Batman #36 preview

[Nick Miller]

Tumblr algorithm wrote this issue.

It’s ok. I don’t see why people are going gaga for this. King once again takes a crap on a superhero trope (Clark’s disguise)

We the reader know it’s ridiculous, but you have to go along with it in story. Otherwise it all falls apart. And it’s fine to make fun of it, in a sly manner. NOT hammering it like Cat does. (God, now I am calling her Cat)

I just think King is injecting too much realism into this, and it reads “other” to me. It definitely doesn’t read like a DCU comic to me.

Reads like an Image comic, too be honest, and most of those suck.

[WontonGirl]

Everybody wants their favorite character to be showcased all the time. Especially if they feel that character has an importance place in Bruce Wayne's or Batman's heart, life and inner circle. One of the great things about the HUSH story was that just about everybody was in it. You had the Rogues, you had Batfamily, you had the current Robin, Gotham City, Gordon, romance, Romance with Cat.

But some writers, like with Synder, didn't include everybody and so far, neither has King in present time. The days of stories where everybody was in it and there was something for everybody, that seems to be in a way gone. I say 2003 and up.

But I do think that King will bring in Robin and more Rogues. That is just my opinion. I would like to see it myself

[dietrich]

Oh! Maybe it WAS just not wanting tom king to write Damian at all; I took it as that was a response to catwoman taking up what could be robins page and resenting that. The "poor robin" comment here reminded me of it. I didn't realize it was just people not liking how Tom King himself writes (i.e. even if catwoman wasn't in the story the view would be the same), that changes the interpretation. I'll have to go back and re-read the thread with that in mind.

Go re read the arguments were very clear not wanting a writer who has never shown any care/interest in the character, hasn't made him a part of his run suddenly to drag him him in to perform like a dancing monkey because fans are wondering how Damian would react or want to see the two interact. No thank you.

It's not to do with Catwoman it's that we feel that he might use Damian just for cheap thrills or to create added drama. I was expecting King to write Damian negatively tantruming and such with the announcement. To his credit he didn't but I'm still wary and i still don't want him in this title.

[Aioros22]

Tumblr algorithm wrote this issue.

It’s ok. I don’t see why people are going gaga for this. King once again takes a crap on a superhero trope (Clark’s disguise)

We the reader know it’s ridiculous, but you have to go along with it in story. Otherwise it all falls apart. And it’s fine to make fun of it, in a sly manner. NOT hammering it like Cat does. (God, now I am calling her Cat)

I just think King is injecting too much realism into this, and it reads “other” to me. It definitely doesn’t read like a DCU comic to me.

Reads like an Image comic, too be honest, and most of those suck.

You actually bring good insight to reflect about and I was with you all the way, until the last sentence.

Moderm Image is a quality comic book line.

[MajorHoy]

First of all, I don't know how old you are.

Hint: I'm older than that comic book.

[WontonGirl]

Go re read the arguments were very clear not wanting a writer who has never shown any care/interest in the character, hasn't made him a part of his run suddenly to drag him him in to perform like a dancing monkey because fans are wondering how Damian would react or want to see the two interact. No thank you.

It's not to do with Catwoman it's that we feel that he might use Damian just for cheap thrills or to create added drama. I was expecting King to write Damian negatively tantruming and such with the announcement. To his credit he didn't but I'm still wary and i still don't want him in this title.

Dietrich, I completely agree with your frustration. I do. To be honest, I will admit, as a fan of Catwoman and of the BatCat couple, I am terrified of what might come after King. Some writers may just tear them apart or erase her all together. I mean, it's been done before So I completely understand.

To help solve the problem, I think the BEST thing they could do is re-start the Batman and Robin line again. That way, you can have canon stories of nothing but Batman and his Robin (whoever it is at the time) going on adventures and those fans would be happy. The Batman title can be the more action oriented book and Tec could be more of the detective type stories it used to be.

Maybe it's not a perfect solution, but I think it would give a lot more fans some of what they want all at the same time.

[sakuyamons]

I don't think King gets Damian, but I'd love some Selina-Damian banter. He'd be all "-TT- Kyle, it is your turn to clean up Pennyworth's litter box."

[Godlike13]

I think he gets him, i just don't think he's a priority.

[WontonGirl]

I think he gets him, i just don't think he's a priority.

Yeah and see that's how I felt about Morrison and Catwoman in his run. I felt like she wasn't really a priority but in a lot of the tie-ins, she was an active character.

It's like we haven't found that writer who can balance both of the really strong characters, characters who are really important in Bruce's life. But it shouldn't be this hard. I mean, Joshua was doing a good balance in The Flash with Barry, Wally and Iris. And shoot, for awhile, Barry even had a new girlfriend.

They both can co-exist in this man's life.

[K Nikk]

Go re read the arguments were very clear not wanting a writer who has never shown any care/interest in the character, hasn't made him a part of his run suddenly to drag him him in to perform like a dancing monkey because fans are wondering how Damian would react or want to see the two interact. No thank you.

It's not to do with Catwoman it's that we feel that he might use Damian just for cheap thrills or to create added drama. I was expecting King to write Damian negatively tantruming and such with the announcement. To his credit he didn't but I'm still wary and i still don't want him in this title.

Yeah, I can see that a bit. I came to this forum for the first time in June and the reaction to the engagement in the Damian thread was a lot of "I don't want Damian showing up for this, he shouldn't care." etc. But that is mixed with remarks regarding criticism of Tom King not using Damian enough. I think it's a shame not to want to see his interactions in this storyline as a result of not being a larger focus of the overall story, but frankly I get so little Catwoman/Selina and this is probably one of very few stories where I will get to see her and Damian interact (and not just as Robin and Catwoman) that it is hard to sympathise with that view. I would like for there to be more interactions between them then that one from years ago where he calls her a tramp!

