What are your thoughts in today’s Batman?
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What are your thoughts in today’s Batman?
[URL="https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2018/12/preview-of-batman-60/"]https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2018/12/preview-of-batman-60/[/URL]
Only read the preview. So Batman's aware of the plot and it's moving so that's good.
I called it about Penny the Penguin.
Also, based on solicits we carry on to a new story about Master Bruce after this issue, so as is all too common in King’s run, the important and likely most interesting part of the issue to most readers may well be handled “off-panel.”
[QUOTE=Pohzee;4061897]I called it about Penny the Penguin.
Also, based on solicits we carry on to a new story about Master Bruce after this issue, so as is all too common in King’s run, the important and likely most interesting part of the issue to most readers may well be handled “off-panel.”[/QUOTE]
But King has once before used false or overly vague solicitations to keep the readers in the dark. For example issue:
DC website:
“A DREAM OF ME” part 1! Following his marriage proposal to Catwoman, Batman leaves Gotham City on a quest of renewal and redemption. As he travels and fights, he encounters members of his family—each disturbed by Batman’s journey, each ready to stand in his way, each ready to push back against Batman’s stubborn determination to evolve into something better than a superhero.
I too called Penny a penguin from square one, and I think is great that she is. Sure, there can still be a super weird twist coming up haha
I loved this arc with Penguin, it moved the plot a lot and that cliffhanger was astounding. I wonder how this Batman/Gordon enmity is going to escalate.
Nowadays, I trust a Batman solicitation as much as a trailer or interview by Hideo Kojima, and I say that in a good sense
[QUOTE=Serd;4062168]But King has once before used false or overly vague solicitations to keep the readers in the dark. For example issue:
DC website:
“A DREAM OF ME” part 1! Following his marriage proposal to Catwoman, Batman leaves Gotham City on a quest of renewal and redemption. As he travels and fights, he encounters members of his family—each disturbed by Batman’s journey, each ready to stand in his way, each ready to push back against Batman’s stubborn determination to evolve into something better than a superhero.[/QUOTE]
The fact that Travis Moore is back indicates to me that this probably is not a bait-and-switch.
[QUOTE=Pohzee;4062551]The fact that Travis Moore is back indicates to me that this probably is not a bait-and-switch.[/QUOTE]
#61 is the Professor Pyg issue with Mitch Gerads, then the Master Bruce story with Travis Moore is #62, and then Mikel Janin who just did this issue is back in #63 with a Constantine story. I would not be surprised if one of those 3 solicits end up being purposefully misleading, or if they're real and we actually have to wait until #66 to see the see the end of this cliffhanger, at this point both are equally plausible outcomes. Or maybe it could even play into the Flash crossover, considering what happened in The Button.
That last page! Holy gaucamole!!
This issue was pretty good. The new colorist really helped Janin’s art. Very interested to see where that cliffhanger goes.
Gotta eat crow here, I was 100% wrong about Penguin in the last two issues.
But I'm curious how this is going to play out. Why is Thomas helping Bane? Looking forward to what's next.
[QUOTE=ZeroBG82;4063245]Gotta eat crow here, I was 100% wrong about Penguin in the last two issues.
But I'm curious how this is going to play out. Why is Thomas helping Bane? Looking forward to what's next.[/QUOTE]
I assume he wants Bruce to retire so he can be happy and is willing to work with Bane to make it happen.
I didn't like the other artist who worked on this issue. Had a real pulpy feel to it, but not nearly as nice as Janin's work, so it made for a poor contrast to me.
Was there ever any question that Penny was a bird? That is what I thought all along.
I didn't buy Gordons actions at the end of the issues, I know part of Bane's plan is driving a stake between Batman and Gordon, but given the history of Batman and Jim, I don't think he'd go that far yet.
Not happy they have Thomas inovled in this, mostly because I hate the multiverse and I prefer a more grounded Batman usually. But I am kind of interested to see what his reasoning is for being involved with Bane and why he would knowlingly be a pawn.
This penguin arc has been really good and that cliffangher.... damn, I love this run!
[QUOTE=SixSpeedSamurai;4063614]
Was there ever any question that Penny was a bird? That is what I thought all along.
[/QUOTE]
Well the sheer ridiculousness of it made me think otherwise but no, apparently Penguin likes Birds SOOOOOO much he married one.
Jim honestly thinks he can beat up the Batman?
King just wanted to use that Bat man line, I bet.
The art is great. To me it looks and feels like if you merged all bat art into a computer algorithm, this is what would spit out of the printer, ;)
This is like the 500th time Gordon has over-reacted to Batman being Batman. This time he went too far! That part didn't resonate with me, its just too done.
But the Penguin stuff, lol, that was great. Penguin and Alfred are my new favorite team-up.
