With Batman #701, Grant Morrison wanted to tell a “Lost story” that took place between Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis. “Ok, that’s cool I guess”, I thought and muttered repeatedly unsure about the premise of the whole “lost story” bit. While it can be done right, most of the time it’s done wrong and doesn’t mean anything except to make it clear as day that it’s only filler to bleed a little more money out of our pockets. And that sadly is the case for Batman #701, while the foreboding is certainly there it is nothing new for those of us who have previously read Morrison’s material. But, the biggest fault here is that absolutely nothing happens. Sure, the beginning of the book starts off with Bruce escaping the helicopter wreckage and making his way back to Wayne manor to Alfred’s joy, but the story takes on a lulled attitude after that, it’s subtlety is a little too subtle. The scene where Bruce goes into the secret room is almost uneventful, boring, and meaningless. Sure, we get to see it‘s walls scrawled with the name Thomas and Barbatos, and Bruce‘s inner monologue wondering if there is some kind of sickness at the root of the family tree or a worm at the foundations, but that’s all. A lot more could have and should have done with the room, but it is left as an after thought or a throwaway panel. The feeling we get after we see the room is almost like when Geraldo Rivera opened Al Capone’s vault only to find two empty bottles that he tried to hype up and say “this was probably a bottle that held bootleg liquor back in the day, WOAH!!!!” Totally underwhelming and bland. Bottom line here is, it’s hard to get into the story and once you do and your committed it’s passed off and reluctant. After I read this issue I had a terrible feeling, I wondering why I read this thing. Obviously it’s a Batman comic and I kind of like Morrison’s writing, but the underlying fact is that this book just doesn’t deliver. I, more than anything, wanted to like this issue but it’s just not there. Whether it’s the brevity or the blandness of it, it just doesn’t deliver.
All that aside though, it does have some good stuff in it. What sticks out particularly for me is Bruce’s inner monologue, for which, it looks like he’s writing in a diary or notepad. Morrison hits Bruce’s tone and voice perfectly and you really feel Bruce’s fear/enticement for this whole “curse” mystery while he tries to piece it together. What also can be noted here is the fact that after Bruce escaped the helicopter wreckage, and after making it all the way to Wayne manor, he wants to go back out to the crash site to search for Dr. Hurt’s body. Upon Bruce’s return to Wayne manor Alfred comforts Bruce’s restless mind with his fatherly wisdom as Bruce makes his way to his bed to sleep off the hallucinations of the Joker venom. It is a scene that shows Bruce’s unwillingness to compromise, his stoic bravery, relentlessness for good, and overall detective intuition that no other comic book character can express within those circumstances. That, along with showing us the relationship between Alfred and Bruce is kind of what saved the book. Because Bruce and Alfred are mainly the only two we see, no other character from the Bat-family makes an appearance, we don’t even see Dr. Hurt. Sure, Alfred and Bruce can carry an issue by themselves when it is done right, sadly Morrison doesn’t do it that way. There scenes are brief and nothing other than what I have stated really happens with them. I feel like more could have been done here given what Morrison has done before and what we have seen within his current run on the various Batman titles. It seems like Morrison can’t find a happy medium content wise nowadays. It’s either too much or too little content-wise, I don’t know what’s going on in his head but it seems like he’s being overwhelmed, beaten down, and overtly pressured to the point where his work is suffering and it shows in his inconsistency. In either case does it prove a valid case for the matter at hand and if so does it vindicate him? Or should Morrison be blamed for everything and shunned? The answer I feel lies somewhere in between those two extremes. Sure, there is a lot of pressure and criticism for him to write something good, but he should not let that take a hold of his work and bring it down. He’s working on multiple titles, and I can’t imagine that that is easy. Going from story to story, page to page, rewriting, removing things, adding things, meeting different deadlines, etc. But that is not an excuse, to rush through a story just to get it out in time. I’ve been blaming his writing for a couple of reviews now but now I think the problem isn’t his writing, or DC comics, or the due dates. It’s him. He took on more than he could chew, he let the pressure get to him, he turns out these half-hearted stories, and in the end he only has himself to blame because it‘s not DC‘s name that‘s going to get trashed, it‘s his. It was poor planning with an even poorer execution. And what do we get in the end? We get inconsistency which is any writer/artist’s nightmare; to be lauded, then panned. The inconsistency is the Achilles tendon of Grant Morrison’s writing. And it not only prevails but triumphantly defeats the good that he’s done.
