Easter Eggs... Imported from Dundee

There are in-jokes that everyone goes 'aaaaaa'.

Then there are in-jokes that need a bit of explaining.

Alan Grant was into his last year of his great Batman run... The entire Gotham universe needs shaking up before the millenium. Let's have a bit of fun. Time for an Easter Egg, people!

So here was the forth page of Shadow of the Bat #73, panel one. Bats is talking to Oracle about the dangers of a wanted man. To illustrate the danger of this bloke, we get a graphic of Billy Wildman. However it's his 'Known Associates' we want to discuss...

American fans probably won't have got this, although I'm sure when they saw it the first time they must've felt something was afoot. This is a very British (and more accurately Scottish) comic in-joke. So allow me to explain it with this...

The three Known Associates are the grown-up Wilfred, Fatty and Plug of The Bash Street Kids fame.  

So this is what happens when you continue a path of mischief, you move to Gotham and end up on Batman's shitlist!

As all British comic fans ought to know The Bash Street Kids are iconic characters in British comics that appear in Dundee-based D.C. Thomson & Co's 'The Beano' comic.

Since I noted this in-joke, it has filled me with a wave of nostalgia. What introduced me to comics was that when I was about five years old my mum would buy me weekly copies of The Beano, in order to shut me up, I think. And to say that 'The Beano' has left a lasting impression over 25 years later is an understatement (I still can't believe I kept those Library editions for over twenty years in the attic!).... The Beano probably is the first reason I can think of as to why I read and adore comics as a medium. Seriously, I'm not alone in this nostalgia, for a lot of Brits from my generation and those older, the characters of The Beano are as important and closely loved than Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny is to American fans.

As to why this appears in Shadow of the Bat (and this time it's not just because it's another Scottish reference) is simply this... Alan Grant (along with Pat Mills and John Wagner) cut his comic creating teeth working at D.C. Thomson!

The Dark Knight Strikes Again

I was well away from comic book news and outlets at the time, but I heard the news: Frank Miller was going to release a sequel to one of the definitive comic book stories of all time. A sequel to one of my favourite stories (and you can add that I loved it as much as ANY story in ANY media). Yessir, Frank Miller was going to follow up The Dark Knight Returns. And I was excited.

Fortunately, I was well away from fanboy forums, comic shops so when I bought a Trade paperback in 2003 from Waterstones in Aberystwyth. I was able to read it without any influences upon my opinion. I was expecting more super intense story-telling, glorious plot points. I was expecting another game changer of a book. I was expecting the second coming...

Of course, I was gloriously disappointed.

I got something that I wasn't expecting, something that I actually started to hate.

A lot.

That book got lost three years later in a house fire in Bristol, and it took another five years (and a lot more comic reading) to summon the bravery to have another go at it. I tracked down the three issues on the Bay and paid next to nothing for them. And after the second reading, I started to Get It.

So what's to Get? Spoilers exist from here on in...

The first thing you have to understand about DKSA is that this is a totally different Frank Miller that wrote DKR. As an artist and writer he'd simply moved away from the superhero comics he'd influenced during the eighties. Sin City was finished and in this crime-noir baby, his art and storytelling evolved into what we have in DKSA. There were also all manner of 'dream-team' combinations with other comic heavyweights (the Martha Washington series with Dave Gibbons, Spawn with Todd McFarlane, and my personal favourite, the one that no-one talks about: Robocop versus Terminator with Walter Simonson), these also affected Millers storytelling in DKSA. Basically, Miller experimented a lot to get to where he did by the point he wrote DKSA, and I now understand that he must have decided that the super intense, frame heavy pages were now no longer needed, as he'd done it; and he must've wanted to do something different. Because creative people need to move forward, therefore the sequel to DKR needed to be different.

The other major thing about DKSA is that Miller is not necessarily trying to create a classic, he's actually trying to make a commentary on the comic business all the while including politics and social commentary. He's also doing this a lot more blatantly than he had done in DKR. Yes, the Frank Miller Goddamn Batman is there, but it is a work that is definately more preachy and sure of itself. Miller continues this trail of thought in other creative endeavours around the time (DKSA follows '300' and precedes 'Holy Terror', for you continuity junkies out there).

