Batman Comics

Batfriends, something hugely exciting just happened! Scott Snyder answered me on Twitter!!

As I’m sure you all know, Scott writes Batman and I’ve been loving his Court of Owls storyline. First he tweeted a few of the leading theories about the Court of Owls, and I responded with my own opinion on the topic:

Then Scott (I feel like we can be on a first name basis now) answered me!

How awesome is that!! Makes me wish I’d been a bit more eloquent in my comment but I’ll get over it. And he noticed my new avatar, which is from Batman 9!

As for it being a continuity change, I think it could definitely work. Joe Chill doesn’t have to just be a random thug, he could be sent there by the Court. Actually, he could still be just a guy, and maybe the Court of Owls was working in the background to put him in the right place at the right time, knowing he’d take that last murderous step himself? All it takes is one bad day…

I definitely think that the Jarvis Pennyworth back-up story in Batman 9 laid the groundwork for a scenario where Martha and Thomas Wayne start trying to improve Gotham City and help their fellow citizens, and the Court would want to get them out of the way to maintain their own control over the city. It’s so poetic – The Court kills Thomas and Martha, leading to Bruce’s decision to become Batman, and in the end they’ve created the instrument of their own downfall!

So there we go, a little bit of excitement in an otherwise dull day.

It’s a great week for comics! There’s lots going on, especially for the Bat ladies. The Court of Owls’ attack continues in some of these issues, while others are continuing their own unrelated stories. Here’s what I’m reading tonight, as always I’d love to hear about what’s in your pull file, so leave a comment!

Birds of Prey 9 – The Birds take on the Owls, it’s their turn to pitch in and fight a Talon! What I really want is to know more about Poison Ivy, and how she’s feeling about allying with the Birds rather than doing her own bio-terrorist thing on the wrong side of the law. Maybe today we’ll get both!

Catwoman 9 – Catwoman and her new friend Spark join the Bat family in fighting the Court of Owls by protecting the Penguin. Not exactly Gotham’s finest upstanding citizen, but nobody deserves to be assassinated by an un-dead Talon! I really don’t like Guillem March’s cover, Catwoman is in one of those oh-so-unnatural poses where both boobs and butt are emphasized, but I guess that’s about par for the course here, since this is the “hot” and “sexy” title…

Justice League 9 – Based on the cover, my friend Brian who really enjoys highly meta story-about-stories comics will be pleased! There’s a new villain, and it sounds like he’s writing a comic book about the Justice League – that can only lead to problems. The backup story has also been engaging, as we see Billy Batson placed in a foster home and get to know his new family, but so far it’s not quite something that would interest me as a standalone title (not enough Batman!).

Nightwing 9 – The last issue saw Nightwing protecting Mayor Hady from the Talons, which went pretty well but ended up with an awful lot of knives sticking out of our favourite former circus performer. Today Dick will continue to kick some Owl ass, I’m sure, and I want to know what happens with William Cobb, the Talon who’s also one of Dick’s ancestors.

Red Hood and the Outlaws 9 – We all know this isn’t my favourite title, but after reading the preview over at CBR I’m actually really looking forward to it! Kenneth Rocafort’s art looks great (I’m a sucker for interesting panel design) and I found Lobdell’s writing in the preview more funny and way less annoying than usual. Taking a step back from the action, I also really want to know what happens with Jason himself. He’s insistent that he’s not a good guy, and not really part of Batman’s team, but I don’t buy it. Can anyone ever really escape Batman’s family? Would anyone truly want to?

Batwoman 9 – I’ve enjoyed this book a fair amount (it’s at about the middle of my personal Bat-comic scale) but I can’t remember what the story is actually about. This suggests that the story itself is secondary to the interwoven structure that follows six different characters, and also secondary to the artwork, which isn’t really ideal for a well-rounded comicbook. That said, I do like the art quite a lot. Here’s the cover, by Ben Oliver. I find it interesting for how some parts are very textured and detailed, such as Batwoman’s cape, while other things like her hair are very smooth.

Good evening Gotham! I didn’t get to write about my pull file last week, but the comics were so good I thought I’d just share a few quick thoughts and pictures from the three issues. The Night of the Owls is in full swing and the Bat-family spreads through Gotham city, protecting prominent citizens from the Talons’ attack. I’m not going to recap what happens in each issue, since you should be reading these comics already, but spoilers will definitely occur.

Batgirl 9, written by Gail Simone, art by Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes.

I especially liked the art in this issue. Check out the colour and the way the panels are designed on this page:

It was a good story, so I’m sorry, but I have to say it. Why do they have to team up Batgirl with the only female Talon? Boys and girls can’t mix and fight each other these days? Once I got past that, however, I was definitely drawn in to the story and enjoyed this issue of Batgirl.

Batman 9, written by Scott Snyder with art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and Rafael Albuquerque.

This book had one of those Batman-makes-you-want-to-cheer moments that we all know and love, and I just couldn’t resist sharing it.

Damn straight! As Batman says, he gets to “play rough” because the Talons are not only incredibly strong and unnaturally regenerative, but they’re also undead (so he doesn’t have to worry about killing them). As such a strong and brilliant warrior, Batman would have to be holding back when fighting against the average Gotham criminal, so I can only imagine that in a way it would feel great to let loose a little. I also wanted to mention that I’m into the backup story, both for the story and the artwork. It’s been interesting to read about Alfred’s father Jarvis and I look forward to the revelations that come with the conclusion of his story.

Batman and Robin 9, written by Peter Tomasi, art by Lee Garbett, Andy Clarke, Ray McCarthy and Keith Champagne.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the father/son focus of this book, it’s also exciting to see Damian get the focus of the issue and really lead the action. Damian’s mission is to protect an army general who’s overseeing night training, so Damian gets to display his skill at commanding several units of trained soldiers, which is pretty amazing for a ten year old. Also there’s this – what happens when the Talon says that tonight he finishes what he started:

I know real owls’ heads turn all the way around, but even for a Talon that’s gotta hurt – from Batman’s son, I would expect nothing less.

That’s it for me today. As always I’d love to hear what you think about the Court of Owls or anything else going on in the Bat-world right now, leave a comment or send me a tweet!

Happy Wednesday, Bat-fans! Once again it’s been longer than I’d like between updates, but we do what we can. Despite not sharing my pull file last week or the week before I did read my comics, and love the Court of Owls storyline. I’m trying not to speculate too much about who’s behind it, but it’s been fun seeing theories online. What do you think will happen this week, and who do you think is really in charge of the Court of Owls? Leave a comment and let me know!

For the record, on April 18th I picked up Batman 8, Birds Of Prey 8, Catwoman 8, Justice League 8, Nightwing 8 and Red Hood and the Outlaws 8 (yes, I’m still buying it…) It was a busy week! Then on April 25th I read Dark Knight 8 and Teen Titans 8. Today is also a great day for Batman comic readers, here’s what I’ll be buying after work today:

Batwing 9 – Issue 8 came with some startling realizations about Batwing’s current nemesis Massacre, and I wonder how that will tie in to the Court of Owls storyline today. Perhaps there’s no connection at all, the Court may just swoop in and disrupt everything in this issue! Either way, with art by Marcus To we’re in good hands and I’m sure we’ll finally see some background detail in the art, what a relief.

Detective Comics 9 – The Court of Owls comes to Detective Comics as well! Batman has to protect one of the Talons’ targets, Jeremiah Arkham, which I guess means he’s back in charge of Arkham Asylum? That’s a far stretch from where we last saw him before the relaunch, when he was Black Mask (and just as villainous as the name suggests). I’m excited to find out what happened and what Jeremiah’s up to now!

Earth Two 1 – This new series opens up an alternate universe, where we meet Golden Age heroes Jay Garrick (Flash) and Alan Scott (Green Lantern). I got pretty confused just trying to figure that much out, so I hope James Robinson writes it to be a good first-issue introduction for those of us who started reading comics within the last few years and aren’t well-versed in DC history. Artwork by Nicola Scott, I’m not familiar with her work but it’s always nice to have another female artist in the mix!

Teen Titans Annual #1 – I don’t understand why there’s a random “annual” issue (well, maybe not so random) or why it costs $4.99 (most comics are $2.99) but surprise, I got this anyways. Teen Titans is good stuff, so I’ll go along for the ride.

