[Spoiler] Batman 78 Preview and Discussion thread

[Hulkout42]

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.

Wasn't that basically the same thing that happened after Knightfal? The Bat recoups and then regains his edge with Shiva before going back to restore the order that Azreal threw out of wack? This seems to follow the same principle only it is Cat who is helping him heal and regain his edge, the fact that they get back together is really a bonus (to me at least since i can't speak for everyone). Then again given the level of vitriol i am seeing from the readers i can tell they would not be expected to care for any of that since the consensus i am seeing is that King has utterly ruined the characters for them.

[Talon1load]

Are you going to pretend you don’t know the main demographic who reads comics that are titled “Batman?”

On an aside, I thought the dialogue flowed rather well this issue.

So you're basing it off of assumptions. Got it.

[The tall man]

I don't understand this whole Catwoman training Batman to take down Bane. I mean what exactly does Selina have to teach Bruce that he doesn't already know? What training can she provide that he doesn't already have? If she has the skills and means to take down Bane then why don't she go to Gotham and do it, why waste time "training" Bruce to do it. This entire run as been a giant clusterf**k. Is it possible to hate something you like? Because I like Batman as a character(top 3) but thanks to King I find myself actively hating him also. Ditto for Catwoman, I literally cannot stand that character now. Just hoping whoever comes next will right the ship.

[Talon1load]

Wasn't that basically the same thing that happened after Knightfal? The Bat recoups and then regains his edge with Shiva before going back to restore the order that Azreal threw out of wack? This seems to follow the same principle only it is Cat who is helping him heal and regain his edge, the fact that they get back together is really a bonus (to me at least since i can't speak for everyone). Then again given the level of vitriol i am seeing from the readers i can tell they would not be expected to care for any of that since the consensus i am seeing is that King has utterly ruined the characters for them.

While Azreal was out of control he was still basically protecting innocents so he had a little room to get back up to speed and heal from his broken back. We still don't know **** about Bruce recovering this time since right after his back was broken he was being carried on horseback, fighting his dad, and then climbing a mountain. I see this as a completely different set of circumstances and they really make zero sense given the current situation.

[Pohzee]

So you're basing it off of assumptions. Got it.

Batman is an incredibly stable brand. King’s sales have sloped off slightly, perhaps in part due to pacing and perhaps in part due to semimonthly shipping, but you cannot expect that beyond this dip there has been a radical shift in the demographic of Batman readers.

You can try to equivocate are assumptions, but they aren’t made equal. You can spew baseless speculation and say it’s equally valid to a more reasonable answer, but that doesn’t make them equally valid. Just like your wild and basis speculation about the details surrounding King’s firing that was also proven wrong.

[Talon1load]

Batman is an incredibly stable brand. King’s sales have sloped off slightly, perhaps in part due to pacing and perhaps in part due to semimonthly shipping, but you cannot expect that beyond this dip there has been a radical shift in the demographic of Batman readers.

You can try to equivocate are assumptions, but they aren’t made equal. You can spew baseless speculation and say it’s equally valid to a more reasonable answer, but that doesn’t make them equally valid. Just like your wild and basis speculation about the details surrounding King’s firing that was also proven wrong.

Was it though? Why, because King said so? Because DC didn't want to further embarass their writer? Nothing has been proven.

[Pohzee]

Was it though? Why, because King said so? Because DC didn't want to further embarass their writer? Nothing has been proven.

King, DC, and all comic news sources. As opposed to you just not liking him and thinking he should be fired.

[Talon1load]

King, DC, and all comic news sources. As opposed to you just not liking him and thinking he should be fired.

ok. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

[Hulkout42]

While Azreal was out of control he was still basically protecting innocents so he had a little room to get back up to speed and heal from his broken back. We still don't know **** about Bruce recovering this time since right after his back was broken he was being carried on horseback, fighting his dad, and then climbing a mountain. I see this as a completely different set of circumstances and they really make zero sense given the current situation.

You forgot thst he also had his throat cut.

I really don't see it as that different, Batman got hurt bad both in a physical and mental way and now outside help has come to heal him and get him back into fighting shape to reclaim his name, save his city and his family (the ones left alive of course). The fact that the outside help in this case happens to be the woman he loves who was also manipulated to leave him at the altar (and thus further hurt him) and thefore has just as much reason to punish Bane and Thomas is just icing on the cake.

