Dick Sprang does Superman/Batman

[shankie]

From 1958, or World's Finest Comics #94, by the team of Dick Sprang & Stan Kaye... "The Origin of the Superman-Batman" team, which was reprinted like seven times over the years, and is found nowadays in a few archives and collections like World's Finest Comics, Vol. 2 and The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (not to be confused with Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 & 2.) It's also analyzed in an essay about the role of male partnership and camaraderie in early comics, if you're interested.

The story is a good example; the plot centers on Superman finding a new partner and the profound betrayal Batman & Robin (especially Batman) go through.



Batman has the cutest sad faces, flashbacks about dressing up as Superman, but best of all? Sweet old-school Batmobile. Oh yeah.





I love how they refuse to believe Superman's really rejected them; and completely ignore his desire for them to stay uninvolved.

The cloud-like lines around the panels indicate when Batman's flashing back to their first mission with Superman.



I love love how chipper and domestic these old comics are. Also, Batman's ear. Got a nice shape to it, don't you think?



There's gotta be an easier way to hide a helicopter; I mean, their structural integrity is not designed to be balanced on the tail; building that thing must have involved costs and labour that boggle the mind.







"No means no, Batman! I'm with Powerman now, he's more man than you'll ever be!"

"Sob!"

XD





It's kinda weird that Robin feels better about being fake-rejected for a robot than a real person. Wouldn't that be more of an insult?

The moral of the story? Batman will never give up on Superman's fidelity, because he'll always be true. :)

Comments

[museofspeed.livejournal.com]

The other moral of the story?

Robots aren't as good as real people. In bed!

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

#4 on the list of Other Uses For Superman Robots? XD

[artfink.livejournal.com]

Love that 'mobile..

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

I have a little die-cast of it. <3

[artfink.livejournal.com]

I have the fat-fendered version in your avatar there. Hotness.

On a very special episode of "Bad Superhero Breakups..."

[mayoroftardtown.livejournal.com]

This is awesomely cracky. It's hilarious how Batman's too busy strolling down memory lane the whole time and Robin has to narrate for him what's going on. I'm surprised he kept the Batmobile on the road. And their denial is epic. Robin's like the friend who agrees with everything.

Also love that rather than using, say, a fire hose or something sensible like that to wash the Kryptonite off Supes, they tie him to the Batplane and drag him through a waterfall. :)

Re: On a very special episode of "Bad Superhero Breakups..."

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

That waterfall thing got me, too. Never could do anything small back then. XD

Oh, the gayness of the old comics

[dragon-fall.livejournal.com]

I'd I'd forgotten, really I had, how gay they could be... without even trying! The agonizing over being tossed aside, the pain over not knowing Supes secret identity... highschool first crush melodrama at its finest.
Just goes to show, that Batman/Superman isn't just in our twisted little minds, but was there from the beginning :)

Robin: Powerman must have some hold on him!
Batman: On his balls
Robin: What was that?
Batman: Nothing... nothing at all

:)

Re: Oh, the gayness of the old comics

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

Wertham was right? ::giggles::