SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE #1
INTERVIEW WITH TERRY BEATTY
(Interviewed by Dick Grayson)
I recently had the opportunity to email Terry Beatty (inker of "Batman: Gotham
Adventures") with some questions, and thankfully, he replied! He's a pretty cool guy
so just sit back and read through my little Q & A session with him! :-)
BTAN#1. Please. tell us abit about yourself, so we can all get better acquainted.
TB#1. Currently inking Gotham Adventures and Batman Beyond for DC. Have an Eisner Award
on my studio wall for "World's Finest," (Best Graphic Novel: New). I've been in
the comics business for twenty years. Married to mystery novelist Wendi Lee (we met at San
Diego Con). We have one daughter, Beth (age 12) - and three annoying cats. We live in a
big ol' drafty house in Iowa, in my hometown of Muscatine.
In addition to inking the animated-style Bat-books for DC, I paint the covers for Scary
Monsters Magazine, sculpt "garage kits" for Fatman Productions, and collaborate
with my wife on a (prose) short story now and then. I'm also an avid toy, and model kit
collector. If anyone wants to know more, they can always check our website. There's a page
showing samples of my art, and a page devoted to my obsession with model kits -- and LOTS
of links to related pages:
http://www.muscanet.com/~wlee/
BTAN#2. Like everyone I ask, how did enter the the profession of comics? Would you say
it was your goal or ambition? If so, why?
TB#2. My first professional work was a self-syndicated page of comics for weekly
small-town papers and "shoppers" - produced by Max Collins and myself after
coming THIS CLOSE to getting the "Annie" newspaper strip assignment from the
Tribune Syndicate. After producing a year's worth of "The Comics Page'" and
never having quite enough clients to keep it going, we were asked by Dean Mullaney to
create something for "Eclipse" magazine - that turned out to be "Ms.
Tree" - which went on to be the longest-running private eye series in comic books.
Everything else I've done has grown out of that.
And I'd wanted to be a cartoonist since I was five - learning to read from "80
Page Batman Giants" and Lee/Kirby/Ditko Marvels...
BTAN#3. How did you end up over in the Bat section of the DC Universe?
TB#3. My "Mike Danger" assignment was coming to an end at Tekno/Big, and I
started scouting around, looking for another gig. I worked up a page of animated style
Bat-art, and sent it to the licensing department at DC (the folks who produce art for
t-shirts, lunchboxes, etc.) -- and also sent a copy to the Bat-office, thinking maybe if
Rick Burchett ever wanted to take a month off, I could fill in as inker. Little did I
know, Rick was leaving the book to pencil "Superman Adventures" - and they were
looking for a replacement! I got a call asking if I
wanted the assigment, and I said "yes" pretty darn fast. Rick eventually came
back to the book - but as penciller - and I got to stick around. I've been on the job over
two years now. And I never did hear from the licensing department!
BTAN#4. How is working in a small press company (like Eclipse) to working in a massive
company (like DC Comics)?
TB#4. At DC, you don't have to call the publisher's Mom and ask where your paycheck is.
BTAN#5. I'm not sure alot of fans know, but you used to work on
Ms.TREE for Eclipse. How is that different from GOTHAM ADVENTURES
(besides the violence)?
TB#5. It was an entirely different experience. I co-created and co-own Ms. Tree (with
Max Collins), and so have more invested in the property. But in some ways, working on the
Bat-books is more FUN. I like the fact that we are producing an all-ages (not a
"kiddie") book, when the market is not producing a lot of material accessable to
younger readers or the general public. And as a kid who grew up on reprints of Bill
Finger/Dick Sprang Batman stories and who faithfully watched the Batman TV first run, it's
a kick to get to work on such a classic comic book character.
Plus it's nice to be able to tell people what comics I do, and know they'll have heard
of it! Whatever success we had with Ms. Tree in the comics and mystery field - the general
public is (I'm sorry to say) not aware of the character. Everyone, though, knows Batman.
But not everyone knows, sad to say, that comic books are still being produced! We gotta do
something about THAT!
Oh -- and I should point out that while "Ms. Tree" started out at Eclipse,
the feature moved on the A-V, then Renegade Press (with a stop-over at First Comics for
"The P.I.'s" mini-series) - and ended up at DC.
BTAN#6. What is your best work to date, pencilling, inking, or whatever you enjoy most.
Do you find it dificult to ink over pencillers who style differs from yours?
TB#6. My best work as a cartoonist (full art) is the "Johnny Dynamite"
mini-series that Max and I did for Dark Horse a few years back. Good luck finding copies
now, though...
As an inker, I have to say, my best work is in collaboration with Rick Burchett on the
Bat-books - though I really did enjoy inking the artists I worked with on
"Elfquest" and "Mike Danger" - some amazingly talented artists were
involved on those projects. And inking Joe Staton (as I'm now doing on "Batman
Beyond" #4 and up) is always a treat!
I can work in a variety of styles, so that's not a problem. The only time inking is a
chore is when the penciller simply doesn't draw well. Thankfully, I've never had to deal
with that much. Most of the pencillers I've worked with have been remarkably talented and
thoroughly professional.
BTAN#7. How is inking BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES different from inking
BATMAN BEYOND?
TB#7. We seem to be packing more detail into the "Batman Beyond" pages. That
didn't change when Joe took over the pencils from Rick. Otherwise, it's the same sort of
slick, sharp line that I use in "Gotham Adventures."
BTAN#8. Out of every Batman story you've read, what is your absolute favorite and why?
TB#8. I think "Mad Love" by Dini and Timm is the best mainstream comic book
of the past twenty years. Paul is a terrific writer, and Bruce is a remarkable cartoonist
who understands that "storytelling" does not mean pin-up poses and oddly shaped
panels. It was a joy to read a
comic book that clearly came out of a classic tradition (Kurtzman, Wood, Kirby, Sprang)
- yet still was as modern as could be. I wish we had more comics of this quality on the
market today...
That said, I adore the work of Finger and Sprang - and have a real affection for Frank
Robbins' Batman stories. And I think my pal Max Collins wrote some terrific Bat-stories
too - that unfortunately were not properly served by some of the artists involved-- some
of his
scripts would have been great for the animated-style books.
And it goes without saying that I'm crazy about each and every issue of "Gotham
Adventures" and "Batman Beyond" - how could I NOT be?
BTAN#9. What's it like working with (ex-inker, now penciller) Rick Burchett?
TB#9. Rick's career and mine have been circling each other for years - he inks Joe
Staton on "E-Man" - I ink Joe on "Guy Gardner." He draws
"Blackhawk" - I ink the "Secret Origins" Blackhawk issue. I draw
"Ms.Tree" for DC - he draws "Midnight" the back-up feature in the
book. I draw "Wild Dog" in "Action Comics Weekly" - he does a
"Wild Dog" cover for the book... we both do illos for Chris Mills'
"Noir" magazine - (which reminds me that Bruce Timm and I both have both done
covers for "Hardboiled" -- a crime fiction zine) and FINALLY we get to work
together on "Gotham Adventures," after I ink other artists on the Bat-books for
about a year.
Rick and I are of a similar age (OK, I'm a wee bit younger), have very similar
influences, and have all the same books in our studio. We are fairly conviced that one of
us is the "Earth-Two" version of the other. Differences? Rick has sons and dogs
- I have a daughter and cats. Oh - and he draws better than I do.
Rick's pencils are an inker's dream - tight and clean - couldn't ask for more.
BTAN#10. And final question: What can we expect from upcoming issues of BATMAN: GOTHAM
ADVENTURES and BATMAN BEYOND (which should become ongoing)?
TB#10. Well, there's Riddler, Two-Face, Harley, Bane and more comin' back in upcoming
issues of "Gotham" - I'm pencilling (and maybe inking) an inventory script by Ty
Templeton (a Joker story) that will see print in "Gotham" at some distant date.
I'm working on it in fits and starts when I have "down time" waiting for pages
to ink. Since Ty is leaving the book (sorry to see ya go, Ty!), Kelly Puckett and Scott
Peterson have written some scripts -- don't know who will be "regular" writer on
the book at this point...
And we have some fill-in artists (Craig Rouseau, Tim Levins) coming up too, while Rick
takes a (short!) break for another project or two. For "Batman Beyond" Blight
(Powers) is the villian in #3 and in #4 Etrigan shows up to assist the new Batman in a
battle against a supernatural menace.
Beyond that I don't know - hey - I'm just the inker!
BTAN: Well thank you much Terry! I am really glad you were able to do this Q & A
session! Thanx alot and keep in touch in the Batman/Superman chat room!
_______________________
SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE #2
(by Dick Grayson)
BTAS VS. TNBA
A while back, we had a feature where the original 13 episodes of BTAS were pitted
against the first 13 of TNBA. BTAS won. Each were compared in order of air date, not
episode number. Now, the second season of TNBA is done and we are ready to compare
episodes 14-24 against each other and see which show had the better season.
So far Batman: The Animated Series has won - so here we go, round two:
#14 THE CLOCK KING (BTAS) vs THE ULTMATE THRILL (TNBA)
In one episode, we have a story about a man driven insane by being late for his court
date. In another we have a story about a thrill seeking stunt actress. I see no competiton
here. THE CLOCK KING is a great story about one man being pushed a bit to far, over one
little thing. Meanwhile, the other is about a woman pushing herself way to far (but she
does get off on it).
Winner: BTAS (1)
#15 THE LAST LAUGH (BTAS) vs CULT OF THE CAT (TNBA)
In THE LAST LAUGH we have the Joker spreading his own little brand of cheer all through
Gotham on April Fool's Day. Meanwhile in CULT OF THE CAT, we have a fairly good episode
about a cult of cat worshippers stalking Catwoman. The animation in both is good, but THE
LAST LAUGH barely edges out CULT OF THE CAT. CULT OF THE CAT is a good story, but how many
cults have we heard of practice gene splicing? Meanwhile in THE LAST LAUGH, we have the
Joker bringing his own special happiness to Gotham. The CULT fails.
Winner:BTAS (2)
#16 ETERNAL YOUTH (BTAS) vs CRITTERS (TNBA)
Poison Ivy returns in this pretty good follow-up tale to PRETTY POISON. She's back and
is wreaking havoc on all who destroy the forest! Meanwhile we have a story about a expert
in genetics who, as revenge, lets loose a pack or mutated and deformed animals over
Gotham. CRITTERS has been deemed with being the worst episode of Batman episode(beating
out MOON OF THE WOLF). Though ETERNAL YOUTH isn't the best Poison Ivy episode, it is way
better then Farmer Brown's little CRITTERS.
Winner: BTAS (3)
#17 TWO-FACE Part One (BTAS) vs ANIMAL ACT (TNBA)
This one...is actually sorta hard to pick. In ANIMAL ACT we finally see Dick Grayson
return to his circus roots. But in TWO-FACE we see the amazing first part of one of the
best origin stories ever told (not as good as ROBIN'S RECKONING though). The animation in
TWO-FACE part one speaks for itself. ANIMAL ACT has fairly good animation but sometimes
skimps on the much needed detail, and the episode sorta has a silly ending. If the ending
to ANIMAL ACT was a bit more realistic, Mad Hatter would've been killed. TWO-FACE beats
the ANIMALS!
Winner: BTAS (4)
#18 TWO-FACE Part Two (BTAS) vs OLD WOUNDS (TNBA)
This one is even harder to pick! OLD WOUNDS we see some of the fabled LOST YEARS
between 'SUB-ZERO' and 'SINS OF THE FATHER'. The second part of Two-Face's origin is still
great. The animation isn't as good, but the story is very great, and very character
driven, with a heart stopping, and suspenseful finale. Meanwhile, we see why Dick became Nightwing. The tension between Dick and Bruce and Babs. OLD WOUNDS boosts some of the best
Dong Yang animation, and a lot fo true emotion.
And who can forget Robin slugging Batman? It's a tie (I can see this causing a bit of a
stir with the other co-editor...)
Winners :BTAS (5) and TNBA (1)
*TIM TWO-FACE'S DIVINE INTERVENTION* Dang right, DICK! *GRUMBLES AND FLIPS COIN WHILST
RE-EMERGING INTO THE SHADOWS*
#19 FEAR OF VICTORY (BTAS) vs LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT (TNBA)
The introduction of Dick Grayson versus three great short stories. In FEAR we see the
new look Scarecrow (one of the many 'new' looks he'd adopt) trying to raise money by
fixing sports events. In LOTDK we see Batman from the point of view of three kids (well
four if you count the short Joel Schumacer rip). I think for the first time, quantity
beats quality. While FEAR is a great episode which tests our own fears, we can relate to
the kids in LOTDK. We are basically those kids. We're batfans ourselves. The VICTORY
belongs to LEGENDS.
Winner: BTAS (5) TNBA (2)
#20 I'VE GOT A BATMAN IN MY BASEMENT (BTAS) versus GIRLS' NITE OUT (TNBA)
Ah! Two really poor episodes going head to head. In BASEMENT we see a very poor
introduction to Penguin. He's even beat by pre-teen children in his first introduction. He
even fences with Batman (and Batman uses a screw-driver as his sword...ugh). Now for
GIRLS' , it never really had much of a chance. It should've been more then one part. We
have five main characters crammed into 19 minutes of plotless animation.
Livewire is annoying, Harley is wasted, and Poison Ivy..is well..Poison Ivy. Batgirl is
even reduced in intelligence so she can seem as 'cool' as Supergirl. If Batgirl is about
21, then why is she acting like Supergirl (who is 16-17)?. It boggles the mind. Looks like
the Penguin's humiliating defeat isn't as bad as the GIRL'S NITE OUT together.
Winner: BTAS (6) TNBA (2)
#21 VENDETTA (BTAS) vs CHEMISTRY (TNBA)
The introduction of Killer Croc versus Poison Ivy's supposed final appearance. Killer
Croc is out for payback against Bullock, and is it ever animated beautifully. The boat
explosion with Batman on the dock is animated perfectly. But CHEMISTRY's scene with
Veronica Vreeland's new plant husband attacker her is animated almost chillingly. The huge
drawback of CHEMISTRY is its really quick ending. As soon as the boat goes down, the
episode fades. We don't se the usual epilogue that we usually see. In VENDETTA we see an
amazing confession between Bullock and Batman at the episode's finale. Looks like VENDETTA
stays afloat while CHEMISTRY just sinks.
Winner: BTAS (7) TNBA (2)
#22 PROPHECY OF DOOM (BTAS) vs JUDGEMENT DAY (TNBA)
SINS OF THE FATHER wasn't enough Two-Face, but JUDGEMENT DAY gave us him (them?), and
much more, especially with a suprise twist at the end! In DOOM we see a con artist
embezzling money out of superstitous rich folk. Bruce gets involved, almost killed. Some
rich guy's daughter gets kidnapped. Batman gets involved. All is well. In JUDGEMENT DAY we
see a new vigilante called the Judge dish out some real harsh justice.
He brutally takes down Penguin, then Killer Croc, then Riddler. Now The Judge is after
Two-Face. This confrontation, along with great animation, leads to a plot twisting finale!
The verdict is in, and JUDGEMENT DAY has arrived!
Winner: BTAS (7) TNBA (3)
#23 THE FORGOTTEN (BTAS) vs BEWARE THE CREEPER (TNBA)
Homeless people are missing, being kidnapped off the streets - but the police are too
busy to notice. Its time for Batman to get involved. He does, and during the investigation
gets amnesia and ends up working in a strip mine.That is the premise behind the great
episode THE FORGOTTEN. In BEWARE THE CREEPER, its been seven years since the Joker was
born, and its celebreated by the Joker dousing TV personality Jack Ryder with laughing
gas, and over exposure to the chemicals that made the Joker into the Joker! The result? A
hilarious romp around Gotham, as Batman tries to stop Creeper from destroying the Joker,
and Gotham. I think that the FORGOTTEN beats out humor. CREEPER is to comedy based, while
FORGOTTEN has an original plot, and an amazing scene where Bruce regains his memories and
his past.
Winner: BTAS (8) TNBA (3)
#24 MAD AS A HATTER (BTAS) versus MAD LOVE (TNBA)
One is about one man's quest to win the love of a girl at any cost. The other, is a
question of obsession. Both written by Paul Dini. HATTER gives us the heart breaking
introduction of Jervis Tetch a.k.a. the Mad Hatter, and his love for a fellow co-worker,
Alice, who is already engaged to another man. So,what do you do? In MAD LOVE we have the
adaptation of one of the best Batman stories of all time.
