Batman (2011 onwards)

[The Laughing Fish]

I finally got around to reading the trade paperbacks for The Court of Owls and The City of Owls nearly a month ago. My only regret was not making the time to read them sooner, I really enjoyed it. The Batman vs Robin adopted parts of the story, but doesn't quite do it justice.

I know this story is seven years old, but SPOILERS for those who haven't read it yet.




...





I loved how Scott Snyder created this nursery rhyme that set up the Court of Owls as a myth but actually had a stranglehold of Gotham for generations, including terrorising the Wayne family legacy. I've noticed that Bruce's bitter and near death experience in his first investigation into his parents' deaths as a child, believing it was a conspiracy caused by the Court of Owls, left him even more traumatised growing up. Sure, the experience made him learn to never to let emotion cloud his judgment again, and it motivated him to hone his skills to investigate meticulously. But emotionally, it does come at a cost, as he is too cold and abrupt, which leads people around feeling alienated. Dick Grayson getting outraged over Bruce coldly telling him the Talon he had in custody was his great grandfather is an example of this. Because he's so aloof, Bruce does come across as selfish too; with his plans to rebuild Gotham City, he admitted a part of him was to use bases around the city to be on further lookout to keep the crime rate under control. Which is very telling of Batman's personality - always trying to take control and plan ahead for any possible trouble. It can be looked as somebody who is very determined, or very neurotic. Perhaps even both.

The Court of Owls doesn't shy from tackling the creepy side of the mythos we've never seen before. Haly's Circus giving away their child performers to the Court so they could be transformed as the next generation of Talons does make you wonder how Dick would've been like as a villain, since he was chosen to become a soldier to their cause before his parents died. It adds another sense of fortune to an otherwise tragic backstory for Dick; not only did Bruce adopting him enabled him towards a good life, it saved Dick from being brainwashed into an assassin. I wouldn't mind if somebody were to wrote an Elseworlds story of Dick Grayson as a Talon. Snyder's take on Mr Freeze was unique; depicting him as more of a psychopath instead of the tragic villain we've been used to since BTAS. It's definitely disturbing watching him from killing his own mother and has a delusional obsession with Nora Fries who, unlike in most continuity, he never knew because she had been cryogenically frozen for seventy years! The torture the Court of Owls put Batman through that led him to regain his strength after looking at a frail and frightened photograph of his great-grandfather Alan was one of the best moments of the character's willpower in comics. Last but not least, that whole open-ended confrontation with Lincoln Marsh whether or not he is Bruce's brother was something unique to the mythos. Very bold and fascinating to read.

It does have its share of plot holes, like how the hell did the Court manage to get that tooth with the electrum in Dick's mouth, but I'm glad I got around to reading this. The praise for it is deserved. A couple of things I've noticed:

- The Wonder Tower building in the Arkham City video game reminds me a lot of the old Wayne Tower building in Snyder's story here. Since both works were released in 2011, could it be a coincidence?

- The Willowwood Home for Children - the abandoned building where Batman confronted Lincoln Marsh/Thomas Wayne Jr. - was a reference to the notorious Willowbrook State School in New York City. Yes, I'm sad to say that there was a real life equivalent of a school for the mentally handicapped that abused children and left them to rot. Thankfully, that depraved institution has been closed for decades.

[Travesty]

Yeah, Court of Owls was good, but the ending was kinda weak. There's a lot of potential for future Owl stories.

As for getting into some "newish" Batman comics that I haven't read, I'm finishing up on Batman Eternal. I read the first 2 Vols about 3-4 year ago, and DC had a sale on the last Vol, so I'm doing that now. After that, I'll be diving into Rebirth, which I've heard some mixed things on it, so I'll just have to read it for myself.

[The Laughing Fish]

As for getting into some "newish" Batman comics that I haven't read, I'm finishing up on Batman Eternal. I read the first 2 Vols about 3-4 year ago, and DC had a sale on the last Vol, so I'm doing that now. After that, I'll be diving into Rebirth, which I've heard some mixed things on it, so I'll just have to read it for myself.

A coworker of mine is a dedicated comic book reader, and he's loving Tom King's run at the moment. He also recommended King's run on Mister Miracle.

I've only read the first issue of Batman Rebirth featuring Calendar Man, but it might take a long while until I have the time to read the current run.

[The Dark Knight]

Court of Owls is awesome. I have no problem calling it a modern classic. I'm a huge fan of the labyrinth section, where an exhausted and virtually insane Batman summons extra reserves to kick all of their asses and finally escape. The assault on Wayne Manor during City of Owls is also fantastic. They created a mysterious, action packed story that expanded the world in an interesting way. It touches on the past and reinvents it at the same time.

