Gotham Times: Batman News from Legions of Gotham

New Justice League: Doom Clip! Superman vs. Ace

2012-02-09T15:00:00.000-06:00

Historic DC Comics ashcan comic books in Heritage Auctions New York event

2012-02-09T09:04:00.000-06:00

Historic DC ashcan comic books in Heritage Auctions New York event

Rarities Include Action Funnies and Boy Commandos; Rare Ashcan comics were made to protect trademark and logos of early Superheroes including Superman; at auction Feb. 22

NEW YORK – Twelve exceedingly rare DC Ashcan comic books from the late 1930s and early 1940s, including Action Funnies Ashcan Edition (DC, 1937/38), estimated at $20,000+ – one of four early placeholders created to help protect what soon would become the most important comic book in history, Action Comics #1 – will be featured in Heritage Auction’s Feb. 22 Vintage Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion (Ukrainian Institute of America), 2 E. 79th St. (at 5th Ave).

“The books were consigned by Gary Colabuono, the foremost expert on Golden Age Ashcans,” said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “He’s spent nearly 30 years assembling his collection and thought the timing was right to sell a few of his treasures.”

The provenance of his Colabuono’s collection is unimpeachable: Most of them were purchased directly from former DC Comic President Sol Harrison, which adds a comics history perspective to these rarities.

“In the early days of comics publishing,” said Jaster, “a print run might have been in the hundreds of thousands, maybe even the millions. Yet only about 100 to 1,000 of a given issue of any comic survived. With these Ashcans, only two or three copies were made in the first place, so it’s a miracle that even one of these has made it.”

In the early days of comic book publishing, the most common procedure to secure a trademark for a potentially valuable title was to create an Ashcan edition of the proposed comic book – not to be confused with the modern-day term which commonly refers to mass-produced promotional booklets. Companies would simply create the title's logo, affix it to a piece of existing cover art and shoot a Velox of it – a positive photographic print typically used by newspapers as a pre-press proof, accounting for the black and white, rather than color, covers on Ashcans. After that was created, it was trimmed to comic-book size and stapled to the interior of a previously published book, or sometimes just some loose story pages.

“For all practical purposes it had the appearance of a legitimate comic book – and since the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) apparently accepted them as authentic comic books for trademark registration, no higher authority in the country existed to dispute this claim,” said Jaster, “nor, apparently, did anyone ever seek to try.”

According to Colabuono, 10 of the books are either unique or the only other copies known to exist are in the DC vault.

“DC will never sell any books from their vault,” he said, “so this may be the only chance for some collectors to ever own one of these. I can tell you that the thrill of holding one of these never goes away.”

The highlight of the lot is a rare copy of Action Funnies, considered one of the most important ashcans in existence. Only three copies are known to exist.

“DC wanted to protect the most important title in comic-book history, Action Comics,” Jaster said, “and it created this Ashcan to prevent competitors from publishing a comic book with a similar title.”

DC war collectors will note that two Big Five war titles are included in the auction. Unique copies of Star-Spangled War Stories (estimate: $6,500+) and All-American Men of War (estimate: $5,500+) should draw close attention, and romance collectors will note that the only DC romance Ashcan known to exist, Girl’s Love Stories (estimate: $5,000+), is included in the auction. The unique copy of Boy Commandos No. 1 (estimate: $8,000+) is also expected to generate great interest, giving collectors of Jack “The King” Kirby a chance to add an Ashcan to their collection.

Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $800 million, and 700,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

New Batman Imaginext For 2012

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here are a few items hitting shelves this year. See our full Imaginext archive on Legions of Gotham.

Young Justice Mr. Freeze and Black Manta Figures Coming Soon!

2012-02-09T01:08:00.000-06:00

Holy Crap Batman! A Dark Knight Rises Mr. Potato Head!

2012-02-07T13:54:00.002-06:00

The Dark Knight Rises Mattel The Bat Vehicle

2012-02-01T10:04:00.005-06:00

courtesy of USA Today

The Dark Knight Rises Movie Masters Batman and Bane Figures!

2012-02-01T10:04:00.002-06:00

The Dark Knight Rises Funko Pop! Heroes!