Influences on this book are subtle. But they are there. Miller is aware that the Dark Age, as Grant Morrison calls it, that he helped usher in is slowly coming to an end, and maybe that is why he attempts a Team Book. Therefore, Grant Morrison's JLA run is definitely an influence here, and I also sense a touch of city-destroying, we're-obliged-to-save-everyone-regardless-if-they-want-saving-or-not-Authority.

Artistically, I see a lot of Simon Bisley influence on the art. Miller makes some panels intentionally messy, chaotic and anarchic in places. There's a direct reference to Manga (remember manga was supposed to lay seige to the American comic book market at the turn of the century!). There are cool references to The Great Wave off Kanagawa during the Sexual Acts of God Superman/Wonder Woman scene. This, in itself, is proof that Miller is still thinking about what he is drawing and why he's drawing his pictures. Hell, to give me my monies worth, and make me grin cheesily, he even references himself, redoing a splash from Sin City: instead of a car knocking over the bad guys we get a Bat-Plane!

What really impresses me about this work, and this has been noticed by others is the social media contexts, questions and that Miller raises. The Superchix thing is all about celebrity without being much else other than being a celebrity. He successfully parodies all superflous reality TV shows where beautiful, un-original people throw tantrums for no reason... There loads of numerous internet and blogger references (although, Miller isn't entirely certain what to make of them). The political rants that are featured in DKSA, are less political debates (which are seen to be more developed in the original DKR, even if a bit one-sided) but are featured as a series of very SHOUTY sound-bites. There are plenty of in-jokes, and these only really exist simply to be picked up by sad bastards like me: I mean, have you actually been to www.scifigeeknews.com (and please don't click there on my account, as no one owns this domain)? In fairness, I feel Miller had more fun writing this than he did the original. That's probably why it couldn't be anywhere as near as intense as DKR.

And I'm not even commenting upon the satire of an American President being just a computer generated sprite yet be considered a true American.  Lets face it, this is cool concept, and a scathing attack on modern day politics.

Of course, this is still a sequel, and sequels often retread some of the same things. Done differently, and in DKSA's case better. The Bats/Supes rematch is better executed than the first fight. The 'talking heads' stuff that dominates much of DKR, returns, but has a lesser significance. Again, the story's flow is better for it. When the super-intense storyboard layouts make an appearence, they actually have bigger significance (hell, that's what should happen). I'll also argues that the splash pages in DKSA are much cooler that the splash pages than DKR- true, there are a shedload more of them! The scope of DKSA's plot is also way bigger than just Batman and Gotham, and Miller should be applauded for his ambition.

It's still Millers' Batman, the Dark Knight, which is the main draw though. Miller revisits the Batman mythos, with a nod to Zorro. And it is done in a startlingly fresh, yet chilling way. Yes this is a grimmer Batman (even grimmer than Miller's original Dark Knight), but it's not yet a superhero that abducts children in order to keep them in a cave without food...

Erm...


Everyone that has read this book, knows that DKSA is a divisive piece of work. More than most think of it as an incoherent, self-indulgent mess, but there are people like me that now appreciate it as an failed masterpiece. Regardless of the merits of the work, DKSA is not DK2, it's no where near as immersive and intense as DKR, and I think that this is the core of all the books criticism. Truly, for everyone, DKSA should be read as a stand alone work to be liked. Trouble is because of the importance of The Dark Knight Returns, which is standard issue on every comic book shelf, it cannot be.

To bottom-line this blog. I'd like to make a point, that appears to be lost amongst the comicarrati. Frank Miller, one of the most visionary, revolutionary comic creators, is now lost to the Hollywood machine. Its happened slowly over twenty years and that is a great loss to the hobby. As a result, every and any piece of Frank Miller work is now equally important. From Daredevil to DKR to the Dark Horse collaboratives to Sin City, we-as readers- have witnessed Millers' progression as a writer and an artist. And frankly, we should be thankful for the experience.

And it's always been a privilege for me to read his stuff.

