You may have heard that Robin died recently. That’s right; Batman’s sidekick, that “laughing daredevil,” the kid in the yellow cape and green boots — he kicked the bucket. But, don’t you believe it. You see, it’s a sham. Sort of.

The Robin that died in Batman, Incorporated No. 8 was the fourth Boy Wonder, or fifth technically, if you count the brief time that the Boy Wonder was a girl. Regardless, the deceased sidekick wasn’t the original Robin, Dick Grayson — it was in fact Batman’s son, Damian Wayne. Okay, that may need a bit of explaining. See, Dick grew up in the 1980s and took on the name “Nightwing” and since that time we’ve had a small parade of other kids take on the colorful mantle of Robin. The second of them, Jason Todd, proved so violently unpopular with readers that they voted through a 1-900 phone survey for DC Comics to kill him.

True story. Made national news.

So, after the third Robin, Tim Drake, and that girl, Stephanie Brown, along came Damian, created by uber-writer Grant Morrison more than six years ago now. The progeny of Bruce Wayne and Talia, daughter of one of Batman’s greatest enemies, Damian was grown in a test tube and deposited unceremoniously on Bruce’s doorstep. We were told that Morrison’s goal, from the beginning, was to wrap up the story with Damian’s death, and so he did. And, once again, Robin’s demise made national news.

How did this frankly weird fascination with killing Robins begin? One might look to a 1963 story called “Robin Dies at Dawn” for its odd origin. There had been other brushes with comic book death for the Dynamic Duo before that, of course, but that particular saga — a moody tale of Batman’s experiment with sensory deprivation — struck a sick chord with fans … including a young Grant Morrison. After that, a procession of stories and covers spotlighting a bruised, battered and at-death’s-door Boy Wonder has become something of a bizarre tradition among comic book cognoscenti.

In other words, don’t cry for Robin, Toledo — he was never supposed to be immortal. The Boy Wonder’s destined to die at dawn, again and again and again.

Tags: Batman, DC Comics, Jim Beard, Robin

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 at 1:48 pm and is filed under Comics, Star.
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If you’re a fan of a comics character with a new film heading into theaters, you just have to love the synergy that comes into play between comics and celluloid as the movie countdown begins. While the rest of the world reels in the throes of passion for “The Avengers,” DC Comics is working feverishly to insure their boy Batman is well-covered in print before “The Dark Knight Rises” hits screens in July. Night of the Owls, a multi-issue crossover between almost all of the Batman titles — 10 of them — spreads its wings to reinforce the Bat-brand in the hearts and minds of consumers.

“This is the first major league crossover that DC has attempted since the advent of the New 52, and it is particularly fitting that it should spread out among the Batman family as these tend to be tighter-knit than other books in the DC Universe,” said Ed Katschke of Monarch Cards & Comics. “The story follows the events of one tragic night in Gotham City as a secret cabal called the Court of Owls attempts to cement its control over the city by sending its undead assassins out to murder prominent citizens. The call to arms goes out to all Batman allies and they scramble across the city trying to save as many targets as they can. It’s a simple yet reliable plot point and one that successfully brings the many disparate segments of the Batman family together in a coherent and exciting way. The best thing of all? You don’t have to read all of the tie-ins to follow the main story — that’s being covered in Batman  — but you’ll miss a rare treat if you don’t check out at least a few of the myriad chapters.”

The crossover titles include Batman and Robin, Nightwing, Batwing, Catwoman, Batgirl, Birds of Prey and others. DC is also promoting the May 23 return of superstar writer Grant Morrison to the Batman stable with a new Batman, Incorporated No. 1 and is busy soliciting loads of “The Dark Knight Rises” busts, statues and other merchandise through its in-house collectibles brand DC Direct.

Tags: Batgirl, Batman, Batwing, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, Christopher Nolan, DC Comics, Jim Beard, Monarch Cards and Comics, Nightwing, Robin

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 11:01 am and is filed under Comics, Star.
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It was a revelation when it was first released two years ago. “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” the  best superhero game ever made at that point, told a tale of the Dark Knight as he attempted to quell a rebellion within the walls of Gotham’s infamous institution. Coupled with a great combat system, a slew of classic characters, secrets galore and genuinely gripping atmosphere, it was the Batman game people had waited years to play.

