An Alternate Reality: I saw Gotham's Doom...

The Doom That Came to Gotham is DC/WB's latest Batman, animated (Elsewhere) feature. It pits the Dark Knight against Lovecraftian lore, with dashes of Faust and Constantine for devilish measure. More so, it's a tale that claims that sons must pay for the sins of their fathers, but at what cost to their morality, let alone their souls?  

The gnawing apologue comes from a 2001, graphic-novel trilogy, by Michael (Hellboy) Mignola and Richard Pace (with artwork by Troy Nixey and Dennis Janke), which takes place in an undisclosed, alternate-reality year in the 1920s. The animated feature was adapted by Mignola, Pace and Jase Rici and directed by Sam Liu and Christopher Berkeley, who merge H.P. Lovecraft's The Doom That Came To Sarnath (and smidgeon of The Color Out of Space) with Talia al Ghul summoning dark forces to resurrect her fanatical father, Ra's al, in hopes of tearing "irredeemable" Gotham down. 

The story starts with an investigation of an Oswald Cobblepot, Antarctic expedition, conducted by Bruce Wayne and his Robin variants, which includes the diligent Ka Li Cain. The gang deduces that the expedition's catastrophic aftermath, flanked by killer penguins, sprung from a fit of madness, though in truth, it's the consequence of a long interred curse. 

The curse is, in fact, the result of Cobblepot, Thomas Wayne and other Gotham founding fathers having fiddled with The Necronomicon to strengthen their teetering city, but as with any Faustian pact, there's a catch, and now with the passing of years, the repercussions of the reckless entente come to light, unleashing a tentacled monster, The Lurker at the Threshold (a modified Yog-Sothoth, derived from August Derleth's Lovecraft homage), foreshadowed by Daitya, Talia's hulking, volcanic pawn. 

As Wayne/Batman investigates the terrifying signs, other characters reveal the complexities of the curse and how such fits into its frightful web, including Mr. Freeze (shivering in a whole new way, despite his established, icy condition); Kirk Langstrom (Man-Bat, if only in mind); Harvey Dent (made a mayor, though plagued by a ruddy rash); Poison Ivy (zombie-fied, but strangely fetching); Jason Blood (the two-fisted Etrigon); Killer Croc (a would-be Resident Evil recruit); Barbara Gordon (a super-charged Oracle); James Gordon (sporting a Teddy Roosevelt scowl); Alfred Pennyworth (still faithful to the hilt); Lucius Fox (still erudite and astute); and in a twisty, John Barrymore-esque turn, Oliver Queen, who steals the show when he suits up as the knightly Green Arrow.   

Though the characters may possess quirks unique to this parallel path, the story often leans on tested tropes, including the assault on Thomas and Martha Wayne (though this time murdered by blade, not bullet), and the establishment of The Bat Cave, which Pennyworth coins " the wine cellar" (a nice home for a neato, steampunked Batmobile). The Ra's al Ghul element isn't much different, either, even if it slithers from another angle, acting as a means to purge that which was meant to be good, but has soured over time. (What unfolds, however, is much more dangerous than in any previous Ra's al Ghul/Talia/Bane attempts to annihilate the eminient city.) 

Though it eventually becomes clear why Bruce Wayne must take a personal interest in his city's demonic infestation, it's tricky to justify why he must perish (sacrifice himself) for the misguided act that his father (and others) committed. He does his best to avoid his reputed fate, but then Wayne/Batman isn't one to bemoan his circumstances. He acts upon the task at hand to help one and all, but in this instance, does he deserve the blame or the trouble? For anyone who's been told they must suffer the consequences of others' crimes (whether in recent years or centuries past), The Doom will prompt frustration and maybe along the delineated course, pathos for a dilemma that burns at both ends. 

With that said, The Doom is a worthy watch, if only for the deep (if not uncomfortable) contemplation it inspires. In other words, it stands as one of Batman's most profound submissions, even if its rationale may prove problematic for some. 

GODSPEED, DENNIS "DENNY" O'NEIL...

You were instrumental in carving the Caped Crusader's modern path for such dynamic DC entries as Batman, Detective Comics and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. 

Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, Azrael, Leslie "Lee" Thompkins and Richard Dragon sprung from your genius, while you gave a significant, hip edge to the Joker, Two-Face and Jason Todd.

Green Arrow, Green Lantern, the Justice League, the Question and, Doc Savage also benefited from your writing prowess. To boot, your Superman vs Muhammad Ali epic emerged as the greatest of all one-shots. 

Within the Marvel Universe, you wove terrific tales for Spider-man, Daredevil and Iron Man, while helping create such energetic entities as Madame Web, Hydro-Man and Lady Deathstrike.

On television, you were every ounce as prolific, supplying scripts for "Superboy", "Batman: the Animated Series", "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" and "Logan's Run". 

You were perpetually insightful, diverse and meticulous, Mr. O'Neil, a wordsmith whose imagination redefined a new, comic-book era and whose presence will continue to influence for decades to come.

Collection Recommendation #11: Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77

An on-screen teaming of Adam West's Batman, Burt Ward's Robin and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman wouldn't have been so far-fetched a few decades back. A couple of Justice League/DC video-taped team-ups featuring West and Ward had become a reality in the '70s (remember Hanna-Barbera's "Legend of  the Superheroes"?); and "Wonder Woman", like West/Ward's classic series, was known to invite big-name stars to the show and sprinkle it with good-spirited camp. Of course, if the crossover had occurred, it would have likely taken place in "Wonder Woman'"s third (Disco Era) season, though a crafty flashback could have connected the earlier periods. 

For what it's worth, such a crossover has reached fruition, and it even features an intriguing, time-linking prelude. "Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77" is a 6-issue collection now available in one, easy-to-grab, affordable (hardback) volume, but to the chagrin of some, the content may prove as peculiar as it's fulfilling.

In this instance, writers Marc "Bruce Wayne: the Road Home" Andreyko and Jeff "Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E." Parker give us the more recent Dark Knight adversary, Ra's al Ghul, who rejuvenates himself within the legendary Lazarus Pit to resume his post as League of Shadows guru. Along the way, he faces Bruce Wayne, whom he first met during the crime fighter's youth: circa WWII, when Diana Prince/Wonder Woman just happened to be on hand to rescue the youngster. (BTW: the latter initiates a surprising, new genesis for the Caped Crusader.)

Yes, an interesting concept, which does click for the most part, except the look and texture feels post '90s even when we're in the '40s, '60s and '70s, with characters sometimes appearing in tune with their original stations, yet at other times stepping from out molds that are far too extrapolated.

For example, though Ward's Boy Wonder consumes most of the plot, he's replaced (er, that is, becomes) Nightwing in the story's final phase. Whether Ward is, in fact, supposed to be playing the "matured" crime fighter is anybody's guess, since the depicted costume and height variance thwarts a precise impression. One's imagination is left to decide the matter, though for most of us, the idea of recasting would seem illogical, if not undignified. Clarity (via physical emulation or prevailing verbiage) would have helped. 

Also, though West's Bruce Wayne/Batman is represented by an apt likeness, Carter's Diana Prince/Wonder Woman does seem to fluctuate throughout the adventure (as she does in DC/Dynamite's "Wonder Woman '77 Meets the Bionic Woman": soon to be reviewed). At the same time, there's no mistaking the actress' enchanting glow, even when her physicality is blurred. In fact, the mighty Amazon's placement among the panels becomes the team-up's predominate highlight. 

On the whole, therefore, the artwork of David Hahn (as assisted by Karl Kesel; Bill Williams; Wes Abbot; Alex Ross; and "Madpencil") wavers in its execution, though when it counts, never fails to give the exploits a movie-serial vivacity, no matter what the decade. Fans will also appreciate the parade of supplemental characters who visit the panels: some in significant supporting roles and others relegated to cameos.

On the side of virtue, we find Batgirl (an implied, older Yvonne Craig) and Catwoman (okay, her virtue is debatable): at first represented by a villainous Eartha Kitt, who's then replaced by a Julie Newmar/Lee Meredith variant, acting at one point as the Dynamic Duo's for-appearance-only escort to Paradise Island. There's also a sprightly visit from Deborah Winger's Wonder Girl. 

Alas, as a missed-opportunity, Lyle Waggoner's Steve Trevor comes and goes, with any resemblance to the actor being at best minor. A definitive take would have made the performer's inclusion more ironic, since Waggoner was, after all, West's main competitor to portray Batman.

On the henchmen side, we're offered Ra's Al Ghul's daughter, Talia (both in adult and child form); Cesar Romero's Joker; Frank Gorshin's Riddler; and nondescript (though highly detailed) versions of Mr. Freeze; Killer Croc; Clayface; Copperhead; and Cheetah: a grand group for sure, though again, the modern manifestations often distract from the nostalgic feel. In other words, their appearances within their particular landscapes are welcome, but still present an uncanny-valley awkwardness.

In a similar fashion, the story's sprawling backdrops and intricate interludes seize one's attention with their mythological monsters, assailing warriors and CinemaScope maze, but are otherwise a bit much, contradicting what the original shows could have afforded during their runs. (On second thought, such ingredients could have been featured way-back-when, but would have been nowhere near as lustrous as they're drawn and pigmented within this parallel track.)

Again, such see-sawing forces "Batman Meets Wonder Woman" to stand as something other than its intent, which becomes further punctuated by its slick '70s segment. On the other hand, compared to most current, published superhero sojourns (whether DC or Marvel), the adventure avoids becoming condescending or politically highbrow. In that respect, even if the conceptualization seems more a thing of its own, in heart and soul, it does capture the originals' moral sensibilities: an honorable asset. 

On the whole, there's enough good (even well-crafted cleverness) in "Batman Meets Wonder Woman" to pave the way for more DC/Dynamite decades-hopping experimentation. The ending sure implies a Justice League emergence; so why not tinker with the various crossover potentials? It's always nice, too, to see our old favorites interacting again, if not on the television screen, then at least on the printed page, where (no matter the outcome) an imaginative seed can always take root.