[QUOTE=SixSpeedSamurai;4063614]I didn't like the other artist who worked on this issue. Had a real pulpy feel to it, but not nearly as nice as Janin's work, so it made for a poor contrast to me[/QUOTE]
Different strokes for different folks. For me the art from Fornes was terrific. It reminded me of nothing as much as David Mazzucchelli's work on Batman Year One and that's one of my favorite styles of Batman art ever.
[QUOTE=Naked Bat;4063810]This penguin arc has been really good and that cliffangher.... damn, I love this run![/QUOTE]
QFT. Me too.
This issue was so completely stupid that it hurts. Penguin married a penguin? King should be fired for that stupidity alone. Also, why is Penguin hanging out blindfolded with his hands free in a cage with a giant opening? What's to keep him from pulling up the blindfold? Why did Alfred have to open the cage to hand feed Penguin? How does this seem like good storytelling? Gordon overreacts again which would be fine if it hadn't happened so often before. And why would Thomas Wayne, who wants his son to be happy, side with Bane who is out to destroy his son? Unless King makes it so that this is someone else in the Flashpoint Batman costume then this makes zero sense. This series has been bad for a while but this issue is kicking the suckiness up a notch. Penguin married a bird. Stop it with this nonsense.
[QUOTE=Talon1load;4064879]This issue was so completely stupid that it hurts. Penguin married a penguin? King should be fired for that stupidity alone. Also, why is Penguin hanging out blindfolded with his hands free in a cage with a giant opening? What's to keep him from pulling up the blindfold? Why did Alfred have to open the cage to hand feed Penguin? How does this seem like good storytelling? Gordon overreacts again which would be fine if it hadn't happened so often before. And why would Thomas Wayne, who wants his son to be happy, side with Bane who is out to destroy his son? Unless King makes it so that this is someone else in the Flashpoint Batman costume then this makes zero sense. This series has been bad for a while but this issue is kicking the suckiness up a notch. Penguin married a bird. Stop it with this nonsense.[/QUOTE]
Maybe, just maybe, Thomas Wayne's involvement of the plot will be explained in future issues. I'm certainly not sold on the idea yet, but I'm not going to have a knee-jerk reaction about it. Have patience.
I'm sure that it wasn't in the script to not have Penguin's hands tied up, and I know King is apparently the worst writer that DC has ever hired, but c'mon, lets not nitpick here. In fact, given that Alfred is feeding him, it is likely that it may be an artistic error. But lets not pretend like Penguin is any large physical threat.
Perhaps the gun-slinging[spoil]Dick Grayson Batman[/Spoil] from the "Gift" arc is in the Flashpoint costume instead of Thomas Wayne. He could be [spoil]resurected or saved by Bane, he is violent and he could hate Batman for destroying his timeline. [/Spoil]
[QUOTE=Pohzee;4064912]Maybe, just maybe, Thomas Wayne's involvement of the plot will be explained in future issues. I'm certainly not sold on the idea yet, but I'm not going to have a knee-jerk reaction about it. Have patience.
I'm sure that it wasn't in the script to not have Penguin's hands tied up, and I know King is apparently the worst writer that DC has ever hired, but c'mon, lets not nitpick here. In fact, given that Alfred is feeding him, it is likely that it may be an artistic error. But lets not pretend like Penguin is any large physical threat.[/QUOTE]
Patience? You're 60 issues into a 100 issue run and nothing has really been explained other than Batman can't be happy. There comes a point when you're not being patient and you're just being a sucker. Also, why are all inconsistences with King's run just hand waved away? Some sure, but every issue has a ton of them that add up and make the story make no sense.
[QUOTE=Talon1load;4064955]Patience? You're 60 issues into a 100 issue run and nothing has really been explained other than Batman can't be happy. There comes a point when you're not being patient and you're just being a sucker. Also, why are all inconsistences with King's run just hand waved away? Some sure, but every issue has a ton of them that add up and make the story make no sense.[/QUOTE]
You absolutely have no reason to be mad that the reveal at the final page of an issue is not explained immediately as it is revealed. It is clearly a plot point begging to be explained and resolved.
In the 60 issues of this run, many things have happened. Thomas Wayne did not reappear until 10 issues and since then things have been building in the background. And I'm not handwaving a complaint, I'm saying that you've levelled an artist complaint at the writer. I think the fault is with Janin here, but I don't have a very high opinion of Janin's storytelling.
[QUOTE=Pohzee;4064965]You absolutely have no reason to be mad that the reveal at the final page of an issue is not explained immediately as it is revealed. It is clearly a plot point begging to be explained and resolved.
