Batman: Reptilian #1 Preview

[Hypo]

Batman: Reptilian #1 Preview
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Liam Sharp

[HsssH]

Looks great.

[SiegePerilous02]

Ok Batman making a public showing of taking down a rapist scum and dressing him down makes me feel a little better about how Ennis will write him here vs. his comments on the character in interviews. At least so far, I will probably pick this up.

[Vakanai]

I obviously can't speak for how this story will turn out as a whole, but those were some incredible pages they chose to show here. Just really, wow!

[HsssH]

Ok Batman making a public showing of taking down a rapist scum and dressing him down makes me feel a little better about how Ennis will write him here vs. his comments on the character in interviews. At least so far, I will probably pick this up.

He is never going to publicly admit that he actually doesn't hate everything superhero related.

[hairys]

He is never going to publicly admit that he actually doesn't hate everything superhero related.

Eh, I've heard interviews from him where he says his main issue with superheroes is that they dominate the western comic book market. And I agree. I wish there were a bit more genre diversification.

[SiegePerilous02]

Eh, I've heard interviews from him where he says his main issue with superheroes is that they dominate the western comic book market. And I agree. I wish there were a bit more genre diversification.

I think there is merit to what he says about the genre dominating things too much, but it also comes across as bitterness that the market just doesn't have an audience with as much interest in the stuff he does.

His statements regarding the superheroes during WW2 being insulting to the actual soldiers comes across as insulting to the creators (a lot of whom were Jewish). Especially when it comes to Captain America and Jack Kirby, which is the last combo of character/creator that he should be shooting his mouth off about.

[hairys]

I think there is merit to what he says about the genre dominating things too much, but it also comes across as bitterness that the market just doesn't have an audience with as much interest in the stuff he does.

His statements regarding the superheroes during WW2 being insulting to the actual soldiers comes across as insulting to the creators (a lot of whom were Jewish). Especially when it comes to Captain America and Jack Kirby, which is the last combo of character/creator that he should be shooting his mouth off about.

That seems like a stretch to me as he's undoubtedly wealthy (just off The Boys royalties alone) and a very famous creator. I just take it at face value and a legit criticism of the industry.

[SiegePerilous02]

That seems like a stretch to me as he's undoubtedly wealthy (just off The Boys royalties alone) and a very famous creator. I just take it at face value and a legit criticism of the industry.

Less the Boys (which still does feature superheroes even if it is lampooning them), and more so the "war story" genre. That's why went on to bring up the Jack Kirby stuff.

It's a legit criticism, but undermined a bit by his own biases.

[HsssH]

As expected I enjoyed it a lot. Some of the panels by Sharp are simply amazing. He does make it feel a bit like it belongs in the same world as Arkham Assylum.

[SiegePerilous02]

I enjoyed this. Sharp's art is the main highlight, Gotham looks like Anton Furst's designs (always a plus) and the rogues all look great and nightmarish

Ennis's writing for Bruce alternates between being really good (the beginning scene, the snarkiness at the criminals) to being possibly a little OOC: mainly the crack at the underprivileged kids and the fumigation, though I guess that's mainly Ennis writing him and Alfred as being smartasses towards each other than something they really mean. At least I hope so, I don't like Bruce being written as classist or without compassion for kids. We'll see how that goes as this continues.

Interesting that the rogues don't seem to be being killed so far, just horrifically maimed. That is a little more restrained than I was expecting from Ennis so far lol.

[hairys]

Yeah, this was great. Should be expected, in hindsight, as Ennis and Sharp are UK boys dedicating this book to their fallen UK brethren and friend Steve Dillon (RIP). Ennis and Dillon were especially close.

Alfred and Bruce were joking about the fumigation, I'm sure, but still, their characterization/attitude is more DKR Millerverse, which I'm fine with.

[thwhtGuardian]

I must have gotten a different book than all of you, this was nigh unreadable in my eyes.

[SiegePerilous02]

I must have gotten a different book than all of you, this was nigh unreadable in my eyes.

My experience may have been helped by setting expectations to low and mostly being onboard for the art to begin with.

Though after thinking about the issue some more, Bruce saying the rapist's wife would be stupid for sticking with him (even though there is a high likelihood she's abused) was...certainly a choice.

[thwhtGuardian]

My experience may have been helped by setting expectations to low and mostly being onboard for the art to begin with.

Though after thinking about the issue some more, Bruce saying the rapist's wife would be stupid for sticking with him (even though there is a high likelihood she's abused) was...certainly a choice.

That whole scene between him and Alfred was just bad, and the actual scene where he confronted the boxer was just as bad as it just didn't read as something Batman would ever do.