If I wasn't reading a comic book when I was growing up, I was reading a mystery. From Encyclopedia Brown to Sherlock Holmes, I loved fictional sleuths. Just another reason that characters like Batman and Elongated Man, who combine super-heroics with old fashioned detective work, are among my favorites.
YES!!! That's what made Batman so great--- finding & identifying clues!! Add to the list Adam Strange and Barry Allen. When science mattered. Peter Parker looked the part but he didn't talk about clues much.
ReplyDeleteRalph also tried to help...criminals too. When Sue was killed, some criminals sent him sympathy. Real sympathy. Some writers had learned. I miss those days.
Lol! All's that missing from this great cover is a bunch of meddling kids...and their speech-impaired dog, too.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Ross! :-)
They're Busy, Cary - you'll find out with what very soon.
ReplyDeleteThen, I'll be there. I promise! :-)
ReplyDeleteDC really needs to bring back the Detective influence on their work. A good Elongated Man miniseries would be great. Having Batman solve mysteries again would be great.
ReplyDeleteNeed a good mystery story? A story with the Riddler as the main villain could do the trick.
ReplyDeleteI just thought of who'd be a good hero to put up against him, too: Beast!
i saw this and instantly thought of the batman in Scotland story ( the 1960’s version )
ReplyDeletei do wonder if young people would like proper detective stories, ( i’m an old git ) and if so Ralf would be the perfect candidate.
my copy of detective chimp hardback arrived a few days ago but yet to breach the cellophane.
My favorite non-Batman mystery was the private eye mash-up DC published featuring Slam Bradley, Mark Compass, Jason Bard, Mysto the Magician, and Roy Raymond.
ReplyDeleteIt just occurred to me late yesterday that while DC has three great detectives who have already been mentioned here on this page -- Elongated Man, Batman, and Detective Chimp -- but are there any in DC? Jessica Jones is a PI, but I don't know whether her stories really involve solving mysteries.
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ReplyDeleteI am seriously surpised that Marvel never had a story line (even as a parallel Earth) where Julie Carpenter married Scott Lang. I mean, they were both single working parents at one time. And I think Cassie and Rachel would've made great stepsisters!
ReplyDelete@Bob Greenwade: I think you meant to ask "are there any (great private eyes) in Marvel?" Jessica Drew was one for a time in partnership with Lindsay McCabe. Although, I'm unsure if that was before or after Julie Carpenter became Spider-Woman II. And there was also Dakota North.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of male private detectives, DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU featured Nathaniel Byrd. A hard-boiled African-American aka "Blackbyrd."