The art on the other hand, is nothing short of beautiful. To date, it is the best thing Tony Daniel has done for Batman in my opinion. His pencils blaze through your eye sockets and into your brain where it doesn’t feel like a blow to the face but as a soft pillow that you lay your head onto only to discover it’s covered in razor blades. Truly remarkable, Daniel's Bruce Wayne is the broadest, grandest, most elegant representation of the character I have seen in a long time. The best part is the distinction you see between Bruce and Dick, whereas Dick is a little smaller and has a softer face, Bruce is larger than life and has both the eyes and the prowess of a Bald Eagle. I haven’t seen Bruce like this in a long time and to see him in Daniels’ particular representation is enough to send chills down my spine.
But overall, this issue fails to deliver no matter what I’ve said to praise this issue, it still fails. I can only hope Morrison does a little better next month and that he has committed the time to crafting a story rather than being brief about it. This issue feels half-hearted, rushed, and almost meaningless and it fails to draw you into the story.
Batman #701:
Reviewed by Dane
First off, let me state that I think that every Batman fan reading this that hasn’t read this issue yet should go out to their local comic shop and pick this issue up before they read this review because HEY, IT’S THE 700th ISSUE and it is quite the achievement, and for such a momentous occasion you shouldn’t read about it in a review and have it spoiled and thrown away on a quick read through on your computer screen. You need to hold the book in your hands, read it, soak in every word and panel presented, truly treasure the occasion and reflect on your own personal experience after it is done. So with that out of the way I will state that I will not spoil anything for you here, but I beg of you to PLEASE go out, buy it, and read it before you read this review. But what I will do here is give you a little insight to what is to be expected in these pages.
Messy is an understatement. Grant Morrison’s work on Batman #700, is what it is. A messy, garbled story of which we have no clue to what’s going on, but at the same time and in old Grant Morrison style it leaves the story up to the visual side of a complete and unquestioned whole that makes up what we love to read. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. All the hype about this specific issue aside, there is a coherent story there (of course) that begins, climaxes and ends all in one issue it transcends everything that I have expected and more. While sticking to a storyline, I can't help but feel that there is something more to this story. First, we start off with Bruce and Dick in the first story called “Yesterday” as Batman and Robin strapped to chairs in a maybe machine, a machine used to see what would happen if things turned out differently. We then see them surrounded by the Riddler, Mad Hatter, Cat Woman, and none other than the Joker. We then see Dick and Damian in the second story called “Today” taking up the positions previously stated, trying to stop an underground auction that is auctioning off weapons and other things. Finally we see Damian as Batman in the third story called “ Tomorrow” trying to stop a criminal named January from killing all the citizens of Gotham using an old yet familiar gas that makes people laugh. The end is the real kicker and will only be revealed when you read it.
I know, it sounds like none of these stories connect to each other, but they do through time travel and the consequences of actions which I must say weaves perfectly through a single twist of continuity and fate. While this issue and its content both visually and text wise offer a valuable story, I was expecting a little more from these pages action and story-wise even though the idea is there and makes it a wonderful read. Maybe it’s because DC, other Batman related websites and news stories hyped the hell out of it or because it falls short of the holy grail of content we’ve grown to expect from Grant Morrison. But I can’t help but feel that this issue would have been better if it was a one-shot. Which in a sense is somewhat true, the story could have been fleshed out a little more and it would not have been plagued by what had become a problem for Tony Daniels when he was the writer for the Batman series. While this issue is numbered within the Batman comic series, it is presented as a one-shot or something like it. Although I’m not quite sure if the events in this story will have any effect on other series such as Batman & Robin, I will state that I would like to see some of what is presented here in future issues or maybe a one-shot with the maybe machine being used again and acting as a plot device. This story/one-shot/whatever you want to call it takes us back to the past, to the current day and to the future….. Then further on in the future, and back to current day which like I‘ve said is pulled off and presented wonderfully, and most importantly in a smart, innovative way all the way to the end.
At the end of the issue there is bonus material in the form of artwork by artists that have worked on Batman in the past, while it is a hit or miss, Guillem March’s Joker art is something to be reckoned with, while Philip Tan’s Batman is also quite extraordinary and both I would recommend you take a peek at. The story, art, and bonus material is not only presented great here, but it also rings in and applauds the momentous occasion for what it is. This issue is the definition of a comic book and if there is any kind of redemption in this world, the 700th issue is it.