I think she would annoy him a bit at first (he can be quite serious, and she can be flippant at times), but they share a similar quality of fierceness and protectiveness that in the end I think they could bond over. I could see them having a minor argument and be interrupted with a message that batman is in trouble and simultaneously both go into focussed "protect batman" mode. Maybe that doesn't suit Damian's character as much as I think, but that's another reason I want to see him more. If this marriage actually goes through, I hope we get Helena Wayne some day - I could see Damian very seriously training an equally serious (but also playful like her mom) Helena. So, even if his fans don't want it, I am VERY interested to see more of Damian in this storyline and see how he and Selina interact, as Tom's run on Batman might be the only opportunity.

I want to see her interact with Dick as well though; I think she has very few people on her side in that family and Dick would be most open to it/understanding - he grew up seeing the interactions between Batman and Catwoman; I think of everyone he understands both Bruce and Selina the best. If you get your wish and we don't see much more of Damian, I hope we get to see her interactions with other past robins. She has been involved in their lives too, protected them at times, and I'm interested to see King's take on it.

[WontonGirl]

I think King will work in everybody at some point. I think we will also see more Dick and Damian scenes as well.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Doctor Double X. I mean, first Swordsman in Waid's Captain America and now this guy over here. Do you think all the writers got together this week decided that the theme of this week would be obscure, rarely seen villains.

Overall, it was a pretty decent issue. Suffered from some King-isms, but it kinda worked here. I do think King has sort of the wrong idea of how Bruce views Clark. I think he thinks that Bruce thinks that Clark thinks of himself as a stranger to this planet, an alien. There's a lot of past comics that show that Bruce knows that Clark views himself as an Earthling.

Oh, and the art was gorgeous. It really just makes me want to see Clay Mann on Action Comics.

[dietrich]

I think he gets him, i just don't think he's a priority.

Exactly and he shouldn't be in a run like this. I feel like he would be a third wheel here throwing a spanner in the works. His last cameos worked because he was there in a cameo role and his story was with Dick. I didn't like his exchange with Selina because that was OC for both.

[dietrich]

Yeah, I can see that a bit. I came to this forum for the first time in June and the reaction to the engagement in the Damian thread was a lot of "I don't want Damian showing up for this, he shouldn't care." etc. But that is mixed with remarks regarding criticism of Tom King not using Damian enough. I think it's a shame not to want to see his interactions in this storyline as a result of not being a larger focus of the overall story, but frankly I get so little Catwoman/Selina and this is probably one of very few stories where I will get to see her and Damian interact (and not just as Robin and Catwoman) that it is hard to sympathise with that view. I would like for there to be more interactions between them then that one from years ago where he calls her a tramp!

I think she would annoy him a bit at first (he can be quite serious, and she can be flippant at times), but they share a similar quality of fierceness and protectiveness that in the end I think they could bond over. I could see them having a minor argument and be interrupted with a message that batman is in trouble and simultaneously both go into focussed "protect batman" mode. Maybe that doesn't suit Damian's character as much as I think, but that's another reason I want to see him more. If this marriage actually goes through, I hope we get Helena Wayne some day - I could see Damian very seriously training an equally serious (but also playful like her mom) Helena. So, even if his fans don't want it, I am VERY interested to see more of Damian in this storyline and see how he and Selina interact, as Tom's run on Batman might be the only opportunity.

I want to see her interact with Dick as well though; I think she has very few people on her side in that family and Dick would be most open to it/understanding - he grew up seeing the interactions between Batman and Catwoman; I think of everyone he understands both Bruce and Selina the best. If you get your wish and we don't see much more of Damian, I hope we get to see her interactions with other past robins. She has been involved in their lives too, protected them at times, and I'm interested to see King's take on it.

Well As a fan of Dick and Jason I was put off by Jason's reaction to the news [I don't believe he would have anything against Bruce marring Selina]. I'm looking forward to Dick interacting with Selina because I know that that would be a balanced representation.
Damian and Jason with Selina not so much but as a fan alas I have no power over this. King is tuned into social media and is a crowd pleaser so Selina and Damian is inevitable.

[dietrich]

Dietrich, I completely agree with your frustration. I do. To be honest, I will admit, as a fan of Catwoman and of the BatCat couple, I am terrified of what might come after King. Some writers may just tear them apart or erase her all together. I mean, it's been done before So I completely understand.

To help solve the problem, I think the BEST thing they could do is re-start the Batman and Robin line again. That way, you can have canon stories of nothing but Batman and his Robin (whoever it is at the time) going on adventures and those fans would be happy. The Batman title can be the more action oriented book and Tec could be more of the detective type stories it used to be.

Maybe it's not a perfect solution, but I think it would give a lot more fans some of what they want all at the same time.

Well lets hope they don't anytime soon because i'm actually liking this relationship. King has made me believe.
A batman and Robin book will be great or even better chapter 2 of the Robin solo

Honestly Damian fans have Shadow/Batman, Batman and the Tmnt, Supersons and such for Batman and Robin so it's not like it's not available. Fans tend to get greedy and if I had my way Damian would be EVERY title and they would be free to me
What matters to me is good stories featuring my favourites. So long as I get a regular dose of good Damian I'm happy and that doesn't have to come from the main bat book.