Pre-Grant Morrison Batman

[LephistoNZ]

Ok, Bat-Fam. I need your help. I'm going to re-read the Grant Morrsion run of Batman because it's so good. But here's the problem, I want to fully understand everything that is going on and the references that Grant Morrsion makes in his run of the Batman. I'm wondering what are your recommendations for pre-reading background before I jump straight into Grant Morrison's Batman? Thanks in advance.

[gregpersons]

Ok, Bat-Fam. I need your help. I'm going to re-read the Grant Morrsion run of Batman because it's so good. But here's the problem, I want to fully understand everything that is going on and the references that Grant Morrsion makes in his run of the Batman. I'm wondering what are your recommendations for pre-reading background before I jump straight into Grant Morrison's Batman? Thanks in advance.

There's a supplemental trade called The Black Casebook that includes most of the stories Morrison references. "Robin Dies at Dawn" is the one where Morrison retconned the nasa scientist to be Dr Hurt, I think.

[jb681131]

There's a supplemental trade called The Black Casebook that includes most of the stories Morrison references. "Robin Dies at Dawn" is the one where Morrison retconned the nasa scientist to be Dr Hurt, I think.

Yes, I am not sure that Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City is included, but should definitly be read.
During the run you should read Final Crisis, to undersand R.I.P.

And to understand Final Crisis, should be read Indentity Crisis and Infinit Crisis. Blackest Night / Brighest Day is also a good idea. But to understand those last stories, you should have read all of Geoff Johns Green Lantern run.

Have fun.

[LephistoNZ]

Cool, thanks everyone for input. It looks like I will get the Black case tpb. I already have final crisis. So I guess the main ones I have to read before hand are those two.

[jb681131]

Cool, thanks everyone for input. It looks like I will get the Black case tpb. I already have final crisis. So I guess the main ones I have to read before hand are those two.

It's Black Casebook. And I checked Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City is not included, so you should get it as well !

[Carabas]

And to understand Final Crisis, should be read Indentity Crisis and Infinit Crisis. Blackest Night / Brighest Day is also a good idea. But to understand those last stories, you should have read all of Geoff Johns Green Lantern run.

Have fun.

This is way too far down the rabbit hole.

All that is (sort of) required reading for Final Crisis is Morrison's 7 soldiers Of Victory.

And you need to know that Barry Allen is dead and have a vague idea what a Monitor is, but you don't need to read a few hundred pages of comics for that.

And none of it is really important for Morrison's Batman run.

[Batman Begins 2005]

Black Casebook and Final Crisis.

[Clark_Kent]

I recommend:

• The Black Casebook
• Batman: Gothic (without spoiling, similar themes here), also by Grant Morrison
• Batman: Son of the Demon
• Batman: Dark Night, Dark City
• The 2 necessary chapters of '52' which was the unofficial start of his run (included in the Morrison Batman omnibus, but otherwise not included with his other Batman collections iirc.). I don't recall the issue #'s, but someone here probably does.

[Carabas]

Son Of The Demon is not actually required, and may even be harmful as it contradicts Morrison's run on several key points about what Talia and Bruce's relationship, and what happened Damian afterwards, and even what Damian's name is.

Definitely more 'vaguely inspired by' than 'a sequel to'.

[Clark_Kent]

Son Of The Demon is not actually required, and may even be harmful as it contradicts Morrison's run on several key points about what Talia and Bruce's relationship, and what happened Damian afterwards, and even what Damian's name is.

Definitely more 'vaguely inspired by' than 'a sequel to'.

I'd say that description matches some of the Black Casebook stuff too lol But mostly, I included it for reference of the al Ghuls, and Talia's feirce feelings for Bruce. Morrison brings the story into continuity and immediately retcons it, sure, but it was still inspiration for key events just as the Black Casebook is.


Edit: to be fair, nothing is required reading before starting Morrison's run...I had never read any of these suggestions before I first sat down with 'Batman & Son' as a tpb and his run was easy to understand. He lays everything out and tells you what you need to know. The older stuff supplements it, but is not required or needed in any way.

[2nd line g]

Black Casebook and Final Crisis.

At what point in the Morrison Omni should I read Final Crisis?

[Carabas]

At what point in the Morrison Omni should I read Final Crisis?

Right after R.I.P.

[2nd line g]

Right after R.I.P.

Thanks! Is RIP marked in the table of contents? My copy won’t get here until Monday.

[bob.schoonover]

Thanks! Is RIP marked in the table of contents? My copy won’t get here until Monday.

The last two issues in the Morrison omnibus are also in the recent Final Crisis collections. Ideally, you read the whole Batman omnibus up until then, then just read the FC collection of your choice (tpb, Absolute, upcoming omni). In the omnibus, there is a one page recap up of the first part of Final Crisis - that's when you should jump over to FC (and you'll never need to come back to the Morrison omni for the last 45 pages).

[db105]

Apart from (optionally) reading other things, you could search for some annotations for each issue you read. It increased my enjoyment a lot.