Rate it: Batman by Tom King

[SiegePerilous02]

Yeah, dangling plot threads are a normal occurrence in comics. I'm still waiting for one from the 1980s that no writer has bothered to pick up on or do anything with. This isn't even the longest left dangling plot thread I've come across.

I'm actually reading King's run in "trade-like" sections myself. I'm still getting the single issues but I wait to read them until I have a whole arc to read and then I read then all together. It reads okay in singles but much better in trade format or at least to me it does so I've been reading them that way since the "War of Jokes and Riddles" story line.

As for Claire, I agree he'll get back to her when he gets back to her assuming he is allowed to get back to her by editorial.

I've actually dropped Batman from my pull list precisely because it reads so much better in trade anyway, and because the Rebirth trades have been really good about coming out quickly (compared to how they used to, the waits were agonizing). Things are getting tight money wise and I need more room for some Image/Vertigo books, so this was a logical one to drop as it isn't always effective one issue at a time. But I will most likely be reading it in the store and/or keeping up with spoilers online to tide me over.

[JasonTodd428]

I've actually dropped Batman from my pull list precisely because it reads so much better in trade anyway, and because the Rebirth trades have been really good about coming out quickly (compared to how they used to, the waits were agonizing). Things are getting tight money wise and I need more room for some Image/Vertigo books, so this was a logical one to drop as it isn't always effective one issue at a time. But I will most likely be reading it in the store and/or keeping up with spoilers online to tide me over.

Yeah, I had noticed that about the Rebirth trades and its definitely made it easier to read some of the titles I wanted to get but couldn't due to money constraints. Hoopla has been very good about putting the digital trades up the day of release so I'm actually reading quite a bit more than the titles that are on my pull. I really hope that DC continues the trend for the foreseeable future.

[Barbatos666]

Comic books leave dangling plot threads all the time only to revisit them much later. This is nothing new, it's been happening since at least the Bronze Age if not earlier. The build up to the Dark Phoenix saga took like five years. Sometimes it seems less like plot holes or lack of follow up and more like fans just want instant gratification so they use the "plot hole" thing as a strawman to justify complaints. Plans may change which King has no control over but that doesn't mean he should change the way he writes his arcs, because **** happens. If fans drop the title without getting the whole story, well that's their problem, not his or the rest of us who are still following it. The pacing is also not that much of a problem when the run is read in trade (as everything is written for the trade these days). Bruce spent one night with Selina telling her about the War and not focused on Claire, which is not a long span of time in-universe by any stretch of the imagination. The wait for each individual issue makes it seem like we haven't seen Claire in a while, but in one sitting the run doesn't seem that way at all.

He'll get back to Claire when he gets back to her. Just because you don't care doesn't mean he or others don't. And even those that care know she isn't the title character and aren't expecting her to be the focus all the time.

Its not a dangling plot thread if the story ends abruptly. Morrison took years to tell the story of Dr Hurt. That's how you play the long game. King tells us their origin story, leaves out the important bit then force feeds narration from a future Gotham Girl out of nowhere and then he pretty much forgets about it all. This is bad writing at its finest. There are good things about King's writing, as his supporter you should highlight those instead of cloaking his actual flaws because there are flaws make no mistake about it.
The pacing of the War was also awful, the arc took 8 issues to tell its story. Whether it took place in one night or two is inconsequential. He had 22 pages per issue where he employed dozens of characters but in the end the only thing that mattered was Selina's answer. Its the height of decompressed non sense. It failed to live up on its premise on any level. There was no actual war fare, characters had zero motivations or development, a lot of telling instead of showing, lack of any proper utilization of Joker and Riddlers gimmicks, Catwoman being directly involved and the war being such a huge affair making the whole narrative style redundant, making it a big deal beyond Batman's scope but then having Batman casually defeat Slade and Floyd, then solo Jokers army and then solo Riddlers army lol what? and more. Saying the same joke over and over again and Hell yeah again and again and Batman randomly banging Catwoman while Slade and Floyd are butchering civilians made that whole affair come across as pretentious garbage. WOJAR honestly has no redeeming quality story wise. I think its one of the worst arcs in Batman's history.

[Ishan]

I think it is nice but missing the Snyder's detective touch of batman.But introduction of love life is interesting.

[SiegePerilous02]

Its not a dangling plot thread if the story ends abruptly. Morrison took years to tell the story of Dr Hurt. That's how you play the long game. King tells us their origin story, leaves out the important bit then force feeds narration from a future Gotham Girl out of nowhere and then he pretty much forgets about it all. This is bad writing at its finest. There are good things about King's writing, as his supporter you should highlight those instead of cloaking his actual flaws because there are flaws make no mistake about it.

Yes, this whole thing is me cloaking flaws because I can't stand them being pointed out, and not, y'know, me having a different opinion than you and not viewing it as a flaw. At least not a serious one. Just because you think this is bad writing at its finest, it doesn't mean it objectively is. Because the important bit of their origin was what motivated them to become superheroes in the first place, and how it related thematically to Bruce. We were told they bought them and there were limits to them, beyond that we don't need to know anything because we see the end result.

[Barbatos666]

Yes, this whole thing is me cloaking flaws because I can't stand them being pointed out, and not, y'know, me having a different opinion than you and not viewing it as a flaw. At least not a serious one. Just because you think this is bad writing at its finest, it doesn't mean it objectively is. Because the important bit of their origin was what motivated them to become superheroes in the first place, and how it related thematically to Bruce. We were told they bought them and there were limits to them, beyond that we don't need to know anything because we see the end result.

And again if Gotham Girl also went away or died at the end the first arc like her brother I wouldn't be so harsh. In that scenario the point you are making would hold up, however King made her the focal point in the battle between Batman and Bane. He made her a much bigger deal after the first arc without actually doing anything with her and then he sent her off. Instead King promises a vague future where she marries Duke out of nowhere, which automatically makes me question every single thing he's done with Gotham Girl and her brother. He wants us to take them seriously but he also doesn't want us to take them seriously. Now it doesn't affect arcs like the recent Super Friends but it does call in to question the quality of the first arc and whether or not the subsequent Bane arcs could have been better if someone else more closer to Bruce and the fans needed to trigger the Batman/Bane enmity revival. Because at the end of the day I personally do not sympathize with Bruce or her, she made her bed when she purchased powers with money and her own life force and it makes Bruce look like a clown for trying to save someone from a case of "fearitis" while not making any effort to save her from what is ACTUALLY killing her which had nothing to do with Bane or the Pirate and then he goes to bang Catwoman hurray.

[Starrius]

I am really enjoying the Batman comics because of the BatCat relationship.
enough said
I love it
to each, his/her own

[WontonGirl]

I think it is nice but missing the Snyder's detective touch of batman.But introduction of love life is interesting.

Next week's issue is going to be a dark, detective story. I would like to see more detective stories in the run as well.

[Deffinition]

been good but not great. I feel like he fails to capitalise and deliver those big 'WOW' moments. The artists that he always works with are phenomenal though and make his stuff really jump off the page.

[Tupiaz]

If I told you my opinion about that, which I'd be happy to do once you've read it, you would have two competing opinions without having one of your own from reading the book. I don't believe any art is objectively good or bad; it is all subjective to its audience.

So I'd much rather hear your response to reading the series to giving you the reasons I disagree with those that I disagree with.

It may move you (it may not) to know that King's Batman is appearing in all sorts of year-end lists and his two DC books (Mister Miracle is the other) are both critical and commercial smash hits. But that doesn't make them good.

I have my own personal reasons for loving this run best and again I'll share those if you ask after you've had a chance to form your own opinion.

I really think you owe it to yourself to see how YOU respond to it rather than deciding whether or not to read based on competing opinions on this board. And, again, it may be helpful to know that while people are very divided about King's Batman here, the critics (from literally everywhere) have it as a top 5 book if not top 1 book. A lot of people love it and some people hate it and to me your next move should be obvious:

Read it and decide for yourself.

QFT. I also feel that a person should experience things for themselves and allow that experience to dictate their own opinion about them rather than to rely solely on the opinions of others to make that decision for them.

@Tupiaz: I could go on at great length about why I like King's Batman run as well as the other books he's written but I really think you should just give try it and then decide for yourself.

It wasn't because I wanted the experience before hand but rather how and why it work so well. At the moment nothin has peaked my interest so it is very long down the list of comics I want to pick up. I also have a lot of other Batman stories I would rather pick up.

[regg215]

I would give it an A+ right now,although I get where the run isn't for everyone. I think this run is delivering on a lot of stuff that has been completely ignored in the last few years. Snyder's run was great but Bruce didn't really seem like an actual person all that much, the run really seemed to hammer home that Batman is the real thing and Bruce is the mask, to the point that as soon as his memory of being Batman came back he immediately ended his relationship with Julie Madison. I like that King is humanizing Batman but also really diving into who Bruce is as a person while at the same time supplying a lot of fanservice moments. Also after 75+ years of comics a married Batman is a good idea and if it doesn't work out since it is Bruce not Clark Kent or Peter Parker the Marriage can always end without really damaging the character all that much. I do get where it isn't for everyone and where some people want the snyder/morrison type Batman back but I think this has been a great change of pace.

[Russ840]

For me it’s the best batman has been since Morrison’s run.

[chipsnopotatoes]

I’m reading it.

[Katana500]

For me it’s the best batman has been since Morrison’s run.

I haven't read as much Batman as most people here! But it definitely is my favourite. I can honestly say I look forward to the Wednesdays when it's coming out cause I want to know what is happening next

[Osiris-Rex]

I haven't read as much Batman as most people here! But it definitely is my favourite. I can honestly say I look forward to the Wednesdays when it's coming out cause I want to know what is happening next

As far as the Batman and Catwoman interactions the only time I had more fun reading the Batman comic books was when Doug Moench was writing Batman.