Batman Family Reunion #6 – BFR Salutes the Bicentennial!

This month, we pull out all the stops for our special Bicentennial Reunion!  Shawn and Paul are decked out in Red, White, & Blue, and we welcome an unexpected guest – the Joker’s Daughter!  See her first appearance, Batgirl wrassle some bison, and the Mad Hatter get foiled by a hatpin!

This month’s Bat Family History Links:

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/creator.php?creatorid=310

https://www.comics.org/creator/3119/

https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/people/2910/dave-wood

https://www.pulpartists.com/WoodBob.html

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12 responses to “Batman Family Reunion #6 – BFR Salutes the Bicentennial!

  1. Hi Batty Uncles, thanks for another tremendously distracting show.

    The cover is great, boxes and all! Ernie Chua is reliably good, and a million points to whoever came up with ‘bison-tennial’. That’s probably the best pun I’ve ever seen on a DC comic, and I’ve read, ooh, more than a dozen.

    The Batgirl story is a typically tightly plotted time passer, the most notable feature being the crisp José Delbo/Vince Colletta artwork, I really do love their Babs.

    The Joker’s Daughter debut wasn’t the most exciting first appearance, but hey, we’re getting Duela Dent. Bob Rozakis really doesn’t get enough credit, constantly coming up with fun shorts and, along the way, creating two characters DC has got an awful lot of mileage out of, Joker’s Daughter and Calculator. And in terms of characters we don’t see much, but who are simply wonderful, I give you the cast of ‘Mazing Man. I do hope someone at the Fire and Water Network interviews the Answer Man one day.

    Again, great art. Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin personify the Bronze Age for me, they’re my Flash artists; in Batman terms, of course, when Irv Novick is drawing a moody story and it’s inked by Dick Giordano there’s a definite Neal Adams vibe.

    The wee focus on Robin’s tiny supporting cast was fun, I’d love to see them show up in Nightwing, especially Lori Elton – the poor lass had no chance, here designated ‘Dick Grayson’s current girlfriend’…

    Those Alfred stories were so cute, and they really capture the way we Brits speak. And I love these old stories that have, not thought balloons, but parenthetical lines in the regular word balloon.

    I enjoyed the Curious Crime Capers, they have to be true, otherwise they’d be funnier. Mind, I’d not have been disappointed had the page featured strange customs, I love such things… everything I know about trapping a man I learnt from feature pages in Wonder Woman.

    The Mad Hatter story is indeed loads of fun, with such things as the eerie puppet jury and the magician ruining his looks with the chin turd. it’s such a shame that nowadays the Mad Hatter is just another murderous Gotham ghoul. As regards Robin managing to pop that balloon with just a hatpin, perhaps he used that slingshot that was his original Golden Age weapon of choice. OK, we can’t see it, but he’s pretty small in the frame. Anyway, talking of the Mad Hatter’s balloon…

    POP QUIZ! Name another Batman foe who travelled by hot air balloon.

    As ever, the run-through of contemporary comics was fun. I must admit, I liked Tim Trench… but I preferred Johnny Double. And of course some of us knew Captain Comet before he starred in Secret Society of Super-Villains and was reprinted in DC Super-Stars of Space… a couple of his earliest adventures were re-presented a couple of years previously, in World’s Finest Comics #204 and Superman #244. It’s great to be old!

    The Dave Wood feature was eye-opening, people had such fascinating lives back then.

    As regards the lettercol, a spot of research tells me that comics were banned by B52 Fred Schneider’s father, but he did meet Archie and pals at one point, when the band visited Riverdale.

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  2. joker 8 was kind of interesing yet another story that set up something that would be good if they EVER LET joker be two parts. Joker is REALLY SCARED of Superman and really likes golf. nethier plot is followed up. Joker enjoying a sport is an interesting idea. I’M sure i dont need remind anybody joker 6 has golf too. However unlike Joker 6 Joker 8 is GOOD.

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  3. Like a dog that sees a squirrel, you really had my attention when you mentioned Dave Wood, because I was hoping you would get to his (and anyone’s) greatest contribution to comics, ULTRA THE MULTI ALIEN!

    I really enjoyed the deep dive into Wood’s backstory and career, there were so many of these hard working guys who toiled in obscurity who probably died thinking NO ONE would ever remember their work in comics. More of this on the show, please!

    The Superman belt buckle can be found on ebay for only $17? Tempting.

    Great episode as usual!

