Battle for the Cowl Makes *Big Bang Theory* (Mention)

[Karl O'Neill]

Cue a rise in sales.

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/04/13/battle-for-the-cowl-hits-cbs-primetime/


Big Bang Theory, CBS’s sometimes heavy handed portrayal of a few geeks and a hot chick, made a very topical argument one of its main story threads tonight. Sheldon, perhaps the geekiest of them all, had a conversation throughout the entire episode about whom should be the next Batman. Images from recent issues of Bat books, plus conversations about Post-Crisis, Infinite Crisis, Zero Hour, Joe Chill, and more were shown repeatedly as they sussed out the story threads.

I know it’s a show about geeks/nerds, but it was still pretty cool to see something currently going on that a lot of fans have vested interest in being talked about in front of the entire nation. If we see a sudden sales bump, we’ll know where it came from!

I can’t seem to find Big Bang Theory streaming anywhere on the ‘net, so if anyone knows of a place, share a heads up here. If not, look for reruns over the summer and the eventual DVD release.

[Sean Walsh]

A lot of DC in last night's episode. The bit about Infinite Crisis, 52 and the Multiverses was fantastic.

"What's a multiverse?"
"Get her out of here."

Plus I believe someone's a big GL/Johns fan, because several GL hardcovers - at least 2 were from the current series - were very prominent in the scene where Penny and the comic store guy first meet.

[Superbeast]

A lot of DC in last night's episode. The bit about Infinite Crisis, 52 and the Multiverses was fantastic.

"What's a multiverse?"
"Get her out of here."

Plus I believe someone's a big GL/Johns fan, because several GL hardcovers - at least 2 were from the current series - were very prominent in the scene where Penny and the comic store guy first meet.

Sheldon has worn a GL T shirt in at least 3 episodes I've seen as well. It's odd to think the same creative team does Two And A Half Men given the material is so different.

[Will44]

As a big video game/comic book fan, I've tried to watch this show. I just can't get into it. They seem like stereotypes more than real world fans.

[Sean Walsh]

As a big video game/comic book fan, I've tried to watch this show. I just can't get into it. They seem like stereotypes more than real world fans.

I think the fact that they're really brilliant geeks is going to be a turn off to people, and not really seem genuinely real.

Sheldon for one is definitely an acquired taste, because his social patterns are so completely outside the norm. Took me almost the whole first season to warm to him. But he grows on you, and even if he doesn't he certainly has his moments.

[Iscera]

www.surfthechannel.com has both seasons most of the links work, the odd one sucks. love the show i was stoked when they started talking about Battle for the Cowl, it was cool since i just recently had a discussion with a friend about BFTC and then we watched that episode.

[David Walton]

As a big video game/comic book fan, I've tried to watch this show. I just can't get into it. They seem like stereotypes more than real world fans.

See, I have the opposite reaction. I think they all have fairly distinctive personalities, and the fact that they make actual comic book references instead of generalizations shows the creators respect the material. In Big Bang Theory the comics community is treated like an actual culture instead of "the other."

[David Walton]

A lot of DC in last night's episode. The bit about Infinite Crisis, 52 and the Multiverses was fantastic.

"What's a multiverse?"
"Get her out of here."

This episode was the most comic friendly to date. There were a lot of inside jokes that you just couldn't get without an inside knowledge.

Plus I believe someone's a big GL/Johns fan, because several GL hardcovers - at least 2 were from the current series - were very prominent in the scene where Penny and the comic store guy first meet.

BBT seems very DC heavy in general. There are several Showcase editions on Sheldon's Bookcase. I believe there's a Batman one, a GL and a Flash.

They mostly reference Marvel in passing, as when they told Penny to just get a Spider-Man comic. There was one other episode where they said they wanted a friend who was intelligent, rich and knew lots of girls. Leonard's punchline is, "So we're agreed. Our next friend should be Iron Man."

The Hellblazer reference was funny as well.

[Iscera]

This episode was the most comic friendly to date. There were a lot of inside jokes that you just couldn't get without an inside knowledge.



BBT seems very DC heavy in general. There are several Showcase editions on Sheldon's Bookcase. I believe there's a Batman one, a GL and a Flash.

They mostly reference Marvel in passing, as when they told Penny to just get a Spider-Man comic. There was one other episode where they said they wanted a friend who was intelligent, rich and knew lots of girls. Leonard's punchline is, "So we're agreed. Our next friend should be Iron Man."

The Hellblazer reference was funny as well.


yeah there have been many references to both. we even see references to xbox, ps3, nintendo. WoW. and many other things. and its not just a mention of it they go into detail and everything. one of the reasons i love the show.

but my all time favorite part has to be the episode were Raj gets to be in People Mag. and Sheldon is bitter about it. leonard tells sheldon to be happy and smile. and when sheldon smiles i cracked up so hard. especially when leonard says "were not here to kill batman"

[Static-Pulse]

Was it just me, of was the comic first Penny picked up in the shop a Green Arrow/Black Canary trade?

[David Walton]

yeah there have been many references to both. we even see references to xbox, ps3, nintendo. WoW. and many other things. and its not just a mention of it they go into detail and everything. one of the reasons i love the show.

but my all time favorite part has to be the episode were Raj gets to be in People Mag. and Sheldon is bitter about it. leonard tells sheldon to be happy and smile. and when sheldon smiles i cracked up so hard. especially when leonard says "were not here to kill batman"

I think another strong suit of the show is that they have varied subcultures. If you aren't into comics, wait for a video game joke. If not, wait for a physics one. And so on...

And yes, we're not here to kill Batman was hilarious.

[Global Honored]

BBT might be my favorite show or "Sheldon" as we refer to it. Lots of comic book (not Comics mind you) references throughout, and Sheldon often wears a GL or Flash tee and I am pretty sure he sported the full Flash costume on one occasion. They mention their LCBS often and even plan all year for Comic Con. Slotted along with Two and Half Men as well as How I Met Your Mother really brings in an audience, 18-35 geek and nongeek alike, that could do nothing but help expose comics to a broader audience and perhaps make the perception less scary/creepy for all. The characters are extreme (to the geek power) but complicated too, definitely not robotic stereotypes let alone the fact that it's a comedy, so playing off those immediate preconceptions is what it's all about. Hence the ditsy blonde who dreams of making it as an actress. It works. It's smart and true, if it wasn't...then maybe there would be a problem.

It's a Cali based show, so not sure if that would lean it towards one publisher more than another or not. We could always follow the money and see how Marvel and/or DC is connected to the shows production.
In the end, its only a show (quite funny even if the dynamic/premise is very simple) and the writers may just be more into the DC legacy characters like Bats, Hal and the Flash then current Marvel ones.

[David Walton]

BBT might be my favorite show or "Sheldon" as we refer to it. Lots of comic book (not Comics mind you) references throughout, and Sheldon often wears a GL or Flash tee and I am pretty sure he sported the full Flash costume on one occasion. They mention their LCBS often and even plan all year for Comic Con. Slotted along with Two and Half Men as well as How I Met Your Mother really brings in an audience, 18-35 geek and nongeek alike, that could do nothing but help expose comics to a broader audience and perhaps make the perception less scary/creepy for all.

I agree. And Monday is by far my favorite TV night. In an age when the sitcom has been eclipsed by crime drama and reality television, it's a breath of fresh air all the way through. And with "Rules of Engagement" back, it's all good!

The characters are extreme (to the geek power) but complicated too, definitely not robotic stereotypes let alone the fact that it's a comedy, so playing off those immediate preconceptions is what it's all about. Hence the ditsy blonde who dreams of making it as an actress. It works. It's smart and true, if it wasn't...then maybe there would be a problem.

Yeah, I think there's been a lot of effort crafting their individual personalities. And the show has a broad appeal. A young girl I work with knows nothing of comics or science fiction save that there is, somewhere, a pointy-eared man named Spock. And she loves the show! So I think it's very clever in the way the references are made, very inclusive.

It's a Cali based show, so not sure if that would lean it towards one publisher more than another or not. We could always follow the money and see how Marvel and/or DC is connected to the shows production.
In the end, its only a show (quite funny even if the dynamic/premise is very simple) and the writers may just be more into the DC legacy characters like Bats, Hal and the Flash then current Marvel ones.

My guess is they just prefer DC. No arguments about One More Day or the Spider-Man marriage to date.

[Sean Walsh]

My guess is they just prefer DC. No arguments about One More Day or the Spider-Man marriage to date.

Actually, BBT is produced by Warner Brothers, so..........that explains that. :wink:

[David Walton]

Actually, BBT is produced by Warner Brothers, so..........that explains that. :wink:

Well there we go!

Oh, look at that...I seemed to have left all these copies of DC Showcase and Archive editions just as you guys were prepping the set...

Whatever will we do with them all?

Now that I think about it, there wasn't a Marvel comic in sight at that LCS!

[Global Honored]

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/04/big_bang_theory_the_hofstadter.html

Pic here, at least we do see Allred's Madman represented.

[David Walton]

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/04/big_bang_theory_the_hofstadter.html

Pic here, at least we do see Allred's Madman represented.

Cool.

But Madman is hardly a threat to DC sales. My guess is we won't be seeing Dark Reign references anytime soon!

EDIT: That would be kind of cool, though. I'd like to see a riff on the DR ads with Leonard getting trashed by the comic store guy while Penny is on his arm that says, "He Lost. They Won."

[Iscera]

Well there we go!

Oh, look at that...I seemed to have left all these copies of DC Showcase and Archive editions just as you guys were prepping the set...

Whatever will we do with them all?

Now that I think about it, there wasn't a Marvel comic in sight at that LCS!

thats true. never thought about that. and now that i think about it all the comics ive seen them reading have been DC as well. they have only made reference to marvel i.e. spiderman and iron man and other odd ones.

[David Walton]

thats true. never thought about that. and now that i think about it all the comics ive seen them reading have been DC as well. they have only made reference to marvel i.e. spiderman and iron man and other odd ones.

Every LCS I go to is pretty much wall to wall with the Marvel teasers. Marvel seems to put a lot more effort into the in-house and LCS posters.

[Golden_Tuna]

i love this show...

[Karl O'Neill]

This show is pimping out the dc books big time, I wonder if they are genuine fans of the stuff?

[SMARTASS8]

Actually, BBT is produced by Warner Brothers, so..........that explains that. :wink:

That's definitely part of it(the same thing happened on The OC), but I've seen in interviews that Bill Prady(one of the show's 2 creators) is a DC Silver Age fan. A lot of the shows other writers have given him reading lists to keep him current, but that's part of why the show has more DC than Marvel references.

Even though it's something JoeyQ would be more likely to do, Didio should really try and get this guy to write something for them. I really love this show! I still can't believe that the other creator of the show created Two And A Half Men. That show seems to be popular by milking the same 2 or 3 jokes for how many years now?

[dupersuper]

Back when "Leonard" was on Roseanne, I remember all the comics stuff he and Darlene (I can't believe I remember the names) had up were DC to.

[Don't pee in the (Dead)pool]

I've finally watched the episode and admit it was very funny. I loved Sheldon's mention of Spider-Man 2099 and his "Get her out of here" line.:biggrin:
Also, Sheldon ruining Penny's chance to get laid was hilarious too...

[David Walton]

This show is pimping out the dc books big time, I wonder if they are genuine fans of the stuff?

That's one thing that makes the show work. The writers have a genuine affection for the material that shows, which is why it transcends the generic comic book fan stereotypes even when it reinforces them.

[End of Time]

BBT is AWESOME!

It has some of the best comic-book references in there. I loved it when the gang came to the conclusion that their next best friend should be Iron Man, and the Sheldon smiling that hideously evil smile of his was perfect.

One of the funniest shows on the air right now...

I do feel a bit dirty getting into similar arguments with people in real life...

[celticguy]

I've finally watched the episode and admit it was very funny. I loved Sheldon's mention of Spider-Man 2099 and his "Get her out of here" line.:biggrin:
Also, Sheldon ruining Penny's chance to get laid was hilarious too...

see now I look it as he cock blocked the other guy from the LCS Penny can get laid any day she wants.

[Don't pee in the (Dead)pool]

see now I look it as he cock blocked the other guy from the LCS Penny can get laid any day she wants.

My interpretation is that Sheldon, for all his intelligence and knowledge, is really naive when it comes to sexual relationships.
I don't think he was "cock-blocking", I genuinely believe he was just oblivious to what was going on and wanted to continue his "Who should replace Bruce as Batman?" debate.
I do agree with you on the fact that Penny can get laid any day she wants though...:biggrin: