DisneyBoy
05-25-2007, 10:31 AM
Hey y'all,
I've never been a big Tim Levins fan. Back when Batman: Gotham Adventures was in full swing, I was repeatedly getting in trouble for being harsh on the book. Truthfully, though, the biggest problems were with the stories Scott Peterson was writing. The artist can hardly be held accountable for those. So, in the vein of my other "Best of Adventures" threads, I present to you, the best of Batman: Gotham Adventures - The Levins Issues. Keep in mind, though, that since his artwork was basically consistant throughout the series, I'm mainly choosing the issues with the best stories. So really...I guess this is the best of Peterson/Levins.
http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-15.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/15.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-24.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/24.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-30.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/30.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-34.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/34.jpg)
We start off with issue 15, coincidentally, the first Peterson/Levins issue. The characters are something of a visual combination of the Timm style and what would later emerge as the Levins style. All this to say, the lines are a little softer. The story centers around Bane finding a new raison d'etre for his life of crime...one involving underpriviledged children.
Next up, issue 24 sees Peterson try and build on the story Ty Templeton wrote earlier in the run, where Catwoman crossed a line with Batman and their relationship was permanently scarred. Only here, she tries to repair things by setting a trap for him, and ends up catching the sidekicks and Killer Croc instead. Despite the extreme corniness of that concept...the last few pages feature a wonderful rooftop chase and some emotional dialogue. A for effort.
In issue 30, Batman is forced to recruit Matt Haygen to help a sick child. (children appear in nearly all of Peterson's issues) Clayface is the character Levins is most able to keep perfectly on-model, making this issue one of his stand-outs. That, and there's a fun brawl scene at Arkham.
Peterson finally finds his niche in Maxie Zeus' nonsensical melodrama in issue 34, while Levins goes to town with his depiction of a new Rome and Gotham City blanketed in snow. Nightwing, a constant presence in the series, sadly loses all his edge under Peterson's direction, but there's something equally fun about seeing all the Gotham Knights acting like one big family.
http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-35.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/35.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-50.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/50.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-52.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/52.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-53.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/53.jpg)
Issue 35 sees Bruce Wayne sequestered for Jury duty on a case that Batman solved. It's a great concept, and though it ultimately plays out with too much of an emphasis on morality, it's still one of Peterson's better works. Levins has all sorts of fun with flashbacks and panels showing the Dynamic Duo stopping crooks on a nightly basis as the trial progresses.
The Fiftieth issue is probably the best of the Peterson/Levins run. Not only does it continue the Batman/Catwoman love story in a decidedly less childish way, it features beatiful (did I really just say that?) flashbacks done in the B:TAS style, which ties the shows together and earns brownie points with me. Look for a cameo by a long-lost supporting character...who is sadly miscolored to resemble Summer Gleason.
Issue 52 concludes the Bane arc Peterson had previously introduced, in one of only three overarching storylines present in their run (the other two involve Catwoman and a cheesy "artist" villain of Peterson's creation). Here, Bane's operation is fully up and running, leaving Robin in the unenviable position of going under-cover to expose his true intentions. It's not nearly as clever or thrilling as I'm making it sound, but hey...it's far better than most of the rest of this team's issues.
Lastly, when one of Poison Ivy's plants begins to take over the city in issue 53, Batman has to track her down in the Amazon to find a way to reverse the damage. Don't let the cover fool you - the story foolishly veers away from the idea that Ivy might gain access to the Manor and learn Batman's secret. Still, Levins gives her a purdy new dress to wear while on vacation and does a nice job of capturing the city overrun with vines. It's worth a look.
I know what you're thinking: "Only eight issues out of a forty-one-issue run are worth picking up!?" Sadly, yes. I'm not saying you won't get a kick out of seeing Ra's Al Ghul fight Batman in an Arctic Castle...or Poison Ivy get people hooked on cereal...or Mister Freeze develop a crush on Talia...or Riddler be outsmarted by an indifferent musician...you might! How the heck should I know? You may be one of those people who really love broccoli! To each his own! But honestly, if you're passing by a back-issue bin and feel like picking something up, do yourself a favor and start with one of these. If you feel like you can take the stories being simpler or more child-themed, then go exploring.
Some people may feel the final issue of the series, number 60, is worth recommending. Levins does a great job on the art, but the story's a stinker. Batman fights off 60 men and then punches Joker out, after he went through the trouble of kidnapping Gordon, only to have Barbara willingly join her father. And how does it end? Well, Bruce silently comes to terms with his parent's passing and makes Dick, Tim and Alfred pancakes. Yup.
When illustrating for a different writer, it's easier to appreciate Levins' work. Check out his Justice League Adventures issues and you'll probably be pleased. Now off to the comic shop with you!
Note: Talkback for all these respective issues can be found in the Talkback Collection Thread (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=39984). Please see that thread to further the discussion.
