QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Under the Influence/Ones We Love
ROBIN versus BATMAN
As the Crow Flies Part Four: Shotgun (DC)
Where: Batman #629 When: August 2004
Why: Judd Winick How: Dustin Nguyen

Quick Fix...
So, Galactus and I might not have a lot in common, but there is one indisputable commonality: We're both sticklers for rules, especially our own.

Which brings us to now. Up against the wire, I feel an obligation to turn in a Street Fighter post for Sunday, a Marvel Ultimate Alliance post for Monday, and, well, okay, that's really about all... But still, here we are, as the clock ticks over to Sunday (here in the future), and I'm starting a post for Saturday! Egads, what sinister plot could provoke such madness?!

A couple of days ago The Fortress Keeper had some interesting things to say about the state of Batman, with a particular slant towards an evolution away from the grim and gritty mania that has gripped the character for the best part of three decades. I, of course, subscribe to that classic take within reason, actually fairly disinterested in progress being made by Grant Morrison to return the hairy chested love-god to his globe trotting throne; but I digress...

Inevitably one travels from Batman's world and state of mind, to the relationships important to his life.

There's a purveyance of opinion that says Batman, in his grittier and more obsessive incarnations, is a two-dimensional character devoid of layers. It's perhaps because of that opinion that many people draft their complexities onto the characters surrounding the Dark Knight Detective. Right or wrong, it provides us another nice segue to use a dangling quick fix from our last entry, but first...

It's actually been quite a while since I've fawned over Judd Winick's run on Batman. Or maybe it isn't, and the increased activity just makes it seem like it's been a while. Regardless, not the case today, as we take a look at the standalone "As the Crow Flies" arc, which preceded Winick's bulky, on-going stay on the book, which I am particularly fond of. Incidentally, it was the graceless intrusion of the interrupting War Games story that broke-up Winick's work, but incidentally set-up much of what I enjoyed so much.

The majority of this story revolves around the cagey relationship between Jonathan "Scarecrow" Crane, and the Penguin, who has employed the former to contribute to his criminal investments. Coinciding with this alliance is the emergence of a hulking Scarebeast, more monster than man, who terrorizes Gotham City and the criminal underworld by night.

Despite his best efforts, Batman is unsuccesful in confronting the Scarebeast, succumbing to it's own unique brand of fear toxin.

Falling into the abyss of fear and panic, Batman's dedicated training sees him able to escape to the Batmobile, where it's autopilot technology can navigate to the Batcave. The mobile also puts Batman in much needed contact with trusted butler, Alfred, who is able to talk him down from his panic for at least part of the long journey home.

With hallucinations setting in, Batman flails his limbs at an imaginary Joker and Two-Face. His fevered attacks damage the Batmobile console, severing his connection with Alfred, and perhaps even sanity. Concerned, Alfred summons the aid of the boy wonder, Robin, who pursues atop dirt bike.

Where there rides a Robin, the unsettled Batman sees the demon of his greatest failure, the supposedly deceased Jason Todd. Still haunted by the tactics employed by the villainous Hush (and Todd), Batman pops the Batmobile hatch and yanks the young Tim Drake from his motorcycle.

Though Robin lodges a verbal appeal in an attempt to navigate Batman back through the forest of hallucination, he continues only to see Jason Todd. Prompted by imagined taunts, the Batman clutches at Robin's throat, squeezing.

Barely able to overcome the hostility of his adopted-father, Robin manages to lift from a whisper to a call, requesting Alfred to blow the rooftop via remote from the Batcave headquarters.

The sudden rush of air rips the tiny Robin from Batman's vice-like grip. His acrobatic training helps the young hero maneuver himself to catch the tail of the Batmobile as it thunders into the hidden entrance of the secret Batcave.

Batman is thrown from the convertible vehicle, coming to land in a tangled, bloody mess. Robin makes a far more graceful landing, joining Alfred at his master's side to administer an anti-toxin. For the sidekick, a job well done.

