BATMAN ETERNAL Megathread (35-48)

[darkseidpwns]

While I'm glad to see Croc finally claim a victory over Bane, I've got to agree that the actual fight between the two was pretty lackluster. It could have, and should have, been played up as a bigger deal. Bane has been one of my favorites since the first Vengeance of..., and while I wouldn't go as far as calling him a jobber (not yet anyway), he's definitely been reduced to enhancement talent.

The fight was completely one sided,it didn't even give Bane a chance,even a die hard Croc fan (and I'm A HUGE Croc fan) would admit that Waylon is outclassed against Bane in any fair set up,physically,mentally,intellectually,fighting skills you name it Bane has every advantage. Here though Croc was played up to be a superior fighter,and more tactical. He knew Bane was gonna lift him overhead and give him the chance to sever his link to venom with just ONE bite,he delivered all his attacks with precision, he knew just where he had to bite and slash Bane to make him lose his blood in 3 panels,wow that level of skill and tactical ability would put Slade and Lady Shiva to shame. Croc didn't waste a single attack,whereas Bane was yapping about his superiority,wasting his blows,not displaying an iota of skill or dexterity,he was the literal punching bag. He's been completely played by Ivy and Alfred,and thrashed by Croc.

[bat1987]

Ya was surprised by the outcome of Bane vs Croc. I guess its 3-1 for bane now as someone else said. Even though Bane is very smart and calculating, he also has an enormous ego. That was his downfall here, he underestimated Croc. That being said, I think Bane outclasses him in every way, and was downplayed here. I like Seeley, but he's definitely a big Croc fan

[ispacehead]

Meanderland? It set up both Killer Croc's and Catwoman's role for the rest of the run, re-positioned Bard-relative to Gordon, further showcased how poor Batman is now, and more. It was an important issue.

This issue didn't really have any surprises for me. Just set up and way too much Legion of Doom.

It was pretty obvious who was going to win the croc-bane duke fest. But what a non conclusion.

"I'm going to make an example out of u."

...by beating up and leaving u alive for no good reason.

It just seemed kinda thin.

The Gordon parts were good, if a bit redundant.

I think they just had to establish more history between them.

[Godlike13]

Croc is always getting jobbed, thats been pretty much all they've use him for now a days (well that and weirdly making him an AA sponsor), so i really didn't mine seeing him beat somebody respectable for once. It about time he got one. Bane will be fine, this isn't a big blow to his rep. Just wish the fight looked better.

[Punisher007]

It's not a big hole in Bane's rep, because most writers over the last 20 years don't seem to know how to write him. I do not understand why so many of them insist on portraying him as a big dumb brute. Why is it so hard for them to get the "he's also really smart" part of his character, it makes him an even more dangerous opponent. This, this was just another example of that crappy trend. You'd think that The Dark Knight Rises would have led DC to start playing him up as a big threat again, but the opposite seems to have happened.

[brucekent12]

DC has some crazy rules, heros can't get married and the bigger you are, the stupider you are!

[brucekent12]

There's a preview of this Wesneday's issue up at Comic Vine. Looks great!

[FHIZ]

You are echo.

You're echo.

Your echo.

HAY GUISE!



Probably.

[Shinomune]

My theory is the other Owl/Wayne. But with Geoff Johns using Owlman in Justice League, I'm not sure, but I think that nobody is more perfect candidate with Batman Eternal (Year One) ending at the same time than FE/WE/Multiversity. We will see.

[MrStatham]

You are echo.

You're echo.

Your echo.

HAY GUISE!



Probably.

Not enough "Who? Who?"/Owl-pun lines.

[ispacehead]

Best issue of the year. Happy New Year kids.

[king of hybrids]

My theory is the other Owl/Wayne. But with Geoff Johns using Owlman in Justice League, I'm not sure, but I think that nobody is more perfect candidate with Batman Eternal (Year One) ending at the same time than FE/WE/Multiversity. We will see.

while there probably has been some level of talking between johns and the all-powerful bat-office (johns going from "i wanna write catwoman" to sudden silence) i suspect earth-3 owlman, if he is involved, is pretty peripheral to any of hurt/strange/march's plots (probably to ensure most of wayne enterprises stuff passes to lexcorp as per JL and green arrow). ebsides, johns' owlman was "why the hell does this guy bother" v march's "i hate you so much"

so long as its not someone random like mad monk we should still be good

[K. Jones]

You are, echo. You are. You are. You are.

So Riddler is the fourth invite to the Party. And there's a checkerboard clue, too. But Eddie "sat this one out". Still, while I was thinking the other invitee could be someone like Milo, Riddler fits alongside Hush and Falcone as a proper Moriarty-level nemesis of Batman's.

Strong issue, good art. I still want it to be Doctor Hurt but more and more lately I've been actually wishing for the big bombshell to be like, a direct connection between our two Willowwood Thomas Waynes. Yeah, that would render the Court of Owls attack "subordinate" to a Doctor Hurt plot, but the impact and mystique of the Owls went out the window the second Snyder let Tynion do a series that peeled back all the layers and revealed a huge chunk of their secrets to us.

Plus it's just like Doctor Hurt, a long-lived semi-immortal who knows the ins and outs of Gotham, to use other organizations, to use sub-groups of villains who have their own themed henchmen, in a secretive strike. I want Lincoln March to be the Son of Hurt.

[FHIZ]

On Earth 3 Owlman or Doctor Hurt, I feel like it's going to be neither of those for the reason of not stepping on anyone's toes. We know Johns is going to use Owlman again with Lex Luthor, so Scott Snyder is not going to tell next story with him, the same way that no one was going to tell the next Joker story other than Snyder/Capullo (back when people thought Joker was behind this). It just wouldn't make sense to begin with anyways.

Hurt on the other than, while I'll admit there's a slim chance it could end up that way in some horrible turn of events, I doubt. Scott has been so respectful of Morrison's Batman work, often citing how much he'd bounce his own ideas off of Grant, I can't see him taking focal point of Grant's entire work on Batman and minimizing him to the bad guy revealed in the final issues of this story. Instead, he'd use his own ideas, which he's already promised will be followed up on.

Lincoln March is the only suitable enemy to take the place, at least the only one who makes sense to. Unless someone completely different is thrown into the mix at the last minute, which would be poor storytelling. (I'd argue using Hurt would be equally poor given there's no need to use him right now, and he's a guy that you can't really just wash over, as we see Bruce pretty much over the events of Eternal in the start of Endgame, or not stressing them at least.) March has got reason to come back, as does Snyder to use him, unfinished business and all. Makes sense in terms of story/clues, motive, and fits within Snyder using an idea he has a certain ownership over. The "You are echo" = "Your echo" is also supplemented by Riddler saying the answer is right in front of Bruce. What's usually in front of people? A reflection. What has Owlman in most incarnations been called, a dark reflection of Batman.

Lest we forget the time spent at Willowood in the past two issues as well as the fact that an owl is the focal point of this issue's cover, and is pretty much the last element of the Thanksgiving teaser that hasn't been touched upon.

[BloodOps]

The issue did come out today right?

I checked the DC Comics app and nothing.