Monday, February 04, 2013

Even Batman can't stop people buying Batman junk.

Aside from some wicked burns from Alfred, and some nice art, I'm not sure about this one: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #80, "Idols, part one" Written by James Vance, pencils by Dougie Braithwaite, inks by Sean Hardy.

When a teenager is killed for his bootleg Bat-jacket, Batman's eyes are opened to the lucrative merchandising of the Bat-brand. While some Gothamites debate if it is glorifying a possible psychopath, Bat-stuff is predictably popular with teens; even if at this point Bats was still playing the urban legend card and was rarely seen.

Bruce offers to buy out the proprietor of the Belfry, planning on shutting it down and keeping the Bat-merchandise off the streets. He overplays his hand, though; and the proprietor thinks Bruce is trying a hostile takeover, or worse, planning on writing the business off on his taxes.

To make matters worse, a serial killer known as the "Circuit Rider" is back in Gotham; having killed two women and left hotel bibles on the bodies. Batman is seen in the theater district stopping a getaway, and a grotesquely bat-masked intruder attacks a security guard at the Belfry...so, more than a couple plates spinning at once, here. Still, Batman probably missed an opportunity to make a lot of money for anti-crime programs, public education and grants, or even just more Batmobiles; if he had just licensed himself.



1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

He sure did didn't he, and how unlike a entrepreneur like Bruce right?;)