Museum of justice
Comic books, I just can’t quit ya.
Some people are addicted to jueteng. Some people are addicted to Candy Crush. Me? I am addicted to overly developed men wearing spandex and capes. What’s more, I’ve been addicted to these anatomically-incorrect manly men before the onset of pubic hair. I think this is why I may have grown pubic hair at seven years old.
If you’ve been immersed in the world of comic book collecting since before you learned algebra (and, more importantly, before you learned financial literacy), then you most probably are embroiled in a blood-soaked feud that is the equivalent of the Ateneo/La Salle rivalry, except with superpowers and secret identities.
You are either a DC Comics fan or a Marvel Comics fan.
For the illiterate comic book heathens out there, DC Comics is the universe that encompasses Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, while Marvel Comics is home to Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man and the X-Men. No, Archie and Jughead do not live in either universe. (Although Archie has met The Punisher under less than ideal circumstances. Really.)
And here is my public confession: I have long succumbed to kryptonite poisoning. I am an incorrigible, irreparable, irradiated DC Comics fan. My childhood memories are riddled with half-remembered stories from the Batman TV show, Super-Friends cartoons and the Legion of Super-Heroes comics. During the late ‘80s to mid ‘90s, I bought every possible comic book published my DC Comics regardless of whether I liked the comic book or not. That was how loyal I was to DC. (During the height of my addiction, I financed my destructive comic book habit by appearing in a series of orange soft-drink commercials.)
As of late, DC fans have shared sentiments similar to those of the UP Maroons Basketball team. We haven’t had many wins recently versus the Marvelous Competition. The box office clout of DC movies (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight Returns, Green Lantern and did you even know about Jonah Hex!? Which incidentally was co-created by Filipino-American Tony DeZuniga, who passed away two years ago?) has been stomped on with Thanos-sized boots by Marvel (Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron-Man, Captain America, Thor and The Avengers, not to mention The X-Men and Spider-Man, even if they aren’t under the Marvel Cinematic Universe camp. But that’s for another column).
However, I think many Pinoys are closet DC fans as well. Why else would we have developed the expression, “Bahala na si Batman?” We trust in the Dark Knight’s diskarte.)
DC recently relaunched its entire comic book universe in an initiative dubbed “The New 52” which wiped away several decades worth of stories to attract new readers, but effectively polarized many old ones who were emotionally invested in those stories (What do you mean, “The New 52” Superman no longer wears red underwear on the outside of his pants?). Meanwhile, Marvel’s “Marvel NOW!” initiative has effectively brought in top-notch talents (several of whom were spirited away from DC) to handle their growing X-Men, Avengers, Spider-Man and (now) Guardians of the Galaxy franchises. Argh, DC fans, when will we have our bonfire!?
But despite all these developments, we DC fans see a glimmer of hope on the super-powered horizon. The Arrow TV show is doing pretty good, slowly welcoming more and more DC comic book characters into the Arrow universe. Arrow will soon be joined on the small screen by The Flash, Constantine (an occultist “superhero”) and Gotham (the pre-Batman years). On the silver screen, we are praying that Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016 (why so loooong!?) will be an Avengers-level box office hit. And Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently announced he will play the villain Black Adam in the upcoming Shazam movie. For DC Comics, hope is just a magic word away.
Although we won’t be having any bonfires soon, here is another win that DC fans can light a candle for: “The League Against Evil: A DC Super Heroes Exhibition” at the Singapore Philatelic Museum (that’s a stamp museum, for the geek-uninitiated). This is probably the first (and only) official DC exhibit in Asia (my home altar of DC superhero figures apparently doesn’t count) which simultaneously commemorates the 75th anniversary of Batman (You would think that, at 75 years old, Batman would have settled down with Catwoman and had bat-cat hybrid offspring. Instead, he insists on living in a manor with his male yaya and a young ward. Does the DSWD know about this?)
I made the pilgrimage to the exhibit along with my son, the inheritor of a glorious DC comic book collection (he will inherit it mainly because he will need to sell it off to pay for his college education) and the former subsidizer of my glorious DC comics (He could have bought a house and lot for his family, instead he has a complete collection of Justice League comics. — RJ’s Dad). And the organizer of the glorious DC comic book collection: Yaya.
For the non-comic book circumcised like my dad, son and yaya, the exhibit was a great entry point for those who want to learn more about the origins of the “World’s Greatest Superheroes” (Okay, Marvel fans, don’t Hulk out on me. I am not claiming that DC heroes are better than Marvel heroes. The title comes from a syndicated comic strip featuring DC Comics characters that ran from 1978 to 1985).
When I prostrated myself in the main hall, I was comforted to see a life-size display my iconic DC Super heroes (along with some less-familiar heroes) decked out in their most popular incarnations welcoming me to the exhibit. They had Superman (wearing his red underwear on the outside, where it so rightfully belongs) flanked by Batman, Flash, Supergirl and Martian Manhunter on one side, and Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Green Lantern and Robin on the other side. As I marveled, este, as I took in the display, I wondered what the comic book uncircumcised would think of these characters? Do they wonder how Batgirl can fight crime in high heels? Do they wonder kung nasisilipan si Supergirl habang lumilipad siya? And do they wonder why Robin only fights crime in his underwear? (Just what the hell is going on at Wayne Manor anyway!?)