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    1. Thanks Rob. Glad to give some props to Dave Wood – people probably only remember his brother! And while we had to tell the story with all of them, I myself learned about his creations including Ultra!

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  4. Quick clarification regarding your comments about Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot. While it is true that Christie wrote Poirot for nearly her entire career, despite growing tired of doing so, she actually DID kill him off. Amazingly, she did so quite early in her career, but then (as alluded to in your podcast) she had the story locked up for several decades. In this specific case (the story is called “Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case”), the book didn’t *quite* wait for Christie’s death (although such *was* the apparent intention), but it was indeed released only when she knew that the end was near (another “vault book” did indeed get published after Christie’s death, but it wasn’t a Poirot book, and didn’t feature the death of its long-running protagonist).

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    1. I knew someone would know a lot more about Agatha Christie than us! Thanks for the clarification and cool info Mark!

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  5. Impressive podcast most impresses. I very quickly I will get through the whole story with Babs. The outfit. It’s a good thing she has red hair. And it’s nice to have two different shades of green. But, unless your green arrow or in the military. And all green outfit is not the way to go. It’s like attack of the Keebler elves these two weeks. Enchantress in DC comics at least had the decency to have the red sash and black tights. To break up all the green. Also the room available is Dustin everything I would you want to be in green? It’s not like white reasons he ever did on it to clean it out. Nor is it like a dark color so you can hide. You’re just pointing out a look at all the dust I got into. Was she auditioning for the third member of the Green hornet team here? Register off the mask show she was late for the episode? Also I’m glad that the tribe got the copper rights. As for the Bell and I’m just got step past that. Moving right along to the next story.

    The jokers daughter was always a great character. Though she was sadly underused. It is interesting that he turns out to be two faces daughter . After all he’s one of the few zones she did pretend to be the daughter of. Also she did end up getting a name other than just the jokers daughter. And this is gonna be kind of ironic. Since after all a character whom is associated with the jokers in a major way into being the third person to use this name. Our girl Dula Dent being the second. As far as I can remember. I will jump into that directly. The third person to use this as a part of their name. Interestingly enough the first person he did as a descriptor was Joker himself. But we’ll get to that came in a minute. The first person was a person actually fought Green Lantern. Well the first female personage as their main aim. After all probably used for descriptor of Joker before. But, after this lady whom had been a major enemy of Green Lantern. And later in the update them and more. Our girl Dula Dent, was the second person to be called……. Harlequin. Yet at one time her byline was Harlequin the jokers daughter. This was way before the animated series.

    I do wonder if Paul Dini and Bruce Timm (The last of the old school he man comics artist. She was the last guy to draw the man comics before the first folded.) Ware it all inspired by Dula Dent. I know a lot of that version came because of hawking his friendship with Arleen Sorkin . And in episode she did howsoever she was working on. But, I wonder if any of this character was utilized in the creation subconsciously. Moving along, it is interesting that homegirl is the daughter of two super villains. Well holiday wasn’t created till years later. But, putting that point of the Long Halloween and her father being two-face she is the daughter of two super villains. It is a little pointless and they did to her in crisis. All Marv had to do was say she was born to two face before he became a superhero. And to the real holiday. Alberto Falcone being the ultimate Patsy for her. Gilda Dent being the true killer. Thus Dula Dent is the daughter of two super villains. All ignore the whole ton of retcons to where she ends up being from Earth three. The initial costume is fine. The whole thing that she’s just messing with Dick to become a superhero later. It’s interesting. At least that’s what they sell she finally joins Titans though she does commit quite a few crimes as different characters. Card Queen was a decent enough alias for her.

    Though this is definitely the definitive look of her. And the one most people think of what they think of Dula Dent. The holding hands that were she has the fake pop-up hands that pretty sure that you can use before works well enough. Though by the 70s it’s kind of sadder still using the handbags of the doom. For female characters to use for their paraphernalia and weapons. Also she kind of what killed him add Robinett figured out how to land properly from that height.
    Not a great idea. Though once again you have any other female falling for Robin. Once again the Grayson butt brings in more admirers. And unlike the womanizer storylines for Green Lantern this would make sense. Rinse you actually see where it in real life some men and other adult type humans. Having a crush on Dick Grayson. I have no idea why, but Dula did this fit into the characters I really like that no one seems to have much of interest in Huntress , she Hulk and Capt. Britain to name a few. I was even glad at first when she showed up in the new 52. And then like with the rest of the new 52. It turns to crap. Moving on.

