DC Comics

From Muppet Wiki

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.

Influence

I've always been interested in comic books as an art form, and when I was younger I was addicted to them. I read Superman and Superboy, but Captain Marvel was probably my favorite of the super-heroes. The comic I loved best, though, was Pogo. After all, Kermit's beginnings were in a swamp, too. —Jim Henson, Creator of The Muppets [1]

Muppet Mentions

1969 advertisement for Sesame Street found in the November issues of nearly every major title published by DC, including Superman, Wonder Woman, and Jerry Lewis.	Fifty Who Made DC Great (1985), in which Jim Henson cites DC Comics characters as some of his favorites.	In Mister Miracle #7 (1989) art by Joe Philips, a Kermit the Frog poster appears behind Big Barda.	Justice League America #45 (1990) by Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis and Russell Braun
Impulse #9 (1995) art by Humberto Ramos features the children's section of a book store decorated with Sesame Street bookends.	Adventures in the DC Universe #13 (1998) by Steve Vance shows Impulse singing a familiar song.	Superman Villains: Secret Files and Origins (1998) by Evan Dorkin features a faux catalogue of devices sold by the Toyman that references Tickle Me Elmo.	Preacher #41 (1998) by Garth Ennis includes one of the more popular references to the way in which Muppet characters are performed.
In Automatic Kafka #2 (2002) by Joe Casey, The Warning blackmails Agent Stahl by threatening to reveal his unique activities while watching Sesame Street, insulting Maria in the process.	In Green Lantern #162 (2003) by Judd Winick, Kyle Rayner creates his own version of Oscar the Grouch with his power ring.	Fables #34 (2005) by Bill Willingham shows Jack and his lawyer scouting a studio near "Jim Henson Studios", which also shares a distinct similarity to Charlie Chaplin Studios.	Birds of Prey #95 (2006) by Gail Simone depicts one character hacking into a villain's computer software, making it play the "Sesame Street Theme".
In Ex Machina #17 (2006) by Brian K. Vaughan, Commissioner Angotti laments the use of puppets in a political protest, calling those using them "Sesame Street rejects".	The All-New Atom #13 (2007) by Gail Simone shows the title character riding a toad and calling it Kermit.	In Detective Comics #834 (2007) by Paul Dini, the Joker leaves lyrics to "The Muppet Show Theme" as a possible clue for Batman and Zatanna.	In Nightwing #135 (2007) by Marv Wolfman, Vigilante refers to Nightwing as "Kermit" and references "The Rainbow Connection."
DC's Vertigo label published an autobiography of Percy Carey featuring references to his childhood on the set of Sesame Street.	In Booster Gold #8 (2008) by Geoff Johns, Blue Beetle compares Hawkman to another giant bird.	In DCU Holiday Special #1 (2008) by Alan Burnett, Red Arrow refers to Shaggyman as Cookie Monster.	Green Lantern #41 (2009) by Geoff Johns
Green Lantern #42 (2009) by Geoff Johns	The Brave and the Bold #25 (2009) by Adam Beechen

References

Tingo reads a Starman comic book in the Sesame English episode "Make Me a Sandwich".

Connections

• Neil Gaiman gained fame for writing the Sandman comic for DC Comics, prior to his writing the story for MirrorMask.

• 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.

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, and Darkseid and Kalibak (1979-1985)

William Woodson played the narrator (1977-1979)

• 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.

Ed 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

Sheryl Lee Ralph played Cheetah in three episodes

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

Sources

1. ↑ Fifty Who Made DC Great, 1985
2. ↑ Nile Rodgers biography