Better Know A Hero: Black Widow

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the sixth installation of our "weekly" feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Black Widow

Also Known As: Tasha, Widow, Red

Alter Ego: Natasha Romanova, though this is another character where it's not so much a secret identity as a name. Also, she's surprisingly forthright about being, you know, a spy. Especially since Marvel can't really play up the whole Cold War thing anymore.

Origin: Well, it's pretty simple compared to most other heroes. She's basically an orphan (which comes as a surprise to no one) whose parents were killed in a fire when she was young. From there, a dude named Ivan Petrovich raised her, and she found her way into the Soviet spy program where she was trained to be, er, a spy.

(Side Note: Yes, I'm aware that they retconned her origin a while back to make her basically a Russian female version of Wolverine, complete with implanted memories and all that. For obvious reasons, we're ignoring that and sticking with the garden-variety "hot Russian superspy" story, because really --- if it ain't broke, don't fix it.)

(Additional Side Note: I'm also aware that Marvel tried to sorta reboot the Widow role with the blonde Yelena Belova. Seeing as how the New Avengers melted her face off early on and she became a Super-Adaptoid, but then HYDRA blew her up, we're ignoring her too. It's for the best.)

(Son of Side Note: If you're keeping count at home, Black Widow is roughly the 43,557th superhero character whose origin includes the loss of parents at an early age.)

Powers: None per se, thought she's wicked good at acrobatics, combat, marksmanship, and has those delicious little "Widow's Bite" bracelets she wears that can really ruin your day by blasting 30,000 volts worth of energy holes in your face.

How's The Costume?: I must say, if you're going to be a hot Russian superspy (Hi, Googlers!) called the Black Widow, a black leather catsuit is probably exactly the right costume for me you. It should be pointed out, though, that in her initial appearances she didn't really have a costume, it was more of a "Rich Civilian Evening Wear" get-up. Because she was, um, a spy, and trying to hook up with Tony Stark.

Home Cookin': One of the Marvel characters who has a really good reason to not be stuck in New York, she's now typically depicted in... New York. Stupid Marvel.

Chillin' At The Crib: Early on, she actually lived in San Francisco with Petrovich, where she had a lovely house with a garden and everything. During a lot of the 80s you could find her at a variety of safehouses around the world, or in Avengers Mansion, or in L.A. when she was gettin' her Champions on.

Can She Fight?: Yeah, but be careful. She's not all about the direct confrontation, Black Widow typically relies more on sneak attacks, sniper rifles, and the occasional martial arts throwdown rather than throwing skyscrapers at Galactus. She works best as a complementary team member, not your first draft pick if, say, Dormammu shows up in a bad mood.

Allies: Most of the Marvel Universe seems to agree that it's better to have her on your side than against you. She's been an Avenger, a West Coast Avenger, and is now a Mighty Avenger, though I have a feeling she'll probably leave the "Mighty" part off her resume when all is said and done. Also back in the day had a relationship with Hawkeye which was highly entertaining.

(Side Note: which is, of course, why in the Ultimate Universe Marvel thought it would be a good idea for Ultimate Hawkeye to shoot a crippled, traitorous, nasty Ultimate Black Widow through her Ultimate Neck with an Ultimate Arrow. Good times!)

She moved to L.A. and was a member of the Champions as well, and was romantically involved with Hercules, about which the less said the better.

Also shared a relationship (and more -- bow-chicka-bow-bow!) with Daredevil for a long time, and still carries a quasi-torch for DD if recent Daredevil comics are to be believed. In fact, in Essential Avengers Vol. 5, there's a DD/Widow reprint that shows Hawkeye and Daredevil dropping in on Tasha at the same time -- wacky Three's Company-like hijinks ensue!

Enemies: Before she turned the corner for good, she was dedicated to undermining the corrupt capitalist pig-dogs of the U.S. like Tony Stark. Nowadays she fights whoever she's given orders to by, um, Tony Stark. Huh.

Symbol: The obvious choice in this case, the trademark red hourglass is also the right choice. Extra props for (usually) having the symbol elegantly understated on the belt buckle rather than splashed gaudily across the uniform, although in many depictions the symbol doesn't appear anywhere at all. (Ignore my crappy photoshoppery here.)

