As a whole, the Batbooks are in poor shape. Agree? Disagree?

[MajorHoy]

We can say 80% happy with King’s Batman.

I'm in the 20% not happy with it.

Tec is alright, treading water to me, needs a shot in the arm.

Or a new writer might help.

Both Batgirl and BoP are boring.

Batgirl (non-BoP ) is the only Bat-book I still like/currently buy these days.

The current minis are pretty good, people are happy with them.

Again, a perhaps overly-general statement; I'm not buying any of them for various reasons, so I can't out-and-out say they're "bad". But, I haven't been moved/enticed enough to buy any of them.

And to top it off, there is no Robin solo, or Catwoman, or Gotham Central or Cass or Stephh (angry face) or a third Bats book like Dark Knight or Gotham Knights.

Whether I would buy any of those titles or not would all depend at this point on things like who's writing/drawing them.

What do you guys think? Would you like to be getting 5 or 6 books?

"Like" may be too strong a word for me. "Willing" would be more accurate if the books purposes and creative teams are of enough interest.

Are you down to just a favorite 2-3?

As mentioned above, just 1 at present.

Is Mother Panic considered a Bat-book tangentially, considering it's set in Gotham? Because I like Mother Panic too. It's not great, but it's decent.

I initially left that off since it's on hiatus, but it's been excellent the whole way.

I had been buying Mother Panic, but since it's now moving into this future "10 Years Later" mode with the new volume that starts soon, I'm going to pass on that.

[millernumber1]

I worded it oddly, but I mean, I'd mostly just be down to King once Metal ends. I will check out Snyder's JL for Batman moments. But I like having two writers I want to read on Batman books.

I kinda hope Dixon gets a shot on Tec.

I mean, Dixon on Tec would almost certainly mean lots of Tim and Steph, and probably some actual Detective stories. But I don't think it's going to happen, sadly.

But then, I'm currently very happy with Tynion on Tec, with a few reservations.

[adrikito]

I'm in the 20% not happy with it.

Or a new writer might help.
.

I am with you, friend..

[Daniel22]

What do you guys not like about the King run?

[CryNotWolf]

I kinda hope Dixon gets a shot on Tec.

IDK about that. Dixon already wrote nearly 100 issues of Detective Comics in the 90s. And hundreds more issues of supplementary Batman material besides. I can't imagine, given the monumental amount of Batman-related material he's written, that he has very much more to say about the character.

Also he always seemed to very much dislike the Batman/Catwoman relationship, so giving him 'Tec right now might be inviting trouble.

[Daniel22]

IDK about that. Dixon already wrote nearly 100 issues of Detective Comics in the 90s. And hundreds more issues of supplementary Batman material besides. I can't imagine, given the monumental amount of Batman-related material he's written, that he has very much more to say about the character.

Also he always seemed to very much dislike the Batman/Catwoman relationship, so giving him 'Tec right now might be inviting trouble.

Dixon is the opposite of what DC needs right now, imo. The same retreads aren't moving them forward. They need more young, fresh writers with diverse backgrounds and styles. I think the way they are doing it now with people like Dixon, Isabella and Adams doing minis is perfect. That way the older fans can get what they want while also giving different writers a chance.

[WhipWhirlwind]

I mean, Dixon on Tec would almost certainly mean lots of Tim and Steph, and probably some actual Detective stories. But I don't think it's going to happen, sadly.

But then, I'm currently very happy with Tynion on Tec, with a few reservations.

Tim is my all time favorite (at least the dixon incarnation) but even I don't want this.

'Tec is pretty good, when it doesn't involve Tim and Steph. Dixon writing a Tim/Steph book would be okay (though still a retread), but I don't think replacing Tynion on 'TEC is the answer.

[Nick Miller]

Dixon is the opposite of what DC needs right now, imo. The same retreads aren't moving them forward. They need more young, fresh writers with diverse backgrounds and styles. I think the way they are doing it now with people like Dixon, Isabella and Adams doing minis is perfect. That way the older fans can get what they want while also giving different writers a chance.

Actually, new young writers should start on minis. And prove themselves.

[Comic Book Addict]

King has been solid and Detective has been good lately. I can only weigh in on those two because they're the ones I read.

[JBatmanFan05]

Actually, new young writers should start on minis. And prove themselves.

I'm more partial to this. Depends of course how young or new they are, a definitional matter.

I'm still waiting on DC to call writer James Patrick who did the great one-shot Batman Confidential #49 for some more Batman comics.

[Daniel22]

Actually, new young writers should start on minis. And prove themselves.

I can understand that mindset. And it made sense when working for Marvel and DC was the ultimate goal for writers. But we've seen a shift to where a lot of writers make their name in indies, expand their name at the big two, and then go back to creator owned work. I think the market dictates that if a hot indie writer is going to be enticed to work for the Big Two now, they have to be given something to make it worth their while. So Williamson going right to Suicide Squad vs JL and Flash, Cates going right to Dr. Strange and Thanos, etc is the norm. I'm not sure DC could draw the kind of young, hot writers they need with the promise of a Deadman or Black Lightning mini, just as random examples.

[JBatmanFan05]

I can understand that mindset. And it made sense when working for Marvel and DC was the ultimate goal for writers. But we've seen a shift to where a lot of writers make their name in indies, expand their name at the big two, and then go back to creator owned work. I think the market dictates that if a hot indie writer is going to be enticed to work for the Big Two now, they have to be given something to make it worth their while. So Williamson going right to Suicide Squad vs JL and Flash, Cates going right to Dr. Strange and Thanos, etc is the norm. I'm not sure DC could draw the kind of young, hot writers they need with the promise of a Deadman or Black Lightning mini, just as random examples.

There might be something to this line of thinking, but DC and Marvel and their big name big screen characters do offer a good bit of enticement and thus leverage. (and if it's not enough leverage or enough enticement, how into Batman is this writer to begin with?)

Plus, minis or short things for newer young writers to Batman or a character might be beneficial to them if they find the readers aren't digging their writing or take so far. It's possibly a good gauge.

But so is just a short run. Snyder kinda broke thru with just a short Tec run, so I'm not against that either, that's basically a mini.

[Barbatos666]

IDK about that. Dixon already wrote nearly 100 issues of Detective Comics in the 90s. And hundreds more issues of supplementary Batman material besides. I can't imagine, given the monumental amount of Batman-related material he's written, that he has very much more to say about the character.

Also he always seemed to very much dislike the Batman/Catwoman relationship, so giving him 'Tec right now might be inviting trouble.

While I dont want Dixon either this is the first time I'm hearing about him disliking Bat/Cat.

[Daniel22]

There might be something to this line of thinking, but DC and Marvel and their big name big screen characters do offer a good bit of enticement and thus leverage. (and if it's not enough leverage or enough enticement, how into Batman is this writer to begin with?)

Plus, minis or short things for newer young writers to Batman or a character might be beneficial to them if they find the readers aren't digging their writing or take so far. It's possibly a good gauge.

But so is just a short run. Snyder kinda broke thru with just a short Tec run, so I'm not against that either, that's basically a mini.

True. I can make a good case for both ways, starting on mini's or not. There isn't a totally right answer.

I think there is still a lot of enticement to write the big characters. I'm just pointing out how before someone was crazy to leave a solid spot at DC or Marvel, and if summoned came running, but that isn't really the case anymore.

[The Whovian]

Disagree. I think they're in pretty good shape. Could they improve? Yep. But you could say that about almost every book in comics.