With rumors of a possible new Bruce Wayne-less Batman in the works, I thought it would be educational to review how other shocking changes to established brands have been received by the public over the years.
Barbie & Ken shock the world by breaking up after 43 years of going steady.
Success or failure? Success. Her devotion to longtime beau Ken seemed too "square" to a generation raised on "Bratz." Besides, Ken needed the time to work a few "issues" out.
Itchy and Scratchy supplanted by Poochie in popular "Krusty The Clown" show.
Success or failure? Killed off in only his second episode, media pundits agree that Poochie was a catastrophic failure, the damage of which is still only being calculated.
Peter Parker revealed to be clone.
Success or failure? You be the judge.
Pete Best replaced in Beatles by Ringo Starr.
Success or failure? Success, though Best might say that it sucked arse.
Aunt Jemima redesigned in 1988 to move away from "mammy" look; kerchief and bandanna replaced with pearl earrings.
Success or failure? Yeah, I'm gonna file that under "success."
John Astin plays "The Riddler" instead of Frank Gorshin in the 1960's "Batman" TV series.
Success or failure? That was bulls**t, man. He didn't even look right in that outfit...his body was all long and stuff.
Long-time James Bond hottie Pierce Brosnan replaced by homely good looks of Daniel Craig.
Success or failure? Success. don't you know that "homely" is the new "hot?"
Longtime "Robin" Dick Grayson finally turns in tights and calls himself "Nightwing."
Success or failure? Success. DC was anxious to get the name "Dick" out of the Batman/Robin equation.
That said, would DC really give Batman a permanent new alter ego and alter more than 70 years of continuity? And what of similiar storylines in "Captain America" and "The Hulk?"
Will these revamps of "old" characters be successes? Or...Poochie?
(I don't really feel strongly one way or the other; just please keep Jason Todd away from the cowl)
Oh! What about New Coke? Blech!
ReplyDeletei doubt it will last long but im pretty sure it will be Dick.
ReplyDeleteThe Titans From Tomorrow are YEARS older when Tim took the cowl as the Bats, sooo...
Maybe Dick as Batman, Tim as Nightwing, and Damien as Robin?
Or Dick as Batman, Jason as Nightwing, and Tim still as Robin?
Wasn't the Clone Saga Spider-Man's most profitable period in the franchise's history? Even the final storyline in the animated series at the time crossed over with it.
ReplyDeleteKnightfall was quite profitable, too.
All qualms about quality aside, big dumb events make money, and in a multimedia-franchise-savvy 21st century, that counts for more than franchise integrity or a few whining fans on the internet.
"Even the final storyline in the animated series at the time crossed over with it."
ReplyDeleteYeah, but the episode was called "I Really, Really Hate Clones", so you can see what they were getting at.
Have a good day.
G Morrow
I think the revamp is actually a smart move on DC's part as ret-conning has gotten out of hand. Why not simply make characters age and pass the torch? It's a win-win situation for everyone: New readers can come on board at different times without the weightiness of years of continuity, old readers don't have to gripe about continuity inconsistencies (instead they'll just gripe about how the new Batman/Superman/etc. suck), and it's not as if DC can't use the standards in other mediums (I think it's safe to say that, in film and in cartoon, the only Batman can and should probably be Bruce Wayne, though Batman Beyond was cool!).
ReplyDeletebut who would Superman pass his cape to??
ReplyDeleteSuperboy is dead :(
and im going to keep putting that frowny face til Conner is back!!!
"but who would Superman pass his cape to??"
ReplyDeletea friend of mine suggested "Superman Prime."
which is interesting, but I can't see how they could redeem him after all the crappy stuff he's done. Unless he pulls a whiny Hal Jordan for several years.
I'm going with Poochie. They already tried replacing Bruce Wayne as Batman. Went swimmingly, as I recall. Flash & Green Lantern you can get away with, but most people know that Bruce Wayne is Batman and Clark Kent is Superman.
ReplyDeleteWhat does there have to be a Superman?
ReplyDelete"Yeah, but the episode was called "I Really, Really Hate Clones", so you can see what they were getting at."
ReplyDeleteThey still made an episode based on it, though, didn't they? It doesn't matter that they chose to make fun - they still got on the bandwagon.
The Japanese replace and renew their TV superhero characters, putting different people behind the masks (and revamped costumes) each successive year of production to keep different toy-lines and assorted merchandise in constant circulation, and the likes of the Super Sentai franchise has been a marketing juggernaut for 30 years because of that, even spreading to the west in the form of the Power Rangers show - maybe the west is catching-up and we'll see the baton passed so different tv shows, movies and videogames can be made from the properties involved? It'd be a ballsy move, but one which could put DC in a different ballgame from Marvel altogether.
But once again, it comes down to how much creative wit you credit those involved with.
Oh man.
ReplyDeleteIf "homely" is the new hot then we can only be a few years away from when "slightly fat" is the new hot.
That's when Mike's gonna shine!
'Longtime "Robin" Dick Grayson finally turns in tights and calls himself "Nightwing."'
ReplyDeleteDick Grayson didn't wear tights as Robin. Tsk.
If "homely" is the new hot then we can only be a few years away from when "slightly fat" is the new hot.
ReplyDeleteBeen reading Supergirl??
Ps> I HIGHLY doubt Superman Prime could be redeemed.
ReplyDeleteHal Jordan was "possessed," as well as the original GL.
Superman Prime is an alternate version, so there's no sympathy for him.
Plus he killed Conner. He must die!