By Andrew A. Smith
Tribune Content Agency
June 25, 2020 — The comics industry has barely begun shipping again, and already the Comics Teletype is overheating. Here are the top stories:
ITEM: The Dark Mr. Mom Returns? A lot of comics sites have had a lot of happy talk lately about Michael Keaton possibly coming back to play Batman in the The Flash movie scheduled for 2022. Prior to this, the word was that The Flash had been canceled, due to alleged misbehavior by its star, Ezra Miller. But this movie has been killed and revived more times than Dracula, so anything’s possible. And one thing that seems more than possible, probable even, is that The Flash (should it happen) will lean heavily on the multiverse.
The idea being bruited about is that Keaton would be a Batman from a parallel universe — let’s call it Earth-1989 for Tim Burton’s Batman — who is, obviously, much older and more experienced than the usual version, and could appear in multiple DC Extended Universe movies as a sort of connective tissue.
If Keaton actually signs a contract, he would likely be some sort of advisor figure. But maybe not, as “old Batman” is a major player in at least two famous DC Comics parallel-world stories:
- In the 1986 Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller (300, Sin City) envisions a more brutal, cynical, sixtysomething Dark Knight for a future Gotham City that has spiraled out of control. A fight scene against Superman in DKR was more or less adapted for Batman v. Superman. And the evil, aged Bruce Wayne seen on The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” (played by Kevin Conroy) is thought to be the Dark Knight Returns version.
- In the 2011 “Flashpoint,” Barry Allen goes back in time to prevent Reverse-Flash from murdering his mother. This idea was explored superficially in The Flash TV show, but in comics Allen’s action creates a new timeline, one where — among other things — Bruce Wayne dies in Crime Alley and his father becomes Batman instead. Note: In this story, Thomas Wayne is not a nice guy.
So while Keaton’s Gotham Guardian could become a wise mentor for younger heroes in the DCEU, it’s also possible he will become a threat.
A scene from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns graphic novel was adapted for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, starring Ben Affleck as Batman (left) and Henry Cavill as Superman. (© 2015 Warner Bros.)
ITEM: #metoo Makes a Mark: The #metoo movement has brought a long-awaited reckoning to the comics industry in recent weeks.
A group of women have accused Batgirl writer Cameron Stewart of “grooming” them for sexual purposes when they were up-and-comers, with at least one of them underage. Charles Brownstein, the executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for the last 18 years, kept his position despite being credibly accused of sexual assault in 2005. And Warren Ellis — famed for Transmetropolitan and Red (adapted to movies), and currently working on Castlevania — has also been accused by a sizable group of women of offering to be a mentor, a friendship that would, instead, lead to exploitation.
“But Ellis broke no laws,” I hear defenders say. “Not the point,” I respond. I’m as big a fan of Ellis’ work as anyone walking the earth, as is my wife, but what he is accused of broke every rule of ethical human interaction there is. What he did may not fit a legal definition, but to paraphrase Justice Potter, I know abuse when I see it.
The other two don’t have a defense, if the allegations are true. And they sure ring true. The comic book industry is small and insular, and advancement is as often a matter of interpersonal relationships as it is talent. It’s long had the reputation of treating women poorly. But few would go on the record, as that would chance them being frozen out of the boys’ club. So there’s always been more smoke than fire … until now.
Ellis has issued an apology. Brownstein has resigned. Stewart has gone radio silent, shutting down all social media accounts.
What the future holds for these men is unknown. But at the very least, the comics industry should take a long look in the mirror, and figure out a way for up-and-coming creators to break into comics on merit, not patronage. Especially women, whose numbers are few in the industry, thanks to decades of chauvinism. Seriously, why is this so hard to understand?
ITEM: Threat or Menace? J.K. Simmons, who played J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man trilogy that starred Tobey Maguire, is the only character from that suite of movies to make the transition into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the same character in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” And he’s not done.
J.K. Simmons starred as J. Jonah Jameson in the first three Spider-Man movies, where he declared the only person he trusted was his barber. (Melissa Moseley/Columbia Pictures)
“There is one more JJJ appearance in the can,” Simmons told SiriusXM radio, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “ and from what I’m hearing there’s a plan for yet another. So hopefully JJJ will continue now and forever.”
Simmons was delightful as the ornery, opinionated and aggressive Daily Bugle publisher, and really looked the part. Sadly, JJJ’s trademark crew cut was absent in Far from Home, with Simmons showing his own, naturally hairless scalp.
That’s too bad. But I’ll take Simmons’ JJJ any way I can get him.
ITEM: Hard-Writing Hero: Famed comics writer Denny O’Neil died at home June 11 of natural causes. He was 81.
O’Neil got his start at Marvel Comics in the ‘60s, but it was in 1970 that he made his indelible mark on the industry. Moving to DC and assigned the poor-selling Green Lantern, he added Green Arrow (whom he had just revamped in Justice League of America) to play a liberal Greek chorus to force the Emerald Gladiator to start asking questions about a number of social issues. These Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories, sometimes referred to as “Hard-Traveling Heroes,” were shocking in an era when DC’s superheroes were almost uniformly apolitical and personality-free.
O’Neil is also credited with taking Batman back to his creature-of-the-night roots, a critically acclaimed run on The Question and the creation or co-creation of a host of characters, including Ra’s al Ghul.
O’Neil has inspired generations of readers and writers. He will be missed.
But he will not be forgotten. Especially since virtually every Bat-TV show or movie works in “O’Neil” and Denny’s frequent collaborator (Neal) “Adams” as street names. It’s practically a tradition, so keep an ear out for it.
ITEM: All Genre, All the Time: It’s been a brutal couple of months for fans of genre TV and movies, with many fan favorites truncated and/or delayed by the pandemic. And it looked for a while like there was no relief in sight, with all The CW superhero shows delayed until January, and most movies postponed until next year.
The second season of Doom Patrol will introduce Dorothy Spinner (front), and stars (back, from left) Cyborg, Negative Man, Robotman, The Chief, Rita Farr and Crazy Jane. (© 2020 Warner Bros.)
But lo, the next six weeks bring relief. Not only are Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Snowpiercer and Stargirl still at mid-season, they are joined by:
- NOS4S2 (AMC, June 21): Zachary Quinto stars as Charlie Manx, a vampire who feeds on the souls of children. TV villains don’t come any creepier.
- Doom Patrol (DC Universe/HBO Max, June 25): Features a team of freaks who battle threats just as weird as they are.
- Dark (Netflix, June 27): This top-flight German sci-fi production mixes time travel, horror and melodrama.
- Old Guard (Netflix, July 10): Based on an Image Comics title, this movie stars mercenaries who are secretly immortal. Their leader is “Andy” (Charlize Theron), originally known as Andromache of Scythia.
- Umbrella Academy (Netflix, July 31): Our estranged but lovable family failed to save the world in Season 1. Thanks to Five’s powers, they get a second chance.
- The Boys (Amazon Prime): What if the Justice League was selfish, petty and arrogant, and only pretended to be heroic? Well, superhero-hater Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) would seek to put an end to them, that’s what. Season 2 is expected toward the end of July.
Find Captain Comics by email (capncomics@aol.com), on his website (captaincomics.ning.com), on Facebook (Andrew Alan Smith) or on Twitter (@CaptainComics).
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