Batman/Detective Comics Series Discussion *Spoilers*

[thee great one]

I noticed we dont have one of these. I'll start off with what I thought of each arc I've read

HUSH (608-619)

I find this to be entertaining. I really liked Lee's drawing. I loved his Huntress. The Riddler behind it all at the end was great. The Jason Todd thing was easily the best thing in book.

BROKEN CITY (620-625)

This was kinda boring. It was decent but nothing really cool.

AS THE CROW FLIES (626-630)

The beginning of Winink's run. The had The Penguin teaming with Scarecrow to use his fear gas to keep his thugs in line. But there is a new giant Scarebeast killing big named thugs. The Penguin thinks Scarcrow is behind it, but he swears he has nothing to do with. Batman fights the Scarebeast and gets drugged. He escapes in the Batmobile and starts to think he's seeing the Joker, then Two-Face, and finally Jason Todd. Robin shows up and talks some sense into him. But the Scarebeast followed him back to the mansion. It turns out that The Penguin drugged Crane to turn into that thing without his knowing it. At the end Alfred finds Robins mask in the Batmobile and asks Tim if he lost it and he said no. I really liked this arc and the ending was fablous. I always liked Scarecrow.

WAR GAMES (All Bat Titles)

I actually really liked this. I love the Black Mask villain. He is one evil bastard. It was so sad what happened to Spoiler. This torn down all of Batman's allys and connections bringing him back to his core.

UNDER THE HOOD (635-638)

The beginning of the hints of the return of Jason Todd. I really like the Red Hood character. I loved what he did to the Joker.

FAMILY REUNION (639-641)

Batman goes Green Arrow and Superman about their coming back to life. He goes to Zanata to make sure one used Ra Al Gul's pits. I liked the refrences to Identity Crisis from Batman to Zanata and Green Arrow. I love the fight between Red Hood and Batman.



WAR CRIMES (643-644 crossover with Detective Comics)

This kinda suck. I felt it cheapened the Spoiler's death. But I loved the reason Joker went after Black Mask.


The newest issue deals with Black Mask extreme frustations as not being able to kill the Red Hood. I really like the Red Hood character. His dialogue is genius rather it's towards Batman or Black Mask. Deathstroke appearance was awesome. He asked Black Mask to join the Society. I loved the "Damn It" line from both Red Hood and Batman.

Winink is writing Batman is genius. I hope he stays on this book for awhile. I'm really looking forward to the Society sending villains to take care of Jason.

[Dr.Strangefate]

I am absolutely -loving- Jason Todd as the Red Hood.

I'm starting to hope he becomes the next batman (hopefully after he stops killing people all willy nilly

[Planet-man]

^Yeah, because I hear Bruce is getting tired of being Batman. Yeesh.:P There are two things that are never gonna change in the DCU. Superman and Batman. They're the foundation. They're the original superheroes. End of story.

*knocks on wood*

My favourite Batman stories are The Dark Knight Returns, HUSH, and the Kingdom Come novelisation(by Elliot S. Maggin). I know it's mainly a Superman story but the novel focuses on Batman a lot too. The scene where he's watching Citizen Kane always brings a tear to my eyes.

[iceman]

you're forgetting wonder woman. they are the 3 pillars. IC revolves around them, after all.

I am one of the people that changed from "what in god's name are they doing bringing jason todd back" to "this could be pretty interesting" to "i like this."

I like how he isn't just another dumb villain. However, I don't want him to become the next Batman. Ever. Batman should control damn batman robots when he's old.

And yes, I like Winnick's Black Mask.

I haven't read the novelisation. How is it different than the comic?

[Dr.Strangefate]

I haven't read the novelisation. How is it different than the comic?

It's not as pretty.

[Planet-man]

you're forgetting wonder woman. they are the 3 pillars. IC revolves around them, after all.

Fair enough.


I haven't read the novelisation. How is it different than the comic?

It's way more expansive. It explains a ton of stuff you may be curious about from the comic, and it has dozens of extra scenes. Favourite Novel ever.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

I liked war crimes, Joker's back and that doctor i always that i always forget her name is out...never liked her... *****...

[thee great one]

The last two issues were great. I don't understand why Deathstroke would send lame c-list villains after Batman and The Red Hood. I love Mask adressing the same problems.

The new issue had major showdown with Black Mask and Red Hood. I love Black Mask talking about how tough he is cause he don't wear body armor and have fancy weapons. Batman shows up just as he stabs Red Hood in the chest. The is one of the best ongoings right now.

A-

[Patriot Mk2]

Yeah last issue was pretty damn good. I wouldn't class Count Vertigo as C-list, he just hasn't been used in a while. I took it as Deathstroke was expecting to take down some punk vigilante and not Batman.

Jason Todd as Red Hood is :rockon:

[Bass]

HUSH (608-619)
I find this to be entertaining. I really liked Lee's drawing. I loved his Huntress. The Riddler behind it all at the end was great. The Jason Todd thing was easily the best thing in book.

GEEZ! Why don't you just MARRY Jeph Loeb!? :cry: :cry: :cry:


BROKEN CITY (620-625)
This was kinda boring. It was decent but nothing really cool.

Y'know why? 'Coz Brian Azzarello hates superheroes. He doesn't like them. I don't mean like Ellis, "God, I hate superheroes. Check out my new superhero title", no I mean, "God, I hate superheroes, that's why I'm not writing them."

Azzarello is pretty damn fine on 100 Bullets. Sgt. Rock is pretty good, so is Johnny Double, and his Hellblazer run. They're all consistently entertaining. He did two very good superhero stories - Banner! and Cage. But... Azzarello doesn't care for them. He did Banner! and Cage, but they aren't superhero stories. Cage is actually more like Yojimbo (A Fistful of Dollars) than a superhero, and it's lots of fun. But Broken City and Superman: For Tomorrow, and Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, are not particularly good, simply because Azzarello, in Batman's case, tried to write "the cape as a trench coat", but he just wasn't for it. He said he's done enough superhero stuff, and that's that. So, I agree with you, but Azzarello's other stuff is quite entertaining, though it's turning out to be quite samey to be honest. Loveless is okay, but... nah, it's not rocking my boat.

[iceman]

The last two issues were great. I don't understand why Deathstroke would send lame c-list villains after Batman and The Red Hood. I love Mask adressing the same problems.

The new issue had major showdown with Black Mask and Red Hood. I love Black Mask talking about how tough he is cause he don't wear body armor and have fancy weapons. Batman shows up just as he stabs Red Hood in the chest. The is one of the best ongoings right now.

A-


Yo, fo serious, I loved the issue for the same reasons. Black Mask was totally badass in this, and he becomes scary despite being some guy. Has real killer instinct.

What I noticed in the fight scene is that there are no real moments where either character could have killed the other, yet didn't. One thing I hate about comics is when a villain has a hero down, and even when they are not monologue-ing, they fail to just put a bullet in him. This fight went back and forth so naturally, and though there was perhaps one split second Jason could have pulled a gat and capped Black Mask, Todd is cocky, so it made some sense.

And those villains would have pwned Red Hood, and probably have beaten Batman, if they didn't work as a team. That's what was being stressed. Also, just one of the many things Winnick showed to ensure that yes, this is Jason Todd.

[Friday]

Hush was great as a monthly, but I've found that sitting down and reading it all together it looses a bit of the charm.

War Games caused me to drop the batman monthlies. All of them except for Nightwing, and thats only because of my man-crush on Dick Grayson. ****er just won't let me go, no matter how much his book sucks.

I did pick up the under the hood TPB though. Winnick writes a great Black Mask, and Jason Todds return has been handled fairly well so far. I'll be jumping back in at OYL.

And by the way, it looks like Jason Todd is going to take over as Nightwing. We've got a Nightwing cover with his Knife in Nightwings hands, and a solicit with an Outsiders group that sounds like it follows his more extreme methods.

[thee great one]

In an unexpected announcement at the DC panel (though not coming as a complete surprise), it was just announced Grant Morrison will be the next regular writer of Batman, following James Robinson’s eight-part story arc running through that title and Detective beginning in March.

Though not announced or even confirmed, popular rumor and speculation still holds that one of the DC exclusive Kubert brothers will eventually be announced as his artist.

Morrison said that he’s already plotted 15 issues, and in his first issue alone, he has 15 ninja man-bats as well as Talia, and the story is called “Batman & Son”. Morrison said Batman coming out of 52 OYL will be a more of a “fun guy, more healthy”, more like the “Neal Adams, hairy-chested, love-god” version of Batman.


Hell freakin yes!!!! :rockon:

[ProjectX2]

Interesting. I bet I can talk Ice into reading this.

[thee great one]

Interesting. I bet I can talk Ice into reading this.

I told him and he is interested.

[iceman]

In an unexpected announcement at the DC panel (though not coming as a complete surprise), it was just announced Grant Morrison will be the next regular writer of Batman, following James Robinson’s eight-part story arc running through that title and Detective beginning in March.

Though not announced or even confirmed, popular rumor and speculation still holds that one of the DC exclusive Kubert brothers will eventually be announced as his artist.

Morrison said that he’s already plotted 15 issues, and in his first issue alone, he has 15 ninja man-bats as well as Talia, and the story is called “Batman & Son”. Morrison said Batman coming out of 52 OYL will be a more of a “fun guy, more healthy”, more like the “Neal Adams, hairy-chested, love-god” version of Batman.


Hell freakin yes!!!! :rockon:


Well, this is just awful. I'm all for Batman being more mentally healthy, but i don't believe in the 70s love-god character. Personally, I think Batman is best in Batman: TAS mode, recently 2 issues of Detective Comics were written as such, and frankly, they were awesome. I like Morrison, but 70s sex-Batman is taking the throwback thing too far.

Also, not a Kubert fan. Either of them, really. Especially not the one who started Ult. X-men. Jock, fo real! Or the guy whos doing it now.

[Patriot Mk2]

Well, this is just awful. I'm all for Batman being more mentally healthy, but i don't believe in the 70s love-god character. Personally, I think Batman is best in Batman: TAS mode, recently 2 issues of Detective Comics were written as such, and frankly, they were awesome. I like Morrison, but 70s sex-Batman is taking the throwback thing too far.

More like, not is. Besides, Dini is writing Detective, sounds like your kinda book.

[iceman]

yeah, you have a point. morrison is a good writer, and i think he'll find a happy medium. dc has said they want to show that all the DC heroes like each other, and that is great, but it is VERY hard for a character to go from one pole to the other in just 1 year. i think it'd be interesting to write about a Batman who is actively trying to balance his life, but finds it extremely awkward and yadda yadda.

and yeah, i wasn't aware that Dini was writing Detective. He is great though.

[ProjectX2]

Yeah, I'll think I'll pick up Detective instead.

[thee great one]

i took it as a joke....

[Patriot Mk2]

Meh, its Morrison. We know its going to kick *** regardless of what version he goes with.

[Ice]

Andy Kubert is officially named the artist on the series starting in July with Morrison! :rockon:

Adam will be on Action Comics.

[ProjectX2]

Andy Kubert is officially named the artist on the series starting in July with Morrison! :rockon:

Adam will be on Detective Comics.

Dammit, I wanted it the other way round. :?

[Dr.Strangefate]

Dammit, I wanted it the other way round. :?

ditto

[ProjectX2]

Ice, I think you're wrong. Other sites are reporting Adam being on ACTION comics. :?

[Patriot Mk2]

No, Andys on Batman and Adams on Action Comics, NOT Detective Comics. Presumably with Johns.

[ProjectX2]

No, Andys on Batman and Adams on Action Comics, NOT Detective Comics. Presumably with Johns.

That's what I said... :?

[Patriot Mk2]

That's what I said... :?

More detail my friend, added to a bit of precognitive wisdom.

[Ice]

Yeah, I know. I found out I screwed up this morning.

[thee great one]

So I been reading the Gotham Knights storyline "Hush Returns". Wow. This is the best Batman story I have ever read. It beats the Red Hood. Only by a little. But it does. It's got major events. All the best characters are there. Hush, Joker, Riddler, Promentus, Penquin, Poison Ivy, Taila. Deathstroke, & Green Arrow. I highly suggest this. If you loved Hush get it. If you hated Hush get it. This is what it should of been all along. I suggest get the trade and don't read the spoliers. But if you need a extra push.

It starts with Hush in a swarm and deciding to come back. He puts word to the riddler, whos in jail, that he coming. Riddler puts out word to the Joker that if he protects him he will give him a name. Joker agrees. On the way to the point Riddler police estort is attacked. Hush beats the crap out of the Riddler and throws him off a roof. He starts draging off the body when he's confronted by the Joker. They argue and Joker as his men beat up Hush. He tells Hush that this is his town. Later Joker is talking with Penquin and The Penguin tells him not to piss this guy off. That he should fix it. Hush goes to this guy for something and offers him a job. Guy tells him that if he plans on raising war against both sides then he knows where to get help. From a guy named Promentus.

Promentus is in Star City battling Green Arrow. Green Arrow shoot real arrows into his arms and then goes for the head. Hush comes down and saves him. Then grabs a cop and throws him off the edge while GA tries to save him, but doesn't, Hush escapes with Promentus and tells him that he will save him and wants his help destorying Batman. He agrees. Batman confronts GA and they argue a bit and then fight. They should make up and up each other follow Hush's trail.

The Riddler gives Joker the name of the man that killed his wife and unborn child. He see who she is and why she was killed. It showed Joker's origin with the Red Hood and all. He leaves to take Riddler to a safe house and then kill the guy. Promentus attacks them. Him and Hush kill all of Joker's men. Hush beats the shot out of Joker and tells him he's nothing but a washed up old joke. He tells Promentus to kill him. He's resuced by Batman. Joker and Riddler escape during this. Joker leaves town and strips naked. He ends up at a old carnival and some people tell him welcome home. Riddler goes to Poison Ivy for help.

Then War Games happened. The only part they played was Black Mask trying to get Hush on his side. He refused. I liked their conversation. And Hush confronts Penquin and Deadshot. He tells him that he doesn't want any part of this.

Later Hush kidnapped Alfred. Alfred escapes and finds another prisoner. Tommy Elliot. Batman goes to Ivy for help and owes her a favor. Batman shows up to save him and Alfred bumps his head and forgets what he saw. So Hush isn't Elliot.

Teenagers all start killing themselves. They turned out that they were orphans protected by Ivy during the earthquake. She thinks she is responible. Hush confronts her about helping Batman. He finds out that he is immune to her powers. He starts to devlop a crush on her and Promentus warns him not to. She asks him to cure her and he says no that she should stay that way. She goes to Bruce Wayne who helps her. He goes to her and gives her his feelings. She deniles them. Wayne cures her. Then she meets the man that made into Ivy. He was suppose to have died years ago. It turns out that she was a prototype and all the kids are being made into better verisons of her. She demands Wayne to turn her back so she can help her. He refuses. She goes to Hush and convinces him. Before they can do, they are attacked by a new ivy and one of her makers. Hush defeates them. Batman shows up and starts to fight Hush. Ivy grabs the serum and injects it. Killing herself.

Then Promentus and Hush fight later and end their relationship. While they are fighting Kobra agenst show up. Hush leaves and Promentus is brought to Deathstroke. He finds out that Promentus is dying. They track down Hush and Talia convines him to help him. He has been infected with the Ivy virus. They want Promentus' key. Hush fights Talia and escapes.

That's all I've been too. There are still 8 issues I still need to read.

[thee great one]

Finished it. The end of the series. :shock: WTF? I want too see what happened. They make it sound like I will. I hope. I'm majory hoping for a confrontion between Hush and The Red Hood. Cause you know. That would be cool.

A

[ProjectX2]

Finished it. The end of the series. :shock: WTF? I want too see what happened. They make it sound like I will. I hope. I'm majory hoping for a confrontion between Hush and The Red Hood. Cause you know. That would be cool.

A

Hush doesn't survive OYL.

[thee great one]

Hush doesn't survive OYL.

WHAT!?

[Random]

Hush doesn't survive OYL.
Way to crush someone's hope

[ProjectX2]

Way to crush someone's hope

No, I don't actually know if he does.

[thee great one]

Whoa.



I read the annual. And the reason that Jason Todd is live is brillant and what he has done since then . I was surpised to see Talia and Ra has a part of this. I finally got a small moment. Hush and the Red Hood. YES![

A+

[Random]

Whoa.



I read the annual. And the reason that Jason Todd is live is brillant and what he has done since then . I was surpised to see Talia and Ra has a part of this. I finally got a small moment. Hush and the Red Hood. YES![

A+
Could you tell me from what happen cause the reason I heard sounded awful

[thee great one]

It from either Superboy-Prime or Earth-2 Superman pounding there way out of the dimension. It sent waves though this realtity that changed things. One of those things was that Jason Todd never died. So this Jason is another dimension Jason in the same body. Kind of. Trust me it makes sense. Well he finds himself awake in his coffin. He digs himself out and gets found by a couple. He falls in a coma for a year. He still has all the injures suffered from the Joker. From the exploding building to the crowbar. He awakens later. He starts living with some homeless people. He ends up beating up on. Somehow word gets to Ra Al Gul and Talia about him. Talia keeps him and nurses him back to health and trains him. Jason still is braindamaged and doesn't know up from down. Ra enters one of his pits and Talia throws in jason. Jason is healed and remebers everything. Talia helps him escapes and tells him not to go see Batman. That he wasn't avenged. He finds out that Joker has still been free to run loose. He travels the world doing the same that Batman did. He mets Hush and offers his help. It flashbacks the gravelyard scene with Batman from Hush. When he switched with Clayface.

[Doc Comic]

I always thought Jason coming back was covered by Raven in Teen Titans, when she said Superman's death and resurrection left the gateway to the afterlife unhinged, which is why Jason, Green Arrow, and everybody came back.

[thee great one]

I always thought Jason coming back was covered by Raven in Teen Titans, when she said Superman's death and resurrection left the gateway to the afterlife unhinged, which is why Jason, Green Arrow, and everybody came back.

i know. i still hope to see that answered.

[Random]

That was well explianed, all I heard was Superboy hit the timnestream... thats it

[Patriot Mk2]

I always thought Jason coming back was covered by Raven in Teen Titans, when she said Superman's death and resurrection left the gateway to the afterlife unhinged, which is why Jason, Green Arrow, and everybody came back.

I assumed that was speculation on Raven's part regarding the means of Jason coming back based on how others did, not conclusive proof.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

Yay, OYL and Gordon is back!!!

[thee great one]

I just found out what happened to Black Mask.

Catwoman shot him in the face and killed him.

:shock: whoa.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Catwoman isn't exactly a hero, and isn't a villain either...

She's become more of a violent Vigilante/thief... which I am a fan of.

She killed Black Mask to help save her friends.

[Patriot Mk2]

In fairness, he really had it coming!

Btw, in Gotham Knights did we ever find out who Hush was in the end? Or was it Tommy all along?

[thee great one]

Yes. Which I think is lame. Turns out he had the new clayface do it to fool Alfred.

[thee great one]

And the ending of gotham knight had a three man showdown with batman, joker, and hush. The ending of batman had a three man showdown with Batman, Joker, and Red Hood. So i'm a little confused.

[thee great one]

I'm still confused as to how Poison Ivy is alive again. But she did make some comment about she's back. I don't know if she meant death or not.

I like Robin's new costume.

This feels like the old Batman cartoon.

That could be a good thing but also bad cause the story can unoriginal. A typical Batman story with some OYL mysterious thrown in.

I'll read more before I judge completely.

B

[iceman]

yo, Batman: TAS in comic book form rules.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Especially with Paul Dini picking up Detective Comics...

[thee great one]

Part 3 of Face to Face.

Interesting parts of it. That page that Doc showed was from this and not IC. I wonder what Batman was refering too? And that he has a pi on his payroll now. That's interesting. Now it seems that Two=Face is coming back. I liked that he was cured. I'm not thrilled. I don't think he is the killer. It's too obvious. Other than that it's good so far.

C+

[iceman]

whaaat. the killer is TOOOOTALLY two-face. i think the issue is simply what is batmeng gonna do about it. also, i think that two-face will never be gone, but harv is just a lot better at supressing it. i'd really hate to see him lose the battle to it though.

[ProjectX2]

Part 3 of Face to Face.

Interesting parts of it. That page that Doc showed was from this and not IC. I wonder what Batman was refering too? And that he has a pi on his payroll now. That's interesting. Now it seems that Two=Face is coming back. I liked that he was cured. I'm not thrilled. I don't think he is the killer. It's too obvious. Other than that it's good so far.

C+

Send me the issue.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Doot.

Keep in mind, this story is here to set up what is to come... Which is bringing batman back to the roots that people want to read about in a Batman comic book.

I'm really liking it... especially with the intro to that Detective guy, and I like the fact that Tim Drake is a little more downbeat, in correlation to Teen Titans.

[Patriot Mk2]

Doot.

Keep in mind, this story is here to set up what is to come... Which is bringing batman back to the roots that people want to read about in a Batman comic book.

I'm really liking it... especially with the intro to that Detective guy, and I like the fact that Tim Drake is a little more downbeat, in correlation to Teen Titans.

I'm thinking that the downbeat Tim might be an act, hence Batman's comments about Conner&Jack Drake.......

Jason Bard: newbie or classic?

[iceman]

classic. dated barbara gordon around the time joker shot her.

i like the concept of batman having a daytime network. i kinda wished he would hire the question in the same way, but apparently vic sage isn't in gotham after 52.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Hrm... Remind me...

Is there any plans for a new Gotham Central series after 52? Because with Bullock and Gordon back, we have the oppertunity for a great series...

Uh... Yeah... I definitely just went and hunted down the entire series in singles in the last two days...

(Gotham Central = possibly most awesome series ever)

[Friday]

Hrm... Remind me...

Is there any plans for a new Gotham Central series after 52? Because with Bullock and Gordon back, we have the oppertunity for a great series...

Uh... Yeah... I definitely just went and hunted down the entire series in singles in the last two days...

(Gotham Central = possibly most awesome series ever)
Wasn't it? I've got the Josie Mac arc in singles on and am just waiting for DC to get off thier *** and trade the rest of the series.

They killed The Ventrilloquist. He was hands down my favorite Bat-Villian. ANd they shot him. In the head. And stepped on his puppet. :cry:

I know it looks like they're bringing back Two-Face but I really hope they're not. Harvey's redemption was the best part of Hush and to undo it would just be a step backwords.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Cosmetic Surgery does not repair paranoid schizophrenia...

Harvey Dent is the killer. Not Two Face... Dent is going to have a rough time trying to work through his own sanity.

As for Gotham Central... DC Trades aren't exactly known for coming out regularly, and I wasn't willing to wait another two years to read the series... and now I only have 8 or 9 issues left to pick up, so its all good.

[ProjectX2]

I thought it was someone trying to frame Harvey Dent and/or Two-Face. For what reason, I don't know.

[thee great one]

I find this image disturbing....

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/theegreatone/duo.jpg

[ProjectX2]

Even Robin is getting on the action.

Sweet.

[ProjectX2]

We can talk about the Morrison/Kubert run here.

I read the first issue today. Like I'm sure you all know, I wasn't really looking forward to this, and I thought Detective Comics was better. I was correct.

It starts off with Gordon falling off a building, laughing insanely. He's been poisoned by The Joker. Cut to The Joker thinking he's killed Batman, and then Batman grabs the gun and shoots The Joker in the head... someone tells Batman that he's not dead, and Batman chucks The Joker in a rubbish bin.

Alfred tells Bruce that he needs to relearn how to be Bruce, and they talk about how Tim is going into the mountains, etc. Bruce goes to a party and runs into Dr. Langstrom, who rushes out. He meets with some secret League of Assassins people who ask him if he got it.

Bruce is out at a party, talking to woman, (Alfred reads Artemis Fowl - cool!), and is secretly being monitored. It cuts to a page with a woman and a boy watching Bruce on the screen, with many Ninja Man-Bats above them. The boy states that Bruce is his father.

It was alright I suppose. I still don't like Kubert's art that much, and the storytelling was kind of dull. Batman took up a gun... something he swore he'd never do. :?

Detective Comics was better.

[iceman]

that wasn't batman. that was a cop dressed as batman. this issue can be summarized by Jim Gordon:

"Everybody needs to lighten up."

50's Batman done right. Never liked Kubert. B+/A-

[ProjectX2]

that wasn't batman. that was a cop dressed as batman.

Ah, now I get it. I was wondering what they were talking about.

I might have to reread it again.

[Zombipanda]

Ah, now I get it. I was wondering what they were talking about.

I might have to reread it again.

Yeah. Some nutter ex-cop pretends to be Batman. It's kind of brilliant, really. The guy naturally gets easily disarmed by the Joker because, well, he's not Batman. But he manages to kill Joker because he does the one thing Joker would never expect: He pulls a gun out. My interest is piqued. Killing off the Joker is an innumerably huge thing to do, but Morrison's totally non-chalant about it. He kills the Joker off as the opening to a story with almost no fanfare.

And I actually dig the art.... I thought it was very cool. The group of disabled kids dangling from the Jokercopter was hilarious.

[Random]

:shifty: wait... the Joker's dead?

[Zombipanda]

:shifty: wait... the Joker's dead?

Yes. A cop disguised as Batman shot him point blank in the face.

On second thought... He's still alive when he gets thrown in the dumpster...

[Victor Von Doom]

I wasn't exactly impressed with this.....but then again it's only one issue into Morrison's arc so I shouldn't jump the gun.

But a few problems:

Why did Morrison decide to shoot the Joker in the face? I mean it's long overdue.....but why the gimmick? He's better than that.
What's up with this "learning to be Bruce Wayne again"? Isn't that what he wa supposed to do during his year off? They couldn't have been training the entire time?
Ninja bats? Are you serious?

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

I wasn't exactly impressed with this.....but then again it's only one issue into Morrison's arc so I shouldn't jump the gun.

But a few problems:

Why did Morrison decide to shoot the Joker in the face? I mean it's long overdue.....but why the gimmick? He's better than that.
What's up with this "learning to be Bruce Wayne again"? Isn't that what he wa supposed to do during his year off? They couldn't have been training the entire time?
Ninja bats? Are you serious?


It's not like he's dead, that cop really doesn't know how to shoot.
Training his fighting skills, not his social ones.
Ninja bats are cool. :D

[E]

Why did Morrison decide to shoot the Joker in the face? I mean it's long overdue.....but why the gimmick? He's better than that.

You sure? He killed 16 million mutants in his first issue of X-Men.

[Friday]

A few pointers to reading Morrison on a regular monthly.

1. Take nothing at face value. Things are NOT what they seem.

2. Things really are that over the top. This is the silver age of comics seen through a haze of LSD.

3. EVERYTHING will connect. Everything.

4. Always re-read each issue. You did miss things. When a new issue comes out, re-read previous ones after. There are things you missed that you didn't even know to look for.

[E]

A few pointers to reading Morrison on a regular monthly.

1. Take nothing at face value. Things are NOT what they seem.

2. Things really are that over the top. This is the silver age of comics seen through a haze of LSD.

3. EVERYTHING will connect. Everything.

4. Always re-read each issue. You did miss things. When a new issue comes out, re-read previous ones after. There are things you missed that you didn't even know to look for.

Great tips; I agree with every point. And #4 can't be stressed enough.

[Victor Von Doom]

You sure? He killed 16 million mutants in his first issue of X-Men.

Well yeah. I'm sure, as Bax says, this will all connect. But as of right now it just seems gimmicky. I'm sure several issues from now something important will come of this and I'll be like "OH SNAP!!!! HE'S A GENIUS!!!!!".

But right now it just seems gimmicky. And ninja bats. Say that out loud---NINJA BATS. Point proven.

[Random]

Well yeah. I'm sure, as Bax says, this will all connect. But as of right now it just seems gimmicky. I'm sure several issues from now something important will come of this and I'll be like "OH SNAP!!!! HE'S A GENIUS!!!!!".

But right now it just seems gimmicky. And ninja bats. Say that out loud---NINJA BATS. Point proven.
So wait are they bats that act like ninjas or ninjas that act like bats?

[ProjectX2]

So wait are they bats that act like ninjas or ninjas that act like bats?

Ninjas that are bats.

[Friday]

Ninja-were-bats gentlemen. Ninja-were-bats. The were makes all the diffrence.

[Zombipanda]

First off, any man who thinks badly of an army of ninja man-bats isn't really a man at all.

That said, I don't think it was a gimmicky move on Morrison's part. In fact, it was the exact opposite.

Any other writer would have been pimping "The Death of Joker" a year in advance. We'd have a company-wide crossover dealing with it, an eight-part story arc before the actual death, alternate chrome covers, and tie-in biography and origin stories, as well as reprints of every important Joker story ever.

Morrison devotes five pages to it. Personally, I prefer how it was done. It had to be done, and Morrison did it with panache but without turning it into a gimmick hype machine. Hell, we don't even know if he's dead, but Morrison's set the plate well for a fresh Joker/Batman dynamic, without any excess fat...

He's already said we'll see Joker in his fifth issue. We'll see if it's a twist on the old favorite, or someone new to fill the void. I'm psyched.

[iceman]

no, we know that he is NOT dead. batmeng was carrying him to the cops all distressed because he thought he was dead, when he learned that he wasn't, he figured he'd live because he's the friggin' joker, he angrily threw him in the dumpster.

morrison is over the top, he's not an idiot. he's not going to kill the joker.

and ninja-bats fit the theme of SEXY RIDICULOUS!

[Ice]

Ok. Never responded so here we go.


Issue was a very good read both art and story wise. Morrison did a good job with how he began the issue. It was honestly a fun read and Andy Kubert made it look so much better. As for the "learn to be Bruce Wayne again" haven't really read much before this, so can't say that bothered me or anything. Still, I like how he was handling himself with the women. Reminded me of the movie when I read that.

Now for the ending. Pretty cool. I don't know why but I thought the kid would be older (I did read Son of the Demon thanks to TGO). I'm interested to see how things go from here on out.

4/5

[thee great one]

Batman learning to be Bruce Wayne again.

-Awesome

Talia returning with Batman's son.

-Awesome x 2

Joker shot in the face by a pissed off cop

-Awesominess

50 Ninja Man-Bats

-The greatest thing ever.

[Dr.Strangefate]

I have nothing but the Utmost faith in Grant Morrison, having read everything he has ever done for DC Comics (I hunted them all down. Seriously). He knows what he's doing with everything he's putting into this title, and I know it is going to be great.

I love the idea of Batman having done his job so well that he has to explore the other aspects of his life... I love that his son has been raised by Talia, and will now confront Batman with FIFTY NINJA MANBATS!!!

Other things coming up in Morrison's Run:
- BAT-HOMBRE (and the International Batmen!)
- The Secret Origin of Bat-Mite

He's taking all of the light silly things from Pre-Crisis and he's going to make them fit into continuity...

Grant Morrison is AWESOME.

<3 this series already...

[thee great one]

I have nothing but the Utmost faith in Grant Morrison, having read everything he has ever done for DC Comics (I hunted them all down. Seriously). He knows what he's doing with everything he's putting into this title, and I know it is going to be great.

I love the idea of Batman having done his job so well that he has to explore the other aspects of his life... I love that his son has been raised by Talia, and will now confront Batman with FIFTY NINJA MANBATS!!!

Other things coming up in Morrison's Run:
- BAT-HOMBRE (and the International Batmen!)
- The Secret Origin of Bat-Mite

He's taking all of the light silly things from Pre-Crisis and he's going to make them fit into continuity...

Grant Morrison is AWESOME.

<3 this series already...

I up for anything if he does it right, even Bat-Mite.

[Zombipanda]

Dear Doctor,

Would you please provide me with informative and educational pamphlets providing the history behind Bat-hombre and the International Batmen?

Sincerely,
Most Excellent Super Panda of Flesh-Eating Intent

[Dr.Strangefate]

Dear Doctor,

Would you please provide me with informative and educational pamphlets providing the history behind Bat-hombre and the International Batmen?

Sincerely,
Most Excellent Super Panda of Flesh-Eating Intent

This is where I got it:

WIZARD 178 - Interview with both Paul Dini and Grant Morrison

What can you say about some of the types of stories you're going to be writing?

MORRISON: [Adam Kubert and I] are doing a story all based around the international Batmen, the Club of Heroes, who were all these guys in a bunch of '50s stories from different countries who tried to be Batman, like Gaucho from Argentina and the Knight from England.

DINI: Oh! Bat-Hombre! [laughs]

MORRISON: Yeah! We've got all of those guys on an island where John Mayhew, the eccentric Billionaire who brought them together in the first place, has brought them all back and his face appears on a screen and says, "You guys need to find out who murdered me." Then one by one all of the different Batmen start dying on this island and you've got Batman and Robin in a "Name of the Rose" story.

DINI: Oh, that's awesome. I don't even know if Bat-Hombre was one of those guys or just Bruce Wayne in disguise, but I do remember the international Batmen.

MORRISON: There's a whole bunch of them. Chief Man-Of-The-Bats. Some of these guys don't have the money to sustain their training and got fat and that sort of thing. [both laugh] It's all the kinds of things that might have happened to Batman if he had gone the wrong way.

[Zombipanda]

That..... is the greatest thing ever....

[ProjectX2]

These things are great, but the thing I don't like is that they don't really suit Batman.

[Dr.Strangefate]

that's why they need to be reworked so that they DO fit in with all of Batman Continuity... I don't think Morrison is trying to deny how rediculous some of the old batman material is, but I also dont think he's trying to nullify the grim and gritty batman we all love...

He is trying to reconcile the two, and I definitely think he can.

[moonmaster]

I got this today and I really like it.

I'm completely digging the new, lighter Batman. I think it's a welcome change. A lot of great Morrison craziness here. Am I the only one who thought that the scene between Batman, Robin and Alfred was great? The dialogue was perfect.

And something awesome that I noticed: Batman's son picked him out of a crowd by studying his body language. Those detective skillz must be genetic.:D

A few pointers to reading Morrison on a regular monthly.

1. Take nothing at face value. Things are NOT what they seem.

2. Things really are that over the top. This is the silver age of comics seen through a haze of LSD.

3. EVERYTHING will connect. Everything.

4. Always re-read each issue. You did miss things. When a new issue comes out, re-read previous ones after. There are things you missed that you didn't even know to look for.
Great tips. Especially considering the comment I heard from Morrison about "already having 50 issues planned out". If this is to be a multi-year run, like New X-Men, then expect every single thing to come together in the most brilliant possible way...A long time from now.

[ProjectX2]

Great tips. Especially considering the comment I heard from Morrison about "already having 50 issues planned out". If this is to be a multi-year run, like New X-Men, then expect every single thing to come together in the most brilliant possible way...A long time from now.

Just as long as someone doesn't come along and say that Joker wasn't shot, it was his brother, who had hidden for many years and decided to dress up as the Joker one day, to catch Batman's attention, but it wasn't actually Batman, it was a crazy cop dressed up as Batman, but who was actually Batman's brother, a person who had also hidden away for many years, who had decided to reveal himself to combat this new Joker, who was actually the old Joker's brother...

XORN!

[thee great one]

The Batman Code (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=80996)


A step by step look at the meanings of Morrison's first issue of Batman. Brillant.

[Victor Von Doom]

Just as long as someone doesn't come along and say that Joker wasn't shot, it was his brother, who had hidden for many years and decided to dress up as the Joker one day, to catch Batman's attention, but it wasn't actually Batman, it was a crazy cop dressed up as Batman, but who was actually Batman's brother, a person who had also hidden away for many years, who had decided to reveal himself to combat this new Joker, who was actually the old Joker's brother...

XORN!

Considering Morrison's recent interview......I find this even more funnier!!!! :lol:




I really am trying to like this......but ninja man-bats. Ninja man-bats.


That's all I'm saying.

Thank God for Detective Comics.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

The Batman Code (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=80996)


A step by step look at the meanings of Morrison's first issue of Batman. Brillant.

Not always a writer have the need to put those subliminal messages through the story. Maybe its just a story? Maybe Morrison just made something there because its cool? Anyway that guy totally "over-analyzed" this. I want to know what the hell did he smoke.

Edit: Of course, Morrison put some of those messages through the book, but not THAT much.

[ProjectX2]

Considering Morrison's recent interview......I find this even more funnier!!!! :lol:




I really am trying to like this......but ninja man-bats. Ninja man-bats.


That's all I'm saying.

Thank God for Detective Comics.

I agree. I just can't get into Morrison's Batman. I hope it's just this arc, but I've found it extremely mediocre so far.

[Zombipanda]

I agree. I just can't get into Morrison's Batman. I hope it's just this arc, but I've found it extremely mediocre so far.

Wow. I still don't get this mentality. I can understand not really liking the first issue of Morrison's one, but he really cranked it up with this month's ish. That fight scene was glorious. There was really smart stuff done with the exhibits, and some seriously cool means of him disabling Ninja Man-Bats. And while we're on that, yes. Ninja Man-Bats. While it's an awesomely silly idea at first, Morrison's made sure it actually makes sense in the Batman Universe. If you're a secret society of assassin terrorists with scores of shock troops, why wouoldn't you want to expose them to a formula that enhances all their physical capabilities AND gives them added flight and maneuverability?

Plus, Morrison did a damn fine job handling the Miller-esque internal monologue that's been butchered for years. It worked well at first for Miller, but since has become a disgusting caricature, and it feels like Loeb and every other writer has turned Bats' inner thoughts into a clunky and unrealistic tool for exposition. But, the speech and internal narrative of Batman in this was smart, fun, and actually made SENSE for him.

Don't get me wrong. I'm really digging Detective Comics, too.... but Batman needs both. While he's a genius detective, he's also a highly skilled combatant and hero, and that needs to be expressed too... I think the portrayals by Dini and Morrison both work well without contradicting each other.

[Victor Von Doom]

And while we're on that, yes. Ninja Man-Bats. While it's an awesomely silly idea at first, Morrison's made sure it actually makes sense in the Batman Universe. If you're a secret society of assassin terrorists with scores of shock troops, why wouoldn't you want to expose them to a formula that enhances all their physical capabilities AND gives them added flight and maneuverability?


See...to me--it doesn't matter what explanation Morrison gives or how well he uses them. The fact remains: Ninja Man-Bats. That idea is right up there with Blue Brain Boy.

It's a hurdle that I'm finding difficult to get past. Like your girlfriend sleeping with the entire Dallas Cowboy Defensive/Offensive Line. No matter how awesome she is---it's still a huge hurdle to get past.

[Dr.Strangefate]

You are all full of crazy, and suck.

Thus Spake the Good Doctor.

(i am loving the poop out of the series at the moment)

[Zombipanda]

See...to me--it doesn't matter what explanation Morrison gives or how well he uses them. The fact remains: Ninja Man-Bats. That idea is right up there with Blue Brain Boy.

I don't know about that. I'm really digging some of the out there ****. I mean, we're talking about Batman. He's the dude who's rogue's gallery is made up of the weirdest freaks this side of the Dallas Cowboys. I figure bizarre is just par for the course.


It's a hurdle that I'm finding difficult to get past. Like your girlfriend sleeping with the entire Dallas Cowboy Defensive/Offensive Line. No matter how awesome she is---it's still a huge hurdle to get past.

:D That's a hilarious analogy... The kind of hilarious analogy you can only imagine from personal experience. hrm...



(i am loving the poop out of the series at the moment)

You and me both, bruvah.

[Victor Von Doom]

I don't know about that. I'm really digging some of the out there ****. I mean, we're talking about Batman. He's the dude who's rogue's gallery is made up of the weirdest freaks this side of the Dallas Cowboys. I figure bizarre is just par for the course.

And I'm aware that Batman has a rogues gallery of nothing but el locos. But bloody hell!!!

See, I've never been a fan of Batman. Like every other kid--I enjoyed the animated series, but as far as comics go---meh. Not a fan. I enjoyed Loeb's Superman/Batman and HUSH. But after IC, I decided to check out OYL Batman and was impressed. So now I'm viewing Morrison's run as my first real Batman series.

Sadly though...not impressed.

[Dr.Strangefate]

If you like the animated series, try Detective Comics.

It's even in the same font as Batman TAS.

But you still suck, and my oppinions are better.

[Victor Von Doom]

If you like the animated series, try Detective Comics.

Oh, I'm soooo loving Detective Comics right now.


But you still suck, and my oppinions are better.

Wrong. You chose to go to school with Alex Mack---your opinions and ideas are no longer valid. :P

[Zombipanda]

Oh, I'm soooo loving Detective Comics right now.



Wrong. You chose to go to school with Alex Mack---your opinions and ideas are no longer valid. :P

Wait... Slow down.... Why are we dragging The Secret World of Alex Mack into this?

[Victor Von Doom]

Wait... Slow down.... Why are we dragging The Secret World of Alex Mack into this?

Past conversation. An inside joke....but not really.

[Zombipanda]

Past conversation. An inside joke....but not really.

All I'm saying is, that's not cool man.

And Strangefate is right, you know. His opinion is right, and yours is dead wrong.

What red-blooded American male DOESN'T love Batman?

[Victor Von Doom]

All I'm saying is, that's not cool man.

What? You a fan of Alex Mack too??? What's wrong with you man??? Liking Alex Mack is about as wrong as me not really digging Batman. :lol:


And Strangefate is right, you know. His opinion is right, and yours is dead wrong.

We have yet to confirm that.


What red-blooded American male DOESN'T love Batman?

See....it's not that I don't like Batman.......it's just that I didn't really get into him before. And Morrison's new run isn't exactly helping.

[Dr.Strangefate]

I confirm that.

It is confirmed.

[Zombipanda]

What? You a fan of Alex Mack too??? What's wrong with you man??? Liking Alex Mack is about as wrong as me not really digging Batman. :lol:

Y'know, I never really got into Alex Mack. I was always a Clarissa Explains It All sort of man, myself. Was Alex Mack the one who had super powers?


We have yet to confirm that.

Oh! We have, have we?


See....it's not that I don't like Batman.......it's just that I didn't really get into him before. And Morrison's new run isn't exactly helping.

But you have to recognize that Morrison's bringing to the front of the stories a surrealism that's an integral part of Batman.


I confirm that.

It is confirmed.

Check. Mate.

[Victor Von Doom]

I confirm that.

It is confirmed.

Ahem....


Wrong. You chose to go to school with Alex Mack---your opinions and ideas are no longer valid. :P


So nyah!!!

[Zombipanda]

I confirm it.

It's confirmed.

[Victor Von Doom]

I confirm it.

It's confirmed.

Wrong. You don't count yet. Can I get E or Proj in here for a ruling? :lol:

[Zombipanda]

Wrong. You don't count yet. Can I get E or Proj in here for a ruling? :lol:

Wait.... Wait just one second... Slow down.... Don't count your chickens before they hatch.... Hold your horses....

WWHHAATT??????

[Hibiki]

Wait.... Wait just one second... Slow down.... Don't count your chickens before they hatch.... Hold your horses....

WWHHAATT??????


I think you're still considered a noob. Don't worry, so am I.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

As Gordon already said
"Everybody needs to lighten up."
Im digging this Batman more then the dickhead he was since Tower of Babel

[Dr.Strangefate]

Also in recent years, the Red Hood arc rocked my socks.

[iceman]

I think you're still considered a noob. Don't worry, so am I.

ironically, i am not, despite having 20 posts less than you.

also, Batman has been a dick since Dark Knight Returns. 70s Batman is pretty healthy, and I support this new Batman.

and yeah, Strangefate. Red Hood was crazy good. made people actually not burn down DCs Editorial Offices for reviving Jason Todd.

[ProjectX2]

I have to side with VVD for this one. Detective Comics is much better than Batman.

And I still need to read Red Hood.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Bah, I say Bah!

[Hibiki]

ironically, i am not, despite having 20 posts less than you.

also, Batman has been a dick since Dark Knight Returns. 70s Batman is pretty healthy, and I support this new Batman.

and yeah, Strangefate. Red Hood was crazy good. made people actually not burn down DCs Editorial Offices for reviving Jason Todd.

Yeah, but I've been here since what, June? July? God , i seriously have nothing better to do. But you guys are fun to talk to. You've here since last year right? Actually, I might persuade my comic buyer into getting me some DC. I wiki'ed 52 and I love love love the concept. Makes me wanna take a cold shower. Not really familiar with any of the characters, but after reading most, I'm liking it. And what's with all the man bat stuff? Seems like it should be up there with the goat legs.

[Zombipanda]

Yeah, but I've been here since what, June? July? God , i seriously have nothing better to do. But you guys are fun to talk to. You've here since last year right? Actually, I might persuade my comic buyer into getting me some DC. I wiki'ed 52 and I love love love the concept. Makes me wanna take a cold shower. Not really familiar with any of the characters, but after reading most, I'm liking it. And what's with all the man bat stuff? Seems like it should be up there with the goat legs.

52's pretty red-hot. But you need to read it from the beginning, which means catching up on a total of 18 issues. ouch.

and I'm way too insightful and handsome to be a noob.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

Bah, I say Bah!

I agree with every "bah".

[Hibiki]

52's pretty red-hot. But you need to read it from the beginning, which means catching up on a total of 18 issues. ouch.

and I'm way too insightful and handsome to be a noob.


:lol: Thanks I needed taht Laugh.

[Zombipanda]

:lol: Thanks I needed taht Laugh.

hmph. :( Does it make you feel better to constantly hurt my feelings?

I cry myself to sleep at night, these days.

(Oops..... Now how in the hell did I do that?)

[Ice]

Ok, haven't read all the posts on the new issue, and dont have much time anyways, but loved it when you saw the old comic paintings and how it went and in hand with what went on in the panel. Like when Bruce (I think) says "Wow!" and the bubble is right above the painting that has an eye with the shocked look. Or when one of the ninja man-bats is flying up and the painting in that panel goes "Look! Up in the sky!". I thought that was pretty cool.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Ok, haven't read all the posts on the new issue, and dont have much time anyways, but loved it when you saw the old comic paintings and how it went and in hand with what went on in the panel. Like when Bruce (I think) says "Wow!" and the bubble is right above the painting that has an eye with the shocked look. Or when one of the ninja man-bats is flying up and the painting in that panel goes "Look! Up in the sky!". I thought that was pretty cool.

Hellz Yeah!

I loved the Pop Art Comic exhibit thing to the LIMIT.

ALSO: The Best Shots Crew from Newsarama got across everything I feel about this issue:

BATMAN #656
From: DC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang
Review by The Rev. OJ Flow

If this review were a drinking game set to the word "bat," I promise each and every one of you would be wasted before the third paragraph. Apologies in advance.

Above and beyond all else, it's a whole lotta fun seeing Batman in international superhero mode. Also, as big a fan as I am of the Batman Family at large, it's great to see Batman working an adventure solo, save for his trusty aide, Alfred. The fact that practically every Dark Knight ally has their own book on top of plenty of face time in Batman and Detective Comics, the lead character, I fear, has been lost among the crowd too often (especially once you factor in one of the best rogue galleries in comics history on a monthly basis). No wonder he was so cranky for all those years. And I can't give writer Grant Morrison all of the credit for breathing new life into the titular character here, that was a collaborative effort that many need to be thanked for. But I believe that Morrison's made Bruce Wayne's costumed identity something I haven't seen in a long time, if ever at all: cheeky.

It doesn't necessarily blow the mind, the idea of our hero forced to take on scores of Man-Bats (or is that "Men-Bat"?). But who other than Morrison would up the ante by making them NINJA Man-Bats?? In my best Micheal Kors voice, I must say it's "Fabulous!" The ninja aesthetic only seemed to go so far as rendered here in Batman #656 by Morrison with the dynamic artistry of Andy Kubert, but it's never dull. My only qualm is that to empower a horde of ninjas with Dr. Kirk Langstr&#246;m's man-bat serum almost nullifies what qualifies them as ninjas in the first place, no? Just strikes me as making as much sense as putting a big loud motor on a stealth bomber. To be fair, the ninja Man-Bats are ultimately able to handle Batman as they run roughshod through a swanky pop-art museum function in spectacular fashion. The action that fills up most of the book is anything but dull, but it is occasionally a challenge to navigate, though it can be argued that dealing with a beast, or beasts, of this nature is going to be dizzying. Bonus points go to Kubert for switching gears in style throughout this book with the artwork featured in the museum setting. The Lichtenstein-like illustrations often provide silly commentary to the battle between Batman and the ninja-bats along with a pre-melee scene with Bruce Wayne reviving his playboy persona with a African cosmopolitan beauty by the name of Jezebel Jet. If Morrison is trying to introduce a new lady in Wayne's life, he's off to a decent start. And while we're at it, I hope there's more planned here for the Langstr&#246;ms.

Of course Batman #656 ultimately boils down to the creative talent behind it, and Morrison has brought has brought some interesting concepts to the table. I've always felt that Geoff Johns and I are kindred spirits in that I do know for a fact in talking with him that we were exposed to a lot of the same entertainment in our formative years, plus we're practically the same age. Despite being a few years older, I've often felt the same way about Morrison in terms of what he's done with the headliners of the DC Universe. It's been widely documented that Morrison has wanted to bring back the "hairy-chested Neal Adams love god," which is a credit to his writing considering how he was responsible for a wildly popular yet distinctively varied take on Batman in his watershed work on JLA. Reading this book I kept wondering if Morrison ever owned what I did that gave me my first exposure to Man-Bat as a kid: a book & record set entitled "Robin Meets Man-Bat" which borrowed heavily from Adams & company's work in the 1970s. That little gem is what I kept recalling reading this issue, much to my delight. Right now if I was to compare Morrison's work here with his other current projects it's at least notch below All Star Superman but as good as the best stuff he did with Seven Soldiers.

And not that I want to avoid the 800-lb. gorilla in the room that finally sees the light of day (from a lair in London's sewers, no less) on the last page, but I want to give the ballsy concept some room to play itself out with another issue or two before getting too into it here. I am handicapped in one angle and that is that I never did read Batman: Son of the Demon, though they seemed to elaborate just enough in the last pages here to get the unfamiliar up to speed. Funny thing that got my attention: I honestly believe that the coloring in the image of Batman romancing Talia in a flashback inaccurately had Batman sans pantalones. Unless Morrison intended the scene to just have Bruce working it with only his mask on. If that was the intention, than Morrison, Kubert, and the stellar production team on this book have made Batman cheeky beyond my wildest dreams.

[thee great one]

There are mother****in ninja mother****in man muther****in bats things in my mother****in art show.

****.

I love this. Morrison and Kubert forever.

[Zombipanda]

Hellz Yeah!

I loved the Pop Art Comic exhibit thing to the LIMIT.

ALSO: The Best Shots Crew from Newsarama got across everything I feel about this issue:

BATMAN #656
From: DC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang
Review by The Rev. OJ Flow

If this review were a drinking game set to the word "bat," I promise each and every one of you would be wasted before the third paragraph. Apologies in advance.

Above and beyond all else, it's a whole lotta fun seeing Batman in international superhero mode. Also, as big a fan as I am of the Batman Family at large, it's great to see Batman working an adventure solo, save for his trusty aide, Alfred. The fact that practically every Dark Knight ally has their own book on top of plenty of face time in Batman and Detective Comics, the lead character, I fear, has been lost among the crowd too often (especially once you factor in one of the best rogue galleries in comics history on a monthly basis). No wonder he was so cranky for all those years. And I can't give writer Grant Morrison all of the credit for breathing new life into the titular character here, that was a collaborative effort that many need to be thanked for. But I believe that Morrison's made Bruce Wayne's costumed identity something I haven't seen in a long time, if ever at all: cheeky.

It doesn't necessarily blow the mind, the idea of our hero forced to take on scores of Man-Bats (or is that "Men-Bat"?). But who other than Morrison would up the ante by making them NINJA Man-Bats?? In my best Micheal Kors voice, I must say it's "Fabulous!" The ninja aesthetic only seemed to go so far as rendered here in Batman #656 by Morrison with the dynamic artistry of Andy Kubert, but it's never dull. My only qualm is that to empower a horde of ninjas with Dr. Kirk Langström's man-bat serum almost nullifies what qualifies them as ninjas in the first place, no? Just strikes me as making as much sense as putting a big loud motor on a stealth bomber. To be fair, the ninja Man-Bats are ultimately able to handle Batman as they run roughshod through a swanky pop-art museum function in spectacular fashion. The action that fills up most of the book is anything but dull, but it is occasionally a challenge to navigate, though it can be argued that dealing with a beast, or beasts, of this nature is going to be dizzying. Bonus points go to Kubert for switching gears in style throughout this book with the artwork featured in the museum setting. The Lichtenstein-like illustrations often provide silly commentary to the battle between Batman and the ninja-bats along with a pre-melee scene with Bruce Wayne reviving his playboy persona with a African cosmopolitan beauty by the name of Jezebel Jet. If Morrison is trying to introduce a new lady in Wayne's life, he's off to a decent start. And while we're at it, I hope there's more planned here for the Langströms.

Of course Batman #656 ultimately boils down to the creative talent behind it, and Morrison has brought has brought some interesting concepts to the table. I've always felt that Geoff Johns and I are kindred spirits in that I do know for a fact in talking with him that we were exposed to a lot of the same entertainment in our formative years, plus we're practically the same age. Despite being a few years older, I've often felt the same way about Morrison in terms of what he's done with the headliners of the DC Universe. It's been widely documented that Morrison has wanted to bring back the "hairy-chested Neal Adams love god," which is a credit to his writing considering how he was responsible for a wildly popular yet distinctively varied take on Batman in his watershed work on JLA. Reading this book I kept wondering if Morrison ever owned what I did that gave me my first exposure to Man-Bat as a kid: a book & record set entitled "Robin Meets Man-Bat" which borrowed heavily from Adams & company's work in the 1970s. That little gem is what I kept recalling reading this issue, much to my delight. Right now if I was to compare Morrison's work here with his other current projects it's at least notch below All Star Superman but as good as the best stuff he did with Seven Soldiers.

And not that I want to avoid the 800-lb. gorilla in the room that finally sees the light of day (from a lair in London's sewers, no less) on the last page, but I want to give the ballsy concept some room to play itself out with another issue or two before getting too into it here. I am handicapped in one angle and that is that I never did read Batman: Son of the Demon, though they seemed to elaborate just enough in the last pages here to get the unfamiliar up to speed. Funny thing that got my attention: I honestly believe that the coloring in the image of Batman romancing Talia in a flashback inaccurately had Batman sans pantalones. Unless Morrison intended the scene to just have Bruce working it with only his mask on. If that was the intention, than Morrison, Kubert, and the stellar production team on this book have made Batman cheeky beyond my wildest dreams.

I agree with everything you say. Always.

[Ice]

Incase anyone hasn't checked it out... (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Batman/Mandrake/Ostrander_BM.html)

[Friday]

SO I doubt I'll drop Batman during then like I said, but I'm still not happy.

[thee great one]

As long as he comes back.


It could still be good.

[thee great one]

No thoughts on the new issue?

Damien is a little *****. I hope Batman puts him in his place and the ending was just creepy.

[Dr.Strangefate]

:shock: :?

I hope Damien didn't kill Alfred.

[Friday]

Its deffinatly the best one yet. I think Morrison should have jumped into the Fatehr Son Dynamic straight from the word go. Seeing RObing get his *** handed to him was entertaining, and the faux-robin suit at the end looks horrible, just as it should. Really looking forward to the next issue.

[ProjectX2]

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Feb07/previews/feb7th.html

Creepy preview there. Prose story?

[Dr.Strangefate]

I'm guessing that'll only be part of it... But it definitely look like Morrison's getting back into the swing of his wacky Morrisonian ways.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

OH MY GOD! THE WORDS! THEY ARE NOT ON BALLOONS!!! WHY MORRISON, WHY? YOU ARE BREAKING MY WORLD!!!!

NOT.

I think its awesome that Morrison is trying a different approach in this issue, the art is great and it looks like it could get you interested more then just 5 minutes... Looking forward to it.

[Venom Melendez]

So batman issue 666(creepy) take place in an Apocaliptic future where Batsy's son Damian has taken the mantel of Batman and must fight lucifer....Im dead serios


http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/May07/solicitations.html


and here's the cover:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/Luis317/BM_Cv666_solicit.jpg

[Dr.Strangefate]

should be merged (http://www.ultimatecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4785)

But yeah. I'm excited.

[Venom Melendez]

should be merged (http://www.ultimatecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4785)

But yeah. I'm excited.

Yeah..guess this means Damien turns good


and sorry didnt know there was an other thread.:oops:

[Random]

Yeah..guess this means Damien turns good


and sorry didnt know there was an other thread.:oops:

Well the solictation says
and only one man who might be able to stop it.
But will he? It sounds interesting

[Zombipanda]

Damien-Batman's costume is stupid.

[Venom Melendez]

Damien-Batman's costume is stupid.




Its the end of the world..Fashon sence went out the window

[Zombipanda]

Am I the only one who read this month's issue?

I have mixed feelings about it. Some of the art was absolutely gorgeous but most of it looked ugly as sin.

And Morrison's writing was a little too much. There were some cool metaphors, but he had at least one simile in practically ever damn sentence, and a lot of them were just plain awful. It was like he couldn't figure out if he wanted to write a pulp noir story or satirize one.

Despite that, the story was still packed with more interesting ideas than most writers can fit into a whole arc. The new Joker is going to be dope. Harley's new direction is interesting.... and the idea of having a sub-culture of crime-clowns is one of the coolest things ever. This is the second time in his Batman run that he's alluded to these weird little communities of professional henchman. I hope we see more of it.

[ProjectX2]

I really enjoyed the latest issue. It was very creepy, and I think it's my favourite Morrison Batman issue yet.

I was a bit confused by the end though. Did Harley shoot Joker? Is he dead? What's happening? Am I missing a page?

[Dr.Strangefate]

The Joker shot Harley, but he's definitely not dead. Batman's dragging him back to his cell where he'll be patched back up... But I have to say that the new incarnation of the Joker is so utterly terrifying that I can't get certain images out of my head.

I felt Morrison used a few too many cliches as he wrote the text, but I also feel like that was intentional, and that he was trying to use the cliches to point out the fact that the entire "Batman fights The Joker and in the end Joker goes back to Arkham" scenario is a cliche in itself. He was using the negative connotations of the work to make something greater... That said, I'm not sure it worked entirely the way he intended.

Despite the flaws, this has immediately entered the realm of "definitive Joker stories" and I hope to God Morrison uses this new Joker to cap off the arc with the aforementioned "holocaust" he intends to unleash upon Gotham.

I do wonder what this means for Harley, but hopefully we'll see her again soon.

This is BY FAR the best issue of Morrison's run so far... I hope he keeps the more Morrisonian feel of this issue and combines it with his crazy imagination to make the next issues of the series as definitive as his run on New X-Men.

Lets see the next few solicits:
664 -
The Dark Knight discovers a cover-up that could change his relationship with the Gotham Police Department as Grant Morrison, Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang continue their landmark run on BATMAN! A routine investigation into police corruption leads to a terrifying confrontation with a monstrous menace that threatens to end Batman's career!

665 -
The "Three Ghosts of Batman" continues as Batman tries to discover the mysterious contents of Casebook X! This issue takes us back to Batman's early days and reveals the truth about his final confrontation with Joe Chill, the man who murdered his parents. It also ties in to 52, as we learn what really happened to Batman inside the cave in Nanda Parbat when he underwent a seven-day Buddhist isolation ritual to purge his negative karma.

And we've all seen the solicit for 666...

It sounds interesting, especially morrison writing Batman going through a Buddist ritual and looking inside himself and all that jazz. I'm just worried he'll fall back in line for more typical stories in the line of "Batman & Son" rather than go for the big ideas and issues that make us think... i mean, I really liked B&S, but it wasn't really up to Morrison's standards. I would say that 663 met those standards quite admirably.

5/5

[SSJmole]

not a batman comic but to do with him


http://www.comicbookbin.com/batmanlegends0212.html

this is very cool

[Venom Melendez]

When you guys say ''New'' Joker do you mean its a diferent person or that he has a new personality?


I havent gotten the chance to read the issue.

[ProjectX2]

When you guys say ''New'' Joker do you mean its a diferent person or that he has a new personality?


I havent gotten the chance to read the issue.

Same character, new personality.

[Venom Melendez]

Same character, new personality.



How so?


Is he crazier or what?

[Dr.Strangefate]

How so?


Is he crazier or what?

Read the issue... Its a bit complex... He's essentially a whole new twisted form of creepy who has had all emotional restraints electroshocked out of him... Totally Amoral in the worst possible way.

Morrison explains it a whole lot better than I do.

[Zombipanda]

Morrison puts forth the idea that the Joker doesn't have an actual personality. Instead, he's basically chaos in human form. And when he gets sick with a personality, he sheds his old persona like a snake skin and develops a new one. He calls the new personality "The Devil Joker", and while we haven't seen much of him yet, he seems to simply be the personification of death and destruction.

[thee great one]

I am seriously scared ****less after reading the new issue.


Morrison crafted a whole new level for the Joker. I never imagined the day he would turn of Harley Quinn.


Best Batman-Joker ever.

[Zombipanda]

Morrison crafted a whole new level for the Joker. I never imagined the day he would turn of Harley Quinn.


Wait.... Really??? Because Joker's always treated Harley like crap. I just always assumed all the old writers were just too chicken-**** to have him really tear into her.

[thee great one]

Wait.... Really??? Because Joker's always treated Harley like crap. I just always assumed all the old writers were just too chicken-**** to have him really tear into her.

But there still seemed to be this bond between them.

[Venom Melendez]

But there still seemed to be this bond between them.



No Harley thought they had a bond.


Joker treated her as any of his other henchmen
...after all he has tried to kill her on more than one ocasion


and is Joker/Harley over?

[Random]

No Harley thought they had a bond.


Joker treated her as any of his other henchmen
...after all he has tried to kill her on more than one ocasion


and is Joker/Harley over?

I'm interested to see what she does, will she continue on her self destructive crush or finally break away

[Venom Melendez]

I'm interested to see what she does, will she continue on her self destructive crush or finally break away



Truthfully she's not that interesting or a threat alone.

Maybe she will team up with Ivy more often now

[SSJmole]

Truthfully she's not that interesting or a threat alone.

Maybe she will team up with Ivy more often now

Ivy and Harley so need to have a graphic lesbian affair where its so bad their comics can only be bought by adults :D

[Zombipanda]

I'm interested to see what she does, will she continue on her self destructive crush or finally break away

Rumor is, she's going to be showing up in Birds of Prey soon.

[Pandrio]

Am I the only one who read this month's issue?

I have mixed feelings about it. Some of the art was absolutely gorgeous but most of it looked ugly as sin.

And Morrison's writing was a little too much. There were some cool metaphors, but he had at least one simile in practically ever damn sentence, and a lot of them were just plain awful. It was like he couldn't figure out if he wanted to write a pulp noir story or satirize one.

Despite that, the story was still packed with more interesting ideas than most writers can fit into a whole arc. The new Joker is going to be dope. Harley's new direction is interesting.... and the idea of having a sub-culture of crime-clowns is one of the coolest things ever. This is the second time in his Batman run that he's alluded to these weird little communities of professional henchman. I hope we see more of it.
Yeah... It was like the prose story for the first volume of LoEG (wait, let me go Wiki the name) "Allan and the Sundered Veil". I liked both of them, but it takes time to adjust to the language. For Moore's case, (as Neil Gaiman would say) "He's too smart for our own good," but I definitely saw a similarity between both works. I guess it isn't exactly a bad thing, but I found both somewhat jarring to just start and then got moderately used to it. I liked the chapters, though, that way I could put it down quite often.
"Good format idea and good story-telling make good book."

[Zombipanda]

(bump)

Issue 664 made my day. We're already having aspects of Morrison's first story weave into the story, and I'm getting the feeling this is going to turn out like Morrison's New X-Men. I'm going to read his run from first issue to last and realize how tightly everything ties together, that seeds planted throughout, that were overlooked the first time, are all going to connect in weird and wacky ways. And I have NO clue where this run is going. If you've been turned off by Morrison's Batman, pick up this issue. It's got all the Morrisonian weirdness, but at the same time, it's told like Batman issues we've come to expect over the years - classically gritty and urban.

So, summary. Gibraiter. Bruce is casually having a conversation with Jezebel (the artist he met at the London Modern Art Gallery), while an army of Man-Bat bodies is getting carted off behind him. They meet up off in the mountains, where Bruce parachutes in. There's banter, along with a really *****in' homage to the ski scene in View To A Kill. Bruce ends up taking down a paparazzi helicopter thinking it's bad guys (although it's pretty obvious Batman would never make that mistake). Cool stuff. Bruce is setting up his public persona as a daredevil, but doping up the careless angle (sort of like Clark's nerdiness) to prevent the Batman/Bruce connection from ever being made. They have a heart to heart, talk about his dead parents. He says "I got over it." He clearly hasn't.

Batman is eavesdropping a meeting between a local pimp and cops. The cops want to hire girls, presumably for one of their own. The girls refuse to. Apparently, the guy the cops are hiring for is killing and mutilating girls. The cop's response is basically, "You've got to keep his appetite sated, because if he gets loose, we're all ****ed." Batman drops in, kicks ***, interrogates the pimp, and has some cool dialogue with the hookers.

"Hey, Batman! You want, I'll do you a freebie."
"I'm busy right now keeping the streets safe, Roxy. What's up?" :D

Then he helps an underage hooker find a job, and finds out from the girls that there is a guy out there mutilating girls, he is a cop, and he's called Monster.

Batman finds the Monster's lair, which is covered in the bodies of hookeres. He finds one still alive, along with needles. Maybe for heroin, maybe for Venom (they don't specify).

Then Monster pops in. He's got the physique of Bane with a weird fetishized Batman costume that looks like it was pieced together from kiddie Hallowen costumes. Bane pummels Batman. Meanwhile, Batman's starting to put pieces together - about the cop who shot Joker, about a black casebook. "Everyone's in danger. Stay conscious." BLAM! He gets cracked out of consciousness.




It was a good issue, a very good issue. I think it's pretty clear that Monster is the cop who capped Joker, who's now gone off the reservation and is pumping himself with Venom. The other cops are afraid to do anything about him, instead just keeping him sated by feeding him hookers. Somehow Monster's tied to a mysterious black casebook, and somehow, (as per the solicits) it all brings us back to Joe Chill - the murderer of Bruce's parents. The crooked cops are involved in something deep, something that ties into Bruce's past and something in this past either led to Monster shooting the Joker, or the shooting made the cops on the precinct too damn afraid to do anything about him.

*sigh* But we have to wait 'til May to know what happens.

[ProjectX2]

I really liked it. The art does nothing for me though. I can't wait for JHW3 to get on.

[Zombipanda]

I really liked it. The art does nothing for me though. I can't wait for JHW3 to get on.

Really? I'm loving the art. Jez has that perfect upper-crust artist look to her, and there were some really nicely framed panels. Him sitting at the table, desperately bowed over with the snow and the mountains taking up the panel and the close-up of his eyes when he says "I got over it." were awesome. And Kubert gives a very ethereal quality to Batman. He has an unearthly, ghostly look, sort of floating across the landscape. It seems to really fall in line with the Bats from Batman Begins.

[ProjectX2]

Really? I'm loving the art. Jez has that perfect upper-crust artist look to her, and there were some really nicely framed panels. Him sitting at the table, desperately bowed over with the snow and the mountains taking up the panel and the close-up of his eyes when he says "I got over it." were awesome. And Kubert gives a very ethereal quality to Batman. He has an unearthly, ghostly look, sort of floating across the landscape. It seems to really fall in line with the Bats from Batman Begins.

I don't know... the Kuberts have never really done anything for me.

[Zombipanda]

I don't know... the Kuberts have never really done anything for me.

The other Kubert's work on Action Comics is atrocious to me, but I'm really digging this.

[ProjectX2]

The other Kubert's work on Action Comics is atrocious to me, but I'm really digging this.

Heh, I'm the other way around. I think the art on Action Comics is a lot better than this. I really liked the Bizarro fight panels.

It's funny we don't know which one's doing which.

[Zombipanda]

Heh, I'm the other way around. I think the art on Action Comics is a lot better than this. I really liked the Bizarro fight panels.

It's funny we don't know which one's doing which.

They're Kuberts. That's all that matters. Jason and Adam, right? I don't have a clue which is which.

[E]

They're Kuberts. That's all that matters. Jason and Adam, right? I don't have a clue which is which.

Adam and Andy. I can never keep them straight. They have their moments. I like them overall but can definitely see why someone might not.

Andy is doing the art on Batman currently - he did 1602 and Origin as well. I think his work here is better than Origin and Ultimate Iron Man.

This issue was good but I need to go back and read Morrison's previous issues. I like that this sort of ties in with the first few issues and if this stretches out into something like New X-Men...well, that's alright with me.

But the breaks in the run are hurting it. I hope we've seen the last of them.

[moonmaster]

Yeah, I don't think this is the right thread for this discussion...

[E]

Yeah, I don't think this is the right thread for this discussion...

Removed.

Seriously guys - stay on topic. That was ridiculous.

[Victor Von Doom]

#665 was alright. I love Morrison's work---but I'm just not really digging it here.


Meh.....

[ProjectX2]

Yeah, Morrison's Batman has been a massive pile of crap so far. I like Casebook X though.

[thee great one]

#665 was alright. I love Morrison's work---but I'm just not really digging it here.


Meh.....

Really. I'm really digging it.

[Victor Von Doom]

Really. I'm really digging it.

It's not bad per se.....but I think it's not measuring up to the Morrison hype. I mean there were some pretty awesome things so far on his run like Damian.....the ninja manbat fight in the art gallery (but that was really all Kubert).....having Batman show some actual fear from almost having his back broke again.....and a couple other things. But for the most part---it's all been meh.

[Gideon Stargrave]

I dunno, VVD. I just got the new issue today, and I like it a lot. Sure, Morrison's written better, but it's better than just "meh". I like it even more than Dini's detective comics.

[Friday]

I'm pretty meh on this. I think it'll read better in trade. Years from now. When its all done and they put out a collection of specific issues that inspired it all too.

I think its a bit too pseudo-noir for me. I mean Noir is one way to play Batman, but Morrison's running with the grittier side instead of the Black Comedy Noir often plays out as.

And the Action Kubert is doing better work right now. When it comes out. I did like the Batman Kubert better, mainly for his 1602 work which I don't see him topping anytime soon.

[Dr.Strangefate]

Removed.

Seriously guys - stay on topic. That was ridiculous.

I love coming back, having missed a whole discussion, because the mind creates something so much worse than what was probably there... Hee.

Also? I love this book, and I don't care what you think. So there.

[Victor Von Doom]

I love coming back, having missed a whole discussion, because the mind creates something so much worse than what was probably there... Hee.


You didn't miss anything really. It was just Mole and some random other person going on about the WB's entertaining-yet horribly mediocre "The Batman" cartoon.


So there...I bursted the fantasy bubble. Welcome back to reality suckah!

[Zombipanda]

Dude. What the hell is wrong with you people? This is the best Batman run I've seen in a LONG time, and easily one of the best books out right now. Morrison's got a clear definition of where this story is going, and he's clearly setting some seeds to explore Bruce's psyche. He managed to hit a lot of beats this issue without anything feeling tacked on. I felt like the Kubert art was some of the best yet. And it's cool to see Batman tangling with the vaguely supernatural. Personally, I love it.

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

Dude. What the hell is wrong with you people? This is the best Batman run I've seen in a LONG time, and easily one of the best books out right now. Morrison's got a clear definition of where this story is going, and he's clearly setting some seeds to explore Bruce's psyche. He managed to hit a lot of beats this issue without anything feeling tacked on. I felt like the Kubert art was some of the best yet. And it's cool to see Batman tangling with the vaguely supernatural. Personally, I love it.

I don't think is THAT good, but with the last issue, they connected all Morrison's run in a single story. It's starting to get really good now. The last Batman... is it Damian?

[Zombipanda]

I don't think is THAT good, but with the last issue, they connected all Morrison's run in a single story. It's starting to get really good now. The last Batman... is it Damian?

I'm telling you, dude. It's going to get better and better with each issue, because pieces will keep falling into place.

I got the impression that all of the Ghosts were cops. Besides which, when Bruce is hallucinating, there's the two Batmen he encountered, a silhouette of the third, and then Damien standing aroudn like the Cryptkeeper. My bet is, there's some crazed cop out there who's at the center of all this corruption, who has some sort of cataclysmic plan for Gotham, and the Damian-as-Batman story is going to tie into the "What happens if the cop wins" scenario.

[Gideon Stargrave]

I'm with Zombipanda. This run is great...Morrison can do no wrong.

And I've always loved the art of (both) the Kubert's, so there's that as a plus. Seriously, I like this more than Dini's Detective Comics.

[Zombipanda]

I'm with Zombipanda. This run is great...Morrison can do no wrong.

And I've always loved the art of (both) the Kubert's, so there's that as a plus. Seriously, I like this more than Dini's Detective Comics.

me too. Lots.

Has anyone noticed that Dini seems to be legitimizing all of Batman's old villains?

[Ultimate Quicksilver]

I'm telling you, dude. It's going to get better and better with each issue, because pieces will keep falling into place.

I got the impression that all of the Ghosts were cops. Besides which, when Bruce is hallucinating, there's the two Batmen he encountered, a silhouette of the third, and then Damien standing aroudn like the Cryptkeeper. My bet is, there's some crazed cop out there who's at the center of all this corruption, who has some sort of cataclysmic plan for Gotham, and the Damian-as-Batman story is going to tie into the "What happens if the cop wins" scenario.

Hm.. I was thinking it was Damian, or even Bruce Wayne himself... the last one is the one that made a pact with the devil right?

[Zombipanda]

Hm.. I was thinking it was Damian, or even Bruce Wayne himself... the last one is the one that made a pact with the devil right?

Yep. We don't know if it's metaphorical or not, though.

I think it would make a lot of sense if the third ghost has made a pact with Intergang. Morrison worked on the Intergang-in-Gotham story in 52 and we're getting a Crime Bible miniseries in September, so that fits. I'm willing to bet the third ghost isn't either Damian or Bruce, though.

[Shade]

Has anyone noticed that Dini seems to be legitimizing all of Batman's old villains?

i feel like that's been a big trend lately. 52 made the mad scientists all work- it even made egg fu look pretty alright. and i'd say that the marvel/black marvel families got some much needed patching up. and they brought back krypto, supergirl and the bottle city of kandor- which i'm going to go ahead and say have become at least more legitimate than they used to be.

hell, morrison is apparently bringing back the international batmen, and if his run thus far is anything to measure by (and i'm sure most of us can agree that yes it is) then i think we can see even that being a legitimate concept.

ride bat-hombre! ride!

[Zombipanda]

i feel like that's been a big trend lately. 52 made the mad scientists all work- it even made egg fu look pretty alright. and i'd say that the marvel/black marvel families got some much needed patching up. and they brought back krypto, supergirl and the bottle city of kandor- which i'm going to go ahead and say have become at least more legitimate than they used to be.

hell, morrison is apparently bringing back the international batmen, and if his run thus far is anything to measure by (and i'm sure most of us can agree that yes it is) then i think we can see even that being a legitimate concept.

ride bat-hombre! ride!

I meant, Dini's making a substantial portion of Batman's rogues go legitimate. Riddler, Penguin, Harley...

[Shade]

I meant, Dini's making a substantial portion of Batman's rogues go legitimate. Riddler, Penguin, Harley...

wait, do you mean legitimate, like, conceptually, or do you mean like, off of the crime (the crime is an addictive substance), like riddler being a p.i.?

my bad.

in the latter case, yeah that does seem a bit of a thing dini's doing, good catch. (that is an unsarcastic good catch, i had forgotten about that). that probably factors into the whole "batman has finally cleaned up the city" thing that keeps rolling around morrison's book.

[Venom Melendez]

Anyone read this weeks detective comics?

It was pretty freaking sweet

[Zombipanda]

Anyone read this weeks detective comics?

It was pretty freaking sweet

Yeah. It was incredibly good. Dini understands the character so well.

[thee great one]

#666 was pretty good. It should of been more epic. I bet he will come back to it sometime.

[ProjectX2]

#666 was pretty good. It should of been more epic. I bet he will come back to it sometime.

It just bores me, like all of Morrison's Batman so far. Hopefully now that Kubert's leaving the stories will become a lot more interesting.

[Ninja4peace]

I think #666 is sorta the same idea as the 'here comes tommrow' arc at the end of his X-men run. I'm almost positive he'll come back to it and explain how that potential future could come about.

[moonmaster]

My LCS was sold out of #666 when I went the other day. Despite your tepid responses, I was really looking forward to it. :(

I did, however, manage to pick up #667. Best issue of Morrison's run so far, in my opinion. An excellent premise, plenty of intrigue and mystery, and JH Williams III art(!). I like it.

[ProjectX2]

Wait, Batman #667 is out?! I MUST HAVE IT.

[moonmaster]

Wait, Batman #667 is out?! I MUST HAVE IT.
Quit livin' in the past, old man!!

*puts on leather jacket and rides away on motorcycle*

[ProjectX2]

Quit livin' in the past, old man!!

*puts on leather jacket and rides away on motorcycle*

Darn whippersnappers.

*hobbles on cane after*

[thee great one]

My LCS was sold out of #666 when I went the other day. Despite your tepid responses, I was really looking forward to it. :(

I did, however, manage to pick up #667. Best issue of Morrison's run so far, in my opinion. An excellent premise, plenty of intrigue and mystery, and JH Williams III art(!). I like it.

Yes. It was amazing.

[ProjectX2]

Just read #667. This is what I've been waiting for in Morrison's Batman. I knew JHW3 would bring out the best.

[moonmaster]

I knew you guys would like this.

Darn whippersnappers.

*hobbles on cane after*
"That boy is a rebel. A rebel without a cause.

"Just like in that popular movie we saw."

[ProjectX2]

The Batmen of Many Nations has been the best arc so far.

[moonmaster]

The Batmen of Many Nations has been the best arc so far.
For serious.

[thee great one]

fo sho'

[Zombipanda]

So....

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=147734

Awesome for real. This explains Morrison's Batman in the way that Bass wants Morrison to explain Final Crisis.

[Bass]

So.

I just saw an episode of the old 1960s BATMAN.

The first scene was Batman and Robin, each tied to their own... "table" I guess. With two giant magnifying glasses overhead.

During an eclipse.

With time running out, they just manage to move the glasses so that they burn their bonds, setting them free.

Robin exclaims "That was the closest we've ever come! I thought it was curtains for us!" and Batman calmy says, "I was never scared. Haven't you wondered, Robin, why we always manage to escape from the dastardly traps our villains set before us?" (so some such) "Because we're smarter than them?" asks Robin. "No", states Batman, "I've always thought it's because... we're pure of heart."

Then they head to a building where a crime by Catwoman is about to be committed.

Catwoman, for this caper, is stealing two Stratovarian violins from the 102nd floor while dressed as an old lady. She has two cat burglars and a gossip columinist for henchmen.

Batman and Robin pull up to the building in the batmobile. Batman puts money in the parking meter. Robin says no cop would give the batmobile a ticket. Batman explains, "That's not the point, Robin. This money goes to our Building Better Roads program. We all must do our part."

Later, just as the fight's about to break out, Robin exclaims that Catwoman can't get out the building since there's only cops below. They then unveil her getaway rocket. It's got handles and seats and enough room to get all the baddies out. It's bright pink.

And it says "GETAWAY ROCKET" on it.

It was hidden behind some curtains.

On the 102nd floor.

Robin's response to the rocket?

"You won't get away that easy!" "Easily" says Batman. "Good grammar is essential, Robin."

They win, Catwoman tries to escape out the window, but can't keep her balance. She falls, Batman and Robin save her. She goes to prison for 10-20, but might be out in 7 1/2 for good behaviour. But she's upset because she'll be an old lady then. Batman says, "There'll always be someone waiting for someone as beauteous as you." "That's the nicest thing you could've said" weeps Catwoman. She goes up to Batman, as if to kiss him, but instead meows and rubs her head against Batman's cheek and is taken away. Jim Gordon asks if Batman's blushing. Batman says it's the heat.

The End.

That's so good. Batman pays for the Batmobile parking, and corrects Robin's grammar during a fight.

I love it so.

[Random]

Ah, those were happier times...

[Zombipanda]

Did Bass just explain a full episode of the Adam West Batman show?

When he could be talking about the new issue of Batman?

Dude.

[thee great one]

Did Bass just explain a full episode of the Adam West Batman show?

When he could be talking about the new issue of Batman?

Dude.

Seriously. It was a little hard to follow, but I think that was the point.


The little appearance by Bat-Mite. Bat-Mite?!

I love this new Batman created to replace the old one.

[Zombipanda]

So, I'm calling it.

Jezebel Jet's gonna turn out to be a sinister Bond girl, probably working for Batman's secret nemesis.

[ProjectX2]

As long as the secret nemesis is Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, trying to make Batman insane so he'll end up in Arkham...

[Zombipanda]

As long as the secret nemesis is Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, trying to make Batman insane so he'll end up in Arkham...

Hah! That could probably actually be done in a way that would work really well.

My random guess is that it's a super-consciousness persona of the Joker that's been manipulating the events of his other personalities over his entire career towards some sort of endgame.

[Joe Kalicki]

I read Morrison's first arc on Batman, issue 666, and the last six issues and I really don't dig it.

[SSJmole]

I just got "Batman knightfall" radio play by bbc so I'll be listening to that later. Tried some of it to see if it worked and it sounded great. Has anyone here heard it?

[Doublehex]

Okay, so I desperately want to start reading Batman. I have read 'The Dark Knight Returns', so that's as good a start as any. But, where do I go from here? Is 'The Long Halloween' a good enough choice?

[DARKKNIGHT]

Okay, so I desperately want to start reading Batman. I have read 'The Dark Knight Returns', so that's as good a start as any. But, where do I go from here? Is 'The Long Halloween' a good enough choice?

yeah.

[thee great one]

Okay, so I desperately want to start reading Batman. I have read 'The Dark Knight Returns', so that's as good a start as any. But, where do I go from here? Is 'The Long Halloween' a good enough choice?

A few I would suggest...

Year One (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1287)
The Long Halloween (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1283)
Dark Victory (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1241)
The Killing Joke (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1282)
Hush Vol.1-2 (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=2339)
As The Crow Flies (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=2336)
Under The Hood Vol.1-2 (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=4350)
Arkham Asylum - A Serious House On A Serious Earth (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1228) <--- My favorite
Death & The Maidens (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=2337)
Bruce Wayne - Murder? (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1235)
Bruce Wayne - Fugitive Vol.1-3 (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1233)
Evolution (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1243)
Jekyll & Hyde (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=9345)
Officer Down (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1265)
Batman & Son (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=7429)
The Black Glove (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=9741)

Maybe just out the Knightfall and No Man's Land events. Both pretty huge. Maybe even Death In The Family.

Or also the Gotham Central series is awesome.

[SSJmole]

Arkham Asylum - A Serious House On A Serious Earth (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1228) <--- My favorite
Batman & Son (http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=7429)

These two look good I'll have to get them. Thanks TOG

[ProjectX2]

Okay, so I desperately want to start reading Batman. I have read 'The Dark Knight Returns', so that's as good a start as any. But, where do I go from here? Is 'The Long Halloween' a good enough choice?

Year One, Arkham Asylum and The Killing Joke would be my three recommendations.

EDIT: I also second the recommendation for Gotham Central. Fantastic series.

[Dr.Strangefate]

I just picked up Knightfall. I'm liking it more than i thought i would so far.

[DARKKNIGHT]

I looked at Arkham Asylum, but couldn't get into the artwork. Maybe I'll give it another go.

[SSJmole]

I just picked up Knightfall. I'm liking it more than i thought i would so far.

The comic or the radio play I mentioned a few posts back?

[SSJmole]

I have 3 very similar questions.


What are the three best Poison Ivy batman tpbs?

What are the three best Joker batman tpbs?

What are the three best Harley Quinn batman tpbs?


Thanks guys

[ProjectX2]

I have 3 very similar questions.


What are the three best Poison Ivy batman tpbs?

What are the three best Joker batman tpbs?

What are the three best Harley Quinn batman tpbs?


Thanks guys

Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn - http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Harley-Ivy-Paul-Dini/dp/1401213332/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217285959&sr=1-9 (I don't think I've read the first story, but the second is pretty good)

Harley Quinn - http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Harley-Quinn-Yvel-Guichet/dp/1563897733/ref=pd_sbs_b_1 (out of print, I think)

The Joker - http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Killing-Joke-Alan-Moore/dp/1401216676/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217286083&sr=1-2 (Joker's "origin")

The Joker - http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Man-Laughs-Ed-Brubaker/dp/1401216226/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217286083&sr=1-9 (the first appearance of The Joker in modern continuity)

And of course, Arkham Asylum, but I think you've got that. I also recommend Gotham Central trades, as the Joker arc in that is wicked and I think there's also a Poison Ivy story. It's all good though.

[SSJmole]

Thanks dude. I've got The Killing Joke (not read it yet though as I was reading watchmen first) but the rest look great.


I'll see which one of them I can pick up. That Harley & Ivy looks great I'll defiantly be getting that one.


Was Joker's Asylum ever made in to a trade as i saw that on ebay earlier with Joker's Asylum Poison Ivy , Joker's Asylum Joker ect...

[Joe Kalicki]

Was Joker's Asylum ever made in to a trade as i saw that on ebay earlier with Joker's Asylum Poison Ivy , Joker's Asylum Joker ect...

That's a mini-series that isn't completed yet. It's coming out weekly and should be done this week, so the trade should be out in a couple months.

[SSJmole]

That's a mini-series that isn't completed yet. It's coming out weekly and should be done this week, so the trade should be out in a couple months.

cool, Is it any good?

[Joe Kalicki]

cool, Is it any good?

I haven't read it, but I hear the Penguin issue is fantastic.

[thee great one]

You should also get this (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Detective-Paul-Dini/dp/1401212395), which has some cool one-shot Batman stories. Some great Joker and Poison Ivy ones.

[SSJmole]

You should also get this (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Detective-Paul-Dini/dp/1401212395), which has some cool one-shot Batman stories. Some great Joker and Poison Ivy ones.


Thanks dude.

[thee great one]

Thanks dude.

It's mostly written by the guy that did the first animated Batman show.

[ProjectX2]

From Lying in the Gutters:


San Diego announced the Neil Gaiman/Andy Kubert two-part Batman story "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader." Now, we know that the original "Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow by Alan Moore, Curt Swan, George Perez and Kurt Schaffenberger capped the end of the pre-"Crisis" Superman, telling his final tale, before John Byrne revamped the character with the "Man Of Steel" mini-series. So what can we expect from the Batman after such a career capping tale?

Well this one rumour rocketed from the San Diego convention floor before anyone’s hangover could stop it. Apparently it was all the talk of certain Batman cognesti after a particularly heavy night in the bars on Sunday night with certain DC creators.

I understand that following the events of "Batman RIP," both main Batbooks will be put on hiatus for a short period, replaced by a new title, "Battle Of The Cowl" by Grant Morrison.

We’ll see a struggle for the legacy of the Batman after the events of the "Batman R.I.P" storyline, between the likes of Robin, Jason Todd, Nightwing, Damien and who knows, maybe Azreal and Bat-Mite while they're at it.

So "Nightwing" will be renamed "Red Robin" while "Robin" becomes… "Batman And Robin."

It looks like Nightwing will be the new Batman with Jason Todd becoming Red Robin.

Insane. All this Batman stuff is scary.

[Zombipanda]

From Lying in the Gutters:



Insane. All this Batman stuff is scary.

Uh.... I'm not sure I buy that...

[ProjectX2]

Uh.... I'm not sure I buy that...

There's also this: http://au.stars.ign.com/articles/894/894625p1.html

[Zombipanda]

There's also this: http://au.stars.ign.com/articles/894/894625p1.html

Meh.... IGN features are lame. There's no way I'm wading through nine pages of that.


But what the hell..... if Grant Morrison's writing it, I'll probably read it.

[Dr.Strangefate]

I have no problem with this happening. Especially if they don't **** up Jason Todd like they have been since he's been reintroduced.

[SSJmole]

It's mostly written by the guy that did the first animated Batman show.

Nice that should be good

[SSJmole]

Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn - http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Harley-Ivy-Paul-Dini/dp/1401213332/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217285959&sr=1-9 (I don't think I've read the first story, but the second is pretty good)


I read all 3 parts today. This is brilliant. Funny as hell and just feels so fun. You really get a sense of Harley's innocence and of Ivy's passion for helping the environment plus the art is cool.


I think my scene has to be Ivy kissing the poisonous frog while thanking it and it dies to which she goes "oops" and has a surprised sad little look on her face :lol::lol:

[Zombipanda]

I read all 3 parts today. This is brilliant. Funny as hell and just feels so fun. You really get a sense of Harley's innocence and of Ivy's passion for helping the environment plus the art is cool.


I think my scene has to be Ivy kissing the poisonous frog while thanking it and it dies to which she goes "oops" and has a surprised sad little look on her face :lol::lol:

Wow! That sure does SOUND genius!

[SSJmole]

Wow! That sure does SOUND genius!

Your been sarcastic aren't you? If so I didn't say genius just funny and fun which works and is pretty damn good.

[Zombipanda]

So, I don't know why this hasn't been mentioned yet, but...


Well this one rumour rocketed from the San Diego convention floor before anyone’s hangover could stop it. Apparently it was all the talk of certain Batman cognesti after a particularly heavy night in the bars on Sunday night with certain DC creators.

I understand that following the events of "Batman RIP," both main Batbooks will be put on hiatus for a short period, replaced by a new title, "Battle Of The Cowl" by Grant Morrison.

We’ll see a struggle for the legacy of the Batman after the events of the "Batman R.I.P" storyline, between the likes of Robin, Jason Todd, Nightwing, Damien and who knows, maybe Azreal and Bat-Mite while they're at it.

So "Nightwing" will be renamed "Red Robin" while "Robin" becomes… "Batman And Robin."

It looks like Nightwing will be the new Batman with Jason Todd becoming Red Robin.


It looks like Mike Bagley will be wrapping up "Trinity" in time to jump onto the new "Batman & Robin" DCU series next year when "Robin" is renamed. Bagley has been drawing Batman for a year, and as Bagley is most famous for his teenage Spider-Man series, latching himself onto the DC Universe's most prominent teenager feels the right thing to do.

huh.... Bet it's about a third true.

[E]

Should we split off the Batman R.I.P. discussion to its own thread?

[thee great one]

Should we split off the Batman R.I.P. discussion to its own thread?

I would say no.

[ProjectX2]

BATMAN #682
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Lee Garbett
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant cover by Tony Daniel
Two issues of BATMAN in one month! Now that “Batman R.I.P.” has concluded, the aftermath begins! If you thought mastermind writer Grant Morrison surprised you with “R.I.P.”, just wait until you see what he has planned for this retrospective story. In his last hours, Alfred the Butler tells the life story of the Batman as you've never seen it before in this two-part adventure which bridges the gap between the events of “Batman R.I.P.” and FINAL CRISIS. Learn the secrets of Batman's early years! Witness the nightmare of a Gotham City where Batman never existed!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Alex Ross), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Tony Daniel). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale November 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I bet this takes place in the future, maybe even with Alfred telling Damian the story before he dies. I think that would be neat. Because they can't kill Alfred.

[Dr.Strangefate]

So, I've been reading through a bunch of older Batman Story-Arcs, because some of them are just really damn good... I read Knightfall, and No Man's Land, and right now I'm reading Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Bruce Wayne: Fugitive. And man, I forgot how damn good it was.

I think I've also finally decided to collect the complete "Batgirl" series.

[moonmaster]

I really wish the only place where all the Neal Adams/Denny O'Neil stories are reprinted wasn't the giant, crazy expensive prestige hardcover thingies. I really want to read them but I can't afford a whole series of $60 hardcovers.

[Zombipanda]

I really wish the only place where all the Neal Adams/Denny O'Neil stories are reprinted wasn't the giant, crazy expensive prestige hardcover thingies. I really want to read them but I can't afford a whole series of $60 hardcovers.

I've been reading Legends of the Dark Knight, and a lot of Denny O'Neil's stuff in there is pretty damn good. I've read his Question and a little bit of Green Arrow/Green Lantern, but it's my first exposure to him as a Batman writer. I really like his flavor. The guy contributed a lot to the mythos. Ra's Al Ghul and the whole pulp adventure element that goes along with him are great.

There's also a Grant Morrison story wedged in there called Gothic which, curiously enough, features ideas of sacred urban geography similar to what's being hinted at in RIP.... and it has Batman meeting the Devil.

[Ninja4peace]

There's also a Grant Morrison story wedged in there called Gothic which, curiously enough, features ideas of sacred urban geography similar to what's being hinted at in RIP.... and it has Batman meeting the Devil.

it's pretty good.

it also has a slight retcon with his parents - in gothic bruce falls out with them the day before their shot and shouted 'i hate you' at them and while the next day he was still going to see zorro with them, he didn't say a single word - so basically when they died...that's what his last words to them were.

tragic

I think i've got hold of some of the denny o'neill question series, and i really wanna read the whole no man's land saga. It sounds a bit epic though and I'm not really sure where to begin.

[Zombipanda]

So, I've been flipping through some of the Dennis O'Neil/Neal Adams era on Batman and so far, it seems like O'Neil is just absolutely insane.

This one story, for instance. Bruce Wayne is riding around on a train, because he knows another car on the train is transporting prisoners including Catwoman, and he wants to be there in case they try to escape or something, so he can turn into Batman. And some gypsy shows up in his car while he's playing backgammon with the dude, and she's all "You've got a plague of coincidences coming! KA KA KA KA KA!!!!!!" Anyway, the prisoners don't have an escape planned, but some douchebag doing construction forgets to put the e-brake on the Caterpillar and it derails the train. So, in the mess, Catwoman gets amnesia, and she's just kind of stumbling around while Batman deals with all the other escaped criminals, and she just wanders off. And then when she wanders a safe distance away, she just gets her memory back, and some criminal dickhead she knows pulls up in a truck coincidentally and he's like, "Hey, I know some dudes. Want to be our boss?" and she's like, "Well, I was going to just do my sentence and come clean but sure, why not?". Anyway, Commissioner Gordon tells Batman about some jewel robberies, so Batman hatches an ingenious scheme to dress up as a rich old widower and show up at a hotel, loudly talking about her wealth. Then he just turns into Batman and waits for a robber to show up. Then he beat the **** out of him. This particular robber is smarter than average though, and cocky! "I ain't gonna fight you, Batman! You're too tough... Everyone knows that! But I'm agile--", he shouts, then, proudly "--I'm the most agile man in all Gotham City!" But Batman still beats the **** out of his agile ***. But oh no! A cat broke into his hotel room while he was busy kicking *** and stole a necklace!

So he has to chase the cat through the city. Then it jumps into a van with Catwoman in it and they speed off, only to sideswipe a cat food truck, allowing Batman to close the gap and get ontop of their van (which he explains in thought bubbles, while crouching atop the van. Coincidence! Anyway, he bursts in on the robbers and Catwoman and some ocelots. Don't worry though. As the comic assures us, "the big cats' quickness is matched by the Batman's thought-fast reflexes!" He catches both ocelots in a bed sheet and swings them at the thieves to knock them out. "That should stun the ocelots enough.... ...to keep them out of action a while!" he exclaims! Catwoman escapes, but he knows the cat will go to find her, so he trails the cat..... by walking along half a foot behind it in the middle of the street. And it leads him to a warehouse with Catwoman, standing atop a bunch of bags. She tries to whip him, but he just grabs the whip and tugs on it to knock her over. Batman wins! And it turns out the cat wasn't following Catwoman! It smelled catnip! Catwoman was standing on a pile of catnip bags! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, coincidence! You're priceless!

[Foolsfolly]

So, I've been flipping through some of the Dennis O'Neil/Neal Adams era on Batman and so far, it seems like O'Neil is just absolutely insane.

This one story, for instance. Bruce Wayne is riding around on a train, because he knows another car on the train is transporting prisoners including Catwoman, and he wants to be there in case they try to escape or something, so he can turn into Batman. And some gypsy shows up in his car while he's playing backgammon with the dude, and she's all "You've got a plague of coincidences coming! KA KA KA KA KA!!!!!!" Anyway, the prisoners don't have an escape planned, but some douchebag doing construction forgets to put the e-brake on the Caterpillar and it derails the train. So, in the mess, Catwoman gets amnesia, and she's just kind of stumbling around while Batman deals with all the other escaped criminals, and she just wanders off. And then when she wanders a safe distance away, she just gets her memory back, and some criminal dickhead she knows pulls up in a truck coincidentally and he's like, "Hey, I know some dudes. Want to be our boss?" and she's like, "Well, I was going to just do my sentence and come clean but sure, why not?". Anyway, Commissioner Gordon tells Batman about some jewel robberies, so Batman hatches an ingenious scheme to dress up as a rich old widower and show up at a hotel, loudly talking about her wealth. Then he just turns into Batman and waits for a robber to show up. Then he beat the **** out of him. This particular robber is smarter than average though, and cocky! "I ain't gonna fight you, Batman! You're too tough... Everyone knows that! But I'm agile--", he shouts, then, proudly "--I'm the most agile man in all Gotham City!" But Batman still beats the **** out of his agile ***. But oh no! A cat broke into his hotel room while he was busy kicking *** and stole a necklace!

So he has to chase the cat through the city. Then it jumps into a van with Catwoman in it and they speed off, only to sideswipe a cat food truck, allowing Batman to close the gap and get ontop of their van (which he explains in thought bubbles, while crouching atop the van. Coincidence! Anyway, he bursts in on the robbers and Catwoman and some ocelots. Don't worry though. As the comic assures us, "the big cats' quickness is matched by the Batman's thought-fast reflexes!" He catches both ocelots in a bed sheet and swings them at the thieves to knock them out. "That should stun the ocelots enough.... ...to keep them out of action a while!" he exclaims! Catwoman escapes, but he knows the cat will go to find her, so he trails the cat..... by walking along half a foot behind it in the middle of the street. And it leads him to a warehouse with Catwoman, standing atop a bunch of bags. She tries to whip him, but he just grabs the whip and tugs on it to knock her over. Batman wins! And it turns out the cat wasn't following Catwoman! It smelled catnip! Catwoman was standing on a pile of catnip bags! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, coincidence! You're priceless!

...*takes cigerette out of mouth*

That's the new Bat-movie.[/strung-out British rocker accent]

[Ninja4peace]

Oh, coincidence! You're priceless!

KA KA KA KA KA....KAtnip