2012-02-01T10:02:00.000-06:00

The First Peak At The Mattel Dark Knight Rises Figures & Vehicles!

2012-01-31T09:25:00.000-06:00

The first look at the Mattel product is now available via this scan from the german fansite Batmannews.de! Thanks to their great reporting we get to see a few of the basic line, including Bane, plus Quik Tek Figures, a new, more armored up bat-pod, a funky little bat-tank like vehicle and some RC vehicles! Enjoy!

A Peak At the Aardman Dc Nation Batman Animated Short!

2012-01-30T12:36:00.001-06:00

Phil Morris reprises role of immortal villain Vandal Savage for "Justice League: Doom"

2012-01-30T10:48:00.000-06:00

Smallville star Phil Morris reprises villainous role of Vandal Savage in JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM

Actor to attend bi-coastal premieres of all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie

It’s a busy time for Phil Morris.

Easily recognizable to sitcom viewers as the hilariously slimy lawyer Jackie Chiles on Seinfeld, and renowned throughout the fanboy realm as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter on Smallville, Morris is splitting his time this February celebrating his latest triumphs.

Morris is a NAACP Image Award nominee in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Love That Girl! While he prepares for the awards ceremony and all of its requisite celebrity gatherings, Morris is also making time to attend both the New York (2/13) and Los Angeles (2/16) premieres of Justice League: Doom.

The consummate nice guy, Morris shifts to a darker, villainous approach for Justice League: Doom as he reprises his Justice League animated television series role as the immortal Vandal Savage. Morris is one of nine actors returning to the booth to record their original roles.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, PG-13 rated Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains – orchestrated by Vandal Savage – discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel,” and scripted by the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Morris is more than just an actor with a tendency to perform in fanboy-centric productions – he is a devout fan of the genre and its comic book origins. His comics collection exceeds 20,000 and includes gems like a 1948 “Captain America,” issues 1-18 of “Silver Surfer,” the first 20 Barry Windsor-Smith issues of “Conan,” and many of the original run of the “Fantastic Four.” “It goes back pretty far,’ Morris says. “I collect to this day.”

Prepping for the onslaught of reporters’ queries on the red carpets on both coasts prior to the premieres of Justice League: Doom, Morris welcomed the opportunity to answer a few questions about Vandal Savage, comics collecting, and the possibility of someday voicing his Smallville character Martian Manhunter in an animated form. Read on …

QUESTION: What’s the mindset of Vandal Savage, and what’s been the joy of playing this role?

PHIL MORRIS: Vandal Savage is an immortal who has been around the human species for all time. He’s extremely intelligent – he’s incredibly evolved because of contact with a meteor that landed in his village. And he’s always trying to overthrow the world. His vision is that the world should be his, as many of these despots feel. But he feels that because he’s lived so long, he’s entitled.

I love Vandal. I played Vandal for the Justice League series a few times, but this is a little bit of a different take on Vandal. Back on the series, he was more of a smooth criminal – he was more nuanced, he had more style. Now, I guess, he’s just had it. He’s kind of approaching things as if to say “I don’t have time to play with you.” He has no more guile left in him. He’s straight, no chaser, which makes him much more dangerous, much more evil, and much harder edged, especially in my vocal performance.

And I love this script. Dwayne (McDuffie) really made it a walloping good romp for the Justice League players. And then Vandal is a bit like the Lex Luthor of the show – it’s his mastermind, his ideas, his design that almost or does bring the world to its doom. You’ll have to watch to see. Vandal is very much the thrust of the evil of this show. That’s fun to play.

QUESTION: What’s it like for you to be recording with all these original voices from the series again?

PHIL MORRIS: It’s great to have these actors back in these roles, but that’s the magic of these animated projects. I think one of the things the DC/Warner Bros. people do very well is get the right people for the job, from the top down. From Bruce (Timm) and Andrea (Romano) all the way down to the cast – and they take pains to make sure that everything is as accurate as possible because they know that, as fans, we’re watching and we’re listening and we need to be served. And they serve us very, very well. They give us some of the greatest vocal talent in the business.

