Monthly Haul: March Musings

It's all starting to become a little bit expensive this month.

I'd started to notice last month that the price of Batman back issues especially 'Key Books' had started to rise. At first I though it was the result of the upcoming 'The Dark Knight Rises' affecting the market.

Of course, it certainly has helped the value of Vengeance of Bane #1. But the real culprit is the highly addictive, and really good video game, 'Batman: Arkham City'.

Yes, I bought it this month. And spent way too much time playing the blasted thing. So it's good. In a 'I've-lost-three-hours-looking-for-riddles' kind of way. To hell with it, I was hooked.

I reckon, and this may be fleshed out with a bit of research, that since 'Arkham Asylum' game was released there was a slow rise in prices of all the those key books that have been referenced in that game. And I think this has happened again since the release of 'Arkham City'.

It's a theory at the minute, but I'm reliably told that the 'Arkham City' toys/figurines (especially Catwoman and Poison Ivy) have been unbelievably great sellers by those who sell them. And logic dictates that when something becomes collectable, the source material value also rises.

Now, how did this affect me this month?

Well, I managed to pick up three #360-ish 'Batman' books on eBay and had to pay over £5 for each of them. Usually, there are a few bidders for these books, but the aggressiveness of the bidding was truly astounding. It got so cut-throat that more than one sniper was present at the end of each auction.

Best expample was a NM Batman #366 (1st Jason Todd as Robin) which finished at £13 after 29 bids! This was proper mental for a UK auction. Once it went past £10, I decided to pick it up Near Mint from a proper dealer for less than a tenner included the p+p, while it stinks of panic buying (and believe me, the British went panic buying in spectacular manner over the potential Petrol Tanker Strike this month), I have this horrible feeling that this might turn out to be a shrewd purchase. And a clever investment, should I ever be interested in that part of the hobby.

Oh, and while I am on a Key Book rant... and after last months bemused statement about what the hell is so important about Detective Comics #871, I was able to get a copy (thanks to an eBay 'Second Chance'- the original buyer bottled the purchase!). It is said that this will be a modern key due simply due to this being the first written work on Batman by Scott Snyder.

I'd heard that this Snyder character was getting a strong fanboy following (there was a ridiculous forum on CBR wondering if this guy was going to be the next Alan Moore. No pressure then...), now I've since read the entire 'Tec run. And I haven't made up my mind whether it is as great as people believe it is. I'll have to cogitate that one, I think.

Fortunately to off-set this Key-Book Bubble nonsense I have been able to pick up one copy of Harley Quinn and several Nightwing issues for a snip. Maybe I'll concentrate on the periphery titles until all the furory over the film and game dies down.

However...

I wonder...

Already hinted in 'Batman: Arkham City' there is a suggestion that follow-up will heavily feature Hush and The Ventriloquist (as in the Albert Wesker incarnation). Both characters debuts are relatively recent, neither are considered 'rare' but I have a feeling the value of these books will start to rise, as of this moment.

Just watch, and blame the The Batman Quest, for starting the panic buying.

Holy First Appearances!!!

With the new Dark Knight film causing many fanboys to froth their pants about Bane. I think that its time we had a new Holy First Appearance! And invoking my personal favourite comment about the latest Dark Knight Rises image on the web. Inspired genius Gotham Spoilers, inspired genius...

So Vengeance of Bane #1

Bane probably was created by (and this comes from the sometimes dodgy Wikipedia) by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench and the Graham Nolan. Bane was a character dreamt up to actually do something important.

Like Breaking The Bat important.

This was way before Batman became R.I.P, in 1993, the 'Knightfall' plans were afoot to break Batman's back. This would then cause Bruce Wayne to surrender the mantle to another new, unknown character, Jean-Paul Valley, Azrael.

For a while before 'Knightfall' the key Batman writers were slowly putting the foundations down in slow measured ways. The nasty drug Venom (imagine super-strength Anabolic Steroids combined with the addictiveness of Heroin) was introduced into the official canon in a 'Legends of the Dark Knight' story arc called, unsurprisingly, 'Venom'.

Elsewhere, Azrael was unleashed in a four parter by Denny O'Neill and Joe Quesada (that's some creative parentage isn't it?).

But obviously to complete a storyline that is this important you need a proper villain. One that isn't obsessed with riddles, bodycounts, fear or split personalities. A villain that plays the strings and comes into to do a job effectively and efficiently. And that job is simple, if you want to be the Kingpin of Gotham- to rule Gotham- you must break the Bat. And that is where the brilliance of Vengeance of Bane part I works, we get a fully developed character that in 64 pages.

As for Bane's début storyline introduction, this is his life story as to how Bane has become the man he has. A man raised in a Santa Priscan (a fictitious Latin American right wing dictatorship country) prison because he is to serve the sentence of the crimes of his father. Bane shows cunning and toughness. He gets respect through his brutality. He is then is experimented upon so that he becomes hooked on the drug of Venom.

