DC Comics is one of the major publishing companies producing comic book properties today. Founded in 1934, the company owns a number of popular characters whose stories have been translated to many media outlets including magazines, television and motion pictures.
Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman are the company's flagship characters; their other characters include Supergirl, Green Lantern, and Captain Marvel.
Influence
Muppet Mentions
Print Media
Motion Media
- Teen Titans
- In the season three episode, "Bunny Raven... or... How to Make A Titananimal Disappear," this animated DC Comics spin-off series features two elderly characters who sit in a theatre box and make wisecracks about the mock variety show being performed on stage. The manner in which they laugh at their particular flavor of jokes is reminiscent of, and likely a direct reference to, Statler and Waldorf. Most of the episode's third act is a homage to The Muppet Show, complete with a spoof of the theme music and a parody of Scooter.
- In a "New Teen Titans" short, the Titans appear in a kids program, "Kidz Korner 4 Kidz," which contains references to Sesame Street (including a "One of These Things"-style segment and a Two-Headed Monster-inspired scene).
- Teen Titans Go!
- In the episode "Hot Garbage", Beast Boy reveals that he watches a TV show with a green, garbage-loving character that resembles Oscar the Grouch.
- In the episode "Beast Boy's St. Patrick's Day Luck and it's Bad", the front stoop that Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Raven sit at while playing their instruments during the "Bad Luck" song resembles that of 123 Sesame Street. Nearby is a trash can with a skeletal arm that has green skin on it sticking out, alluding to Oscar the Grouch.
- In the feature film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, Beast Boy briefly morphs into Animal during the Titans' rap song in the beginning.
- In the episode "Tower Renovation", Cyborg is seen in a bathtub with a Rubber Duckie made of rubble. He says "Rubble duckie, you are the one."
- DC's Legends of Tomorrow
- In the first season episode "White Knights", Sara Lance (White Canary) says "Everything would have been fine, if Big Bird over here haven't freaked out" referring to Kendra (Hawkgirl) that panicked during a mission to break into the Pentagon.
- In the third season episode "Phone Home", the team are preparing to go out in 1988 when Zari asks how she looks, Jefferson Jackson (Firestorm) replies "Honestly? Like you are being strangled by a Muppet".
- In the third season behind the scenes Youtube video, "Inside: Beebo The God Of War", Phil Klemmer (Executive Producer) says that "..Beebo who is this talking little sort of puppet, like a Tickle Me Elmo."
References
- Verbal references
- In The Muppets episode "Generally Inhospitable", Pache calls Sweetums "Swamp Thing" when he's being held captive.
Trivia
Geoff Johns, who has referenced the Muppets in several of his scripts for DC Comics, including a recurring reference in several issues of Green Lantern, features in a video promoting "The 2014 Celebrity Pet Adoption Calendar from Anne and Wil Wheaton". In his home, Johns has an Animal collectible plate on display behind him. (YouTube)
Connections
- Famed comic book illustrator Alex Ross, having been first exposed to the institution of a superhero by Super Grover in his childhood, painted a lavish cover for the box of Palisades Toys' Super Grover Action Figure which was later released commercially as a poster print.
- The 1982 book and audio set, Justice League of America: The Lunar Invaders was directed and produced by Christopher Cerf. As such, a large number of Sesame Street employees are also featured as characters and worked as crew on the project.
- Produced and Directed by Christopher Cerf
- Engineering by Doug Epstein (engineer on the albums Born to Add and Jim Henson Presents Silly Songs
- Guest Piano Soloist: Genevieve Cerf (Christopher Cerf's wife)
- Narrated by Kathy Mullen
- Jerry Nelson as Green Lantern and Yuri Pudovkin
- Richard Hunt as The Flash and Han Chin
- Nile Rodgers (Sesame Street session guitarist[2]) as Kenan Masud
- Michael Kingsbury Frith as The Batman
- Frederick R. Newman as Red Tornado and an Alien
- Christopher Cerf as The Atom
- Special Thanks to Thaddeus Mumford, Jonathan Frith, Sharon Lerner
- The Hanna-Barbera series Superfriends, which went through many incarnations between 1973 and 1985, featured several actors who also worked on Muppet/Henson productions.
- Gordon Hunt was voice director (1980-1985)
- Casey Kasem played Robin (1973-1985)
- Ted Knight played the narrator (1973-1977)
- Olan Soule played Batman (1979-1984) and Professor Martin Stein (1984-1985)
- John Stephenson played Col. Willcox (1973)
- Frank Welker played Marvin and Wonderdog (1973-1977), Mr. Mxyzptlk (1979-1985), and Darkseid and Kalibak (1984-1985)
- William Woodson played the narrator (1977-1985)
- The 2001 Cartoon Network animated series Justice League (and its retitled version, Justice League Unlimited) again featured many actors who had also worked on Muppet/Henson productions.
