Batman: Reptilian by Garth Ennis and Liam Sharp

[I'm a Fish]

Yeah, Ennis comments on Batman and his rouges gallery are pretty funny.

[SiegePerilous02]

I feel like Sharp has different feelings, because they all look great with his art. It's definitely going to be a mixed bag of cool looking designs right before they all get massacred lol. The Joker comments in particular are funny and I'm expecting that issue to be wicked cathartic.

Can't really think of a group of villains who collectively deserve this more than Batman's rogues though lol.

[JBatmanFan05]

Yeah, Ennis comments on Batman and his rouges gallery are pretty funny.

Yeah, Ennis hasn't changed a bit. Hasn't even read Batman much or at all in 00s. Something ironic in this day & age about one of the best comic book writers hating superheroes.

[Confuzzled]

Can't really think of a group of villains who collectively deserve this more than Batman's rogues though lol.

They are the only rogues gallery that even the general public can name most members of. It's lonely at the top.

[SiegePerilous02]

They are the only rogues gallery that even the general public can name most members of. It's lonely at the top.

I meant more their actions in-universe (especially the Joker).

It might be hard not to cheer for this monster, whatever it is.

[Confuzzled]

I meant more their actions in-universe (especially the Joker).

It might be hard not to cheer for this monster, whatever it is.

It's hard not to hate on the Joker in the year 2021 but Ennis's particular phrasing like "multi-colored idiots" was what put me off, considering the villains were specifically made flashy and diva-esque to represent "The Other" and to tap into the fears and prejudices one may harbor of anyone who is othered. Of all the things to criticize about the Joker, bashing his appearance is incredibly shallow.

[SiegePerilous02]

It's hard not to hate on the Joker in the year 2021 but Ennis's particular phrasing like "multi-colored idiots" was what put me off, considering the villains were specifically made flashy and diva-esque to represent "The Other" and to tap into the fears and prejudices one may harbor of anyone who is othered. Of all the things to criticize about the Joker, bashing his appearance is incredibly shallow.

Do you mean Ennis designed them that way for this story or they are "othered" in general? Because they are garish supervillains who hurt and kill people, they aren't any different than other rogues gallery in that regard, they are just more high profile. Their otherness doesn't excuse them from getting away with heinous stuff.

And Ennis's stance is hardly unexpected. He isn't wild about the genre in general and costumed villains who keep escaping to pile up bodies with no repercussions beyond an Arkham stay are the tropes he would hate. And him giving them their cumappance in one story isn't going to hurt them in the long run

[I'm a Fish]

Yeah, Ennis hasn't changed a bit. Hasn't even read Batman much or at all in 00s. Something ironic in this day & age about one of the best comic book writers hating superheroes.

I like that he makes us all sound like crack-heads for liking these characters.

[SiegePerilous02]

I like that he makes us all sound like crack-heads for liking these characters.

It can be both amusing and kind of annoying. I don't care for how he views Bruce as a character. "thug who beats up the mentally ill and poor" is always eye roll inducing and lazy, as Batman's rogues, who he spends the majority of his time fighting, are neither realistically mentally ill or hurting for cash. But him not hiding he doesn't give a **** is a bit funny too, and his anti-Joker stance is pretty great.

I'd probably be more excited for this if it was this premise and Sharp's art paired with another writer...but I guess that's pointless considering this is a very Ennis premise lol. Plus can't be surprised DC would jump at the chance to slap "From the creator of the Boys" on a hardcover Batman book.

[Confuzzled]

Do you mean Ennis designed them that way for this story or they are "othered" in general? Because they are garish supervillains who hurt and kill people, they aren't any different than other rogues gallery in that regard, they are just more high profile. Their otherness doesn't excuse them from getting away with heinous stuff.

And Ennis's stance is hardly unexpected. He isn't wild about the genre in general and costumed villains who keep escaping to pile up bodies with no repercussions beyond an Arkham stay are the tropes he would hate. And him giving them their cumappance in one story isn't going to hurt them in the long run

Then criticize those things with context. Just bashing their appearances without context is weak at best, when I feel there are substantive criticisms he could've made about The Joker instead. Then again, it's Ennis and his trademark OTT hate for the genre that's reaching cartoonish levels now.

[Vordan]

I like that he makes us all sound like crack-heads for liking these characters.

Only thing Ennis hates more than capes is capelovers lmao. He’s an edgy little wanker and you either love him or hate him for it. Most of the time I’m amused but I have been put off a few times where I’ve felt like he’s all edge and no point (looking at you Crossed).

[batnbreakfast]

Only thing Ennis hates more than capes is capelovers lmao. He’s an edgy little wanker and you either love him or hate him for it. Most of the time I’m amused but I have been put off a few times where I’ve felt like he’s all edge and no point (looking at you Crossed).

Having read PunisherMax and followed it up with Crossed and absolutely hated it. Just seemed like gore/shocks and no point to any of it. Slightly off topic but has Ennis ever written about Ireland or Belfast or IRA politics? Did he ever offer his opinion on those subjects in an interview? Seems like a natural fit him writing it into his stories.

[Gaius]

Having read PunisherMax and followed it up with Crossed and absolutely hated it. Just seemed like gore/shocks and no point to any of it. Slightly off topic but has Ennis ever written about Ireland or Belfast or IRA politics? Did he ever offer his opinion on those subjects in an interview? Seems like a natural fit him writing it into his stories.

An IRA splinter faction is the focus in an arc of Punisher Max and I think the only thing Ennis hates more than the IRA are Irish-Americans who gave money to the IRA.

[hairys]

It's hard not to hate on the Joker in the year 2021 but Ennis's particular phrasing like "multi-colored idiots" was what put me off, considering the villains were specifically made flashy and diva-esque to represent "The Other" and to tap into the fears and prejudices one may harbor of anyone who is othered. Of all the things to criticize about the Joker, bashing his appearance is incredibly shallow.

I think that's an incredible stretch considering how multi-colored many heroes are (take Robin, for example) and also how so many comic book characters were created by Jews.

[SiegePerilous02]

I think that's an incredible stretch considering how multi-colored many heroes are (take Robin, for example) and also how so many comic book characters were created by Jews.

Also that the rogues are mostly comprised of white men who quite literally get away with murder repeatedly with nothing more than occasional slaps on the wrist.