Monday, January 19, 2015

Batman Lives to Give

What surprised me the most about Batman #150 is how little fanfare there was.  They didn't seem to make a big deal out of "anniversary" issues until the 1970's, because it was certainly a hoopty-hoo when I started reading comics back in the day.

So, here's the big story:




Wait. A. Minute.

This is a private studio.  Law enforcement has nothing to do with this, and yet Batman agreed to provide free bodyguard services for them.  Mind you, he's not helping out poor people or anything.  He's helping out studio executives.

You know, there has to be a certain level of codependency for someone to be willing to do the work that super heroes do for no payment whatsoever.  But it seems like poor Bats is just throwing himself at whatever task anyone wants to toss his way.  Well... anyone wealthy, it seems.


I'm not convinced British people talk that way.  I've been watching a lot of British television lately and while I've heard a lot of profanity, I haven't heard any "by Jove!" or "old chap" or even "old bean."


Okay, two things:

(1) Have you seen what the Batman robot can do, Batwoman?  Because we have here at CMNS, and it's at least as good, if not better, at being Batman than Batman himself.  With a robot like the one Batman has, it's a wonder he bothers to leave the cave at all.

(2) Don't be a c-block, Batwoman.  No one likes a c-block.

Besides, this is hilarious:



I love off-camera dialogue.  Don't you?




Robin, didn't you hear what I just said to Batwoman about being a c-block?

Ah, Silver Age comics.  Your silliness gives me life.

See you tomorrow!

6 comments:

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

In the panels with the French woman, is Batman wearing a corset?

Tim Roll-Pickering said...

Most of those British expressions are very old fashioned now and also tended to be used by only certain classes. They were often used in films of the 1950s but have severely fallen out of use since, with social trends also meaning the type who would have said them are much less likely to be seen on television these days.

It's a stereotype based on a media representation of only a small section of society but then I guess the loud, obnoxious, ignorant, fat cowboy wannabe who chucks his money everywhere and has no sense of occasions is just as bad.

Adam Barnett said...

Tim, I live in Oklahoma... that's a LARGE section of society to me!

Adam Barnett said...

Wayne, maybe Batman was really into doing crunches in those days. Then you see him drawn by Mike Sekowsky in JLA and he looks like he's been consuming milkshakes intravenously.

Unknown said...

I know that it is possible to a nephew that is older than you, but Batman's disguise makes him look more like the studio exec's grandfather than his nephew.

Adam Barnett said...

You know, I had wondered about that. The white hair sure did age someone who was just starting to enter the field. These days, people switch careers at all ages, but back then I think that would have drawn unnecessary suspicion to the disguise.