Done-in-One Wonders Episode #10: Blast from the Past

Tag along with the Xum Crew and their special time-displaced guest as they take a little nostalgic trip back to the 1980s, and revisit a story that takes them all back to the 1960s. Now that is efficient nostalgia tripping...

Plus: A super-powered adversary seeks the Xum Crew's aid!

 

Featuring: Batman v1 #336

Images from this episode: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/wondershow10-gallery

Music by Yamashita Takeo and the Manic Street Preachers.

With special thanks to Will Rodgers for providing the voice of Batman and the Monarch of Menace.

Dedicated to the late, great Adam West.

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Thank you for listening!

18 responses to “Done-in-One Wonders Episode #10: Blast from the Past

  1. This issue is a great favorite of mine, both for the fantastic Garcia-Lopez artwork (P.B.H.N.), and the use of some of the more obscure Bat-villains. Ever since reading Michael Fleischer’s Batman Encyclopedia as a kid, I’ve been fascinated with the lesser-known members of Batman’s rogues gallery. And as you point out, this issue proved that many of them could still work in a modern context.

    I wonder if this story was partly inspired by Batman #245 — that one was also an epilogue to a Ra’s Al-Ghul story, and explored the ramifications of Bruce Wayne disappearing for an extended period. Maybe you can have Batman back on to talk about it sometime. 🙂

    It always brightens my day to hear a new episode of Done-In-One Wonders. Thanks for all your hard work!

  2. As someone who routinely “hears” Kevin Conroy’s voice in his head every time he reads a Batman comic, at least those published after 1970 or so, the idea of Batman sounding a bit Adam West-like to me was somewhat jarring at first. Which is odd, because West is in many ways STILL Batman to me. So listening to this episode kind of reconciled my view of the character a bit, which is even more odd, because I do co-host a Batman podcast (yes Virginia, it still exists), and have a house-full of Bat-ephemera.

    I LOVED this issue as a kid, mostly due to the art, but also getting to see all of these villains I never heard of…most of whom won’t even rate a Who’s Who entry in a few years. Great job covering it, and of course, a fun and expertly executed episode all around.

    But Xum Crew, just in case you didn’t know, Fire and Water By-Laws state that once you Praise Be Mr. Garcia Lopez’s Name once, you don’t have to do so any other time, in any given episode. It’s right under the “Shag will always explain what Who’s Who is, every episode” rule.

    Chris

    1. “But Xum Crew, just in case you didn’t know, Fire and Water By-Laws state that once you Praise Be Mr. Garcia Lopez’s Name once, you don’t have to do so any other time, in any given episode.”

      Hush, you! Listening to them do that every single time is one of the ways I find my joy!

  3. I have to admit I like your shows just a wee bit more when I’ve actually read the issue you’re covering. And this one really brought back fond memories. I bought this issue in one of those three-pack bags with the Whitman logo on it, and I was always fond of the story, despite – or perhaps precisely because of – the many goofy villains. Of course, the wonderful art by JLGL (PBHN) made it all the more memorable.
    Also, it’s always nice to hear another anecdote, however brief, about the great Uncle Kenzo.
    My compliments to everyone involved in the show.

  4. Thanks for the show, Xum.

    I bought this one of the spinner rack as a kid and it was a fascinating read, since, save Spellbinder, I had no idea who any of the villains were. I was glad to see Spellbinder actually take on Batman since I got the Superman/Spellbinder issue in one of the Whitman three-packs back in the day.

    Of course, the JLGL art is really what makes the issue pop. Since I’m not a member of the Network, do I get to say “praise be his name” whenever I mention him?

    If I have one complaint….Xum while you had Batman in the studio, you should have asked him how he got his cowl ears to say down when he wears those life-like masks. That facet never bothered me, but I’ve seen so many internet trolls harp on it.

    1. Your comment just reminded me that yes, I also had the Superman vs. Spellbinder story, purchased in a Whitman three-pack (just like Batman 336).

      1. On the downside I got the first part of the Master Jailer two-parter in a three-pack…and never did find a three-pack with the second part. It was probably already long-gone from the spinner racks by then. I finally got to read the conclusion and see what happened in the early 2000s.

        My first three Marvel comics were bought together in a three-pack.

        1. Interesting; I got both parts of the Master Jailer story in the 3 packs, although I’m not sure if they were in the same bag. Back then, I got piles of DC comics in those Whitman bags – a lot of them titles I normally didn’t get off of the spinner racks (like the Superman books). I just couldn’t resist the good deal.
          Also interesting that you got Marvel comics in 3-packs. Where I was growing up, I never saw any Marvels sold like that, it was just DC books.

          1. I wonder if my mom picked up that Marvel three pack for me, since I wouldn’t have been familiar with any of the characters at the time. It had Incredible Hulk 210, Amazing Spider-Man 167 and Thor 258. All issues were April 1977 issues and all were written by Len Wein. I became a huge Hulk and Spider-Man fan right away…Thor, not so much.

            I think I got a lot more Marvels in three-packs than DC, although I have a good number of Whitman DCs.

