OK, so to recap just a bit, the last bunch of older comics we discussed finished out the Crisis On Infinite Earths and moved the surviving members of the Justice Society into limbo. Most heroes’ lives continued from that point, some with subtle changes, which would be explored in stories over the next decade or so. Some of those stories included flashbacks to the past, but included an in-story contemporary framing sequence. Those tales are placed whenever they would occur in my collection. But other stories, especially a number of miniseries established a new status quo for various heroes, and the events those tales relate are set firmly in the past. Following the Crisis in my “chronological” collection are a number of these tales.
Very little was revamped initially with the Justice Society, at least not in print. Initially, the characters were in limbo. But there have been a few more recent tales told of the old JSA without Superman and Batman. For example ...
JSA: Strange Adventures 1-6 (DC Comics, 2004) — This miniseries focuses on the writing efforts of Johnny Thunder as he tries to chronicle a bizarre tale of The Justice Society as a novel. The books are written by novelist Kevin J. Anderson and illustrated by Barry Kitson and Gary Erskine and make for a fun read.
Following that tale, we jump ahead quite a bit to pick up the Superman revamp by John Byrne, but only the first two issues, so far.
The Man of Steel 1-2 (DC Comics, 1986) — The first issue re-tells the final days of a newly-technological and sterile Krypton from which Jor-El sends his unborn son’s gestation chamber into space and on a course for earth. As there was no longer any Superboy in this new single-earth continuity, Clark Kent’s youth goes by pretty quickly and he debuts in Metropolis, meets Lois and gets dubbed Superman in the second issue.
Batman 404 (DC Comics, 1987) — Next we go to Gotham City. This issue has no current framing sequence and is the first chapter in the four-part Batman Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham from several years’ worth of travel abroad to begin his war on crime. His first night out, disguised as a vagrant, does not go well. Injured, he returns to Wayne Manor where the bat crashes through the study window, inspiring Bruce to adopt a bat motif for his disguise.
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 1 (DC Comics, 1989) — Before moving on with the rest of Batman Year One or The Man of Steel, we detour for this first chapter of the five-part Shaman by Dennis O’Neil, Ed Hannigan and John Beatty. This story starts out with a flashback to two years ago while the young Bruce Wayne is still training under masters of various disciplines, this time an expert tracker in Alaska. The expert is killed, and so, seemingly, is the quarry, but Bruce is left literaly out in the cold with no gear. He is saved by an Eskimo shaman. From there, the story returns to modern times, which in this tale is a few days before and the next day after Bruce’s disasterous debut appearance. So the timing of these events coincides with the first issue of Batman Year One.
Batman 405-407 (DC Comics, 1987) — This is the rest of the Batman Year One story as the Batman debuts, befriends new Gotham cop Lt. James Gordon and saves Gordon’s son, cementing the pair’s working relationship. This is a somewhat darker, more grim Batman, foreshadowing the cynical person with trust issues he will become later.
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 2-5 (DC Comics, 1989-90) — Dialog in the second issue of this tale established that the events here take place about six months after those in the first issue. The storyline explores the concept of masks and identities, and provides some excellent insights into the mind of the Darknight Detective.
Batman and the Monster Men 1-6 (DC Comics, 2006) — Next comes this re-telling of the first Hugo Strange story by Matt Wagner. One of the conceits of this re-telling is that it bridges the gap between Batman battling mostly gangsters and common criminals to the more bizarre costumed and demented adversaries he comes to be identified with. The story ends with mention of someone called the Joker.
Batman: The Man Who Laughs (DC Comics, 2005) — explores the first confrontation between Batman and this Joker character. In fact, the first time Batman sees the maniacal killer, he assumes the man is literally just a harmless clown. This great story is by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke.
Catwoman 1-4 (DC Comics, 1989) — This story, by Mindy Newell, J.J. Birch and Michael Bair, once again returns to the night of Bruce Wayne’s disasterous debut without the bat costume. That night he briefly meets a prostitute named Selina Kyle and stops her pimp from beating her up. This story fleshes out Selina’s new backstory and shows how that encounter with Bruce, and later Batman, inspire her to create Catwoman.
The Man of Steel 3 (DC Comics, 1986) — Now that Batman is firmly established in the world, we return to the Superman revamp where the two heroes meet for the first time. John Byrne puts several fun moments into this series, and some of them are found in this particular issue, including the closing scene. Superman has come to Gotham to investigate this rough vigilante operating there. Superman quickly finds Batman with every intention of stopping him from going forward with his “one-man war on crime.” Batman threatens to kill an innocent somewhere in the city if Superman acts against him using an explosive device Superman could never find in time. At the end of the adventure, Batman starts to leave when Superman reminds him of the earlier threat.
Batman: Here you go, Superman. I had it tucked inside my utility belt all the time.
Superman: You ...??? You mean, it was your own life you were risking? Why?!?
Batman: Because I knew my plan was the only way I could stop you, Superman. I also knew that with your great powers, you’d probably be able to tell if I were lying.
Superman (leaving): Well, I still won’t say I fully approve of your methods, Batman ...... and I’m going to be keeping an eye on you, to make certain you don’t blow it for the rest of us ... but ... good luck.
As Superman departs, Batman thinks to himself, “A remarkable man, all things considered. Who knows? In a different reality, I might have called him “friend.”
Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn 1-6 (DC Comics, 1989-90) — Superman and Batman aren’t the only heroes in the world, of course. Others start to be seen fighting crime and battling super-villains. This re-telling of Green Lantern Hal Jordan’s origin ads flaws to the hero, setting up the change the character would take in Emerald Twilight later. This tale is by James Owsley, M.D. Bright and Romeo Tanghal. It even features the Guardians and other GLs toward the end.
Legends of the DC Universe 1-3 (DC Comics, 1998) — This three-issue story focuses on a story from early in Superman’s career and features a villain better known to golden age fans, the Ultra-Humanite.
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 16-20 (DC Comics, 1991) — This story is important for a number of reasons, first of which, it’s a darn good tale by Dennis O’Neil and Trevor von Eeden. Batman catches a kidnapper who has abducted a small girl. He forces the kidnapper to tell him where the little girl is being held, but by the time Batman gets there, the little girl has drowned. Bruce tortures himself with guilt over not being strong-enough to reach the girl in time, and gives in to the temptation to take a man-made steroid to enhance his abilities. Unbeknownst to Batman, the drug is highly addictive, and also renders him susceptible to suggestion. Once he realizes his mistake, Batman must fight his way through withdrawal to defeat the villains. The drug he took is an early form of Venom, the chemical Bane will later pump directly into his own brain to enhance his own strength.
The Man of Steel 4 (DC Comics, 1986) — This isn’t necessarily the first meeting between Superman and Lex Luthor, but it is the one where Superman learns the businessman’s true intentions and motivations.
Hey, I think that’s far enough for today. We’ll move closer to the current events next time.
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