QUESTION: You say “we” – and that collection of 20,000+ comics at home attests to your love for this genre. This is more than just work for you, right?

PHIL MORRIS: It feels as though I’ve been doing homework on these characters since I was 7 years old, and I loved being able to tell my mother that I’m finally making my comic book collection pay off. Actors use whatever reference material is at hand to flush out their characters, and in that I have been a comic collector for so long, I don’t have to go too far to relate to the process of the villain or hero in this universe of comics. I feel like I am one of the rank and file who has gotten lucky enough to embody these characters. It’s a pleasure and an honor.

QUESTION: Which way do your comic book tastes venture these days?

PHIL MORRIS: It’s interesting because they always ask the question: “Is it DC or Marvel?” If you’re a real comic book fan, you had to pick a side. You couldn’t go down the middle. As a younger comics reader, I liked Marvel a lot, because Marvel reflected African Americans sooner than DC did. I think that gave me a little bit of an affinity for them. But now in my more mature years, it’s all about good story telling, and I find DC tells great stories and has great, solid characters. They have probably my favorite character in Batman. So I’m much more interested in the continuity of the universe – I was an artists guy before, relating to the pictures and the artistry. That really thrilled me. Now it’s about the concepts and the writing. I’m always looking for a good yarn.

I like reading Garth Ennis, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Waid, Jeff Loeb … guys like that. The writers have become fantastic – they have taken what society is and spun it on its ear. It’s not really kid stuff anymore. Kids can still invest and enjoy the books, but so can adults. Mark Millar. Ed Brubaker. There are a lot of great comic writers out there right now, and the world of comic books is much better for it.

QUESTION: You played J’onn J’onzz /Martian Manhunter on Smallville. Would you like to transition that role to voiceover for animation?

PHIL MORRIS: Carl (Lumbly) did one helluva job as Martian Manhunter for the Justice League series, and he hasn’t lost a step for this film. I don’t think he’s going to give up the role without a fight, and I have a total respect for Carl and his performance. It would be wonderful to do J’onn J’onzz as an animated character, as I did on Smallville. We’ll see. They keep me busy over here.

QUESTION: You’ve recorded a full library of characters for animation, including many in the super hero realm. What character does your inner geek still crave to voice?

PHIL MORRIS: I’ve been doing a voice for the Black Panther, but I’m not playing the Panther. They got Djimon Hounsou, and he’s terrific. But I would love to play the Black Panther. I wanted to play Green Lantern in this film. I’m an African American actor, but I don’t want that to matter at all. I think you should be able to close your eyes and voice any character, whether he’s African American or Anglo or Latino or Asian. That’s what I love about these great characters. I’d love to do the Silver Surfer, too. But for DC, I’d love to do a version of the Batman. I know Kevin Conroy IS Batman, and I love Kevin to death. But I think every actor who knows comics and loves comics would jump at the chance to do Batman. I think each of us would want to bring his own take to that darkness, to that inner turmoil that is Bruce Wayne. So it would be Batman. Kevin, I love you, but give me a one-off!

QUESTION: You frequently work in both the live-action and animated worlds. What’s your favorite part of doing voiceovers?

PHIL MORRIS: The best part of working in voiceover is the people you work with. I was very surprised when I first came into this world that the actors were so talented. They weren’t just people who did funny or clever voices. They are very intelligent, well-read, well-spoken, funny actors, and you get into that room and they cut it up – and THEN they go to record and they’re suddenly the most evil or heroic person on the planet. Then in between takes they’re jokey, jokey, jokey. Their wit and their imagination is unparalleled. I really have a great time working with whomever I work with from the voiceover community.

The Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Archive!

2012-01-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

Legions of Gotham is doing what we do best and archiving the product that is leaking out for the Dark Knight Rises. Check out our Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Archive for the latest! If you come across anything online or in person, please drop us a line to let us know!

The Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Starting To Leak....

2012-01-30T09:26:00.000-06:00

A few items have shown up online..including a lunchbag..

EXCLUSIVE: Kurtwood Smith Talks Beware the Batman

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

The following story is courtesy of Movieweb.

