So you've decided to read about Batman! I would definitely applaud this decision, as I have spent the majority of the past thirty years doing exactly that, but I also know that it can be pretty daunting to figure out where to get started. There have, after all, been thousands of Batman stories published since he first debuted from Bill Finger and Bob Kane in 1939, and despite a few missteps along the way, he probably has more classic and definitive stories in print than any other superhero.
But don't worry, ComicsAlliance is here to help with a list of ten essential Batman stories. Read these, and you'll (hopefully) come away with a solid foundation for understanding the Dark Knight and how he works.
Everyone loves trivia about their favorite animated features and series, but with over 100 years of animation history behind us right now, there’s always some new obscure fact to learn. That’s why ComicsAlliance is going deep into the minutiae of your favorite names in cartoons in this continuing video series. You think you know cartoons? Well, here’s a few things you might not know!
This week we're taking a look at the WB's cult classic goofball superhero, Freakazoid!
Kamandi, the last boy on Earth, is one of those Jack Kirby creations that DC has never known quite what to do with since Jack left him behind. So The Kamandi Challenge is taking the unique approach of letting different teams work on each issue, creating a patchwork story that takes Kamandi to every corner of his post-apocalyptic world. Check out a preview courtesy of DC.
Harley Quinn is one of the most popular comic book characters around today, and with the release of Suicide Squad, even more people have been exposed to her awesomeness. She's stylish, she's dangerous; she's basically perfect. Harley Quinn fans are awesome people, and if you're lucky enough to know someone devoted to the Clown Queen of Crime, we have some suggestions for awesome gifts to buy them.
Have you ever wondered why Batman can’t be Batman, but also kind of like an angsty, teenage Spider-Man too? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions and have somehow never managed to hear of Batman Beyond, hold onto your bats, because I’m about to blow your freakin' mind.
With the recent launch of Batman Beyond Rebirth #1 as part of DC’s Rebirth initiative, this seemed like as good a time as any to take a look at some of the amazing art the show inspired.
Superhero comic books are a great way to get kids of all ages reading, while teaching solid moral lessons and giving them something to aspire to. However, it can be difficult parsing which titles are suitable for kids and teens, and which titles most assuredly are not, so ComicsAlliance has put together a list of some of the best choices.
Today we're looking at DC Comics, which has been making increasing attempts to be more inclusive and provide a wider range of comics for all audiences over the past couple of years. Whether it's comics for fans of TV shows, new spins on classic franchises, or a Young Adult take on political satire, there's something for everyone these days at DC.
Has any one person meant as much to the DC Universe over the past 25 years than Bruce Timm? When the animator and TV producer co-created Batman: The Animated Series with Eric Radomski back in 1992, he and his team at Warner Bros. offered a fresh take on an iconic character, finding a balance between the breezy fun of the ’60s Batman and the darker Dark Knight of the ’70s and ’80s. Timm then went on to co-create one of the more entertaining versions of Superman in another animated series, debuting in 1996; and in 2001 he carried the lessons from those two shows into Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, which together comprise some of the best superhero television ever made.
Ask a generation of cartoon watchers what their prototypical Batman or Superman would look like, and there's a pretty good chance the image that will pop into the heads of many will look a whole lot like a Bruce Timm drawing. Same goes for Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Harley Quinn, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Robin, Batgirl, Lois Lane and dozens of other DC characters.
Timm, born on this day in 1961, has made his career in animation, co-creating Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League, among other shows, but he has arguably had as much of an impact on superheroes as any living comic artist.
Q: How do you feel about Superman: The Animated Series? A faithful adaptation that distills the Superman mythos the same way as Batman: TAS? -- @Trilby64
A: Superman: The Animated Series is great, which is one of the reasons that it's so weird that nobody ever really talks about how great it is. Even here at ComicsAlliance, when I was looking for things to dive into for an in-depth episode guide, it never even came up for consideration --- but to be honest, a lot of that was because there's not a whole lot to make fun of in that series. It synthesized one of the best versions of Superman ever brought to any medium, and it did it with an incredible style that was well done on pretty much every level.
There's just one big problem: It's not Batman.