Batman Comics

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!

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artist: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray

Date: Dec 2011

This issue really brings the father and son theme to the forefront, opening with Daddy Batman trying to figure out how to raise Damian to be a good, moral person – not an easy task given Damian’s early childhood education.

I love seeing Bruce share his inner thoughts with Alfred, it shows us how important that relationship is to Bruce (and kind of sets up a parallel, reminding us that Alfred never tried to be Bruce’s father). Gleason and Gray capture Batman at his best, I’ve been very into the art in this series so far. Check out the Bat-Ass at the top of the page:

The Dynamic Duo head out and intercept a weapons shipment, in a very exciting fight sequence. Once they’ve subdued the criminals (Damian managing not to kill anyone this time around) we have another Great Moment in Wayne Parenting as Daddy Batman tells Damian “Don’t think I didn’t notice the restraint you just showed, Robin. Refusing to pound these felons with the excessive force you wanted to is commendable.” Alfred thinks Bruce could have done better and tells him so in classic Alfred style:

Damian’s still a troubled little boy, and Bruce has a few other ideas about how to deal with that, including one that I never thought I’d see outside of fanfiction – he buys a dog! With the new canine addition to the Wayne family and the return of the Bat-Pole entrance to the Bat-Cave, the relaunched Batman & Robin clearly connects itself to the earlier incarnations of these characters, even though Robin’s a different person.

There’s also a whole storyline going on that involves Batman Incorporated, in issue 1 we saw the Russian Batman killed and here in issue 2 the killer confronts Batman in the final pages. This works to place Batman & Robin in the larger context of the DCnU, which is helpful given how many Bat books there are and the still-fuzzy details of exactly what’s changed in the relaunch. When we combine that with Daddy Batman and the exciting work to protect Gotham City, we get an excellent series that and an issue that I really enjoyed reading.

With the first month of The New 52 now behind us, the first issues of the other two monthly Green Lantern titles, Green Lantern Corps #1 and Green Lantern: New Guardians #1 have been released. These two issues give us good re-introductions to the other three human Green Lanterns, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. Guy and John share the cover of Corps, while Kyle gets to lead the multi-Corps team in New Guardians. This week, I’ll cover the basic back-stories of these three Lanterns, and give my impression of where these two books are going.

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna, Tyler Kirkham and Batt

Guy Gardner

Guy Gardner was originally selected as a “back-up” Green Lantern, in case Hal Jordan was unable to perform his duties. Guy was a bit of a delinquent in his youth, but he eventually straightened out and went to University, where he played football until he suffered a career-ending injury. He worked for some time as a social worker and a high school teacher, until he joined the Corps full time in *Rebirth*. This issue picks up with Guy back on Earth and trying to re-integrate himself into society.

He goes to an interview for a high-school football coaching position, but it does not go well. Unlike Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner opted to never wear a mask, and never concealed his identity as a Green Lantern. As an inter-galactic policeman, he felt it was important that people know who he is and that he can be trusted. This first presents a problem in the waiting room, when he is bombarded with questions, which he answers graciously.

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna

He likes being a Lantern, and doesn’t really mind the attention it brings, but it becomes an issue during his interview. The interviewer wonders how Guy could possibly fit a team of kids into his life when his Green Lantern duties already demand his full attention. He protests, saying he’d be able to juggle these duties, but the interviewer shuts him down. “You’re a Green Lantern, Mister Gardner,” she says. “We need you more than ever out there.”

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna

There are a lot of things going through Guy’s mind in that last panel. You can tell that he’s OK with what he’s being told; he knows he has a greater duty. But there’s a huge sense of dissapointment in his eyes. Guy is an educator at heart; he was even an instructor for the trainees in the Corps at one point. He wants to be able to help out these kids, and maybe impact their lives in a more direct way than saving the planet a few times per year. Guy may be sarcastic and tough, but he’s really one of the kindest and most caring characters in these books.

John Stewart

John Stewart is a former Marine and an architecht. He was first chosen as Guy’s back-up Lantern, and called to duty when Guy broke his legs. He is a brilliant architect, and his Constructs (the projections from his ring) are always beautifully designed buildings or structures, often with the blueprint measurements still on them. Here we see him trying to take a job as an architect, but he has a conflict with the project managers. His designs go far above the building code, with safety measures that are deemed “cost prohibitive.” This doesn’t go over well with John.

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna

John is a Marine at heart, with a strong sense of right and wrong. He often has to make tough decisions with real, lasting consequences, and the way he lives with that is knowing that it is right, and for the greater good. John doesn’t get angry very often, but when he does, it’s for very good reasons. After taking the three company representatives to the top of the proposed building in an elevator, he drops them to demonstrate the importance of the safety regulations.

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna

This issue is all about the hard time John and Guy have re-integrating into society (which is mirrored by Hal’s troubles in Green Lantern #1). They regroup and have a conversation sitting on a satelite (because who wouldn’t, really?) about whether they can even live on Earth anymore. John talks about how he can’t even relax or unplug, and is always waiting for the next mission. In the end, these guys embrace their rings and lives, and return to Oa for a new mission.

Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna

Kyle Rayner

Kyle is an artist. He was first recruited after the rest of the Corps had been destroyed, and Ganthet, the last Guardian, needed someone to police the universe. While off to take a piss in the alley, Kyle was confronted by Ganthet and given the last Power Ring. This is a scene that we haven’t seen in the comics for many years (not at all since Rebirth in 2004, if I remember correctly), but it turns out that it was very important to the Corps, keeping it alive until it could be restored to its former glory. Kyle was very good from the start, and was the only Lantern for some time (precisely how long is now unclear in this post-New 52 timeline).

Tyler Kirkham and Batt

Kyle, unlike John and Guy, always wears a mask, leading him to be known as “the OTHER Green Lantern,” because Hal was always much showier. This is a bit of a problem, because a Power Ring always addresses a new bearer by name, and in this issue Kyle finds himself chosen by six rings of the other Corps. (He jokes a page earlier, “Wanna announce my Social Security Number while you’re at it?”)

Tyler Kirkham and Batt

I’ve always thought of Kyle as the most emotional of the four human Lanterns, or at the very least the best able to express himself, so it makes some sense that he is chosen by these six rings. It is also clear, however, that something is wrong, because at least three of these rings were taken off of active duty Lanterns themselves, and Kyle is soon confronted by representatives of the other Corps looking for revenge and answers.

Green Lantern: New Guadians #1, like a lot of the other New 52 #1’s, had a lot of back story and a lot of set-up for the future, but it does once again establish Kyle’s origin for this new continuity.

Before the War of The Green Lanterns, the team known as the New Guardians was Hal, Sinestro and the leaders of every other Corps. This team seems to be made up of the second string of players, which is best highlighted by the presence of Indigo-2, not Indigo-1. I’ll be happy with this new line up, assuming we get some character development up to the level we had with the old members, but it leaves me wondering when we’ll get a good look at what happened to the other members. I suspect, however, that we will see them shortly, as there have been strong hints about Indigo-1’s back story with Abin Sur (Hal’s predecessor), and not much is known about the Indigo Tribe at all yet.

I have a copy of Red Lanterns #2 sitting on my coffee table, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I’ll post my thoughts on it and Green Lantern #2 in a few weeks.

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artist: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray

Date: Nov 2011

My Rating: Great issue, a fresh start to the Dynamic Duo but grounded in the Bat-history we all know and love.

I love seeing Bruce Wayne as a father, and in many ways this issue is about how he handles exactly that. He and Damian begin working together as Batman and Robin and they get off to a difficult start. As usual, here come some spoilers (I’m also assuming you’ve read the end of Flashpoint!) If you haven’t yet, go read this book yourself and then come back to discuss – I’ll wait, and it’s well worth it.

Bruce starts in the study, in a scene that’s reminiscent of an important moment in Frank Miller’s ‘Batman: Year One‘, and also of Morrison’s Batman stories. Speaking to his father’s bust, Bruce says “Tonight’s the night, Father. It’s time for a change.” Damian met his father at the same age Bruce was when he lost his own, and that seems particularly meaningful tonight, on the anniversary of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s deaths. As they prepare for patrol, Bruce opens up to Damian in a way he hasn’t before.

Bonus points for the return of the Batpole. Also, “Sometimes I think your secrets have secrets” is a great line, but how sad for Damian to think that about his own father. I guess Damian’s overall hostility shouldn’t be surprising, but it really shows how much Bruce will have to overcome in order to get closer to his son – and Damian’s got a lot of growing ahead of him. As Batman goes on to explain the changes he plans to make, I realized that this represents a big shift in his whole outlook. He’s making an effort to focus on the future, on the potential of his relationship with Damian, on what they can do for Gotham, rather than on the loss that brought him to the life he’s now leading.

I think this change is a result of the letter Bruce received from his father. That really gave him some closure, and let him move on from it in a different way than he ever had before. This book also connects the relaunched Batman with the symbols that have always represented Bruce’s chosen path in life – the bell ringing as he sits in the study considering the future (that was a Morrison thing, right? I can’t get to my back issues right now!); the pearls that fell from his mother’s neck as she died; I’m surprised that I couldn’t find more actual bats in this issue.

This next page is one of my favourites, for sure – I love that Batman has to teach someone how to have a heart. It’s kind of perfectly fitting for Damian to be exactly as cynical as he is, to force Bruce to counterbalance that. How is it that Batman is the one with the better sense of humour? I for one am loving this.

Batman’s boat can do anything. One other thing I wanted to mention is the art, as you can see from the pictures above it’s amazing. I love the colour palette, how the pages work together and sort of flow as a whole, and the art really works to enhance the story and the mood of what’s going on. If it continues to be this good, Batman & Robin will remain one of my favourite comic series.

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artists: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray

Date: June 2011

My Rating: Great story, beautiful art and lots of fun, as a Batman comic should be.

There was so much goodness in Batman & Robin 22, I can’t even tell you. I definitely reccommend buying this issue and adding the series to your pull file, it just gets better and better.

The plot is our standard ‘child traumatized by father’s death at the hands of a costumed villain, swears revenge on everyone’ situation. This “White Knight” glows and wears wings, and goes around finding relatives of inmates of Arkham Asylum (past and present). Then he convinces them to kill themselves so they can no longer “add to the world’s pain”.

What really sets this story apart is the awesomeness of Dick and Damian. Check out this page where the Dynamic Duo and Alfred talk about what defines us as people (click to enlarge, as always):

I can’t get over how Damian’s face is drawn, and his body language – it adds so much to the dialogue. He puts on this sneering, scornful front, but inside he wants Batman’s reassurance that he belongs on the good team. Kind of reminds us that he’s, like, eight years old or something insane like that.

They’re interrupted when Arkham itself starts to glow, and they head out to discover that the GCPD (why were they already on the scene?) has been temporarily blinded by the flash of bright light. I love Gordon, staying calm even though he has no idea what’s going on or if his sudden blindness is permanent. The art is beautiful, look at how Batman is shadowed against his own cape as he jumps into action.

Inside Arkham, cells are filling up with glowing water which will soon drown the inmates. The White Knight has stuck photos of dead family members to each resident’s cell, but for one notable exception:

Gotta love that Joker!! No regard for his own possible demise, I’d expect nothing less. There’s also a great picture of how he reacts to the sudden in-cell shower, and you’d never guess what he does when the cell fills up entirely.

Zsazs manages to get out of his cell, so Batman follows the White Knight up to the roof while Robin stays to subdue Zsazs and stop the water filling the cells from killing everyone. With his usual style, Damian does just that:

Love the sound effects! Meanwhile, the White knight manages to wound Batman, but a little spear through the side won’t prevent Batman from a snarky comeback.

Projectile sharpened ears are the best bat-suit modification I’ve ever seen.

Well! I’ve shown more pictures than usual while still leaving out a couple really great parts. This book was drawn and coloured beautifully, it’s an exciting story, and Batman and Robin are the perfect combination of badass and funny. Overall, an awesome issue in a great series. Have a great night, Gotham city!

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artists: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray

Date: April 2011

My Rating: Bat-family to the rescue!

I can’t believe I’ve only written about one issue of Batman & Robin so far! This is one of my favourite series, Dick and Damian make an amazing team both because of and despite their very different personalities. They really complement each other while having enough conflict to keep things moving forward. My main problem with this issue was that the last few pages totally lost me, I have no idea what the ending meant. Hopefully next month will resolve that!

This issue starts with one of the best Bat-family scenes I’ve ever seen, and I’m not even going to share the best part – you’ll have to go pick up a copy if you want to see it Here’s page 2, Dick and Tim are so comfortable with each other, Alfred is Alfred, and Damian does his customary antisocial thing. My only problem is with Bruce Wayne’s face – just doesn’t quite look like him, you know?

Here’s an Awesome Alfred Moment — doing up Dick’s bowtie one-handed, without looking, while driving the car and making a witty reference. What can’t Alfred do?

An unknown man falls off a skyscraper, huge glowing wings attached to his back. As Batman and Robin meet with Commissioner Gordon to discuss the scene, Gordon and Robin have a moment of their own:

Gordon displays his customary integrity and respect for the citizens of Gotham, and I can see how Damian would find that a little bit ridiculous. But what really bugged me is Gordon’s dialogue in the third panel: “Never talk as flippant like that in front of me and a innocent victim again, or this’ll be the last time I let you tag along.” That sentence is just wrong! “As flippant like that”? “a innocent victim”? Someone needs a new editor, or something.

Then there’s the ending, which I won’t go into, since you’re already going to go read the book yourself. It’s funny, I started by saying I loved this series, but in the end issue 20 was not my favourite. Still, that Bat-family opening made up for a lot, and the upcoming story arc sounds pretty exciting.