This is really fun.This is the cover to audio version of Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Kingdom Come mini-series, done with a full cast of actors and sound effects--the whole Radio Drama treatment.
Of course, there are a lot changes in this version--mostly, there's a lot of expository dialog ("Superman is lifting up the entire building!", "Green Lantern is shooting a beam of green light from his Power Ring!", etc.), since this version doesn't have the luxury of Ross' breathtaking visuals.
But for people who enjoy audio books and radio productions, its nevertheless a lot of fun to listen to, and its a real treat getting to hear some of Waid and Ross' best lines delivered by actual actors.
Of course, Kingdom Come features barely more than a cameo by The Phantom Stranger, but he gets something here he didn't get in the mini-series--a line of dialog!:
...see? Fun!
The Phantom Stranger is played by Denny O'Neil, of all people, and I think he does a pretty good job. His voice sounds a lot like what I imagine The Phantom Stranger might sound like--deep and serious.
(Note: This audio book came out in 1998, not in 1996 when the series did, but I wanted to pair it up with the book when we got to it on the blog)
The Phantom Stranger is played by Denny O'Neil, of all people, and I think he does a pretty good job. His voice sounds a lot like what I imagine The Phantom Stranger might sound like--deep and serious.
(Note: This audio book came out in 1998, not in 1996 when the series did, but I wanted to pair it up with the book when we got to it on the blog)
6 comments:
So Rob, do you own the Kingdom Come Audio book? I never knew such a thing existed 'til I started reading Wikipedia (gets a bum rap which it can deserve but it's great to kill some time reading). Too bad this wasn't more readily available. Thanks for my own glimpse of this!
Wow, thank for posting this. I've always wanted to hear the KC audio book (by which I mean I was interested in it when it came out and haven't thought about it since, till now). Sounds like lots of fun. I'll have to poke around the net for more clips.
The Specter's voice sounds all wrong to me, but I agree the Stranger sounds dead on. Good job Denny!
Yeah, I agree with RC - great on the Stranger, but an unfitting Spectre (who sounds kind of like a cliche sci-fi movie's A.I. system).
Thanks for posting this, Rob. I recently had a conversation about comic characters that have never appeared in any other medium, and the Phantom Stranger was the most prominent one I could think of. Apparently I was wrong!
Anyone know if the Stranger's mention in Maggin's novelization is pretty much just this?
That was rather thrilling! Reminded me of watching the old Shazam! live-action Saturday morning show when I was a wee bairn.
Butch-
I do own the KC audio book, on cassette(!). Its not available on CD, but you can find it as a bootleg if you know where to look.
Glad everyone enjoyed this post so much; its probably my favorite post i've done for the blog because its such a weird little moment in the Stranger's career.
Will--
As far as I know, this is the Stranger's only appearance in the novelization.
Thanks Rob.
Will - It's been years since I read it, but I'm pretty sure this was it for the Stranger. IIRC the only characters who got more "face time" where Superman & Batman. Little bits for everyone but they got the lion's share.
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