will be his next Robin. The new kid has to come to him naturally through the story. So I really hope DC doesn’t drastically alter Tim Drake’s origin.
Not that there’s anything I can do about it if they do…
Review: Teen Titans #9 and The Culling
For anybody who eagerly reads my Teen Titans reviews, I’m apologize that this is so late. I have been dreading The Culling storyline, which is a crossover with two comics that I don’t read: Superboy and Legion Lost. I’ve been dreading The Culling because, quite honestly, Teen Titans has been a bad comic book, especially in the build up to this crossover. And I simply don’t want to have to buy Superboy or Legion Lost. Plus the rest of the Internet has been pretty negative about The Culling. So I just kept putting off actually reading the damn thing.
Teen Titans #9
Now that I’ve read it, I’m somewhat relieved to say that The Culling wasn’t so bad. Writer Scott Lobdell has finally answered pretty much all of my questions about N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and has actually provided a reasonable explanation for everything that’s happened so far.
Unfortunately, one has to sacrifice character development, personality and more than a few brain cells to enjoy this action-oriented story.
Teen Titans #9 rating: 4/5: Good. The Culling rating: 3/5: Alright.
What can I say? While I was reading The Culling (at least the parts I bought) I was enjoying myself. The comic is almost entirely climax, with the Teen Titans finally facing off against everything N.O.W.H.E.R.E. has to offer. The big threat that has been building since Teen Titans #1 – and spent most of that time in the frustrating shadows – finally comes to a head in a big way. And the Teen Titans band together, kick some ass and save the day, while facing some bittersweet truths in the process. If I was more invested in these characters or these villains, this would definitely be a satisfying conclusion to the entire Teen Titans opening story arc.
But once you get past the action, there’s nothing left. The characters all blend together, with few, if any, unique personalities. There is no character growth or any real emotional bonding between any of them, which has been a problem with Teen Titans since the start. Despite knowing N.O.W.H.E.R.E.’s master plan, they still remain a largely stupid opponent, with far too much reach and power to fit comfortably into the DC Universe.
Though I will say that the art remains pretty good. More after the jump.
Review: Harley Quinn’s Revenge
I’m tempted to give this mini-game a 5 out of 5 because they let you play as Robin, but I think I’ll be a little bit more professional. Harley Quinn’s Revenge is the brand new epilogue DLC for that exceptional game Batman: Arkham City, which came out last October. I gave the main game a 5 out of 5 because it was one hell of an awesome game. Arkham City was phenomenal, a perfect sequel that gave us a bigger and more badass game than the first. Everything was improved, from the characters, to the gameplay to the game world.
That the developers, Rocksteady, would come along all these months later and give us one final helping of Arkham goodness defines the very reason why modern games should have DLC. That Harley Quinn’s Revenge isn’t as groundbreaking or as amazing as Arkham City itself does not speak ill of the effort.
Game rating: 3/5: Alright.
She’s had better days
The magic and excitement of Arkham City is gone, sad to say. The high octane energy I felt when it first came out has simply faded away, replaced by other games. So stepping back into this world, I was immediately reminded how sloppy and out-of-practice I’ve become. The signature Arkham gameplay is fun to master, but more than a little frustrating when you have to remind yourself how it works on the fly. Harley Quinn’s Revenge brings very little new to the table. It’s essentially just a long-lost final chapter to the main game, wrapping up a loose end in the story that nobody was particularly worried about wrapping up. It’s a suitable distraction and reminder of how much fun this game series really is.
And holy crap, guys, they let you play as Robin in story mode! It’s a move so brilliant that I’m still at a loss that Rocksteady would have the guts to make it! I respect them even more now!
DC Comics is a Den of Liars!
Liars and thieves, that’s what they are! A vicious cesspool of villainous thugs who twist our minds and spin falsehoods! A fan of DC Comics, are you? Enjoy the Court of Owls storyline in Batman do you? Fool! You are their prey, and they are the vipers that would slither into your bed at night and bite you with sharp, treacherous fangs filled with snake oil! A pox upon DC Comics, I say! A pox!
But where does this sudden anger come from, you ask? Why do I lay a curse upon their children and their children’s children? Behold the cover of Batman: The Dark Knight #9, purchased by this very blogger only yesterday!
Falsehoods! Libel! Slander!
Look and see! What does that cover entail? Why it’s the heroic Red Robin doing battle with a deadly Talon assassin! It looks as if one of my all-time favorite DC comic book characters, Tim Drake, is finally being plucked from the mediocre Teen Titans series in order to make a cameo back with his proper Bat-family! For months now, the greatest Robin of all time has been cut off from the world of Batman, forced into the world of tween-friendly antics in an entirely different corner of the DC Universe. But when the Night of the Owls strikes at Batman’s heart, this cover promises us that Tim will rejoin his mentor for at least one night and fight back against those devious winged bastards!
Lies! All lies!
What does this comic actually contain? Find out after the jump!
Henchman-4-Hire 