If there was one thing that could be held against “Asylum,” though, it would be that its setting was somewhat confined. Enter the sequel, “Arkham City.” Now, a massive chunk of Gotham — turned into a city-sized prison where the inmates are allowed to run wild — is the setting, giving the player an incredible amount of freedom to roam and explore.

The feeling that you are stepping into the Caped Crusader’s shoes is more powerful than ever.

The plot sees Batman traversing the city in an effort to learn the truth behind the institution’s existence, and why a madman like the villain Hugo Strange has been put in charge of it. There’s also an overriding sense of doom, aided by the returning Joker, who appears to be dying of a mysterious malady.

The original game’s excellent combat mechanics have been retained, as fights with a group of enemies flow with a grace of power and skill. Also back are all the trademark Bat-gadgets seen the first time, plus oodles more — if anything, the game may be a bit too overpopulated with gadgetry, as it’s a lot to keep up with, but man does it feel cool.

Once the main campaign is finished, “Arkham City” still provides oodles more to do. In addition to the original game’s Riddler challenges, greatly expanded in number, the game features a vast selection of side missions for a player to find.

These aren’t silly quests, either — these are full-fledged narratives featuring even more classic villains and tremendous set pieces. Players even get the chance to play as the infamous Catwoman. (Note: Unlocking Catwoman requires a pass code provided with new copies of the game.)

All told, “Batman: Arkham City” does everything a sequel to a successful game should do — it takes what was accomplished, polishes and expands it, and uses it to tell a compelling story. Fans of “Asylum” shouldn’t hesitate to snap this one up — and neither should fans of great games everywhere.

For a second opinion, I invited Toledo Free Press Star video game reviewer Michael Siebenaler to share his review:

“Batman: Arkham City,” the sequel to the 2009 video game “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” does not disappoint. It is an amazing one-player game experience with up to four profile saves. The Batman and Robin option cannot be too far away. Great additional elements include add-on content, leader boards and 3-D capability, but the real experience comes from the initial setup, characters and varied gameplay.

Players get a peek of Catwoman early in the story and then can play this counterpart character (using the included code), who basically gets a guest role in this installment. The villain encounters add nice touches, like an optional attack on the Penguin after beating his thugs. This delightful option is subtle, as developers avoided any visual cues or icons, which matches the intuitive experience. Some boss characters go down a bit too easily, but the overall challenge level is high.

Grapple, sneak, jump, eavesdrop and fly around the environments as each scenario presents different challenges and thrills. Sometimes the Dark Knight can fall off ledges from player missteps (a common gameplay frustration), but not at highly vital moments, like from the top of a tall building. The smooth enemy-to-enemy fighting lets players create smooth fisticuff sessions interrupted only when baddies get a lucky hit.

Batman gets a nice technology assist with the detective mode, which is available anytime but does not include the helpful navigation tools. This game series has now produced one of the few adapted properties where the extra materials (see the included catalog) actually enhance the experience instead of making players cringe with awkward commercialism where game developers just want more money.

Developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive, this game is available on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The “Batman: Arkham City Collectors Edition” includes bonus game content, art book, music soundtrack, bonus movie, special figure and more. The Nightwing Bundle Pack is available now while the Robin Bundle Pack releases Nov. 22, which is also the release date for the PC version. A Wii U version is also planned for 2012.

Tags: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Batman, Catwoman, Hugo Strange, Jeff McGinnis, Joker, Michael Siebenaler, Nightwing, PC, Penguin, PlayStation 3, Pop Goes the Culture, Riddler, Robin, Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive, Wii U, Xbox 360

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 12:47 pm and is filed under Pop Goes the Culture, Star, Video games.
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“Biff! Bang! Pow!”

Adam West

So read the screen as the Caped Crusader struck a blow for justice against an evil villain and his henchmen. For an entire generation of fans, those words and others would forever be connected to Batman, thanks to his wildly popular 1960s television incarnation.

The iconic television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward debuted in 1966. It ran a little more than two years before being canceled in March 1968. But the show would leave a lasting impression on the Batman character, as well as millions of fans — among them, a young Jim Beard.

“Come on, Robin, to the Batcave! There’s not a moment to lose!”

A writer and longtime comic fan, Beard was first introduced to the world of the Dark Knight through the classic show. Now, nearly 45 years after it first appeared, Beard aims to celebrate and analyze the series and its impact as contributing writer and editor of the new book, “Gotham City 14 Miles.”