            A few months later I got this in a Marvel three pack. I know it had to be the unseen middle comic, because there is no way my mom would have bought this for five/six year old me.

            http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/comic.php?comicid=47008

          2. I remember getting more Marvel comics in the Whitman 3-packs than DC. Maybe it was a quirk of the stores/regions where they were distributed. I don’t remember most of them, but there’s one 3-pack I’ll never forget: Conan The Barbarian #98, 99 and 100. Guest-starring Belit the Pirate Queen. Prepubescent me was quite … moved… but those issues.

          3. I can’t remember what comic came in what three-pack, but it is easy to spot the three-packers by the diamond price-tag. I think I remembered the first Spider-Man and Hulk because they were my introduction to both characters, and, to this day, they are still my two favorite Marvels. Honestly, I didn’t remember the Thor until I saw a website that had that particular pack still sealed. I don’t remember owning it. I bought a collection that included it, and, once I read it, I still didn’t remember it.

            I think I probably got more Marvels than DC’s in three packs. I don’t have many Legion comics and most of the ones I do have were included in Superman themed three-packs. Most of my DCs were either Superman or Batman and had their respective pictures on the plastic bag. I did get an assorted bag at some point because I have one Whitman Flash.

            One store in my town got a lot of Marvel three packs with May 1981 issues and practically gave them away. I have a lot of titles I didn’t normally collect from that month as well as having three pack versions of titles I did collect. I have to say, though, I unfortunately have an issue of US1 in my collection, and it was a three-packer. I don’t remember what the other two in the pack with it were, but I hope they were got to make up for the US1.

  5. Congratulations on another terrific show, this is a heck of an issue – given Bob Ro’s ubiquity at DC it’s weird that his forays into non-Batman Family Batman stories were so rare.

    I loved the Batman’s appearance, great voice work from Will – is he a friend of yours?

    I miss Feedback!

  6. Fantastic episode as always! I have to admit, as silly as it may sound, hearing Will Rodger’s Adam West-ish Batman made my heart soar.

    As a child, one of my first introductions to not only Batman but superheroes in general was the 60s TV series. Growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, I was far too young to have seen Batman 66 in first run, but it was constantly on in reruns and I ate it up like Aunt Harriet’s milk and cookies.

    Perhaps as a result of my love of Adam West’s Batman, over the years, as much as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to get into the grim-and-gritty-ultra-paranoid-constantly-frowning-and-dour Batman that’s become the norm. I always have and always will prefer the silver/bronze age Batman who’s friends with the police, occasionally smiles, isn’t afraid of a few one-liners, doesn’t want to kill Superman, and has nifty sound effects accompanying his punches.

    All of this is to say thank you to Will Rodgers, Professor Xum, and the rest of the Xum Crew for bringing MY Batman back, if only for a single moment.

    I look forward to tuning in to your next episode, same Xum time, same Xum channel!

  7. Impressive pod cast most impressive. Sounds like this was a fun story sorry I missed it. I do question one thing. Prof Xum…. With the interesting collection of villains But, why not this guy?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBXQt_itt-0
    I mean Replikon’s real name is Xum after all. Any way back to this comic. It had a few cool villains in truth I only know Clue Master and mostly because of his daughter Spoiler. But, the Villain of this looks cool. And cool that he took advantage of Bats being out of town to get money from criminals. Which is really good idea. But, Glad Bats came back and stopped the crime wave. Oh did I mention I have a U-tube page. At Liz Anne Oswalt. Any way the art in the Bats comic was pretty awesome.

    I like Bats in the 70s and 80s ware he was good but, hew wasn’t Bat Gwads. Can’t wait to hear the next pod cast.

  8. Tim Price just realized something. This podcast isn’t being made by the little Professor Man of Tim Price’s Earth, it’s made on by the Earth-Prime little Professor Man! All this time Tim Price thought this little Professor Man was the one working with Solomon Grundy and Cowboy Man, making this excellent podcast covering wonderful issues of DC comics gone by. But no. My little Professor Man is simply posting the work of Earth-Prime’s little Professor Man! Tim Price is stunned!

    So let me say to Earth-Prime’s little Professor Man, well done. Tim Price never read this issue before, but the DC Universe app has it which has given Tim Price a whole new appreciation for these stories and this podcast, finally getting to read along. Hooray!

    Tim Price immensely enjoyed Will Rodgers as Batman, so talented and a wonderful tribute to Adam West. Thank you! Till next episode, same Grundy-time, same Grundy-podcast.

  9. Another great show from our favorite Professor! It was a nice treat to hear “conversant” Batman. I agree with Terra Man, I miss this Batman.
    I must have this issue, as I was buying Batman then, but I cannot recall it! I think it’s because it was so obviously a fill-in, and I harbored an animosity toward fill-in issues in those days. I was really enjoying the ongoing storylines in the Bat-titles in those days. Len Wein had carefully developed Batman/Bruce Wayne’s supporting cast and had several little sub-plots bubbling along. This issue was also published at a time when I was dismissive of the pre-O’Neill-Adams Batman. I was not then able to appreciate how deftly Bob Rozakis was able to incorporate all those old villains. I do now! I have long championed Rozakis’ DC stories. He was able to craft stories that were fun, true to the character, and included some nice characterization. I have nominated him for a Bill Finger award. He really understood DC’s characters.
    In hindsight, I think the JLGL (PBHN) art, wonderful as it is, might have been off-putting to me, as it was so incongruous from the Irv Novick, and Novick style, art in the preceding issues. Foolish young me, ah well!

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