Family Matters: None to speak of in the origin that matters, although I seem to recall that she may have a child flitting about somewhere.

Might Be Cool To: Go clubbin' with. Infiltrate enemy organizations. Introduce her to the girl that broke your heart in high school with the phrase, "Yeah, I traded up."

Under No Circumstances: Suggest having Daredevil, Hercules, and Hawkeye over for an evening of drinks and Monopoly. Or Jenga.

Annual Performance Review: Well, she was pro-registration, though we never once even saw a glimpse of what might be her motivation for joining Iron Man's side --- in fact, you could make the case that having defected from the rigid, tightly controlled oppressive Soviet Union she'd be dedicated to preventing such a thing from happening here, and it might have even made a compelling story to see her wrestle with that idea versus her patriotism towards her adopted country and friends, but that's why I'm not writing Marvel comics, I guess. Anyway, she's a Mighty Avenger now.
What Makes Her So Special, Anyway?: While early on Tasha would swoon over any dude in a costume, in the 80s she developed a take-no-prisoners, tough-as-nails personality which I quite liked. Her loyalties have been divided in the past, and there are hints that at any moment something from her past could come back to bite her.

She's also a perfect Avenger --- not overpowered, just a person with some special skills that works well as a team member.

Plus, let's face it: hot redheaded leather-clad Russian superspies are undeniably cool, and comics need at least one of them in every universe.

Better Know A Hero: Phantom Stranger

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the fifth installation of our weekly feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Phantom Stranger

Also Known As: MISTER Phantom Stranger, SIR!

Origin: This one's a toughie, because DC's never really come outright and given us a definitive origin; there was a Secret Origins issue some years back that gave us three or four possible origins if I remember correctly, but nothing ever really got nailed down.

The beauty of that is that you get to project your own origin on one of DC's uber-characters! Want him to be a fallen angel cast down from Heaven? Okay, then! Want him to be the physical embodiment of the insane consciousness of the last member of a dying race of sentient alien fire hydrants? Done!

(Side Note: Don't laugh. You can't tell me that hasn't crossed Grant Morrison's mind once or twice. Grant, if you're reading: call me. I have ideas.)

Powers: Pick one. Energy bolts? Check. Teleportation? Sure, why not? While we're at it, let's throw in telepathy, omniscience, intangibility, the ability to drone on for hours about "dark portents" and "cosmic order" and anything else that was required in any given issue he showed up in. I'm dead serious --- near as I can tell, the one constant ability dude has was the ability to scare the living shit out of someone by appearing unannounced right in front of them. (Which is still a really cool power.) The point is, PS can do whatever the writer needs him to do.

How's The Costume?: Oh, man, there is a reason the Phantom Stranger is inherently cool, and the costume's a big part of it. That cape! That fedora! That massively oversized gold medallion! And what sensible slacks! PS was a hustler pimp daddy, the original gangsta with an ice-cold stare made all the creepier by the lack of pupils and shadow eternally cast over his eyes. (No, it's not actually a mask. I know, I was surprised too.)

Alter Ego: Phantom Stranger doesn't need an alter ego, Mortal.

Home Cookin': PS is a rolling stone; wherever he lays his hat is his home.

Chillin' At The Crib: Sometimes he hangs out at the Oblivion bar with the rest of the DCU magicky types, but I prefer to think that he has a lushly appointed swingin' bachelor pad complete with shag carpet and a beanbag chair he made out of the hides of demons.

Can He Fight?: It's really not so much about the fighting with PS as it is the stern looks, ominously vague prophetic warnings, and reality-altering magic that mysteriously at the last minute he won't use for fear of upsetting some cosmic balance or rulebook or some twaddle like that. So, um, yes in the sense that he scares away 99% of would be combatants before the fight ever starts; no in the sense that we rarely see him throw down.

Allies: He's actually a member of the Justice League, believe it or not, (though he never brings the things he signs up for to the potlucks). Cassandra Craft, Zatanna, and the Shadowpact are his most recent cohorts. Back in the day, ran with Swamp Thing and John Constantine, Vertigo-style.

Enemies: Whoever he damn well decides is going to be an enemy. Mostly anybody evil or threatening to upset the Cosmic Balance of Destiny, Order, And/Or Fate™.

Symbol: Taking suggestions, although I'm partial to either his big ol' medallion or the fedora.

Family Matters: Your guess is as good as mine, although he did have a very brief dalliance with Cassandra Craft once upon a time.

Might Be Cool To: Have him materialize in your neighbor's kitchen and steal all the ham out of their fridge, then repeat this several times a week until the neighbor goes mad, raving about the Ham-Thief Ghost as he's carted off to the looney bin while you and PS enjoy some ham sandwiches gratis. Go bowling with.

Under No Circumstances: Refer back to that time not so long ago when Mr. Big Bad Phantom Stranger was turned into a mouse by the Spectre. Yank his chain, literally or figuratively.

Annual Performance Review: The last I saw of PS, he was rebuilding the Rock of Eternity with the Shadowpact and beating down the Spectre. Let's face it: people are afraid to use the Phantom Stranger in their comics because they Cannot Deal With The Power. He was my choice to be a regular recurring character (or at least a narrator) for the new Brave and the Bold series, but Mark Waid and George Perez certainly don't need my input, thanks very much.

What Makes Him So Special, Anyway?: I have always adored the Phantom Stranger. He's dark, mysterious, typically alone, with vaguely defined powers and conflicting backstories. The Stranger's look is an iconic one; there's just something commanding about a strangely sinister-looking nigh-omnipotent dude in a zoot suit.

He's part Shadow, part Doctor Strange, part Omniscient Narrator and Greek Chorus, and immediately increases the cool factor of any comic he shows up in, even if that comic is Gotham County Line.

DC has produced a magnificent Showcase volume, as well, so check out the original stuff by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, although personally I prefer the mid-80's appearances and his cameo in the Zatanna series in which he goes out to buy bread. Seriously.

Better Know A Hero: Beta Ray Bill

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the fourth installment of our weekly feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Beta Ray Bill

Also Known As: Bill, That Awesome Horse Guy Who Odin Used To Teach Thor That He Ain't All That

Origin: The short version is that Bill was an alien Korbinite whose mind was transferred into the body of a bioengineered monster that the Korbinites built to guard their race as they fled from an alien race of demons and an exploding sun.



(Side Note: That last sentence right there? Sums up the awesomeness of 80's Marvel.)

Next thing you know, Thor goes to investigate, wacky Three's Company-like misunderstanding occurs, and ol' Bill winds up wielding Mjolnir. Odin takes a liking to Bill, elists him to defeat the alien demons and teach Thor a lesson in humility, and creates a hammer just for him. Cosmic ass-kicking ensues.

Powers: Pretty much everything Thor can do, and Bill's got a hammer named Stormbreaker. Also: it's worth noting that he's essentially a cyborg, which goes to prove that cyborg Thor ripoffs don't necessarily have to be lame (I'm lookin' at you, Clor).

How's The Costume?: Pretty badass, as if someone took an old-school Thor outfit and decided to make it entirely out of shiny metal. Plus, I'm a sucker for wings on the head, so make of that what you will.

Alter Ego: Simon Walters, an Earthling he's bonded with who carries a cane that turns him into Beta Ray Bill. No, they weren't trying particularly hard here, were they?

Home Cookin': Another day in the Marvel Universe, which means we're either in New York or outer space, although for the upcoming Omega Flight launch he's gonna be taking up residence in Canada. Don't look at me like that. It wasn't my idea.

Chillin' At The Crib: Reason #944 Beta Ray Bill is cool is that he tools around in a living space battleship named Skuttlebutt. It's one thing to be an alien horse monster with the power of a Thunder God. It's entirely another to fly around in a sentient battleship. You had me at hello, Mr. Simonson.

Can He Fight?: I mentioned he beat up Thor at least three times, right? Kay. Moving on.

Allies: Thor, Sif, the Asgardians in general, those yahoos that are going to be in Omega Flight, and the Thor Corps. (No, I'm not making that up. Check it, yo.) He was also a member of the Star Masters, which for the uninitiated was kind of the cosmic version of the Champions, only lamer.

Enemies: Demon aliens (the Surtur), any number of cosmic or supernatural baddies, and the first "iteration" of Bill created by the Korbinites but ultimately deemed too dangerous and psychotic to be their champion: his name, of course? Alpha Ray. I love comics.

