Episode 1403 Talkback Off the Racks: Batman '66, The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Quantum and Woody
Pants
Posts: 567
In this episode we discuss the recent first issues of Batman '66 from DC, The Superior Foes of Spider-Man from Marvel, and Quantum and Woody from Valiant. We also touch on Trinity War from DC, Satellite Sam from Image, and Watson and Holmes from New Paradigm Studios.(1:23:48)
Listen here.
Listen here.
Comments
As for the story, I thought it was good, but not outstanding. I'll give it a few more issues just because of the artwork.
I was a little disappointed in Batman ’66. It was a decent attempt, but it just fell a little flat for me. I hated the coloring. I didn’t have a problem with the palette really, but the whole faux retro comic styling was poorly done and distracting.
1) When comics misprinted on the press, it typically wasn’t the same plate (in this case the Cyan plate) offset on every single page, and offset exactly the same way. If they had mixed it up a bit—maybe the Magenta plate offset to the left on one page—but left most of the pages lined up correctly, it would have had greater verisimilitude.
2) The “Benday dots” were terrible. They were too large, and they were faded out. Real Benday dots were either there or not there. If you wanted to fade a color, you would space the dots out more.
3) Without the retro effects, the palette would have been fine for me. But if you’re going to try to make the artwork look like an old comic, it would help if you limited your paletted to the same 16 colors those comics used. And yellowing the pages a bit would have helped too.
My daughter liked the comic, so I may get the next issue and give it one more shot, but we’ll see.
I won't even mention how disinterested I am in Batman '66 to begin with.
It's not animated, no audio sound effects (I was refering to the print ones), no multi-media aspect. It is still sequential art and dialogue used to tell a story. It's simply presented in a way that can only be done digitally. I whole-heartedly agree with the point about paying for digital files you don't own, and am a huge supporter of DRM-free downloads, but that is an entirely different discussion.
I'm simply stating that a book designed to be read digitally should be read digitally when a print version can't reproduce the reading experience. As for why you would comment on a comment about how a book you have no desire to read should be read... that's beyond me.
It was a tough decision, because it is beautiful.
I wonder if I can find a copy without text?
Give me a comic without the gimmicks or the need to use a device in order to read it.
M
Look, no one is forcing anything on anyone. I think the point was that if you enjoyed the comic (as it was a "Buy!" from all the Geeks), you would do yourself a favor by getting the digital format and enjoying the books that way. Clearly you don't even care for the book so the argument is moot. Personally, I enjoy other's PoV and opinions. OUR opinion is that you should try it. :)
I read plenty of the other digital-first comics on paper-later.
The only villains who would be owned by Fox would likely be the ones specifically created for the show: King Tut, the Bookworm, Egghead, etc.
Any dispute with the likenesses of the characters might have to do with obtaining such rights from the
M
He said DC's legal dept was being very careful with getting permission to use likenesses, In fact they approached the estate of a well known but dead singer of the 66 era about having his likeness in the book, and the estate wanted a mid 5 figure dollar amount for the cameo!
This is a very litigious era, and while we'd all obviously like DC to give us Bob Hope Jerry Lewis and other celeb cameoes , just like the TV show did, it's not going to be easy, and in this case it's not their "fault".
I question who owns the TV-show specific villains, though. Guys like Bookworm, Egghead, King Tut, and False Face all showed up on Batman: The Brave and the Bold at one point or another, and Egghead even turned up in an issue of the B:TBatB comic book (teaming up with Egg Fu to fight Batman and Wonder Woman). DC also introduced their own version of King Tut in a Batman Confidential arc a few years back.
Did you ever play Apples-to-Apples? There is a Batman card that references the 60s series in a joke. I hate that era so much, when people put that card down figuring I'd use it, I tell them about my disdain & pick up another card. Yeah, my hatred is THAT bad.
M
Batman '66 was awesome! The gags were great and most of the dialogue rang true to the show. The coloring was off putting at first but a couple pages into the comic I'd stopped noticing it.
I LOVED SFoSM! I immediately thought of Hawkeye when I started reading this issue. Nick Spencer can be hit or miss for me but the guy nails it here. Faaantastic first issue.
Wiki Entry
M
I can't agree more. The only thing that kept me from buying the book was the language used in the dialogue.
It was really hard not to buy it.