How THE SHADOW Gave Us the Batman We Deserved and Needed
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- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2024
- The Shadow was one of the first pulp comics heroes, but did you know just how many attributes of his character and world became inspirations for the Dark Knight, both on the page and on the screen?
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Origins of The Shadow
5:08 - The Shadow Meets Batman
8:04 - Beware The Gray Ghost
12:46 - Remember the '90s?
15:21 - Copybat, Copybat
18:56 - Outro
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dcau, dc animated universe, batman, batman the animated series, the shadow, the shadow radio show, the shadow movie, the shadow batman, the shadow comics, the shadow knows, the shadow alec baldwin, batman movie, batman animated, batman 1990s, batman 1989, batman 89, the shadow movie clips, batman cartoons, dc comics, the shadow influences, the shadow vs batman, the new batman adventures, batman the adventures continue, the gray ghost, the gray ghost batman, batman dcau 
Развлечения
I love the character of the Shadow, so much so that I would kill to see a BTAS-esque Shadow animated series, with all the 'Dark Deco' aesthetics. The influence he had on Batman is very much present, even today.
It would be amazing... But given some of the stuff that’s been put out these days, it’s a pipe dream at this stage.
@@rayvenkman2087 Yeah, at the moment when we don't have a hands down excellent Batman animated series for over 30 years now, I doubt the Shadow will be done justice.
My hope is that, when other mainstream IP sources start to run dry, someone will revisit the Shadow. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later.
We need a Pulp Heroes animated universe. Zorro, the Lone Ranger, The Spider, the Shadow, the Green Hornet, etc
I would 100% pay money for that! Lol
I don't think a lot of people will watch it
It's worth remembering that Sam partially realized his dream by creating his own version of The Shadow, Darkman. What is even more ironic, the music from Darkman was used in advertising of The Shadow.
For that look up the avenger it maybe more similar
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"
there is also a kinda recent comic where old heroes like the shadow, the green hornet and el zorro form a justice league kind of team, it was really cool.
the Masks
Gray Ghost is definitely the Shadow in B:TAS universe
Always love Ted’s history lessons! So much attention to detail.
I actually heard on of the episodes of the Shadow on the radio doing Security work. It was a just a few weeks ago late in the evening nearing the end of my shift. I switched to one of my regular stations and found the show mid broadcast so I didn’t get the name. It was about an animal that was killing night security guards at a warehouse. Now I find it even more strange I heard the show before I watched this video and finally know what it was called.
I knew nothing about the shadow before this vid but now I feel more educated on the start of superheroes, Thanks Ted!
Edit: now I really want to see a animated series about The Shadow
I had no idea the shadow was such an inspiration for Batman before. I used to listen to the shadow just about everyday when I was a kid. Now I can listen to all of it whenever I want!
I still listen to The Shadow radio show
I never heard of The Shadow, but I'm glad this video exists because now I want too check the radio show
ruclips.net/video/6ExePeYkGwA/видео.html
You would love the stories
See the movie from 1994 too. It's pretty good
When I was a kid in the 80's, KSFO radio in the bay area ran the shadow and green hornet late at night once a week in a retro bloc.
Great stuff, one of my favorite characters - and yes I loved the Baldwin movie and it's still the main way in which I see the character - but I'm mildly surprised that Zorro didn't come up among the early superhero prototype/inspirations
I hate how people act like Zorro is not the first superhero and sometimes barely mention him when describing inspirations for heroes today and in the past.
@@OmarSaeed-n4j Zorro is my favourite character but i like that people don't mention him as superhero because he is actually an archetype novel hero with grounded flavour not superhero and bigger than life villains and stuff.
Last year and the year before I got hooked to listening to the old The Shadow Radio show from the 1930s-1940s, it was awesome in that old is new kind of way.
It's sad though how the characters who came before DC and later Marvel, The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Phantom, etc have more or less been forgotten despite them laying all the ground work for what comics would become.