After Harley bungles up one of the Joker's plots, she questions her love for him, and
how to win him back. This leads us to Harley telling her origin (with some really intense
therapy scenes with the Joker) to a heart stopping finale. Both episodes are great stories
with great animation but Harley's story is the most tragic of all. Looks like LOVE beats
the HATTER.
Winner: BTAS (8) TNBA (4)
Well there's another season biting the dust. So do you agree with this? If you'd like
to comment on this, please do at the BTAN message board or email us. It looks like the
original Batman is still the best, but if TNBA makes new episodes on the level of LEGENDS
OF THE DARK KNIGHT, OLD WOUNDS, JUDGEMENT DAY, and MAD LOVE, it may one day overshadow BTAS! This article is only the opinion of Dick Grayson, and not any else associated with
the newsletter. (And Tim didn't cause me to have baised opinions on any Two-Face related
stories...really! *FEELS A GUN POINTED TO MY HEAD*)
_______________________
EDITORAL
(by Laura Hysert, aka "Phoenix")
We were sitting in the living room of their basement apartment, two old high school
friends and I, polishing off glasses of a very good Chardonnay white, and talking about
our callings.
Each of us feel our callings are to be storytellers. Rob and Tara
self-published a black-and-white comic not too long ago, a labour of love that put them
in the red. So they gave up the comic and got "real" jobs. Meanwhile, I'm in
journalism school, learning a craft that demands my time and my soul, both of which I'm
reluctant to give.
Even though we know our callings, the reality of rent and phone bills chase those
passions further and further into the blurred edges of our lives. But that night we
decided that having a calling, a purpose, was still the most important thing of all.
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life coming home the way Tara does,"
Rob said. Tara, after an almost 14-hour day spent commuting and working in a job she
doesn't love, came home tired and grumpy, with no
energy to do more than watch Buffy and talk to her boyfriend on the phone. Even eating
was too much effort -- by the time she went to bed, her cereal bowl of spaghetti Diablo
was still only half-finished.
The trick, Rob said, is to find something to do that sends you to work happy every day.
You must commit yourself to something with all the passion you can summon. And that's your
calling; it is, as someone said, the thing that lights a fire under your butt.
No one can say that Batman doesn't have a calling. No earthly or heavenly court could
convict him of not having passion, or of not committing his entire being to his purpose.
To me, Batman is the character that epitomizes passion and dedication to a calling. When I
want to get serious about my own calling, I place a four-inch-high plastic figure of
Batman in front of my computer and type away. Frozen in a fighting stance, his face hard
with a grimace, he dares me not to write.
We can argue about the motivations behind Batman's purpose; we can debate whether or
not he should be alone when he executes his calling; we can even start a flame-war over
what kind of cape he should wear when he's doing it. But these arguments overshadow the
most important question. The one that would be the first we would ask ourselves, when we
consider the various callings of our lives.
Does being Batman make him happy?
One line in "Knight Time" always sets me laughing. When Robin shows
Superman the videotape of Bruce that made him first think that Bruce wasn't quite
himself, he says, "See what I mean about him acting strange? He's smiling."
Batman rarely smiles. You would think if he were truly happy doing what he does, he'd
smile more. Perhaps he traded his own happiness for the grimmer satisfaction of pushing
back the tide of chaos and pain a little more each night. He never expected happiness -
not after that night in the alley.
Or maybe he is happy. Maybe being Batman gives him a contentment that goes far deeper
than just having a good day at the office. The freedom from the limits that the rest of us
mortals suffer under, freedom gained for him by his mastery of physical and mental arts,
perhaps this fills his soul. The challenge and exhilaration of dispensing violent justice
on the drug pushers and murderers could be enough to make him grin in glee.
Or maybe even he is in that space between happiness and unhappiness, fulfillment and
hollowness, that most of us inhabit. After all, he is the most human of superheroes.
I'm not going to give my opinion on this one. I'm leaving this up to you. Does being
Batman make Bruce happy, or is his soul ever discontent? Or is he something in between? Is
being happy really integral to following your purpose?
Send your opinions and comments to me via juno@direct.ca
. Put my name in the subject line or something. And maybe, editors willing, we can publish
some of the responses in the next newsletter. That's assuming there are responses, of
course. Ahem.
Laura
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