Snyder's entire run was solid gold in my view. Death of the Family was enjoyable. But the ending with Joker and the batfamily is what really makes it for me. Zero Year is one of the better Riddler stories, and it treats Batman's early career in a unique way. Worth checking out. The Gordon as Batman arc is also quite good. I admire the contrasts it provides between the two characters, the policeman and the vigilante. How they differ and how they're also the same.

On the whole, the Rebirth era has not come close to what Scott Snyder did. Although I did really enjoy the War of Jokes and Riddles. That's the best Batman story in recent times - they nailed it. And the Batman/Catwoman proposal stuff has been okay.
*SPOILERS*

Years after locking him down in the sewers to starve, the latest issue of Batman has our man breaking KG Beast's neck with a close range shot from the grapnel gun. He leaves him laying flat on his back in the snow. This is the type of incident I have no problem with. The fight in question is a legitimate life and death situation with KG Beast not looking to maim.

Just like the B89 fight with Ray Charles.

[The Dark Knight]

I was looking again at the Tom King comics and it reminded me why I generally don't like them. The dialogue is so unnatural and the product as a whole feels like a stilted construct.

Take this as one example:

"I am not a joke. I am not a riddle! I am not a bird or a cat or a penguin! I'm not a scarecrow or a plant or a puppet! I am not your broken friend! I am not your regretful teacher! I am not a child's fairy tale! I am not a circus act here to amuse and frighten you! I am not another one of your madmen howling at the moon! And I...I am not...I am not some rich boy playing dress-up! I AM BANE!"

I get these are comics, but no one speaks like this. It comes across as the author speaking directly to the reader, rather than the authentic character. The author trying to say "look, I really get what Bane (or whatever character they're depicting), is all about."

I find it really off-putting.

[thecolorsblend]

I was looking again at the Tom King comics and it reminded me why I generally don't like them. The dialogue is so unnatural and the product as a whole feels like a stilted construct.

Take this as one example:

"I am not a joke. I am not a riddle! I am not a bird or a cat or a penguin! I'm not a scarecrow or a plant or a puppet! I am not your broken friend! I am not your regretful teacher! I am not a child's fairy tale! I am not a circus act here to amuse and frighten you! I am not another one of your madmen howling at the moon! And I...I am not...I am not some rich boy playing dress-up! I AM BANE!"

I get these are comics, but no one speaks like this. It comes across as the author speaking directly to the reader, rather than the authentic character. The author trying to say "look, I really get what Bane (or whatever character they're depicting), is all about."

I find it really off-putting.

There's a tendency in modern comics to waaaaaaaaaaaaaay overwrite the dialogue. Why not just write something more direct like "I am not playing a game. I AM BANE!" or some such? Or hell, just those last threee words.

Honestly, you could probably delete half the dialogue from most comics and probably end up with more effective material. Go back to Marvel Comics in the eighties that weren't written by Chris Claremont and there you'll find virtual paragons of efficiency. The dialogue and captioning tend to be very direct.

Iow, it's not designed to be copied and pasted into a film script.

[The Joker]

I was looking again at the Tom King comics and it reminded me why I generally don't like them. The dialogue is so unnatural and the product as a whole feels like a stilted construct.

Take this as one example:

"I am not a joke. I am not a riddle! I am not a bird or a cat or a penguin! I'm not a scarecrow or a plant or a puppet! I am not your broken friend! I am not your regretful teacher! I am not a child's fairy tale! I am not a circus act here to amuse and frighten you! I am not another one of your madmen howling at the moon! And I...I am not...I am not some rich boy playing dress-up! I AM BANE!"

I get these are comics, but no one speaks like this. It comes across as the author speaking directly to the reader, rather than the authentic character. The author trying to say "look, I really get what Bane (or whatever character they're depicting), is all about."

I find it really off-putting.

I see his character dialogue is just as cringe as what I hear about his twitter feed.

[The Dark Knight]

Something else: I like Catwoman, but the Batman romance needs to be toned way down or even better, eliminated. I remember doing a post years back being okay with the romance dynamic, but not now. It's reducing his character. I don't want Batman happier and 'normal'. I want him dark, brooding and focused on the mission. A relationship works for Clark, but Bruce? Shut him off emotionally for a while. Cold hearted and alone. Reclaim the purity of his darkness and shun him being an accessory. 

[The Dark Knight]

Batman: The Detective is a six run arc, and on the simplistic side, but I'm enjoying the pacing and action more than the main line. This Batman is compassionate but older, wiser and with less attachment, leaving Gotham because he feels like there's nothing keeping him there. That type of mentality is what I've been wanting. I'm not a fan of how Bruce Wayne is drawn but the Knightmare influenced costume is great, and London atmospheric. Stripping away the rogues gallery lends something to it as well.

[GBglide]

Is anybody psyched for Batman #135 (900)? It establishes Keaton's and West's Batman in the DC comics continuity.