In the 60 issues of this run, many things have happened. Thomas Wayne did not reappear until 10 issues and since then things have been building in the background. And I'm not handwaving a complaint, I'm saying that you've levelled an artist complaint at the writer. I think the fault is with Janin here, but I don't have a very high opinion of Janin's storytelling.[/QUOTE]
Honestly when you think about it, this is pretty fast resolution. It only took 7 issues after 50 to directly deal with the Bane plot, and the first question they're getting out of the way is "Why is Flashpoint Batman there?" Which I think is good, because I'm one of the people who just on the surface thinks it's really dumb and have no idea why or how he's there, but I'm still willing to wait and hear what the actual answer is.
I could maybe see it as he thinks retiring is the only way he can be happy, not married to a criminal while still crime fighting so that's why he teamed up with Bane.
Penny did turn out to be a bird... This arc does have me wondering if the Bane in the cell is the same Bane who is running Arkham. He does have many resources at hand that could produce a double in one way or another.
[QUOTE=Phoenyxx1481;4065466]Penny did turn out to be a bird... This arc does have me wondering if the Bane in the cell is the same Bane who is running Arkham. He does have many resources at hand that could produce a double in one way or another.[/QUOTE]
That's what I thought at first, but the way he looks at the reader in the last panels of issue 59 makes me think it's really him.
[QUOTE=Naked Bat;4066492]That's what I thought at first, but the way he looks at the reader in the last panels of issue 59 makes me think it's really him.[/QUOTE]
My theory on that is he switched spots with him when he learned Batman arrived at Arkham.
[QUOTE=BatmanJones;4064711]Different strokes for different folks. For me the art from Fornes was terrific. It reminded me of nothing as much as David Mazzucchelli's work on Batman Year One and that's one of my favorite styles of Batman art ever.[/QUOTE]
I concur with you.
[QUOTE=Phoenyxx1481;4067224]My theory on that is he switched spots with him when he learned Batman arrived at Arkham.[/QUOTE]
That would make sense. Bane's definitely got some serious shenanigans going on this time.
Janin’s artwork looks better under this colorist, but his static poser tracing still pales in comparison to Fornes. I’d love to see more work from Fornes in the future.
[QUOTE=SixSpeedSamurai;4063614]Not happy they have Thomas involved in this, mostly because I hate the multiverse and I prefer a more grounded Batman usually. But I am kind of interested to see what his reasoning is for being involved with Bane and why he would knowingly be a pawn.[/QUOTE]
Quite. Grounded is good, once you get past the fact that Gotham is the most terrible place on the planet to live, and Bats is probably on anti-depressants. Why does every writer these days try to be the new Edgar Allen Poe rather than 'just' the new Bob Kane or Bill Finger (or Denny O'Neil...)
We don't know much about the Flashpoint world. Maybe Bane is a good guy there.
[QUOTE=Phoenyxx1481;4067224]My theory on that is he switched spots with him when he learned Batman arrived at Arkham.[/QUOTE]
That would make sense.
[QUOTE=Omniscient1;4071268]Why does every writer these days try to be the new Edgar Allen Poe rather than 'just' the new Bob Kane or Bill Finger (or Denny O'Neil...)[/QUOTE]
We live in the era of narcissism, Omniscient. As long as you depict yourself as the effin' best in front of the whole world, every day of your life, it really doesn't matter whether that's true or not.
Kings stories for bats are so short. Batman been so poor since he's taking over
[QUOTE=Omniscient1;4071268]Quite. Grounded is good, once you get past the fact that Gotham is the most terrible place on the planet to live, and Bats is probably on anti-depressants. Why does every writer these days try to be the new Edgar Allen Poe rather than 'just' the new Bob Kane or Bill Finger (or Denny O'Neil...)[/QUOTE]
If they COULD write like Edgar Allen Poe, they WOULD write like Edgar Allen Poe.
[QUOTE=Omniscient1;4071268]Quite. Grounded is good, once you get past the fact that Gotham is the most terrible place on the planet to live, and Bats is probably on anti-depressants. Why does every writer these days try to be the new Edgar Allen Poe rather than 'just' the new Bob Kane or Bill Finger (or Denny O'Neil...)[/QUOTE]
Why does every writer strive for making great memorable stories instead of being average.
[QUOTE=ross61;4077192]Why does every writer strive for making great memorable stories instead of being average.[/QUOTE]
Isn't the question:
Why DOESN'T every writer strive for make great memorable stories instead of being average?
Lile or don't like King's style, average is definitely not a word that suits his work. He has his own distinctive voice, which is why he is divisive on Batman.
Am I the only one (probably not) who noticed the position FPBats is standing in in issue 50 was the "same" spot he was standing in in 58? A mannequin perhaps?
It doesn't explain the end of 60 (or why there's even an awareness why knowledge of the suit/person exists to others outside of Flash and Bats).
Guess I'm trying my hardest to suspend my belief/ give King the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he's doing but man he's not making it easy!