“I wanted to do a book like this for a while,” Beard said. “I really wanted to do something, because in my mind there just haven’t been enough books about this show. Which I find funny — one of the most popular shows of all time, and there really has only been a small handful of books about it during the past 45 years.”

“Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed.”

Beard’s first steps toward making the project a reality came in February 2009, when he met the minds behind Sequart, a nonprofit publisher that produces books dedicated to promoting and analyzing comics as art.

“About two months later, I e-mailed them and I said, ‘Would you be willing to think about an idea for a book about the “Batman” TV series?’ And they said, ‘Pitch it to us’,” Beard said.

“Jim delivered a killer pitch for the book, one which showed great enthusiasm and a real mastery of the subject and its critical issues,” said Sequart publisher Julian Darius. “I was bowled over. I agreed the show was important and have always enjoyed it myself, but it’s often maligned. Jim really knew the show inside and out, and he had a great plan to explore the show both historically and critically.

“He’s also just a fantastic guy personally and very easy to work with, so this has been a real pleasure for us.”

Cesar Romero as Joker and Lee Meriwether as Catwoman.

Beard’s concept was to do something that celebrated the series, but he also knew the importance of approaching the show with a critical eye.

“They said in the beginning, ‘Jim, this cannot be a love-fest. It has to look at everything with a cold, hard eye.’ And I said, ‘Great!’ And as the essays started coming in, I was really thrilled. Because by the end, I thought we had this really balanced look. And that’s really what I wanted,” Beard said. “I wanted it to be very eclectic, like the show itself.”

“Holy priceless collection of Etruscan snoods, Batman!”

The book is made up of 14 essays — one for every mile from stately Wayne Manor to Gotham — analyzing the show from almost every possible angle. Beard set out most of the ideas for the essays himself, with input from his publishers. He then set out to find writers to fill each of the 14 assignments.

Beard’s search would lead him to attain contributions from many of the writers he wanted, and also from those he never dreamed he could get — like Chuck Dixon, famous writer of the “Batman” comics in the 1990s.

“I never thought I could get Chuck Dixon. He was suggested to me by somebody else, who couldn’t take part in it. They said, ‘How about Chuck Dixon?’ And I said, ‘Would Chuck Dixon do this?’ Chuck was just so open to it and just really thrilled about doing it.”

The book also features essays by comic and media luminaries like Paul Kupperberg, a former editor of DC comics; Robert Greenberger, writer and former editor of Comics Scene magazine; Will Murray, pulp fiction scholar and author of more than 50 novels; and Michael S. Miller, editor-in-chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star.

Miller wrote about the show’s famous theme music, which was composed by the late Neal Hefti. He interviewed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Hal Blaine, who played on the original track, and Hal Lifson, who has written books about 1960s pop culture and the “Batman” TV show.

“The theme from ‘Batman’ symbolizes the best of the 1966 TV show if you are a fan and the worst if you are not. It is simple  but memorable, lightweight but insistent, brief but immortal,” Miller said. “During the height of the show’s impact, artists as disparate as Mel Torme, Frank Zappa and The Who toyed with the music. Jim has done a great job guiding us through the process, from his original vision to the finished work.”

“Quick! To the Batmobile!”

Jim Beard and the Batmobile.

Beard’s wife Becky also contributed an essay, analyzing the actors who worked on the show. “While ‘Batman’ was arguably the high point in the careers of its stars Adam West and Burt Ward, the support players brought decades’ worth of experience to the series,” she said.

“During my research I was astounded by the magnitude of the talent utilized on the show, which included Vaudeville veterans and radio, film and TV pioneers. The series introduced these old-timers to a new generation of fans, reinvigorating their careers.”

Actors such as Vincent Price, Milton Berle, Otto Preminger and Eartha Kitt played villains on the show.

Mike Johnson, a technical whiz who Beard has known for more than 10 years, wrote an essay titled “Gotham City R&D.”

“It’s a look at the technology that Batman employed during the series and its impact on modern technology,” Johnson said.

“I would look at a specific gadget or technology, compare it to modern technology and decide if the show was ahead of its time when it came to its gadgets and devices.

“I was surprised at some of the conclusions I came to in the book. I certainly gained a greater respect for the TV show and its contribution to the character of Batman.”

“Precisely, Robin!”

Indeed, through the years, the show’s comical tone (Beard disputes use of the word “campy”) has led many fans to dismiss its importance to Batman lore — a tendency Beard addresses in his own essay.

“People tend to dispense with the show because they say, ‘That’s not really Batman.’ Well, I set out to say, ‘Here’s what Batman is, here’s what the Adam West Batman is — is it really Batman?’

Gotham City 14 Miles

“I knew for the essay to be taken seriously that I did need to kind of set my admiration and love for the show to the side, for the most part. And, it’s funny, there is actually some critical stuff in there,” Beard said. “After re-watching many, many episodes, there’s some things in there that kind of surprised me.”

It is an exciting time for Beard and his collaborators. Pre-orders for the book will be taken starting on Sept. 29 at comic shops everywhere. The book will officially be released in December. On the second weekend of October, Beard and eight of his essayists will appear at a panel about the book at the New York City Comic Con, along with Mark Waid — longtime comic writer and die-hard “Batman” series fan.

Beard’s ultimate hope is to restore to the sometimes celebrated, sometimes derided series the respect he feels it deserves.

“I don’t imagine that I’m going to convince anybody to love this show who doesn’t already love it. But what I’m hoping that some people will walk away with is that, yes, it does have a place in the character’s history, and yes, it does have a place in pop culture, and an important place.”

“Tune in tomorrow!

Same Bat-time!

Same Bat-channel!”

ON THE WEB:

facebook.com/gothamcity14miles

GOTHAM CITY 14 MILES

Table of Contents

• Mile Marker No. 1: “Bats in Their Belfries — The Proliferation of ‘Batmania’” by Robert Greenberger. Covers the genesis of the show and the explosion of Batmania.
• Mile Marker No. 2: “Batman — From Comics Page to TV Screen” by Peter Sanderson. Delves deep into “Batman’s” comic book roots.
• Mile Marker No. 3: “Such a Character — A Dissection and Examination of Two Sub-Species of Chiroptera homo sapiens” by Jim Beard.
• Mile Marker No. 4: “Notes on Bat-Camp” by Tim Callahan. An effort to answer that age-old question: “Was ‘Batman’ truly camp?”
• Mile Marker No. 5: “Aunt Harriet’s Film Decency League” by Becky Beard.
• Mile Marker No. 6: “POW! – Batman’s Visual Punch” by Bill Walko. Looks into the impact of the show’s vibrant visual design.
• Mile Marker No. 7: “Known Super-Criminals Still at Large” by Chuck Dixon. Compares and contrasts TV versions with comic book portrayals.
• Mile Marker No. 8: “May I Have This Batdance?” by Michael S. Miller.
• Mile Marker No. 9: “The Best Dressed Women in Gotham City” by Jennifer K. Stuller. Presents a compelling argument for its female denizens and their place in “Batman.”
• Mile Marker No. 10: “Holy Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor!” by Michael D Hamersky. Addresses the topic of youth culture as presented in “Batman.”
• Mile Marker No. 11: “Gotham City R&D” by Michael Johnson.
• Mile Marker No. 12: “Theatre of the Absurd – ‘Batman: The Movie, 1966’” by Rob Weiner. Rolls film on the 1966 feature film.
• Mile Marker No. 13: “Jumping the Bat-Shark” by William Patrick Murray. Delves into the third season of “Batman.”
• Mile Marker No. 14: “Some Days You Just Can’t Get Rid of a Bomb” by Paul Kupperberg. The legacy beyond its original broadcast.
• Afterword by Jeff Rovin, co-author of Adam West’s “Back to the Batcave,” offers a few personal anecdotes about the show and working with West.
• Episode Guide by Joe Berenato. A rundown of episodes, with airdates and fun facts.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in the Sept. 29 edition of the Toledo Free Press Star.

We also recommend:

Toledo shop to debut local authors’ Batman book by Jim Beard

May I have this Batdance by Michael Miller

Beard and Miller will be at Monarch Cards and Comics, 4400 Heatherdowns Blvd., from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 18 to answer questions and sign books.

Tags: Adam West, Batman, Becky Beard, Catwoman, Chuck Dixon, Hal Blaine, Hal Lifson, Jeff McGinnis, Jim Beard, Michael S. Miller, Mike Johnson, Paul Kupperberg, Pop Goes the Culture, Robert Greenberger, Robin, The Joker, Will Murray

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 16th, 2010 at 11:59 pm and is filed under Books, Comics, Film, Star.
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