World’s Finest 1 – Huntress and Power Girl from Earth Two are stranded in Earth One. How did they get here? Why can’t they go back? What will they do, what are they like, what do they want? I have so many questions! I’m also definitely excited that this comic is focused on two heroines, and I like the subversive aspect – instead of the classic World’s Finest team-up (Batman, Superman, and Robin) we have Power Girl (Superman’s cousin) and Huntress (Helena Wayne). There’s potential here! I really enjoy the cover, by George Perez and Hi-Fi (yes, really).

Good evening Gothamites! Tonight Rachael continues her Batman book reviews with a different type of book, and I must say, I want one like it for myself! I forsee a Batman colouring book shopping spree coming up soon…

Thanks again to the ever-charming Rachael, and have a great weekend.

Holy regular updates Batman! Is it pull file time again? It sure is, and I have three great comics to read this week. Even better – I can read them tonight instead of waiting days and days like last week!

Batgirl 8 – A new villain poses a challenge for Batgirl, but even more interesting to me, apparently we learn some sort of Gordon family secret that’s never before been revealed! What could it be? The Gordons have already lived through an affair, divorce, insanity, and paralysis… that’s just off the top of my head, there’s definitely a lot going on with this family. I can’t wait to see what they’ll have to deal with this time, but I wonder if it will even register as a problem when viewed against the rest of their history.

Batman and Robin 8 – Everyone knows how much I love this series, and issue 7 was excellent. Batman rescued Robin from Nobody (although really, does Damian Wayne ever need rescuing? Probably as often as his father does) but the ending took a distinct turn for the worse. The theme of this series since the relaunch has been Bruce’s attempt to connect with his son, and to help Damian grow from assassin to life-preserving crime-fighter; it’s a great focus to their developing relationship and for this comic title. So far it feels like Bruce hasn’t managed to truly connect with Damian, but I’m hopeful that we’ll see them sort things out soon.

Batwoman 8 – This issue continues the interwoven story structure that worked so well previously, although it does sort of feel like things are all over the place sometimes. This is the last issue with art by Amy Reeder. I like how she draws Batwoman very much, and wanted to share the cover she did for this issue. The use of colour is so perfect, and I love how the rain just seems to glow in the light of the buildings.

Writer: Judd Winick

Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Derek Fridolfs

Date: June 2012

Batwing 8 was really good. I had been unsure as to whether I wanted to continue reading this comic, though in the end I would’ve kept with it a bit longer for sure because I’m looking forward Marcus To’s upcoming art and the Court of Owls tie-in. After this issue, I’m reading it for itself, and to find out what happens with Batwing as a person. Warning, there will be spoilers ahead, including about the identity of Massacre.

The story since issue 1 has been about Batwing developing as a Bat-brand vigilante and finding his Mission, while also searching for Massacre, who’s been out killing former African vigilantes. Here in issue 8 we finally discover who Massacre is, and although I had my suspicions from the beginning (and I was totally right) it played out really well. I definitely felt engaged in the story and captivated by the relationships and effect on Batwing himself. Here’s the amazing moment where he realizes that General Keita was not the man behind the mask:

David (Batwing) realizes here that Massacre is his brother Isaac, who was a child soldier with him in Keita’s army. As I was reading this I couldn’t help but compare David with Bruce Wayne. They were born into wildly different circumstances, and they grew up almost in different worlds, but they each lost family to tragedy, and turned to crimefighting to help heal their grief. The two men talk when things finally quiet down. This was the part that really got me interested in Batwing, and in where David will go as a character after this.

Is there anything better than a Batman who believes in you? I don’t think so. The other thing that I enjoyed about Batwing 8 was Dustin Nguyen’s art. He has a very particular style, and although this is less detailed than some of his other work, especially in the backgrounds (maybe they didn’t give him much time?) I really enjoy how he drew Batman, Robin and Nightwing as well as the art we’ve already seen of Batwing himself. Here’s a great moment with our Gotham crew, ready to jump off the page:

So there we are, Batwing 8. It was sad, but in a good way, and definitely worth reading. If you’re reading it I’d love to hear what you think about this issue and where they’re going from here, comments are always welcome.