I touched on the fact that I'm one who quite enjoys the darker side of Batman.
Traditionally I'm not a fan of Robin the side-kick as a part of that, but here actually lies a pretty good example of ways to make the character acceptable.

I tend to think Robin is at his best as a character who has grown up to leave the nest. I think that relationship of father and son is one of the most dynamic qualities of the duo, and that's played to particularly strong effect here.

While it doesn't really seem to be examined as the soul focus of what is essentially a strong, if grounded, episode in a superhero adventure; there's a strong undercurrent of fear and what is fear. For a child, I think there are few scarier scenarios than this, where the father is completely out of control.

I don't mean that just in the violence of the way Batman lashes out, but the fact that Batman is such a staunch pillar of certainty. I suppose stability is an important part of a child's life, and as much as an unstable environment can be damaging, it also reshapes a sense of normality. For someone who has viewed a personal aquaintance as an unshakable force of of strength, few things can be more frightening than the dissolving of that.

It's looking at the character's psychological flaws and darkness in manners like this that make me greatly appreciative of the grim and grit of the character.
I tend to feel I can find well-adjusted superheroics, and gadget filled adventure from a lot of avenues, but few characters bring such a rich tapestry of psychological layers, and motivations.
I personally feel in the assumed flat characterization, there is actually more juice than in the showy, gallavanting Batman. The more he supposedly shuts down, the more we learn about the character. The less spoken, the more said.

Winick does well to inject that into what is essentially a monster story, even if Nguyen's kinetic pencils ground it in a more superhero, capes and tights motiff.

The Fix: 5 The Issue: 6
Winner: Inconclusive

[No one really wins or loses in this quick fix, but it should be noted as but a tiny portion of what turns out to be quite a fun comic.
If most Bat-villains are justified as mirrors held up to Batman, Scarecrow represents the detached. A character who does not distract his reflection through a filter of antagonism, forcing Batman to confront himself quite literally, rather than through a green and white abstraction.]

---

BATMAN versus CATWOMAN
Crisis of Conscience: Part Four (DC)
Where: JLA #118 When: Early November 2005
Why: Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg How: Chris Batista

Quick Fix...
I like the idea that Gotham is an old fashioned city.
A city with a certain musk to it's looming skyline, that eventually colours the denizens within it. It wasn't always as corrupt as it is now, but even the Green Lantern (Alan Scott) will tell you, it had that intangible quality to it.

Robin, in all his colourful glory, tends to represent much of the hope, promise and innocence lost to Gotham City, and to Batman. He personifies, in many ways, a future where Gotham might not need the protection and aid of a man garbed in emotionless black and grey. A man, who like many of Gotham's others, has been dragged so deep into the skirmish that he is almost what he fights.

I like to think Martian Manhunter represents a bit of that, too.
As much as he has walked the streets and tasted the dusty air of Gotham's criminal underworld, he remains the city's secret Superman. An alien from a world outside Gotham, who hides beneath the muted browns and greys of his store bought suits the vibrant green of blossoming nature, and a perspective of everything the city may be.

They don't necessarily enjoy each other's company, or agree on the degrees of what's required to achieve good in the world, but I like to think Batman and Martian Manhunter are always bound by the mutual understanding of Gotham.

While Batman represents a brutal, corrupted version; he remains a pillar on the non-lethal side of the justice scale we've been talking about. Far more harsh than anything Martian Manhunter would usually subscribe to, but still on the same wave length of what is and isn't crossing the unspoken line.

It's this commonality that brings the two characters together in the pages of Crisis of Conscience, which deals with the aftermath of the revelation that Zatanna spent her career with the League wiping the minds of villains and heroes alike.

For Batman, the matter is a direct issue of intellectual intrusion and doubt, while for Martian Manhunter it's a question of power versus responsibility. As a telepath with the capability of carrying out the same function, he holds dear a moral code that denies any such invasion of personal space.

It is on this level that Martian Manhunter is challenged by the master manipulator of events surrounding the exposure of Zatanna and the League's secret -- Despero. After defeating both J'onnz and Aquaman [JLA #118] he marches them to the Batcave, where he seeks to usurp control of Batman aswell.
Confiding in Catwoman over the anguish and uncertainties brought on by the gaps in his memory, Batman is vulnerable to the surprise attack. Despero quickly takes control, and turns him against the potential interference of his lover.

The Batman swats Catwoman into his computer console, following quickly with a stiff kick narrowly blocked by the beseiged burglar. She retaliates in a characteristically independent manner, shedding any personal loyalties to slash Batman across the head.

Though unsuccessful in harming the possessed Dark Knight, it does reveal a glowing third-eye beneath his cowl, the trademark of Despero's telepathic control.

Catwoman is obviously a big part of the Bat-family, even though the two have been somewhat distanced of late.

I like to think she represents a part of the corruption brought about by life in Gotham. I think she connects to the thought processes that govern Batman's brand of harsh justice. She highlights the fact that he has taken the fight so close to villainy, he freely associates with a thief on the merit of her inner goodness. For Batman, the cramped highrises of Gotham prevent scope of the bigger picture, leading him to hold onto only what he knows is explicitly right and wrong.

Sometime in the next week or two I'd like to take a more specific look at the relationship between Catwoman and Batman, but in the mean time, I think it's been a long warm day, and I've become too distracted to wrap this up well.

The Fix: 3 The Issue: 4
Winner: Inconclusive

[The briefest of quick fixes to be sure, but now you have the full picture for that particular issue. As much as I enjoy Batista's pencils, there a frustrating resemblance to Michael Keaton in his Batman that really bugs me. It's probably just because of the way he draws lips, I don't know... Leave me alone!]

DESPERO versus MARTIAN MANHUNTER/AQUAMAN
Crisis of Conscience: Part Four (DC comics)
Where: JLA #118 When: Early November 2005
Why: Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg How: Chris Batista

The story so far...
With their dirty little secrets exposed, the Justice League is imploding into itself in a maelstrom of disapproval and mistrust. The revelations over Zatanna's mind-wiping practises regain their relevance when members of the Secret Society of Super-villains discover the true identities of the heroes.

Unknown to the league, the foe responsible for awakening the minds of the Society, Despero, is hurtling toward Earth in pursuit of a helpless Martian Manhunter. Unable to locate the league, the Manhunter plummets Earthbound with one member in mind -- Aquaman!

Will J'onn J'onnz find the assistance he needs, or has the inner turmoil of their actions exposed a weakness in the League, and allowed Despero the opportunity to finally seek a final revenge on those he has called enemy?

Previous Form:
Aquaman (#73): Gained an unlikely victory over the Sub-Mariner.
Despero, Martian Manhunter: Each making their Infinite Wars debut.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Martian Manhunter 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Martian Manhunter 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Despero 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Aquaman 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Aquaman 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Despero 5 (Lasers)


So, this is the first time we've talked about Martian Manhunter, which is kinda one of those travestys of justice you tend hear about. I guess if there's a reason, it might be because J'onn J'onnz traditionally isn't one to pursue combat as actively as others, but that's something you can read more about in the hammer, later in the entry.

Still, like the Batman animated series, I feel like this might be one of the few glaring omissions to what I've done, so it's nice to rectify the situation. Shame about Aquaman. Ho ho, tee hee, ha ha. Yes, I think that's out of the way now.

Yes, I'm a Sub-mariner man, but I'm going to try to be impartial about Aquaman's total inability to have anything but an anchoring effect on this scenario. I of course mean this purely from a statistical standing, which sees Aquaman's particular brand of unique abilities less expressive on the statistics listed above.

Despero's a pretty tough customer. He's one of those space foes that's got a wide bredth of capabilities, and specialist skills like telepathic manipulation, and laser beams, and all that kinda stuff that compliments your usual flight and super strength. He's a character that has to work on a scale of both Superman alone, and also a team that includes Superman, so his capabilities are broad.

Martian Manhunter is on a Superman level, and I'd like to think on his day he could single handedly take Despero out. His telepathy tends to range everywhere from the incredible, to the struggling bare minimum. I like to think of it as levelling out somewhere in the middle, so telepathic dominance might not be within reach for ol' J'onn, but he's got other tools to combat Despero.

Aquaman remains a conundrum on the comic landscape. I don't think anyone is really one hundred percent committed or comfortable with the theory that he has super strength, even if it makes perfect sense for the same reasons Namor's strength makes sense: A lifetime spent in the crushing depths of the ocean.

Together, I'd probably like to lean toward the heroes on paper, even though Despero does represent one of the prominent threats to the League. Right about now I'm too tired to wax much harder on it, saving my energies for later, so...

The Math: Martian Manhunter/Aquaman (Total) Despero (Average)
The Pick: Martian Manhunter/Aquaman

What went down...
Escaping the Justice League's moonbase headquarters, the Martian Manhunter hardly notices the searing heat as he hurtles through Earth's atmosphere followed by another. Blazing a trail toward San Diego, he telepathically calls to the members of the League, but they're both too busy, and out of reach, as Martian Manhunter combats the dampening effect of Despero's strong brand of offensive telepathy.

Climbing bruised from a crater created by his impact on a barren construction site; Martian Manhunter is picked up by the following Despero. He boasts of the League's distractions, while burying his fingertips into the Martian's malleable flesh, as though to create a physical manifestation of his telepathic invasion on J'onn J'onnz' mind.

Having already unlocked erased memories from the minds of members of the Society and sent them in the direction of the hero's loved ones, Despero declares off the back of his machinations, that there is no one left to save the Martian.

A defiant answer comes in the form of a spiked piece of construction metal, piercing Despero's alien shoulder in a spray of blood: Enter Aquaman!

The Atlantean monarch continues his assault, knocking Despero through the surrounding barrier of the construction site, into the surrounding ocean.

The grizzled Aquaman calls ahead, telepathically summoning the aid of sharks to "Make. Him. Bleed."

The deep sea monsters do as commanded, gnawing viciously at the hulking frame of Despero. Aquaman plummets into his domain to strangle the beseiged victim of his patrons, presumably with the advantage in the familiar surroundings of water.

Meanwhile, Martian Manhunter recovers from the assault suffered at Despero's hands. He dusts himself off, telepathically coaching Aquaman in combat.
He offers a stern reminder of Despero's tactics, ensuring Aquaman is ready to defend himself mentally, should Despero find himself unable to match him on the physical plane of combat.

Aquaman stoicly welcomes Despero to try psychic attack, avoiding a laser blast from the alien's powerful third eye, and an equally dangerous fist that buries deep into the ocean floor.

Aquaman returns Despero's hostility in kind, using his water-bound strength to uppercut Despero out of the water!

The break in the action provides Aquaman the first opportunity for some face-to-face discussion with his Martian teammate. J'onn J'onnz is able to finally reveal his intention to seek out Aquaman, with the hopes that together they could use their combined telepathic influences to overcome the mentallist threat in Despero.

Battered, but not defeated, Despero rises to challenge the Justice League duo to test their strategy to disarm him.

Though they presumably fight valiantly, the pair are apparently unsuccesful, emerging next as king and rook in Despero's league against the league.

The hammer...
Well, how would you be? We finally invite Martian Manhunter to the party, and what do we do? Serve him up on a platter to our winner, Despero. That's bloody charming, eh?

On a tangent, I came across info regarding The Batman cartoon. You know, that redundant one with the monkey-Joker and other assorted disappointing revisions of classic villains, and the indulgence of Adam West as Gotham City Mayor. As if it weren't redundant enough, it looks like they're spinning the Justice League out of this new Batman. Groan.

The thing that bugs me more than the creatively questionable efforts of the series, is the fact that it's actually filled the few voids I felt the Timm/Dini animated series overlooked. Those, of course, are appearances by Martian Manhunter in Gotham, Solomon Grundy, and the still as yet unchecked emergence of Gotham's Green Lantern, Alan Scott. Oh, give them time...

So, we've been talking a lot about harsh justice lately. It's probably the subject that's kept me from becoming completely derailed, because it's a vaguely interesting subject. We talked about Wonder Woman and then Hawkman and Black Adam, but specifically amongst the royals of the DC Universe there was one more name mentioned -- Aquaman!

I fully realise that so-called "harsh justice" teeters dangerously toward the same kinds of watered down, poorly justified gimmicks of anger and grim and grit that have led many characters down an unsavory path. I fully realise Aquaman is one of those, who enjoyed brief recognition for a revamp dependent on poor grooming, the loss of a hand, and the loss of innocence.

I'd like to think that the saving grace of my suggestions is that there's a vaguely intellectual reasoning, providing some sort of foundation to the ideas. A motivating question about the differences of culture, beliefs, and justice.

For me, these two characters [Aquaman, Martian Manhunter] are a perfect litmus test. When I think of Martian Manhunter, I think of a character deeply driven for common justice, working both close to the streets on a human level, but also through subversive methods, by way of his powers which give him scope to deal with alien threats, too. I kinda see the character the same way Darwyn Cooke looks at him in New Frontier, forever impressed upon by a story in Secret Origins #35, that depicts J'onn J'onnz' early days as a detective in a similar fashion.

I think of Martian Manhunter as an unrelenting force for justice by the book, with exceptions where circumstances dictate. On the other hand, I'm more likely to adopt that more contemporary consideration of Aquaman.

Aquaman is a character who seems to have simply failed to maintain his relevance. In a world where the greatest dangers emerge from humanity itself, it's hard to find a place for a man so far removed from it. A man traditionally more concerned with the rising threat of tri-colour sea monsters and oil spills.

Without an insane agreement to keep the character constantly in-print, like Wonder Woman; Aquaman falls by the wayside, by the bayside. He needs a reason to exist, especially in those uncomfortable situations where he finds himself thrust into the so-called "big seven" of the Justice League, impotent and awkwardly ineffective until the villain takes a dip in the ocean.

In ironic juxtaposition to the Martian Manhunter, we've already talked about the potential to give Aquaman importance as a perspective alien and harsh to other members of the League. Like Wonder Woman, Aquaman's references are Roman and Greek, built on the epic tradition of Atlantis and the warrior code.

He has an opportunity to be a character aware of more than just the territory of the United States of America, opening the League up to it's oft overlooked International jurisdictions. Perhaps as Black Adam was in Black Reign, or Wonder Woman against the corrupted tyranny of Maxwell Lord; Aquaman could be a proactive force, using his immunities and broad world reference to bring justice to communities and nations that might not otherwise see it.

This might put the character(s) at odds with the likes of Martian Manhunter, who believe in due process, but without the injected personal insanities seen in Black Adam's downward spiral, that only makes for interesting and dynamic friction in the superhero community. It also arguably serves as an investment in the certainty of a character lost to a crisis of identity and characterization.

It need not be event driven blanket stories like Amazons Attack, involving the vast kingdoms characters like these represent. The point here is about the attitudes and directions of the characters, who have exhibited these sensibilities at one time or another, but who have not been courageously thrust into the world of moral ambiguity.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4

[Chris Batista's clean, crisp, well inked artwork is a joy to behold, but this story feels all too run of the mill for a big-name double feature like Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns. The benefit of hindsight shows just how little it has meant in the developing world of the Justice League post-Identity Crisis. Fun, but disappointing.]