Batman Family Reunion #7 – Fencing, Broken Trophies, and Shawn’s First Comic Book!

Watch out!  Cousin Paul is driving the chariot but Cousin Shawn is about to shoot him with a bow and arrow!  What brought on this epic battle?  Well, get your sports equipment out for this month’s Batman Family Reunion to find out!  We read through Batman Family #7, which is a VERY SPECIAL ISSUE for Shawn – his FIRST EVER COMIC BOOK!!

This month's Bat Family History Links for Elliot S! Maggin:

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/creator.php?creatorid=35

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_S._Maggin

https://elliot.maggin.com/

And finally, courtesy of The Answer Man himself, the story of the Hudson University Unispan Bridge (from Issue 6), in a post from Bob Rozakis's blog:
http://bobrozakis.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-hofstra-unispan.html

 

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15 responses to “Batman Family Reunion #7 – Fencing, Broken Trophies, and Shawn’s First Comic Book!

  1. Great show as always fellas!

    I wish I could remember my first comic book, but they were always around so that piece of personal history is lost to the ages.

    I loved Bruce putting his feet up on the final panel of the first story, as if Alfred doesn’t have to wipe the table once he’s done.

    I always thought Dr Double X was a neat character with a tragically goofy costume, red and yellow color schemes should be reserved for flame centric characters only, Otherwise it just reads to me as a hot dog with mustard on it.

    Regarding the First Issue packs, I would go with Set A, you get Demon #1 AND The Shadow #1. Can’t beat it.

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  2. 1 Hey guys I think “teen wonder was becuase he was “boy wonder for so long”
    2 wait how often was Atom in Dectecive? I have been thinking that they should have moved atom to Hudson for Robin team-ups?
    3 ALL Due respect Curt SWAN is AWESOME!
    4 I REMEMBER THE Brave and bold it’s two parts and Atom is in part 2 and Joker and Two-face slept in the same tent.
    5 of couse I rember joker Joker can look just like Batman by waring a costume
    6. Noctara used a hot air ballon.

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  3. Follow up: my video store had those Marvel tapes. Never understood how licensed material like this looked so shoddy. Marvel was usually a lot sharper when it came to their merch.

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  4. Nicely done, gentlemen. I couldn’t possibly determine what my first comic book was—I’m quite sure my parents and other relatives bought them for me before I could read—but some possibilities are: (1) The DC Special Series issue focusing on the Secret Society of Super-Villains (I remember being freaked out by Grodd, and fascinated with Green Lantern creating a giant green version of himself); (2) the JLA issue in which Mr. Terrific was killed; (3) some issue of Firestorm’s very first series (seeing someone with their head on fire had a powerful effect on very-young me).

    I’ve always loved the concept of Mr. and Mrs. Menace—the Sportsmaster and Huntress as a married couple. Back in the ’80s Infinity Inc. series, it was a no-brainer to add a child of theirs (Tigress II, née Artemis) to Injustice Unlimited, the second-generation version of the Injustice Society, and I’m glad that character has persisted. But I’ve found myself wanting some behind-the-scenes stories about this couple—how did they first hook up, were they fooling around in the old IS headquarters, what was their wedding like, etc. So actually, this story made me a little sad, since it seems to indicate that they don’t have the happiest of marriages. (The Starman series would’ve been a good place for that—there’s a moment when Shade encounters Alan Scott and tells him Sportsmaster used to call him “Green Latrine.” I like imagining that Shade could barely stand any member of the Injustice Society with the exception of Sportsmaster, whom he thought was funny.)

    Dr. Double X is a thoroughly ridiculous character, like many, many other sci-fi-flavored Bat-villains of the ’50s. So I find myself wondering why this guy has stuck around more or less to the present, making it into the New 52 and multiple animated series/movies. A little Mike’s Amazing World research tells me the blame belongs to Mike W. Barr, who for whatever reason brought him back in the early ’80s in both World’s Finest and Brave and the Bold (where he formed a loser-villain dream team with the mighty Rainbow Raider). It must be that sexy, sexy costume.

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  5. Great episdode so far fellas, as I’m still listening! Just chiming in to say these logos were used outside of BF, especially Robin’s. It was part of the famous 1982 DC Style guide with art by JLGL (PBHN). I remember having an awesome delta kite that had JLGL art of Batman and Robin on each of it’s wings, and Batman had the logo of the Batman tilte from the mid-70s through the mid-80s, and Robin had this one! Most imporantly, it was the logo used on the front and back of Robin’s Super Powers Collection packaging by Kenner! Definitive, to say the least! The logo still cropped up into the Bat-mania of 1989 on a few items. I seem to recall it used in Robin back-ups here and there as well mostly in Batman’s title, before Dick gave way to Jason. Sometimes the old bat-shaped logo from all the way back to Star-Spangled Comics was used.

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  6. Back with more comments: I will always appreicate Sheldon Moldoff’s work on Batman, but Dick Sprang is in a class by himself. Any Batman story he drew (and he mostly drew stories with Batman , plus a handful of Superman family tales) is worth marveling at on a panel-by-panel (sounds familiar) level. His characters are so full of life and movement, and his “cinematography” is often overlooked.

    Shawn, our local downtown video store had ALL of those Marvel video tapes. Yes, the covers were just baffling! An FF video with Sue and CRYSTAL on the cover? Hulk getting punched out on his own video cover? Sandman is actually that weird Sandman/Hydroman hybrid? Was someone at DC providing this company Marvel artwork to make them look bad? When that store went out of business, I was hoping to buy those, but someone got to them before me.

    And I loved Mr. Bones candy! I still have one of the coffins in my monster display!

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    1. In my head canon, Chris, your whole house becomes a monster display during the House…OF FRANKLIN-STEIN!

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  7. Hi, Bat Cousins. Sorry I’m late. I brought some potato salad that I will place on the corner of the picnic table directly in the sun. And, of course, some more Turkey Hill iced tea. Regarding your Turkey Hill question from the last reunion, I grew up in Lancaster, PA, which is where I grew accustomed to Turkey Hill products. I’ve lived in the DC Metro area for the last 20 years and a lot of the local grocery stores carry both Turkey Hill teas and ice cream. So I’m never that far from home.

    Not a bad issue. I always liked the Batgirl/Robin team-ups. They always had a lighter tone and a fun “will they/won’t they” vibe. I love the “F-U money” Bruce Wayne chilling out in a smoking jacket and ascot all day. They say the best revenge is living well, and Bruce is being his best “I Am Vengeance” right here. The only other remark I’d make about this story is Batgirl’s motorcycle isn’t exactly what you’d call aerodynamic. I know branding is important, but Babs should talk to her mechanic and PR person about having a flat, wide bat on the front of her bike.

    Keep up the great work, cousins, and watch out for Great Aunt Ethel. She’s about 3 Sauvignon Blancs deep and is getting a little handsy.

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  8. Impressive podcast most impressive. I just got over covid but I don’t have it in my system anymore so I should be okay. Interesting that this issue has tigress er, Huntress know not that one. Geez woman has had me get into that other people end up with. Since the Golden age was on this very network. Covered. Sports man was also kind of in it to. This is a decent enough team up. And sportsmen was smart enough to keep the basic villain colors in his customs. The sword funny stuff was kind of with Robin and batgirl. Though this has to be the weirdest double date ever. And not to throw shade on the Huntress is outfitted, but animal prints never did it for me. Not something I would wear. I’m not gonna say what it looks like they wouldn’t fit in a family-friendly environment’s. The chariot race was pretty cool.

    Not sure why they decided to De age Robin in this artwork. They can’t say creepy things about him because well. No, and it kind of hurts how he and Babs look together as a couple. Which normally looks like this sweet may December romance. Now it just looks a little oy. Then stopping the villains before they got to trinket it was cool. Though kind of an odd reason to go through all of this. The Batman bit at the beginning of the end was decent. Though a bit pointless.

    Moving along The double X story was fine. Though red and yellow? Was he supposed to be the red rooster version of Hulk Hogan? There now try to read the story without hearing all Hogan’s voice for double X. Longsleeved shirt with shorts. This look only works if you’re a gymnast or a pro bike rider. Then again with the ballet shoes. Complete with the two xs on his chest. Maybe he just got off work from his second job after leaving a bachelorette party as the entertainment. Maybe the bride had a thing for KFC? The character was fine. Though he does remind me of a different character from firestorm with the same gimmick. Might be the same character.

    Moving right along. The bit where Batman is breaking all of his trophies so no one knows he’s Bruce. Was fine. Though the way they catch the villain is kind of are you kidding me? He went through all the trouble to make sure he didn’t use the wrong hand. And do all of these things so no one would know who he was. But he couldn’t buy a new belt figure how to put it on the other way? I suppose it could happen. But, it does make the bad guy look like the guy who prepares for all the difficult things that overlooks the easy stuff. The Mr. bones can do looks cool enough. I don’t think I’ve ever tried this before. Though the bit looks like it would have been fun. The ice cream thing you mentioned is sold here in Louisiana. And the company also puts out a form of Ice-T. I work in a grocery store. So I’ve seen these appear from time to time. So while the bread might not be national. It has reached here.

  9. Hiya Bat-Brothers, cheers for tickling my Twinkies once more. And with the second issue I ever bought… the first was issue 2, but this was better, despite being so thin. Because this one had Mr and Mrs Menace, Huntress and Sportsmaster, stars of TV’s Stargirl. I love them! The bickering is so much fun, and reached another level a couple of months later in the legendary DC Super-Stars #10 with the Super-Heroes Vs Super-Villains baseball game… I had no blooming interest in the US version of Rounders, but it was more Bob Rozakis brilliance, with fantastic Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin art. If we can have a Batman Family Reunion Teen Titans Joker’s Daughter special, why not cover this great comic? OK, it’s sport, but it’ll have a Twinkies ad in there somewhere…

    Well done on pointing out Sportsmaster’s ever-changing wardrobe, sometimes he even altered outfits between panels in the same scene, eg page nine. He’s best in short shorts, obviously.

    I did laugh that even Dick gives himself second billing, referring to ‘Batgirl and Robin’ – poor kid. Speaking of which, you never mentioned that moment in which he points out just how much older Babs is… seven years, he reckons! Barbara Gordon IS MILFgirl!

    And how about that fabulous panel which declares: ‘Dick Grayson is an extraordinary person… with the agility and speed of a BOY and the strength and cleverness of a MAN.’

    And the legs of a Ladyshave model.

    Great fun…but the frame of the issue has to be the one at the bottom of page eight (did DC omit page numbers this time cos of the reduced page count?) explaining Sportsmaster’s MO. Silly hat, giant fish spitting tennis balls.. DUNGAREES! Curt Swan is having such a good time.

    Babs counting down so she inflates her airbag at the right moment… airbag? Where did she store that, her Bat-Buttocks?

    I take your point that Uncle Crusher and Auntie Paula should have been able to at least drop a rope into the vault to get at that gem, but wait a sec… a guy whose whole deal is using sporting kit hasn’t the athletic ability to get down a silly old tomb?

    Congratulations to whoever sorted out the splash page of the Doctor Double X story, finally a new logo and title that looks decent. As for ‘the villain of the issue’, I’m down with the helmet fin and the bare legs (they were later covered up by yellow tights).

    The trophies tale was OK but it was just Batman and Robin. If a story doesn’t spotlight a supporting character it has no business being here.

    I wouldn’t have bothered with any of the comics packs because they all had stuff in I didn’t fancy. The most appealing, if pushed, is the one with the clasic Plop! #1.

    To answer your ice cream question, we actually have superb ices in Scotland because of all the Italian families that moved here and opened cafes and gelato factories… but my fave is cheap Mr Whippy, dripping with monkey’s blood.

    As for my own question, we’ll done to Rob McCarthy, It was indeed Bronze Age villain Nocturna, Jason Todd’s spooky stepmum, who travelled to crimes in a balloon.

    What a treat to have a contribution from Bob Rozakis! You know he answered two of my questions in his fabulous Daily Planet column?

  10. Unlike some of the others, I’m fairly certain that the first comic book I bought myself (as specifically opposed to comic books I read, but which belonged to others) was Transformers #8, which ostensibly introduced the Dinobots (although they technically had already appeared in flashback several issues earlier). I never did do a podcast devoted to this series, but only because the folks at Transformers Chronicles: The Marvel Years were already doing such, and I wanted to try something that was a bit less likely to be well-trod ground. Thus, I did “Not Your Father’s Autobot: A Transformers: Generation 2 Comic Book Podcast,” which recently finished covering all 12 issues of *that* series (plus the several issues of GI: Joe that served to re-introduce the Transformers after an absence of a few years). You should be able to find it via my blog, if interested.

    Doctor X and Double X should have seen through Batman’s “phosphorus” disguise immediately! It’s not like Batman thought to put a double-bat emblem on his chest the way Double X did with *his* emblem! No wonder they were defeated so quickly!

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