"Once I was the learner, now I am the master."

One of the things that Cathy and I both enjoy is reading. She's a romantic. Nora Roberts. Jude Devereaux. A few moons ago, we went on a cruise and she discovered The Twilight Saga through the first film with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. She discovered that there was a book series and just devoured it. From Twilight, she moved on to other Young Adult series like City of Bones. She read If I Should Stay. I don't think she's seen the movie. She's working on a YA series by James Patterson. Neither one of us knows what it's called. She's a huge fan of The Hunger Games films and the Divergent series. She's tried reading the novels, but enjoys watching the films more.

One of my best memories is my older brother Tim taking me to see the first Star Wars film. It was at the River Oaks Theater in Calumet City. Holla! This was before theaters became cineplexes. I'd never seen a theater as crowded as this one was. I couldn't figure out why. This was the first film I'd seen without either of my parents; or, even my Auntie Ei. Just a couple 'a' bros hanging out. This was the first movie I'd seen that wasn't Disney.

Mind = blown. 

I found George Lucas' paperback novel for Star Wars and I devoured it. I got the giant size two issue Marvel Comics adaptation. I started reading the monthly Marvel series. I read the Star Trek adaptations; both the comic books and the novels. I read the original Battletsar Galactica. There was a novelization of the premiere episode; then, Marvel had a monthly series. For awhile there Marvel had the Monopoly. Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. 

When Superman: The Movie came out, I read the companion novel. The Blues Brothers came out, I read the novelization.

One of my favorite things is an cassette - I said a CASSETTE - of Roddy McDowell reading the novelization of the 1989 Batman film starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger.

I'm not sure how, but I "discovered" the late Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series. I love mysteries, too. From time to time I make my way through the Sherlock Holmes series. I still enjoy A Study in Scarlet.

I've read all six of the Ninth Doctor novels. Novels featuring the Tenth Doctor are on my bucket list.

Right now, I'm somewhere in the middle of You Only Live Twice.

When Cathy started reading YA novels, I dusted off my Encyclopedia Brown. I started The 39 Clues. I gave The Vampire's Assistant a try. 

In September of 2011, when we brought Justin home from Ukraine, I came across Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl. Fir me, it is better than The Lightning Thief. From 2011 to 2014, over the trips to Ukraine to bring our three kids home, I read the Artemis Fowl series.

The reason I mention this, is that our son, Justin, has developed a rule. He will not read any book that has been adapted to a movie. He won't read the Harry Potter books for that reason. He's been reading Darren Shan, James Patterson and some other books. He's sticking hard and fast to The Rule. Except when it comes to Star Wars. He wants to read read them... All in order... From I through VI... The Phantom Menace... Through Return of the Jedi...

I say that slowly, because he vehemently denies that Parts IV, V and VI came before I, II and III. Which would seem logical. But no. 

I am learning just how different my son at his age from when I was his age. I had to read the book before I saw the movie. Now, I'd rather do what he's doing. Read a book that hasn't or won't be made into a movie.

Comic books, novels, television series and movies are all separate, singular experiences. What my son is teaching me is that Batman may work as a comic book character, or as Adam West or Kevin Conroy, but not so much as a movie. Very few novels survive the Adaptation. Just look at Stephen King fer instance.

It's interesting learning from my kids.

          

That One Time I Met Superman's Girlfriend

Today - Wednesday, October 17th - was Margot Kidder's birthday.

I met her once.

Me and my buddy, Joshua, too a road trip from Rochester to Chicago. Well, the suburbs of Chicago. The Con was held at the Donald E. Stephens convention center in Rosemont, just west of The City.

I understand seeing Stormtroppers everywhere, but from the parking garage to the box office where we got out badges, I could not believe the legion of Boba Fetts we saw. In authentic costumes, too. There were also a gaggle of Princess Leias as well. I have a genuine respect for cosplayers. This is an individual that has picked a character or characters and gone to great lengths to recreate as closely as possible the costume. I've been to Fall Con and Spring Con at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. Cathy, my wife, got her picture taken with the Batman: The Animated Series version Harley Quinn. I had my picture taken with Spider-Man and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern. The most impressive costume I saw was the Golden-Age Alan Scott Green Lantern. The costume was very authentic. I wanted to get a picture with just him, but instead I got a picture with the entire cosplaying crowd.

That was another time, though.

Josh and I were wandering around the convention floor. We ran into Doug Mahnke. He remembered me from an in-store he did in Rochester just a few weeks earlier. I was a radio personality, and the store had a paid live appearance. I got to be the personality doing the live broadcast, interviewing a few of the celebrity artists.

We chatted about the Con before he went his way and we went ours.

I had no idea she was going to be there. Her table was all the way in the back of the hall. Not to far away was Sam Jones who played Flash Gordon. There was some wrestler that had a table between them. I thought about meeting Sam Jones. But it was a choice that decided by how much cash I had left. The choice was simple.

Superman's girlfriend won out.

She was travelling with Christopher Reeve's Superman Costume. I would have thought something like that would be under glass; or, maybe on a mannequin. No, it hung on a hanger just behind her.

I walked up to the table, and as I was saying hello, she started telling me about the fan she had just met before me. Whoever it was had come up to her and proposed to her! I really didn't know how exactly to respond to that. I didn't want to say anything that would sound inappropriate or continue that weird thread. So, I just paid for an autographed portrait, had my buddy Josh take a picture of us together, thanked her and moved on. I guess I could have stood next to her. But, I just didn't want to keep the awkwardness going.

And that was my momentous, memorable meeting with Margot Kidder. I got to be the guy that came up to her after the guy that proposed to her.

So, I got that goin' for me.

Everything Is Awesome!

A Review: Lego Justice League vs. Bizarro League

The Lego feature, Justice League vs. Bizarro League is an enjoyable animated movie.

The film opens with Bizarro terrorizing a playground full of children and their mothers in a battle with a merry-go-round octopus. For Bizarro, everything is opposite, yet in most instances he is still driven by a need to be a hero and save the day. In comic book stories, Bizarro's opposite sense of rescue is to put someone in danger. Here, that doesn't seem to be the case. The danger comes as a byproduct of Bizarro's rescue effort. He's not portrayed as a villain. More than less he comes off as a hapless hero, a wannabe. He's also confused as Superman's twin brother. something that causes The Man of Steel no end of embarrassment. This brotherhood drives the story of the film.

Superman banishes his ugly, "red-headed stepbrother" to the square Bizarroworld. He uses natural, inanimate rocks to create citizens for Bizarro to protect, and create a Bizarro Daily Planet building. This is where Bizarro develops a sense of putting those around him in danger, so that he can then step in and save the day. Although Bizarro is an imperfect clone created by Luthor, Superman's actions develop Bizarro's villainous behavior and character. Bizarro comes off as lonely and unfortunate. A sad, tragic figure. Like the kid in school that nobody will play with. Here, Bizarro comes off with more empathy than in any previous appearance. The shift in storytelling as writers such as Sholly Fisch will tell you, is that there are no bad people, just bad decisions and actions. A true villain, according to Robert McKee's Story, is the character that thinks he's the hero and what he is doing is right. That's Bizarro.

Not long after being banished to Bizarroworld, the super-Frankenstein returns, gets his hands on Luthor's duplicator ray-gun and zaps the Justice League, creating Batzarro, the world's worst detective; Bizarra, Wonder Woman's warrior princess counter; Cyzarro, a duplicate of Cyborg, and Greenzarro a timid version of Guy Gardner. Bizarro an his League overpower the Justice League and make their escape to Bizarroworld. The Justice League follows.

On Bizarroworld, both Leagues face Darksied!, and Desaad! They are harvesting the strange rocks on Bizarroworld to power a weapon to use against Earth's heroes! Duh-duh-duh-duhnnnnn!!!!

Both Leagues must work together to stop Darksied. As if things weren't already complicated, Bizarro has Luthor's Kryptonite bomb and Batman has brought along his own chunk of Kryptonite! In the end however (SPOILER ALERT) team-work, camaraderie and brotherly-love save the day.

There are a lot of things that make this feature enjoyable. Even though I can't bring myself to acknowledge Teen Titan Vic Stone as a Justice League Member, Cyborg and Guy Gardner provide comic relief. So does Batman, as his distrust of Superman and working as part of a team builds over the course of the adventure. Cyborg as comic relief is both a pro and a con. His constant prattle is just a reminder that he is a better fit with the Teen Titans. He comes off more as a sidekick than a colleague. I understand his inclusion in the League: with Superman and Green Lantern filling the cosmic role, J'onn J'onzz is the odd man out as a Martian. In modern times, technology has replaced science fiction as a frontier. Also, as a Martian, J'onn is more of a local, than the other mysterious alien races. Still, the League's classic line-up has stood the test of time.

