Mountain Comics #32 – Batman #353

MOUNTAIN COMICS #32 - BATMAN #353

Mountain Comics returns for a special one-off episode with Rob welcoming back Chris Franklin to the cabin to discuss BATMAN #353 by Gerry Conway, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN), Dan Adkins, Mike W. Barr, and Don Newton!

Check out images from this comic by clicking here!

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16 responses to “Mountain Comics #32 – Batman #353

  1. Welcome back, Mountain Comics! I had this one! I remember the cover, I remember the carving of Joker’s face falling apart, and I remember cringing in vicarious embarrassment at Dick’s Batman dialogue.

    I’m hoping I still have it. I’m going to try and dig it out so I can read along as I listen. It’ll be like Power Records, if Power Records added commentary.

  2. I was super excited to see Mountain Comics on the feed this morning! I will happily take one episode over no episodes! In fact, with Chris on board, and the one off nature of the story, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A POWER RECORDS! This story would have been perfect for a Power Records audio adventure.
    The reason I love Mountain Comics is the memories it brings back, and boy do I have memories of this book. It’s quite possibly the most perfect Bronze Age issue if Batman. Iconic hero against his most iconic villain with a cover that perfectly sums up the story.
    This comic was among a stash of books I kept in my clubhouse/fort (Under the desk in the corner of the living room.) where I would hide away reading the secures of my favorite heroes. This was one of my favorites.
    Decades later when my mother was getting rid of the desk, my brother and I went back home to help move it out to the curb. As we removed the drawers to make it easier to carry, we found this comic along with a few issues of Spider-Man still hidden under drawers!
    Thank you, Rob and Chris for once again bringing back fond memories.
    Whenever Mountain Comics returns, I’ll be happily standing by. It’s always worth the wait.

  3. When my dad and I first watched the animated Superman episode “Knight Time”, he told me that the scene of Superman first acting like Batman at the Batsignal with Commissioner Gordon was just brilliant. Superman’s take on Batman was so stuck up, and he also would pull the Bat-cape up to his face like Dracula when he walked away. Dad told me that this scene gave us an idea of how Superman viewed Batman — as stuck up and over-dramatic.

    I wonder if Robin’s portrayal of Batman, as well as the Green Arrow one you mentioned, also reflects their view of the Caped Crusader — which is obviously with much admiration since they are both going “over the top.”

  4. Well, *I*, for one, did notice the absence of mountain comics, and was worried that maybe you’d decided to quietly retire the show. Which is why – when I saw the link this morning on fb – I was elated because I thought you’d be doing a half-season. Alas.
    Still, as others have pointed out, even one is better than nothing. And what an issue to cover! I never had this one, but now wish I had, because you can’t beat a combination of stories drawn by Garcia Lopez (PBHN) and then Newton. By the way, I have to add that one of those few Marvel comics containing Newton’s art is the excellent Avengers Annual #9, in which they’re hunting for Arsenal in the mansion’s sub-basements. Newton’s art is so perfectly suited to that somber, moody story.

        1. Oh! Well then, the only responses I know are “UUUUUU-ni-TED!!! UUUUUU-ni-TED!!!”, and also “¡Viva Real Madrid!”.

          But I’m just an American, so this is display of futbol fandom knowledge is as impressive as a parrot talking.

  5. Hooray! There still IS Mountain Comics! And it’s still as enjoyable as ever. Well done on a coverage of a fantastic comic. The cover is just amazing and the inside stories are gorgeous as well. While this era was not my Batman phase, I wish it WAS my Batman phase. Like you guys mentioned, this Bronze Age Batman is, to me, who Batman should be and not the darkity dark dark sociopath that Batman is today. Batman should be able to take down a homicidal maniac and then, on the next page, sell me some Hostess Fruit Pies.

    I did have a question for Rob, though. I know this isn’t in the purview of Mountain Comics, but was there ever a Mountain Comic that you saw on the spinner rack, but DIDN’T get? Any comics that got away and you wish were Mountain Comics? For me, even though I’ve got great memories of getting comics on camping trips, I can still remember those 3 pack bags or single issues that my parents did NOT buy for me (I was a greedy kid)!