Sad but true.
Isn't the character archetype for _all_ these famous heroes (Zorro, The Shadow, The Phantom, Batman, etc.) _The Scarlet Pimpernel_ from 1905?
Yes, I think thats a good reference point.
Let’s not forget that Zorro was a progenitor to the Shadow. Love both characters & Batman.
Have you read either zorro or shadow is scarlet pimpernel nothing in commonn with shadow. Did you know a guy from Detroit I think or somewhere around there wrote zorro and he was white. Never been to California
Let’s not forget that the SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1905) was a progenitor to Zorro, The Shadow, Batman, etc.
@Duck_Dodgers Johnston McCulley definitely went to California at least once in his life. He died in Los Angeles.
And the California history in The Curse of Capistrano is surprisingly on point for a 1919 pulp. There's the weird overlapping of the mission and rancho periods, but it does read like McCulley at least read a reference book (possibly a mythologized biography of Joaquin Murrieta). It's more than a lot of pulp writers did. (Looking at you, Edgar Rice Burroughs, putting tigers in central Africa!)
It’s amazing to see how the dcau affecting the main dc comics continuity
It's the reason Lois has purple eyes in later appearances
The Gray Ghost was also referenced in "The Batman Adventures" #33. The story is entitled "Just Another Night".
If by "inspired" you mean... "the first several years of Batman comics were partially - and in some cases, completely - plagiarized from The Shadow, including traced artwork? Then, uh... sure.
"Inspired".
Steal like an artist, right?
I knew you would appear I'm just a amaze that watchtower database didn't just call you to help out with the shadow History.
Bob kane also traced the phantom and black bat was clearly the influence on the outfit of batman. So it's multilayered inspiration.
Heh - does this mean we can look forward to a video essay on the history and influence of Zorro on Batman and the DCAU?
That would be an interesting topic!
I knew the Shadow had a long history, bit holy crap
Lovely piece on my fav fictional character! TY Ted! Below I have offered some clarifications, corrections, and details about various things mentioned (or not mentioned).I have written this out of respect for this video's content creator, and it is in no way meant as a critique, but instead to serve as an addendum, for anyone that mght be interested.
First off, the biggest thing this is missing is any mention of Commisioner Weston. We owe quite a bit of credit for GORDON (and Bullock) to The Shadows prominently featured Commisioner Weston and police officer Joe Cardona.
In the books, Harry Vincent was the Shadow's #1 agent, featured much more than Margo Lane, which is mostly because of the radio shadow, and the legendary Agnes Moorehead's terrific performance alongside Orson Welles. Most of these agents owe their life to the Shadow, in one way or another. (Harry, for example, is going to jump off a bridge when the shadow intervenes). Other notable "agents" included Burbank, in charge of communications in the Shadow's sanctum (think Batcave) and Moe Shrevnitz aka "Shrevy", his Cabbie/Chauffer (both seen in the 1994 movie).
But the other most notable agent left unmentioned is Jericho Druke, a black man that served, not only as occasional muscle, but also as The Shadow's link to the black community (most specifically Harlem). Jericho often fought side by side with the Shadow on some of his deadliest missions, and is one of the earliest black heroes featured in the genre (first appearing in November 1934).
FYI (to clear things up a bit) 1) Chaykin's Shadow was actually hugely popular amongst fans for how faithful it was to te characters mentioned above and how the pulp characer treated them, and the afore-mention Uzis were just the modern day update to his infamous dual 45s. 2) DC didnt own the rights for the years mentioned - it was actually Conde Naste who owned the rights and leased the Shadow to Archie, MARVEL, DC, Dark Horse, Dynamite, and others. (although in recent years that company has folded).