Symbol: Pretty much one of the ten best covers EVER in comicdom, right here from his first appearance:



Family Matters: His home race, I guess. Other than that, he considers Thor a 'brother'.

Might Be Cool To: Drive around with for awhile, watching the faces on people as they think, "Hey, that costume reminds me of someoGAAAAAAAH! A HORSE DEMON WITH THE ABILITY TO WIELD MAGICAL BLUNT OBJECTS!"

Under No Circumstances: Refer to him as "Thorse". Attach a feed bag. Point out that really, no matter how hard he tries, it's Thor that gets the love.

Annual Performance Review: I mentioned he's in Omega Flight, right? We'll see how that turns out, but damn Marvel for making me want to pick up the first issue just to see how he ends up in Canada and whether or not he still has the wicked spaceship.

What Makes Him So Special, Anyway?: Quite frankly, Beta Ray Bill is one of those supremely Marvel properties, with cosmic wackiness and great visual design combined with a goofy origin and being a somewhat shameless rip-off of a well established hero. Bill's hugely powerful but was burdened with protecting his race, and he's got just enough pathos and courage to make him both sympathetic and balls-to-the-wall 'HULK SMASH!' cool. Also, it's interesting that he's essentially been able to retain his alien persona over the years, without humanizing him too much.

The magic, though is in Walt Simonson's Thor run that introduced Bill, and what a marvelous tale that was, indeed. It really shows A) the awesomeosity of Bill, Thor, Odin and the gang, and B) just how skilled Simonson was. You'd think a Thor arc that didn't really focus on Thor most of the time would suck. I offer Bill and this book here as evidence to the contrary.

I say thee YAY!

Better Know A Hero: Plastic Man

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the third installation of our quasi-weekly feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Plastic Man

Also Known As: Plas, Eel, Not The Elongated Man Or Mr. Fantastic But The Other Stretchy Guy Who Just Happened To Be The First One Thank You Very Much

Origin: Well, the pre-Crisis version is as follows: shot by a security guard and fell in a vat of acid that gave him super stretchy powers. About to die, he was --- this part is awesome --- saved by monks, whose act of kindness inspired him to turn away from crime and become the world's plastic-est superhero. This is much better than the post-Crisis origin, which includes attempted suicide, mental illness, and other grim and gritty nonsense.

Powers: Well, he can stretch and change his body into any shape or form, which has its advantages, particularly if you're flying coach class on a major airline. In fact, not only can he stretch, he can make himself into damn near anything, including chandeliers, nets, cars, subwoofers, and clocks. Extremely durable (natch), doesn't bleed, immune to telepathy and (one would think) x-rays.

How's The Costume?: Eh, if a laced up red leotard and a pair of goggles is your costume of choice, then... perhaps we need to be letting others make that decision for you, know what I'm saying?

Alter Ego: Patrick "Eel" O'Brian, although it's not so much an alter ego as just a name. You'd think with a name like that, though, he wouldn't get overlooked on all the blogs when they do their "Irish Heroes" tributes on St. Patty's Day.

Can He Fight?: Yeah, although judging from the Jack Cole Plastic Man comics they're not so much fights as "disguises himself as innocuous furniture in the criminal lair, then leaps out of nowhere to wrap them up and deliver them to the police". Which is still pretty cool in its own right.

Allies: Woozy Winks, a sidekick who, depending on the era you're reading, is either a normal person magically protected from harm by, um, nature, OR is a mentally disturbed homeless man. I'm not quite sure which one I prefer, although the name "Woozy Winks" is so Stan Lee-esque I imagine Stan shaking a fist in rage every time he sees it saying, "Damn you, Cole! You got there first!" Also: the police and the Justice League.

Enemies: Bank robbers, brains, spies, gorillas, anyone and everything those wacky Golden Age writers could dream up, liquid nitrogen.

Symbol: Um. Moving on. Nothing to see here.

Family Matters: Well, turns out he has a son, the creatively-named Offspring, who showed up in Kingdom and, sources tell me, in 52.

Might Be Cool To: Invite to parties so your friends can play "Spot the Innocuous Piece of Furniture That's Really Plastic Man In Disguise". (Hint: Look for the object that's mostly red with a smidgen of yellow, black, and a generous dose of pink!)

Under No Circumstances: Ask him to do that trick where he presses his hand down on the Sunday comics and imprint them backwards on his palm. Ask him if he sleeps in an egg.