Cyborg was the only real source of grating irritation. The rest of the story is a nice throwback to when DC super-heroes and cartoons were fun and wacky, like Super Friends.

I give Lego Justice League vs. Bizarro League five stars for awesomeness.

Secret Origins

Secret Origins #1, 1986

Wow, has it really been 28 years since the last DC Comics Secret Origins series? The New 52 Secret Origins series debuted this week. I would have picked up a copy at my Local Comic Book Store, Book Review - in the Hillcrest Shopping Center, the 19th Street exit off Highway 52 - but I am in Kiev on an extended stay bringing my daughter Masha home through international adoption. I'm not sure I would pick it up even if I weren't out of town. Not that I have anything against my Local Comic Book Store, Book Review - online at www.bookreviewmn.com - it's just that I have most of the issues from the previous series; and, well, except for a few, minor details, not much has really changed.

Superman "Secret Origin" by Alex Ross and Paul Dini

I'm a DC Comics fan. I am a Batman fan. I like a lot of the DC Comics characters. Having read a good deal of comic books over nearly a half century, I've seen my share of "Secret Origins". Originally, Batman was just a guy that dressed up as a bat to fight crime. In his first story, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" Bat-Man as he was called then, was just a guy who fought crime in a bat-themed costume. He was a bored millionaire, Bruce Wayne. Bruce was close friends with Gotham City Commissioner James Gordon. They were enjoying their pipes when word came of a murder that led Batman to uncovering the mystery. Later, it was revealed that Bruce Wayne's parent were murdered in a robbery, leaving young Bruce orphaned. As Bruce grew up he developed his mind and body to physical perfection, looking for the opportunity to channel his grief and loss productively. He was looking for an answer when a bat flew in through his study window. He took the bat as a sign. Realizing that criminals are "superstitious, cowardly lot", Bruce decided to turn the tables and inspire fear in criminals by dressing as a bat to wage a never-ending "war on crime".

Bruce Wayne was the victim of a faceless crime. That is, his parents were murdered by a faceless criminal. That was the story for many years. Until, the robber was given a name. Joe Chill. Bruce was given an opportunity to hunt down the man who murdered his parents and bring him to justice. Batman confronts Chill with the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Chill calls Batman's bluff. Batman pulls off his mask and reveals that Chill's murdering the Waynes led to his becoming The Batman. Chill runs from The Batman for back-up from his gang. He tells his gang that he is being chased by The Batman, because he is the one who created the vigilante hero. In a true Twilight Zone twist, Chill's gang turns on him and kills him for creating crimes worst nightmare. Batman catches up and watches Chill die. He also brings Chill's gang to justice as well.

Batman #47, 1948

Since that classic 1948 story, Batman's origin has been re-told many times over the years, with new details added. He's not the only one. Nearly all of DC's characters have had their origins told and embellished time after time. We know so much more about Superman's home planet of Krypton; his youth in Smallville; how Supergirl's family and Argo City was launched into space when Krypton exploded; and how capitol city Kandor was shrunk by the villain Brainiac and preserved from the planet's destruction.

Untold Legends of The Batman

Re-telling Secret Origins is not limited to the comics. In the 1989 Batman film, it's hinted that a young Jack Napier, before he became The Joker was responsible for the Waynes' murder. Later, in Batman Begins, it is back to Joe Chill, but with the 1956 twist, that it was a murder-for-hire by the Gotham Underworld.

Secret Origins #1, 2014

Meanwhile, nearly the whole first third of The Man of Steel is set on Krypton setting up not only the planet's destruction, but General Zod as the villain of the story.

JLA: Secret Origins by Alex Ross and Paul Dini

My favorite Secret Origins has to be the over-sized JLA: Secret Origins, written by Paul Dini with art by Chicagoan Alex Ross. Dini and Ross had done four individual Secret Origins to open Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam! Power of Hope and Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth. Those four and the rest of the Justice League, not including Firestorm - who joined the team in 1979 - are included in over-sized trade paperback. The origins were a primer to the over-sized graphic novel JLA: Liberty and Justice. These are the most basic of origins, each one a two-page spread. Told either in first-person, or by someone close to each hero. They are pretty much personality driven, conveying the character and how each hero was molded and developed. These origins focus on the core values of each hero.