Also there is a small in-joke at play. An Easter egg, if you will, Bane's henchmen are also introduced: Bird, Trogg, and Zombie. So what you do now, is go to Play.com or Amazon and put a search into their music department these names and experience the world of New York Punk (and here is you're opportunity to learn about the subtleties of the New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols). Legend has it that these were the favourite bands of Grant, Moench and Dixon.

One defining characteristic of Bane is his Mexican wrestling mask. This mask serves less of the need to hide Banes true identity. Nope, it's an efficient way of taking Venom. This drug makes Bane stronger and nastier. Of course, this will become his undoing... but, that's another story. If I'm really reaching I'd argue that the appearance of pro wrestler, Van Vader in the old WCW had an influence in the way that a Mexican masked wrestler could be a giant, nasty rotter as opposed to the traditional lucha-libre high flyer. Coupled to that, I suppose you could argue that pro wrestling is also referenced in this story was released just as the Zahorian/WWF in which steroids and wrestling would be forever linked (and the tragic link between Jeep Swanson and Bane in 'Batman and Robin', could illustrate this point, sadly). However, I would state that the use of the Venom, was more of a statement by the creators about the illicit drug trade, and it's influence upon the criminal underworld at the time. You see, Bane is the inevitable outcome of a government backed narcostate. This is a common theme of Chuck Dixon's work throughout the early nineties whether it be in his Batman or Punisher work.

If I'm honest, it is the Vengeance of Bane Part 2 that pops up a few years after that truly really makes the character whole. Dixon makes Bane a reformed drug addict, but has the refined the way that he operates. Less use of muscle (because Venom, is no longer needed- thus quite a lot of Cold Turkey here), and more brains. Crucially, though he is still a man of haunted by his abusive upbringing, and he has a proper purposefulness to his life. Even then, you can't like him, he's still a bastard.

As a fan of Batman though these titanic events of 'Knightfall' are fascinating. The execution of this storyline is excellent. For me, though, it was the completion of the trilogy 'KnightsEnd', and the psychological breakdown of Az-Bats that hooked me as a fan. But hey-ho.

With the new film on the horizon, and Bane being a crucial component in it, it appears that the Moench/Dixon/Grant era of Batman is finally getting the mainstream recognition that I feel has been long overdue.

Holy First Appearances!!!

If you're going to introduce a new villain into a canon, where there is a load of classic villains you'd better go all out. You'd better say something a bit different... and you'd better be arrogant to make the characters first appearance a background story, to make Batman readers sit up and think: okay, bring it. Thank Darkseid that it was Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake who not only brought it, but kicked ass and took names doing it.

Doug Moench makes the Black Mask alter ego Roman Sionis as pretty messed up geezer to start with, made worse by a serious of unfortunate incidents. This is a villain that has decided that his true face is best to be hidden. There is no duality at play with this Batman villain. Duality has been rejected, by permanently affixing a mask onto his face he personifies Black Mask consigning to history Roman Sionis. This is a glorified rejection of all that is good, normal and nice. Also, he has a serious personal grudge against Bruce Wayne (which is a nice change to the villain having a grudge against the Batman) thus therefore bringing interaction to the Dark Knight.

After the 'Crisis' re-set button was pushed in 1986, Black Mask dropped from view and developed from what Moench had originally created into something that the Batman universe was crying out for: a crime lord. Black Mask evolved, or more accurately changed, from an unstable, hammy horror villain into the archetypal gangster that Gotham City probably ought to have almost overnight. Still a bit loony, this new Black Mask-gangster incarnation would expects his followers to also wear masks, to ensure their loyalty and respect. By the 2000's it's fair to say that the Black Mask has been fully developed into a dangerous, manipulative gangster by Batman's key writers, if you need a benchmark storyline I'd suggest the War Games saga, where he is an integral player and a proper bastard.

As a result, Black Mask is very much a top line villain, and deserves it's place on this list. Sadly, somewhere along the way he was killed off, and a Black Mask II was developed. This second incarnation was clumsily introduced after 'RIP', and will probably be thrown into the fireplace of The New 52.

When I read Batman #386 the first time (about a year ago) it became clear to me that this character's origin was too good to be totally ret-conned and forgotten about. The deviantly perverse thought of fixing masks to victims was to be latterly mined by Grant Morrison, of all people. Want proof? Read this issue and the read Professor Pyg's introduction in Batman & Robin #1. There is a genuine nastiness of gluing a mask to a persons face, and this was obviously recognised by Morrison.

Holy First Appearances!!!

Batman #635- The first appearance of one of my favourite villains in Batman, that has appeared in the last few years, The Red Hood.

Of course the term 'Red Hood' has a history in Batman. For example the most famous use of the identity, according to Alan Moore's 'Killing Joke', was that under the scarlet helmet was the man who became the Joker. I'm sure that there will be other 'Red Hood' identities throughout the Batman titles, it's just I haven't seem them yet. It's just that this Red Hood looked permanent.

It was the unveiling of this 'Red Hood' which was brilliantly done. After a lot of teasing, and tweening, the man under the mask turned out to be a re-incarnated Jason Todd! I was truly surprised when I read this bombshell in the collected Trade Paperback two years ago. Seems that you can be blown up and return from the Dead. Only in comics...

There are many reasons why I liked the presentation of the new Red Hood. And the main one was that this was a fully developed, well thought through characterisation of Jason Todd. Here is a character that has a highly skilled method behind his madness, as all good villains must have. Crucially, though, it is the foundations of Jason Todd's rebellious, careless (Jim Starlin's work on Todd in the 1980's was particularly strong) Robin that are fully built upon. There is a logical purpose, that Jason Todd, as The Red Hood, now lives by.

Here is a villain that Batman cannot like. The Red Hood is a crazed homicidal maniac in The Punisher mould (and The Red Hood is not even presented as a full-on villain, until later story arcs). However, because of the personal history between the characters there is a sense of responsibility that shines through their subsequent meetings, which adds a complexity to the straight-forward-Batman-gets-the-badguy story.

Welcome back Jason Todd, the Batman universe is a better place for you being back in it.

Holy First Appearances!!!

Batman #417, the first appearance of the KGBeast.

Published way back in 1988, while the 'Evil Empire' of the Soviet Union was starting to implode into several states, the writers of Batman decided to ignore this historic event. They had a better idea: Create a villain that is a die-hard communist villain that is hell-bent on killing the President of the USA! Such a nasty piece of work has now become a key book in the Batman folklore. Comrades, I give you the KGBeast!

The presentation of this hardcore character, is still a bit baffling for me as you will note from the cover from a few issues later. While The KGBeast is definitely a formidable, super hard bastard (he cuts his own hand off at one point to get away from the Bat!) and very well trained, it is the politics that makes for the interesting subtext in his 'Ten Nights of the Beast' debut (which I'll probably come revisit at a later date).

However, there is a little bit of (what're the words, ahem) sexually deviant involved with the costume that doesn't quite fit well with the doctrine of Marx and Engels.

Holy First Appearances!!!

Shadow of the Bat #1- Victor Zsasz as created by Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle (yes, another one). This one is definitely inspired by Hannibal Lector, amongst other knife-wielding, self-mutilating lunatics.

Gotham City produces quite a few mass murderers, quite a few serial killers. However, when a villain débuts imprisoned in a metal coffin surrounded by a metal cage then we must accept that Grant and Breyfogle have bred an even more dangerous breed of cat. True, we don't fully see him until a later issue, but we don't need too. In a clean and wonderfully lit Arkham Asylum, Zsasz is able to exude nastiness, arrogance and superiority over those that try to cure him. Also, he is incredibly dangerous!

Unlike Amygdala who was featured earlier this week, Zsasz has crossed over into Batman world beyond the comic and I think that's usually the sign that a Batman villain needs to do to become Premier League. This villain makes it onto Batman Begins (not as a the crazed serial killer, but as sadistic mob muscle) and all of the scars were there for all to see. He also appears as a villain in the totally awesome video game Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Holy First Appearance!!!

This one is a second version of The Ventriloquist: Peyton Riley in Detective Comics #827

When I re-discovered the Batman books (after I was scared off them by B&R), it was Paul Dini's Detective run that made me think, hey, this stuff is still pretty special. 'Tec 827 debuts the second incarnation of Wagner, Grant & Breyfogles' original Ventriloquist Arnold Wesker (at present I haven't read or figured out what happened to Wesker).

Usually when a re-invention of a popular character is presented it is inevitable that there will be outcry by hardcore fans. Therefore, I'm sure that there was a lot of heat when Dini re-invented Scarface's other half. However, I'm also sure that this outcry was replaced with begrudging respect when Detective Comics 831 was released.

It was here that Dini used his own premier league villain creation, Harley Quinn to exact Gotham-style vengeance over the new Ventriloquist over the heathen crime of stealing another villains gimmick. And in Gotham, that is a crime of no equal. Dini, here, acknowledges that the Wesker incarnation is as important and of equal importance as Harley, but as the concept is first rate it must be allowed to continue.

Paul Dini, through this classy nod to Albert Wesker (and his creators), allows me to accept that a reboot isn't really a bad thing. As long as it is done right.

Holy First Appearance!!!

Shadow of the Bat #3, debut of Amygdala.

Another Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle creation- and they're responsible for an awful lot of villains. Amydala is a character that starts out as a throwaway thug with a serious anger management problem. Imagine Happy Gilmore with alopecia and jacked up to teeth on steroids!

This villain in truly developed by Chuck Dixon in his Nightwing ongoing, which is my new favourite comic series. A fine entrance as he kicks seven shades of crap out of the Caped Crusader. Good Stuff!

Holy First Appearance, Batman!!!

The oldest and one of my pride and joys in the comic collection so far: Batman 181. The first appearance of Poison Ivy. It's amazing how the character that appeared in this book evolved into a totally different animal, or maybe plant-based-lifeform, in less than thirty years.

Holy First Appearances, Batman!!!

Didn't take me long to go Burt Ward, on this blog... But as these are key first appearances I hope you'll let me off!

Here we've got Batman 232, the first appearance of Ra's Al Ghul, and Detective Comics 411, first appearance of Talia Al Ghul.