Batman: Strange Apparitions - with John Patrick Bray
We’re back with another episode of Trade School! This time, we’re talking about Batman: Strange Apparitions! Our host this week is John Patrick Bray!
Find John Patrick Bray: www.johnpatrickbray.com
Find his work at New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/4173/john-patrick-bray
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Edited by Case Aiken
Scored by Bret Eagleston
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⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:08 Introducing Strange Apparitions
00:55 Batman Gets Serious Again
01:37 Dr. Phosphorus
02:23 Batman Becomes an Outlaw
03:14 Hugo Strange
04:05 Strange’s Auction
04:51 Penguin and Deadshot
05:32 Silver St. Cloud Knows
06:17 The Laughing Fish
07:02 Joker’s Attack and Silver’s Choice
07:41 Clayface and Bruce’s Conflict
08:24 Strange Apparitions’ Legacy
09:07 Batman 1989 Connections
09:58 Batman: The Animated Series
10:46 Final Recommendation
11:42 Long Live the Legion Promo
Transcription
00:00
Welcome to Certain Point of View's Trade School, where each episode a different host talks about a comic book trade paperback that they loved and why they love it.
00:08
Hi, I'm John Patrick Bray and I love that trade Strange Apparitions Originally published in 1999 and since out of print, the book collects Detective Comics 479 to 489. Originally released May 1977 through October 1978. The first nine comics in the collection were penned by Steve Englehart, with the last two written by Len Wein, featuring pencils by Marshall Rogers and Walter Simonson, ink by Terry Austin, Al Milgram and Dick Giordano and colorists Rogers and Jerry letters by Ben Oda, Milton Snappen, and John Workman. Apologies for any pronunciation in the 1970s, Batman became serious again, moving away from the camp sensibilities of the 1960s, particularly the TV show.
00:55
Denny O' Neil and Neal Adams are credited for heralding the return of the Grim Avenger, bringing a psychologically nuanced approach to Batman that would become the de facto way to present the Caped Crusader through more adult oriented graphic novels and stories throughout the 80s and 90s and beyond. The Strange Apparition storyline was created by Englehart under publisher and Editor in chief Jenette Kahn, who'd been hired to make DC stiffer competition to the Marvel comics that dominated sales in the 1970s, particularly the spider man title. There is a weight to Strange Apparitions, genuine stakes for both Batman and Bruce Wayne, who has trouble reconciling his dual identity when he has a chance for romantic and in some ways life fulfillment.
01:37
This will become a popular way to present Batman throughout the 80s, and certainly by the time we get the film Batman Forever in 1995, which, despite being campy, foregrounds the duality of Bruce and Batman and the trouble coexisting. And I'll note that the major plot points for the story are in deleted scenes and restored in fan edits. Meanwhile, some of Batman's more familiar Rogues Gallery members are brought on board for character defining moments that would have a lasting impact on their legacies, both in the comics as well as in film and the Animated series. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's Talk about Strange Apparitions, the book following Steve Englehart's introduction, we open strange apparitions with a three part story by Death's Earring Light, the Origins of Dr. Phosphorus and the Master Plan of Dr. Phosphorus.
02:23
The Dr. Phosphorus is a radioactive villain who swears revenge on Gotham City for his hideous transformations he poisons Gotham's water supply simply by bathing in it. He battles a dark detective and convinces the city council, led by mob boss Rupert Thorne, to cut ties with a Dark knight who had been deputized. Batman fights Phosphorus once more, and in the scuffle, Phosphorus is killed. Although Phosphorus is dead, Thorne believes it is in his best interest as mob boss to keep Batman on the outs with the police and to find a way to kill him. In short, Batman is now an outlaw. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne meets convention organizer Silver St. Cloud, who is in town for a special event. Sparks are in the air between the two, and even butler Alfred notes that Bruce is not performing his usual playboy Persona when she's around.
