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  1. #1
    Comix Addict! Comics N' Toons's Avatar
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    Default Does Anyone Else Feel Like Batman Was Better A Long Time Ago?

    I have perused through the Batman titles in the last decade and a half and feel like very little of it is as important/good as what the 1970's/80's and early 90's gave us. Am I off base? Batman seems, to me at least, a completely different character, from who he used to be. Admittedly, I never cared for the Morrison era, or the New 52... though there were some bright spots in Dini's Detective book and I liked the One Year Later Two-Face story.

    What say you? Am I totally wrong? Was Batman completely reinvented under Morrison?

    Here are 2 links...

    A Best of List I made for Batman's big birthday

    https://comixntoonz.blogspot.com/201...of-batman.html



    And... a critical look at modern comics done by a friend of mine:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4n_XdQC4mM

  2. #2
    BANNED
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    Well a character that has a long history of publication is not gonna stay the same. Batman of the old is less depressing and more fun.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member DragonPiece's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Comics N' Toons View Post
    I have perused through the Batman titles in the last decade and a half and feel like very little of it is as important/good as what the 1970's/80's and early 90's gave us. Am I off base? Batman seems, to me at least, a completely different character, from who he used to be. Admittedly, I never cared for the Morrison era, or the New 52... though there were some bright spots in Dini's Detective book and I liked the One Year Later Two-Face story.

    What say you? Am I totally wrong? Was Batman completely reinvented under Morrison?

    Here are 2 links...

    A Best of List I made for Batman's big birthday

    https://comixntoonz.blogspot.com/201...of-batman.html



    And... a critical look at modern comics done by a friend of mine:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4n_XdQC4mM
    Feel like this thread was just a way for you to plug your blog posts :P

  4. #4
    Comix Addict! Comics N' Toons's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DragonPiece View Post
    Feel like this thread was just a way for you to plug your blog posts :P
    No. Actually, I was hoping for like a million posts and opinions on Batman... a way to compare and contrasts how Batman has changed through the decades. A way to start some discourse. So far, I've gotten 2 replies. LoL.
    Last edited by Comics N' Toons; 12-26-2020 at 10:31 AM.

  5. #5
    Caperucita Roja Zaresh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Comics N' Toons View Post
    I have perused through the Batman titles in the last decade and a half and feel like very little of it is as important/good as what the 1970's/80's and early 90's gave us. Am I off base? Batman seems, to me at least, a completely different character, from who he used to be. Admittedly, I never cared for the Morrison era, or the New 52... though there were some bright spots in Dini's Detective book and I liked the One Year Later Two-Face story.

    What say you? Am I totally wrong? Was Batman completely reinvented under Morrison?

    Here are 2 links...

    A Best of List I made for Batman's big birthday

    https://comixntoonz.blogspot.com/201...of-batman.html



    And... a critical look at modern comics done by a friend of mine:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4n_XdQC4mM
    I used to like Batman a lot, and I don't like him much anymore, so there's that. I liked 80's and BTASs (arguably a 90's thing) take on Bruce and Batman. 90's and further Bruce, definitely not except for a few reads.

  6. #6
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    I'd dislike that Youtube video twice if I could.

    Morrison was the last head writer to at least try to go back to a more Bronze Age style Batman. Attempting to attach him to the character's current downfall is off base.

  7. #7
    Mighty Member Avi's Avatar
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    I haven't read that many Batman comics from before the 90s and when I did I largely focused on the 40s and the 70s. Bruce in those stories definitely reads more lovable and well rounded to me. Early 80s Batman seems to largely have the same vibe until Jason dies, and even in some of the early 90s stories Bruce (Birth of the Demon, etc.) seems more "relaxed", I guess.

    Morrison's Batman, at least after Bruce returned from death/his time travel gig, seemed more like those non-brooding Bruce versions too. BTAS kinda took the best of both worlds imo.

    What exactly did Morrison do that makes him into the turning point? I've only ever read about Miller's work on TDK be seen as such.

  8. #8
    Incredible Member Mark Trail's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheBatman View Post
    I'd dislike that Youtube video twice if I could.

    Morrison was the last head writer to at least try to go back to a more Bronze Age style Batman. Attempting to attach him to the character's current downfall is off base.
    Morrison is the architect of the "Uberbat" version of the character who "with enough prep time" can do anything. I think that alone did no small amount of damage to the character.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member Jackalope89's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Trail View Post
    Morrison is the architect of the "Uberbat" version of the character who "with enough prep time" can do anything. I think that alone did no small amount of damage to the character.
    That, combined with making Bruce/Batman basically a sociopath (or at least way too many sociopath tendencies), has really killed the character for me.

  10. #10
    Astonishing Member The Kid's Avatar
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    I'm rereading the Morrison run right now which is still my favorite so I don't really think he's gotten worse but I see where you are coming from in your blog. I respect your opinion but imo the restructure that Batman got in the 70s (and that overall archetype is what he still has) is what kept him fresh and modernized his original 39 take into something timeless. There are gonna be hit and miss runs now and then though so quality varies

  11. #11
    Extraordinary Member Restingvoice's Avatar
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    He emotes better yeah, but I don't know about plot or stuffs

  12. #12
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheBatman View Post
    I'd dislike that Youtube video twice if I could.

    Morrison was the last head writer to at least try to go back to a more Bronze Age style Batman. Attempting to attach him to the character's current downfall is off base.
    Morrison is the only modern writer besides Paul Dini who injected some of the Bronze Age back into the character to make him fun and likeable again. We are poorer without their Batman than we are with it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Trail View Post
    Morrison is the architect of the "Uberbat" version of the character who "with enough prep time" can do anything. I think that alone did no small amount of damage to the character.
    I'd blame Miller for it due to the exaggerated and perhaps unintended takeaways from the TDKR fight with Superman.

    Morrison wrote a "Batgod" but not an invincible one, certainly not at the expense of the other Leaguers. If anything that was Waid with "Tower of Babel", not Morrison.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jackalope89 View Post
    That, combined with making Bruce/Batman basically a sociopath (or at least way too many sociopath tendencies), has really killed the character for me.
    He also started this "anything is continuity" BS.

    To me I feel that Batman after No Man's Land (or after Denny O'Niel left) were not as good anymore as before (even if there were still some good storylines).

  14. #14
    Comix Addict! Comics N' Toons's Avatar
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    Thanks for the discourse folks... this is good stuff.

    I must add... I have some love for Morrison's Batman... I enjoy his Gothic storyline as well as his Arkham Asylum story.

    What is your favorite Batman run of all time? Least favorite?
    Last edited by Comics N' Toons; 12-26-2020 at 08:19 PM.

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jackalope89 View Post
    That, combined with making Bruce/Batman basically a sociopath (or at least way too many sociopath tendencies), has really killed the character for me.
    Quote Originally Posted by Aahz View Post
    He also started this "anything is continuity" BS.

    To me I feel that Batman after No Man's Land (or after Denny O'Niel left) were not as good anymore as before (even if there were still some good storylines).
    Morrison did not make Batman a sociopath. He'd been starting to behave like one since before Morrison got there. If anything, they lessened it considerably by returning him to his Bronze Age self.

    Pretending a lot of old stuff isn't canon anymore (even the harmless non-problematic stuff) is pretty BS itself. I don't see why any of the older stuff can't be on the table just because some editors in the 80s deemed it so.

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