All Star Batman #2

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Biggest flaw in this issue was the tease of Egghead and Orca (and her Death Cycle), but no payoff. Same with Gentleman Ghost, but I think we might see him due to how the book it's jumping around in time.

was that spoilers:

nite owl's chopped up corpse

end of spoilers inside spoilers:

kgbeast's

end of spoilers closet??

spoilers:

It seemed to be a dismembered Talon.

end of spoilers

[thwhtGuardian]

Feels like you're saying you want the bait to not be bait. It's not a shock value bait ("they turned on Batman..wwwhat!?") if the bait is already killed early on via this "credible reason to buy into these characters acting against their normal characteristics." It's just two issues in, he might hint at it more, or maybe he already is subtly. And I'm not sure he has to hint at it. I think the fact that we know these are always good guys is perhaps hint enough that some other motivation must be driving them from what it appears, from what the snippets of dialogue suggest, but perhaps misleadingly.

I don't know, I've noticed Snyder likes him some shock value (comics in general love shock value). I'm fine with it, think it's fun, even if I'm not fooled too much like more casual readers.



Yes, perplexed me a tad too, but I might be overthinking what it might mean. Maybe he did that (on behalf of whoever) and that's it. Anyway, definitely a slide in to tease what he's mentioned after this first 12 or 13: Wave 2 of the spoilers:

Court of Owls

end of spoilerswith a hopefully returning Greg.

It's not shocking at all as there is no credible reason to think they'd actually turn which is what I mean when I say it feels contrived and hollow. Shock is an emotional response and I never once felt it here because they didn't build up to it, and if you don't have that initial emotional jolt than the "reveal" meaningless.
And hints wouldn't ruin the shock, if we were given say a snippit of Gordon gone wrong in his early years or something like that, and went through a bit of the stress of him dealing with the threat from Two-Face and then seen cops show up at Wayne Manner; the clock busted open and Gordon standing there it would have been shocking...but what we got was two guys in a car talking about the threat and then stating that they have to stop Batman. It's the very definition of telling instead of showing which is no way to build tension and very much unlike Snyder, the guy usually oozes mood but here, other than the great action, it's totally flat emotionally.

[ABH]

Some of dialogue, while fun, just seemed off here.

was that spoilers:

nite owl's chopped up corpse

end of spoilers inside spoilers:

kgbeast's

end of spoilers closet??

I thought it was meant to be a Talon. And a refrigerator.

[JBatmanFan05]

It's not shocking at all as there is no credible reason to think they'd actually turn which is what I mean when I say it feels contrived and hollow. Shock is an emotional response and I never once felt it here because they didn't build up to it, and if you don't have that initial emotional jolt than the "reveal" meaningless.
And hints wouldn't ruin the shock, if we were given say a snippit of Gordon gone wrong in his early years or something like that, and went through a bit of the stress of him dealing with the threat from Two-Face and then seen cops show up at Wayne Manner; the clock busted open and Gordon standing there it would have been shocking...but what we got was two guys in a car talking about the threat and then stating that they have to stop Batman. It's the very definition of telling instead of showing which is no way to build tension and very much unlike Snyder, the guy usually oozes mood but here, other than the great action, it's totally flat emotionally.

I don't agree, I think, but I definitely see better your perspective. With Alfred in the last issue, I was genuinely shocked a bit (in the "where exactly is this going" way), he's set the table in his run for Alfred as being someone who can have his own peculiar perhaps even selfish or self-righteous reasons for his actions and they may not be something Bruce agrees with or would want. I think with 5 issues here being this first arc (as far as I understand), that may be why you don't get the setup or development you want (I actually think all of his arcs would benefit from more issues allotted). I always remember too that Snyder is writing for a wider audience that perhaps maybe is shocked a bit easier than some of us.

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't agree, I think, but I definitely see better your perspective. With Alfred in the last issue, I was genuinely shocked a bit (in the "where exactly is this going" way), he's set the table in his run for Alfred as being someone who can have his own peculiar perhaps even selfish or self-righteous reasons for his actions and they may not be something Bruce agrees with or would want. I think with 5 issues here being this first arc (as far as I understand), that may be why you don't get the setup or development you want (I actually think all of his arcs would benefit from more issues allotted). I always remember too that Snyder is writing for a wider audience that perhaps maybe is shocked a bit easier than some of us.

The Alfred reveal was a bit shocking just because it was so out of left field, and we did actually see him dealing with the decision emotionally even if just briefly ...but here there's nothing...it's the very definition of telling not showing. And it's not about getting the development I want, it's about the structural needs of a narrative. He's done the bait and switch to great effect in the past but this latest isn't one of them, instead of earning a true emotional response from me that they can mine later on with a surprising switch , all you have is a feeling of, "Oh, that doesn't make sense so there has to be an explanation later" which isn't a response that will lead to an interesting emotional response later, it's just a rationalization.

[Frontier]

Is this the first time the female Copperhead has appeared in the comics? I remember them hyping that up around the time Origins was developed and the character was announced.

I totally would've loved to see Batman tangle with her and Cheshire at the same time .

[Stormcrow]

Great issue. What everyone has said..fun, kinetic, road trippy. Like the Narrow Margin some, old movie, was remade with Hackman. Also 3:10 to Yuma like with the hero trying to escort the villain to a location and meeting constant trouble.

One thing I take issue with: I don't care how Snyder divides up Two-Face and Harvey in entities, I don't like either knowing Bruce is Batman. Is he gonna do this with every rogue he wants to build up? Just feels like a terrible Snyderism to try to build up certain rogues and perhaps deal with certain fans (that shouldn't be placated) that don't believe secret IDs can are realistic. This secret ID shredding was criticized a good bit pre-FP too.

Two-Face knowing Bruce Wayne is Batman wasn't Snyder's doing, though. It goes back to Peter Tomasi's "The Big Burn" arc from Batman and Robin (changing the book's title to Batman and Two-Face for that arc).

Is this the first time the female Copperhead has appeared in the comics? I remember them hyping that up around the time Origins was developed and the character was announced.

I totally would've loved to see Batman tangle with her and Cheshire at the same time .

Wasn't expecting the female Copperhead to show up first in this book, wonder if that's why they didn't use her in Birds of Prey...

I have yet to read this but it would be her first appearance in the comics, despite being hyped a long, long time ago.

[mike627]

Great seeing all the other assassins and has Two-Face gotten to Gordon as well? I'm enjoying the cursed wheel back ups.Looking forward to seeing how it all ties in.

[Kristoffera]

Liked the issue, but can you explain to me how Batman SPOILERS FOR THIS ISSUE survived the poison?

[FlictsLantern]

Liked the issue, but can you explain to me how Batman SPOILERS FOR THIS ISSUE survived the poison?

Like I posted, Deus Ex Utility Belt
[spoilers]
In fact, Batman said he could "make an antidote". While exploding a train, failling from a bridge and plunging into a river.
Because Batman

[JBatmanFan05]

Two-Face knowing Bruce Wayne is Batman wasn't Snyder's doing, though. It goes back to Peter Tomasi's "The Big Burn" arc from Batman and Robin (changing the book's title to Batman and Two-Face for that arc).

I'm more bothered that Snyder kept to it. I really dislike Big Burn and Snyder is a big enough writer to be able to go away from it, downplay it, but instead he's going with it. Young Bruce and young Harvey connected too (from Big Burn) is just horrible overconnecting (it's like Bruce grew up with everyone or had some impact on their life). Tomasi has Harvey start off as a more vain sleazy-enough defense atty with mobster clients. And Tomasi basically makes Two-Face Mr Freeze over Gilda.

[Atlanta96]

Hey, this issue also came out yesterday along with 'Tec. I completely forgot about it.

So it was decent, stuff with the villains was the highlight. Everything else is just kind of meh. Zsasz is cool, still waiting for Duke to be something other than "Robin but not Robin" in an ugly costume. Still a fine series.

[BloodOps]

Not feeling this, this looks like it will be dropped and is definitely definitely definitely not worth the price tag for the book.

[Maxpower00044]

Harvey knowing Batman is Bruce is great and a welcomed addition in my book. The fact that one part of his brain knows and the other doesn't is very intriguing to me. Much more unique and believable that a childhood friend could but 2 and 2 together. Also, it plays on the dual personality which I love.

Loved all the rogues featured. Digging Snyder's more 70's style talkative Batman. Such a sarcastic bastard. JRJR still isn't my favorite but he's doing a good job here.

I enjoy Duke, so his backups are fine with me. Plus, Shalvey's art is awesome.

[ispacehead]

Blech. Just blech.

Some things just don't get better.

Amazing that within a couple weeks of each other two writers could use such fun throwback villains with completely opposite results.

Snyder's Batman just sucks more an more.

Overkill to the max as usual, and just terribly written dialogue.

Dropped.