I recently had the chance to speak with Kurtwood Smith for Dead Poets Society, which makes its Blu-ray debut January 17. The actor also spoke about his role voicing Lieutenant Gordon in the upcoming Cartoon Network series Beware the Batman, which will premiere in 2013. The show will be a part of the network's new DC Nation animation block, which also includes Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Here's what Kurtwood Smith had to say about the show.

"We just started. We've only recorded two, before Christmas. I like the general thrust of the show. It's early in the Batman story. Commissioner Gordon isn't even Commissioner yet, he's just Lieutenant Gordon. He doesn't trust Batman, even though they kind of end up helping each other out on an early case. Batman, in a lot of ways, is learning his way, and the relationship between he and Alfred is developing. It's fun and it's kind of straight in that regard, as opposed to being campy. I think it's going to be good, but it won't be out for at least a year or so."

The show will center on Batman, his samurai warrior sidekick Katana, and his gun-toting butler Alfred solving crimes together, although it isn't known who is voicing any of those roles yet. When the show was first announced back in October, executive producer Sam Register said the show would explore lesser-known villains such as Professor Pyg and the Circus of the Strange.

We'll be sure to keep you posted with any further details on Beware the Batman as soon as we have more information.

Mimoco To Launch Micro-Justice League Flash Drives!

2012-01-27T10:20:00.002-06:00

Mimoco (www.mimoco.com), renowned makers of the MIMOBOT® line of character-based designer USB flash drives, has unveiled a new product line of fashionable personal data storage devices called MIMOMICRO™. The MIMOMICRO™ product line can best be described as a smaller, more versatile evolution of the MIMOBOT® collection. Not only can MIMOMICRO™ be used as a USB flash drive with interchangeable microSD memory cards, but it also functions as a microSD card reader to transport data between mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, digital cameras, and mp3 players to one's computer.

MIMOMICRO™ boasts three dimensional sculpted characters and the first in a series of vehicles. MIMOMICRO's cap-free design with flip-out USB plug also includes a built-in keychain and LED indicator light. Measuring a mere 1.6" H x 1.0" W in its compact form factor, MIMOMICRO™ lives up to its name.

Launching in March, the first two MIMOMICRO™ collections include a crop of designs from Star Wars, including Darth Vader, Yoda, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and the Millennium Falcon along with characters from DC Comics including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

"As the pioneers in the licensed flash drive marketplace, Mimoco is excited to unveil our first new product line to build upon the success of our popular MIMOBOT platform. MIMOMICRO leverages compatibility with both USB and microSD enabled memory devices and taps into the growing usage of mobile memory solutions," said Evan Blaustein, CEO of Mimoco.

"We're thrilled to introduce our new co-branded product alongside licensing partners Lucas Licensing and Warner Bros. Consumer Products," Blaustein added. "MIMOMICRO gives our customers the ability to select and upgrade their favorite characters' memory capacity and an easy way to transfer data from mobile devices to computers."

MIMOMICRO™ will be available for purchase in March 2012 at select retailers worldwide and at Mimoco.com.

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Icon Statues by Dc Direct

2012-01-26T10:00:00.001-06:00

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Busts by DC Direct!

2012-01-26T09:00:00.002-06:00

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Action Figures....by DC Direct!

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

The First Clip from Justice League: Doom!

2012-01-24T13:45:00.002-06:00

Kevin Conroy, Phil Morris, Andrea Romano featured guests at World Premiere of Justice League: Doom in New York

2012-01-24T13:44:00.000-06:00

Kevin Conroy, Phil Morris join Warner Home Video & MTV Geek for the World Premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM February 13, 2012 in New York at The Paley Center for Media

Event is Sold Out; MTV Geek and Justice League: Doom Facebook page to offer additional opportunities for fans to win special VIP tickets; Media Invited to Red Carpet Interviews & Screening

The key voices of the film’s hero and villain – fan favorite Kevin
Conroy as Batman and NAACP Image Award nominee Phil Morris as Vandal
Savage – will grace the stage alongside eight-time Emmy Award winning
casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano when Warner Home Video, MTV
Geek and The Paley Center for Media proudly present the World Premiere
of Justice League: Doom in New York on February 13, 2012.

