[Spoiler] Batman 78 Preview and Discussion thread

[Fergus]

I haven't read much Superman since Bendis took over, but Bruce and Clark certainly aren't going to win father of the year awards anytime soon.

Superman isn't on this level. Bendis wrote him one moment of PIS that's all.
Bruce is currently somewhere under Slade in the running for Father of the year

[Fergus]

IDK why this line made me think of Jon too. Hasn't been a kind year for the Super Sons.

It's been a bad year for the bat kids. At least Bruce is yet to hit Damian and he luckily hasn't been shot but like a champion he's trying where's his dad gave up.

I hope we get more Damian jive talking Thomas [and hopefully Bane]. I always enjoy Damian's smack talk. Thomas also trying to connect to his grandson would be nice but please no naked wrestling.

[Ansa]

It's been a bad year for the bat kids. At least Bruce is yet to hit Damian and he luckily hasn't been shot but like a champion he's trying where's his dad gave up.

I hope we get more Damian jive talking Thomas [and hopefully Bane]. I always enjoy Damian's smack talk. Thomas also trying to connect to his grandson would be nice but please no naked wrestling.

"Hey, at least Bruce hasn't hit Damian yet" as a positive statement is really sad if you think about it.

[Aahz]

Bruce taking a minute to regroup before running back to Gotham seems like a solid move. Don’t see the problem, especially since there’s no way he should know what happened to Alfred or Damian in his absence.

It is not like he couldn't contact the rest of the family.
It would probably even the most logical thing to do, and then to regroup with the whole family.

[Arsenal]

Taking some time to come up with a good plan? Sure. But maybe that should be more focused on Bruce patching things up with the batfamily. I refuse to believe this "Selina is the only one Bruce truly needs" crap King is trying to sell.
Yes, he doesn't know what happpened last issue, but Gotham is suffering under Bane, that should be reason enough.
He won't get back to Gotham before issue 80. King thinks we need two issues of this.

Bruce is not a dunce. He knows that his family is in danger. Bane has hanged 3 of his sons, Tho,mas has attacked Alfred at Wayne manor, Dick has been shot and Duke, Kate,Damian and Tim are still his allies working in Gotham. The city that Bane took. To believe that they will get a pass it him being stupid.

Yes he needs time to regroup. This is more than regrouping though. Bruce has taken worse beating and has been hit harder lots of times show me one panel or one story where we saw him take time off and go away in the name iof regrouping. Just one example in the 80 years of Batman getting beat down and emotional torn apart.

It's one thing to try to make excuses but you are acting like we don't read comics here or like we haven't seen enough to that this is extremely out of character.

I don’t agree with the sentiment that all Bruce needs is Selina either.

All I’m saying is that there is nothing inherently wrong with Bruce taking a minute to stop, think and finally get his **** together before launching his counter attack on Bane/Thomas. He’s been off his game since issue #50 and now he has to finally deal with thatbefore he can begin to deal with Bane. Otherwise he’ll rush in and get a whole bunch of people killed in the process. Plus I assume they aren’t there just to lounge and laugh on a beach all day while watching live streams of Gotham burn. But if that’s what happens next issue than I’ll gladly say it’s terrible.

[Tzigone]

Bruce taking a minute to regroup before running back to Gotham seems like a solid move. Don’t see the problem, especially since there’s no way he should know what happened to Alfred or Damian in his absence.

Taking time to plan is one thing - the rest is iffy. Depends on how it actually plays out. He may not know what's happening to Damian or Alfred (though he should be trying to find out), but he should certainly know the people of Gotham are in a very bad position, and there's a high liklihood innocents are suffering and dying. Mostly, I'd like to see him regrouping and planning with his family/team. I feel like they don't matter. I'm really glad I'm not reading regularly, because I've been a BatCat fan in the past, but the way it's used here - how much it diminishes the other relationships Bruce has - is extremely annoying, and would likely make me dislike the pairing.

I agree with the Magnum look alike bit.

Don't like the art on first panel with Selina, though I get the reference.

Wish the bathing suit wasn't black. Any color but black, green, or purple (Catwoman costume colors) would have been extremely welcome. Characters wearing their costume colors all the time (when not disguised) is tedious.

[Caivu]

All I’m saying is that there is nothing inherently wrong with Bruce taking a minute to stop, think and finally get his **** together before launching his counter attack on Bane/Thomas.

Yeah, but that's not what he's been doing. He's going with Selina to street cafes in Paris, and on kayaking trips with her elsewhere. It's obnoxious to do that when their entire city's being held captive. He can take a breather without being so bizarrely ostentatious about it. It makes it seem like neither of them really care.

[Arsenal]

Does it look bad? Obviously. But since the last issue ended with Selina basically saying “here’s how we’re gonna get our revenge” than leads to this, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt that there’s more going on this issue beyond Selina & Bruce vacationing throughout Europe. But, like I said, if that turns out to not be the case or the reason they are doing what they’re doing isn’t good enough than I have no issue saying this is terrible. I’m just no prepared to do so based on the preview alone.

[Talon1load]

You should feel comfortable saying it's terrible just based off of the rest of the entire run.

[Badou]

So much fat in this run that really should be cut. They really stretched it out so much.

[millernumber1]

Bruce looks like Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. I’m thinking this was intentional.

King is giving Clay Mann some fun stuff to draw - Magnum PI is one of his very favorite shows.

[upupandagay]

Are people assuming they are only there to vacation missing the panel where Bruce says: "The only thing that can defeat Bane is coming here to this beach. If we can take it, we can take back Gotham." So some play. Some work.

This issue is going a glimpse of how GORGEOUS Bat/Cat will be. Mann is really at the top of his game.

[Fergus]

Does it look bad? Obviously. But since the last issue ended with Selina basically saying “here’s how we’re gonna get our revenge” than leads to this, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt that there’s more going on this issue beyond Selina & Bruce vacationing throughout Europe. But, like I said, if that turns out to not be the case or the reason they are doing what they’re doing isn’t good enough than I have no issue saying this is terrible. I’m just no prepared to do so based on the preview alone.

I bet you are great at limbo dancing. You are right we shouldn't base our opinions on just a preview. Which is why I'm basing my opinions on a preview and an issue.

But maybe you are right. They were scouting the Paris cafes and tropical beaches for Macguffin's and extra muscle to take down Bane or Selina knows a secret tunnel into Gotham that goes via a Paris and a tropical island.

[Korath]

Are people assuming they are only there to vacation missing the panel where Bruce says: "The only thing that can defeat Bane is coming here to this beach. If we can take it, we can take back Gotham." So some play. Some work.

This issue is going a glimpse of how GORGEOUS Bat/Cat will be. Mann is really at the top of his game.

I had totally missed it.

Still, after the events of the last issue, it's quite jaring, and frankly, I don't trust King to deliver on whatever the "thing" will be.

It also doesn't help that I now can't stand the character of Catwoman, because of him, and find this pairing utterly toxic. Even now, they can't be honest with each other, that's terrible.

[Tzigone]

Are people assuming they are only there to vacation missing the panel where Bruce says: "The only thing that can defeat Bane is coming here to this beach. If we can take it, we can take back Gotham." So some play. Some work.

I expect some work. Some play when Gotham is how it is is a problem for me. But, as I said before, mostly my problem is it seems like all Selina again instead of anyone else, too. I ship BatCat, but it is way past irritating how unimportant everyone else seems to be. Maybe it won't play out that way, but given the history, I'm not optimistic.