Like I’ve said before I think this story is much more than a typical run of the mill story. I think (besides the obvious examples that have been told in past issues) it’s a “passing of the torch or cowl” sort of story. With Bruce to Dick to Damian and so on and so forth. It’s an action or tragedy on a son who becomes a father who passes it on to his adopted son to another son to the future bearers kind of story. Because we don’t know who the future Batmen are and what their relationships are to who we already know I also think (while not directly stated or presumed) it’s a Father/Son story about those talks you had with your Father when you were a kid, and after all those years you look back and realize what your father was telling you, it was knowledge learned that we use to protect ourselves to fight for what we think is right, for what we think NEEDS to be right, to stand up for justice and the righteousness of what you think is the right thing to do . Everyone plays the part of the Batman no matter where you come from, no matter how you were raised, no matter what happened in your past. It’s a final confirmation that Batman is bigger than anything we can hold in our hands or that one person can fully grasp within a lifetime or perhaps will never be fully understood by any one human. Thus, there is a universal need for a wearer of the cowl to try to understand all the craziness and absurdity in this world to put together what it is that makes what’s right, right, and what’s wrong, wrong, and for the symbolic nature of an idea or philosophy to show all of humanity that there is some sort of greatness in every single thing we do, that there is goodness in the human soul, and finally but most importantly that there is hope in despair (all the while not fully understanding it at all), which in the end is what Batman stands for.
Overall, a great issue is all I can say. This is what I have been personally waiting for and Morrison delivers. As for the art Finch’s cover kind of echoes (dare I say) Jim Lee’s work. On the inside Tony Daniel’s pencils are top notch as they should be while Ian Hannin’s colors bring a grimness to an already grim scene. The other artists most notably Frank Quitely are all on par to deliver a great book. There are great things to look forward to in the future with the Batman series. With Morrison at the writers helm , who knows where we’re going?
Batman #700:
Reviewed by Dane
Editor's Note: This was sent in before the release of Batman #700. We were just able to post it.
So, we’re almost there. To Batman #700 I mean. Issue #700 has been touted by DC and other Bat-fan’s as Grant Morrison’s grand return to the Batman comic that comes along with a sweeping story that features Batmen from different generations all starring in one single over sized issue priced at $4.99!!!!! But wait, hold on, this review isn’t about #700 because at the time of this writing it hasn’t come out yet!!!! With all the hype surrounding issue #700 there are the people especially on the internet who complain that #699 was rushed, that Tony Daniel’s story was cut short and not fleshed out and as a one-sided theory, it is true.
This issue begins where the last issue left off, Batman finds Edward Nigma under the influence of the Joker’s laughing gas which is later revealed to be a generic knock off of the real thing, Batman however still needs to search for the killer of issue # 698. While I will not spoil anything completely for you in the two issue story arc I will agree with the facts, being that the story was rushed and cut short. There are questions that are left unanswered and it is incredibly fast-paced even with Dick’s inner monologue, which is one of the things Daniel got perfect, not to mention the ending which just left another huge question about what is going to happen. I just felt that this story could have been more than what was presented in the actual book. While it had a great story , beginning in Batman #698 and concluding with this issue, Daniel had too much to work with and not enough time or pages/issues to create a better story considering the return of Grant Morrison in the landmark 700th issue. If he had had the time maybe we would’ve got a better story. But maybe it’s Daniels fault with the fact that he could have condensed the story and re-worked it with consideration to the issue number and the number of pages he was allowed. Maybe he was just overwhelmed and distracted with other things. No one knows except for him and we can't truly blame anyone at this point. Saying that it was Daniel's fault or DC’s fault or even Grant Morrison’s fault is the elusive one-sided theory.
