This is it, Bat-Fans! The last nine and a half years have been building to this, the fiftieth episode of Batman Knightcast! Join Ryan Daly and Chris Franklin as they discuss an all-time classic tale, “To Kill a Legend” from Detective Comics #500. Then the Dynamic Duo’s saga continues in Batman & Robin Year One #6.
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Music: “The Batman Theme: Epic Version (feat. Mask of the Phantasm + Imperial March” arranged by Samuel Kim. Check it out on Youtube right here: https://youtu.be/m-AnLl9Vyb8?si=H5SsJPY_L8FMdtG5
Additional music: “Maneater” by Hall & Oates; “Please Don’t Go Girl” by New Kids on the Block; “Stay” by Lisa Loeb”
Thanks for listening!
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I Assume by the time there’s a robin the general public knows about alien why the heck would anybody think Batman was HUMAN?
As to weather DC needs a multiverse? Of course! THat’s what Makes DC Marvel would never…oh wait.
Best Batman? Well my smart guy Brain says “well it’s Darkkightt of course but my FANBOY BRAIN loves the first Croc story, the Batman hulk team up, the player on the other side, Brave and bold 191 (The idea that joker LIKES penguin isfun
Not that I haven’t been enjoying the modern recaps, but of course I was SUPER excited to see you were tackling an Alan Brennert Batman story this month! Nothing else need to eb said about it at this point, it’s a stone cold classic.
I (of course) agree with Chris re: the after effects of the Crisis, but I didn’t really appreciate how that wiped out ALL alternative dimensions, not just the ones we knew. Any editorial directive that prevents stories like these being told just ain’t worth doing.
While The Phantom Stranger often skipped meetings and came and went when he pleased (kinda like Stella in that way), he did once declare “I am a member of the Justice League, am i not?” So he got all the benefits, like discounted movie tickets and health insurance.
On picking “the greatest Batman story ever.”
I discovered Batman via reruns of the Adam West show in Fall 1976. My first issue of Batman was 283, with an October 1976 on-sale date and a January 1977 cover-date. Since I have read so many Batman stories over that time, I don’t think I could pick just one as my absolute favorite. Heck, I can’t even pick one definitive favorite writer or artist.
Before I typed that last paragraph, I didn’t realize I got my first comic close to fifty years ago. Dad Gum, I’m getting old!
Anyway, whenever I’m asked to pick my favorite Batman comic, I go with either the Strangest Cases Treasury, The Strange Apparitions TPB or The Tales of Batman : Len Wein book. I will probably name Batman : The Bronze Age Omnibus as my favorite Batman comic once it gets released. Multiple great stories in those books, and I don’t have to choose just one favorite.
Back to Detective 500. To Kill a Legend is an awesome story, and if I made a list of my 50 or so favorite Batman stories, I’m sure it would make the cut. However, I only rank it as my third favorite Alan Brennert story, after the Batman/Robin of Earth 2 story in Brave & the Bold 182 and the Batman/Catwoman story in B&B 197, which is my favorite B&B of all time.
I also love the cover of Detective 500. I bought a promotional poster of it on eBay. Batgirl is my pick for most egregious absence on the cover and in the issue. Sure, she is on some of the covers used as background. That was not enough representation for her. I was coming out of my girls have cooties period, and I missed getting my monthly dose of Batgirl when she was absent from 500. I kind-of had a little crush on her then and that lasted until…well…I’ll let you know when it goes away. I typed that as I look at a statue of Batgirl on my desk. Hey, I have Batman, Joker and Wonder Woman on my desk too.
To prove that I’m not totally wishy/washy, I do have a definite favorite Joker story if you ever ask.
I think the the greatest batman story I’ve read
Probably the long Halloween with second place being the Batman meets the green hornet cross over .
Quick secret questions have you read the Astro city story tarnished angles?
2. And if you got chances to work on Astro city story for a one shot who would use some like Jack in the box or steel jacket
Or mock turtle or some one else ?
I’m with Gothosmansion, in that “To Kill a Legend” ranks lower for me than the stories in B&B 182 and 197. However, if I were to draw up a list of the top 10 greatest Batman stories, at least four of them would be stories written by Brennert and the one from the aforementioned B&B 197, “The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne,” would likely be no. 1.
Great episode! At least the first half – I will listen to the 2nd half later. But I wanted to weigh in. To Kill A Legend is my all time FAVORITE Batman story and has been since I picked up this issue off the rack. I would also argue it is the BEST Batman story, but there have been so many great ones that it is hard to really rank and differentiate between stories like this and Batman Year One say. Not to mention the other Brennert stories mentioned above.
As you guys discussed, I think Robin WAS necessary in this story to provide the “devil’s advocate” viewpoint of letting the Waynes die. I always have loved that although he had the “logical/Spock” role, when it came down to it, he couldn’t let them die. That shows his true heroism too.
The story could have ended one page earlier and it would have been good. But the ending of young Bruce being inspired to ultimately become Batman for very different reasons is just BRILLIANT. It is a moving and fantastic ending that is up there with the best endings of any comic story.
And the art by Giordano is fantastic. I can see Paul Levitz in the office saying “wait until you read this script” and Dick reading it and saying “yeah – that’s mine” and doing it justice. “Super on-model” is a good way to put it. Just complements the story in a perfect way.
Thanks for covering this story. As you can tell I have strong feelings about it.
PS – Chris how could you not have had this issue right off the rack!? I would have thought it would have just teleported into your house or you would have been born with an advance copy!
Hard to think of a single issue Batman story better than To Kill a Legend, although for me, Batman 400 “Resurrection Night” comes closest. As far as longer storylines, Knightfall and The Long Halloween are the gold standard for me. Dan Jurgens’ recent Batman: First Knight is pretty good as well.
Thanks for a great show!
I remember the Brennert story so well but completely forgot where I had read it! I went and cracked open my Detective #500, bought off the spinner back in the day! Good old Slam Bradley. I hope this is never touched. I don’t need a sequel. I do love the small detail about the lack of Krypton. Interesting.
This is a great Batman story, for sure. And for a ‘done in one’, it might be the best. The Robin/Batman dynamic in the story is just a wonderful layer. I will say that if we go beyond the ‘done in one’, and based purely on what Batman stories I go back to reread, I would say Year One and Englehart/Rogers are the best Batman arcs.
As for Batman/Robin year one, Waid has been on fire since he came back to DC. He just gets the characters. As you say, his take on Dick Grayson is perfect here and in World’s Finest.
I’ve nothing fresh to say about the Alan Brennert story, we all know we all love it! And yep, I don’t want a sequel. But just think, with the 20-year origin cycle Brennert could have given us two more spins on this story by now…
Am I the only one surprised there was no connection between Batman & Robin: Year One’s Grimaldi and the Joker, what with Joseph Grimaldi being probably the most famous non-fictional clown ever (Ronald McDonald is NOT real, kids!)?