I for one like the back and forth between them as well as how the issue ended, now i want to see how they plan to get pass GG, and take the fight to the villains and save Gotham.

P.S. why do people who hate King's work still read the book? What is the point of such an exercise of futility?

[Talon1load]

You forgot thst he also had his throat cut.

I really don't see it as that different, Batman got hurt bad both in a physical and mental way and now outside help has come to heal him and get him back into fighting shape to reclaim his name, save his city and his family (the ones left alive of course). The fact that the outside help in this case happens to be the woman he loves who was also manipulated to leave him at the altar (and thus further hurt him) and thefore has just as much reason to punish Bane and Thomas is just icing on the cake.

I for one like the back and forth between them as well as how the issue ended, now i want to see how they plan to get pass GG, and take the fight to the villains and save Gotham.

P.S. why do people who hate King's work still read the book? What is the point of such an exercise of futility?

You talk about him healing but he got into a full on fight after his back was broken and then climbed a damn mountain. In Knightfall he was confined to a wheelchair for a while and then slowly worked his way back. Under King it's not earned. He got his back broken and then fought. He got his throat slit and then, what? Has it even been referenced again? None of what has happened has been earned or even properly explained. People read it because they care about the character and this is his main title regardless of how poorly the writer portrays him.

[Pohzee]

You talk about him healing but he got into a full on fight after his back was broken and then climbed a damn mountain. In Knightfall he was confined to a wheelchair for a while and then slowly worked his way back. Under King it's not earned. He got his back broken and then fought. He got his throat slit and then, what? Has it even been referenced again? None of what has happened has been earned or even properly explained. People read it because they care about the character and this is his main title regardless of how poorly the writer portrays him.

King shows that physically injuring Batman is no obstacle to him. Break his back, slash his throat, he’ll keep on coming.

The hurt that broke him this time was psychological. Which is a bigger obstacle to Batman, who is driven by will.

And it’s entirely earned, he spent 25 issues building him up and 25 issues tearing him down. Which many people complained about, but here we are.

[Ansa]

King shows that physically injuring Batman is no obstacle to him. Break his back, slash his throat, he’ll keep on coming.

The hurt that broke him this time was psychological. Which is a bigger obstacle to Batman, who is driven by will.

And it’s entirely earned, he spent 25 issues building him up and 25 issues tearing him down. Which many people complained about, but here we are.

The problem with that premise is that it only works if this really was the worst thing that has ever happened in Bruce's life and that really is the first time he has lost, which I don't buy because it's comepletely bullshit.
I will never believe that what happened to Bruce here is worse than for example Batman Inc, that ended with Damian's death and countless other losses for Bruce.

[Pohzee]

The problem with that premise is that it only works if this really was the worst thing that has ever happened in Bruce's life and that really is the first time he has lost, which I don't buy because it's comepletely bullshit.
I will never believe that what happened to Bruce here is worse than for example Batman Inc, that ended with Damian's death and countless other losses for Bruce.

There were also arcs dedicated to him dealing with the loss of Damian.

[Inversed]

The problem with that premise is that it only works if this really was the worst thing that has ever happened in Bruce's life and that really is the first time he has lost, which I don't buy because it's comepletely bullshit.
I will never believe that what happened to Bruce here is worse than for example Batman Inc, that ended with Damian's death and countless other losses for Bruce.

I mean, does it HAVE to be the worst thing that's ever happened to him feel this bad or turn out this way? I don't necessarily think so, circumstances happen and after a lifetime of bad things happening, something not as big could be the thing that breaks a person.

Also its worth remembering, it wasn't simply just spiralling into the deep depression because of her leaving him. It was the rest of Bane's manipulation that took advantage of his weakened mental state to drive him over the edge. It may of been the catalyst, but its not the only explanation.

Like back during Damian's death, he had a fairly similar breakdown at first. There just also wasn't some master manipulator purposefully pushing his buttons immediately afterwards so he was moreso able to, for lack of a better term, "heal."

[BruceWayneJr.]

This entire run as been a giant clusterf**k. Is it possible to hate something you like? Because I like Batman as a character(top 3) but thanks to King I find myself actively hating him also.

Don't blame Batman for this ****. Don't even blame King, as bad as he is. Blame the editors. They decided that this was a satisfactory product.