But overall we can only assume what we are led to believe (until we get all the information) which is the fact that it was just poor planning on both sides. Whether it was in fact the number of issues or some other unseen reason. Anyways, all the negativity aside I can commend the artwork by Guillem March. Even though he has been heavily critiqued in the past, is one of the best artists in the game with his visually stunning style and overall scope, depth, and understanding of the medium pulls you into the world of the long forgotten world of true artistic statement. I can also commend the story up to a certain point. I see the depth that Daniel wanted to take it to with the addition of Edward Nigma to his story and the overall sense of where the story was going, it truly would have been great. The inner monologue with Dick as Batman was truly the highlight of the story because I finally pictured Dick as Batman and was no longer haunted by the image of Robin and Nightwing when I see him as the Batman, his inner monologue was some of the most eloquent writing I have read in a long time. But the story just doesn’t cut it, it just reads way too fast, it was too rushed, and finally there are things that are supposedly happening when truly nothing is going on ? Maybe I am wrong, maybe what we were presented with was what Daniel wrote and he just had a bad run? Like the ending it leaves us in the universe’s waiting room with a bag full of future possibility. We all have our bad days thus we are forgiven. I’m sure with the proper situation this could have been a great swan song for Daniel. And like any person that has had a bad day, I will forgive.
Overall, the presentation is there with Guillem March’s art and Daniel's story but sadly it falls short almost to the point where March’s artwork cannot redeem it. But what I am hoping is that all the questions that weren’t answered and the cliffhanger at the end of Issue #699 with the question/possibility it hold will be revealed in future issues. But I can only hope.
Batman #699:
Reviewed by Dane
Alright, so as some may know, I recently moved back to where I grew up, Chicago. Well, this week marks the first convention on a major scale in the city. I attended today and will be attending all weekend. I have to say that I am really pleased with what I have seen so far.
While not be as big as San Diego Comic Con, it has the potential to be much larger. The exhibit hall was very large and spacious. I mention the latter since at SDCC, in order to move around, you really have to some times get to know the person you are standing next to. There was plenty of space throughout the entire convention hall. The DC Nation panel was held in a room that could be compared to half of the size as Hall H at SDCC. Plenty of room.
I keep mentioning plenty of room because it did not feel cramped at all. Even thought this convention is not in the dead of summer it is still being pretty well attended. There were plenty of people scoping out deals with the vendors and getting sketches from their favorite artists.
DC turned out big to push the con, as they had their own booth to the extent of what we would see at SDCC. Not as spread out, but all of the contents was the same. Plenty of free swag from DC as well. (Some will be making it to the Quiz show prize package.)
On a personal note, came across the Joker and Man-Bat figures from the DC Universe Classics line that were exclusive to Wal-Mart for a reasonable price. I also got sketches from Tony Daniel and Dustin Ngyuen. I secured some future interviews for the show and expect to land some more tomorrow.
Speaking of Dustin Ngyuen, he loves to let news slip. Remember when we first interviewed him back last year in April. He mentioned that we should really push the fans for DC to get him a Black and White statue. Well, it turns out that at SDCC this year, his statue will be revealed. He said it is already in production. Also without giving too much details, we have not seen the end of his Little Gotham characters. Hopefully more on that tomorrow after the Batman panel.
Well, a lot happened and even more will happen tomorrow. So I am off to bed to try and get rested for another awesome day in Chicago.
Posted by Dustin
Concept Art: Part One
In this, the third entry of the Year of the Batmen, we will examine what is to represent Batman visually and how the artwork conveys a certain mood, message, or characterization. Since all the printed word for upcoming stories aren’t out yet we’ll look at this artwork with “thumbnail” sketches of each drawing and what I think they exemplify.
The Rags Morales Batman
This Batman, featured in the “First Wave” comic along with Doc Savage is often depicted in some type of movement. This suggests he is youthful and athletic. It also suggests that this particular Batman relies on surprise or guile rather than experience to catch his opponents off guard. Seemingly springing out of nowhere his abrupt appearance is meant to bewilder his foes to make up for his lack of sophistication.
The Gary Frank Batman
This Batman is designed to intimidate. Note the furrowed brow of the unmasked Batman. Even as a youth there is a certain grimness that suggests a purpose full of anger and determination. The cowled head-shot with the gritted teeth characterizes a brutal strength fused with a hair trigger temper. As for the full body shot, this Batman looks almost military in presence. The Bat suit looks like something a paratrooper might wear. Also important to note the lack of “over-musculature” in the body, this Batman is drawn to represent a real person.
The Frank Quitely Batman
The thing that most impresses me about this Batman is how Quitely captures the youth of the Dick Grayson Batman. This Batman’s posture is more relaxed. The head is always seems to be tilted in some manner that suggests a callow cockiness that is both vigorous and arrogant. He is not a coiled spring of vengeance and his body type shows also a lack of the over wrought musculature that makes the other Batmen artificial.