The event is completely sold out, and fans winning tickets via the
RSVP email have been notified of their good fortune. However, a very
limited number of VIP seats will still be made available to fans
through MTV Geek, as well as the Justice League: Doom Facebook page.
Fans should keep their browser focused on those two pages for details
of the giveaways.

Conroy, Morris and Romano will attend the event for red carpet media
interviews and a post-screening panel discussion. Conroy set the
standard for the voice behind the Dark Knight in the landmark Batman:
The Animated Series. Morris is best known for his roles on Seinfeld
and Smallville, and is currently nominated for a NAACP Image Awards in
the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Love That
Girl!

Red carpet interviews will commence at 5:30 p.m., and the film will
roll at 6:30 p.m. A panel discussion will follow the screening. The
Paley Center for Media is located at 25 West 52nd Street, New York,
NY.

In the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe
Animated Original Movies,

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green
Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a
team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s
“contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The
story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

The cast also features the voices of Nathan Fillion (Castle), Tim Daly
(Private Practice), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In), Susan
Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse), Carl Lumbly (Alias), Bumper
Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated), Olivia d’Abo
(The Wonder Years), Alexis Denisof (Angel), Carlos Alazraqui (Reno
911), Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files), Claudia Black (Farscape,
Stargate SG-1) and David Kaufman (Danny Phantom).

The filmmaking team is led by executive producer by Bruce Timm,
director Lauren Montgomery, producer Alan Burnett and dialogue/casting
director Andrea Romano. Justice League: Doom is the final DC Universe
film script from the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros.
Animation, the all-new Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012
from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and
for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an
UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

The New DC Comics Logo(s)

2012-01-19T23:30:00.000-06:00

Its that time again...logo time! They switched it up on us a few years back and now they're going for a completely new look. What do you think?

Talia Al Ghul Confirmed In The Dark Knight Rises!

2012-01-19T13:43:00.000-06:00

Young actress Joey King leaked in a recent interview that she will be playing a young Talia Al Ghul, laying much speculation to rest!

The Batwing in The Dark Knight Rises - Officially called "The Bat"

2012-01-18T23:15:00.002-06:00

....or so says documents filed by Hot Wheels with the FCC for their upcoming remote control vehicles..

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Toys by Hot Wheels!

2012-01-18T23:14:00.000-06:00

Hot Wheels filed info on their remote control vehicles to the FCC. Enjoy!

Warner Home Video, Los Angeles Times present Justice League: Doom west coast premiere

2012-01-17T12:35:00.000-06:00

Warner Home Video & Los Angeles Times present the West Coast Premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM February 16, 2012 in Los Angeles at The Paley Center for Media

Media Invited to Red Carpet Interviews & Screening; Limited Free Tickets Available to Fans on First Come, First Served Basis

Warner Home Video, Los Angeles Times and The Paley Center for Media proudly present the West Coast Premiere of Justice League: Doom, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies, in Los Angeles on February 16, 2012. Filmmakers and members of the voice cast will attend the event for red carpet media interviews and a post-screening panel discussion hosted by The Times’ Hero Complex writer Geoff Boucher.

A limited number of free tickets are available for the general public. Fans in the Los Angeles City area wishing to receive free tickets to the LA event on Feb. 16 must RSVP via email to JLDoomLA@yahoo.com. Email RSVPs must include the fan’s first and last name, and a valid email address.

Tickets to the event will be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis. Los Angeles Times will also be giving away special seating for the event to a number of lucky Hero Complex readers.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

The film features the voices of Nathan Fillion (Castle) as Green Lantern, Tim Daly (Private Practice) as Superman, and a grand reunion of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited, including Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg. The cast features three villainous alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah. David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The filmmaking team includes executive producer by Bruce Timm, director Lauren Montgomery, producer Alan Burnett and dialogue/casting director Andrea Romano. Justice League: Doom is the final DC Universe film script from the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Voice cast members and filmmakers will be announced as confirmed for the event. The Paley Center for Media is located at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy,