Of course, the nobel Arctic Elephant. So graceful on the ice.
Blue Beetle vol. 2 #2
Charlton Comics (September, 1964)
“Hot War In The Arctic”
No credits. There’s also a text story I didn’t read, a one-page story of a man stealing money, but it turns out to be stopping a revolution and the thief uses non-lethal force, and a story about two divers finding a lost city of gold and jewels, but their greed doesn’t last long because the story is way too short. So let’s focus on the main story, listed in four chapters.
Family emergency is over, but I still have to reset the schedule and I had my own doctor’s appointment this week. So at the risk of damaging my readership numbers further, it’s either tap a filler or post nothing. Not sure which hits the algorithm harder.
Still, it’s a fun one to drop in. We’re going back to 2014 to go back to the year 1966. In this convention panel we find Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar answering questions at a press conference to promote the 1960s Batman series hitting home video on Blu-Ray for the first time. Not having a Blu-Ray player means it wasn’t a big deal to me, but the interview is.
The video is introduced by Batman fanatic and former Friday Night Fights competitor Chris Sims, formerly of the Invincible Super Blog, at the time one of the contributors to Comics Alliance back when it was good. Sims is a comic writer as well. The guests go over their time on the show, things that didn’t make the history special Return To The Batcave, and whatever else the interviewers ask. Watch the sound. Sims’ intro segment is kind of soft and the press conference itself is quite a bit louder. Enjoy.
Yes, there is a Japanese intro for Filmation’s The New Adventures Of Superman. I should probably add that to the Many, MANY Intros Of Superman series since I forgot to when I discussed the original American intro. I find it interesting given the previous animated Superman theatrical shorts had Superman breaking up Japanese shipyards during World War II. Times change. There’s also one for Batman, now that I think about it. Not sure about Filmation’s other DC shows.
The point is, Japan knows who Superman is. Few civilized parts of the world doesn’t know the Man Of Steel. When you think of superheroes, odds are Superman is who you think of. He made the transition from costumed “mystery men” and pulp heroes into what we know as superpowered heroes today. Sadly, even some villains in other media use Superman as a basis because those people only see the “Super” and not the “man”. It’s a strong failure to understand that it’s what Kal-El of Krypton does with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men that makes him so beloved, including my favorite superhero. Even in his own “family” there are now a bunch of people with the same powers, and even more scattered throughout the DC universe, some with powers he lacks. How many of them will take time out to rescue a cat from a tree?
Japan has created many of their own superheroes. The Ultramen, the Kamen Riders, the Super-Sentai. As far as resembling Western superheroes only three come to mind. The members of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman may be agents but their outfits were inspired by Western heroes. Tiger & Bunny, which I need to finish watching, and My Hero Academia, which I need to start watching though I’ve watched three issues of the comic Viz was showing for free on their site, are the only ones that come to mind. Even then the former lacks secret identities in favor of the corporate TV heroes, while the latter is a training academy with no secret identities that I can surmise. Dragon Ball isn’t on that list because it’s a science fantasy martial arts franchise. Goku may be as strong as Superman, or almost if you believe Death Battle‘s two scenarios, but he isn’t Superman.
What makes Superman…Superman? YouTube channel Lukewarm Takes posted a video you may have seen Nate Winchester post in my comments recently, but YouTube had already recommended it to me some time before, and now I’ve had a chance to watch it. In the video, the host makes the claim that All-Might, the hero from My Hero Academia who serves as the main protagonist’s idol and mentor, is the anime Superman. Is he right? Let’s hear his case.
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