Random Happenstance

"Coulrophobia."

Tell me someone's used this as a Batman title before, and click to enlarge!







This one's going to have some notes, since the Batman in my head is conglomerated from a lot of sources.

The Miller Time/47 Teeth bit probably comes from World's Funnest, the Evan Dorkin written Mr. Mxyzptlk/Bat-Mite romp. Miller himself provides the art for a bit making fun of one of his stylistic quirks that showed up a few times in Dark Knight Returns but more in Sin City. I know Bullseye had fake teeth that he could use for deadly effect, too...

I just read The Killing Joke recently, but can't remember if the chemical plant is ever called by name, or if the name Axis is from the Tim Burton movie.

Out of all the regular continuities--the comics, the movies, the animated series--I don't know if any have ever brought up whether the Joker has feeling in his face or not, but it made sense to me. Of course, like a lot of things I say, it could sound reasonable and still be totally wrong: medically speaking, I have no idea if a nerveless or numb Joker face would even be possible, even if it was bleached white. Batman's comparing the Joker's face to Cap's shield, which refers to (I think) from the Stern/Byrne run, where it's pointed out that since Cap's shield looks like a bullseye, people tend to shoot at it, instead of Cap, even though it's bulletproof and Cap isn't. I had a driver's ed instructor that said the same thing about the headlights of oncoming traffic, that unconsciously, people tend to steer towards them. I have absolutely no idea if that's a bona-fide fact, but I've always watched myself for it.

The Joker's "Dummy" is from a Cheerios box. It's probably no surprise that I eat cereal completely based on the toy. The movie Joker figure is the Oldest's, so I gave him the little one too. Although I'm not a big fan of the character, it's easy to imagine the Joker preparing new crimes and new material at the same time. I also think he would be the sort to feel jealously, a professional envy, of some "rivals." He might be a bigger name than the Ventriloquist, or the Riddler; but every once in a while one of them might have a "performance" that the Joker would then be compelled to "top."

"Jed Reiming" is a play on Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman. I've never read it, but great name.

I mentioned it before once, but R'as al Ghul had his own evil circus. Probably a front for the League of Assassins, but only one of the seemingly dozens of evil circuses in comics. And even at the non-evil ones, you've got dead or mutant acrobats. The mutant kid from the sideshow, of course, would be Nightcrawler.

Although I wrote most of this at work, and knew most of the toys I was going to use for it, I could think of several toys I could've used, if I had an unlimited budget and could teleport action figures to my house as needed: I haven't bought the Movie Master Henchman toy, and probably wouldn't pay full price for him, bolo tie or no. I don't think I've ever had a Clown figure from any of the Spawn lines: the design always seems bizarre to me, and I can't stand John Leguizamo. I could've used a Krusty the Clown or Sideshow Mel, or a Killer Clown from Outer Space, or that clown kid from Halloween, or a Captain Spaulding from House of 1000 Corpses. Hell, unless I get a bee in my bonnet before I start this one, I don't even have the DCUC Harley Quinn yet.

I did almost buy another Clownface, for matching henchmen, but decided against it. And the Movie Masters Batman just seems a hair too small; but I didn't want to use a mismatched Batman to that Joker.

Of course, in my toys' world, Batman and the Punisher are on the same earth. In retrospect, I don't like that line: I think that Batman may be envious that Frank doesn't have to fight the same villains over and over and over some more; but I can't see Bruce going all NRA on us, either. I know in Max Allen Collins Batman issues with the new origin of Jason Todd, Bruce trains Jason in firearms; but while it's interesting to consider the idea that Batman knows guns as well as his own weapons; I prefer the Batman that won't even touch one.

Lastly, Poe Ghostal was doing a Batman/Predator serious piece over at Points of Articulation, and doing a better job than me. When's the next installment, Poe?