    This was lots of fun. Keep up the great work!

  6. Impressive podcast most impressive. Using the Dragon type and talk software again this time. My keyboard is still on the fritz. So hopefully this makes sense. I have heard this story a few times. Not sure if it was in the Batman night cast, or in a YouTube video. But it’s a fun 70s story. While it does take place within the Bronze Age it is clearly a silver age type story. Since this is before crisis happened. It’s a fun enough story that I can see the Joker doing. Look at that the old blue and gray costume. I missed that on the Batman. The black one having happens because of the 89 movie. Bruce’s look is decent enough when he’s not in the costume. Kind of a 70s businessman look. Pretty much the only time he really switched his look up that much. Since he’s usually has the short haircut businessman look through all the decades. Probably not the worst idea for him. Vicki is decent enough in this. I guess I was only one that like as a kid.

    And she was good in the movie as portrayed by Kim Basinger. Though I guess the dislike that most fans seem to have her is why she was the villain in the tale tell videogame. I also miss Alfred’s daughter from this timeline. It does kind of cut into him being Bruce’s surrogate father. But since he came later that is unaffected. Though Alfred as Bruce’s father is kind of one of the great bits about those two characters. Not physically but in every other form basically Alfred’s man who raised Bruce and Dick Grayson. Smiling Batman differently does work. Yeah a lot of things have been kind of messed up when people have try to reimagine them. See Kevin Smith. And what on earth he was trying to do with he-man he ruined him and Teela. And turned evil Lyn into Harley Quinn. Just without the craziness. If anyone is going to examine that relationship as many times as evil Lyn has betrayed skeletor and he’s taken her back skeletor would be the Harley Quinn in that. And then he made tela completely just give up her post because she wasn’t told he-man and Adam were the same person. Never mind that his father didn’t know either.

    Because yes the captain the guards is now been made bad arms is totally gonna quit their job because he didn’t get in secret. I miss the issue were Lois Lane quit because Superman didn’t tell her he was Clark Kent. I look forward to the issues where Gordon quits because Bruce Wayne didn’t tell him he was Batman. But yeah a lot of modern media has completely screwed up the characters. Joker I don’t know he’s always kind of been the wildcard. And you can mostly get away with whatever with him though yet he is a bit vain and chopping off his face probably not be something he’d do. Robin pertaining to be Batman
    was fine at first I thought this was a cologne drawn story. Matches Malone works well in this. And this guy’s worst we better in the story than has any other where he just looks like Bruce Wayne in sunglasses. Also I don’t buy looking at these two guys that they would ever stand a chance against Dick Grayson in a fist fight. So not buying that matches roughed him up because he was afraid they do worse. It’s but I guess that was just Bruce keeping his cover. Though Dick Grayson does become a great version of Batman in the early 2000. Which was the last time I bought any new comics. With any consistency. I might get something here and there but for the most part no. This is a decent enough story but yeah I don’t understand why matches didn’t just capture these guys. Or have Grayson as Batman capture them. Admittedly when Nightwing becomes Batman is a very different Batman. More like this version the 70s version than the grim dark age Lord Batman. The lifts weights eats porridge with razor blades and always seem so angry. He doesn’t actually porridge and razor blades I just thought that would fit the characterization is currently getting.

    The 70s and 80s Batman is definitely my Batman. Since Munch was my favorite Batman writer. Any rate cool mountain comic story. Glad to see you put out one this year. Can’t wait to hear the next podcast.

  7. Great episode Rob and Chris! And a great book to review! For all ages I agree this Joker is the way to go – and is my favorite too. But I have enjoyed other “darker” stories for sure but the problem I have is they are not sustainable. But overall this issue is a classic for sure – thanks for reviewing it – now I am going to go reread it!

  8. Great points, great episode, and great taste displayed by eleven year old Rob. Also, Rob, happy belated birthday, and thanks for treating us to an episode of Mountain Comics.

  9. Interesting comment on Eaglemoss as here in Europe they only sell each item separately not as part of a series. And right now they have 2 Robin cars and one motorcycle.

  10. I wonder if i can trace my animosity to Mike W. Barr’s writing to this issue’s treatment of Robin. It irritated me then and it still irritates me!

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