Annual Performance Review: Haven't seen much of ol' Plas lately, which is strange, because his lighter tone and humor potential would seem like a natural fit for DC's stated objective of a lighter universe post-IC. Too bad Kyle Baker's series was cancelled.

What Makes Him So Special, Anyway?: If you haven't figured it out yet, Plastic Man is a Golden Age creation who ranks among the original superheroes, and what's more, one of the first superhero satires. Played mostly for laughs, and even later when they brought him into the JLA he served as mostly comic relief. You're telling me there's no space in the JSA for this legacied Golden-Ager? Hmpf. Also: DC has printed 7 or 8 Archive volumes of the original Plas material (which seems like a lot), so if you're looking for a good place to start, there it is.

Better Know A Hero: Captain America

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the second installment of our weekly feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Captain America

Also Known As: Sentinel of Liberty, Star-Spangled Avenger, Shield-Slinger

Origin: Injected with an experimental Super-Soldier serum in WWII, Cap was frozen in a block of ice after falling into the ocean whilst taking out a Nazi missile. That alone would be one of the best origin stories ever, but it gets better --- he's discovered by the Avengers and thawed out 20 40 60 years later, and continues to fight for the ideals and principles of freedom and, um, goodness.

Powers: Incredible strength, stamina, and reflexes, top-notch fighting skills. Immune to poisons, most diseases, and sarcasm. Probably the only guy on Earth who can get away with giving orders to Wolverine and calling him "son". Also has an almost supernatural inspiration over other heroes, many of whom would throw their own mother off a building rather than let down Captain Freakin' America.

How's the Costume?: Iconic and old-school. If you can't get behind a dude in blue chainmail, a big letter "A" on his forehead and wings on the side of his head AND flared red pirate boots, then I'm not sure we can be friends, mmmkay? Plus, he carries a shield that just happens to be the single coolest accessory in comics, period.

Alter Ego: Steve Rogers, which perfectly embodies the "everyman" vibe that Cap has. It's not much of an alter ego anymore, since everyone and their brother knows who Cap is. No, don't think too hard about how that idea fits in with Civil War.

Home Cookin': Remember, this is Marvel, so Cap lives in New York City.

Chillin' At The Crib: Ostensibly he lives in a supersecret warehouse in New York that's made to look like a burnt-out building on the outside by using holographic projectors. He also works out of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier a lot, because let's face it: supersecret warehouses just aren't all that sexy.

Can He Fight?: He's the best, hands down. He may not have frickin' laser beams shooting out of his eyes or webbing pouring out of his wrists, but in hand-to-hand combat he's unequaled. Also has the best combat move of all time, the patented Ricocheting The Shield Off Of Bad Guys Noggins™. That shield? Is. Awesome. Few sound effects can rival "SPANGGG!"

Allies: Most of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Falcon, Nick Fury, Sharon Carter, the government, Thor, Iron Man ... You know what? Let's stop before this gets too depressing.

Enemies: Ex-Nazis with crimson craniums, current Nazis of any color, military-industrial conglomerates whose employees dress like beekeepers, monster-themed terrorist organizations, mental organisms designed only for killing. Also: Iron Man.

Symbol: It's all about the shield, baby.



Family Matters: Eh, not much to speak of. I suppose the closest we got was Bucky Barnes, Cap's WWII boy sidekick who was presumed dead but really resurrected into a Russian cyborg assassin. So, there's that, anyway.

Might Be Cool To: Attend 4th of July celebrations with. Get his autograph. Play frisbee with the shield. Have him record DVD commentary for Saving Private Ryan.

Under No Circumstances: Attempt to convince him that making all superheroes government employees might actually have some benefits for the greater good. Tease him about the head-wings. Ask him about his big-band music collection.

Annual Performance Review: Well, it's been a rough year for Cap, because... well, you know. Now he's in jail awaiting God knows what. Also, while not dealing with the whole Civil War thing, he's coming to terms with the fact that Bucky's back, the Red Skull keeps staying one step ahead of him, and Nick Fury's still missing. We did see a nice team-up with Union Jack and Spitfire, though. Still, all in all, Cap would probably rather forget 2006 ever happened.

