Batman: The Early Years (TPB reading order)

Been picking up and reading all the TPBs that cover Batman's early years before "modern continuity" kicked in. I listed these out once before, but here's a more thorough list now that I've read them all in order. Incongruities are noted at the bottom.


YEAR ONE

Batman: Year One (first Batman)
Batman vs. the Monster Men: Dark Moon Rising Vol. 1 (first Hugo Strange)
Batman and the Mad Monk: Dark Moon Rising Vol. 2 (first and, uh, only Mad Monk)
Batman: The Man Who Laughs (first Joker)
Batman: Four of a Kind (first Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow and Man-Bat)
Batman: Haunted Knight (first Barbara Gordon)

YEAR TWO

Batman: The Long Halloween (first Two-Face)
Batman: Year Two (Joe Chill identified, first Reaper)

YEAR THREE

Batman: Dark Victory (first Dick Grayson)
Robin: Year One (Dick Grayson becomes Robin)

EARLY YEARS

Batgirl: Year One (Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl)
Nightwing: Year One (Robin becomes Nightwing, first Jason Todd)
Huntress: Year One (first Huntress)

EARLY MODERN CONTINUITY

Batman: The Killing Joke (Barbara Gordon is crippled)
Batman: Death in the Family (Jason Todd dies)
Batman: Lonely Place of Dying (first Tim Drake)
Robin: A Hero Reborn (Tim Drake becomes Robin)


INCONGRUITIES

These stories were done by different creative teams, out of order and over the span of a decade or two. As such, there's some discontinuity and they don't all sync-up precisely.

*Year One ends with Gordon telling Batman that some guy calling himself The Joker is going to poison the Gotham Reservoir. The Man Who Laughs has the Joker receive his name from the media and doesn't attempt to poison the reservoir until well after his identity has been established. Additionally, the Dark Moon Rising series takes place between Year One and The Man Who Laughs, so there's even more time in-between the end of Year One and joker poisoning the reservoir (Monster Men is established as happening the day after Batman fights the Red Hood at Ace Chemicals).

*Gordon's rank fluctuates a bit, depending on the writers. In Year One he is a Lieutenant until he's promoted to Captain at the end. The Poison Ivy and Riddler chapters of Four of a Kind identify him as Lieutenant, while the Scarecrow chapter identifies him as Captain. You could write the "Lietutenant" remarks off as continuity glitches, if you're inclined.

*Scarecrow's chapter of Four of a Kind takes place before Long Halloween, yet Two-Face makes a brief one-panel appearance. Scarecrow's chapter could conceivably be replaced with Batman/Scarecrow: Year One, but THAT story doesn't show Scarecrow existing until the era of Robin, making HIS appearances in Haunted Knight, Long Halloween and Dark Victory impossible. The Four of a Kind chapter presents less discontinuity with its one-panel appearance of Two-Face, so I'd just go with that if I were you.

*Tony Zucco's fate is inconsistent. He dies in Dark Victory, but Robin: Year One states that he's in jail.

*The Canonicity of Year Two has been debated. Zero Hour: Crisis in Time retconned it into oblivion by claiming Joe Chill had never been identified or caught. Infinite Crisis retconned the retcon, returning Joe Chill to continuity. So because of that, some argue that Year Two must be back in continuity, too. At any rate, since it opens with Gordon being addressed as the "newly appointed" Commissioner, and Long Halloween ended with him becoming Commissioner, it has to take place afterward.

*Mr. Freeze is shown in his modern Batman the Animated Series-inspired costume in The Long Halloween with his freeze gun. Batgirl: Year One has him in his Silver Age "Mr. Zero" costume with his old fashioned "spray can" freeze device.


THOSE incongruities aside, the early stories actually read together well-enough. If you want, of course, you can go for the "pared down" version and just read Year One, The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. They cover years 1-3 and were all written to interlock together and tell a single ongoing story (well, Year One wasn't initially, but the rest were built off it) and there's no continuity glitches between them.

But that's if you don't wanna go for the deluxe timeline.

Comics last Week

Defunct must be busy, so here's this week's comic list for November 11, 2009.


Premier Publishers

DARK HORSE COMICS

BLOOD SONG SILENT BALLAD GN DHC ED $19.95
BPRD 1947 #5 (OF 5) $2.99
CITIZEN REX #5 (OF 6) $3.50
COASTER SET TOKIDOKI $12.99
ELECTROPOLIS TP $14.95
HELLBOY WILD HUNT #8 (OF 8) $2.99
INSOMNIA CAFE HC $14.95
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 13 $10.95
RAPTURE #5 (OF 6) OEMING CVR $2.99
STAR WARS CLONE WARS #10 HERO CONFEDERACY PT 1 $2.99
STAR WARS PURGE SECONDS TO DIE ONE SHOT (OSW) $3.50


DC COMICS

ABSOLUTE JUSTICE HC $99.99
ACTION COMICS #883 $3.99
AUTHORITY THE LOST YEAR READER $2.99
BATGIRL #4 $2.99
BATMAN #693 $2.99
BATMAN AND ROBIN #6 $2.99
BATMAN DOC SAVAGE SPECIAL #1 $4.99
BATMAN PRIVATE CASEBOOK TP $14.99
BOOSTER GOLD #26 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $3.99
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #43 $2.50
DEKA KYOSHI VOL 01 $9.99
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #26 $3.99
GREEN LANTERN AGENT ORANGE HC $19.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $2.99
JSA VS KOBRA #6 (OF 6) $2.99
OUTSIDERS THE DEEP TP $14.99
REBELS #10 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $3.99
RED HERRING #4 (OF 6) $2.99
RED ROBIN #6 $2.99
SCOOBY DOO #150 $2.50
SHIELD #3 $3.99
STORMWATCH PHD #24 $2.99
SUPERGIRL WHO IS SUPERWOMAN TP $17.99
SUPERMAN RED SON DELUXE EDITION HC $24.99
TITANS #19 $2.99
WONDER WOMAN VS ARES STATUE $250.00
X-FILES TP $19.99
ZATANNA 1/6 SCALE DELUXE COLLECTOR FIGURE $99.99


IMAGE COMICS

BEAST GN $15.99
FRANK FRAZETTAS DARK KINGDOM #2 (OF 4) FRAZETTA CVR A $3.99
FRANK FRAZETTAS DARK KINGDOM #2 (OF 4) VIGIL CVR B (PP #882) $3.99
HAUNT #1 FOIL CVR COLLECTORS ED S/N $25.00
JERSEY GODS #9 $3.50
TRACKER #1 (OF 5) ROBERTSON CVR B $2.99
TRACKER #1 (OF 5) TSAI CVR A $2.99
WITCHBLADE #132 BLAKE CVR B $2.99
WITCHBLADE #132 SEJIC CVR A $2.99


MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #611 $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY JMS ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP BOOK 02 $34.99
AVENGERS X-MEN UTOPIA HC $39.99
BLACK PANTHER 2 #10 $2.99
CABLE #20 $2.99
DAREDEVIL #502 $2.99
DARK AVENGERS UNCANNY X-MEN EXODUS DAX 2ND PTG VAR (PP #889) $3.99
DARK REIGN LIST X-MEN ONE SHOT 2ND PTG VAR (PP #889) $3.99
DARK X-MEN #1 (OF 5) $3.99
DEADPOOL #17 $2.99
ENDERS GAME COMMAND SCHOOL #3 (OF 5) $3.99
ESSENTIAL MOON KNIGHT TP VOL 03 $19.99
HERCULES FULL CIRCLE PREM HC DM VAR ED 34 $19.99
HULK GREEN HULK RED HULK HC $39.99
LUKE CAGE NOIR #4 (OF 4) $3.99
LUKE CAGE NOIR #4 (OF 4) CALERO VAR $3.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #17 $2.99
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD #3 (OF 4) $2.99
REALM OF KINGS IMPERIAL GUARD #1 (OF 5) $3.99
SPIDER-MAN DIED IN YOUR ARMS TONIGHT PREM HC $24.99
SPIDER-MAN DIED IN YOUR ARMS TONIGHT PREM HC DM VAR $24.99
SPIDER-WOMAN #1 2ND PTG VAR (PP #889) $3.99
STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES PREM HC $24.99
STRANGE #1 (OF 4) $3.99
STRANGE #1 (OF 4) SUPER HERO SQUAD VAR (PP #888) $3.99
SWORD #1 (MARVEL) $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN FIRST CLASS #5 (OF 8) $2.99
VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #3 $2.99
WOLVERINE TALES OF WEAPON X TP GN $14.99
WOLVERINE WEAPON X ADAMANTIUM MEN PREM HC VOL 01 $24.99
X-BABIES #2 (OF 4) $3.99
X-BABIES #2 (OF 4) STAR COMICS CHABOT VAR $3.99
X-FACTOR TP VOL 07 TIME AND A HALF $19.99
X-FORCE #21 $2.99
X-MEN FOREVER #11 $3.99
X-MEN LEGACY TP SALVAGE $19.99
X-MEN MANIFEST DESTINY TP $24.99
X-MEN WOLVERINE GAMBIT PREM HC $19.99
X-MEN WOLVERINE GAMBIT PREM HC DM VAR ED 33 $19.99


COMICS

ANCHOR #2 $3.99
ANGEL AFTER THE FALL TP VOL 02 FIRST NIGHT $17.99
ARCHIE & FRIENDS #137 $2.50
BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #199 $2.69
BLACK COAT OR GIVE ME DEATH #1 & #2 DOUBLE-SIZED $4.50
BLACK TERROR #5 $3.50
BLACKBEARD #1 HIGH-END PYRATES GOLD FOIL CVR
BLACKBEARD LEGEND OF THE PYRATE KING #2 $3.50
CARS RADIATOR SPRINGS #3 $2.99
CASPER & THE SPECTRALS #1 $2.99
COMIC BOOK COMICS #4 (RES) $3.99
CSI OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $24.99
DF HOLIDAY SANTA CLAWS COLLECTORS 10-PACK $20.09
DIGGER AND FRIENDS #3 (OF 4) $3.99
DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP HC VOL 01 (OF 6) $24.99
DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS TP VOL 04 $19.99
DOCTOR WHO ONGOING #5 $3.99
EC ARCHIVES SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES VOL 02 LTD LEATHER BOUND HC $150.00
EC ARCHIVES SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES VOL 1 LTD LEATHER BOUND HC $150.00
FARSCAPE DARGOS TRIAL #4 $3.99
FARSCAPE UNCHARTED TALES HC VOL 01 DARGOS LAMENT $24.99
FEMALE FORCE #9 STEPHENIE MEYER $3.99
FEMALE FORCE #9 STEPHENIE MEYER BK MKT BONUS ED $6.99
FLAME OF RECCA TP VOL 33 $9.99
GA GEIJUTSUKA ART DESIGN CLASS GN VOL 02 $10.99
GHOUL #1 $3.99
GI JOE MOVIE SNAKE EYES #2 $3.99
GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 05 CLOCKWORK PRINCESS (NEW PTG) $22.95
GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 06 GOLDEN TRILOBITE 2ND ED $22.95
HAYATE COMBAT BUTLER TP VOL 13 $9.99
HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 05 $10.99
ICHIROH GN VOL 02 $10.99
INCREDIBLES #2 $2.99
INU YASHA TP VOL 42 $9.99
INU YASHA VIZBIG ED GN VOL 01 $17.99
JACK FROST TP VOL 02 $10.99
JON SABLE FREELANCE ASHES OF EDEN #2 $3.99
JUDGE DREDD COMPLETE CASE FILES TP VOL 14 $32.50
JUDGE DREDD MECHANISMO TP $24.99
JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #155 $3.99
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 28 $12.99
LEGEND OF ISIS (BLUEWATER) #6 $3.99
LEGEND OF ISIS TP DOGS OF WAR (RES) $15.99
LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #1 $3.99
MEN OF MYSTERY #80 $29.95
MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #296 2ND PTG (PP #890) $2.99
MUPPET SHOW TREASURE OF PEG LEG WILSON #4 (OF 4) $2.99
NYLON ROAD GRAPHIC MEMOIR GN $16.99
PEANUTS 60TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK $75.00
PIM & FRANCIE IN GOLDEN DAYS HC $28.99
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS BLACK TERROR TP VOL 01 $14.99
RECORD OF A FALLEN VAMPIRE GN VOL 07 $9.99
RESURRECTION VOL 2 #5 $3.99
ROBERT E HOWARD THULSA DOOM #3 $3.50
ROBERT E HOWARD THULSA DOOM #3 ALEX ROSS SPOT COLOR CVR $50.00
ROTTEN #5 $3.99
STRANGE SUSPENSE STEVE DITKO ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $39.99
STREET FIGHTER IV #4 (OF 4) A CVR TSANG
STREET FIGHTER IV #4 (OF 4) B CVR NG $3.95
SUPERMEN FIRST WAVE OF HEROES (1939-41) GN CURR PTG $26.99
SWITCH GN VOL 11 $9.99
TANK GIRL SKIDMARKS #1 (OF 4) $3.99
TERRY MOORES ECHO #16 $3.50
THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY #5 $3.50
TRANSFORMERS BEST O/T UK CITY OF FEAR TP $19.99
TRANSFORMERS CONTINUUM (ONE-SHOT) $3.99
WALL-E #0 $2.99
WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #699 2ND PTG (PP#890) $2.99
WE KILL MONSTERS #5 (OF 6) $3.50
YAKITATE JAPAN TP VOL 20 $9.99
YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY HC $18.95


Looks like all I'm getting is Street Fighter IV #4 and Green Lantern: Agent Orange HC (FINALLY!).

If I liked Azumanga Daioh, will I like Yotsuba?

Yeah, I know. "DrSpengler liked Azumanga Daioh? Has Hell frozen over?"

Azumanga Daioh is about the closest thing to "moe'" that I'll ever be able to enjoy, but that's mostly because it cleverly managed to avoid most of the moe'/loli tropes I despise so much.

Sexual pedo humor was at a minimum, with the lecherous teacher being funny but harmless. Karin's affections for Sasaki also weren't a huge crux of the ongoing plot and they never really got sexual or all that lesbian, either. She just idolized her as being an ideal woman.

And although I don't like moe' art style, I was able to get over it very quickly becuase the writing was so clever. I've very rarely seen Japanese 4-panel comics that are any...um...good. I don't know if it's just a style of delivery that Japanese writers aren't very familiar with, but they tend to have the worst excuses for "punchlines" I've ever seen at the end of their 4-panel comics. Azumanga Daioh really mastered the art and was genuinely funny.

I liked the traditional comic book style storylines a bit less than the 4-panel stories, but they weren't bad, either.

Now, the anime I HATED. It retold the story from the comics but with the added attraction of all those moe'/loli tropes I openly despise. Karin became super lesbo, the teacher went from being a funny sleeze to a nasty panty-sniffing perv, they laid the fanservice and cheesecake on way too thick...and that "cooking is so fun" stuff was never amusing, just annoying.


But I still enjoy the comic.


Now, anyway, since I liked the Azumanga Daioh comic...would I like Yotsuba? I don't know much about it, other than it was written by the same guy. Does it share the same sense of humor?

One of the things I liked about Azumanga Daioh was that it was done in 4 volumes. It told it's complete story and called it a day. Last I saw, Yotsuba was up to 6 volumes and still isn't over yet. Is it one of those Japanese comics that goes on and on and on and on with no sense of direction (ie; DBZ, One Piece, Naruto, Inu-Yasha, etc) until it eventually outstays its welcome and gets canned?

Anyhow, it looks interesting. I've heard that most people think its BETTER than Azumanga Daioh, which tempts me, but a lot of those fans are really into the moe'/loli stuff, so I don't think we have the same definition of "good".

"When The Real Ghostbusters freaked me the Hell out"

Thought I'd celebrate Halloween by writing an article collecting a few of the moments from The Real Ghostbusters I recall horrifying me as a child. Also a good opportunity to screencap the Hell out of that Time/Life box set I got.

"When The Real Ghostbusters freaked me the Hell out."

Warning: Language.

It's a review site for rated R movies, so yeah, I'm a little free with my language.

Anyhow, my purpose wasn't to include scenes from episodes I watched recently and thought "Wow, that's kinda creepy for a kid's show", but moments from episodes I *vividly remember* scaring me half to death when I was little.

So naturally, some of them are a little...bizarre (some times the weirdest things scare you when you're little). And since it was sooooo long ago, I had a hard time really remembering moments that frightened me (I remember watching the show all the time, but moments that freaked me out? A little tougher).


And I'd been wanting an excuse to screencap some of those DVDs for a while now, anyway.

Disney's "DTV" music videos from waaayyy back when

Remember waaaaaayyyyyy back in the day (we're talking late 80s), the Disney Channel would fill broadcasting slots between programming with music videos that consisted of clips from their classic cartoons set to contemporary music? They called it "DTV" as a spoof on MTV, naturally.

These were like the AMVs that pollute YouTube today, but done a whole lot better with a wider variety of clips that were actually timed to work with the songs pretty well.

Anyhow, I'd forgotten all about them for the longest time until I found the DTV Halloween special ("DTV Monster Hits") on You Tube.

I knew, KNEW all my life that when I was little I'd seen an official music video of "Ghostbusters" using clips from the classic Mickey/Donald/Goofy short "Lonesome Ghosts". I just couldn't prove it.

Oh, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller"!



For some bizarre reason, the Magic Mirror in this special is played by the Principal from "Ferris Bueler's Day Off". Weird.


Anyhow, these brought back some memories, especially the Ghostbusters/Lonesome Ghosts one. I knew I wasn't crazy!