Notable Shadow Comics info worth mentioning more thoroughly (imho): DC's "The Shadow Strikes", which featured the crossover between Doc Savage and The Shadow, which fans had been asking for, for years; and the Helfer/Baker DC run were both labeled as "suggested for mature readers" and would be amongst the comics that paved the way for DC's Vertigo line. Also worth mentioning that Michael Kaluta - who did those 70s Shadow comics for DC (and Madame Xanadu creator), also did the art for is the absolutely gorgeous best selling Marvel graphic novel by O'Neil titled "1941". Kaluta the continued on to do most of the Dark Horse Shadow Comics too! the shadow for 3 different publishers, over the course of 20 years!! The 90s Helfer & Baker run continued in the "present day" from Chaykin's mini-series and ended on a cliffhanger, with the Shadow's head decapitated from his body, and put on a robot body. Which left many fans upset, but was finally revisited in best selling author David Liss's "The Shadow Now" for Dynamite. Dynamite also published Matt Wagner's "Shadow Year One" and "The Death of Margo Lane", an ongoing title, and many other shadow mini-series, including a crossover with Green Hornet.
Side Note - Phantoma is maybe (more likely?) a reference to Phantom Lady, also seen in DC's The Freedom Fighters, which also features The Human Bomb, both of which were originally from "Police Comics" #1 (which also featured the 1st appearance of Jack Cole's Plastic Man; and which would become the home of Will Eisner's The Spirit from issue #11 - 102). Phantom Lady is also noted by Alan Moore as his inspiration for The Silk Spectre, and although her creation is credited to Eisner/Iger, much of her success is due to the recreation of her by the legendary Matt Baker, the first black american comics artist.
If you read this, I thank you and hope you enjoyed this wonderful video as much as I did.
Excellent additional info! Thanks for watching, and sharing even more fun facts. I know you mentioned on my Wednesday gaming streams that the Shadow is one of your favorites!
I had to cut the descriptions of the various agents for time, and to keep the video as less of a “here’s everything about the Shadow” and more connected back to the thesis of how he influenced Batman and BTAS.
Who knew the Shadow had such a long rich history, especially into Dark Horse and Dynamite? (The Shadow knows!)
Always liked the Shadow over Batman myself. He’s far more credible. And cooler.
For fans of the shadow we all know who the original dark knight is, and he knows what evil lurks within the hearts of men. Ahahaha the shadow knows.
Most informative. As a life-long Batman/Shadow fan Ididn't know about "Laughing Corpse" influence on Joker venom
My all time favorite Shadoe episode, "The Gibbering Things" with Bret Morrison. It's worth looking up and great for Halloween.
This is great, thanks for doing it. I'm a huge fan of the Phantom and I loved the Shadow movie as a kid, so I'm all for videos exploring the connection between superheroes and their pulp hero forebears.
16:05 unheard off by the 1910's? In America maybe but france had heroes like rocambole (who was the first to have the go to asia trope) and the Nyctalope who was a cyborg and had a secret identity. Then we have Man-bat from Ireland in 1899 who is just a Spring Heeled Jack pastiche. It goes back to Spring Heeled Jack lol
Nice! I at least mentioned France’s Judex character but some of those others are new to me as well
@@Ted-Kendrick I also forgot that dime novels had heroes too like Iron Man. Literally some guy in chainmail with a domino mask from like 1900
I used to listen to the radio drama on long car rides with my grandfather, good times.
The shadow is very underrated,one of the original pulp heroes.
I would LOVE to see more videos about obscure stuff loosely tied to the DCAU
Me too
Great work! A few nitpicks: Shiwan Khan was played by John Lone (with an O), not John Lane. V for Vendetta was not a Vertigo series; it was originally published in the UK in Warrior, although collected editions were put out by DC under the Vertigo imprint (until they retired it). And the Gray Ghost action figure packaging you showed was not commercially available. The figure was available in a three-pack, but the single figure in Gray Ghost packaging was produced in-house in limited numbers, which Bruce Timm signed and gave to staffers for Christmas one year.
This is true. I had all that Gray Ghost action figure info in my original script, but it was sadly cut for time.
