Page 1 of 39 1234511 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 571
  1. #1
    I am a diamond, Ms. Pryde millernumber1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    12,796

    Default Tom King Batman: Reread & Bat/Cat Appreciation 2020

    Last thread: https://community.cbr.com/showthread...00#post4750800

    Happy 2020! We're hoping to get started on our reread of King's Batman run soon, so let's get things going here.

    Because the last thread rules weren't quite as clear as I hoped, this is explicitly a thread which runs on Appreciation Thread rules. Posts that are ONLY criticism, bashing, hate for King and/or his Batman work are not allowed. Criticism is allowed. This is not a positive-only thread. But it is required that if you post here, you not come only to post negatively about King's Batman run.

    Reread Schedule:

    Jan 8: Rebirth, I Am Gotham (Rebirth, 1-6) (Optional: Night of the Monster Men)

    Jan 15: I Am Suicide, Rooftops (9-15)

    Jan 22: I Am Bane (16-20)

    Jan 29: The Button, The Brave and the Mold, Every Epilogue is a Prelude, Good Boy, Pway For Me (21-24, Annual #1, Batman/Elmer Fudd #1)

    Feb 5: The War of Jokes and Riddles (25-32)

    Feb 12: Rules of Engagement, First Dates Last Rites, Superfriends A (33-37, Annual #2)

    Feb 19: The Origin of Bruce Wayne, Superfriends B, Everyone Loves Ivy (38-43)

    Feb 26: Bride or Burglar, Your Big Day, The Best Man, The Wedding (44-50, DC Nation #0) (Optional: Preludes to the Wedding)

    Mar 4: Cold Days, The Better Man, Beasts of Burden (51-57)

    Mar 11: The Tyrant Wing, True Strength (58-60, Secret Files #1) (Optional: Annual #3)

    Mar 18 and March 25: Knightmares (61-63, 66-69) (Optional: Heroes in Crisis, The Price)

    April 1: The Fall and the Fallen, Everyday (70-74, Annual #4) (Optional: Secret Files #2)

    April 8: City of Bane, Batman's Greatest Case (75-85, Tec 1000)

    Come on in, the water's fine!

    Last edited by millernumber1; 04-01-2020 at 08:24 AM.
    "We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
    "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
    "There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
    Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord

  2. #2
    Mighty Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Posts
    1,956

    Default

    In last year's thread, we discussed the re-read having something of a "chunk" format - something like once a week (or so) we'd discuss a storyline or storylines from King's run. This is the provisional list of chunks with the indented material underneath being optional (granted, all of this is optional, but you get the idea).

    The optional material is somewhat expansive by design - that way, if someone sees a connection between the main run and something else DC published, it gives a specific place to discuss that material. I don't think we'll let it get too far afield (e.g. Metal, Tynion's run on 'Tec, etc.), but if there's something you think should be included, shout it out and name where it should go and I can update the reading list. Also, once we get going, I'll update this post w/the timeline for re-reading


    *Rebirth, I Am Gotham (1-8)
    *Night of the Monster Men

    *I Am Suicide, Rooftops, I Am Bane (9-20)

    *The Button, Brave and the Mold, Proposal (21-24)
    *Annual 1, Batman vs Elmer Fudd

    *War of Joke and Riddles (25-32)

    *Rules of Engagement, Superfriends, Origin of Bruce Wayne (33-40)
    *Annual 2

    *Everyone Loves Ivy, The Gift, Best Man, Wedding (41-50)
    *DC Nation

    *Cold Days, Beast of Burden, Tyrant’s Wing (51-60, 64,65)
    *Secret Files 1, The Price, Heroes in Crisis

    *Knightmares, The Fall and the Fallen (61-63, 66-74)
    *Annual 3

    *City of Bane (75-85)
    *Annual 4, Secret Files 2, Detective Comics 1000
    Last edited by bob.schoonover; 01-01-2020 at 08:08 PM.
    Blue text denotes sarcasm

  3. #3
    I am a diamond, Ms. Pryde millernumber1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    12,796

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bob.schoonover View Post
    In last year's thread, we discussed the re-read having something of a "chunk" format - something like once a week (or so) we'd discuss a storyline or storylines from King's run. This is the provisional list of chunks with the indented material underneath being optional (granted, all of this is optional, but you get the idea).

    The optional material is somewhat expansive by design - that way, if someone sees a connection between the main run and something else DC published, it gives a specific place to discuss that material. I don't think we'll let it get too far afield (e.g. Metal, Tynion's run on 'Tec, etc.), but if there's something you think should be included, shout it out and name where it should go and I can update the reading list. Also, once we get going, I'll update this post w/the timeline for re-reading
    So, that would take us about nine weeks, putting us about end of February. I was hoping to schedule such that we could make it about to the end of March, since we know Bat/Cat isn't starting until at least April (though I'm currently thinking June, just because I'm a pessimist).

    How would this sound to people?

