By Tom Grozan
January 23, 2003
Bat-Signals
Thanks for letting me get away with the autobiographical piece last time. Treading into Brian Lynch territory is not my usual fare, but it’s what I needed to do to kick-start my writing impulse. We all go through our periods of nostalgic introspection but I can assure you, I’m over this recent bout. A word of brotherly advice, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT Google old girlfriends and e-mail them to see what they are up to nowadays. It’s the online equivalent of a drunken phone call; no good can come of it. I recently got the notion to track down an old flame I have fond memories of and still think of from time to time, the one who got away, if you will. She didn’t remember me, had absolutely no idea who I was and this was a girl I had slept with and who, at one point, told me she loved me. To all my female readers, I know it’s easier for women to get laid than men but at least remember who you’ve slept with; I can, at least first names. Anyway, that put the kibosh on my nostalgia trip. I’m all about the future now, kids.
I’ve been toying with the idea of reviewing an entire line of comics for a while now. Examine a franchise from top to bottom. The Bat-books are the logical choice, since I read them already and I received a surprisingly positive response when I mentioned I was a diehard Batman fan in an earlier column. Apparently there are a lot of followers of the Dark Knight out there.
It’s quite a good time to be reading the Bat-line, as it’s the best it’s been since the late-80’s “Dark Knight Returns/Year One/Killing Joke” heyday that permanently cemented my love of all things nocturnal rodent-related. Editorial honchos Bob Shreck and Matt Idelson have put together a diverse and talented group of creative teams that keep things lively and interesting while still being willing to break new ground. They are not always successful but you have to give them credit for taking chances. Also, for the first time in ages, the line is crossover-free and each book is being allowed to develop its own distinct personality.
For practicality’s sake, I’m only going to review ongoing series within the line and not miniseries and specials. I may be a bit crazy, but I’m not a masochist. As always, I freely admit my bias up front. The characters are some of my favorites in comics. There’s a reason I buy the whole freakin’ line. While that won’t preclude me from making critical judgements I may be predisposed to like something more that the casual reader, so factor that in while you’re reading.
BATMAN
Story – Jeph Loeb
Art – Jim Lee & Scott Williams
After years of residing in the middle reaches of the top 100, DC finally figured out how to bring one of its icons back to the top of the charts: get one of the few comics superstar artists to do his first monthly work in over a decade. Say what you will about the Image-style that Lee helped popularize, but I for one opened the first chapter of “Hush” with gleeful anticipation and excitement. The panel-to-panel storytelling isn’t the greatest, but for edge-of-your-seat, big-budget-looking action, you can’t do much better. The rooftop chase in #608 between Batman and Catwoman was breathtaking. Lee makes everything look modern and cool, a quality the Bat-books have been lacking for awhile. Gone is the Studebaker-looking Batmobile with the bat-shaped snowplow on the front, replaced with a sleek Maserati-style sports car. There is now a technically visual authenticity to the array of gadgets used by Batman. His state-of-the-art arsenal now actually looks state-of-the-art.
Storywise, it’s too soon to tell, as Loeb is definitely writing long form, and with only three issues of “Hush” released to date, the tale is still in the coyly teasing stage, with promises of heavy petting to come later. So far, it’s an intentionally vague mishmash of an unseen power manipulating Batman’s rogues gallery and the return of a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne’s who you know somehow fits into the bigger picture.
BATMAN is not the best read of the lot, but it’s the first one I open when it comes out. It’s an irresistible blend of hype and visceral thrills. The comic-book equivalent of the blockbuster action movie you have to see on opening day even though you know it’s going to be a bit flawed.
DETECTIVE COMICS
Story – Ed Brubaker
Art – Tommy Castillo & Wade Von Grawbadger
If BATMAN (the comic) emphasizes sleek superheroics, then DETECTIVE, as per its title, should spotlight the investigative prowess of the “world’s greatest detective.” I can’t think of anybody better in comics today to explore the noirish side of Gotham than Ed Brubaker. Ironically, Brubaker was the writer on BATMAN, with Greg Rucka on DETECTIVE until recently. When Rucka left, Brubaker switched over to ‘TEC to make room for Loeb/Lee. Personally, I thought Rucka’s espionage-tinged tales were better suited for BATMAN but he was already firmly entrenched on DETECTIVE when Brubaker came aboard.
Brubaker’s first DETECTIVE story is a gritty murder thriller in which a mysterious Keyser Soze-like figure from the Rogues Gallery’s past has turned up to settle a score and is intent on knocking them off one by one, unless Batman can figure out who he is and stop him. The story plays to Brubaker’s strengths in humanizing seedy figures and deftly laying out the mystery so that the reader can figure it out along with Batman. Brubaker also does a nice job of giving the members of the Rogues Gallery some good character moments while still retaining their individual quirks.
Newcomer Tommy Castillo shows a lot of promise. He’s not quite there yet, but you can tell he’s going to be real good in the future. His faces and figures have a tendency toward flatness, but he has the ability to guide you through the page and shows off some real stylishly cinematic moments. He does a great job of making Batman consistently menacing whether he’s facing off with Two-Face or having a rooftop conference with the G.C.P.D.
The one thing that’s been disappointing to me is that the back-up features have been a mixed bag. For every SLAM BRADLEY and JOSIE MAC, we get unreadable throwaways like the current feature SPORE, a wordless story where Batman turns into an amoeba-like creature. What happened to Rucka and Burchett’s Huntress story that was supposed to end up in the back of DETECTIVE? There’s too many great characters to play with in Gotham to waste the space on wonky experiments like SPORE.
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS
Story - Scott Beatty
Art – Roger Robinson & John Floyd
When the Bat-titles recently realigned creatively in the wake of Chuck Dixon’s departure for CrossGen, Scott Beatty was the only name that filled me with trepidation. A Dixon protégé who up till now was only known for co-writing ROBIN: YEAR ONE (decent) and JOKER: LAST LAUGH (less said the better). His first solo work, taking over RUSE from Mark Waid, gained on Dixon’s recommendation, was so atrocious it made me drop the book. So accusations of talentlessly riding Dixon’s coattails are plausible. Well, the good news is that despite some slight awkwardness in the beginning, Beatty has proved quite capable and is gaining strength with each successive issue. While the one new villain he introduced, Pix, is merely an update on the Tattooed Man with a cliched rape/revenge backstory, Beatty has been much more successful introducing soap opera elements into the book. He’s had Bane claim that he’s Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate half-brother and Batman “fire” Spoiler from the team, thus introducing some delicious melodrama into the Batcave. GOTHAM KNIGHTS was designed to showcase Batman interacting with his extended “family” and Beatty shows every indication of taking off with the premise and having fun. On the art side, Roger Robinson is a capable if slightly unspectacular penciller who would greatly benefit from an inker more willing to soften the roughness of his line work.
One thing that perplexes me in regard to this book are the preponderance of people who claim to buy it solely for the BATMAN: BLACK & WHITE backups, which, in my opinion, are for the most part sub-par. Hell, the last two had the exact same premise and plot. Even the art hasn’t been great and doesn’t make the most of the medium. There hasn’t been one story where I thought to myself “that’s perfect in black & white, color would ruin it” -- and I love good black & white art!
BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT
Art & Story by Various
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LOTDK is the line’s anthology title, with each story arc telling tales from any time in Batman’s history. The original intent of the book was to provide top creators, not necessarily willing to commit to an ongoing Bat-book, a place to tell their Batman story. A great intention, but one that hasn’t quite translated to the finished product. While LOTDK has had some great stories by name creators over the years, mostly it’s become a home for older veterans hanging on to the periphery of the current market and journeymen with ideas that don’t fit into the current Bat-continuity. Not exactly the sort of prestige venue it was originally trumpeted to be. I know economics and marketing play a part. Why put your Neil Gaiman/Dave McKean Bat-story in LOTDK when you can release it as a $30 hardcover? Still, I’d like to see the title become the home for the prestige Batman stories. Financially money could be made in increased circulation (the title is the lowest-selling starring Batman) and trade paperbacks. Because when was the last time anyone remembers a LOTDK story being collected in trade form, 10 years ago?
Recent stories in LOTDK have been, as one would guess, a mixed bag running the gamut from excellent to slightly amusing. The 3-issue “Blink” by Dwayne McDuffie and Val Semeiks was the strongest story the title has seen in a long time. The title character Blink (he’s never called that in the story) is a blind man who has the power to see through another person’s eyes after he touches them. A small-time grifter, he views the people’s bank account and credit card numbers. That all changes when he touches a serial killer and witnesses a grisly murder that brings him to Batman’s attention. The idea is clever and engaging enough to make a decent Hollywood thriller and DC wisely has a sequel fast-tracked for upcoming issues of LOTDK. McDuffie is one of those writers who’s not “hot” but seems to do nothing but quality work. I’m surprised he doesn’t get more opportunities. The next arc, “Loyalties” by John Ostrander and Michael Lopez, is a decent yet forgettable Jim Gordon story where a corrupt cop he took down in Chicago turns back up to haunt him. “Auteurism,” by John Arcurdi and Roger Landridge, is the amusing yet disposable account of the Joker kidnapping a underrated and highly demanding comedian and having him star in a film with Batman. That’s almost a year’s worth of issues with only a single storyline I’d recommend. LOTDK could be a must-read but at the moment it’s mired in mediocrity. Andy Helfer is generally regarded as a top editor but seems uninspired to try anything more than maintain the status quo on this title. If I were in that position, I’d be taking a kid-in-the-candy-store approach. It can’t be that hard to find people who want to write or draw a Batman story!
Whew! That takes care of the man himself and I’ve still got half a dozen books featuring his girlfriends and sidekicks to take care of. This is more of an undertaking than I thought. Next time look for a looonnnggg column looking at the rest of Gotham, along with whatever else I can come up with.
Recommendations of the moment:
Movie – CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND
DVD – BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Season Three Box Set
CD – HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH Soundtrack
Book – CONVERSATIONS WITH WILDER by Cameron Crowe
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