@@Ted-Kendrick ....the Tim Burton movies about Batman.....and the Shadow movie....had the same COSTUME DESIGNER....BOB RINGWOOD......the costumes in the Shadow however was his best work....GIORGIO ARMANI....if he saw the film would be GREEN WITH ENVY...
When ever I describe The Shadow to non comic book fans I just say Batman if he wore a raincoat and fedora and used guns but he is so much more than that description I know that
Huh, learned a lot in this one! I've heard that Kane evidently near-plagerized the Shadow with the early Batman comics, but that's about what I knew of his relation to Batman. I guess some (not me, necessarily) would say Kane was a bit of a "Shadow Thief." Lol. Seriously, though, great video, Ted! (👍)
As a kid who grew up watching reruns of the Adam West Batman show in the 80s. I immediately recognized the voice of The Gray Ghost. Despite not knowing anything about Adam West's life, post Batman. I was hyper aware of what they were doing with the commentary in the episode. Very impactful. Such a talented team of people. Truly a masterpiece!
Bro love the Warner Bros store plushes in the background. I have a few of them. And that Rayner maquette! Some choice merch there
I've known about The Shadow since I was a little kid. The first version I knew about was the one from the movie then as I got older I found out about the radio drama. Recently I've found out he even had his own serial.
I used to collect the radio shows. Goodyear Safety Silvertone tires! And Blue Coal was the sponsor and the Shadow would comment during the ads, "Your car skidding, slipping out of control!" The earliest actors really caught the laughing manically shooting away version.
Great job again!!
Not to be a jerk- BF Goodrich Safety Silvertone, not Goodyear. Nice to meet another fan!
@@user-hn8lm8th8k
Absolutely not! Thank you for pointing it out, it's better.
And right back at ya agent!
I wonder what a different version of (THE SHADOW) might be like if he was presented in the modern age, and I wonder what the storyline for the current year era might be written in the movie-script?
The Shadow is so awesome and I definitely recommend The Shadow movie it's a great time and I love the look and feel of it
This was impressive 10/10
The Shadowed Millions cover you showed was not from the Shadow Magazine of Streets & Smith. It was the Jim Steranko cover for the Pyramid reprints in the 1970's which was #12. The original Magazine was #21 published January 1, 1933... really great vid by the way.
Thanks for the correction! Legit appreciated!
Not gonna' lie, that 1994 "Shadow" movie, with Alec Baldwin, looks pretty good. I mean, with that cast, how could you go wrong? I am honestly shocked that I didn't know Baldwin was in that until now! Might have to go and give it a watch.
Batman Begins has a startling amount of similarities to the 94 Shadow movie. Though thats kind of fitting considering Batman near plagiarizes the Shadow (and im not using that term lightly).
It's a pretty good quality movie for it's time. The concepts and story is pretty engaging
@@Raao1 Yeah it was one of the better Superhero flicks out there at the time.
Divide your cultured pearls in haste
I'm looking for to lay to waste
Of all the things I cannot taste
And this is not the racy race, they spoke loud
it's what you do
(I believe in watching you)
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
Given the choice
Given the heart
Given the tool
Given the word
Given the cheers
it's what you do
(I believe in watching you)
I, I, I, I, I
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
I believe in what you do
I believe in watching you
I believe in what you do (given the choice)
I believe in watching you (given the heart)
I believe in what you do (given the tool)
I believe in watching you (given the word)
I believe in what you do (given the cheers)
I believe in watching you
I could, I
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
I could turn you inside-out
What I choose not to do
Given the choice
Given the heart
Given the tool
Given the word
Given the cheers
Given the cheers
Given the choice
Given the choice
Given the choice
Great job Ted!
The only other character besides The Shadow I can think of which was heavily used to influence Batman and his series would be Dick Tracy, another great topic I am sure could be covered in the future.
but it's just amazing how a pop culture icon that is rarely seen or heard of today has an outlasting influence among an industry all because of how it presented its stories and concepts to an audience. Ironic that the student eventually became the master in this case and now The Shadow also borrows from the Batman series.
