Detective Comics #369 (November 1967)
"Batgirl Breaks Up the Dynamic Duo!"
Gardner Fox-Carmine Infantino/Sidney Green
Doug: My Bronze Age connection to this Silver Age gem? I first came across this tale between the covers of Batman Family #2 (Nov./Dec. 1975), which I acquired in some unknown manner; I know I didn't buy it off the spinner racks. So despite the fact that I'll be scanning from Tales of the Batman: Carmine Infantino (2014), I've known of this story for many a'moon. I'm curious as to the intentions of Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino (and editor Julius Schwartz) -- this was only the 4th appearance of Batgirl, having debuted in Detective Comics #359 (cover dated January 1967).
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Doug: I've said it before, I'll say it again -- I have an affinity for Batman comics with Batgirl and for Superman comics with Supergirl. I don't know why... I guess I really like the feminized derivative costumes. So let's jump into this with a 100-Word Review and see just what the Dominoed Daredoll (yes, Fox uses that painful, PAINFUL expression on the third page of the story -- meet me in the "Ugly" section below) was up to in trying to end the Dynamic Duo.
Batgirl’s installed a “multi-color light-tracer beam” on her Batcycle that allows her to lock in on the specific vibrations of a car’s motor. This allows her to beat the Dynamic Duo to crime scenes – better tech = better crimefighting! Batman chauvinistically tries to take over, but in doing so ends up in a quicksand swamp. Batgirl soon deduces that he’s contracted the “swamp fever” and tells Robin. Knowing Batman won’t get bedrest, the new Dynamite Duo plot to beat him to every crime so he won’t have to work hard. In the end, Bruce Wayne is cured in the hospital.
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I enjoyed the camaraderie between Robin and Batgirl. As I said above, I'm not certain if there weren't romantic motives on the part of the powers-that-be, but if we just look at it through the lens that the two of them were closer in age it still works.
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The Bad: I don't really have anything of note here, other than perhaps the stock poses employed by Carmine Infantino. But since I feel like I need to raise at least one stink to show that this wasn't a perfect book, I'll settle on Catwoman's outfit. She appears in the last three panels of the story in her secret identity of Selina Kyle. Ahead of its time, Detective Comics #369 actually continued into the December issue of Batman (#197 - Holy crossover!) where a jealous Catwoman would seek out Batgirl to let the young interloper know that Batman was off-limits. The Infantino book reprints the cover (and there's that costume for which I don't care), but not the story. I'd have liked to read that!
The Ugly: Nicknames! Within these fourteen pages lurk the following: Boy Wonder, Caped Crusader, Teen Titan, Dynamic Duo (all of those are just on the splash page!), the aforementioned Dominoed Daredoll, Gotham Gangbusters, Masked Maiden, Bat-Beauty, Masked Manhunter, Chic Crimefighter... and several of those are repeated throughout the story! People complain about Bob Haney's forced language in the Teen Titans, but this style of Gardner Fox's is equally annoying. I know -- you can argue that it's part of the charm and I should view this as a "period piece". I get it. And I agree. But it was still a bit much in a 15-minute span.
Doug: Several of us have praised DC for getting all manner of Batman (mostly Bronze Age) material back in print through these hardcover series -- "Tales of the Batman" and "Legends of the Dark Knight". The books are certainly pricey if you're into paying the cover rate; me -- I usually pre-order my copies or get them from places like In-Stock Trades. I feel like if I can pay $30 for one of these rather than $50, then I've taken care of myself both economically and nostalgically. And, since I don't buy comics any more these books are a wonderful way to acquire a nice run at prices below what I'd pay for back issues. Win!
11 comments:
Very enjoyable little Silver Age review, there, Doug!
Chronologically, is it possible that Fox had been encouraged to emulate the campy style of voiceover and dialog from the TV series? 'Cause, man, that's what the incessant, forced nick-naming really reminds me of.
I. . . I can't look at the cover. I'm sorry. I will NEVER be able to get past the fact that NO teenage boy (be he 13 or 15 or 19) should EVER be cavorting around in public wearing green women's underpants (and a smile, as it were)... To be perfectly honest, no teenage girl should either, y'know? Bare-legged super-heroes--- dumbest conceit EVER. . . !
HB (pullin' up in the CurmudgeWagon--!)
We can thank Neal Adams for the redesign of the Robin costume, complete with black leggings and boots. Much more palatable to the eye -- and to the self-esteem of the wearer!
Doug
Nice review of a bit of 60's fun, Doug. It's always a pleasure to touch bases with that Silver Age era from which this issue came: about the time I picked up my first comic...
Totally agree with you, HB, regarding Robin's outfit. Probably not many teenage boys would be inclined to fight in public in those green panties and booties. Nightwing is so much better, in so many ways!
Doug- I have that issue of Batman that continues this story. Has a great Infantino cover that you represented. Story is by Fox, pencilled by Frank Springer and inked by Greene. I prefer the look of Infantino's as shown in your review. The story itself is lightweight, and way overloaded with "cat" puns. A fun read, though...
Thanks for the review, Doug! I recall reading a number of these Silver Age Bat stories featuring Infantino's art in the reprint digests. I'm also on record as not being the biggest fan of Infantino, but I'll agree that his work in the '60s was far better than his work in the '70s. As for the stories, I suppose they were better than the complete silliness of the 1950s Batman, but still not quite my cup of tea.
By the way, what's going on with Catwoman's waist in that second-to-last panel? That looks downright unhealthy...
Great review Doug. It's a nice reminder of all the Silver Age stories that were reprinted off the Bronze and sold on spinner racks. You could get an Infantino Batman story or a Lee-Romita Spider-Man issue at 7-11, right next to the Claremont-Byrne Iron Fist issues.
As for the Gardner Fox nicknames:To a certain extent, I get it. When I review stuff at my blog, I try very hard not to type "Spider-Man is attacked by the vulture, then Spider-Man stops a robbery." I find myself calling him "Spidey" or "the webhead" or "webslinger." But most of those Fox nicknames are terrible. "Dominoed Doll" might be the worst nickname ever. Chic Crimefighter isn't much better.
Redartz, thanks for the tip on the creative team of the continued story.
Edo - I thought the same thing in regard to Catwoman's waist. That's some corset she must have on!
J.A. - Had I a time machine, I would not now ignore all of the reprinted material available to young Doug back in the day. Funny how I eschewed it as a youngster, but crave it now.
Doug
Exactly the same take on Selina Kyle's 8"-ish waist--!
Cripes, she's CAT-Woman, not WASP-Woman-!
And. . . why is she in a GREEN outfit on that cover image? Even with green being practically the default, go-to color for so many villains-- there's no logical reason on earth to go with that for a CAT-based character-! Sheesh! (It's one of those things that make you try to re-imagine the editorial conversations going on at the time. Surely more than a few eyes rolled and shoulders shrugged when some non-artist type higher up on the food chain insisted she be put in a green cat-suit. . . )
HB
Ah, Batman Family. I just loved having all of those Bat-related characters in one comic.
As far as Batgirl & Robin’s ages, I’d always figured that Batgirl was a bit older in the TV show, but that they were about the same age in the comic.
I agree with Doug that Infantino’s Bronze Age Marvel work is less than impressive, but his Silver Age stuff ir pretty solid.
Wow, Selina Kyle must have an 18 inch waist in that last picture! And yes, the green Catwoman costume is awful, and it doesn’t make any sense. How does that even remotely resemble a cat?
Yes, the occasional nickname is fun and a part of the times and the charm of Silver Age DC, but Gardner does lay it on thick. I have to put in a good word for zany Bob Haney’s dialogue, though. It’s one of the more fun things about those early Teen Titans tales.
Perhaps Selina Kyle was rooming with Pamela Isley at the time, and shared Ivy's wardobe...
Dick was definitely high school age in the TV show because there were several references to his studies and a Joker episode that largely took place at his high school.
As far as I can tell Barbara Gordon was forced upon the Batbooks by the TV series (back in the day the printed books were changed to reflect other media, rather than producing "tie-in" series)and one of the ways they sought to avoid a similar dynamic (and fate) with the previous Kanes (Kathy and Betty) was to place her squarely between Bruce and Dick agewise. Too old to consider Robin, and too young (and hip!) to date Batman. Making her a "family member" would seemingly ensure that she couldn't be "limboed" as the previous Batgals had been as well.
Selina's green outfit WAS awful, but the overall look was similar to the TV version's costume. They probably were looking for something other than the dark tone of Batgirl's duds to distinguish them and settled upon green. I thought the purple that she usually wore would have worked better, even on that look.
Dick had been a circus performer, which, back when he was created, would involve garish costumes, so the Robin thing "fit" his character. Shorts are incredibly easy to move in, if you are running or doing gymnastics. It's the cape that's problematic.
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