    The offered story is fine enough. The cereals most annoying about the starting to look more like the Alfred we all know. And less like the heavyset uncle who had been the Butler to Bat man. Since this all came before Alfred basically became the adoptive father of Bruce Wayne. Well Jim, Alfred and Lucius Fox. Basically early father figures to Bruce Wayne. The whole world’s greatest detective joke that Alfred once made on Bruce does kind of fit. Since he seems to miss all of the good things about himself. The ultimate loner has a huge bat family. The father figures and at least one mother figure being a certain Dr. but, Bruce must keep his status as King of the edge Lords. Moving along the mad Hatter story is fine. Moving along thank you all for posting the drawing I did of a possible design for Robin’s custom. That was pretty cool. The belt buckle you have also looks cool. I don’t remember seeing this one I remember these self that had the red and blue ass on it but this is a new one and looks kind of interesting. The carmine artwork of Catwoman is fun. But, even at this point. Everyone knew it was the boy wonder that Barbara loved. This looks like Catwoman is starting a pointless fight. Though her outfit is on point. Though to be honest that under bust corset she’s wearing I’m slightly impressed by and slightly scared. It’s probably supposed to be a green belt.

    But what it’s doing for Selena in this drawing I’m calling it a corset. I’m not throwing shade at it. I’m just saying if you can find one that can pull in that will for you go for it. Just be ready for it she. I won a few all day only taking them off to eat. But, now the ones I wore that much. And the hourglass look at creating doesn’t seem to be exemplified that it’s doing it from the size of said corset. And under bust corset of course. Any hairstyle probably fits that time. So I’m not going to say anything about that either. The brow work is impressive. The foundation game she’s not going is that either. For the so-called natural look. Not a bad shade of pink lipstick. And her eyelash game is just a chef kiss. I have no idea if that’s how the lingo is used. Then again I don’t even know if shade is still used as a term so whatever. At any rate can’t wait to hear the next podcast.

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  6. Great show as always gents! I like the new slip and slide you installed, but those things are really for kids, and not good for an old man’s back!

    I still can’t decide how I feel about The Joker’s Daughter/Duela Dent/Harlequin. I think part of the problem is I believe I first met her in Tales of the Teen Titans #50, at Donna Troy’s wedding. There she’s somehow much older than Dick and the other Titans, and even then it was clear to me Marv Wolfman was kind of thumbing his nose at the late 70s Titans run. So when I started to get back issues of Batman Family and Titans, my opinion had already been tainted. I need to re-read all her appearances and re-evaluate.

    Good on Paul for getting that belt buckle, and thanks for sharing the pic! I’ve never seen it in person.

    I have always preferred the Jervis Tetch mustachioed Mad Hatter over the earlier Alice and Wonderland Golden Age version. This is mostly because of David Wayne’s stuffy dandy-like performance in Batman ’66. And both of his appearances were based on his two prior comic appearances, like this one, as you pointed out. Now BTAS did a great job with the OTHER Hatter, but beyond that, give me this one every day.

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  7. Hi, cousins. This is my first family picnic, so I have to admit I wasn’t expecting so much talk about Wood, but whatever. I brought some Turkey Hill iced tea and I made a bat Jello mold with a real bat in the middle. Get a good spoonful. You can really taste the bat.

    I have random issues of Batman Family from when I was a little kid, so It’s great to revisit the family.

    The Batgirl tale was okay with the most shocking moment being the Post’s headline. Today our best hope for the headline would be “Judge Rules Against Senator’s Plan to Remove Indigenous People from Own Land for Drilling. Moves to Higher Court”

    Robin’s adventure was a little better. I really liked Irv Novak’s art. He made everyone look like they were in an episode of the Rockford Files. That was an artist of his time.

    Chumley is a good boy.

    I really liked the Mad Hatter story by Not Bob Kane. One thing that really impressed me was the amount of detail used by the artist (not Bob Kane). The artists, who was not Bob Kane by the way, did a wonderful job of storytelling and making each location seem different. By the way, fifty grand in cash prizes at a bowling alley? You wouldn’t see that today. Who ran this alley, the Rockefellers?

    Anyway, great show, guys. I better scram. I accidentally caught Aunt Marge in the ankle with a lawn dart and she is quite the drama queen. See you at the next reunion!

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    1. Indeed! Cats are caviar, but dogs are stale Twinkies.

      OK, that’s mean. Dogs and cats are both lovely, neither is better.

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