Batman Eternal #7 Preview/Discussion

[InformationGeek]

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/05...apocalypse-5#1

Tim Seeley takes the lead this time for the last of the single issues before the main story gets going (or at least, that's how I understand it). What do you guys think? I'm expecting very good things from his issue, especially his Catwoman.

[ispacehead]

This issue was my least favorite so far.

Some good moments, but some really awkward dialogue.

It's interesting to see the shift from writer to writer.

So far Ray Fawkes issue might be my favorite.

[Claude]

This issue was my least favorite so far.

Some good moments, but some really awkward dialogue.

It's interesting to see the shift from writer to writer.

So far Ray Fawkes issue might be my favorite.

Yeah, my least favourite too - although that was probably more the art than the writing. A good showing for Pyg, a decently written Catwoman and a Penguin with hints of honor to him. All likable enough, but not too exciting.

[dropkickjake]

This was pretty good. I enjoyed seeing Roadrunner and Tigershark again, though I was foolishly hoping some of the Dark Mirror villains would be left to Dick. Very foolishly.

I have to admit, I'm starting to get a little bit lost with all these storylines. I'm sure it will get a little better when we have a series of small arcs dealing with each. With each episode introducing a new storyline though, it can get pretty hard to follow. I'm going to flip through the issues and see if I can catalog our stories so far.

[Bruce Wayne]

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/05...apocalypse-5#1

Tim Seeley takes the lead this time for the last of the single issues before the main story gets going (or at least, that's how I understand it). What do you guys think? I'm expecting very good things from his issue, especially his Catwoman.

Interesting I'm guessing Seely is the big Morrison fan amongst the writers. It seems he is the one writing Pyg and of course he'll be doing Spyral over on Grayson. Wonder if he'll do more with Morrison's revelation about Kathy Kane.

And of course more hints about Falcone and Selina.

[Laevatein]

So is Stephanie in this one?

[Claude]

So is Stephanie in this one?

Nope!

Although she'll have a three-issue arc coming up soon.

[godisawesome]

I liked it a lot. Strong ties to the Falcone plot make this feel like a good continuation of the first four issues. I also enjoyed hearing Penguin justify his ruler ship of Gotham against Falcone's, and it further stresses some of the banality and pettiness of Falcone if he's supposed to be the worse evil between himself and Penguin. Plus, you can feel them start those Catwoman wheels a-turning.

I liked the Pyg plot here, and I usually don't like the character at all.

[teej]

Out of the four "pilot" issues for each writer I liked this one the most. The art was the only thing I really couldn't get into but the storyline and plot advancement more than made up for it.

[The Cool Thatguy]

So the new guy releases a supervillain because Batman caught him.

Even in a universe where a rich billionaire dresses up as a bat, that utterly destroys disbelief. Like a dry tissue vs. a flamethrower

[Rakzo]

The hell happened to the art here? It was really hard to follow.

Story was solid though.

[godisawesome]

So the new guy releases a supervillain because Batman caught him.

Even in a universe where a rich billionaire dresses up as a bat, that utterly destroys disbelief. Like a dry tissue vs. a flamethrower

It seems to be a deliberate attempt to paint just how bad Falcone's regime was in comparison to the modern freaks.

I guess New 52 Falcone doesn't even really hold any pretense of civilization, and he's more along the lines of flagrant and ostentatious criminals like Pablo Escobar than the Godfather he was based off of originally.

[InformationGeek]

So the new guy releases a supervillain because Batman caught him.

Even in a universe where a rich billionaire dresses up as a bat, that utterly destroys disbelief. Like a dry tissue vs. a flamethrower

I honestly had to slap my forehead at that one. Seriously sir? Considering how crazy Pyg is, I'm surprised he and his dolltrons didn't try to kill you there.


Honestly though, I loved this issue. Easily the best of the run since #3, especially with a good portrayal of Catwoman and a great direction for the story.

[K. Jones]

Not a ton to say about this issue. Still digging Eternal. Don't think Roadrunner is dead (he's got super-go-fast legs!). Watching Tiger Shark sic orcas on The Penguin was actually really brutal and affecting. Catwoman felt like the Catwoman we saw in the Batman Japan Incorporated chapter - it took JLA/Forever Evil to get us back to that Catwoman, but hey, she's finally back to that. If she feels the same, details like her not knowing Bruce's ID mean less to me. And I liked Penguins talk about high-stakes tete a tete with pro criminals, too - for the first time in a long time, Mainstream Penguin sounded like he was talking with Burgess Meredith's voice, wak wak, yes, wak. Pyg's weird childish vengeance was satisfying, too, although the Forbes thing was kind of off.

Characterization-wise, Selina felt like the one from Batman, Inc 1-2, Penguin felt like Meredith, and not far from the Pengy we saw in Morrison's Red Hood arc (minus Tan's bleh art back then), Pyg felt like proper Pyg. It was clear to me that Seeley's the man to run with it, post-Morrison, a bit of post-Snyder, and a nice fusion of classics. BUT on the flip side I thought his Carmine Falcone dialogue was a little stilted. Maybe a little too youthful. Not quite weighty or Scorcese enough.

And actually, I wasn't that jazzed on the Simeoni art. Some panels were great, others not as great. Batman's ears felt off. Some of the diagonals seemed over-emphasized. The weirdness of the security rooms in Penguin's casino were too abstract and not grounded enough, and kind of took me off the page. But at the same time the shadows and inks felt very consistent with Fabok's style, the killer whale stuff looked totally gripping.

So kind of a balance. The promise of Seeley is still going strong, the art is hardly bad, but a few weird tangents, elements and bits of art prevent it from being as killer as I wanted. (The beauty of weeklies and writers with more than one title ... Seeley gets freaking Janin to work with in his other book; Captain Consistency, and next week or whatever we get more Nguyen, Fabok, so on.)

[Conway]

Yeah, my least favourite too - although that was probably more the art than the writing. A good showing for Pyg, a decently written Catwoman and a Penguin with hints of honor to him. All likable enough, but not too exciting.

Compared to the last issue that had nothing at all to do with the previous issues this was great. The story got back on track, and some of the Catwoman art was remarkable. I've never been a huge fan of Pyg, but the characterization of the Penguin was great. Although like some others have mentioned, the "Commissioner" releasing Pyg, would get him arrested by any uniform with a conscious. I don't care how corrupt a city is, no-one releases a mass murderer. They don't even release a gang related serial killer until his lawyer shows up to pay the low bail the corrupt judge gave him. If Falcone wanted him free he could have freed him easily after booking.