Good evening Gotham! Once again real life got in the way of my Batman time, it’s just not fair how that happens. Not only did I not get to write about last week’s comics, I didn’t even get to read them! Hopefully that doesn’t become the new normal, or I’ll have to realign priorities … who needs a day job, anyways? Just because Batman is also CEO of Wayne Enterprises doesn’t mean I can’t quit my job to focus on reading comics, right? So here’s what’s waiting for me:

Batman: The Dark Knight 7 – It’s a fun comic, what else do we need? We’re still fighting Bane and his new version of Venom, which Batman just got over thanks to some Super help. Now he’s off to find Flash and save him from a grisly end, while also tracking down more information about that mysterious white rabbit lady (has she done anything other than run around being mysterious?).

Teen Titans 7 – The Titans head to N.O.W.H.E.R.E. Headquarters (how do they find it?) to rescue Evil Superboy, and presumably drop the ‘evil’ on the way home. Overall this comic still feels like it’s in the ‘getting started’ stages, rather than being fully involved in an adventure, but I’m not complaining. I actually really enjoy extended team-coming-together stories, and it’s great to see these young heroes get to know each other.

Batwing 8 – Massacre’s hunt for former African superheroes has brought him to Gotham City, with Batwing hot on his heels. I’m looking forward to seeing how Batwing interacts with our favourite Gothamites (Batgirl, Robin, and Nightwing), and also to the big reveal about who Massacre is behind the mask.

Detective Comics 8 – Last issue we had a big showdown in Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge, and Batman rescued his girlfriend (I think?) Charlotte from icy doom. I’m feeling surprisingly lacklustre about this issue, and I want to see more detective work, but I know I’ll enjoy it once I start reading. There’s also a second feature with art by Szymon Kudranski, who drew the Penguin book that I liked so much. Here’s the cover, by Tony Daniel, I love the smoke (fear gas?!) and how Batman looks like he’s ready to just jump off the page.

Good morning dear readers! Today we have a special treat, and I’m hoping it will turn into an ongoing series! My good friend Rachael, who has the wonderful food and travel blog Glass of Win, sent over this video. Take a moment to enjoy this tale of intrigue and mayhem with our favourite caped crusader, and have a wonderful Friday!

Happy Wednesday, Gothamites! Today’s a busy day for comics and there’s a bunch of good stuff in my pull file today. Let’s jump right in!

Batman 7 – I am so excited for this book! After all the buildup with the Court of Owls, in issue 7 we get a very Batman-centric story and a big reveal that’s a surprise but also totally makes sense. I’ve been following Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo on Twitter, and although they haven’t answered any of my tweets to them they’re still pretty cool. Seeing their excitement at working on Batman and the energy they bring to the story is really gratifying, I’m glad to know that the writers are much fans of Batman as I am.

Birds of Prey 7 -  The Birds finally capture Choke, the villain they’ve been dealing with for ages, but he’s got a woman on the inside! Who could betray the Birds of Prey? Hopefully we find out today. Jesús Saíz did the colours on issue 6, and now in issue 7 he does all the drawing. I quite liked his work on issue 1, so that sounds good to me!

Batman Beyond Unlimited 2 – I read issue 1 when it came out, but don’t actually remember it, and the synopsis on DC’s site didn’t help. Hey, I like Batman, I like the future, so I”m reading it.

Catwoman 7 – I just hope Selina doesn’t get beat up in this issue, it will make a nice change. As I said before, is it so wrong to hope that things will go right for Catwoman for a change? Today we get some fancy cars and fast driving scenes, which can be difficult to do in a still medium like comics, I’m looking forward to seeing how the artists Adriana Melo and Mariah Benes do it.

Justice League 7 – It hasn’t been a month since issue 6 came out, has it? Really? This issue jumps 5 years forward to the DCU present day; I wonder how the team’s relationships have changed and grown! That out-of-character moment for Batman in issue 5 still really grates on me, but who can help loving the Justice League?

Red Hood and the Outlaws 7 – I’m really only in it for the Owls. …And because Jason Todd gets naked pretty often. Actually, I do like Kenneth Rocafort’s artistic style, that’s been consistently good through this series.

Nightwing 7 – Nightwing has been an excellent comic, I definitely like getting an in-depth look at Dick Grayson that’s centred around his life. In the previous issue, Haly’s Circus returned to Gotham and Dick was caught up in a deadly situation. Today we should finally find out why a former circus performer has been carrying a grudge against Dick. I really enjoy this cover, by Eddy Barrows and Rod Reis, it feels very textured.