What Makes Him So Special, Anyway?: Captain America is the hero's hero, a symbol of everything that makes a hero one of the good guys. This guy is so awesome that every other superpowered freak looks up to him --- and at the core, he's still just a regular joe who happened to get some steroids about 60 years before professional athletes ruined it for everybody. He's also one of most consistently nice heroes ever depicted in comics. If you met him in real life, he'd probably spend 6 hours talking about whatever you wanted to, accommodating requests for autographs, buying you dinner, then apologize for taking up so much of your time.

Better Know A Hero: Batman

2 Guys Buying Comics has been apprised of the fact that a good portion of our visitors are just getting back into comics. We now present the first installation of our weekly feature, Better Know A Hero.

Name: Batman

Also Known As: Dark Knight, Caped Crusader, "World's Greatest Detective", which makes the Sherlock Holmes Fan Club pee-yossed.

Origin: Saw his parents get gunned down in an alley when he was a wee bairn. Traveled the world learning how to fight and inventing gadgets with his zillions of dollars, now wages a not-very-smart-strictly-from-a-numbers-perspective one man war on crime.

Powers: Brilliant powers of detection, hand-to-hand fighting, Bat-themed vehicles and gadgetry, paranoia so extreme he makes Josef Stalin look like Santa Claus.

How's The Costume?: It's the single coolest flying-mammal-themed costume ever.

Alter Ego: Bruce "Sugar Daddy" Wayne, billionaire playboy with a penchant for supermodels, heiresses, other billionaires, and adopting teenage boys.

Home Cookin': Lives in Gotham, which has an abundance of Gothic art deco architecture, no middle class to speak of, and exports reservoir-poisoning psychopaths the way Idaho exports potatoes.

Chillin' at the Crib: Resides in Stately Wayne Manor™, which is usually depicted as a mansion roughly the size of Sweden. Works out of a high-tech cave that contains, among other things, a supercomputer, a dinosaur, a giant penny, what one assumes is an astounding amount of bat guano, and that's just the foyer.

Can He Fight?: Are you kidding me? Is one hella good martial artist. Like, "routinely takes down twelve guys armed with pipes and revolvers with a few roundhouse kicks and a stare" good. And that's before we get to him flinging batarangs, smoke bombs, paper clips, monkey teeth, explosive croissants, parakeets, and God knows what else he keeps in the utility belt.

Allies: Sidekick Robin, who historically has been a progression of the aforementioned teenage boys. Geriatric Police Commissioner Gordon, evergreen butler/tailor/mechanic/cook/utility infielder Alfred Pennyworth. "Friend with benefits" Catwoman.

Enemies: Clowns, penguins, frozen guys, scarecrows, disfigured ex-District Attorneys, sunshine, rainbows, lollipops.

Symbol: Only the single best logo ever, which DC refuses to put back on his chest because they hate me.

Family Matters: Adopted circus acrobat Dick Grayson as a boy who became Nightwing, took in juvenile delinquent Jason Todd who he got killed, and adopting Tim Drake. Also "slipped one past the goalie" in a dalliance with Talia Al'Ghul, daughter of criminal mastermind and a right nasty bitch in her own right. Their son Damien recently showed up and raised a ruckus, but he's gone now for the time being, along with the heavy-handed symbolic name.

Might Be Cool To: Have him drop in on your boss at home and scare him into giving you a raise. Take the Batmobile through Taco Bell drive-in. Get a research grant from. Slap.

Under No Cirmustances: Tell him a secret, because Batman is exactly the kind of person who, upon finding out that you sleep with "Tuffy" the stuffed bear every night, devise an emergency plan to animate "Tuffy" while you're asleep and have him steal all your pants. In case, you know, you turn evil. Imply that "sliding down the Batpole" is code for anything.

Annual Performance Review: Well, he did build a satellite to spy on everyone on earth that ended up creating killer cyborgs. Before Infinite Crisis he was a paranoid douchelord, but then he took a totally platonic and not-suspicious-in-any-way yearlong cruise with Tim and Dick and so now he's just a garden variety badass type-A personality again, with a focus on detectin'.

What Makes Him So Special, Anyway?: Putting aside the fact that he's been around for 60-odd years and is a legend among legends, he is the Goddamned Batman. If you met him in real life you'd probably soil yourself and immediately confess to the Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping.