Kitsch and Cool Clash Colossally on Music of DC Comics Volume 2

I've often thought to myself, "Self, our life needs theme music." I hope it gets composed by Danny Elfman or Hans Zimmer, but I'm afraid it might get done by Arthur Korb.

These are the thoughts I now think as I listen to the tracks from The Music of DC Comics, Volume 2. Now, I know, comics are printed on paper and don't usually come with musical accompaniment. These are (mostly) from animated and live-action adaptations, smart-ass. And what an eclectic mix it is, starting with "The Baby from Krypton" from the 1940 SUPERMAN radio show, all the way through the opening theme credits for CW's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW.

As you might expect, there are some gems on here that will get a lot of play on your device. Jordyn Kane's "Get Your Cape On" is one I've only been able to listen to when I pull up the YouTube video for DC's Super Hero Girls, and now I can put it on repeat. The same for Harley Quinn's theme from Infinite Crisis, the opening theme for SUPERGIRL, and the tension-fraught instrumental for THE FLASH VS. ARROW. And there are some classics on there as well, including the Neal Hefti BATMAN theme and Margot Kidder's narrated "Can You Read My Mind" from the Christopher Reeve SUPERMAN film.

But there are some others on here that will put your teeth on edge, especially if you're not expecting them to come up in your playlist rotation. They're truly awful, in a way that makes you absolutely have to have them. Some of them are from the 1966 album SONGS AND STORIES ABOUT THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, which included theme songs written and composed by Arthur Korb. The "Theme Song of The Justice League of America" begins with a calling of the roll, with each member answering with "Here!" when their name is called out (including an obviously male in falsetto answering for Wonder Woman). The same group also does the theme song / origin story for Metamorpho (whom they included as a Justice League member for that album). I'm not sure which is worse -- these 1966 songs, or the swinging guitars and electric piano tones of Sun Ra and the Blues Project who do themes for the Joker, Robin and Penguin. You'll have to decide for yourself. I'd like to attribute it to the times, but then I listen to "The Ballad of Batman" from BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD and realize that was 2002 when it was done, and I run out of excuses. One thing's for certain -- once heard, they can't be unheard, and once played, while enough, they will be replayed repeatedly.

Kitsch aside, THE MUSIC OF DC COMICS, VOLUME 2 is something that a true comics fan wants -- nay, needs -- to have in their collection, and it's available in both digital download and audio CD formats.