I, for one, miss him. I selfishly want to see him producing more comic work. I know it isn't going to happen too often now, so I'll take DKSA for being simply a Frank Miller book. Dark Knight Strikes Again might be an extreme example of Miller's glorious creator independence (And he'll do anything with the Batman he goddamn pleases) but it does deserve a place on my shelf now.

At present, I don't hate it like I used too....

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.

Completed Series: Batman: The Dark Knight

This was a series that was supposed to be an ongoing new title released in late 2010. It got through to Issue 5 (before the New-52, kicked in and restarted the title), by Summer 2011. The title showed me a lot of promise, it was, what is rare in modern comic books, a sole creators take on a one of the main comic book characters in the business. And to underline the point, the title, 'The Dark Knight', invoked that it was building upon the legacy of the movie, of Frank Miller's DKR, and picking up where the the old anthology title 'Legends of the Dark Knight'.

Basically, guys when I ordered this first issue from my comic book shop, I was expecting a quality experience, sadly I got a strange experience.

Shall we get the bad points of this series out of the way first...

The biggest and most frustrating thing about this run, and this was compounded by the lateness of the books (which I can only assume, occurred when Finch found out that the New-52 was on it's way, therefore making the bigger stor arc unfinished) is that it is very incomplete. There is a longer narrative at play here. The story is going somewhere and that it feels that it may take a long time getting there. While the first five issues finish an arc, there are a lot of plot points that needed to be completed. And this is, for a completest, really frustrating. I know that this isn't really Finch's fault, and for all I know he is finishing it in the New-52 title (although, away from the Batman Incorporated back-drop), it just annoyed me, that's all.

The second problem I had with this title, and this was a major thing I had when reading other Batman work of the same era, is the dour and hopelessness of it all. Batman, staggers from one death to another. People get maimed, killed and manipulated, and Batman- a hero, which I think is best used as preventing all of the above, cannot do anything to stop it. After going through the five issue debut story, I was thoroughly depressed. And if I am being overly critical, there is an element of a greatest hits compilation of previous Batman stories, but I suppose this is also a strength which I will be discussed about later on...

As for the criticism that this book is too light on substance, and too over the top. With way too much grandstanding, well remember guys what I am reading here is a comic book. Maybe this is the teenage boy in me, but I am not expecting Asterios Polyp, From Hell or Love and Rockets here, should I want an uncomplicated superhero comic, this'll do. Maybe that's what Finch was planning?

There are two cool things about the title and these are David Finch himself.

The writing is promising, he sets up the various long-term storyline (An over ambitious cop, threatening Jim Gordon's status in GCPD. Why would somebody be paid to steal the Batmobile? Where's street-based venom coming from?), as I'm frustrated by the titles end may be interpreted by my curiosity as to how the minor plot points being untied. The story is told very simply, and to be honest that's a good thing. Finch's Batman has a distinct voice, the use of Bruce Waynes internal dialogue when reminiscing about his younger life before his parents murder is excellent. Finch, by and large nails it and any new reader to Batman would easily understand what is going on.

And the art! I'm one of those rare breed of fans that don't really prefer one style over another. Being brought up on 2000AD where you'd get Arthur Ranson photo-realism one minute, Anthony Williams cartoony-zaniness the next, and then Simon Bisley spray-painting anarchy the next... I say this, because some of the reviews I've seen about the individual issues were scathing about Finch's 'Image-Art'. I'm used to appreciating any artists endeavour, as long as it works with the narrative, I'm pretty cool about it any style. For me, Finch's style of work is awesome, especially in his characterization of the classic characters, and backs this all up with a Gotham City he is trying to create. He's totally excellent at making Batman broody in a rainstorm.

As an introduction to other villains, new readers will realise Penguin, is unbelievable horrible to see. And that is a good thing. Killer Croc is mean, nasty, monstrous bastard, and that is a good thing too. Finch draws Ragman and The Demon, whom appear in later issues are also brilliantly done (and the moment where a demon exits through the Ragman's mouth is up there with my favourite bits of the book). Yes, there is a bit of self indulgence by David Finch, and there is an element of 'look what I can draw', but it's his book, and I suppose he can do what he likes.

And this was why I was finding the book strange...

Batman: The Dark Knight probably was frankly, aimed at the wrong part of the comic audience and suffers terribly for it. This should have been an Ultimate Marvel-style title, a great introduction for new (and definately, younger readers). It should've been presented well away from then-main Batman/DCU continuity, where Finch wouldn't have to include elements of the Batman Incorporated thing, I think the story would have been better for it. Crucially, though, it ought to have been aimed squarely at a new, younger audience. An audience that wasn't going to look at it and pick flaws in it, and find the other best bits of other Batman books (by that I mean, the use of re-introduction of superdrug Venom, Demonic possessions, ambitious public officials, and young brats stealing bits of Batman's car etc, etc) as tributes. An audience that wasn't likely to complain that Image-Art is sooo last century. An audience who would think that this was 'fresh'.

If DC had been boldly inclined, they could have used this title as a way to get a younger audience onto the character. Perhaps even use this title as the core book instead of the cartoony 'Batman and Robin Adventures' entry level books. Hell, the way the book serialisation is episodically structure (with one more character being introduced every issue) would be great for a younger audience. And the art would make younger readers think 'wow', just like I did when I first saw Bisley's 'Judgement on Gotham'.

True, the general tone of the book would have to be made more optimistic (although the tone for all the Bat-Book in 2012 were downright horrible). Yes, Batman would have saved the gal, all arm breaking sequences would have to be removed. Yes, more emphasis on hero, less on thuglike behaviour. In short, I just think that most impressionable teens would love this book solely for the art, all the while slowly get an education about Gotham City without having to look at Wikipeadia every five minutes. But hey, I'm not a DCU editor, I'm a collector.

For me, as a guy who will probably read more Batman that most human beings, this is simply okay. It's just that 'The Dark Knight' wasn't written for me. I mean it was supposed to be, but it shouldn't have been. Which is a damn, damn, shame.

Rehab is for Quitters

Well, being pure and be-having didn't really work. Well, I tried. I really did.

Then I started to notice things on Ebay that were screaming at me to be bought.

And I kicked out of the cold turkey into buying a long run of Batgirls, Nightwings and then promptly started to (and this is my biggest problem, trying not to start another run) pick up all but a few issues of Garth Ennis' Hellblazer run.

By and large the biggest thing I have noticed this month is the serious uptake in prices of the key Batman titles. Seriously, I was watching a CGC 9.8 Vengeance of Bane #1 (for educational purposes, you understand) sell for £140! One of the reasons I thought the Batman quest was do-able was that unlike the Marvel titles (where there are key books scattered throughout their titles numbers, that command serious coin), Batman and the other DC hero titles generally do not provoke this kind of premium, even in key books. Therefore, I thought, it will be cheaper for me to complete this collection.

I know that there is a price link between a comic book hero and its upcoming, related movie franchise that causes speculative prices of key books to jump through the roof. But, I cannot believe how much more expensive some later Batman books have become in less than six months.

Somebody ought to start a rumour that Azrael is secret addition to The Dark Knight Rises cast, and watch what happens to that Sword of Azrael #1 book value!

Yeah, this could be interpreted as a rant of fan, that is a little bit aggrieved that a lot of other people are jumping on his hobby bandwagon. But I am genuinely curious to see what happens when this Batman comic market bubble rises, and inevitably pops.

Oh and while I am ranting. What the Hell is so important about Detective Comics 871!!!?? Did I miss the CBR posting that announced that this book was bound by staples made of platinum...

Final Tally this month: About sixty books (and thank God, for Travelling Man's bargainous 50p back issue boxes for picking up the less fashionable series).

And I am not proud of myself.

Monthly Haul:

To be honest the entire cunning plan to collect every single Batman title hit a brick wall during this month. And this is all down to one simple factor, moving house.

When you have to deal with Estate Agents, Solicitors and Surveyors (and the rest of the fuckers that think you're a human cash machine), there is little cash left in the pot to buy comic books.

Well, that would be the normal response to dealing with the above situation, especially if you were a responsible person. So, I got to the last week of January by only buying two books: 'Tec 871 and Batman 399 and then I got that tingle back.

That tingle (and other collectors must know that feeling too) that says: I NEED TO HUNT DOWN MORE.