03:14
Could this be serious? Bruce is still recovering from the burns and bruises he received fighting the radioactive Dr. Phosphorus. He seeks treatment at Great Tower, a new medical facility for elite Gothamites. Once there, he is trapped. The hospital is a front for Dr. Hugo Strange, who is believed to be dead. Hugo Strange is using the hospital to hold wealthy Gothamites hostage inside their own bodies. That is, unless they give him their riches and privileges. He will turn them into hideous, lumbering monsters that will do his bidding. He discovers Bruce's secret. Bruce Wayne is Batman. Dr. Strange disguises himself as Bruce, calls off the relationship with Silver and sends the stock markets into shock via reckless sales and trading. Silver, suspecting something is up, calls Bruce's ward, Dick Grayson, for help. At this point, Dick Grayson is a college student.
04:05
She visits Gray Tower and is captured. With Robin's help. Bruce, Silver and Alfred, who had also been kidnapped, escaped. Although Bruce gets his private and public life in order, Strange is on the move. Strange plans to hold an auction with members of Gotham's underworld. The prize? The real identity of Batman. Three people meet Strange at an abandoned theater and make an opening bid. Those three people, shrouded in shadows, are Thorn, the Penguin and the Joker. The auction will begin the next night. However, on his way out, Strange is attacked by Thorn's men. Thorne attempts to beat the information out of Strange. Strange dies, holding his tongue. His body's put into a container and thrown into the river. Penguin returns to the meeting place the next night only to find it is empty. No auction.
04:51
He hears the Joker laugh somewhere from the darkened theater and leaves. Penguin has his own plans. He wants to steal the Malay Penguin, or so we think, and to hijack a plane commissioned for members of the Security Exchange and hold them ransom. Batman and Robin foil the bird's plan before the bird can take flight. Sorry. Silver, meanwhile, is beginning to suspect Bruce Wayne. Is in fact Batman, or rather Batman is Bruce Wayne. Well, once in prison, Penguin meets Deadshot, who was also captured by Batman some time ago. Penguin brags that he can escape thanks to a trick monocle. Long story. But Deadshot steals it from Penguin and uses it to make his own escape, hoping to avenge himself against Batman. Batman and Deadshot end up battling in Silver St.
05:32
Cloud's Convention center, which includes oversized movie and television show props such as a giant typewriter. Deadshot is caught in. Silver catching Batman's eye now knows for sure that Bruce is Batman. During all of this, Rupert Thorne is visited by the ghost of Dr. Hugo Strange, who insists Thorne must confess for each and every crime he has ever committed, or else that is a strange apparition. The next two issues of the story are perhaps the most iconic, the two parter, the Laughing Fish and the Sign of the Joker. The Laughing Fish begins with Batman visiting Silver at her apartment just to learn how much she might know. She plays it straight, but his visit convinces her that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one and the same. She decides she has to leave Gotham.
06:17
Meanwhile, fishermen in Gotham City are perplexed as their boats are loaded with dead, grinning fish. What might the Joker be up to? As it turns out, the Joker plans to create a copyright on his Laughing Fish. He visits a government office where a copyright clerk tells Joker it's impossible as fish are a natural resource. Joker counters that Colonel Sanders has chickens and yet they don't even have mustaches. Joker's killing rampage begins. If you have to a chance to read this trade, you'll notice that Joker has never looked better with his long trench coat and purple fedora. The art is truly amazing. Silver, meanwhile, leaves Gotham, but then her car breaks down. Rupert Thorne, who is also fleeing Gotham given the strange apparition, bumps into her and offers her a lift out of town.
07:02
While they drive, they have an argument over Batman and the good he has done for the city. Thorne kicks her out in the night rain and continues, only to find the spectral figure of Dr. Strange hitchhiking down the road. Strange's ghost leaps through the window and wraps his hands around Thorne's throat. Joker disguises himself as a police officer to get close to his next victim, who is under police and Batman's protection. Batman gets the better of Joker and the two take their fight outside to a construction site. Silver returns in a taxi in time to see their struggle. Batman leaps off a beam as lightning strikes it, frying the Joker and sending his body into the river below. Why do all bodies disappear? Appear in the river, Silver kisses Batman and calls off the relationship.