- Edward Asner played Hephaestus in "Hawk and Dove" and Granny Goodness in "The Ties That Bind"
- Jason Bateman played Hermes in "The Balance"
- Ben Browder played Bat Lash in "The Once and Future Thing: Weird Western Tales"
- Dan Castellaneta played a minister in "Maid of Honor"
- Michael Dorn played Kalibak
- Brad Garrett played Lobo in "Hereafter"
- Mark Hamill played the Joker and Solomon Grundy in many episodes and the Trickster in "Flash and Substance"
- William Hootkins played the commander in "The Terror Beyond"
- Arte Johnson played Vermin Vunderbarr in "The Ties That Bind"
- Michael McKean played the Sportsman in the episode "Legends"
- Sam McMurray played Gilbert Hale and a reporter in "Fearful Symmetry"
- Rob Paulsen played Lightray and Helmsman in "Twilight"
- Robert Picardo played Blackhawk in "The Savage Time" and Amazo
- Glenn Shadix played Mandragora in "Double Date"
- Cree Summer played a female singer in "Fearful Symmetry"
- Dave Thomas played Harv Hickman in "A Night of Shadows" and Ernst in "The Savage Time"
- The 2008 direct-to-DVD animated feature based on Darwyn Cooke's graphic novel The New Frontier featured the following connections:
- Townsend Coleman played Dr. Magnus
- Neil Patrick Harris played The Flash
- Kyle MacLachlan played Superman
- Brooke Shields played Carol Ferris
Other cast connections:
- Amy Adams played Lois Lane in Justice League (2017 film)
- Will Arnett played Lieutenant Grass in Jonah Hex (2010 film), Batman in The LEGO Batman Movie (2014 film) and Slade in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018 film)
- John Barrowman played Malcolm Merlyn on Arrow (2012-), The Flash (2015), and Legends of Tomorrow (2016-)
- Kristen Bell voiced Jade Wilson in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018 film)
- Richard Belzer played Joe Kline on The Flash (1990-1991)
- Ruth Buzzi played Aunt Minerva in Legends of the Superheroes: The Roast (1979)
- Eugene Byrd played Andy Diggle on Arrow (8 episodes, 2015-2016)
- Viola Davis played Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad (2016 film)
- Henry Cavill played Clark Kent/Superman in Justice League (2017 film)
- Dave Coulier voiced Tramm on Teen Titans
- Michael Fassbender played Burke in Jonah Hex (2010 film)
- Victor Garber plays Dr. Martin Stein on The Flash (2015) and Legends of Tomorrow (2016)
- Irma P. Hall played Grandma Odessa in Steel (1997 film)
- Mark Hamill played James Jesse/The Trickster on The Flash (1990) and The Flash (2015-2016)
- Gary Hecker supplied creature vocals in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017)
- Jeremy Irons played Alfred Pennyworth in Justice League (2017 film)
- Paula Marshall played Iris West in the pilot episode of The Flash (1990)
- Jesse L. Martin plays Joe West on The Flash (2014-)
- Howard Morris played Dr. Sivana in two Legends of the Superheroes specials (1979)
- Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Trigon, Mammoth, and See-More on Teen Titans
- Richard Roundtree played Uncle Joe in Steel (1997 film)
- William Schallert played Retired Man/Scarlet Cyclone in two Legends of the Superheroes specials (1979)
- Tara Strong voiced Raven, Kole, Kitten, Jinx ("Titans Together"), and Gizmo ("Revved Up," "Titans Together") on Teen Titans
- Russi Taylor voiced Melvin and Timmy Tantrum on Teen Titans
- Jon Voight played Quentin Turnbull in Jonah Hex (2010 film)
- Wil Wheaton voiced Aqualad on Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!
Other connections come from the print division or across multiple media:
- David Allikas wrote issues of The Unexpected (1979), Ghosts (1980-1981), G. I. Comics (1980-1986), House of Mystery (1981), Weird War Tales (1981-1982), and Sgt. Rock (1986-1987)
- Del Close wrote for every issue of the anthology Wasteland (1987-1989)
- John Costanza wrote and drew humorous one-pagers for Aquaman, House of Secrets, House of Mystery, Our Fighting Forces, Star Spangled War Stories (all 1970), and Weird War Tales (1972); pencils and inks for a story in Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! (1982); and lettering on many DC titles, including Green Lantern (1970-1986), Jonah Hex (1982-1983), Swamp Thing (1985-1994), and Green Arrow (1988-1998)
- Sholly Fisch has written many DC Comics, including Super Friends, Batman Beyond, and ustice League Unlimited
- Rich Fogel wrote and/or story edited Superman (1998-2000), Batman Beyond (1999-2001), Justice League (2001-2004), and Krypto the Superdog (2006) as well as writing the comics Batman Beyond #9 (2000) and Justice League of America one-shot (2009)
- Judith Hunt drew the two issue Robotech Defenders (1985)
- Frank Springer drew one-shot stories for Batman (1967) and Detective Comics (1968), inked two issues of Superboy (1967-1968), drew "Dial H for Hero" stories and other material for House of Mystery (1968-1969), penciled and inked back-up "Secret Six" stories from The Brave and the Bold (two issues, 1975) and regularly in Action Comics (1988-1989), inked two issues of Tarzan (1976) and five issues of Superman (1977), penciled four issues of Green Arrow (1992), inked covers, and other assignments
- Marv Wolfman wrote The New Teen Titans (1980-1988, 1994-1996), Detective Comics (1971, 1990), Action Comics (1980-1984, 1988, 2001), Batman (1980-1981, 1989-1990), Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985-1986), and many others, and wrote for the online game DC Universe Online (2011)
Sources
- ↑ Confirmed by Art Baltazar by email via Scott Hanson
- ↑ Nile Rodgers biography