    Jan 8: Rebirth, I Am Gotham (Rebirth, 1-6) (Optional: Night of the Monster Men)

    Jan 15: I Am Suicide, Rooftops (9-15)

    Jan 22: I Am Bane (16-20)

    Jan 29: The Button, The Brave and the Mold, Every Epilogue is a Prelude, Good Boy, Pway For Me (21-24, Annual #1, Batman/Elmer Fudd #1)

    Feb 5: The War of Jokes and Riddles (25-32)

    Feb 12: Rules of Engagement, First Dates Last Rites, Superfriends A (33-37, Annual #2)

    Feb 19: The Origin of Bruce Wayne, Superfriends B, Everyone Loves Ivy (38-43)

    Feb 26: Bride or Burglar, Your Big Day, The Best Man, The Wedding (44-50, DC Nation #0) (Optional: Preludes to the Wedding)

    Mar 4: Cold Days, The Better Man, Beasts of Burden (51-57)

    Mar 11: The Tyrant Wing, True Strength (58-60, Secret Files #1) (Optional: Annual #3)

    Mar 18: Knightmares (61-63, 66-69) (Optional: Heroes in Crisis, The Price)

    Mar 25: The Fall and the Fallen, Everyday (70-74, Annual #4) (Optional: Secret Files #2)

    April 1: City of Bane, Batman's Greatest Case (75-85, Tec 1000)
    "We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
    "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
    "There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
    Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord

  4. #4
    Knows some stuff thefiresky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    456

    Default

    I'm down with this. Been wanting to reread it in its entirety. Also - I've never opened any of the single issues I've collected (read everything digitally), and I think I'm going to finally crack some pages this go round.
    Pulling:
    Batman, Detective Comics, The Sentry, Mister Miracle, Venom

  5. #5
    Knows some stuff thefiresky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    456

    Default

    So January 8th is the day we can start talking about "I am Gotham"?
    Pulling:
    Batman, Detective Comics, The Sentry, Mister Miracle, Venom

  6. #6
    I am a diamond, Ms. Pryde millernumber1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    12,796

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thefiresky View Post
    So January 8th is the day we can start talking about "I am Gotham"?
    That'd be my plan - what do other think of the proposed schedules - any changes you think we should do?
    "We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
    "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
    "There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
    Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord

  7. #7
    Knows some stuff thefiresky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    456

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by millernumber1 View Post
    That'd be my plan - what do other think of the proposed schedules - any changes you think we should do?
    Nah, sounds good to me.
    Pulling:
    Batman, Detective Comics, The Sentry, Mister Miracle, Venom

  8. #8
    Knows some stuff thefiresky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    456

    Default

    Just a small tease, as I'm reading issue 4 right now - I forgot how funny King made Bruce in some scenes. Previous writers would let him Crack jokes once in a blue moon or with the JL, but kings run has a lot of humor in it, ironic, seeing as how everyone always assimilates Kings run with dark depression.
    Pulling:
    Batman, Detective Comics, The Sentry, Mister Miracle, Venom

  9. #9
    Incredible Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    559

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thefiresky View Post
    Just a small tease, as I'm reading issue 4 right now - I forgot how funny King made Bruce in some scenes. Previous writers would let him Crack jokes once in a blue moon or with the JL, but kings run has a lot of humor in it, ironic, seeing as how everyone always assimilates Kings run with dark depression.
    Absolutely. The humor is one of the things that makes King's run so good. It was definitely an attractive aspect in his writing. I found it especially satisfying after how very ""serious"" the Snyder run was. The Brave and the Mold, Elmer Fudd, Selina's Engagement Party in Knightmares, and Superfriends jump to mind as being the funniest in the run.

  10. #10
    Knows some stuff thefiresky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    456

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gregpersons View Post
    Absolutely. The humor is one of the things that makes King's run so good. It was definitely an attractive aspect in his writing. I found it especially satisfying after how very ""serious"" the Snyder run was. The Brave and the Mold, Elmer Fudd, Selina's Engagement Party in Knightmares, and Superfriends jump to mind as being the funniest in the run.
    Haha I forgot about half those! Cant wait for this reread haha
    Pulling:
    Batman, Detective Comics, The Sentry, Mister Miracle, Venom

  11. #11
    Astonishing Member Inversed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    3,425

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thefiresky View Post
    Just a small tease, as I'm reading issue 4 right now - I forgot how funny King made Bruce in some scenes. Previous writers would let him Crack jokes once in a blue moon or with the JL, but kings run has a lot of humor in it, ironic, seeing as how everyone always assimilates Kings run with dark depression.
    My introduction to King's run was the first part of I Am Bane, namely the whole Batburger scene, and that alone caught my attention for just how funny it was.

    That's something I think he excels alot with that alot of people either overlook or take for granted, is his use of humour, and especially dark humour. He knows when not to take something too serious, and if he does have to go, gives it that slight comedic edge to it to make you laugh but also slightly feel bad for yourself for laughing at. Both Vision and Mister Miracle are filled with this, and then of course you see it most effectively used through stories like Ballad Of Kite Man, The Gift, and Your Big Day.

  12. #12
    Incredible Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    559

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Inversed View Post
    My introduction to King's run was the first part of I Am Bane, namely the whole Batburger scene.
    That would probably be in my Top 3 or Top 5 favorite scenes from the run, absolutely.

