Batman Year: The Podcasts

For this 75th anniversary of Batman's debut, we covered a number of topics related to the Caped Crusader, here on the blog and on podcasts. Here is a summary of the podcasts we've done this year.

Quarter-Bin Podcast #14. My first solo podcast of the year, covering the first part of the "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" storyline, as presented in the 2002 comic "Batman: THe Ten-Cent Adventure."

Quarter-Bin Podcast #25. In this episode I talked about a one-off story called "Mercy," from episode 37 of Legends of the Dark Knight, an issue from 1992.

Quarter-Bin Podcast #32. I covered another story from 1992, from issue 6 of Shadow of the Bat..

Quarter-Bin Podcast #39. In this episode, I talked about a 1992 reprint of a 1964 story, which introduced a "new look" Batman that included the yellow oval on the chest.

Shortbox Showcase #14. In this episode, Emily and I talked about the very first Batman (then Bat-Man) story ever, in Detective Comics #27, from 1939.

Shortbox Showcase #20. Emily & I talked about the first appearance of Alfred, in a story from 1943.

One her solo show, Emily talked about the "Super-Sons" of Batman and Superman in Uncovering the Bronze Age #4.

If you are a fan of comics in general, and of Batman in particular, download and enjoy!

Graphic Novel Review of Identity Crisis

Book #52:Identity Crisis, by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales. Graphic novel collection, consisting of the 7 issues of the min-series.

In late 2004, novelist Brad Meltzer told one of the most highly-regarded (and controversial) comic book stories of the new millennium. Bringing all of his skills as a writer of thrillers and mysteries, Meltzer took the graphic novel form and produced a gritty, “realistic” tale of the consequences of being a hero.

From the very beginning of comic book heroes, it has become common knowledge that heroes need secret identities to keep their loved ones safe. But we had never been shown why that is true. Brad Meltzer shows us the damage that can come when secrets get out. 

A serial killer is on the loose, and the first victim is everyone’s favorite wife in DC Comics, Sue Dibmy, wife of The Elongated Man. The first issue sets the tone with emotional gut punch after gut punch. The death scene is horrifying, Sue’s funeral is glorious, and if that wasn’t enough, we learn that she was pregnant when she was killed.

And that is just the first issue. The roller coaster continues for six more issues. Meltzer tells a tight crime story, with more victims and clues and suspects and red herrings and surprise twists, and an ending that you just don’t see coming. The pacing and the plotting are terrific, and the artwork by Rags Morales is wonderful, as well. The artist “cast” actors from various eras as his models, and his work is very consistent throughout the issues. Because of the liberties he took with his method, some of the characters appear “off model,” but the consistency and story-telling he does more than makes up for that.

There are two major complaints that people have with the story. One is the violence, in particular the sexual violence that we learn happened to Sue, as well as the heroes’ responses to this act. Second, there are leaps that Meltzer takes with the continuity of some characters that bothered folks who were reading other DC comics at the time. But neither of these issues is enough to turn me off from the story.

I love the emotional response I get from this story. There are moments that bring me near to tears in both the first and last issues, and the ones in between tell a great mystery story. I don't like the notion of "comic books for people who don't like comic books," but Identity Crisis probably fits that category as well as any book can.

Source: public library 

Note: Emily and I talked about this graphic novel for more nearly two hours, in episode 25 of Shortbox Showcase.

Review of Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves

Book #51. Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves, by James S. A. Corey. Unabridged audio.

This is the first Star Wars Extended Universe (EU) novel by the well-respected writing team James S. A. Corey. They have been nominated for a Hugo and a Locus for Leviathan Wakes and other books in their The Expanse series. In this book, they tell a tale of adventure and intrigue from the period between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

At Princess Leia’s prompting, rascally Han Solo is contracted to perform the tricky job of extracting a high-level Rebel spy from the heart of the Empire. The spy, Scarlet Hark, is not ready to be removed from the field just yet, as she has heard that a massive weapon is ready to be sold to the Empire. She and Han and Chewbacca are eventually joined by both Leia and Luke Skywalker to keep the weapon out of the Empire’s hands.

Writing in a universe as well-established as the Star Wars EU is hard, especially writing between the movies, as Corey is doing here. They do a good job telling a contained story with real stakes, while also managing to keep the “pieces on the chessboard” for the future stories. The character’s voices and relationships are captured well, and the plotting and action scenes were exciting ad tense.

But novels like this bring up the question of what it takes for a SF novel to become a “Star Wars” novel. There is little mention of the Jedi, few uses (if any) of the Force, and no Darth Vader. The setting and the lead characters behaved like the movie characters, but I feel that many of the distinctives of Star Wars were not here. It was a fun SF novel, an exciting novel, but I don’t know that it HAD TO BE a Star Wars novel.

Narrator Marc Thompson does a fine job handling the many voices in this audiobook. His Han Solo is very reminiscent of Harrison Ford, and the voices he gives other characters are distinctive and strong. There is not constant background music or sound effects, but where they are included, they largely do a good job.

Also included in the audio version of this novel is the short story “Silver and Scarlet.” This brief adventure gives us more information about Scarlet Hark, who I imagine (and hope) will continue to be a character in EU novels.

Source: public library

Podcasting Update -- Emily!

My Shortbox Showcase co-host (and my daughter) had the opportunity to guest on some podcast episodes recently. As the host of her solo show Uncovering the Bronze Age, the Fantasticast hosts thought she would be a god guest as their coverage of Fantastic Four comics moves into the 1970s.

On episode 108, they talked about FF #94, in which the young Richards boy gets a name (Franklin Benjamin) and a new babysitter (the witch Agatha Harkness). They also fight their old enemies, the Frightful Four. It is a fun issue, and a fun episode.

On episode 109, they talked about FF #95, they talk about the not very frightening villain The Monocle. The story included intrigue and assassination attempts and lots of things that should make for an exciting comic book issue. But it does not. Fortunately, the conversation about the issue on the podcast episode is much better than the issue itself.

Emily also made an appearance on episode 117 of The Book Guys Show. She joined me, Paul the Book Guy, and Sir Jimmy Goots to talk books and comic books. We were joined by Manfred J. von Vulte, author of Comic Books And Other Hooks: 21st Century Education. His book is about how educators can use comic books to battle illiteracy.

Review of Batman From the Thirties to the Seventies

Book #50. Batman from the Thirties to the Seventies, edited by E. Nelson Bridwell. Hardcover collection.

This is a collection that I received as a gift from my parents in the early seventies, along with the companion Superman volume. I have moved many times over the four decades since, and have taken this volume with me everywhere I’ve lived.

There is an entertaining cross-section of stories from the various eras here, allowing the reader to experience the evolution in both storytelling and art that occurred in the first 30+ years of comic book publishing. There are crime stories in the collection, as well as science-fiction, silly stories, and gothic horror. Robin arrives during this volume, as do Alfred, Bat-Woman, Bat-Girl, and Bargirl. Those last two are actually different people. Lesser known characters Bat-Mite and Ace the Bat-Hound also appear. Many of the important Batman villains are represented here, with the major exception being Catwoman.Another of my favorite characters, Man-Bat, is sadly not included.

The books opens with a glossy, colored reprint of Batman’s debut in Detective Comics, “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.” Emily and I discussed this story on a podcast episode, which can be found here. . A 1957 Batman-Superman team-up story, featuring the heroes taking on the team of Joker and Lex Luthor, is another of my favorite stories in the collection.

But the vast majority of the book is not colored, with that treatment reserved for a handful of short sections presenting comic book covers, as well as a few pages of story. As a child, I did not appreciate the black-and-white stories that are in this book, but over the years my appreciation for the artistic aspects of comic books has grown, and I am more able appreciate that aspect of the form.

As part of the Batman’s 75 anniversary year, a Year forBatman, I was very glad to have revisited this volume, and to have re-experienced these collection of interesting and influential stories from the characters first 30+ years.   

Source: the bookcase in the family room

November Readling List

49. Deadly Heat (ua), by "Richard Castle"
48. The Best of Simon & Kirby, by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby. Hardcover collection.
47. Garment of Shadows (ua), by Laurie R. King
46. Stand-Up Guy (ua), by Stuart Woods

Earlier in the year:
45. Christmas Mourning (ua), by Margaret Maron
44. The Equalizer (hc), by Michael Sloan
43. Severed Souls (ua), by Terry Goodkind
42. Doom's Day, Book #2: Sabotage (pb), by Pierce Askegren and Danny Fingeroth
40. & 41. Left Behind: The Kids, books 31 & 32, by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins, and Chris Fabry.
39. The Divine Hours: Prayers for (pb), compiled by Phyllis Tickle
38. The Martian (ua), by Andy Weir
37. Batman Unmasked (hc), by Will Brooker
36. Star Wars: Kenobi (ua), by John Jackson Miller
35. Faith of the Fallen (ua), by Terry Goodkind
34. Unintended Consequences (ua), by Stuart Woods
33. The Valley of Fear (ua), by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
32. Blood of Tyrants (ua), by Naomi Novik
31. Both / And (pb), by Rich Nathan and Insoo Kim
30. The Forgotten (ua), by David Baldacci
29.The Cat Who Robbed a Bank (ua), by Lillian Jackson Braun
28. Fairest, book 1: Wide Awake (gn), by Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges, and many artists
27. Ghost Train to New Orleans (pb), by Mur Lafferty
26. Hickory Dickory Dock (ua), by Agatha Christie
25. Saints Behaving Badly (hc), by Thomas J Craughwell
24. Justice League Dark, volumes 2 and 3, graphic novel collection. Written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Ray Fawkes, Mikek Janín, and others.
23. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (ua), by Steig Larsson
22. Identical (ua), by  Scott Turow
21. The Athena Project (ua), by Brad Thor
20. The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime (ua), edited by Phyllis Tickle
19. Billion Dollar Batman (ua), by Bruce Scivally
18. Wonder Woman: Iron (gn), by Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang and others
17. The Innocent (ua), by David Baldacci
16. Song of the Quarkbeast (ua), by Jasper Fforde
15. Uncle Scrooge: Only a Poor Old Man (gn), by Carl Banks
14. Doom's Day, Book #1: Rampage (pb), by Danny Fingeroth and Eric Fein
13. The Guild of the Cowry Catchers: Book 5 (ua), by Abigail Hilton
12. Aquaman: The Others (gn), by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado
11. Doing Hard Time (ua), by Stuart Woods
10. Star Wars: Scoundrels (ua), by Timothy Zahn
  9. Shadow Ops: Control Point (ua), by Myke Cole
  8. Little Black Sheep (Nook), by Ashley Cleveland
  7. The Last Dragonslayer (ua), by Jasper Fforde
  6. Before Watchmen: Comedian & Rorschach, by Brian Azzarello, J.G. Jones, and Le Bermejo
  5. Inferno Revealed (hc), by Deborah Parker and Mark Parker
  4. The Gearheart (ua), by Alex White
  3. The Great Fables Crossover (gn), by Bill Willingham, et. al.
  2. Silent Partner (pb), by Terrence King
  1. His Last Bow (ua), by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Review of Deadly Heat

Book #49. Deadly Heat, by "Richard Castle." Unabridged audio. 

I love what the producers of the TV show “Castle” have been doing. In every season of the TV show, the character Richard Castle has a new novel out, and during every summer, that novel is actually released.

As I have written before, in reviewing the prior three novels, that these novels are not adaptations of stories from the television series, but are “inspired” by events and characters that the character has faced on the show. It is a very interesting mix, and the author (whose actual identity is not widely known) does a fine job combining the light tone of the show and the serious mysteries that need to be solve.

Picking up where the prior book (reviewed here) left off, Deadly Heat continues Detective Heat’s search for justice for her mother’s murder. But a potential terrorist plot is complicating their efforts, especially since an ex-girlfriend of Rook is lead that branch of the investigation. Along the way, a serial killer is on the loose in New York City, and Nicki may be his next target. Add some incompetence (or maybe betrayal) in the police force, and this may be the toughest few weeks of her career.

For a novel featuring a pair of characters in a relationship, Rook & Heat do not spend a lot of time together in this book. And their relationship is one of the highlights of the series, so this lack definitely stood out. But the action plot and the character moments of the side characters make up for that lack.

I so miss the audio narration of Johnny Heller, who read the first four books in the series, but Robert Petkoff did a good enough job.

Source: public library