Batman Vs Ra's Al Ghul Treasury

Batman had faced a few impressive villains over the years, but, Ra's Al Ghul was one who was more impressive than most.

The tales that introduced Ra's Al Ghul to the Batman universe were larger than life, and the earliest of them were collected in the Limited Collectors' Edition #C-51 (August, 1977), with this stunning Neal Adams cover.

Now, the issues which introduced Ra's to Batman, and the world!

Daughter Of The Demon

First up, the premiere of Ra's Al Ghul, from Batman #232 (June, 1971) by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, under an incredible cover by Adams and Giordano!

Robin starts the issue at Hudson University, and is kidnapped by mysterious figures.  A note is sent to Batman at the Wayne Foundation, informing Bruce they have Robin.  Needing more resources, Batman heads back to the Batcave at Wayne Manor....and finds Ra's Al Ghul and his servant, Ubu, in the Batcave.  Ra's had deduced that Batman was Bruce Wayne, because he needs help...his daughter, Talia (who had been introduced in Detective Comics #411) had also been kidnapped by the Brotherhood of the Demon.   Batman, Ra's and Ubu then have to travel the world searching for Robin and Talia (all the while, Batman being put in danger, and thinking about Ra's and Ubu). 

Finally, Batman finds Robin....and realizes that Ra's is the head of the Brotherhood of the Demon, and that this was a test by Ra's Al Ghul, to see if Batman is worthy of his daughter, who loves "the detective", Batman!

Ra's and Talia come back in Batman #235 and #240, by Denny O'Neil, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano, with covers by Adams and Giordano, but they weren't included in this collection.  What is important about these tales is that Batman realizes he needs to deal with Ra's and his organization, and that he doesn't like them being able to strike against his alter ego of Bruce Wayne.

Bruce Wayne -- Rest In Peace

This collection picks up with Batman #242 (June, 1972), and a cover by Mike Kaluta, story by Denny O'Neil, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano.

Batman and Commissioner Gordon start the story, by discussing the recent presumed death of Bruce Wayne in a plane crash.  Batman then informs Gordon he will be out of Gotham for a time (though doesn't tell him that he will be tracking down Ra's).  First, Batman has an encounter with criminal Matches Malone (which doesn't turn out well for Matches, who is killed during it by a sniper's bullet).  Batman, using this to his advantage, takes over the identity of Matches Malone, and does a little recruiting of his own...scientist Dr. Harris Blaine and assassin Lo Ling, both who have been forced to work for Ra's, but resent Ra's for the criminal activities he forces them to perform.

The Lazarus Pit

The story continues under a Neal Adams cover for Batman #243 (August, 1972), by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

The story starts with a battle between Batman and Lo Ling...with Matches Malone watching.  Ling explains he owes Batman (and Matches was really Robin, using an inflatable body suit to get the size of Batman/Matches).  Batman, as Matches, takes Ling and Dr. Blaine in pursuit of Ra's, meeting ski champion Molly Post, who has a vendetta against Ra's for killing her fiance.  The group runs afoul of Talia and Ubu, but do find Ra's in one of his headquarters....but, Ra's is dead! 

The group leave, but Ra's is put into the Lazarus Pit...and returns to life!

The Demon Lives Again

This story, and the collection conclude with Batman #244 (September, 1972) by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, originally under this historic cover by Neal Adams.

The group attempt to leave the Swiss Alps, but are pursued by a maddened Ra's, who nearly kills Ling.  Ra's and Talia leave via hovercraft, with Batman and Molly following on skis, until Batman damages the craft, but Molly gets injured in the crash, with Batman having to stay with her as a less mad Ra's and Talia leave.  Ra's knows he has used the Lazarus Pit too many times, and wants Batman to be his successor and marry Talia.  Batman tracks the pair to the desert, where Batman and Ra's have a final duel, much to the chagrin of Talia who loves them both.  Beating both Ra's and the dangers of the desert....Batman is able to capture Ra's, taking him to justice.

These stories establish Ra's Al Ghul as a major league villain in Batman's world (very much like a James Bond villain, with references to Bond in many of these stories).  Every battle between Batman and Ra's Al Ghul would then be a major event!

All seven of these stories (and a few more) are included in the 1991 collection, Batman: Tales Of The Demon, with a cover by Brian Stelfreeze, foreword by Sam Hamm and afterword by Denny O'Neil, but it is still better to enjoy every tale presented in the Treasury sized edition!

Batman Movie Anniversary

On June 19th, 1989, Batman the movie arrived at a special engagement for a theater, with Michael Keaton as Batman, Jack Nicholson as the Joker, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale, Pat Hingle as Com. James Gordon and Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth directed by Tim Burton (with a general release on June 23rd).


DC produced two adaptations of the movie, one deluxe Baxter paper additions, both with covers by artist Jerry Ordway!




Inside the books were the story of Batman as told in this movie, adapted by writer Denny O'Neil and drawn by Jerry Ordway.

Always odd to see a story from comics, made into a movie, then turned back into a comic!  Still, a very interesting look at what movies can do....as well as what works well in a comic book!

Notable as well, for launching a Batman craze in the comics, with Batman taking a major position at DC (yet also remaining a little distant from the rest of the company's characters), and drawing from the very serious treatment of Batman from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke, as well as Frank Miller's work on The Dark Knight Returns with a larger than life Batman/Joker battle and a focus on the psychological ramifications of who created whom, as well as setting up a line of sequels, and ushering in a run of comic book based movies.

World Population Day

Today, July 11th, is World Population Day....and the idea behind this is reflected in Green Lantern #81 (December, 1970) in "Death Be My Destiny!" by writer Denny O'Neill, penciller Neal Adams and inker Dick Giordano.


In this story, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Green Arrow and Black Canary take the Old-Timer (a Guardian of the Universe that had been helping the "Hard-Traveling Heroes") back to Oa, for him to be judged by the other Guardians of the Universe.

The Guardians stripped the Old-Timer of his immortality, and sentenced him to go back to Maltus, the original home of the Guardians.



Once there, the heroes saw the problems of over population first hand, thanks to Mother Juna, stopped her efforts, and the Old-Timer decided to work on helping the people find themselves again.



This story has been reprinted a few times, most notably under a new cover in December, 1983 by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #3, with the simple phrase of "Too...Many...People!" as a part of DC's 1980s Baxter reprint series, that collected major stories in a new, dynamic, ad-less format, paving the way for tradepaperback collections, in this case, the relevant comics of Green Lantern from the late 1960s/early 1970s, running from Green Lantern #76 to Green Lantern #89.

Comic Heroes Are Unappreciated

It might be hard to believe, with all the fans they have, but not everyone likes a hero.

Sure, the life of a superhero looks easy, but it really isn't....

Take for example Superman and Spider-Man (one from DC and one from Marvel, both working in the news industry, both the biggest heroes in their world, or at least the most popular...).

Neither of them have had an easy life....

To Save A Superman

With Superman #240 (July, 1971, with a cover by Neal Adams, and interior story by writer Denny O'Neil, artist Curt Swan and inker Dick Giordano), we learn how people react when Superman fails!

Not cool, as the cover shows....but it wasn't really Superman's fault....

...he just wasn't up to full power!  Starting with Superman #233 (January, 1971, by O'Neil, Swan and inker Murphy Anderson), Superman was being slowly weakened by the extra-dimensional being Quarrmer) who came to our world when a lab accident destroyed all Kryptonite on Earth, and this creature formed as a "sand Superman", a parasite (though not THE Parasite, a different Superman villain..), slowly taking away Superman's powers over time! 

Superman had to deal with this problem all the way until Superman #242 (September, 1971) and did it with a little help from Wonder Woman (who, at the time, was also without her powers!).  Superman recovered, and Quarrmer even came back to be the Superman villain in the Superman vs. Shazam battle of All-New Collector's Edition #C-58...and the entire collection of O'Neil & Swan's sand Superman saga was collected in the DC Comics Classics Library: Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore in January, 2009!

Spider-Man No More!

Peter Parker was a photographer/freelancer working barely surviving working for J. Jonah Jameson, fearing for the health of his elderly Aunt May, and pushed into giving up being Spider-Man....and this all came about in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (July, 1967, with a cover and interior pencils by John Romita and story by Stan Lee and inked by Mike Esposito). 

It's amazing that Peter did eventually come back to his webheaded alter-ego after the unknowning encouragement of his friends...and he did it just in time to face the crimelord of New York, the Kingpin! 

Winston Fisk made his first appearance within this story, and continued to menace Spider-Man, as well as other New York heroes like Captain America, Punisher and especially Daredevil (started during Frank Miller's run...which was adapted into the Daredevil movie...more or less). 

Over the years, the Kingpin caused plenty of heartache...but deep down, it's Spidey that the Kingpin hates most of all!  You can find that original Spider-Man/Kingpin confrontation in the Marvel Masterworks #22: Amazing Spider-Man, along with issues #41-50 and the third Amazing Spider-Man Annual (which has Spidey facing the Hulk at the behest of the Avengers), or all that and more (like battles against the Green Goblin, Rhino, Lizard, Electro, Kraven, Dr. Octopus and others in Amazing Spider Man #39-67, Annuals #3-5 and more in the Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #2 of April, 2012).

 

Lessons Learned

It seems that heroes who come in and do the work, week after week are not always appreciated, but they still do what they can to help others...and it is by continuing on against adversity that help to make these rare people into heroes as they do what they can!