    King is really good at writing a group dynamic for the Robins... they also are very funny together in Rules of Engagement, and Heroes In Crisis. I'd definitely read a book by Tom King that focused on the Family minus Bruce.

    That's something I think he excels alot with that alot of people either overlook or take for granted, is his use of humour, and especially dark humour. He knows when not to take something too serious, and if he does have to go, gives it that slight comedic edge to it to make you laugh but also slightly feel bad for yourself for laughing at. Both Vision and Mister Miracle are filled with this, and then of course you see it most effectively used through stories like Ballad Of Kite Man, The Gift, and Your Big Day.
    100%.

    And The Best Man! King's Joker is one of the funniest versions of the character.

  13. #13
    Mighty Member Chubistian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Chile
    Posts
    1,462

    Default

    To start the discussion, I'll begin with the Batman Rebirth One-Shot. It's clearly a transition issue, and a lot of the space is dedicated to do this analogy with the passing of the title from Snyder to King. There're a few things that can be linked to King's run such as the repetition of it all under the figure of Calendar Man and Lucius Fox, a reference to an older Batman story (though Snyder also did a lot of references to other stories in his run, so this isn't exclusive to King, although Snyder did them with a different narrative purpose) and a comparison between Bruce and his father (this may have been more of a coincidence since King hadn't decided to make Thomas the big villain of his ending yet). There was lot of effort put into making Duke Batman's new sidekick, but in retrospective, we know that he was more fundamental to All Star Batman than he was to the main Batman title, where he's only truly essential to the first storyarc. I think this issue accomplishes its purpose and overall it's a fine passing of mantle
    "The Batman is Gotham City. I will watch him. Study him. And when I know him and why he does not kill, I will know this city. And then Gotham will be MINE!"-BANE

    "We're monsters, buddy. Plain and simple. I don't dress it up with fancy names like mutant or post-human; men were born crueler than Apes and we were born crueler than men. It's just the natural order of things"-ULTIMATE SABRETOOTH

  14. #14
    I am a diamond, Ms. Pryde millernumber1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    12,796

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chubistian View Post
    To start the discussion, I'll begin with the Batman Rebirth One-Shot. It's clearly a transition issue, and a lot of the space is dedicated to do this analogy with the passing of the title from Snyder to King. There're a few things that can be linked to King's run such as the repetition of it all under the figure of Calendar Man and Lucius Fox, a reference to an older Batman story (though Snyder also did a lot of references to other stories in his run, so this isn't exclusive to King, although Snyder did them with a different narrative purpose) and a comparison between Bruce and his father (this may have been more of a coincidence since King hadn't decided to make Thomas the big villain of his ending yet). There was lot of effort put into making Duke Batman's new sidekick, but in retrospective, we know that he was more fundamental to All Star Batman than he was to the main Batman title, where he's only truly essential to the first storyarc. I think this issue accomplishes its purpose and overall it's a fine passing of mantle
    It's so funny that King mentioned Thomas in a way that is so consistent with how he used Flashpoint Batman later! I also really like the fact that this is Mikel Janin, since he wasn't on the first arc proper.

    The podcast I listened to at the time thought that Calendar Man was Snyder's portion, because of the way that Snyder tended to redo origins/powersets (particularly with Mr. Freeze, though that was Tynion, as we know more clearly now). I think thematically it could clearly be King. The Year One tree-kicking stuff feels a lot like King, though since it's so Duke-heavy, it could be Snyder as well.
    "We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
    "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
    "There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
    Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord

  15. #15
    Mighty Member Chubistian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Chile
    Posts
    1,462

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by millernumber1 View Post
    It's so funny that King mentioned Thomas in a way that is so consistent with how he used Flashpoint Batman later! I also really like the fact that this is Mikel Janin, since he wasn't on the first arc proper.

    The podcast I listened to at the time thought that Calendar Man was Snyder's portion, because of the way that Snyder tended to redo origins/powersets (particularly with Mr. Freeze, though that was Tynion, as we know more clearly now). I think thematically it could clearly be King. The Year One tree-kicking stuff feels a lot like King, though since it's so Duke-heavy, it could be Snyder as well.
    I thought the same about the tree kicking. The reference seems as one that King would pull since he mentioned that particular scene from Year One a few times in his run. Janín was a perfect match for this issue. I don't know who came up with using Calendar Man, but I guess his powers were invented by Snyder, solely based on that King never used them in his run, though he used Calendar Man to bring a similar message than the one in this one-shot. So maybe Calendar Man was King's idea and Snyder made up the powers. But at the end it's just fun guessing. Maybe they weren't as divided into chunks of the issue as we make them up to be
    "The Batman is Gotham City. I will watch him. Study him. And when I know him and why he does not kill, I will know this city. And then Gotham will be MINE!"-BANE

    "We're monsters, buddy. Plain and simple. I don't dress it up with fancy names like mutant or post-human; men were born crueler than Apes and we were born crueler than men. It's just the natural order of things"-ULTIMATE SABRETOOTH

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •