Batman Comics

Good evening Gotham! This week we get more final issues, with the DCnU relaunch coming closer, and more wrap-up stories like Detective Comics, Batgirl and Red Robin last week. I’m excited but also a bit nostalgic, knowing that big changes are coming to the characters that I care so much about. I especially wonder what will happen to Steph Brown and Cass Cain, hopefully something great. Here’s what I’m reading this week:

Justice League of America 60 – The new Justice League will be a different group of people, and this issue probably leads into that. I wonder how it’s going to work, what will happen to the current characters. Also, flipping through the first few pages I see Donna Troy, I thought she died back in issue 58 – glad to see her back, but what’s up with that?

Batman 713 – This issue is called “Storybook Endings”, that’s pretty intriguing. With seven people credited on the cover (one writer, three pencillers, 3 inkers) I wonder why the colourist and letterer also don’t get cover credit? Colour is one of my favourite parts of comic art, actually, it adds so much meaning. I’ve heard that this story is very restrospective and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Superman/Batman 87 – So sad to see this book ending! It’s really grown on me as a fun non-continuity comic. This issue seems to feature the Joker, and we all know that when you put Batman, Joker and Superman in the same place it results in trouble. This will all end in tears.

Batman Retroactive 1990′s – The 1970′s and 1980′s issues were a lot of fun, and I’m sure the 90′s will be just as enjoyable. Knightfall, which is an excellent storyline, was written in the early 90′s and I’m looking forward to seeing if the style is anything similar. Check out the cover by Norm Breyfogle and Carlos Badilla, I love Batman’s bloody lip:

Matches Malone is one of my favourite DC characters. He’s brash, badly-dressed, surly and smart, and there’s some excellent fan-fiction written about him. He’s also not, strictly speaking, a character in his own right – for most of his existence in comicbooks, Matches is one of Bruce Wayne’s undercover personas.

I’ve been collecting issues where Matches appears; I don’t have all of them yet, but my collection is growing and it’s always fun to visit a new comic shop to see if they have any back-issues that are on my list. I haven’t started to hunt them down online, although it might be faster and easier, there’s just something extremely satifying about flipping through dozens or hundreds of issues searching for that very specific one.

In the first ever installment of our new Matches Malone feature, here for our viewing pleasure we have the very first appearance of Matches Malone. Batman 242 is from June 1972, with a story by Denny O’Neil and art by Irv Novick and Dick Giordano

In our first introduction to Matches, Batman is preparing to fight an all out battle to the death with Ra’s Al Ghul and he wants to enlist Matches’ aid. I love their dialogue and how unafraid Matches is, and of course we see his trademark one-thumb match light up too. (Remember, click to embiggen, ‘escape’ to get back out again)

Chasing him into the kitchen, Batman and Matches scuffle and a shot is fired off-page. All we see is a shocked chef saying “He’s dead!” Later that day, Matches rescues a Doctor Blaine from a mysterious assailant called Lo Ling, and Batman asks Blaine to join their  fight against Ra’s.

I don’t know what I would do on the receiving end of that threat – never getting a minute’s peace from Batman sounds a bit appealing! But the Ra’s part would be no fun. Lo Ling returns and throws a knife, hitting home right in Batman’s chest, and Matches jumps into the fray, pulling a gun and knocking the slide projector off its table.

I love the reveal! Was Matches really Batman all along? No – turns out that’s who was killed in the kitchen! Batman doesn’t seem very upset about having inadvertently caused the man’s death. Batman pursues Lo Ling and manages to save his life, thus gaining his service against Ra’s, and tells him to return a week later for further instructions. Here’s the last page of the story, it just feels so classic and perfect!

This first appearance really encompasses everything I enjoy about Matches Malone issues – we have Batman doing surprise undercover work, witty dialogue, and exciting fight scenes. We even get to see Batman deface an innocent slide-projection screen! What happens in the next issue? Can Batman beat Ra’s with some “silly gadgets” and three men? Find out next time we have a Matches Malone special!

