What would Batman have become without exposure to super-powered heroes? Or villains? Who would The Batman be today? Would we recognize him?
I agree with Brian Azzarello when he says that he ‘never bought into the idea that Batman would be in the Justice League of America.’ Even before Wolverine – today’s iconic rough-and-tumble loner – ever posed and growled his way onto a team, The Dark Knight wasn’t mixing well with others. Pull Batman and Bruce Wayne out of the JLA and away from ever interacting with Clark Kent, and what would we be left with?
Azzarello is the lead man on DC Comics’ First Wave, “a combination of two sturdy adventure concepts: classic pulp icons … and hardboiled superheroes…” Sounds right up a pulp, S&S guy’s alley. Dark alley
Impressive analysis of the mind of iconic characters -- be they dark or darker yet. While this is a study of the Batman and his motivations, it is also an acknowledgment and acceptance of his counterparts. Without them, there is no he. It could equally be argued that without ‘he’ there is no ‘them’ either.
First aired in 2008, I accidentally found it late one night last week. While nothing that I did not know or could not surmise was presented, the way the analysis was assembled and delivered is compellingly entertaining and illuminating. Combining actual psychological concepts and thoughts with those of creators, writers, actors, directors of the Batman was fascinating. I’d love to see an entire series of such shows, compiling a collection of dozens of the larger-than-life characters many have come to idealize, idolize, and love.
Granted there would be repetition of content such as motivations and psychoses, even origins and conflicts. Yet combining the audio, video, and paper media life of each character with the thoughts of those who’ve written, played, studied, directed, colored, lived them and the observations of some top analytical minds appeals greatly to me. Imagine the unmasking of:
I’ve been picking up copies of Marvel’s The Savage Sword of Conan over the last year, reading them as I have the time. It’s been fun, as I never read these let alone knew of their existence for the first half of their publication run (I was a toddler at the onset and never grew into much of a comic book kid - what can I say?). I’ve read quite a number (for me) of graphic novels/comics these past two years and I’ve grown a bit spoiled with today’s graphic art. So there are times I cringe upon turning a page in these older comics, but I am aware of my prejudice and try to ignore it. Story-wise, these classic comics have yet to disappoint. I’m finding much to enjoy in the accumulation of graphical storytelling and finding my time allows me to get much more from them than many of the longer reading material I’ve found (forced?) time to read this year. A well-rendered picture can deliver so much of a story, I find myself often simply staring at a beautiful full-page spread, studying it and absorbing its tale.
As for Conan, I started picking up the old comics out of curiosity and a desire, quite honestly, to find terrific frameable b&w art. I began by purchasing the issues that include 2 or 3 full page sketches in the back, and I’ve since moved on to buying those with great covers and more than one REH character in them. I have not moved on to the Dark Horse Comics versions yet, but more than likely someday will.
Anyway, just thought I’d share with y’all what for me is pretty much a new discovery. I do recommend all sword & sorcery fans take a gander at these – reading these has influenced my own writing and I freely admit to taking what inspiration I can from them. There’s nothing quite like jump-starting a story idea from staring at an exciting piece of black and white art. Or getting focus for the next piece of interior art I commission for an RBE book.
Heroic Fiction Ring
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