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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4730840]I keep seeing that said but it just isn't true. While stories with a lot of exposition at the start or an introspective pace can benefit from being read in a single sitting rather than an episodic release those aren't the problems that plague The Batman's Grave, if anything being collected will only compound the pacing issues we've seen so far, while ten page fight scenes make for poor episodic reading when collected together they'll create a very uneven and unnatural pace that will sure to be maddening.[/QUOTE]
It should be good in TPB [B]IF[/B] the story picks up next issue.
We still have what 9 issues left? Maybe Ellis is adopting a 3-arc structure.
While I really like the general feel of it - detective work, the Bruce-Alfred interaction/banter, Hitch's art etcetera; I do agree it's moving at a snails pace.
He needs to ramp up the momentum asap.
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Anybody still reading this?
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[QUOTE=Flash Gordon;4848285]Anybody still reading this?[/QUOTE]
I'm waiting for the trade. After issue 1 it felt like a "better story all at once rather than piecemeal" type book.
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[QUOTE=Flash Gordon;4848285]Anybody still reading this?[/QUOTE]
I am and it's been great! Easily the best Batman story I've read since Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses.
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[QUOTE=Flash Gordon;4848285]Anybody still reading this?[/QUOTE]
Yup.
Good premise (story, art and general vibe), though reckon it will be [B]a much better[/B] read as a trade.
While I'm still enjoying it, I must admit the pace is indeed slow.
Ellis' MK was better executed. Done in one issues with an underlying connection between.
Still waiting to see this one's.
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[QUOTE=Mr. White;4865142]Yup.
Good premise (story, art and general vibe), though reckon it will be [B]a much better[/B] read as a trade.
While I'm still enjoying it, I must admit the pace is indeed slow.
Ellis' MK was better executed. Done in one issues with an underlying connection between.
Still waiting to see this one's.[/QUOTE]
I really don't see it reading better in trade, those 6-10 page pointless fight scenes are going to murder the pacing just as bad in a collected volume as they do in a single issue.
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I'm enjoying this title, but not loving it.
Glad to see that Alfred's still alive here as opposed to the mainline books.
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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4866197]I really don't see it reading better in trade, those 6-10 page pointless fight scenes are going to murder the pacing just as bad in a collected volume as they do in a single issue.[/QUOTE]
I see what you mean re 6-10 pages of fighting. Won’t say they were pointless.
What I meant was a 15-20 page fight scene (broken up) read amidst 200(?) pages of content would be less brutal as the next page isn’t a “to be continued...”.
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[QUOTE=Flash Fan #1;4869612]I'm enjoying this title, but not loving it.
Glad to see that Alfred's still alive here as opposed to the mainline books.[/QUOTE]
I didn't even realize Alfred was dead in the main books till recently, since I've only been reading this.
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[QUOTE=Mr. White;4875581]I see what you mean re 6-10 pages of fighting. Won’t say they were pointless.
What I meant was a 15-20 page fight scene (broken up) read amidst 200(?) pages of content would be less brutal as the next page isn’t a “to be continued...”.[/QUOTE]
They are pointless, what does a 10 page fight scene accompany narratively speaking? They haven't forwarded the plot. They don't give any insight into Bruce or the people he's fighting. And despite generally loving the art there's nothing in the fight scenes that's novel enough to warrant their length on a purely artistic level.
And there existence won't be any less brutal in long form, because it isn't just a one off...it's every issue. It's bad pacing for a single issue because it means less story per issue, but when read together it won't be any better because it will make the pacing choppy as you'll get 5 pages of story, ten pages of pointless fight scenes and then a couple story pages and then another fight scene over and over.
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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4877924]They are pointless, what does a 10 page fight scene accompany narratively speaking? They haven't forwarded the plot. They don't give any insight into Bruce or the people he's fighting. And despite generally loving the art there's nothing in the fight scenes that's novel enough to warrant their length on a purely artistic level.
And there existence won't be any less brutal in long form, because it isn't just a one off...it's every issue. It's bad pacing for a single issue because it means less story per issue, but when read together it won't be any better because it will make the pacing choppy as you'll get 5 pages of story, ten pages of pointless fight scenes and then a couple story pages and then another fight scene over and over.[/QUOTE]
Opinion noted.
Guessing you've dropped the book then?
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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4877924]They are pointless, what does a 10 page fight scene accompany narratively speaking? They haven't forwarded the plot. They don't give any insight into Bruce or the people he's fighting. And despite generally loving the art there's nothing in the fight scenes that's novel enough to warrant their length on a purely artistic level.
And there existence won't be any less brutal in long form, because it isn't just a one off...it's every issue. It's bad pacing for a single issue because it means less story per issue, but when read together it won't be any better because it will make the pacing choppy as you'll get 5 pages of story, ten pages of pointless fight scenes and then a couple story pages and then another fight scene over and over.[/QUOTE]
Did you ever read Ellis' James Bond Series? Currently reading it (in trade) and there are several wordless panels/pages scattered. Reminded me of this conversation.
For me, these panels don't take away from the story at all.
Seems to be a common theme with him, letting the artist tell the story. Moon Knight and The Wild Storm also come to mind. Makes sense given comics are primarily a visual medium.
You picking up the next issue or you're done with it?
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[QUOTE=Mr. White;4995351]Did you ever read Ellis' James Bond Series? Currently reading it (in trade) and there are several wordless panels/pages scattered. Reminded me of this conversation.
For me, these panels don't take away from the story at all.
Seems to be a common theme with him, letting the artist tell the story. Moon Knight and The Wild Storm also come to mind. Makes sense given comics are primarily a visual medium.
You picking up the next issue or you're done with it?[/QUOTE]
But the artist isn't telling a story here...it's just a cinematic a fight with a regular goon. It doesn't reveal anything about Bruce's character, give us any insight to the real threat he faces or forward the plot. It's well choreographed and looks realistic...but it gave us nothing of importance and ate up pages that otherwise could have been used to do just those things.
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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4995456]But the [B]artist isn't telling a story here...it's just a cinematic a fight [/B]with a regular goon. It doesn't reveal anything about Bruce's character, give us any insight to the real threat he faces or forward the plot. It's well choreographed and looks realistic...but it gave us nothing of importance and ate up pages that otherwise could have been used to do just those things.[/QUOTE]
^^ Yeah fair enough. Hard to argue against that.
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[QUOTE=thwhtGuardian;4995456]But the artist isn't telling a story here...it's just a cinematic a fight with a regular goon. It doesn't reveal anything about Bruce's character, give us any insight to the real threat he faces or forward the plot. It's well choreographed and looks realistic...but it gave us nothing of importance and ate up pages that otherwise could have been used to do just those things.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I don't disagree. I like Hitch, but this book needed a more atmospheric visual style.