Batman/Catwoman #5

[Frances]

It's been out for 4/5 days and, unless I've missed it, there's no thread yet. I guess that means nobody cares about this title any longer? I don't, but I'm also a Cat nut and between this and the main series (the main main series, not that one about that Bat) - slim pickings, you know? Yeah, I won't get started on Ram V's run here...

I don't know what to say about Bat/Cat 5. It was just plain terrible. The characters aren't even consistent panel-to-panel in the same flipping timeline, nevermind across three. Selina in the middle (?) timeline was a pastiche—I'm trying to be kind—of an experience that anyone with genuine insight into would say—"Dude, seriously. Just no. No. No. No. You. Don't. Get it."—but King being King overdoes it in a pretense that he does. All he needed was this

bat-cat5 pieta.jpg

Proceeded by a few panels/half-splashes of drinking; burgling; bumbling and NO DIALOGUE. The full-splash Bat/Cat pieta that was almost, almost iconic, but he even managed to ruin that with one of his childish, sweary stars bubble. At least there was no carol blaring out from the batmobile's Spotify account. Ah, King, you might've gotten away with it if you weren't the most terrible Scooby-Doo villain.

Overall, the dialogue was meh, and the characterisations were all tell, tell, tell. Replace all those sweary stars with "very" and suddenly I'm watching my kids playing with their Lego. It's a comic book; let the art speak. I don't know. I don't want to tear into it any more. It feels cruel; King is looking like an absolute amateur at this stage.

Somebody—anybody—tell me they're enjoying this series. Is there something I'm missing? Something to discuss? Something important being added to the canon? A new perspective to obsess and puzzle over? I'm seriously wondering whether I've gone dense or if DC need to start hiring some of us to 'very' sort Selina out.

[I'm a Fish]

I like the art, especially for Phantasm.

I’m curious, what is it about Catwoman you feel King doesn’t understand?

[sifighter]

If I’m truly honest I kind of wish that King had focused exclusively on the future storyline. I genuinely like the conflict of Helena and Selina because Selina waited for Bruce to die before she carried out revenge on the Joker and Helena is well aware but as Batwoman she knows she has to do something because her mom broke the law. I think there’s a lot more potential with that story.

I’m not sure how to feel about the supposed connection between Joker and Selina, King seems to be writing it as though people question how close they are which I really hope isn’t some romantic foreshadowing. I really just prefer the idea of he’s hounding her because he’s aware of her closeness to Bruce.

I can’t say I really cared for Harley in this issue, it was a bit odd that she came back for vengeance because she didn’t get the chance to kill Joker. It felt a bit forced not really lining up with the more independent Harley we know and honestly I would have preferred if they used someone like Punchline or a new Harley like White Knight.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

If I’m truly honest I kind of wish that King had focused exclusively on the future storyline. I genuinely like the conflict of Helena and Selina because Selina waited for Bruce to die before she carried out revenge on the Joker and Helena is well aware but as Batwoman she knows she has to do something because her mom broke the law. I think there’s a lot more potential with that story.

I’m not sure how to feel about the supposed connection between Joker and Selina, King seems to be writing it as though people question how close they are which I really hope isn’t some romantic foreshadowing. I really just prefer the idea of he’s hounding her because he’s aware of her closeness to Bruce.

I can’t say I really cared for Harley in this issue, it was a bit odd that she came back for vengeance because she didn’t get the chance to kill Joker. It felt a bit forced not really lining up with the more independent Harley we know and honestly I would have preferred if they used someone like Punchline or a new Harley like White Knight.

I was really enjoying the series at first, which I didn't like King's run on Batman at all. This opinion has since degraded. Typical King decompression and endless panels of little to no dialogue. Clay Mann and Phantasm are the only things keeping me on the book.

[exile001]

I care. I care very much.

However nothing really happened in the latest issue and I wasn't keen on Harley STILL be tied to Joker. it's King. I'm sure something huge is coming and everything so far is building it, I just can't see it yet so this felt a little hollow.

I still get a HUGE swell of nostalgic joy every time I see that Phantasm costume, though.

[TheKryptonMan]

I was really enjoying the series at first, which I didn't like King's run on Batman at all. This opinion has since degraded. Typical King decompression and endless panels of little to no dialogue. Clay Mann and Phantasm are the only things keeping me on the book.

I bought all of King's run of Batman and enjoyed it for the most part. Sometimes it was really good, and other times it didn't make sense. ,I know the plan was for him to do 100 issues which would have been really good. But it got derailed at DC , so it was cut to 85 issues , not counting Annuals . I didn't like him killing off Alfred ,but he did it.
I've been getting all of Bat / Cat issues so far and the art is excellent , even love the paper that's printed on.
I think that this storyline is not what King originally had in mind had he stayed on Batman.
But after picking up #5 , I'm really thinking of just cutting my losses and dropping it.
Maybe it will read better as a TP when it's all done. And at $4.99 an issue , he didn't really offer much in this issue.
I have seen some of King's Batman run in TP , and it looks good. Maybe he's just better at writing a Trade over single issues.

[JBatmanFan05]

I have seen some of King's Batman run in TP , and it looks good. Maybe he's just better at writing a Trade over single issues.

I too wonder this about King. Ever since this medium became more arc/trade focused, and less single-issue focused, I've definitely noticed that some writers read much better in arcs/trades vs reading each single issue month after month.

Scott Snyder can wow you in a single issue (despite that issue being in a long arc) while King and others seem less capable (if the issue is part of an arc). When King does aim for a single-issue (one-and-done) story, that's where he really, really shines. But I think he can get an unfair perception because his arcs (read full in trades) can be really good.

Some writers seem to have different philosophies and aims when it comes to their approach to decompression within the issue-by-issue retail reader experience.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

I bought all of King's run of Batman and enjoyed it for the most part. Sometimes it was really good, and other times it didn't make sense. ,I know the plan was for him to do 100 issues which would have been really good. But it got derailed at DC , so it was cut to 85 issues , not counting Annuals . I didn't like him killing off Alfred ,but he did it.
I've been getting all of Bat / Cat issues so far and the art is excellent , even love the paper that's printed on.
I think that this storyline is not what King originally had in mind had he stayed on Batman.
But after picking up #5 , I'm really thinking of just cutting my losses and dropping it.
Maybe it will read better as a TP when it's all done. And at $4.99 an issue , he didn't really offer much in this issue.
I have seen some of King's Batman run in TP , and it looks good. Maybe he's just better at writing a Trade over single issues.

King was removed because sales had dipped far enough to the point where DC had enough. A "War of Jokes and Riddles" with no action. I think the no-go on the wedding really turned many readers off especially with all the special covers and what not for #50. He completely butchered Booster Gold and I don't really like Booster.

[TheKryptonMan]

Hey , posted in this thread already.
I bought all of King's Batman run, and the Bat./Cat issues. But this last one # 5 really disappointed me, and I'm seriously thinking of dropping it.
The art work by Clay Mann is excellent and love the glossy paper too.
I think it might be better to wait for the Trade and it should read better and in the end it'll be cheaper.
I think that after 5 issues that I might be out.