‘You’re so bastos, yaya!’ I fumed while dragging her to the first of three displays showcasing DC’s “Trinity” — Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman (who will all be sharing screen time in the upcoming Superman/Batman movie, along with fellow superheroes Aquaman and Cyborg. My Batman logo underwear is drenched just thinking about it).
The Superman display boasted a limited edition bust of the Man of Steel in his trendy “New 52” higher V-neck collar along with the more familiar red underwear on the outside Ken-size statue that resembled the Superman of my youth: the late Christopher Reeve (We love you, Mr. Reeve, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace notwithstanding). With the resurgence of Superman in global pop culture consciousness because of his last and upcoming movie (along with a staggering 11 more DC movies to be released by Warner Brothers over the next several years) the value of collectible pop has been on the rise. Recently, a well-preserved copy of the June 1938 issue of Action Comics #1 (the first appearance of Superman) whose cover was reproduced by the entrance of the museum, was auctioned off for a panty-dropping US$3.2 million! Now who says there is no money in comics!? (Me —RJ’s wife.)
The next display was dedicated to arguably the first female superhero who would look much better in spandex than any of her male counterparts (and, of late, has evolved into a gay icon through the help of “reel life” alter-ego Lynda Carter) — Wonder Woman. For those who are clueless about Wonder Woman’s powers (aside from spinning around into her costume): she has super strength, invulnerability, bracelets used to deflect bullets (which is kind of superfluous since she is already invulnerable), wields the lasso of truth (which she should loan to the Senate during their hearings) and owns a plane she can only find once she bumps into it.
(Incidentally, the creator of Wonder Woman, William Moulton Marston, was also instrumental in the invention of the lie detector test, was involved in an open relationship and was into bondage. He once wrote, “The only hope for peace is to teach people who are full of pep and unbound force to enjoy being bound... Giving to others, being controlled by them, submitting to other people cannot possibly be enjoyable without a strong erotic element.” That is why you will often see bondage scenes in the early issues of Wonder Woman. I’m sure you will never be able to look at Wonder Woman’s magic lasso the same way again.)
Finally, we stood in front of the display of the birthday boy: the elusive pabling Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman. And just to show you how pabling he was, the exhibit featured all the Batmobile models since the 1930s. The first one was a bright red (as opposed to dark and brooding black) convertible that evolved into the a car that sported a bat-headed battering ram on the hood; to the ‘60s Batman TV show car inspired by a Lincoln Future concept car; to the Batmobile from the 1989 movie that was created from two Impala chassis and a Chevy V8; and finally to the Batmobile Tumbler that appeared in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. Batman really knew how to pimp his ride.
Unfortunately, Batman was not the snappiest dresser in his early crime-fighting career. His display featured a doll dressed in his debut Bat costume, which saw him decked out in a rather ill-fitting cowl, purple gloves and an oversized utility belt. Thankfully, he abandoned that clunker of a costume and moved on to the more familiar gray and blue leotards that were cemented in popular culture through the Batman TV show. But when you are a millionaire playboy, you deserve a stylist who can give you a Hollywood makeover. The Tim Burton movies saw Batman in an all-black ensemble, but it was in the Chris Nolan movies where we truly saw the ultimate Batsuit that caused involuntary bladder discharge among superstitious criminals: two complementary shades of black and gray, scalloped cape, cowl with bat ears, bat logo across the chest, bladed gloves boots and a utility belt. This was not Spandex. This was body armor. Perfect for beating thugs within an inch of their lives. Or for S&M. Or for both.
On display as well were collectibles that made it difficult even for the most seasoned of cat burglars to resist: there was a Batman-themed chess set, several hard-to-find Batman issues (two of which I have in my personal collection… Hehehe... $3.2 million, here I come) and an action figure set boasting Batman’s friends, frenemies and arch-villains (however, the male yaya was conspicuously absent). However, the highlight of Batman’s display for me were the action figures that captured the likenesses of Michael Keaton and Christian Bale as Batman, and Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger as the Joker. (Let us not even get into George Clooney as Batman. We will not speak of him and the Joel Schumacher Batman movies in polite company.)
Despite being thrown out of the museum for leaving a trail of drool in my wake, I was very happy with my pasalubong from the exhibit: a limited-edition set of Justice League postage stamps, a Superman logo bling and a Wonder Woman logo. But you know what would make even happier? When my wife finally remembers if Superman is a DC or Marvel hero.
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For comments, suggestions or a secret identity, please email ledesma.rj@gmail.com. or visit www.rjledesma.com. Follow @rjled on Twitter or @rjled610 on Instagram.
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The DC Comics Super Heroes exhibit has been extended until Nov. 30, 2014. Visit www.spm.org.sg for details.