07:41
Gordon tells Batman that Thorne has been picked up in Ohio and is confessing to every crime he has ever committed. Batman is back in the city's good graces. The last story, a two issue arc, the Coming of Clayface and if Man Be Made of Clay were penned by Len Wine. The central story of Batman dealing with Clayface III is not so much tied to strange apparitions as the Thorne story has come to an end. Well, for now. Rather, it is more concerned with Bruce himself, who after his breakup, Silver feels betrayed by Batman and by the death of his parents. Can he ever find happiness? Can he ever settle down if he keeps his vow? While this beat is not entirely resolved, can Bruce and Batman peacefully coexist?
08:24
The fact of the matter is Batman goes back into the night to solve another crime and defeat another colorful foe. By the way, there are a number of tips of the cap throughout the story. There is a Finger Lane named after Batman, co creator Bill Finger and an offstage character named Jerry Robinson. Jerry Robinson is the name of the artist and writer who co created Robin and the Joker. To say these stories have had a lasting impact would be a major understatement. Film producer Michael Uslin, who produced Swamp Thing film in the early 80s, had hoped to bring a serious take to Batman to the silver screen. Writer Steve Englehart wrote an outline for a film, but it was passed over later. Sam Ham would write the screenplay with contributions from Walt Warren Scarron.
09:07
Engelhardt has stated that the finished 1989 film Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson resembles his outline. And reading strange Apparitions, one can see the parallels. Substitute Carl Grissom for Rupert Thorne, Vicki Vale for Silver St. Cloud Lt. Eckhart for crooked detective Harvey Bullock, who actually appears in later stories with Rupert Thorne. I should also note that Bullock's image would be refurbished and rehabilitated for the Animated series and the comics of the 1990s to make him more of a tough cop who doesn't like vigilante aunties instead of a crooked cop. And the film does feel very close to the Strange Apparitions, but with Batman's tougher edge from the story that introduced him, 1939's the Case of the Chemical Syndicate. So in other words, if you read Strange Apparitions, you're going to see the thumbprint for what will become the 1989 film.
09:58
And I say thumbprint instead of blueprint, but you get my meaning. Denny o' Neill adapted the Laughing Fish into one of the strongest episodes of Batman the Animated Series and Batman enthusiasts consider Batman the Animated Series to be the best adaptation there is, and I certainly concur. Furthermore, Judith Reeve Stevens and Garfield Reeve Stevens adapted two of the stories featured in Strange Apparitions. I Am Batman and the Dead yet live for their Batman the Animated Series episode the Strange Case of Bruce Wayne, in which Dr. Strange again learns the identity of Batman and attempts to auction off that information to the highest bidder. Doug mentioned Paul Gulacy adapted the Strange storyline for their post crisis, post Year one Batman Legends of the Dark Knight story Prey, in which an obsessed Strange learns Batman' secret kids Bruce and attempts to live his dual life.
10:46
Finally, there's Batman Forever, which I've already mentioned, a much maligned film, though I quite like it, in which Bruce attempts to reconcile his dual identity. And again, I recommend finding a fan edit if you are able, which fully restores Bruce's arc. And maybe one day they'll release the Schumacher cut because once again we see echoes of strange apparitions in that film. Strange Apparitions the trade is out of print and secondhand copies may run upwards of $400. I hope DC Comics will consider a subsequent printing as these are without a doubt some of the greatest Batman stories ever told. I love that trade and the legacy of the storyline between Batman 89, Batman the Animated Series, Batman Forever. These were all products of my childhood into my teenhood. I absolutely love these stories. I love that trade. Find it and happy reading.
11:42
We're back baby. Who's back? The Legion of Superheroes is back. It's taken a while, but DC's oldest super team is back. Everything's different, but everything's the same. Does that make sense? Kinda. It's gonna take a lot of work to bring fans up to speed and let them know all about the Legion. That's what the Long Live the Legion podcast is for. Every episode, we break down the characters, the stories, and the different versions of the team. So whether this is your first time reading the Legion or you've been reading them for a while, check out the Long Live the Legion podcast hosted by us, Jim and Jay. We'll help you get to know the team a little bit better. Cpov Certainpov. Com.