To me, JLA: Secret Origins by Dini and Ross are the essential origins. There really isn't much that this new Secret Origins series can do to top what they've done. Maybe someone can come along and clean up Supergirl's origin. That is one hot mess! But overall, I'd rather see the characters in good stories than celebrating their "birthday" over and over again.

I would have liked to bring JLA: Secret Origins or JLA: Liberty and Justice on my trip to Kiev. There just was no way to pack them. I did bring along all three trade paperbacks that make up the Alex Ross-Jim Krueger-Doug Braithwaite series Justice.

Justice by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite

This is the third trip that I've brought Justice along as a creature comfort from home.     

Creature Comforts From Home VIII: Batman & Superman

So, I guess this is a thing. I'm a Batman fan. I'm a DC fan. I like Superman. But I am not looking forward to this new movie next year. I did not enjoy The Dark Knight Rises or The Man of Steel. What I like about comic books, and comic book movies, is that they're fun - at least they're supposed to be.

Now, I enjoyed the original Star Wars trilogy because it was both fun and thrilling. The prequel trilogy was not fun to watch. It was painful. My two boys, Ethan and Justin, actually enjoyed watching Anakin's frequent temper tantrums on his descent into villainy. They thought Jar Jar was silly. Justin tried to understand Anakin. They both enjoyed the new Star Trek films. I have to admit that the action was amped up 1,000 percent from the original film series. We watched Star Trek Into Darkness and the I popped in The Wrath of Khan. Talk about your room clearing fart! I expected my wife to leave the room, but the boys checked out with her. Something about it being late and they were tired and ready for bed. These guys would stay up all night if they could!

They love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films, too.

Both boys love Superman: The Movie and Smallville. Smallville kinda jumps the shark from time to time over the course of ten seasons; but Superman: The Movie and Superman II hold up pretty well. For the purpose of this conversation, there have only been the first two Christopher Reeve Superman films. Supermans III and IV are like the Prequel Trilogy.

The boys and I love films that are fun and enjoyable. The Dark Knight Returns and The Man of Steel were not enjoyable, fun films. They were both dark and gritty. I liked Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, but neither film was aimed at kids. Those films, like all the Batman live action films before it were aimed at guys like me that had grown up with Batman and wanted to see The Batman. The kind of Batman that came along after the 1966 Batman television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward was cancelled. A dark, brooding, gothic Batman. A Batman for big kids.   

 

Honestly? The best Batman and Superman films have not been live-action. Batman: The Animated Series is probably the finest interpretation of Batman yet. It has stuff for long-time, older fans like me, and it might have some appeal for newer, younger fans. The Batman, and later, Batman: The Brave and the Bold aim right at the newer, younger fans. I can say the same for Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League. They were fun shows.

 

 

Superman and Batman have been partners since the 1940's, featured in World's Finest Comics, and later Superman/Batman. The finest team-up between the two, outside of comics, has to be The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest. It combines Batman and Superman from their individual series; Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman, with Tim Daly, the voice of Superman. It also features Mark Hamill as The Joker and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. The Joker cons Luthor into paying him to eliminate Superman. Batman follows The Joker to Metropolis. The story unfolds from there. It's a brilliant, fun, thrilling story.

 

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

A few years later, Jeph Loeb - who worked on Smallville for a time - and Ed McGuinness re-launched The World's Finest team in the comic Superman/Batman. The first storyline, Public Enemies was turned into an animated feature. The comic book storyline is that there is a chunk of Kryptonite either the size of Brazil or Australia headed for Earth. President Luthor blames the meteor's approach on Superman and puts a bounty on his head. While The World's Finest duo try to figure out how to destroy the meteor, they are met with nearly every super-villain on the planet, along with a team of heroes including Captain Atom, Major Force, Black Lightning, Green Lantern John Stewart, Katanna, Power Girl and Starfire. At one point, the Justice Society dispatches Captain (Shazam!)Marvel and Hawkman. Both the Superman and Batman "families" of heroes join in to confront President Luthor in the Oval Office. Very 24.

 

It has it's weaknesses, but it is action packed.

 

The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1 guest-starring Superman

Sholly Fisch has got to be one of the best all-ages writers. I'm sure there are others that are equally talented. Fisch has written some fun stories for DC's Johnny DC and all-ages line. One of my favorite stories is the first issue of The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold comic series. Batman and Black Canary are fighting The Joker and his army of robot soldiers. Superman comes along and disables The Joker. He takes The Joker out of action quickly because he needs Batman's help. They leave Black Canary to handle clean-up and head to Superman's Fortress of Solitude and the Bottle City of Kandor. Superman needs Batman's detective skills to solve a mysterious crime. It's all very Silver Age and a fun, light-hearted read.

 

Batman: The Brave and the Bold featured Diedrich Bader, Oswald on The Drew Carey Show as the voice of Batman. The narration from the cartoon is maintained in the comic book tie-in series.

 

I brought the Superman/Batman: Public Enemies trade paperback and The All New! Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1 with Batman and Superman on my trip to Kiev to bring my daughter home, because when you face an adventure, it's best to do it with a good partner. Batman and Superman make a great team. Families are a lot like teams.

 

 

When Hope Is All You Have

Cinema Blend has the story here that a Shazam! film about DC's Captain Marvel has a very slim hope of making it to a theater any time soon. That is due to the Man of Steel sequel you've been hearing so much about. The one with Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot, from the Fast & Furious film franchise (who love alliteration, give me a hey now!), just cast with Lynda Carter's blessing as Wonder Woman.

So, it all comes back to Superman's fault.

The Man of Steel and the World's Mightiest Mortal have a long history.

A history of being adversaries. Here's a quick recap. Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster launched a super-hero boom. The most obvious, is that DC Comics - where Superman makes his home - wanted another character like Superman. Bob Kane created Batman, with input from baseball player and writer Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson. Like a bolt of lightning, other publishers tried to copy Superman's success. C. C. Beck and Bill Parker created Captain Marvel for Fawcett Comics. DC filed a lawsuit, claiming that Captain (Shazam!) Marvel was an infringement on Superman. DC claimed that Fawcett had copied Superman as Captain Marvel. The Captain was shut down. DC later acquired Captain (Shazam!) Marvel from Fawcett; but, after Marvel comics had developed their own Captain Marvel. DC had shut Captain Marvel down and now could not publish the character as Captain Marvel due to possible infringement on Marvel Comics. That's ironic. DC now used the character under the banner of the Wizard that gave Captain Marvel his powers, and whose name alter ego Billy Batson shouted to transform, "Shazam!"

It might be hard to imagine just how similar Superman and Captain Marvel were at one time...now. Captain Marvel is really an orphan given powers far beyond mortal men by a wizard. He has the wisdom of Solomon; the strength of Hercules; the stamina of Atlas; the power of Zeus; the courage of Achilles; and, the speed of Mercury. Superman is an orphan with powers and abilities far beyond mortal men. How similar are these guys, really?

Pretty similar.      

But then, over the years, Superman developed an alien origin. He isn't just mild-mannered Clark Kent. He is really Kal-El, from the planet Krypton. Before the planet exploded, his father and mother, Jor-El and Lara put him in a rocket and sent him away to escape death. As his origin developed, Jor-El picked Earth as the place to send the boy. Jor-El knew that the boy would develop super powers under a yellow sun. Krypton orbited a red sun. Superman had no weaknesses, until, June 1943 and voice actor Bud Collier wanted a vacation and Kryptonite was created. Over the years, in addition to Kryptonite, Superman has a weakness for magic.

In contrast, Billy Batson was an orphan newsboy; he's become a a kid radio news reporter. Clark Kent was a newspaperman until the 1970's, when his became a television news anchorman. He's gone back to being a newspaperman. Emphasis is not really put on Billy having adoptive parents - loving adoptive parents - like Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive parents. Billy's chief nemesis as Captain (Shazam!) Marvel is Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, a bald mad scientist much like Lex Luthor was from the Golden through the Bronze Age of comics. It is only a modern development that Lex has become a businessman and politician. Billy's only known weaknesses as Captain (Shazam!) Marvel is magic and lightning. Lightning is what transforms Billy into his alter ego.

Here's what I wonder. When DC acquired Captain (Shazam!) Marvel why didn't they have some fun and use him differently?

Instead of, say, just having Captain (Shazam!) Marvel always fighting Superman.

Instead of Captain (Shazam!) Marvel always fighting Superman.

 

Captain Marvel

Is

Always

 

Fighting Superman...

Here's what else I wonder: DC Comics' Golden-Age was made up of characters like The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and The Atom. Characters that have changed over the years. The Flash in the Golden-Age of comics was named Jay Garrick. From the Silver-Age forward The Flash was a police forensics officer, Barry Allen. Barry was inspired to become the Flash after lightning struck a rack of chemicals and those super-charged chemicals doused him.

What if a young Clark Kent was inspired to become Superman and fight for truth, justice and the American way by watching Captain (Shazam!) Marvel? Batman's origin has been re-written that he was inspired by the Golden-Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott, a Gotham City super hero. Alan was a railroad engineer that became a Gotham broadcast owner. Bruce Wayne was mentored by a number of Golden-Age heroes. Clark never really had a mentor, other than his adopted father, Jonathan Kent. Why couldn't a modern version of Superman include an origin where Clark was inspired by Billy Batson and his alter ego?

I get the "no tights, no flights" rule that Smallville operated under, but considering the opportunity for world building - like Marvel has been doing with The Avengers characters - the series was a kind of a missed opportunity. A missed opportunity that Man of Steel took hold of and ran at super speed with. DC is trying to get its characters into movies the same as Marvel, but using an opposite model. Instead of building up to a team movie - like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America, all leading to The Avengers - DC has been keeping characters like Batman, Green Lantern and Superman separate from each other. Until now. It appears the sequel to Man of Steel will be a group party.

Couldn't Clark have been inspired by the "World's Mightiest Mortal"? Maybe reading a Captain (Shazam!) Marvel comic book - Smallville's Lex was a Warrior Angel fan and had every issue. A Warrior Angel movie was even filmed in Smallville. Maybe Lex's father, Lionel, could have owned a production studio in Metropolis for a Shazam! television series.

With comic book characters, any thing is possible...     

Batman 1966 Fantasy Casting: Robin, the Boy Wonder

[Note: As this post was fomenting and as I was composing it, word broke Thursday, September 5th, 2013 that Batwoman creative team J. H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman would be leaving the ongoing comic book series, citing editorial differences; specifically that DC was prohibiting Kate Kane's marriage to same-sex partner, Maggie Sawyer. The creators maintained that it was not so much the same-sexness, but the marriage. Over the last few years, previously married characters, like Superman and Barry Allen, had been re-booted as single. Superman's marriage to Lois Lane has been undone, and now he has begun a high profile relationship with Wonder Woman. Previously, the Amazing Amazon was linked to non-powered Steve Trevor. This new relationship launches a new Superman/Wonder Woman book. Also, in the last few years, Sue Dibney, the wife of Elongated Man Ralph Dibney was murdered by Ray Palmer's crazy ex-wife Jean Loring. Longtime partners Hawkman and Hawkgirl/woman were separated, as were. Jay and Joan Garrick, by a recent line-wide re-boot. It seems only Aquaman and Mera have a stable relationship...although it is unclear as to whether or not they are married or just partners.]

Let's talk about Dick Grayson. Robin, the Boy Wonder. The original sidekick. He, and Jimmy Olsen, were originally created to make Batman and Superman more approachable and kid-friendly. The idea was that Robin and Jimmy would draw readers in, because they were the "stand-in" for the target reader. Young boys would be able to see themselves in adventures right there along-side The Dark Knight or The Man of Steel. It was ideal. While it worked for Jimmy Olsen, it became problematic over the years for Dick Grayson.

 

The problem for Dick Grayson is that, like Bruce Wayne, his parents were killed. Bruce Wayne's parents were killed by a stick-up man in an alley. A young, orphaned Bruce vowed to wage a war on criminals, and when he reached adulthood he was inspired to take on the guise of a bat and become a Batman. Originally he was a lone figure. His friendship, as Bruce Wayne, with Gotham City Police Commissioner Gordon, kept him in touch with what was going on, but he was a loner. He was a millionaire-playboy. He was engaged to an up-and-coming actress, but that was short-lived. The problem for Dick Grayson, initially, is that he loses both his parents and is taken on in a male-chauvinist environment. His mentor is driven to perfection, and there are few females to counter-balance Batman.