Amazing Video Ted.
Since the shadow is the reason the batman exist i think the shadow deserves the big screen small screen and comic return/reboot treatment please
I mean in the age where hollywood makes nothing new and just remakes old stuff, its probably only a matter of time till a new adaptaion comes out.
@@alexsapsarras4812 true lets make this happen
@@ulyssesveracruz8343 yeah well, perhaps if "the batman" film gets its noiresque tone up and well, it might help for the detective/noir genre to make an opening for a shadow reboot.
@@alexsapsarras4812 i think the matt reeves batman movie is going to be good because matt did some good movies like the first cloverfield planet of the apes sequel etc
But yeah i do really want to see a the shadow rebbot it would be really interesting
"Since the shadow is the reason the batman exist" yeah and Zorro is the reason the shadow exists, should we reboot Zorro then?
I haven't been subscribed long and I already love this channel
awesome video! I love the Bill Sienkiewicz Shadow series. Video suggestion: how the fantagraphics scene from the 80s influenced BTAS, specially Love and Rockets and Mr. X.
The shadow has long been one of my favorite characters in comics, I’ve even listen to the old radio dramas. Along with a fountain to my favorite they don’t seem to get enough credit or enough time on the comic page. I wish dynamite would do something with a shadow and bring him back, always been one of my favorites to be honest I always liked him way better than I did that man.
Great video. Just a few fact checks. It sounds like you said John Lane played Shiwan Khan. It was actually John Lone. Also, the Tibetan warriors never shot sparks out of their fingers in the movie.
Great video, some times when I go shopping I wear a hat and face mask, which in my makes me look like the shadow.
...i reference him NOW when i get dressed to go out....that's how i got into these great critiques on the character and the movie...both who i love by the way.....i am loving the very classic tailored menswear looks with the fedora and outlandish face mask....
The SHADOW knows!
I say some of the old comic heroes they should bring back. I like the shadow and the Phantom and also Darkman. Even though Darkman was just made up for the movie but they did a good job.
Lore of How THE SHADOW Gave Us the Batman We Deserved and Needed momentum 100
Nice Summary! I learned something about The Shadow and Bruce Timm.
Great video!
Oh my God, it was genius for Dark Nights: Metal to substitute a Zorro movie with Beware the Grey Ghost. Zorro movies don't really air in cinemas that often, so they lock up the Batman origin into a small selection of years.
This was a great video!
I love you watchtower database team!
Thank you!
The Gray Ghost 👻
The shadow is the best superhero in comics Superman and Batman are awesome too but the shadow will always be the best!
Very interesting!
"The Shadow knows"
The Shadow Returns, Behind the Mask and The Missing Lady all released in 1946.
Surprise you didn't mention the Scarlet Pimpernel or Zorro as literary precursors to The Shadow and Batman...
"I seek revenge! Not your paltry goods!"
If you want additional DCAU-adjacent comics content, there was a 12 issue series "Silverblade" which was seemingly referenced for Matt Hagen's past starring roles.
Okay...Just for the fun of it, let's see how many similarly garbed fictional characters I can name:
1. The Shadow
2. The Clock
3. The Green Hornet
4. The Grey Ghost
5. The Question
6. Zorro
7. Mister X
8. The Sandman
9. Death Stalker
10. Sherlock Holmes
11. The Spider
12. Dracula
13. Judex
14. V for Vendetta
15. Darkwing Duck
16. The Silver Shroud
17. Don Vito Corleone
18. The Crimson Avenger
19.Rorschach
20.Nightraven
Silver Shroud is The Shadow
If you're talking Fallout universe
ON A SEPARATE NOTE; MY THOUGHTS ON THE HERO (THE SHADOW) FROM (DARK HORSE COMICS)
Now I think the character hero (The SHADOW) is a hero who lives on a planet similar to the planet:Earth, but the name of his planet’s name is different I imagine it being called URTHA, and I imagine most of his planet’s timeline history is the same as planet:Earth’s to a certain point, and I imagine the rest of the timeline’s history is completely different.
In addition I imagine on fictional world of planet:URTHA, what remains of magic energy had been kept secret from the unworthy, and I imagine the way to do the mysterious magic arts have been revealed to a very small amount of individuals, and most importantly a few of those arts have been used to help mentally heal individuals who have been secretly suffering from having a very dark separate personality in their mind.
Plus to add cure those individuals from being a victim of their alternate personality who has dominated their mind almost all the time, until they have succeeded in suppressing the original personality’s mind, and taken control of it for a certain number of years, just like (Lamont Cranston) was.
“So there for I imagine that the character hero known as (THE SHADOW) he lives on a different planet, and that planet is similar to the planet:Earth, and I imagine that his planet might be called planet:URTHA, and to add I imagine that there are more possibilities for real genuine magic still existing on it.”
The shadow radio series along with many are posted on RUclips
Heck yeah!
Hope you also do a video on The Phantom one day
This is my kind of Ted talk
Wait a minute
Me too!
Who remembers Radio Classics in the '70s early '80s? Yeah, we're old.
And Curry is always a win
Loved this video, but I gotta ask. Wasn’t the first crime fighter with a secret identity the Scarlet Pimpernel?
I’ve read some of the shadow stories and heard several episodes of the radio show . Have read the shadow Batman cross over ?
The scarlet pimpernel
I have been saying this for years, that batman in a knockoff shadow!!!!!
Phantoma gives me Noctura vibes...
Also, Bill Johnstone is too good a Shadow to not get a mention.
Great video. I always thought Alec Baldwin would of made a great Bruce Wayne/Batman .
....he was up for the role.in the beginning stages....
everyone has there favorite but really if were honest every character is a derivitive of something else before it
also given the 2 cross overs they had in the comics I'm not shocked
I think you missed the Monogram Kane Richmond Shadow films of the 40s?
Me who is a 30 year old and has a VHS tape of the Shadow and also a poster... and radio recording in mp3 format is offended
Because?
@@dcauwatchtower lol I mean in start the video goes 19 to 30 ages people won't know him 😭 😁 lol was joking tho. I mean I forgot to put them "
#genghis
I always thought the first superhero was Ōgon Bat
So Batman is Phantom + Shadow + Dick Gracy
What about the mark of zorro isn’t that why Batffleck marked his victims in bvs ?
I’ve never heard that connection to the Bat-branding, but that’s interesting!
@@dcauwatchtower ....there's another connection you forgot....THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA....the Tim Burton Batman movie references it right off when Vicki Vale confronts Batman in the Batcave....then the OTHER BATMAN MOVIE DIRECTOR.....JOEL SCHUMACHER........LITERALLY DIRECTED the movie....THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA...the producers all said that BATMAN....IS THE PHANTOM....
Is the Archie comics Shadow the company's flagship character?
Zorro predated these characters by a bit. lots of similarities there as well.
Fleischer is pronounced with a long i sound like fly, not flesh.
Ted says words wrong
I don't think it's quite fair to say that The Shadow inspired Batman… Closer to say that Batman PLAGIARIZED The Shadow with frame for frame comic panels being copied.
Check out our interview videos with Dan Riba for more on that!
@@dcauwatchtower hey, thanks for the reply! I will definitely do that 😁
i thought the first "Superhero" was Spring Heeled Jack, from the "Penny Dreadfuls" the late 1880s progenitor of both the Pulps and the modern Comic Book.
Alec baldwin is always shadow and he did it in 1995 and maybe he should do more shadow films
Genghis Khan can just behind ".GIF" in the line of "If you wanted me to say it with a J sound, you should have use a J". He'll just have to live with the hard G...you know what I meant...