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Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight issue 192, by J. H. Williams, Dan Curtis Johnson, and Seth Fisher, DC Comics With the release of the recent Batman movie, I decided that it would be a good time to check out some of the current Batman titles being released and see if I liked any of them. I've always liked the Batman character, but I've never read the comic books (weird, huh?), so I didn't really know where to start. Seeing as how this issue started a new storyline for the title, I figured I'd give it a try. The story seems to be set fairly early in Batman's career (note the '60s era outfit), and involves Batman's hunt for a certain criminal boss. At this point, Batman seems to rub a lot of the police the wrong way, though they don't consider him a bad guy, per se. He has trouble getting info out of them, though, and he uses rough methods to get things done. Pretty interesting, actually. There is also a sub-story, which I'm sure will work its way into the main plot in due time, involving a government scientist whose wife is ill. Part of the build-up to something bigger, I'm sure. So, storywise, not bad but not great. On the art front, I wasn't really impressed. There was nothing inherently wrong with the artwork, but I didn't care for the way Mr. Fisher draws faces, and his linework is a little too strong on the borders of things. Again, not bad, but not my thing. I'll probably run this particular story to the end and then make up my mind on whether or not to continue with the series, but I'm leaning towards not at this point. |
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Batman: Gotham Knights issue 67, by A. J. Lieberman, Rick Burchett, and Alvaro Lopez, DC Comics Here's another Batman title I'm checking out. The story here was really good, and involves a guy who, while making porno movies, unintentionally films Bruce Wayne fighting a bad guy on top of a neighboring building. He notices that Bruce Wayne fights like Batman, and after comparing his footage to some footage a budy of his has of Batman fighting, our porno friend puts two and two together and figures out who Batman really is. So, the poor sap decides to blackmail Bruce Wayne. Bad idea, dude. However, the ending is weird. I won't give it away, but you definitely don't know what happened, and I guess I'll have to check out the next issue to figure it all out. The art style here is fairly cartoony, with a minimum of lines, but I really like it. Good job, Mr. Burchett. The story was really good, too, and it moved really well. The cliffhanger ending was pulled off in kind of a weird way, but that is the only downside to what was a really good story. Overall, I was very pleased with this book and will continue to pick up more of this series. |
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Batman Elseworlds Annual volume 7, by Chuck Dixon and Alcatena, 1994, DC Comics And here is one of the Batman books I found in my bargain bin diving. While I haven't always been a fan of superhero books, I have always liked DC's Elseworlds series, which takes their standard heros and puts them into non-standard times, such as the middle ages, or mythical Arabia. In this case, the setting is the privateer days in the Caribbean, and Batman (called Leatherwing) is an English privateer preying on the Spaniards. The writer does a great job of working in the standard Batman background to the setting, and Alfred is still around, too, though he goes by the name Alfredo here. The main story revolves around the Joker (now a pirate captain known as The Laughing Man) and his quest to hunt down Leatherwing and take his treasure. He enlists Catwoman, also a pirate captain with the name Felina, to seduce Leatherwing and thereby learn the secret of where Leatherwing keeps his treasure. The execution is great, the art is good, and I love the premise. What more could a man ask for a comic book? Definitely worth reading if you can track this one down. |
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Batman: Gotham County Line issue 2, by Steve Niles, Scott Hampton, and Jose Villarrubia, 2005, DC Comics Wow, this series is ass. The first volume was fairly interesting, bringing Batman out of the city and into the suburbs to deal with a serial murderer. The first issue ended with the murderer, now dead, rising from the dead, killing the ambulance crew, and then bringing those guys along as zombies. Huh? I thought that was pretty strange, but this issue gets really stupid. See, it turns out that like the dead serial murderer put some sort of curse on Batman, or poisoned him with some kind of curse poison, or something like that. I think DC has officially run out of good ideas for stories. Aren't Batman books supposed to be about fighting insane villians? What is up with the occult/supernatural weirdness? It doesn't even make sense. The art is pretty boring, too. All told, totally not worth the $6 per issue they are charging for this. Even if you are a big fan I would think twice before getting this series. |
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Batman: Gotham Knights issues 61-66, by A. J. Lieberman and Al Barrionuevo, 2005, DC Comics I was late to the party on the Gotham Knights series (and now it will be cancelled come February '06), but I liked most of what I saw, so I started picking up some back issues. The issues here include an entire story arc around the Poison Ivy character, and issue 66 involves some tie-in to one of those "shaking the foundations of the entire DC universe!!!" things that they come up with every year. Shouldn't it have been shaken to pieces by now? Anyway, the story here involves a shadowy weapons company that is trying to create more individuals like Poison Ivy to use as assassins. Ivy feels that it is her responsibility to help the kids stuck in the middle, so she tries to find a cure for her condition. Hush and Batman get involved, and some serious head games are played. Seriously, Batman should just shoot Hush in the head and be done with it. And why is Hush in every issue? It's a Batman book, not a Hush book. And what kind of name is "Hush," anyway? But I digress. The story here is pretty good, and the art is good, as well. Mr. Barrionuevo does a great job of making Ivy look somewhat insane, which she most likely is. The ending is pretty sad, but I'm sure they'll find a way out of it whenever they feel like it. I must say that the cover to issue 65 is very good, as the similarities to a famous Romantic-era painting do an excellent job of foreshadowing the events in the issue. That was a nice touch. So, overall, pretty good stuff. Now to track down some earlier issues. |
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Batman: Journey into Knight issue 9, by Andrew Helfer and Tan Eng Huat, 2006, D.C. Comics I haven't written about this series before, but that isn't because I haven't enjoyed it. In fact, as this series continues, it turns out to be one of the best written limited series I have read in a while. At a planned 12 issues it is allowed to cover a lot of ground, and the writer, Andrew Helfer, has done a stellar job of plotting out a complicated, intelligent plot that keeps getting more and more interesting as things go along. At first, you think the story is about one thing. Then, that first plot turns out to just be part of a larger plot, which turns out to be just part of an even larger plot, etc. Very nicely done. Here in issue 9, I think that we have finally worked our way to the big, overall plot, and we now see who Bruce Wayne's true enemy really is. Of course, Bruce has his own demons to fight, and the issue ends on a real "what the..." cliff hanger. Good stuff. I can't say that I care too much for the art in this series. The supposedly beautiful love interest instead looks odd, but everyone looks odd, so I think that Mr. Huat's work just doesn't do it for me. Ah, well, the story is so good that I'll put up with the art. |
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Batman: Journey into Knight issue 11, by Andrew Helfer and Tan Eng Huat, 2006, DC Comicsa The best writing in comics just keeps getting better. Seriously, folks, this series just gets better with every issue. The seemingly unconnected events of earlier issues are all coming to a head, and now the Joker is involved. Yesh, everyone's favorite psychotic mastermind is playing around with Bruce Wayne's head now. Mr. Helfer's writing for the Joker is really spot on, and you can totally see the whole thing playing out. It just rolls so naturally, and the dialogue is great between all of the characters. I know I took a dig at the art in my review of issue 9, and I can't say that its form has gotten any better, but it is great to see that the artist is really supporting the writing. Case in point, near the end of the book Alfred sees some thugs trying to break into Wayne Manor. He looks up from the monitor and sees the bat cape hanging on its rack. Alfred then gets this look, this devious look on his face, and you can totally read his mind just by that look. Nothing needs to be said, the art carries the whole scene. Brilliant. I can't wait to see how everything gets wrapped up in the final issue. If you haven't been following this series, then at least pick up the inevitable graphic novel when it comes out collecting the series. |
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Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight issue 212, by Adam Beechen, Steve Scott, and Nathan Massengill, 2006, DC Comics Legends of the Dark Knight is currently on a run of one-shot stories, and this issue is one of the best. It focuses on a Gotham teenager, Fernando Guerrero, who likes to stargaze with his telescope. One night while looking at stars, Fernando notices that Batman just flew by. Every night for a week, Batman comes by at the same time. Thinking that he has discovered Batman's routine, Fernando asks the girl he is crazy for, Sonia Costa, up on top of his apartment building to see Batman. This turns out to not be such a good idea, though, as if Batman is around, that probably means he is chasing criminals. I won't give the rest of it away, but the conclusion is really good, if a little predictable. The bad guy's reactions to Fernando's bravery is pretty funny, though. Needless to say our two teenage friends won't soon forget their first real encounter with the Batman. Whether you follow any of the Batman series or not, this is a good issue if you just want an enjoyable story without diving into a deeper series. Recommended. |
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Batman/The Spirit issue 1, by Jeph Loeb and Darwyn Cooke, 2007, DC Comics Now this is the kind of book I like. Taking place in what seems to be the 1950s, the story involves Batman hooking up with The Spirit to take down a criminal plot to kill the world's leading policemen. The writing is quite good, and the art style is very cartoony, hewing closer to the original Batman animated series in style than current comic books. This is actually my first encounter with The Spirit, who I believe is a Will Eisner creation from back in the day. This is the goofiest looking hero ever. He wears a full suit, and a dress hat, but he wears this little Zorro-type mask, I guess to "hide his identity," which is just silly. The character also comes across as somewhat of a boob, being too self-assured when he really doesn't have any reason being so. This does make him a good foil for Batman, though, who is totally serious all the time. Needless to say, they don't necessarily get along like best buds, but they get the job done in the end. And Superman makes a cameo in the end, too! All told, I really enjoyed this book, and if you like lots of good humor in your books, you will really enjoy it, too. |
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Batman issue 663, by Grant Morrison and John Van Fleet, 2007, DC Comics Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the most pretentious writing in comics! You don't believe me? Here, enjoy this paragraph lifted verbatim from page 4: "Deep in the dense architectural reefs of midtown, primary reds and yellows and the hot purples of gigantic moving advertising hoardings are turning the rain to something that might as well be liquid stained glass, braiding it through the wound-tight sinews of the Aparo Bridge, scything across the docks and railway sidings, then crowding into the narrow floodlit canyons of 8th Avenue, Finger and Crescent, to rinse the lowlifes and the high rollers off the bustling streets and back into the bars, the theaters, the crack houses, restaurants and clip joints, as if the sky itself, in some spontaneous creative frenzy, has chosen to empty an ocean of raw printer's ink on the gaudy, just and unjust citizens of Gotham alike." Good Lord, man; that was one sentence! This entire book is like that. See, rather than being a typical comic, where the story is told in pictures, this is basically an illustrated super-short novella. And, to be honest with you, it doesn't work. It doesn't work at all. The writing is so obtuse that I can't tell what is going on, and the pictures that we do have don't really help. I can tell you that the Joker kills a bunch of people, and then gets shot. Unfortunately, that is all I can tell you, because the rest of it doesn't make sense. Unless you have to own every Batman book ever, skip this one. |