 

A year after Batman made his debut in 1939, it was decided that he needed a sidekick. Something to balance and counteract the dark, Gothic image of The Dark Knight. For a year, Batman had fought monsters and gangsters. When Robin made his debut, he brought along with him the more colorful, and cartoonish rogues, like The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin and The Riddler. Robin made his debut in Detective Comics 38, April 1940. The Joker and Catwoman made their debut around the same time, in the first issue of Batman comics in the Spring of 1940. Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne family butler, was introduced in 1943. In the 1964, shortly before the television series premiered, Dick was given an Aunt Harriet. For twenty-four years, Dick Grayson was focused solely on adventure, crime and criminals. He had a few crushes; the only times he has been paired up as a couple has been with female super-heroes.

Initially, he was paired off with the original Bat-Girl, Betty Kane, the niece of adventurer and female counter-part to Bruce Wayne, Kathy Kane. Kathy fought crime alongside Batman as Batwoman. Betty was a Sandra Dee type. When Batman was being revamped in the '60's and brought to television, the sci-fi approach of the '50's was shaken off, and characters like Batwoman, Bat-Girl and Ace, the Bat-Hound weren't used anymore. Alfred had been killed off and Aunt Harriet added to the cast of supporting characters. Later, Dick was paired with the new Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, who was somewhere between five to ten years older than him. In the comic books, he was later paired with Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman's teen sidekick. Wonder Girl was an original member of the Teen Titans, a group of young sidekicks. Robin was the unofficial leader of the group. It wasn't until a revival of the group in 1980, that Dick was given a girlfriend, the alien super-heroine, Starfire, also known as Princess Koriand'r.

If Dick Grayson were a character in a novel or a play, his story would have boundaries. His story would have some kind of resolution. It would reach a conclusion or an end. There would be a sense of closure. But since Dick Grayson is a comic book character, and his story has been adapted to television and film, his story is ongoing. In an effort to keep him fresh as a character, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, there are certain compromises that have to be adhered to. The first one is that Robin, like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, can never reach a conclusion. Superman fights a "never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way". Secondly, nothing can be introduced to distract from that never-ending battle. Bruce Wayne can never be seen enjoying any thing else outside of fighting crime as Batman.

  

Which explains why Dick Grayson has spent all his time in a male-dominant environment, without a girlfriend - or any kind of significant relationship - and the only contact he's had apart from Batman has been either with other sidekicks, or other super-humans. Now, remember, he's the stand-in for you and I in the audience. Dick Grayson, like Jimmy Olsen, represents you and I, that Batman, and Superman would take us on as a friend, confidant and sidekick. The problem is, that as a sidekick, Marvel's Peter Parker, alias Spider-Man is a better representation than Dick Grayson. Peter is more realistic. He's shy, he doesn't know how to talk to girls. Peter is the underdog that Dick - who is a millionaire's ward - could never be. Unless Bruce was given a completely different approach.

Bruce Wayne never officially adopted Dick Grayson. He was his guardian. He was his mentor. He was never officially his parent. That's because adoption requires two parents. A single person is rarely considered able to raise a child. So, the solution would be for Bruce to be in a somewhat stable relationship, like his engagement to actress Julie Madison. In the comic books, Jule broke off their engagement because, even though Bruce was a wealthy millionaire, he didn't actually do anything. He was idle rich. Julie, like any woman, wanted Bruce to accomplish something. As the head of the charitable Wayne Foundation, that would be possible. Bruce would be accomplishing a better Gotham City in both guises. Taking on an orphan, and raising him as a son, could draw Bruce and Julie together. The conflict could still be there in how Bruce handled characters like Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and Talia Head (Ra's Al Ghul's daughter). Any bumps that would come up in Bruce and Julie's relationship would risk Dick's adoption - and risk Batman and Robin's partnership.

The next step would be, where would Dick Grayson go to school and what crowd would he be part of outside of his relationship with Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon. In the comic books, his relationships were with other super-heroes and other teen sidekicks. He was the leader of the Teen Titans.

What would his role be on the 1966 live-action Batman television series?

 

"Boy, I wonder..."