I have always been a fan of Katana and I am glad that DC is finally giving her the increased exposure that she has always deserved. Once a C-List character, she is now being featured in her own self titled series, as a member of The Justice League of America, and will be appearing alongside Batman in the upcoming Beware the Batman CGI TV series. I used to enjoy the relationship that she had with Halo in Batman and the Outsiders, and I hope that she will be brought back as well, perhaps in the pages of Katana's series?
Katana has gone through a few looks over the years, and I do like her most recent one. Of course, my favorite will always be her original, as designed by the legendary Jim Aparo.
Batman and The Outsiders was one of my favorite books back in the day!
ReplyDeleteI read that, Infinity, Inc., New Teen Titans and All-Star Squadron. I read just about everything DC I could get my hands on.
I stopped following The Outsiders after Batman left to return to the Justice League. When that happened, the book stopped being unique. It was just another super team book. It wasn't all about Batman, it was the fact that he left the JLA and started a pro-active team. Like Extreme Justice, Justice Leagues (of A), and Hal Jordan's Justice League.
In hindsight, the Justice League issue where they try to recruit Black Lightning is awful, because it just seems like hazing.
Ross, you and I are kindred spirits in our love for Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo's magnum opus, Batman & the Outsiders. I am so happy to have been a part of what I consider to be Aparo's artistic high-watermark achievement, from the very first issue (I was in the 5th grade at the time) to the very last issue (my 2nd year in college). And Mike Barr was already my favorite writer from Brave & The Bold, and he went on to make BATO a masterpiece rivaling Wolfman's work on the Titans, and Claremonts work on the X-Men. These three writers MADE the Platinum Age of comics ('80s-'90s) what it was (before the inevitable downfall by the late '90s.
ReplyDeleteBATO was the only Batman book I ever really went batty for -- never more so than when Aparo was behind the pencil! That's a great original cover to own!
ReplyDeleteAh Nightcrawler, I always loved your swashbuckling self... Is he still dead in the current Marvel Universe? If he is, that's a real shame. The world could use a little more swash. :(
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I love the art from that ad. I had a color photocopy of that ad posted in my bedroom as a kid.
ReplyDeleteI think I recognize this Nightcrawler art. Isn't this an alternate-future version from the Limbo dimension, when Iliyana Rasputin was first discovering her powers? This version had been trapped there for many years, and degenerated into selfish debauchery. That certainly would be a fitting situation for this story. I'm just sorry that I'm not sufficiently familiar with Katana to judge how well the story would work in general.
ReplyDeleteOff topic: Here's another bizarre dream team-up I had night before last: Doctor Who vs. Godzilla. (I think it was the 11th Doctor in the dream, though it might have been the 7th. There was a lot of running. Personally I'd like to see the 2nd Doctor if you can find any fitting art.)
Yup that's from the Magik mini-series. Definitely more Godzilla and Dr. Who covers coming up, so stay tuned!
ReplyDeleteLove Aparo! Y'all's comments on BATO makes me want to go home and pull out my copies.
ReplyDeleteGreat cover as usual Ross, now can you pair up Katana with Elektra? That would be a sight to behold.
ReplyDeleteFantastic cover! I would love to see one with Katana and Michonne from Walking Dead.
ReplyDeletewow, excellent comparison Scott. In the early years of BATO, Katanna was very brooding and angry, in fact, her mood was almost as dark at Batman's, until Halo somewhat lightened her up. And Michonne is definitely reminiscent of how Katanna's personality was. So when you factor in their use of swords, Michonne is the Black Katanna, basically.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making and sharing all these fun covers! And an especial thank you for sharing the scan of the Aparo original art. Very nice!
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