Where should I read the Black Mirror?

[Athleticgeek89]

I just won a batman tpb lot that included much of Morrisons run (except for batman vs Robin, Robin must die, and batman inc) and Batman the Black Mirror. I was curious to when I should read the black mirror in this run. I know that Morrison didn't write the black mirror but if I recall correctly Dick is still Batman in the story. Would appreciate the help so I can get the full effect out of these books.

On a purely bragging note I also got all three volumes of batman illustrated by Neal Adams, and Batman: year one. I already have year one so I'll see if I can trade that one in for some store credit at a local shop. Thanks for any help

[Hilden B. Lade]

IIRC, Black Mirror takes place after most of Morrison's run - by the time Black Mirror begins, Bruce Wayne has already returned from the "dead" and started up Batman Inc.

[Coal Tiger]

Yeah, Black Mirror is set during the pre-new 52 period of time when Bruce was the international Batman in Batman Inc. It's about Dick as Gotham's Batman, after Morrison's Batman and Robin.

[Tupiaz]

However you can read the story on its own. You don't have to read Morrison's run to get the story.

[nepenthes]

For full effect I'd actually re-read Year One and The Killing Joke directly beforehand. In my mind these books form The Gordon Trilogy

[GrandKaiser]

You lucky bastard! Enjoy those books my friend!

[Nygma]

I read it with no prior knowledge of what had come before it. All I knew was that it was a Dick-Bats story. It works as a standalone story and it is a truly terrific one at that.

[JBatmanFan05]

Yeah, Black Mirror is set during the pre-new 52 period of time when Bruce was the international Batman in Batman Inc. It's about Dick as Gotham's Batman, after Morrison's Batman and Robin.

This. It takes place after Batman & Robin Must Die tpb or Batman The Return. It is what Dick is doing during Inc. Having read Year One and Killing Joke before Black Mirror helps.

Can be read on its own perhaps, but BMirror takes place during the Inc period.

[Athleticgeek89]

One more quick question guys should I also buy the battle for the cowl trade to get the whole story of is that one not required reading? Income tax time so Im in market for much more batman reading.

[JBatmanFan05]

One more quick question guys should I also buy the battle for the cowl trade to get the whole story of is that one not required reading? Income tax time so Im in market for much more batman reading.

I myself found BFTCowl to be a pretty bad read (I doubt I could ever read it again, I just don't like Tony Daniel as an writer). Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill is better. Or any Morrison Batman trades you don't have.

Black Mirror & Born to Kill are like the only non-Morrison stories I enjoyed that ran concurrently with Morrison's run.


BFTCowl had a great opportunity to be a great filler piece for an important moment for Dick (because Morrison doesn't like to dwell too much as far as characters reacting to big life changes).
One Amazon reviewer put it so well: "Without having read this story, you will just assume that Dick grappled with inner demons, questioned his relationship with Bruce over the years and what it means to be Batman. Instead, there is a ridiculous battle for the cowl. Robins and such fight, things happen, and a forgettable story is born."
....It's like some mindless silly soulless Michael Bay account of Dick getting the cowl.

[Athleticgeek89]

I myself found BFTCowl to be a pretty bad read (I doubt I could ever read it again, I just don't like Tony Daniel as an writer). Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill is better. Or any Morrison Batman trades you don't have.

Black Mirror & Born to Kill are like the only non-Morrison stories I enjoyed that ran concurrently with Morrison's run.


BFTCowl had a great opportunity to be a great filler piece for an important moment for Dick (because Morrison doesn't like to dwell too much as far as characters reacting to big life changes).
One Amazon reviewer put it so well: "Without having read this story, you will just assume that Dick grappled with inner demons, questioned his relationship with Bruce over the years and what it means to be Batman. Instead, there is a ridiculous battle for the cowl. Robins and such fight, things happen, and a forgettable story is born."
....It's like some mindless silly soulless Michael Bay account of Dick getting the cowl.

Ok thanks if it was essential to the story I was gonna get it but if it isn't im gonna save cash.

[Red_11]

In the bathroom at a diner.

[MajorHoy]

In the bathroom at a diner.

I don't know about that "at a diner part" . . . though story-wise it would be very appropriate.

[Tupiaz]

In the bathroom at a diner.

or in a cabin with the weird guy from class.

[K. Jones]

I'll second whoever said that you can totally read Black Mirror on its own without worrying about its timing syncing up with the Morrison run.

That said, even though it was initially published under the "Batman Incorporated" banner and ran concurrently, I like to place Morrison's Incorporated Volume 1 as the "very last Batman story" of the pre-52 period of stories, so when I place, re-read or compulsively list these days it comes between Batman and Robin and Batman Incorporated. (Tangentially related; Gates of Gotham comes right after Black Mirror).