The Tony Daniel Batman
Daniel draws one of the more gothic of Batmen. His Batman is definitely a creature of the night. Daniel makes much use of the cape and it is to suggest that this Batman is an almost unworldly being that is terrifying to behold and quite possibly capable of flight. Almost Vampiric in nature this Batman is exemplified by a musculature that is almost beyond human and quite probably impossible.
The David Finch Batman
I couldn’t resist including the cover to Batman #700 by David Finch. Here we have the quintessential Batman. Even more gothic than the Daniel version. Its chief component (at least in this picture) is the lack of facial features something that Daniel also employs to great effect. As seen in this illustration what we have is two predatory eyes set into a dark visage mounted on a coiled figure. This menacing figure is a vengeful spirit wrapped in black crepe. A crepuscular wraith poised to strike at any transgressor. Finch also makes good use of perspective. Note the baroque structures that tower into the night sky slowly giving way to the bat signal as if it was a full moon. Quite striking.
There are so many artists out there now drawing the Batman that I’ve decided to divide this entry into several sections. Coming soon, the artwork of Bagley, Syaf, Alex Ross and others
Posted by Dark Knight Dave
Batman in the JLA
In this, the second entry of my “Year of the Batmen” series, I am going to discuss the Dick Grayson Batman and the dynamic of his entry into the newly reconstituted Justice League of America.
For the longest time the JLA was led by the holy trinity of the DC pantheon, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The Batman character, specifically embodied by Bruce Wayne, was often seen as the intellectual leader of the JLA and for the most part its chief tactician. The Wayne Batman was renowned for planning for every contingency, for being several steps ahead his foes and for never being caught off guard. This served him well in the JLA as that unit was often comprised by disparate heroes, some with much less experience than Wayne but often possessing much more physical power and or abilities.
Because Wayne often dealt with these heroes of different or greater qualities, who were used to pursuing causes of their own, he often clashed with them as they chafed under his authority. And because this Batman did not suffer fools well and was often harsh and impatient he often clashed with his team mates off times coming to physical blows. The most distinct rivalry often came from Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, who was essentially an inter-galactic policeman and who quite often resented taking orders from Batman who basically was the guardian just of one city.
As most readers know now the Bruce Wayne Batman is no longer on the scene. He has been succeeded by his foremost protege, Dick Grayson. For years Dick toiled under the shadow of the Bat as Robin and is only now getting up to speed as Gotham’s premier crime fighter. In the JLA, as written by James Robinson, we see a different personality to the Batman. It’s something I call the “Winick Model” after Judd Winick, who took up the writing for the Batman series as Grayson became Batman. This particular take on Batman found the caped crusader to be more open and visible. No more lurking in the shadows or avoiding the spotlight. He even smiles.
Fortunately, Dick Grayson is no neophyte when it comes to the team concept. Something the original could not claim. As Nightwing he fought along side the Teen Titans some of which now comprise this new JLA. The Teen Titans however could be seen, unfairly or otherwise, as a second tier unit. What’s different now are the expectations of being the Batman and serving in the JLA which has historically been seen as Earth’s mightiest heroes and its foremost protectors. So how does Robinson integrate this new Batman into this new progression? By having Grayson coordinate his first major action with the team.
In JLA #42 the team is confronted with a rogue Atlas and it takes all the group members to bring him down. Each heroic character is allowed an internal dialog that speaks to the reader on how they feel it is to be part of the team. Grayson comes off as a bit callow. He seems surprised to be even included. He says, “My league, me as Batman” as if he can’t quite comprehend that he is there. Something the Wayne Batman would not think even to himself. As the battle rages Dick also has to deal with the fact that two of his team mates have had an intimate relationship with him. Something the Wayne Batman would certainly sneer at. Grayson calls out instructions to Donna Troy and Starfire and they execute his plan perfectly and when the coup de grace has to be applied, it is Dick who orders Green Lantern into play. Jordan thinks it is “weird” taking orders from Dick as does Grayson giving orders to the Green Lantern.
So that part of the dynamic stays true. Batman calls the shots while the others follow, trusting that Batman will know what is best for the team and the consummation of the outcome to be without flaw. The major difference is the hint of doubt we see from each principle even though it does not affect their performance. At least for now.
Additionally, let’s study how this particular Batman is drawn for this story. Mark Bagley does the pencils. Inks by Hunter, Rapmund, and Glapion with colors by Pete Pantazis. This new JLA Batman is not very threatening. He wears the blue and gray costume as opposed to the more Gothic black and gray as drawn by Tony Daniel. Therefore this Batman is depicted to less of a loner and more of a team player. Even the cowl as drawn by Bagley has a less threatening look to it as the ears are minimized and therefore less frightening. This Batman will not threaten the team dynamic with arrogance or force of will and is drawn to reflect that.
As constituted now the new JLA Batman is a bit green behind those nominal ears. Unsure, untested in his new team dynamic. Will he be allowed to grow in this new structure? Will doubt set in if his next plan goes awry? The original Batman led without question. Will the Grayson version be allowed the same luxury? And what of the return of Bruce Wayne? As Dick becomes more comfortable in this role will he want to let it go? There are many questions to be answered as the Dick Grayson Batman not only fills out the most iconic of roles but also steps into the rarefied air of the holiest of trinities of the DC pantheon.
Next up for the Year of the Batmen, a sneak peek into the art of the Batmen as drawn by Daniel, Gary Frank, Rags Morales and Frank Quitely amongst others.
Posted by Dark Knight Dave
We loyal followers of the Dark Knight are in for a treat this year. No, not just a treat, a singular event. Perhaps something that many of us will only experience once in a lifetime. This year DC comics will not only follow the adventures of one Batman but as many as four, or quite possibly seven!
In 2010 in what I call “The Year of the Batmen” I will endeavor to chronicle these various manifestations of Batman and discuss the dynamic of having their respective storylines running concurrently. Even as they exist in different “universes”, alternate realities or as parallel plotlines that remain apart but eventually come together.
How will these Batmen compare? How will the media and readership accept or reject them? Whose storyline will succeed while another may fail? Will the various writers and artists vie for supremacy or just engage in a little friendly competition. Is it possible for all of these incarnations to exist at the same time and avoid saturation? Or will we embrace all of them and insist they continue for years to come? Perhaps multiple readership factions will arise and insist their Batman is the one true Caped Crusader.
As we all know Dick Grayson has picked up the mantle of the Bat in the absence of Bruce Wayne. This particular arc has been admirably filled out by the likes of Morrison, Daniel and Winick. How will the eventual return of Bruce Wayne (written by Morrison) effect Grayson? Will he give up the cape and cowl and go quietly into the night or will there be conflict? Will Bruce actually want it all back?
What of the iteration of the “First Wave” Batman? Brian Azzarello has promised a young Bruce Wayne one that is a, “millionaire playboy; brash, cocky and fully relishing life.” This Batman is inexperienced and makes mistakes that extract “the cost of fighting crime.” Stir in a healthy dose of Doc Savage and the Spirit and we have a whole new Dark Knight. 
Speaking of re-imagining the tale of the Dark Knight how will Geoff Johns’ interpretation compare to Azzarello’s? Johns tells us his Earth One Batman will “break the restraints of any continuity and focus on two things: character and story.” Certainly, what we have seen of artists Gary Frank’s Earth One Batman is in sharp contrast to the First Wave Batman as penciled by Rags Morales. Frank’s take looks indomitable and steadfast while Morales looks more sinewy and athletic.
But I am getting ahead of myself. There are several other incarnations that are worthy of discussion. The ghoulish Black Lantern Batman from the Blackest Night. The “undead” Batman resurrected from a Lazarus pool by Dick Grayson. And what of the Batman that exists in “Superman/Batman” comics or in Batman Confidential? Not to mention the JLA Batman that is both teammate and leader as embodied by Dick Grayson written by James Robinson.
There will be much to discuss and I am eager to get at it. Throughout this massive effort I will seek your input. Comments are welcome. The impressions from you the reader will add fuel to the fire as we discuss and dissect one of the most iconic figures in comic book history. It all comes together in 2010, “The Year of the Batmen”.
Written by Dark Knight Dave
Tony Daniel’s current arc on Batman has been solid, to say the least. As the story is beginning to wrap up, we are getting ever closer to finding out the identity of the Black Mask.
Last time we saw Batman, he had fallen into a trap set by the Penguin and the Mad Hatter at an abandoned amusement park. This issue basically picks up the story an unspecified time later. Batman is washed up on the shore in Gotham Harbor, and is found by Damian. Dick is seen to be beaten up pretty badly when he is discovered, and is wearing a broken mask that the Black Mask has been giving to the “false faces.”
Now throughout the book, Batman continuously goes in and out of consciousness. At the same time, the story is going back and forth between the present time, and flashbacks of the previous nine hours that are running through Dick’s mind. Going back nine hours, we see that Batman is under the control of the Penguin, following his orders by way of the altered gas mask. Damian has already figured this out, but just hasn’t figured out whose orders Dick had been following. We see that the Penguin had sent Batman to break into the Mayor’s office where he takes two tubes of the antidote to Black Mask’s mind control toxin. As Batman is beginning to gain consciousness again in the present, he blacks out once more and the story goes to Catwoman and Kitrina Falcone who are going after Black Mask as well. Catwoman saves Kitrina from the third member of their group who was about to kill Kitrina. Batman shows up, still under Penguin’s control and takes them down, but goes with Kitrina to Devil’s Square, which has attracted both the National Guard and the Marines due to the Black Mask and his followers.
While going through all of the flashbacks in his mind, Dick is slowly beginning to remember what happened. We see that he had confronted Black Mask and his inner circle of Fright and Dr. Hugo Strange. They fight and Batman had gained the advantage until Black Mask pulled a gun, and shot Batman in the chest, who proceeded to fall out a window, off a cliff, and into the ocean below. And that is where he reaches the point at the beginning of the book. It ends with a now fully aware Batman telling Babs that he thinks he may know who Black Mask really is.
I enjoyed this book, despite its non-linear timeline. I think Tony Daniel did a good job pulling it off, though I will acknowledge that I am not a huge fan of this style. The reason he was able to keep the story from being too confusing or choppy was the fact that the main focus was in the flashbacks, with no action in the present. That’s the trap that many writers fall into, but Daniel avoided. The actual story started off great, with Damian doing all the talking. That first scene gives the reader a reminder that even though he may think of himself as an adult, Damian is still just a kid. I got a small chuckle out of the first line when he saw Dick lying on the beach and yelled out, “Epic Fail!”
The one issue I had with this book was the absence of Dick’s thought process during the fight scenes. This was obviously because he was being manipulated, but maybe it would have been a little cooler if we saw conflicting views between the Penguin and Dick’s thoughts. Either way, Daniel’s doing a good job, and his art has been excellent as well. It’s nice to get a break from the seemingly never ending Blackest Night with a good Batman story (I’m sure I’ll get some flak from that).
Batman #696:
Reviewed by RiddleMeThis
Yesterday, Tony Daniel made a post on his blog about an upcoming cover for Batman. Batman #698 was solicited for April at the end of January, but Daniel didn't think that the cover did justice to what he had in store for the Riddler. Here is the updated cover from Daniel himself.
Posted by Dustin
Today, we had a post done by Tony Daniel over on his blog. Besides wishing everyone a Happy New Year, he also posted up a new image for an upcoming comic.
I've been very secretive lately but figured this is enough of a teaser for now. I'm back into full swing and should be finishing 696 around the 15th of January. One more issue to go for us to see how all the little plot threads tie in together. 2009 was a very good year to me, obviously and I'm hoping 2010 is just as kind. Happy New Year everyone!
Posted by Dustin
On a day where there was no new news, Tony Daniel posted up a little info about Batman #694. Here is what he had to say:
Batman 694 is being wrapped up. 695 is half done, but I wish I was a little further along. Lots of people are speculating on people like Penguin, Riddler, Helena…that's good. Will everything be answered right away? Heck no. Am I going to have fun with these developments? Heck yeah!
Posted by Dustin
Picking up where 692 left off, Daniel continues the “Life After Death” arc with Batman and Robin fighting against “False Faces” outside a hospital by the Pullman district.
After a brief fight, we then get to see Dick Grayson in Bruce Wayne’s socialite world in this particular affair, being a function for the new Arkham. There he hobnobs with the usual suspects, and The Huntress, in her secret ID of course, shows up to help Dick keep a watchful eye on an attending Tommy Elliott, as Bruce of course.
The Riddler also manages to get involved as he is at the same function and interrupts a conversation Tomuce is having with an Arkham doctor, which gets the attention of Dick and Helen.
Huntress is then told by Oracle to go after a young girl named Kitrina, but gets caught in a bomb explosion! She manages to survive and goes out to pursue to girl.
Going back into the night, Batman meets up with Gordon and Bullock after it appears a St. Valentine’s Day Massacre took out about 16 or so of Falcone’s men. Batman then surmises from the way the murders too place that Black Mask must have brought in The Reaper to do the deed.
Batman then heads towards “Devil’s Square” in something looking like the Nolan-verse sonar suit to get info the usual way, and the issue ends as someone he is pumping for information gets shot in the back, and dies in Batman’s arms.
A good tale, nice to see more elements of the Batman “network” come into play with Oracle and The Huntress, and Dick being more Bruce like in this issue; with the detective work at the harbor, and his trying to fit into the socialite crowd.
The art by Daniel is good, and I really like the suit Dick goes out in during the last couple of pages. Could we possibly be seeing a hint of what Dick will evolve into when Bruce takes back the cowl?
There also is a nice scene in Wayne Tower which helps underscore the fact that Dick is clearly not in his element. Alfred wakes him up to get ready for the function. In a scene that is much like Batman Begins’ “BATS ARE NOCTURNAL” scene, Dick’s cape is scene strewn on his floor as he is asleep in bed.
Batman #693:
Reviewed by SteveJRogers
You know what they say, “Third time’s a charm.” The creative team of Doug Moench and Kelley Jones redeem themselves with issue three after a lackluster performance in issue two, to say the least. Issue three provides us with the answers to the questions that we were asking after the first two issues of this five-part miniseries.
We learn in issue three that this story arc is truly, a story of revenge. Doug Moench brings the characters back to their roots. Issue three also focuses the story more on Batman and his persistence to find the Nigel Glass. We get a clear definition behind both, Nigel Glass and Black Mask’s reasons behind developing an invisible serum. Both men are out to seek revenge on Bruce Wayne. Glass because he is still bitter about being fired from WayneTech, and Black Mask feels that Bruce Wayne stole his’ cosmetic company from him. However, a partnership is never agreed upon and Glass sets off to work alone and unseen. Wayne does a little detective work and learns of Glass’ removal from WayneTech and the reasons why. With this information, Batman is able to anticipate Glass’ next move. Batman is able to catch Glass attempting to kill the director from WayneTech who fired him. This leads to an altercation between the two, which results in Glass escaping. Issue three ends with Glass’s serum wearing off and going back to Black Mask to receive more of it.
I felt that the writing in this issue has been the strongest of the story arc. Moench does a nice job of connecting Glass to Bruce Wayne, and also giving the characters a much more logical approach to why they want to become invisible. However, I do think that Glass’ dialogue throughout the series has been poor, and I still do not see him being a real threat to Batman. I think this story is going to play out much more in Black Mask’s hands then Nigel Glass’. Harvey Bullock also returns in issue three with a good characterization from Moench. However, I still feel this story is ridiculous, poorly written, and not necessary. You do not feel any sympathy with Nigel Glass and he is B-level villain at best.
While I appreciate the uniqueness of Kelley Jones’ artwork, I found it to be quite distracting in issue three. The way that Jones’ draws Bruce Wayne really bothered me throughout the issue. He makes him appear as this giant brute, who reminds me more of Solomon Grundy rather then Bruce Wayne. I do think that Jones’ gothic style does work well with the story and some of his’ over the top character models fit well within the context. I will say that I prefer Jones’ Black Mask to Tony Daniel’s recent interpretation of the character in Batman #692. The art remains solid, and sadly, the high point of the issue.
While I feel that issue three has been the strongest incarnation in the series, the story still remains silly and uninteresting. Doug Moench is just not weaving a storyline that I care about, and the dialogue remains the low point of the series. Moench seems to be trying to write a 1940’s hard-boiled science fiction story that is just not meshing. I’m also starting to understand why Kelley Jones is not anyone’s favorite artist. Jones brings a different and daring approach to the character, but at times it seems to be a little too daring, and doesn’t work within the plot. The best way to describe issue three is; a mediocre book that performs strongly. Do not pick up Batman: The Unseen looking for a diamond in the rough, because you won’t find it.
Batman: The Unseen #3:
Reviewed by Zfactor
So today there was a post made by Tony Daniel over on his blog. He teased an image for Batman #695. Here is what he had to say about the image:
Just a piece of a much larger image from BATMAN 695. Each issue I'm tinkering a bit with my rendering. My work is always 'in progress'…the trick is staying consistent so it's not noticeable except (hopefully) looking a little cooler. Thanks for all the great feedback regarding last week's Batman. It may take another issue before all hell breaks loose in Dick's world.
Posted by Dustin