PREVIEW: Arkham Manor, #1

[Maxpower00044]

I assumed that when Batman implies he set this whole thing up, that he is just faking being broke. I guess we'll find out in Eternal #30.


I thought this was really good. That one scene with Batman and the muggers was great! Also, that double page spread of Bruce/Batman in the Manor was really well done. Looking forward to this more than I expected.

[Black_Adam]

Decent issue, though I'm really hoping this book will be a kind of "Day in the life of an Arkham inmate" style book, and we get to see all the yard politics and relationships of the inmates, something similar to Arkham Asylum: Living Hell which I really liked.

[cranger]

I thought this was an interesting set-up but it will take another issue or two to get a sense of what type of stories Duggan is going to tell but I like the way Batman is written as this relentless, dominating force but also shows the side of Bruce that is very aware of the world, and people, around him.

[Kid A]

Decent issue, though I'm really hoping this book will be a kind of "Day in the life of an Arkham inmate" style book, and we get to see all the yard politics and relationships of the inmates, something similar to Arkham Asylum: Living Hell which I really liked.

I'm thinking it will; this issue was mostly set-up.

[ispacehead]

This apparently takes place after Batman Eternal #30... well alright then. Guess we couldn't have pushed this book to next week or something when the book comes out since that would make too much sense.

Yeah, that's pretty lame. Way to spoil the upcoming events in Eternal DC. >

I did like this issue, but it seems really stupid to put this out before seeing whatever is about to happen in Eternal.

[Maxpower00044]

I don't even know why they say it takes place after Eternal #30. The last page of #29, Arkham blows up, and that's all you really need to know to follow this story.

[ispacehead]

I don't even know why they say it takes place after Eternal #30. The last page of #29, Arkham blows up, and that's all you really need to know to follow this story.

Well, technically we don't see Arkham blow up, though a big shaft of light blasting upward from the foundation does sort of suggest that possibility.

In any event, we haven't actually seen the destruction of Arkham yet.

Beyond that, Bruce is already in an apartment after losing the Wayne fortune.

If these events are part of Eternal, I'd probably rather have seen them happen there first.

Seems like we are at least one issue away from this timeline. Perhaps more...

[AlexanderLuthor]

Well, technically we don't see Arkham blow up, though a big shaft of light blasting upward from the foundation does sort of suggest that possibility.

In any event, we haven't actually seen the destruction of Arkham yet.

Beyond that, Bruce is already in an apartment after losing the Wayne fortune.

If these events are part of Eternal, I'd probably rather have seen them happen there first.

Seems like we are at least one issue away from this timeline. Perhaps more...

Considering all of the questions people seem to have about how it happens I don't think they are really killing the suspense of Eternal. We've known for over 4 months that the Manor was being turned into an asylum, we have no idea if Bruce really is broke or faking it, and we really don't know why he decided to go this route. Not really sure what's spoiled

[EvilTender]

Not a bad set up issue that is for sure. Really love the emotional connections being made between Bruce and his past growing up in the Manor. Clearly the Manor was some sort of parental type of figure, something that watched over him maybe. I wrote a full review with a bunch of pictures here if anyone is interested.

Onto spoilers!
spoilers:

The issue opens with back story of sorts, we learn Arkham has fallen, Bruce lost his family fortune and moved into the city and the mayor has decided, under some public distress, to move the inmates to Wayne Manor. Some workers show up at the manor and chip the sides of the W off to make an A and that's that. Bruce tells us a few things: his dad would have opened his doors because the mentally ill need better treatment, he finds his emotional attachment to the manor a weakness and he once actually thought of creating a prison at the manor for the worst of the worst villains. Bruce goes home and finds Alfred drinking some expensive Wayne liquor and realizes Alfred is upset and not very happy they moved at all. Bruce rushes to the manor as there's been a murder. He can't figure it out, so decides to assume the identity of a homeless person and infiltrate the manor as a prisoner. To be continued!

end of spoilers

What did you guys think?

Clearly Duggan is going to be playing around with Bruce and his past in this series by plopping his enemies right there where he grew up.

