King Batman Run: Analysis and Enjoyment Thread

[millernumber1]

Guesstimating with the amount of issues we have left, I think this is how the remaining volumes are gonna be:

Vol. 12: #75-82
Vol. 13: #83-88
Vol. 14: #89-94
Vol. 15: #95-100
Vol. 16: #101-105

I would imagine he'd want to put a couple 1- or 2-issue stories spread around in there too, so it probably won't just be more 6 issue stories all the way till the end. But yeah, I wouldn't 6-7 months for the Bane status quo, that's a good compromise in comparison to the full 12 months.

That's also what happened in I Am Suicide too, looked like she betrayed him, but was helping him the whole time. So that is definitely one of his recurring and repeated themes he keeps bringing back, so I am expecting one more instance like that to happen.

He has teased that Selina may be making some kind of an appearance in 75, though there is also the larger question of if her solo series will have any ramifications or will halt her from being apart of the main events for a certain period of time.

And yeah, I'm hoping their reunion isn't saved until 100 or the final arc, because its way too important to drag out that long, and feels like they would need way more time to figure out the stuff between them.

Nice work on the volume prediction! I personally hope that King will throw some 1 to 3 issue arcs in there - I think his 5 or longer issue arcs have been much weaker - the "I Am" trilogy is very uneven, War of Jokes and Riddles is extremely uneven, but the one shots like Brave and the Mold, two shots like Rooftops or Superfriends, and three shots like Tyrant Wing, Cold Days have been really good. Even Knightmares I think is best seen as 7 connected one-shots rather than a 7-part arc. Now, there are exceptions. I think "The Secret Origin of Bruce Wayne" "The Gift" "Beasts of Burden" and a few of the other shorter arcs have been fairly weak as well. But there are more successes - and brilliant ones - for me with the shorter arcs than the longer ones.

6 months of City of Bane would also be 12 issues, the equivalent of a year's worth of issues on a normal schedule.

Someone on another forum has theorized that King is using romantic narrative structuring - with the breakup halfway/or two-thirds of the way through the story, with the final reonciliation at the end of the story, and I think that's very likely. I just hope we get some more time of Bat and Cat together than just 100.

[Chubistian]

More info on what’s to come
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/04...tony-s-daniel/

[Blue22]

Whatever's going on with Bruce and Thomas is already more interesting than Bane's 3 year long arc.

[Chubistian]

Batman #69 Preview

https://www.comicsbeat.com/exclusive...-in-batman-69/

[Scott Taylor]

Interesting. This has sure been one long dive into the psychological torture of Batman. But the story-telling has been more effective than most, just because its all from the torture victim's perspective. Really puts a personal twist on the usual "villain captures the hero" cliche.

[millernumber1]

Notes on the preview:

Some of these days - featured heavily in the Batman Annual #2. I actually hunted down the song, and didn't enjoy it at all, but eh. The words are very effective.
We're back to the boat and the street! Still predicting it'll be a crucial plot point of 100!
Bane vs. Thomas is FASCINATING to me. Seeing Bane fight a Batman with the brakes off...
Thomas saying "You'll have actually lost, when you think you've won" - we've seen that twice, so far - Bane thought he won in I Am Bane, but he'd lost because Batman knew just when to strike. And Batman though he won by locking Bane up, but he's lost because Bane planned for that circumstance. I fully expect this to be a key part of the finale as well. But it's intriguing that it's Thomas, another Batman, not Bruce.
I'm starting to understand the purpose of Batman #44 - the deep dive into Batman and Catwoman's history of costumes and interactions - it's so that King can reference those costumes again here. I love that kind of iterative storytelling - layering detail and meaning onto repetition.
I still don't understand why Bane has to be naked, though. Ah, well.
Paquette and Fairbairn's art is very nice. He's not my favorite (he and the Dodsons feel extremely similar, and are pleasant, but never blow me away), but it's very strong.

