Aliens? No big deal

[Squall]

I thought it was an interesting side note how, in the episode "Joy Ride" when the Jokerz steal the military aircraft, one of them says to the leader, "Look, a UFO!" and the leader says, "Big Deal!!! Who cares?"

It made me think about how aliens (like Superman, New Genesis, Apokolips, Lobo, etc.) and sub-aliens (Atlantis) were well known and no surprise by the mid-21st Century. Heck, by the time "Legacy" aired, it wasn't even a big deal in the late 20th Century!

I wonder how all the world's governments (and their militaries) tried to respond to this knowledge that we were not alone... Also, notice that human society overall doesn't get turned upside down after we know this either... An episode or comic book about how Earth and its countries responded to knowing that aliens existed, on Earth's doorstep no less, both societally and militarily. Interesting reading, wouldn't it be? :)

[Nightwing]

That's a very interesting question. I'm sure that's the reason The Justice Leauge was assembled, as well as the reason for it still existing through our cool JLU BB time as well as in the 30th century.

[frame runner]

"Aliens? No big deal." <--- That was always my complaint about THE CALL.

But I saw nothing wrong with JOY RIDE. UFO doesn't mean alien space craft. It stands for Unidentified Flying Object. And just like if you and your buddies happened to see something in the sky, I am sure you wouldn't jump to conclusions and assume that extra terrestrals have touched ground. Scab has common sense, and knew that it wasn't early signs of an impending alien invasion.

[Squall]

I don't understand your last statement. Why is the fact that aliens are no big deal your complaint about "The Call"? Even waaay before the call, in the Batman/Superman Adventures, Superman himself was an alien, and Lois Lane interviewed him, and he admitted to her that he was an alien, in "The Last Son of Krypton". And then there was the Apokolips invasions (two of them!), and New Genesis making an appearance, and Lobo, and Brainiac, and... well, anyway, long before Batman Beyond, in our Dini/Timm DC Universe, aliens were commonly known by the late 20th Century.

I just thought it was interesting (and neat) to see that our established human societies were not torn apart by the revelation that we were not alone in the Universe. I would like to think that human society (including the good ol' USA) would stay together, and not freak out, if we discovered that we were not alone. You know?

I wasn't criticizing "Joy Ride" -- I love that episode! :)

[The Old Maid]

Well, I can see what both sides are trying to say. Basically, aliens don't belong in the Bat mythos ; but it's inevitable that someone will try to shoehorn them in since Superman and Batman belong to the same corporate label.

Ursula Le Guin ("The left hand of darkness") put her finger on it : "One alien is a curiosity, two an invasion." Possibly the DC characters could accept Superman because he's all alone. That encourages Lois Lane's readers to want to get to know him. And what a story! A homeless orphan, gregarious and eager to please, the ultimate Boy Scout. And that generates a certain atmosphere in his mythos -- one that was never adjusted or re-interpreted when a whole slew of survivors from Krypton showed up. That would rock the world. And that doesn't even take into account the non-Kryptonian invasions. So yes, this should have been addressed.

Notice also how Superman found himself on the receiving end of racist comments once other aliens were discovered. (The General in "Prometheon" and "Legacy" comes to mind.) When Superman was one outsider, people judged him based on whether they trusted him personally. As soon as more aliens appeared, suddenly Supes was held accountable for the behavior of all of them.

I didn't care for "The Call" either ... but that's because I don't care for the League or aliens being spliced into the Bat mythos.

[Squall]

Who knows? If the human race on Earth ever encountered an outside threat like a Kryptonian army, or Apokolips, or the Klingons or Borg, or whatever, then maybe, just maybe, for once the human race would unite as one in order to destroy the alien invaders.

I guess it's just human nature to have an enemy somewhere out there... But still, maybe knowing we weren't alone in the Universe would make Earth a more peaceful place. Maybe events like those of the last couple of weeks would never happen in a World like that.

Who knows?

[GothamGirl]

hmmm, this is really making me think.

[Vin]

Originally posted by The Old Maid
Well, I can see what both sides are trying to say. Basically, aliens don't belong in the Bat mythos ; but it's inevitable that someone will try to shoehorn them in since Superman and Batman belong to the same corporate label.

Ursula Le Guin ("The left hand of darkness") put her finger on it : "One alien is a curiosity, two an invasion." Possibly the DC characters could accept Superman because he's all alone. That encourages Lois Lane's readers to want to get to know him. And what a story! A homeless orphan, gregarious and eager to please, the ultimate Boy Scout. And that generates a certain atmosphere in his mythos -- one that was never adjusted or re-interpreted when a whole slew of survivors from Krypton showed up. That would rock the world. And that doesn't even take into account the non-Kryptonian invasions. So yes, this should have been addressed.

Notice also how Superman found himself on the receiving end of racist comments once other aliens were discovered. (The General in "Prometheon" and "Legacy" comes to mind.) When Superman was one outsider, people judged him based on whether they trusted him personally. As soon as more aliens appeared, suddenly Supes was held accountable for the behavior of all of them.

I didn't care for "The Call" either ... but that's because I don't care for the League or aliens being spliced into the Bat mythos.

Hmmm...that's a good theory. It makes you really think.

[DR. BELCH]

--one must wonder where the Men in Black come into the picture. If knowledge of aliens among us was commonplace, that would change their role dramatically in the community. There'd be no call for them as shadow men; at best they'd be glorified beat cops and immigration officers.
Then there's the whole dating/marriage issue--suppose your little girl brought home an alien boy for your approval? "His name is Yaahdvaahd...he's a Blovus." :p

[James Harvey]

We don't need ot worry about villians when we have big guns like SUPERMAN and BATMAN there to kick their arses. Although if aliens are common knowledge in the DCU, then the MIB are useless there.

[James]

Old Maid has touched on a point - Aliens - to me anyhow - do feel, ahem, alien to the Batman mythos. Yet it is true that they exist even so far as to include Superman himself. The further we go into the DC universe, particularly Superman's zone, the more Aliens appear - how does one cope with have such bizarre concepts as aliens (and that INCLUDES Superman) in such a down to earth, gritty ideas as presented in Batman?

Again, I think it's pinch of salt time. For instance, I have always found with the Judge Dredd comic strip there eventually almost becomes two different types of strip which don't coherently sit together. The satire/black humour one off tales and the complex political/invasion/superheroDredd storylines. Eventually they almost become two seperate titles. I think this occurs with most comic books/titles/animation if you have more than one writer.

Again, for instance, if we go back to the comic book - do we see Aliens/Batman or Aliens/Superman as part of the canon? How about Batman Vs Predator? Even more popular and topical, Judge Dredd Vs Batman? Are these concepts too bizzare for Batman? True, this has nothing to do with animation, but it has all to do with seperating what you feel is canon to what we are told what is. I don't think Superman works in Batman. The Vigilante/Law Bringer divide is interesting, but Superman is just too ... bizarre for Batman. I find that hard to cope with....

Just ramblings... for a rather interesting question......!!! :D

[frame runner]

That is what I was trying to say, Old maid


I didn't care for "The Call" either ... but that's because I don't care for the League or aliens being spliced into the Bat mythos
Word! For the most part, Batman is more realistic. He's limited to human capabilities and gets by with his gatgetry. I don't like it when they throw magic or aliens into the episodes. B/c magin and aliens aren't real. I'm not saying the possiblitiy of life existing elsewhere in the galexy doesnt exist. But to my knowledge they haven't contacted earth yet. And I when they do, I think it would b considered a pretty big deal. From the way everyone acted in the CALL, you'd have thought aliens and humans had been living side by side for generations.