Batman #68 preview

[Talon1load]

I enjoy commenting on it. If you don’t like it then feel free to skip over my comments.

[Kurisu]

But just like Spike said, read something else then. Move on. Obviously, other people like it, myself included. If you don’t like it, then don’t read it. And then you wouldn’t have to comment about it

Some people’s personal lives are just so miserable they need to cause trouble on the internet to get attention.

[Hulkout42]

Can someone explain to me what is the deal with all this Inception/Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind crap we are dealing with? I mean i expect more on Bane's angle of making Bat miserable and all that jazz or did that go down the crapper as well?

[Arsenal]

Can someone explain to me what is the deal with all this Inception/Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind crap we are dealing with? I mean i expect more on Bane's angle of making Bat miserable and all that jazz or did that go down the crapper as well?

Bruce is locked in Arkham and pumped full of fear gas. We’ll learn more about Bane’s plan in the next arch and he makes his move in 75 with the City of Bane storyline.

[Wolfsbane]

Some people’s personal lives are just so miserable they need to cause trouble on the internet to get attention.

Agreed. That’s what it seems in this case. Typically, if I don’t like something I read, I may make a comment or two, and then stop reading and commenting about it. And I move on....but in this posters case, it’s just super sad.

Absolutely loved this issue. I even giggled a couple of times. Loved the names of some of the wines Selina and Lois were consuming. I’m a “Wino” myself so I got a kick out of it. This is absolutely the best Batman Run I’ve read in a very long time. Thanks King!

[Hulkout42]

Bruce is locked in Arkham and pumped full of fear gas. We’ll learn more about Bane’s plan in the next arch and he makes his move in 75 with the City of Bane storyline.

Thank you for clarifying that.

[TravelerInTheDark]

Oh wow another issue where bad characterization can be handwaved because of some extenuating circumstance. In an issue that visits a NEW bachelor/bachelorette party that didn't happen for a wedding that didn't happen (the juxtaposition between the two was predictable in the worst way as well.) In a filler-esque tenure that's already halted the story's progression to a complete standstill.

I suppose it was "cute" for some. But it just feels like the same old Tom King comedy that's quickly worn thin on me. Especially given the complete tonal dissonance with what's supposed to be going on. We get like a panel of NotClark superficially dissecting Bruce's apparent unhappiness in a rather completely surreal situation, but the rest of the issue is just fluff. Ironically, it's the "fluff" that fans of the book seem to care about the most. Maybe King should make his whole run a dream sequence so he can just do whatever nonsense he wants ad nauseum and nobody who cares about the character will have any reason to read if they don't worship at the feet Tom King.

He can have Bruce keep being an invalid that is completely incapable of any social autonomy beyond waxing undeserved platitudes about his love for Selina when it feels more like a child's overcompensation than real romance. He can keep doing his Kite Man jokes. His nine-panel grids that somehow serve to actively slow down the story instead of efficiently making use of valuable page space. Continue making a bi-weekly feel slower than a monthly. Keep having characters act decidedly OUT of character. Yada yada yada.

If this book doesn't get back on track soon, it'll go from being a weakness of the writer to an actual problem.

[Talon1load]

Careful. You’re gonna get Kings sycophantic fans attacking you for daring to not be easily entertained by his nonsense. They don’t like when you disparage their hero.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

I really enjoyed this issue. Amanda's art was fantastic. Kings dialogue was still garbage, especially in the Bruce/Clark scenes. During the Lois/Selina parts it was not so bad. A change of pace and a lot of fun.

Still only like 30 some more issues until we're rid of King. Yes, I know I don't "have" to buy it, but I have every issue of Batman from #300 to this one, there are issues in there I don't like, though not as big of a stretch as King's run.

[Restingvoice]

I don't read this, but from the preview and what you guys are saying this sounds like a Naruto filler episode that they slip in the middle of the final arc right as the protagonists are about to fight the final boss

[Inversed]

I didn't think the issue was too bad, Conner's art was great and the interactions between Lois and Selina were fantastic. King's style of humour has always appealed to me so even in his weaker issues those most of the time tend to make me laugh.

I do think ultimately the big issue regarding the Knightmares is less the premise and its anthology based story telling, and moreso that we aren't really learning too much that we already know. Batman thinks he can't be happy and is punishing himself for it, so its just been more of the same just in different environments. That's why I think #66, the Question & Catwoman issue, was by far the best of these because I felt we were learning something else about the characters on a deeper level that we didn't already know.

I'm interested to see what #69 is gonna do to wrap it all up, and I've got high hopes for Fall And The Fallen and City Of Bane, after spending so long with doing one-shots and short arcs, it'll be cool to see him tackle a longer/bigger story again.

[K. Jones]

I thought this issue as a single issue was fine. I've gotten some good fun out of King writing Selina & Lois interaction, Conner's art was sassy, the high concept of the Fortress of Solitude was cute. I even liked the dedication to the vintages of space wines in Superman's cellar, with a tip of the hat to a ton of DC Cosmic. Feeling the awkward as Lois and Selina, infamous troublemakers, click so well while Bruce's interactions with Clark are stiff does feel like it could be rooted in Batman's fears - like little fears that he doesn't let himself think about in daily life because he's got bigger fish to fry all the time, but the notion that being who he is, where he's from, that his friendships are kind of stilted, awkward and unnatural especially when he's "Bruce Wayne-ing". We've seen in the past that this isn't the case - that Batman is pretty natural and a solid dude as Bruce - but the meta is still that he's kind of this stuffy rich white guy with issues and not that much interesting in his life when he's not Batmanning.

But hey, it's another Knightmare.

I thought the issue was fine as a single issue with some cheeky devotion to structuralism and the whole over-arcing issue story structure.

But this Knightmare business has overstayed its welcome to an epic degree, to the point where it feels like it's treading water big time. I know we're setting up for the timing to be right for the next big chunky story beats, but it almost feels like it's treading water for other reasons as well - the way some books with partner books will do that "holding pattern" thing while other writers are working their big angles. Like when everyone had to work their stories around Zero Year, even though Zero Year was set in the past ... or when everyone had to work around whatever Morrison's latest bombshell was.

But the difference here is that you know ... there are less bat-titles juggling now and there isn't a big thing happening that treading water would be needed for. Tomasi seems to be telling a straight up new villain intro story (that's only just starting). Snyder's stuff feels pretty self-contained in his own little pocket Gotham universe that now has Justice League ramifications more than "Gotham Local" vibes. It's King's show, and he's treading water to wait for ... his own story to get going? Or because of some dedication to structuralism where each of these nightmares had to represent a "specific thing" that he wanted to dedicate a whole issue and whole guest artist vibe to? I'm eager to get back to the real world, so to speak.

But I am curious to write out some lists and kind of study the structure. It's a flawed machine, this here King run, but I do feel like there's interesting things to kind of glean from the formalism and structuralism on display.

[millernumber1]

I thought this issue as a single issue was fine. I've gotten some good fun out of King writing Selina & Lois interaction, Conner's art was sassy, the high concept of the Fortress of Solitude was cute. I even liked the dedication to the vintages of space wines in Superman's cellar, with a tip of the hat to a ton of DC Cosmic. Feeling the awkward as Lois and Selina, infamous troublemakers, click so well while Bruce's interactions with Clark are stiff does feel like it could be rooted in Batman's fears - like little fears that he doesn't let himself think about in daily life because he's got bigger fish to fry all the time, but the notion that being who he is, where he's from, that his friendships are kind of stilted, awkward and unnatural especially when he's "Bruce Wayne-ing". We've seen in the past that this isn't the case - that Batman is pretty natural and a solid dude as Bruce - but the meta is still that he's kind of this stuffy rich white guy with issues and not that much interesting in his life when he's not Batmanning.

But hey, it's another Knightmare.

I thought the issue was fine as a single issue with some cheeky devotion to structuralism and the whole over-arcing issue story structure.

But this Knightmare business has overstayed its welcome to an epic degree, to the point where it feels like it's treading water big time. I know we're setting up for the timing to be right for the next big chunky story beats, but it almost feels like it's treading water for other reasons as well - the way some books with partner books will do that "holding pattern" thing while other writers are working their big angles. Like when everyone had to work their stories around Zero Year, even though Zero Year was set in the past ... or when everyone had to work around whatever Morrison's latest bombshell was.

But the difference here is that you know ... there are less bat-titles juggling now and there isn't a big thing happening that treading water would be needed for. Tomasi seems to be telling a straight up new villain intro story (that's only just starting). Snyder's stuff feels pretty self-contained in his own little pocket Gotham universe that now has Justice League ramifications more than "Gotham Local" vibes. It's King's show, and he's treading water to wait for ... his own story to get going? Or because of some dedication to structuralism where each of these nightmares had to represent a "specific thing" that he wanted to dedicate a whole issue and whole guest artist vibe to? I'm eager to get back to the real world, so to speak.

But I am curious to write out some lists and kind of study the structure. It's a flawed machine, this here King run, but I do feel like there's interesting things to kind of glean from the formalism and structuralism on display.

Nice analysis - you hit most of the stuff I thought was really interesting about the issue, especially the structure bits.

I personally don't feel like it's overstayed its welcome, largely because 51-60 mostly had Bruce NOT thinking or revealing any feelings beyond "pain" and "anger", so having 7 issues devoted to how Bruce is really feeling and thinking is nice. That being said, I do think the awkwardness of doing a 10 issue stretch where there's nothing progressing the 'real world' events forward because (in my opinion) King wanted to get the art for the next two arcs schedulled (and then, unfortunately, couldn't do that, leading to Fornes having to fill in with Janin - which I'm not at all complaining about! Fornes is such a gift!) is a bit frustrating. I'm not personally feeling like I want this arc to be over, because I'm enjoying each issue individually, but I can definitely see where it would cause such frustration generally.

[Arsenal]

Nice analysis - you hit most of the stuff I thought was really interesting about the issue, especially the structure bits.

I personally don't feel like it's overstayed its welcome, largely because 51-60 mostly had Bruce NOT thinking or revealing any feelings beyond "pain" and "anger", so having 7 issues devoted to how Bruce is really feeling and thinking is nice. That being said, I do think the awkwardness of doing a 10 issue stretch where there's nothing progressing the 'real world' events forward because (in my opinion) King wanted to get the art for the next two arcs schedulled (and then, unfortunately, couldn't do that, leading to Fornes having to fill in with Janin - which I'm not at all complaining about! Fornes is such a gift!) is a bit frustrating. I'm not personally feeling like I want this arc to be over, because I'm enjoying each issue individually, but I can definitely see where it would cause such frustration generally.

You do have the Batman/Flash crossover smack in the middle of the Knightmares arc which makes it seem longer than it is but helps break it up so it’s not 10 straight issues of nightmares.

[Spike-X]

I read others that I enjoy. Lots of people are tired of his bullshit though.

That must be why it's consistently the best-selling title in (superhero) comics.

I love Batman, so seeing someone who has no idea how to write the character destroy the him for over 100 issues, is something I’m going to comment on. That’s how message boards work. People talk about them either positively or negatively. For Kings run, I’m definitely negative because it’s a travesty that he’s been allowed to pollute the character for as long as they have.

I really like Batman too (when he's not being portrayed as an omnipotent, insufferable douche), but I must be reading different issues than you, because I'm not seeing any destruction or pollution?

I get wanting to vent when a comic isn't to your liking. I hated #57, for instance, and talked a whole lotta shit about it online. But when you keep following a title you hate, knowing you're going to hate it...maybe it's time to accept that this run just isn't going to be for you, and move on?