[Chubistian]

I thought it was Bane vs an older Bruce that only made sense in this dream world, but now that it has been pointed out I see it’s clearly Thomas and I was completely wrong Nice analysis. A lot going on in just a few pages. This seems as an issue that will progress things in a more “common” way, with Bruce stating from square one that he’s captured

[millernumber1]

I thought it was Bane vs an older Bruce that only made sense in this dream world, but now that it has been pointed out I see it’s clearly Thomas and I was completely wrong Nice analysis. A lot going on in just a few pages. This seems as an issue that will progress things in a more “common” way, with Bruce stating from square one that he’s captured

To me, it feels like King pulling a King and tying things together in the way I love - everything starts to fit into place.

[Chubistian]

To me, it feels like King pulling a King and tying things together in the way I love - everything starts to fit into place.

Yes, it seems we’re headed for a revelation moment as readers, where we become aware of how many clues there were for everything that is to come

[Inversed]

Just as Bruce is dancing with his one true love in the dream world, Bane is dancing with his one true love in the real world, Evil Batman.

[millernumber1]

Yes, it seems we’re headed for a revelation moment as readers, where we become aware of how many clues there were for everything that is to come

What do you think will be revealed? I mean, other than "Bane is going to RULE Gotham!!!!"

Just as Bruce is dancing with his one true love in the dream world, Bane is dancing with his one true love in the real world, Evil Batman.

I think there is a deliberate parallel there!

[Vordan]

Interview where King talks about what is coming up: https://www.newsarama.com/44769-tom-...ards-bane.html

[millernumber1]

Interview where King talks about what is coming up: https://www.newsarama.com/44769-tom-...ards-bane.html

Thanks! Great first part of the interview. It's nice to know I was more or less on board with what King was trying to say with Knightmares. I really, really hope that King is building to a different point that Snyder built to in Superheavy - that Bruce really is dead, and can't really grow as a character.

[Mr. White]

Notes on the preview:

Some of these days - featured heavily in the Batman Annual #2. I actually hunted down the song, and didn't enjoy it at all, but eh. The words are very effective.
We're back to the boat and the street! Still predicting it'll be a crucial plot point of 100!
Bane vs. Thomas is FASCINATING to me. Seeing Bane fight a Batman with the brakes off...
Thomas saying "You'll have actually lost, when you think you've won" - we've seen that twice, so far - Bane thought he won in I Am Bane, but he'd lost because Batman knew just when to strike. And Batman though he won by locking Bane up, but he's lost because Bane planned for that circumstance. I fully expect this to be a key part of the finale as well. But it's intriguing that it's Thomas, another Batman, not Bruce.
I'm starting to understand the purpose of Batman #44 - the deep dive into Batman and Catwoman's history of costumes and interactions - it's so that King can reference those costumes again here. I love that kind of iterative storytelling - layering detail and meaning onto repetition.
I still don't understand why Bane has to be naked, though. Ah, well.
Paquette and Fairbairn's art is very nice. He's not my favorite (he and the Dodsons feel extremely similar, and are pleasant, but never blow me away), but it's very strong.

Couple of things flowing from this:

Why does King make Bane fight naked lol? While I for one prefer Bane without venom...this is not practical. Dangly bits and all.

Liking the colours in the dream sequence; less heavy than what we're accustomed to with Paquette's art.

I'd made a point a while back about the need to read King's run in trade/together, and his ability to stick to landing which, most times, he succeeds. I get everyones annoyance with his run and admit, have found more issues/arcs to be less than stellar than I have to be good. That said and knowing a bit about his storytelling method, I reserve judgment until the end of this arc.

Right now just need to know the Thomas angle. From survival (thinking maybe Skeets had something to do with it?) to what he's doing with Bane.

Also liking your analysis and the threads you're pulling/connecting. Intriguing.

[Miles To Go]

Interview with King

https://www.newsarama.com/44769-tom-...ards-bane.html