And to accomplish this I had to visit Warrington's ever expanding Millenium Comics and promptly became ridiculously irresponsible.

Less than 30 minutes later I was walking back to my car with two crappy plastic bags full of Legends of the Dark Knight Annuals, a shedload of 'Tecs and most of the #370-#398 Batman run.

Best of this splurge bunch was picking up Detective Comics #393. Which is right up there with some of the earliest books I've managed to get my hands on so far. So the trip was thoroughly worthwhile and economically viable, if a bit ill-advised.

And as I drove away, it dawned on me that this might be the last time I might be able to go this mental in a comic shop for a while. That I might have to go Cold Turkey for a month or so... That the thrill of the Batman hunt, might have to stop if only for a little while.

You see, since I've set this ridiculous collecting goal, my actual comic collection has grown to a point where an increasing proportion of it has never been read. And these include one-offs and mini-series that really have nothing to do with post-Year One Batman continuity. Hell, I figure, what's the point of having these books, if I'm not going to read them.

This large stockpile of Batman pulp fiction must be enough to get me through this self-enforced sabbatical (and a few bits of business that have just been completed will turn up in my letterbox over the next few weeks, as to ease this buying sobriety). Comic Book Buying De-Tox may cause grinding teeth, ithcy skin and vomiting but I will not... and must not... be arrested by the Rozzers ram raiding Krpyton Komics.

It can't be harder than quitting smoking (twelve years and counting).

Can it?

Coming up smiling in 2012

So what? This is late. Blame the alcohol or the dodgy Chinese takeaway.

2011 was a vintage comic collecting year.

Regardless of the ridiculous amount of Batman I've picked up this year, and the new focus on a specific character title and which started in earnest with me picking up Batman #181 in January, there were other hobbyist collecting highlights.

So what were my other 2011 Hits?

-Finished collecting the 'Miracleman' books. And that hurt the wallet.
-Picked up a number of Bronze Age Marvel key books. You can have the Silver Age, zombies, The Bronze Age is MY Golden Age!!!
-Reduced my overall wishlist by a load of cool titles. Scratching off titles like the 2006 'Blade' run, 'Godland', 'Sandman Mystery Theatre', 'DV8', Ed Brubakers' early Wildstorm work . And got that impossible to find seventh issue of 'Automatic Kafka'.
-I gleefully read the hundred plus run of Peter David 'Incredible Hulk'.
-I fell in love with Marvel Hardbacks. Did you know that the Human Torch died? I only noticed last night! What about when Captain America was kicked out of the USA by President Clinton? Paul Pope's Lockjaw story in 'Strange Tales' actually exists? All good stuff.
-Actually was stunned that Mignola killed Hellboy. I'm sure he'll get better.

As for the Batman Quest, I finished 2011 by completing the first volume of Azrael (and for anyone who plans on doing something similar: remember: #47 is a special double-sized 'flip-book' with Shadow of the Bat #80. That will be the reason you can't find that book...) My Christmas present to myself this year was Detective Comics #400, Man-Bats début.

However, two moments really sprung out.

I got me a bespoke John McCrea drawn 'Hitman' at the Manchester Comic Con, which looks awesome.

And I shook Alan Moores hand, which considering he did Radio 4's 'Thought for the Day' (and may have even referenced Batman Villain Scarface) on New Years Morning, as well as being Alan Moore, was kind of cool!

So what plotting am I hoping for 2012? Of course I should tell you....

Should the world survive the apocalypse that awaits us in 2012, these resolutions are enacted!

1.Try to pick up all the 300s in Batman (1940)
2.Finish the Detective Comics run between 500 and the titles conclusion.
3.Complete the Nightwing run
4.Complete the second volume of Azrael.
5.Complete Catwoman volume 2 books
6.Complete Gotham Knights
7.Compete Batman Confidential
8.Start picking up Batbooks from the Silver Age.
9.Buy at least one piece of original Batman comic art.
10.Try to pull my entire comic collection under one roof, and organise them in a sexy way.

The EVIL of Pence Variants

So as promised, here is my Ebay story.

I received this in the post and I was a tad upset. Like furiously upset.

Advertised as a 'Fine' condition comic book and had a picture that was nothing like what you see here. Thing was I paid £20 for what was photographed as a Fine condition Daredevil #168 Cent Variant. I eagerly waited for over two weeks for this thing to arrive in a diabolically shoddy, second hand 'Play.com' envelope. Upon opening the envelope it slowly dawned on me that I had been screwed over... Condition wasn't that great, and something worse...

You see, I suffered the biggest problem us British American comic book collectors have to deal with: the Accursed Pence/Cent Variant Switcheroo.

I had decided pretty early on in collecting comics, that if I was going to collect comic books, and especially the proper Key books, then these comic books must be Cent variants. The reason, I justified, is that these are American comic books, and to feel truly genuine they need to have American currency values on the cover. Sad I know, but that's my rule and I have to stick to it. And I am not alone in the UK in upholding this rule.

I have discovered over the years that the Pence Variant is a dominant feature of the UK direct market certainly around 1981, I'm pretty sure that there are others eras earlier than this, but this is the one that is proving extremely problematic for me. And for those wondering, from what I can tell the ONLY difference between a Cent edition and a Pence edition is the actual price denomination (there are no British adverts to take the place of 'X-Rey Spex' adverts!). For me, it just looks wrong.

There's also a monetary value at play here also. Take Iron Man #129 'Demon In The Bottle' issue, you can pick up a high grade, pence variant copy of this book for a couple of quid (and it looks great in frame near your wine rack), but to buy this as a Cent variant in the same condition is treble that. And this is the apex of my rage at Daredevil 168, and the reason I think I got shafted by the seller, who (and this doesn't feel too harsh) either MISLED me into thinking what I was buying was what I was buying. Or upon discovering that his REAL DD#168 didn't make the price he thought it ought too, switched it to the lesser valued variant. And hoped I wouldn't notice.

How this relates to the Batman Quest is this: I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go directly Stateside to pick up a lot of early 1980's Batman. As this is the time where the problematic pence variants appear in the local, UK market. In short, I think it will be really hard to get hold of a cent copy of Detective Comics 505 in the UK than I thought it would originally be. Which kind of sucks in one way.

Or it means that a holiday is called for.

I properly threw my toys of the pram over my Daredevil #168. The seller had the gall to claim that as he was a 'comic dealer' (which his eBay feedback didn't support, although he has sold some Mint copies of 'Pirate' and 'Private' to a bloke in Germany) he would regularly use 'stock photo's', and that this was simply a mish-take, rather than a misdirection. Of course he disputed the condition, which is, as always, totally subjective but after nearly a month and daily emails, I got my money back.

Truthfully, I had to get my money back, by being a totally belligerent and gratuitous pain in the arse.

So beware people. If you have think something is too good to be true, it probably is.

Beware of the Evils of the Pence Variant.

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.

Monthly Haul: November

Batman Confidential: 22 to 40
Gotham Knights 29
Harley Quinn #1

Catwoman volume 2: 2+3, all but one issue of the 74-94 run
The Entire Battle for the Cowl sub-series (16 issues)
Batman: Blackgate- Isle of Men
Tec, 785-799, 809-815, 846, 878
Azrael Volume 2: 6-9
Batman Annual 24

Okay, I'll admit it... I've been incredibly slack this month.

Blame the economy...

No really. Due to the closure of American book sellers Borders a local chain of discount booksellers named Bargain Book Time, that seem to be based here in the North West of England, have bought its entire Marvel TPB stock. And I felt obliged to immerse myself with more Hardback books than I know to do with.

Seriously. Can you leave Garth Ennis' 'Welcome Back Frank' Punisher arc for less than a fiver? No, of course you cannot. And it would be criminal to leave a Hardback copy of Leifeld's run on X-Force for £1? Nope! And what about Warren Ellis' forgotten Thor arc? It was frickin cheap!!! And then there was a whole smegload of softcovers that I have always wanted to read but could never justify stumping up the full asking price.

So I veered away from the righteous Gotham City path. Heavily. And as a result, have nothing interesting to say about Batman.

Well that isn't entirely true. I'll have to wait for the Ebay refund to be go through in order to explain an interesting story...