I've never been a big Tim Levins fan. Back when Batman: Gotham Adventures was in full swing, I was repeatedly getting in trouble for being harsh on the book. Truthfully, though, the biggest problems were with the stories Scott Peterson was writing. The artist can hardly be held accountable for those. So, in the vein of my other "Best of Adventures" threads, I present to you, the best of Batman: Gotham Adventures - The Levins Issues. Keep in mind, though, that since his artwork was basically consistant throughout the series, I'm mainly choosing the issues with the best stories. So really...I guess this is the best of Peterson/Levins.
http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-15.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/15.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-24.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/24.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-30.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/30.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-34.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/34.jpg)
We start off with issue 15, coincidentally, the first Peterson/Levins issue. The characters are something of a visual combination of the Timm style and what would later emerge as the Levins style. All this to say, the lines are a little softer. The story centers around Bane finding a new raison d'etre for his life of crime...one involving underpriviledged children.
Next up, issue 24 sees Peterson try and build on the story Ty Templeton wrote earlier in the run, where Catwoman crossed a line with Batman and their relationship was permanently scarred. Only here, she tries to repair things by setting a trap for him, and ends up catching the sidekicks and Killer Croc instead. Despite the extreme corniness of that concept...the last few pages feature a wonderful rooftop chase and some emotional dialogue. A for effort.
In issue 30, Batman is forced to recruit Matt Haygen to help a sick child. (children appear in nearly all of Peterson's issues) Clayface is the character Levins is most able to keep perfectly on-model, making this issue one of his stand-outs. That, and there's a fun brawl scene at Arkham.
Peterson finally finds his niche in Maxie Zeus' nonsensical melodrama in issue 34, while Levins goes to town with his depiction of a new Rome and Gotham City blanketed in snow. Nightwing, a constant presence in the series, sadly loses all his edge under Peterson's direction, but there's something equally fun about seeing all the Gotham Knights acting like one big family.
http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-35.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/35.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-50.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/50.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-52.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/52.jpg)http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/t-53.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/tnba/guides/ga/53.jpg)
Issue 35 sees Bruce Wayne sequestered for Jury duty on a case that Batman solved. It's a great concept, and though it ultimately plays out with too much of an emphasis on morality, it's still one of Peterson's better works. Levins has all sorts of fun with flashbacks and panels showing the Dynamic Duo stopping crooks on a nightly basis as the trial progresses.
The Fiftieth issue is probably the best of the Peterson/Levins run. Not only does it continue the Batman/Catwoman love story in a decidedly less childish way, it features beatiful (did I really just say that?) flashbacks done in the B:TAS style, which ties the shows together and earns brownie points with me. Look for a cameo by a long-lost supporting character...who is sadly miscolored to resemble Summer Gleason.
Issue 52 concludes the Bane arc Peterson had previously introduced, in one of only three overarching storylines present in their run (the other two involve Catwoman and a cheesy "artist" villain of Peterson's creation). Here, Bane's operation is fully up and running, leaving Robin in the unenviable position of going under-cover to expose his true intentions. It's not nearly as clever or thrilling as I'm making it sound, but hey...it's far better than most of the rest of this team's issues.
Lastly, when one of Poison Ivy's plants begins to take over the city in issue 53, Batman has to track her down in the Amazon to find a way to reverse the damage. Don't let the cover fool you - the story foolishly veers away from the idea that Ivy might gain access to the Manor and learn Batman's secret. Still, Levins gives her a purdy new dress to wear while on vacation and does a nice job of capturing the city overrun with vines. It's worth a look.
I know what you're thinking: "Only eight issues out of a forty-one-issue run are worth picking up!?" Sadly, yes. I'm not saying you won't get a kick out of seeing Ra's Al Ghul fight Batman in an Arctic Castle...or Poison Ivy get people hooked on cereal...or Mister Freeze develop a crush on Talia...or Riddler be outsmarted by an indifferent musician...you might! How the heck should I know? You may be one of those people who really love broccoli! To each his own! But honestly, if you're passing by a back-issue bin and feel like picking something up, do yourself a favor and start with one of these. If you feel like you can take the stories being simpler or more child-themed, then go exploring.
Some people may feel the final issue of the series, number 60, is worth recommending. Levins does a great job on the art, but the story's a stinker. Batman fights off 60 men and then punches Joker out, after he went through the trouble of kidnapping Gordon, only to have Barbara willingly join her father. And how does it end? Well, Bruce silently comes to terms with his parent's passing and makes Dick, Tim and Alfred pancakes. Yup.
When illustrating for a different writer, it's easier to appreciate Levins' work. Check out his Justice League Adventures issues and you'll probably be pleased. Now off to the comic shop with you!
Note: Talkback for all these respective issues can be found in the Talkback Collection Thread (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=39984). Please see that thread to further the discussion.