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Batman #682 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Batman: The Butler Did It

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Lee Garbett
Inker: Trevor Scott
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Asst. Editor: Janelle Siegel
Editor: Mike Marts
Cover: Alex Ross (variant by Tony Daniel)
Publisher: DC Comics

There’s not much to this issue, it seems. Bruce and Alfred have a conversation about his having chosen to become “a bat” and how events throughout his career have shaped who/what he is. We’re treated to images from throughout the Batman’s history, as if every Batman comic you’ve ever read has a place in the current Batman’s life.

The art by Garbett isn’t bad–it’s certainly a depature from the RIP arc, but it works well enough here. I don’t recognize the name, so am not sure if I’ve seen this artist’s work elsewhere, but in this issue, I have no problem with it in and of itself.

Story-wise, I feel rather lost and disappointed. RIP was vastly over-hyped, and where I expected some brilliant swerve that would serve to explain 2+ years’ worth of Batman stories in a satisfactory manner, I found the closing of that story anti-climactic. And a mere ONE week later to have the next issue and have no reference to RIP or any “death” of Batman is a letdown in itself. That I can hardly follow this issue’s narrative–I have read Batman for 19 1/2 years, comics for 20 years, and have delved even further back in my reading through the years–and this issue feels choppy and “trippy.” Is Bruce hallucinating? Is that what RIP was? Is this what he saw while drugged out by the Black Glove? Or is this Alfred’s recollection of events? If so, WHEN was this? Is this before or after RIP? Is someone musing to themselves, “talking” to Bruce, or is Bruce actually there?

Honestly, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend this issue. I almost feel suckered–after all, perhaps it’s important since it was rushed out THE VERY FIRST WEEK after RIP ended. If you’ve actually enjoyed the ending of RIP, perhaps you’ll enjoy this–perhaps you actualy “get” Mr. Morrison’s style here.

As for me…this is a trainwreck. I don’t want to look, but some part of me can’t help but look, and grouse at what I wind up seeing.

Story: 5/10
Art: 7/10
Whole: 6/10

Filed under: Batman, Comic Reviews 2008, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Batman #681 [Review]

Posted on November 28, 2008 by Walt

R.I.P. the conclusion: Hearts in Darkness

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Tony Daniel
Inker: Sandu Florea
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Asst. Editor: Janelle Siegel
Editor: Mike Marts
Covers: Alex Ross and Tony Daniel
Publisher: DC Comics

This is an issue I’ve been looking forward to for awhile. While the opening of the arc left me rather cold, I figured it would all come to a satisfying conclusion that would explain my confusions away–especially when I picked up the Batman & Son hardcover and noticed a reference to “Zur-en-arrh” in the earliest pages of that story.

As this issue opens, we find Batman in a straightjacket in a coffin buried alive. While flashbacks show us how he’s prepared even for this situation, for facing death itself, we see Black Glove & Co. celebrate their victory with plans made to further degrade our hero, with speculation as to exhuming him still alive but brain-damaged from lack of oxygen. The Joker continues to be a wild card, not playing by the rules he was expected to adhere to, which complicates things when Batman pulls a Spider-Man Fearful Symmetry/Kraven’s Last Hunt and enters a final battle with Black Glove, with Nightwing and Robin backing him up. At battle’s end, we have seeds planted for upcoming arcs and major changes and questions for the Batman status quo.

The best thing about this issue is the art. Tony Daniel does a great Batman (backed by inker Sandu Florea and colorist Guy Major to complete the image). The full page of Batman standing over his supposed grave is poster-worthy, and we get a number of other great images (including Nightwing holding the cape-and-cowl, another poster-worthy image). There’s a realism to the images which–while realistic–stays within the bounds of “comic book art,” doing a very effective job of conveying what’s going on.

The writing–and the story’s ending–is a definite “miss” for me. Those hopes of a satisfying conclusion and confusions explained away were not realized. I found the main event toward the end of the issue extremely anti-climactic and reminiscent of a scene from A Death in the Family. While there is some decent imagery worked in by way of epilogue, I really don’t know what this story, in the end, was about. I don’t know who the Black Glove is supposed to really be, and we’re given no clear conclusion to the smear-campaign against Thomas and Martha Wayne. Leaving that unresolved is far more of a disappointment to me than any engaging ongoing plot point.

If you’re not totally steeped in Morrison’s Batman run, and this core Batman: R.I.P. arc, I don’t see this issue making a good read at all–and if you’re online reading this review, you’re just as well served to find a spoiler review or read wikipedia to catch up, and check out other titles as available if the follow-up stories sound interesting.

Story: 4/10
Art: 8/10
Whole: 6/10

Filed under: Batman, Comic Reviews 2008, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Final Crisis #4 [Review]

Posted on October 23, 2008 by Walt

Darkseid Says

Script: Grant Morrison
Art: JG Jones, Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino
Cover: JG Jones
Sliver Cover: Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino
Colors & Sliver Cover: Alex Sinclair
Lettering: Rob Leigh
Associate Editor: Adam Schlagman
Editor: Eddie Berganza

This issue opens with the heroes defeated. Evil has won–and those heroes that remain are busy organizing safety zones–“watchtowers”–for surviving, uncorrupted civilians. An “underground resistance,” if you will. We get to see a world of darkness, in which the evil “gods” of the “5th world” have taken over, creating an Apokalips-on-Earth. While Earth has been subdued, the various evil “gods” are intent upon the re-awakening/return of their master, Darkseid…whose return will, apparently, seal the deal–Earth will be theirs, heroes won’t be able to stand, and so on.

The art for this issue is pretty good overall. I have no real qualms with it. Though it’s a bit disappointing to not have “just” Jones’ art, there are plenty of scene-shifts and points that I already don’t really have a clue what’s actually going on that hey…different art? Hardly jarring at all. It’s actually slightly helpful, as I assume as I read that different art means the scene has undoubtedly shifted and might be something to take note of.

The story? I’m “getting” a bit of the overall story, but I still am not getting the nuances. I’m sure there’s PLENTY going on that I’m not noticing, not picking up on. And…chances are those details I’m missing are rather important to enjoyment of this story.

I feel like I’m along for the ride–but not much else. This is a core-series “event” book…and it’s my LEAST-favorite of everything with the “Final Crisis” title on it. I just do not care about the New Gods–I never will, and the fact that their story is essentially THE story frustrates me all the more. Three issues to go–perhaps I’ll see by then why they’re ever so important to the fabric of the DC Universe that their coming into a new iteration is so tied to Earth.

Another issue I have with this particular issue is that there are several empty word balloons–was that intentional? an effect of us needing to know something was said, but not supposed to know WHAT just yet, and/or effect of hearing SOMETHING, but not over an explosion and other surrounding noise? Or is it just something that slipped through the cracks? Additionally, in my decision to read this issue to see how the story may have progressed, I learned the outcome of the Final Crisis: Submit one-shot, which was a bit frustrating when I turned over to that issue and realized what had happened.

Whether on me to “dig deeper” or not, I am not enjoying this series. I find myself following it for whatever context I might be able to find for the tie-in stories (which–excepting Superman Beyond–have all been far more enjoyable) and in the hopes that something might occur in this core series to change my mind, to make me feel like it’s actually a story that lives up to the year of hype predating its debut.

Story: 5/10
Art: 8/10
Whole: 6.5/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, DC, Final Crisis, Final Crisis (Event) | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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