Tynion's run finally continues! Not a fan of this Ridder design, but besides that I'm really liking what's he doing here. He writes a great Harley and Punchline is interesting enough. Batman solving the riddles so fast was pretty great.
Tynion's run finally continues! Not a fan of this Ridder design, but besides that I'm really liking what's he doing here. He writes a great Harley and Punchline is interesting enough. Batman solving the riddles so fast was pretty great.
God, Tynion's Harley is so annoying and I fear that Punchline might become Tynion's Villain Sue.
Good art though.
Sigh. Tynion is obviously one of those guys who loves writing Harley.
I can't stand Harley. I just can't. Or at least...not the way this guy writes her. It reminds me of her horribly annoying and obnoxious Injustice characterization.
Last edited by lilyrose; 06-09-2020 at 08:45 PM.
Where are you guys reading Harley where she isn’t annoying?
Batman clowning the Riddler was cool. Eddie's clearly off his game.
I like March's art generally but his sequential storytelling could use some work. The last two pages are quite wonky. Presumably the character on the last page is watching through one of the computer screens? That's kind of an important detail to actually show on the page. As it was, it just looked like we shifted to an entirely different scene.
Cheers - CL
I enjoyed the issue for the most part. March's work didn't seem as tight as it was in previous issues he's done in the run, but it was far from bad.
I really enjoyed the Batman and Riddler stuff. I'm not sure on the look, but the Riddler was way better than whatever King was trying to make him be. Especially with the question mark on the chest and the chops, I thought he was pretty crappy. Seems like more of a return to normal for Riddler.
Between this and what we've gotten for a origin so far in the Joker 80th anniverary special, I have not seen anything that would indicate Punchline could go toe-to-toe with Harley or Selina.
Didn't really find Harley annoying.
Pulls: Batman, Detective Comics, SiKtC, Catwoman, Nightwing, Titans, Godzilla, Wonder Woman, Batman & Robin, Brave and the Bold, No/One, Kill your Darlings, and Deviant.
My runs: Batman #230-, and Detective #420-
I looked again and you are correct. They're in Bruce's office, apparently. I guess the Designer was just sitting there the whole time, and neither Batman nor Deathstroke noticed him? That's a well-worn comic book trope, I suppose, so I retract my statement about the art being wonky.
Cheers - CL
It is not that it was clear to me at the time, and looking at it yet again, the art is wonky. Batman is moving all around in that room interacting with people and objects surrounding him from all angles, the shadows from the window do odd things, and the detail of the room in the panels up until the last page is lacking, whereas the last page is very specific. It does not help that the writing in the last panel of the second last page is very clunky. I am still not quite sure I am reading it the way Tynion is intending.
Pulls: Batman, Detective Comics, SiKtC, Catwoman, Nightwing, Titans, Godzilla, Wonder Woman, Batman & Robin, Brave and the Bold, No/One, Kill your Darlings, and Deviant.
My runs: Batman #230-, and Detective #420-
March has a pretty loose approach to physics, anatomy, even a cohesive thought-out world for characters to occupy. I think he's got good style, though I'm constantly alternating between "oh that's a pretty panel, oh that's cool" versus groaning "oh really with that female anatomy?" or "how the heck is that supposed to work?" or "that has zero logic but hey, comics".
I feel like if you want the primo Riddler story, like a story where WE at the same time as Batman recognize the room that Riddler is in that makes us feel smart too if we're the types who pay attention to things, you've got to have an artist who's really all about that methodical insanity. Where Tynion writes a line like "Of course, Batman realizes where Riddler is because it's Bruce Wayne's office" the artist goes back and alters every single panel to make sure it's consistent. But you gotta have some time to pull off that kind of thing. Time, and presumably, you're not just one of a rotating batch of artists trying to pump out cohesion every 30 days or 2 weeks.
I mean how many different ways has the same artist depicted the Bat-Cave, the same exact PLACE? You think they're drawing up complex 3D models and referencing for perfect accuracy? Designing architectural blueprints for Gotham buildings to be used one-time-only in a story? Nah I don't think so.
I liked the issue.
Slade's recognition that Batman vs. Riddler duels should be a TV show was pretty good comics. Best part of the issue. Frankly it's a good little Riddler issue, even if it's not a big old "Somebody Finally Does Riddler Justice" epic storyline, at least Riddler is being the damn Riddler.
Retro315 no more. Anonymity is so 2005.
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I did enjoy it. Even though the big story is still dragging I felt like this one got back to including at least a conflict that had a beginning and end with the Riddler. I also like March's style, Batman and Deathstroke on the rooftop looks cool, but then I get thrown out of it when I try to figure out how Deathstroke ended up in cuffs lol.