Nice review! But one minor correction. Note the bolded section (my emphasis) of your spoiler comment:

spoilers:

He actually did not consider creating a prison at the Manor, but instead had considered a portion of the cave. From page 7... Ironically, I had once considered transforming a portion of the cave into a secret prison for the worst of Arkham's inmates. This is a fairly important distinction when you consider the emotional attachment that he has to the manor itself. Like you, I feel that he considered that a weakness and it would have kept Bruce Wayne from being a focal point for the housing of inmates - which also may be why he chose to let the city gain the manor via imminent domain (assuming he does still have a portion of his fortune intact) as opposed to gifting it to the city.

end of spoilers

Aside from that one bit of nit-picking, an excellent review. Thanks!

[ispacehead]

Not really sure what's spoiled

Not really a big deal, as I enjoyed the issue but...

We didn't know Arkham was to be destroyed. We still don't really in Eternal. I certainly didn't think what happened would be quite this extreme.

And once again, if these are parts of the story in eternal, I'd rather read about them there, whether Bruce is really broke, or not.

It doesn't seem to make any less sense to hold this issue back a couple weeks or whatever until it is in sync with what's already going on.

I guess from an advertising standpoint, they may have pulled in some readers that didn't plan to buy the series by spoiling upcoming plot points from an already successful series.

So...from that perspective I guess it's a good idea.

[Naked Bat]

I liked this issue. It did its job: it made me wanna read more.

[K. Jones]

Another Doyle-era title I like. It's funny as I was reading it and realizing what Jack Shaw was going to be all about (nice callback to The Meek, right?) it occurred to me that pretense aside, the writer was placing Bruce in the position of being like, Freudian psycho-analyzed in his own family home. And I shuddered because ew, how many times have we seen that? But it was a passing shudder, because everything else about the book - Bruce's dialogue about Thomas Wayne's beliefs, his "almost" healthy response to Arkham Manor and just blowing off steam to deal with it, the sense of adventure and fun and "dude he's acting grim but he totally loves his job" that comes with going undercover, and the fact that it felt like a proper Agatha Christie murder mystery - like I feel like we could scan that art and figure out some potential clues here.

I liked the art a lot. It really bridged that gap between a stylish, sketchy cartoon and a more ... well I can't honestly say realism, but it feels grounded considering how sketchy-stylish it is.

So yeah, my expectations are subverted. What else? I think I really like this notion of Bruce forgoing the mansion and doing more bopping around Gotham, and "losing" (wink wink, nudge nudge) his family fortune, at least publicly. Having to be a bit more guerrilla in his operations. It makes him feel a little less perfect, or well-established. It's a good shake-up.

I just wish I'd read it as it actually happened in real-time, not as a sprung-upon new status quo in a side-title.

I will never complain about another Batman book that centers on "Detective" aspects.

[cranger]

like I feel like we could scan that art and figure out some potential clues here.

Speaking of... I noticed something in the two-page spread that was the same on both sides, a clue maybe? Or just for the sake of creating an element of symmetry?

[Maxpower00044]

Well, technically we don't see Arkham blow up, though a big shaft of light blasting upward from the foundation does sort of suggest that possibility.

A green light shooting through it (the same green light that they show in Arkham Manor as the light from the explosion) and the word BOOM under it? to me, we saw Arkham Blow up on the last page of #29.

Beyond that, Bruce is already in an apartment after losing the Wayne fortune.

I think he's faking being broke. From what I gather by what is said in 'Manor' is that he's resposible for the Government taking over the Manor which leads me to believe this is all a set up that works in Batman's favor. Also, it's pretty insignificant to me. I have no problem learning why he's broke (or not) in next week's Eternal. Didn't hamper my enjoyment of either title.

If these events are part of Eternal, I'd probably rather have seen them happen there first.

YMMV, but I don't see how it matters where you get the info as long as you get the info.

[Maxpower00044]

Speaking of... I noticed something in the two-page spread that was the same on both sides, a clue maybe? Or just for the sake of creating an element of symmetry?

Speaking of this awesome page (you talking about the figure in the doorway?), does anyone have a nice hi res shot of this they can post. I'd like to have it on my phone. That double page was fantastic.