Holy heatwave, Batman! I sure hope Gotham city cools down soon. There were lots of exciting comics today, maybe they’ll take my mind off the temperature. Here’s what my pull file held this week:

Batman 712 – We find out what happens with Two-Face and Gilda, back from the dead! The art by Steve Scott and Andy Smith is beautiful, and every issue is a satisfying story.

Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons 2 of 3 – I’m definitely enjoying seeing how different the Graysons are in this world. In this issue things take a turn for the worse, and Dick is a really vibrant and passionate force at the centre of it. I like that about his character, how bright and alive he can be.

Batman Retroactive 1970′s – This is a one-shot by Len Wein and Tom Mandrake, DC also put out Flash and Wonder Woman issues this week. There’s a new story and one that had been published in the 70′s, and it looks like it will be a lot of fun to read.

Batman: Gates of Gotham 3 of 5 – This series has been interesting so far, looking into the history of Gotham as written by Scott Snyder. I like how the story follows both the historical Gotham (as the city was being built) and things going on in the present with Batman and crew. This series is definitely worth reading.

Justice League of America 59 - Looks like they’re still fighting on the moon. Somehow I don’t feel like these books fit in with the Batman books, but maybe they’re just not intended to. I never understand how Batman has time to be so many places, but I guess that’s his thing, right? He’s Batman.

Superman/Batman 86 – A reporter had found out who Batman is, and now he turns up dead! Who could have killed him, and on whose orders? I really enjoy this series, it’s fun and I enjoy how Batman and Superman interact. They’re not continuing it into the DCnU and that’s disappointing, in part because it tends to have really outlandish covers, they’re awesome. Here’s this week’s issue, by Miguel Sepulveda and Jose Villarrubia — Batman’s not having a good day:

I also got a preview book, DC Comics: The New 52! It’s got a few pages from the upcoming Justice League #1, which is the comic DC’s really leading with, and then one page talking about each of the new titles they’ll be offering. Although it’s not perfect, overall I’m excited for the upcoming changes and I think it can totally turn out well.

Happy Wednesday everyone! It’s a great week for comics and I’m looking forward to reading all my new books. Comment and let me know what you think of these, or what you’re reading!

Batman 711 (Aug ’11) – Now that we know Dick Grayson won’t be Batman for much longer, I’m really going to cherish his last few adventures in the cape and cowl.  Tony Daniel wrote this, continuing the story with Two-Face and the mysterious reappearance of a certain someone – I can’t wait to see how they explain that!

Batgirl 22 (Aug ’11) – As with Batman, it’s odd to read these books knowing that some drastic changes are coming. What will happen to Steph? That’s one of the larger unanswered questions in the whole Reboot, and I hope she’s still around and in the action come September. In this issue she goes to England and works with Squire (a British version of Robin?), that should be fun.

Superman/Batman 85 (Aug ’11) – Starting a new story arc, but this book isn’t being continued after the reboot. Maybe that’ll give the writers a sense of freedom, and we’ll see Bats and Supes finally go gay. … A girl can dream!

Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons (Aug ’11) – I didn’t look at the previews so I’m not sure what the actual plot is, or even who Deadman is. But it’s Flashpoint and I know who the Flying Graysons are, so I’m really excited to read this and see what happens to Dick and his family in the Flashpoint world! The cover is amazing, I love the old-school carnival aesthetic:

Hello Gotham! Hope everyone’s had a good week and enjoyed all of last week’s fantastic comics. I can’t wait to read the ones I’ve picked up today!

Batman 710 – Always nice to see Two-Face getting some action! We’re done with testing Batman, Red Robin and Catwoman for moral purity, but was that storyline fully resolved, or are those crazy crusaders still floating around somewhere? I guess I’ll find out!

Batman: Gates of Gotham 1 of 5 – This is a mini-series that will help explain some back-story about the Wayne and Kane families which Morrison referred to in Return of Bruce Wayne and also Batman Inc. Written by Scott Snyder, I’ve quite enjoyed his work on Detective Comics and I’m interested to learn more about his version of Gotham’s history.

Justice League of America 57 – Continuing the story about Eclipso and a strange city on the dark side of the moon! Maybe Dick Grayson will kiss someone else … a girl can dream!

Superman/Batman 84 – In recent issues, Batman from the future came and took current-Superman to help the future Justice League fight against Morgaine Le Fay (why is she always evil? Can’t a woman be a powerful sorceress without turning to the dark side? I guess not in this ‘verse.) I’m enjoying seeing an alternate future and their Batman is bad-ass (as always) so this should be a great fun ride.

Batman & Robin 23 - Jason Todd! Oh Jason, what will you do next? I loved Dick and Damian’s relationship in the previous issue, and I get the sense that this one is all about Bruce and Jason figuring out how to interact now that they’re both back from the dead. The writer and artists are different so we’ll see how they do; I love the variant cover:

I also picked up Flashpoint 1, which I didn’t get last week but have heard excellent and intriguing things about. Let me know what you’re reading, and what you think of these comics!

Happy Wednesday! New comicbook day is always lovely, even though I haven’t quite finished reading the ones I got last week! Here’s today’s new issues:

Batman 709 (Jun ’11) – This issue continues the storyline from Red Robin (which I enjoyed) and apparently Gotham City Sirens, which I don’t read. I can’t wait to see what happens when Batman and Catwoman are tested for purity

Justice League of America 56 (Jun ’11) – I’m still learning who’s who in the current Justice League, and that’s going pretty well. The story is exciting and it’s great to see how Batman interacts with other heroes.

Superman/Batman 83 (Jun ’11) – I hope we find out what happened with dead Superman and Batman in homemade armor! The cover features Batman riding a dragon while Superman wields an electrified sword, what more can a girl ask for?

Three new comics for me today! Thanks as always to the guys at The Beguiling for keeping track of what’s on my list

Superman/Batman Annual 5 (Jun ’11) – I got a mini history lesson in Annual issues of comicbooks this afternoon, and it makes so much more sense now! Turns out it’s a holdover from oldschool comics, they used to do big deal one-off issues once a year, often featuring special and unusual crossovers. These days they’re still fancy issues, but they don’t necessarily happen annually and they fit into the ongoing storyline. So this comic apparently picks up at the cliffhanger in Justice League 55, which is awesome. I tried to look at S/B #4 to see if that story arc was finished or if it’s just on hold for #5 but apparently I’ve misplaced that binder, so we’ll never know.

Batman Beyond 4 (Jun ’11) – The last issue of Batman Beyond convinced me that I enjoy the series and want to keep on reading it, so all this one has to do is not mess up! I like the futuristic style, and it’s so interesting to think about what Bruce would be like as a really old man, and taking a very different role in his Mission.

First Wave Special (Jun ’11) – I got the Batman/Doc Savage/Spirit First Wave 6-issue mini-series as they came out, and then re-read the whole thing when #6 came out in March. It had its high points, but wasn’t my favourite series. Not quite sure exactly how this one relates to that, and the official description was pretty vague, but what the heck. It’s Batman, I’ll enjoy it.

Instead of the letters column, the back page of this month’s comics is a tribute to Dwayne McDuffie, a comic writer and co-founder of Milestone Media who died recently. McDuffie worked hard to increase diversity in comics, and his death is a loss to everyone who reads them. Instead of sharing a cover image, here is the top section of that memorial, written by Derek T. Dingle.

(click to enlarge)

Good evening Gothamites! Tonight I have three new and exciting comicbooks:

Batman 707 (Apr ’11) – The classic Batman book, and I haven’t written about it yet! How is this possible? I’ll fix that with this issue, which promises awesomeness – it opens with an underwater trap! More soon.

Justice League of America 54 (Apr ’11) – I really liked the CSA story arc that we just finished, and the cover of this one looks great. Supergirl is badass!

Superman/Batman 81 (Apr ’11) – I read the last issue but don’t really remember it… something with zombies, maybe? Hey, it’s got Supes and Bats in it, I’m game.

Take a look at the cover of Superman/Batman. I love the two logos together like that, it’s like fanfiction come true. And is that Samurai Batman (look at the ears on his helmet!!) fighting Superman? Awesome!! Love his utility belt.