The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection

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The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection
By Philip Schweier
October 12, 2010 - 14:38

Once in a while, a genre item (a specific book, film or, in this case, compact disc) comes along that has a rather limited appeal, and as such, it’s easy for some of us to spare no effort in snatching it up, only to discover we needn’t have bothered. Sometimes, the item becomes immensely popular. In this case, The Music of DC Comics is so utterly disappointing, it can be expected to fade quickly from shelves, and be found available on ebay for only a few dollars plus shipping. The CD boasts a collection of material from various sources, many of which never before available. While that’s laudable, as we explore the CD, we may discover there is a very good reason WHY they’ve never been available.

Does anyone really need the digital clarity of the opening of 1979’s campy Legends of the Super-Heroes special, complete with Gary Owens’ narration? I know I could live without it, but having wasted $15.99 + tax, now I don’t have to.

Granted, some of the tracks are historically significant, such as the Superman March from the Max Fleischer cartoon, the first portrayal of a DC Comics character on film, and Batman (1943), the first live-action portrayal of a DC Comics character. And an equal many are almost iconic, such as Neal Hefti’s theme from the 1966 Batman television series, Wonder Woman (1974), and John Williams theme from Superman: The Movie (1978).

However, many of the tracks are merely the openings of various Saturday morning cartoons, which may have an extremely limited appeal to baby boomers who watched these shows as children. The music itself – what little there is of it – is obscured by the sound effects of ray beams, invisible jets and monsters, which is where I take issue with the CD.

Hoyt Curtin

Many of the cartoon themes are credited to composers such as John Gart and Hoyt Curtin. Curtin created some wonderful jazzy themes for such cartoons as Jonny Quest, The Jetsons and Super Friends. But much of his and Gart’s work is given short shrift here, in favor of the overblown narration of Ted Knight.

Ted Knight

I was 9 years old when Super Friends debuted, and even then I recognized the voice of the show’s narrator as that of the pompous newscaster Ted Baxter from the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The ludicrous narration and distracting sound effects are so pervasive that any music is relegated to the background. There simply isn’t much music to be had, and isn’t that why one would buy a music CD?

There are any number of music compositions written for DC Comics characters I would have rather heard, such as a selection or two from the Broadway musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman, or perhaps something from the 1967 album Jan & Dean Meet Batman. High camp, to be sure, but at least it's music, and not narration.

Conspicuously absent from the CD are Elfman’s theme from The Flash (1991), as well as a great number of musical pieces from the so-called Bruce Timm Universe of animated programs. Batman Beyond and Green Lantern: First Flight are included, but not themes from The Batman (by Shirley Walker or The Edge) or Superman: The Animated Series, or the first season of Justice League, which is much better theme than its follow-up series, Justice League Unlimited.

What I would’ve liked to see included is some of really strong incidental music from the animated series, such as Michael McQuistion’s aerial chase composition from “A Little Piece of Home,” an episode of Superman, The Animated Series, or Lolita Ritmanis’ Blackhawks theme from the Justice League episode “The Savage Time.” (This can be heard by clicking on Green Lantern’s chest symbol on the disc 1 of Justice League DVD season 1.)

According to executive producer Peter Axelrad, the goal was to collect music that had been written specifically for a character, rather some songs that have been used in reference to characters, such as Remy Zero's theme from Smallville. I can appreciate that approach, but I respectively disagree with it. Perhaps by including such material, or material written as part of a score, the collection might appeal to a broader audience.

I am a big DC Comics fan, as anyone who reads this column regularly (both of you) (Hi, Mom) know. But in this instance, I really feel DC Comics is not celebrating its 75th anniversary so much as marketing it. I recommend anyone considering buying The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection not waste his/her money on such crap. But if you absolutely MUST have it, buy it at a discount off ebay or amazon.com.

Praise and adulation? Scorn and ridicule? E-mail me at philip@comicbookbin.com