The Wednesday Waffle Issue 20: Lockdown 3 - This time it's personal! (With added nostalgia...)

Well. We were locked down anyway, but now we know it's going to be until at least mid-February before we can get back under the stairs. We survived the first two, and we have every intention of surviving this one too. We will remain fully open online and will continue to offer free delivery within Harrogate and Knaresborough.

There's a good chance you're locked down too and in need of something to read - we're always ready with recommendations, and we can send graphic novels to your door directly from the distributor so whatever you want, if it's in print we can probably get it to you as fast as the post will allow. (Please be aware that the Post Office is doing a fantastic job, but increased volume of post coupled with often having staff off either with COVID, or with suspected COVID or because they have to self isolate because they've been in contact with someone who has COVID they are running more slowly than usual.)

The next few weeks are going to be tough for everyone. We're here to do what we can to improve them by adding comics.

Anyway. Here's the news...

COULD WE GET MORE BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES?

Look, I know. I'm biased. Batman: The Animated Series hit UK TV screens in the early nineties. I was a student, the Tim Burton/ Michael Keaton movies were still fresh and new, and Batman was the very coolest thing around. And just when it seemed that we were at peak Batman, and there was no way the Dark Knight could get any better, Batman: The Animated Series exploded onto our screens.

It used Danny Elfman's evocative theme and had a gorgeous Art Deco aesthetic reminiscent of the classic Max Fleischer Superman cartoons from the early nineteen forties. It looked stunning. It sounded amazing. And the stories were pretty solid too. Yes, it was a kid's show, but like all the best kid's shows there was a lot of complexity for adults to enjoy too.

It ended, according to Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, not because the audience had lost interest (it hadn't - I was the audience and I was gutted when it ended) or because the actors didn't want to do it anymore, but because they felt they'd told all the stories they had to tell and they didn't want to put out an inferior show.

In all, eighty five episodes of the show aired between 1992 and 1995. I genuinely don't think there's been a better on-screen iteration of Batman.

Well. Now it might be coming back.

Geeky Rant is reporting that a "sequel series" might be in the works at streaming service HBO Max. It is just a rumour - and of course if any sequel series is to be made it won't really feel like a genuine successor to the original unless it hits the same high standards. But frankly I feel the need for some good news, and I have my fingers firmly crossed.

LEGENDS LOUISE AND WALTER SIMONSON TO RETURN TO THE X-FACTOR

X-Men Legends #3 Cover. Art by Walter Simonson (c) Marvel Comics

If the return of Batman: The Animated Series is merely a rumour, we do at least have some nostalgia-tastic news which is definitely happening.

Louise and Walter Simonson are pretty much synonymous with X-Factor. They introduced Apocalypse and turned Angel into Archangel, amongst other things. Now they're coming back to Marvel with a brand new story in X-Men Legends #3 - out in April.

Set just before X-Factor #43, which was the start of a key storyline in the Simonson run, and features the original students of Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Angel and Beast.

At this point in their continuity the team have just defeated Apocalypse and set themselves up in his sentient spacecraft, somewhat unimaginatively called Ship. (It could have been worse, it could have been "Shippy McShipface").

But when Ship begins to malfunction, it becomes clear to them that Apocalypse had plans they hadn't anticipated...

I dunno. Maybe it's the relentless awfulness of everything that's currently going on in the present, but I'm really enjoying wallowing in some nostalgia. I'm really looking forward to it.

OK - that's it for the waffle this week. I know it's short, but as I type this it's also nearly Thursday so I'd better get on.

Stay safe, and stay geeky folks.