DC Solicitations for August + Commentary

Same drill as always.  This is the newly released DC solicitations “enhanced” by my colorful commentary.  No deeper meaning.  Just a few cheers and jeers.  And hopefully a funny line or two.

BLACKEST NIGHT #2

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Ivan Reis

The event of the summer continues! The dead rise across the DC Universe, bringing terror and darkness with them. What are the Black Lanterns? What do they want? Will Earth’s greatest heroes survive long enough to find out – or will they join the Black Lantern Corps?

Neither the art nor the cover tell me anything I didn’t already know.  But then, DC really doesn’t have to sell anyone on Blackest Night at this point.  A lot of fans get down right voilent if you suggest this will be anything less than the greatest story ever told.

BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #1

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Adrian Saef & John Dell

Deadman can’t shut out the cries of the dead rising as he comes to the aid of the new Batman. It’s just in time, too, as the duo face a circus of zombies including the Black Lantern Flying Graysons!

Just what we need.  More Blackest Night and more Batman.  DC wasn’t putting out enough Batbooks, so I’m glad Blackest Night has provided a way to spotlight him.  And *spoiler aler* if Dick Grayson isn’t the new Batman, why on earth would the Flying Graysons be appearing in this book? 

By the way, am I the only one who thinks Flying Grayson zombies just sound stupid?

Also, while I like Tomasi, this seems like a piece of crap tie-in like Final Crisis: Requiem.  Tomasi doesn’t seem to have the best luck with tie-ins.

BLACKEST NIGHT: SUPERMAN #1

Written by James Robinson
Art and cover by Eddy Barrows & Ruy Jose

Black Lantern Superman has unearthed Pa Kent’s grave! But that’s only the beginning of the horrifying things he’s about to unleash on an unsuspecting Smallville.

Ew.  Is this really what we’ve come to, DC?  Digging up Pa Kent.  I sure hope the main story is better than these tie-ins.

BLACKEST NIGHT: TITANS #1

Written by J.T. Krul
Art and cover by Ed Benes & Rob Hunter

    Black Lantern Titans are descending together onto Titans Island! Will the Titans be prepared to fight off their deceased allies? And how can Beast Boy not lose his heart to Black Lantern Terra?

If I were Beast Boy, I don’t think I’d have too much trouble resistinng Terra’s advances considering the fact that she’s a freaking zombie!  Come on, Beast Boy!  What is wrong with you?

If all the dead Titans come back, the DCU is in a whole heap of trouble.  For the last several years, DC has done nothing but kill and maim Titans.  Sometimes, DC creates Titans for the sole purpose of killing them.  (RIP Power Boy.  No, seriously.  Don’t come back.)

GREEN LANTERN #45

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy

    BLACKEST NIGHT continues! The Black Lanterns descend on all the Corps throughout the universe! Sinestro’s assault on the Star Sapphires’ homeworld of Zamaron is interrupted by another Sinestro Corps – one made up of those who died during the Sinestro Corps War! And while the War of Light flickers, deep in the darkness of space, John Stewart comes face-to-face with his deceased wife – and longtime Green Lantern – Katma Tui.

Personally, I really couldn’t care less about Katma Tui, but if John Stewart gets the spotlight for an issue, I’m all for it. 

Pointless question: If this other Sinestro Corps consists of “those who died during the Sinestro Corps War”, wouldn’t they be Black Lanterns?

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #39

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Patrick Gleason & Rebecca Buchman

    Just when things couldn’t look any darker after the death and chaos of the Sciencell riot, Blackest Night descends on Oa! The black rings tear into the planet and the Lantern Crypt causing all the dead Corps members to rise and wreak havoc as a new and deadlier battle threatens to engulf not only the Corps, but the Universe itself!

Is it just me, or did the first 6 books in this month’s solicitations have pretty much the same plot?  I’m running out of things to say (and that never happens!).  I guess this is a great month for those of you who like to see zombie superheroes.  Maybe next, the DC Universe can be invaded by Skrulls.

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN! #4

Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II

    In this issue, someone dies! Actually, in this issue, tons of people die! If you thought RUN! was full of trashy humor and unnecessary violence before this issue – you ain’t seen nothing yet! We cause more property damage and hideous disfigurement in the first half of this issue than any other comic you’ll read this year (besides RUN! #5 and #6, because those are pretty ridiculous too). Join in the fun!

Join the fun?  Does this sound like fun to anybody?  Power Girl #1 was fun.  This sounds like everything I hate about DC Comics these days.  No thanks!

There’s also three other Final Crisis Aftermath series trudging along.  Maybe Infinite Crisis would have been a better name.  This thing just won’t end!

WEDNESDAY COMICS #5-8

Not much to say here.  Wednesday Comics still looks like the best idea anyone’s had in a long time.  I sure hope the excution is there.

BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #1

Once again, Kevin Smith – the fan-favorite creator behind GREEN ARROW and Daredevil – teams up with Walter Flanagan – the artist on the acclaimed series BATMAN: CACOPHONY – for an all-new adventure starring The Caped Crusader. The stakes are high as Batman encounters a new vigilante under his wing amidst what Smith describes as a “backdrop of romance, intrigue, and geek-bait guest stars galore.” Trust us when we say that it’s as awesome as it sounds.

Oh goodie.  More Batman.  Glad to see someone’s giving him a chance.

Kevin Smith is okay if you like late comic books filled with poop jokes. 

BATGIRL #1

Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Art by Lee Garbett & Trevor Scott

    In the wake of “Batman R.I.P.” and BATTLE FOR THE COWL, a new heroine has emerged in Gotham City, and as she begins her nocturnal crusade to take back the night, she will truly learn what it means to wear the mantle of the Bat. But who is this young woman, and why has she donned the cape and cowl?

Look, I don’t really care who Batgirl is.  There was nothing wrong with Cassandra Cain until DC decided to crap all over her.  But if they replace her with Spoiler or Misfit or someone else who is, you know, a girl… I’m fine with that.

What I don’t want to see happen is for Barbara Gordon to return to the role.  She’s outgrown it.  You don’t have to turn the clock back on everything, DC.  Let Babs remain Oracle!

(And put her in a good book instead of that trashy Battle for the Cowl tie-in.)

BATMAN AND ROBIN #3

Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely

    “Batman Reborn” concludes the explosive reteaming of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, WE3, New X-Men)! Witness Batman and Robin’s final showdown against Professor Pyg and the Circus of Strange! The future looks bright for the new Dynamic Duo as they prove themselves in battle, but lurking in the shadows is a mysterious red-hooded vigilante. Also, the origin of Scarlet!

So, Frank’s only doing 3 issues?  Bummer.

I’m assuming this solicit will make more sense once I’ve read an issue or two of Batman and Robin.  Then again, it’s Grant Morrsion.  So, maybe not.

DETECTIVE COMICS #856

Written by Greg Rucka
Art by JH Williams III; co-feature art by Cully Hamner

    “Elegy” part 3 of 4! Batwoman unites with an unlikely ally to momentarily defeat the fairytale villain known as Alice. But when Kate is forced to attend a high society event, she soon learns that her worlds are colliding as Alice’s plans for Gotham’s elite put Kate’s father directly in harm’s way.
    Plus, in the next part of The Question co-feature, writer Greg Rucka and artist Cully Hamner bring Renee’s search for a missing girl to new depths when The Question is trapped inside a sinking car. Will her life and her leads end up at the bottom of the river?

I am moderately excited for this book.  That JH Williams art is a knock-out.  And I’m confident Rucka will deliver.  I’m not the biggest fan of Batwoman or Renee Montoya (that would be Seventh Soldier) but I hope I will be by the end of this storyline.

BATMAN #689

Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley & Rob Hunter

    “Long Shadows” continues! Batman forges ahead in his battle to retrieve the escapees from Arkham Asylum, while Two-Face begins a ground war of his own. Elsewhere, Penguin wants to become Gotham City’s new king of crime, but to do so he has to make a deal with the devil.

Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Judd Winick.  Which of these three is not like the others?

Winick, please take this chance to redeem yourself.  I hate the hack you’ve become.  Please never write Titans again.  Yours truly, Lebeau.

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #3

Written by Paul Dini; co-feature written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Dustin Nguyen & Derek Fridolfs; co-feature art by Georges Jeanty & Karl Story

    Bruce Wayne is dead…long live Bruce Wayne! Gotham’s favorite son has miraculously returned, promising to lead his city into a new golden age. But while Wayne devotes his limitless fortune to rebuilding Gotham City, he fights violent opposition from Batman, Robin and a host of DC Universe heroes!
    And in the Manhunter co-feature, now that Manhunter has found the previous DA’s killer – or, rather, the killer has found her – what is she going to do about it? Bringing the killer in for a trial may not result in the justice Kate’s been dreaming of.  But is she ready to kill for justice so soon after a fresh start in Gotham?

This looks like Dini’s follow-up to Heart of Hush.  So, I’ll give it a look.  I followed Manhunter casually.  So, I look forward to checking out the co-feature too.

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #3

Written by Paul Dini
Art and cover by Guillem March
    With their uneasy alliance in place, the sirens encounter trouble in the form of the mysteriously returned Bruce Wayne. He’s dazzling, he’s dangerous and he’s got his sights set on Harley Quinn! Has romance sparked between these two long-time enemies – or is Wayne playing a more sinister game?

As I said last month, I’ve got some misgivings about GC Sirens.  I’m giving you three issues, Dini.  Don’t pull any of that Countdown crap this time!

OUTSIDERS #21

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin

    “The Hunting” begins here! With Arkham Asylum’s most dangerous inmates running free, The Outsiders are charged with returning them to Gotham City – by whatever means necessary. Batman and Alfred split up the team in order to track down Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze and Clayface before the rogues kill again!

Batman RIP totally derailed this book for me.  It’s not that I minded seeing Batman leave the team.  But I wanted to read about Batgirl stepping up to lead the team.  Instead, everyone cried about how they couldn’t possibly continue without Batman.  which is ridiculous considering how many times Batman has left the Outsiders in the past.

The problem is, I have no interest in this line-up.  Still, I like Tomasi okay.  So maybe I’ll give this issue a chance.  If anyone is actually reading this book, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

RED ROBIN #3

Written by Christopher Yost
Art by Ramon Bachs

    “The Grail” part 3 of 4! “Batman Reborn” continues, but is Red Robin’s quest to find Bruce Wayne at an end? Because in a German museum, answers await. But to get to those answers, Red Robin has to go through the Global Guardian known as the Wild Huntsman. Making matters worse, Red Robin’s got an unwanted ally – Ra’s al Ghul! Also, discover what happened in the days after BATTLE FOR THE COWL?

Rounding out the umpteen dozen Batman books DC is offering this month is Red Robin.  And once again it just looks awful.  It’s like DC decided to round up all the worst Batman-related ideas of the last couple of years and put them in one book.  Let’s never mention Battle for the Cowl again, okay DC?

ADVENTURE COMICS #1

Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul, co-feature art by Clayton Henry

    It’s the return of one of DC Comics’ longest running books and one of its greatest modern-day heroes – Conner Kent! In our first heroic issue, Superboy can’t wait to jump back into his life – but which life will it be? With a clarity he’s never had before, Conner makes a beeline for the greatest place on Earth…Smallville?
    Plus, in the wake of FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS, Starman heads off on an all-new mission in the present. And it’s one that will not only impact Superboy, but the future of the DC Universe itself. Fortunately, the off-kilter Legionnaire won’t be dong it alone! And in the upcoming months of ADVENTURE COMICS look for Lex Luthor! Brainiac! Lightning Lad! Superboy’s pal Simple Simon! Sun Boy and Polar Boy! Ultra, the Multi Alien! Wonder Girl! Black Lantern Alexander Luthor! And many, many more new and familiar faces!

I’m sick of death and resurection in the DCU.  But I am genuinely excited to see Johns bring back Conner – even if he was the one who killed him off in the first place.  Yeah, Johns pretty much completely changed Conner when he got a hold of him in Titans.  But, I’m stil a fan of the character.  It’s good to have him back.  And I enjoyed Johns’ take on Starman in JSA.  So, this is a win-win for me.

But I don’t really want to see Alexander Luthor again.  Ever.  Not even as a zombie.  Actually, especially not as a zombie.

SUPERMAN SECRET FILES 2009 #1

Written by Sterling Gates, Geoff Johns, James Robinson and Greg Rucka
Art by Pete Woods, Jamal Igle, Renato Guedes, Julián López and various

    There’s never been a better (or busier) time to be a Superman fan! With so many new characters and locations to keep track of, DC brings readers the definitive guide to the ever-expanding world of Superman. Here you will get profiles of characters like Nightwing and Flamebird, General Zod, Supergirl, Mon-El and more, plus maps of locations such as New Krypton’s Kandor and Metropolis.
    Also included is a bittersweet story about the friendship of Supergirl and Flamebird, and a story revealing the dark legacy of Pete Ross’ brief time as President of the United States. Plus, a week in the life of Science Cops Billi Harper and Jonathan (Mon-El) Kent. This SECRET FILES issue serves as an excellent primer to this month’s “Codename: Patriot” crossover in the Superman titles, so don’t miss out!

So, you need a scorecard to keep track of what’s going on in the Superman books these days?  Not exactly a trong selling point, guys.  Secret Files books are rarely more than $5 filler material.  I strongly doubt this will be any different.

SUPERMAN ANNUAL #14

Written by James Robinson
Art by Javier Pina

    Since Superman freed him from the Phantom Zone, Mon-El has spent all his time learning about Earth and its diverse cultures. But how much does he really know about Daxam, the homeworld he fled years ago? A gift from the Legionnaire Tellus allows Mon-El to explore the ancient history of Daxam – from its founding as a Kryptonian colony to its connection to the Mayans of Earth to its bloody civil war. Join Mon-El as he discovers that the planet he always believed to be peaceful and dull is actually anything but.

And the Superman-related filler continues.  At least it’s a buck cheaper than the Secret Files book. 

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #6

Written by Greg Rucka & James Robinson
Art by Pete Woods

    It’s chaos in Kandor as the 4-part “Codename: Patriot” storyline kicks off here and runs through the August Superman titles! Someone has been shot and Superman will stop at nothing to find the culprit! But when the shooter flees to Earth, can Superman stop him in time to prevent making the two planets even more hostile toward each other? Continued in ACTION COMICS #880!

As the only Superman book to actually feature Superman these days, World of New Krypton has been the most reliably good read of the bunch.  I’m in for all 12 issues.

 ACTION COMICS #880

Written by Greg Rucka; co-feature written by James Robinson & Rucka
Art by Julián López; co-feature art by CAFU

    “Codename: Patriot” part 2! Nightwing and Flamebird are hot on the trail of the psycho sleeper agents Nadira and Az-Rel when the heroes run into another deadly duo – Reactron and Metallo! What do these two want and how does it tie in with General Lane’s plans? Meanwhile, Superman and Supergirl arrive on Earth searching for the shooter – but will their actions here cause more harm than good? Continued in SUPERGIRL #44!
    And in part 2 of the new co-feature, Captain Atom’s memory is falling apart right in the heat of battle – can he keep it together without annihilating an entire town? Luckily a deadly new player is about to take that choice out of his hands – permanently!

In for a penny, in for a pound.  I’m sure I’ll read all 4 parts of “Codename: Patriot”.  Although Action is teetering on the edge of losing me.  Check out Seventh Soldier’s review of the last issue here.  He raises a lot of good points. 

Also, I’m looking forward to seeing Rucka and Robinson redeem Captain Atom.  He’s on the short list of characters who desperately need to be rehabbed.

SUPERGIRL #44

Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle
    “Codename: Patriot” part 3! It’s Supergirl and Mon-El versus Nightwing and Flamebird! Find out what happens when the Girl of Steel has to face off against Flamebird, one of her oldest and dearest friends! At Project 7734, General Lane puts the next part of his plan into action – with the help of the man known as Atlas. Concluded in SUPERMAN #691!

Yay, Supergirl!  After years of being the worst book DC was publishing, you’re now one of the best.  This makes my currently unwritten list of books you should be reading.  I’m going to have to write that list sometime…

SUPERMAN #691

Lane wants…al! Except one key player is missing – Superman! He has to stop the shooter from taking yet another course of action that would cause the situation between Earth and New Krypton to grow exponentially worse. Which, of course, is just what GenerSuperfans chapter of “Codename: Patriot”! What are the stakes, and who are the players? Everything and everyone, al    It’s a slam-bang, knockdown epic fight in the sewers of Metropolis in this fourth and finish.

Superman is the one Superman book I’ve kind of lost track of.  Mon-El and Guardian just aren’t draws for me.  I plan to jump back on this book sometime, but I say that every month.  Unless Codename: Patriot sucks, I’m sure I’ll be following the conclussion here.

SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #2

Written by James Robinson
Art by Matt Camp

    Jimmy Olsen has put all the pieces together regarding the mysterious Project 7734, and it’s worse than he imagined. With The Man of Steel temporarily out of the picture, though, it’s all up to Superman’s Pal to take action. Thankfully he has the help of Mon-El and Steel’s niece Natasha Irons – but will they be enough to defeat Codename: Assassin?

I didn’t read last year’s Jimmy Olsen special.  But everyone I know who did read it, hated it.  I was warned against it very strongly.  The phrase “biggest waste of money” was used a lot.  Kind of hard to believe they came back for seconds.

THE RED CIRCLE

J. Michael Straczynski dives into the DC Universe at last – and he’s bringing four of the finest heroes of the Golden and Silver Ages with him!
    Completely reimagined for the modern world from their original appearances in Archie/MLJ publications, these four heroes will show you a side of the DC Universe you’ve never seen before!

I like this idea on paper.  I don’t know the first thing about the Red Circle characters.  But I’m all for having some new blood in the DCU – assuming DC treats them right.

I’m not the biggest JMS fan, but he’s a capable writer.  He’s obviously investing a lot in this project.  Hopefully he’s the right guy for the job.

I figure this has to turn out better than when Marvel integrated the Ultraverse into the Mavel Universe, right?

DOOM PATROL #1

Written by Keith Giffen; co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Matthew Clark; co-feature art by Kevin Maguire
Cover by Matthew ClarkMen today?al for just under four American dollars. So why not try some Doom Patrol with a side order of Metbookery team that brought you JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL! That’s 40 full pages of comic-ve Men, featuring the triumphant return of the creatial, the Meteverymen al and art by Matthew Clark! Whether you think you know ‘em or you wouldn’t know ‘em if they bit you on the behind, this Doom Patrol’s for you! But that’s not all! Read all the way to the back cover for the all-new adventures of those elementGiffen    Come one, come all! The world’s strangest Super Heroes are back, and they brought those robot guys along with ‘em! Thrill to the strange adventures of the Doom Patrol, with script by Keith.

Doom Patrol and Metal Men are both DC concepts I’ve just never gotten into.  I’ve wanted to, but they’ve never clicked for me.  This creative team seems like as good a team as any to change that.  So, sign me up!

BOOSTER GOLD #23

Written by Dan Jurgens; co-feature written by Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund; co-feature art by Mike Norton
    “Day of Death” continues! Booster Gold reveals the Black Beetle’s plan to wipe out the entire JLA by going after their most incompetent former member – Booster Gold! Plus, Blue Beetle comes face to face with the mad scientist who created the robot army that’s destroying Texas!

Ah, Booster.  I’ve been a bad fan.  I promised not to abandon you when Geoff Johns left the book and then I totally did.  I’ll be back.  I promise!  But then, you’ve heard that before.  I have issue 20 at home.  I just haven’t read it yet.  But I look forward to touching base with you again soon, old friend.

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #5

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and covers by Ethan Van Sciver
    The greatest threat to face the Flash Family in decades stands revealed! A new hero will step into an old speedster’s boots! And Barry Allen will make the ultimate sacrifice: his life! Oh yeah, you read that right, but you’ll never believe just what it means! They always say nothing will ever be the same, but trust us, this one will rewrite the history books!

Yeah, you brought Barry Allen back just to kill him all over again.  Pull the other one, DC!

The first two issues of this series have me feeling underwhelmed. Read my review of issue 2 here.  I’m not sure why they bothered bringing Barry back if they were just going to retcon him beyond the point of being recognizable as Barry.  But then again, I don’t think Geoff Johns can stop himself.  The other day I saw him photoshopping Hal Jordan into my wedding pictures.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #36

Written by Len Wein
Art by José Luis & J.P. Mayer

    In part 2 of the 3-part “Royal Flush” arc, it’s the Justice Society of America villain Roulette vs. the JLA’s old foe, Amos Fortune. And the stakes are high as the two baddies pit the JLA against itself!

Man, this book just stinks on toast these days.  After reading McDuffie’s complaints about editorial mandates, I have stopped blaming him for the failure of JLA.  I’m now fully blaming DiDio.  And frankly, he seems to be taking the blame given his comments on “editorial mandates” in the recent Newsaram interview.

It doesn’t change anything.  The book is still a snorefest.  Hey, waitaminute!  Is that Plastic Man on the cover?  Okay, I’ll stick around a little while longer!

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #2

Written by James Robinson
Art and cover Mauro Cascioli
    The team continues its proactive hunt for justice as the trail leads to an army of Super-Villains. But the big bad may be deadlier than all of the new team combined…

The art looks fantastic!  The story actually sounds pretty lousy.  And I am carrying a bit of a grudge against this book for helping to derail the regular JLA book.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #30

Written by Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham
Art and cover by Jesus Merino
    “Bad Seed” part 2 of 5! The JSA feels the strain when battling a monstrous collection of villains who’ve mounted an all-out war on the team to collect a bounty placed on the head of everyone in the group except Stargirl! Tensions flare, and the group is forced to make a compromise in order to chase their fleeing enemies or return to the mansion to find out why Mister Terrific’s communications have suddenly stopped!

A bounty on everyone but Stargirl?  Is Geoff Johns behind this?

I’m committed to giving the new team on JSA a shot.  They’ve got big shoes to fill.

GREEN ARROW & BLACK CANARY #23

Written by Andrew Kreisberg
Art by Mike Norton, Bill Sienkiewicz and Josef Rubinstein

    “Big Game” part 1 of 2! In the main feature, Green Arrow investigates a crime with all the earmarks of his old nemesis known as Big Game – which is made extra-mysterious by the fact that Cupid killed Big Game. And in this issue’s co-feature, Black Canary attempts to save her rival’s life when Cupid is attacked in police custody!

More Kreisberg!  More Cupid!  If Kreisberg can find a way to make Black Canary look stupid, he’ll manage to include everything I hate about his run in one issue!  (I have confidence he can do it.  He has yet to let me down since he took over the book.)

Seriously, Cupid’s in both the feature and the co-feature?  In the words of Charlie Brown, good grief!

I continue to petition DC for a new writer.

POWER GIRL #4

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art and cover by Amanda Conner

    “Space Girls Gone Wild!” part 1 of 2! A trio of sexy alien marauders hits Earth for the ultimate party. Unfortunately, by their standards, that means destroying it! Of course, it’s up to Power Girl to crash their festivities.

Power Girl 1 was just good, fun comics! Don’t believe me? Here’s a second opinion.   So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, read Power Girl!

SECRET SIX #12

Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott & Doug Hazlewood

    A crisis of conscience splits the Secret Six right down the middle and puts them on opposite sides of a horrific war involving Amazons led by a deluded Artemis! But that’s just the opening bout for the main event: Jeannette vs. Wonder Woman!

Best book DC is putting out.  Believe it!

TEEN TITANS #74

Written by Bryan Q. Miller; co-feature written by Sean McKeever
Art by Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson; co-feature art by Yildiray Cinar & Júlio Ferreira

    The assault against the Teen Titans continues this issue as the team struggles to even the odds. Will they be defeated by a foe with superior leadership?
    And in the co-feature, Ravager is attacked in her arctic hideaway. Who wants her dead? That’s what she wants to know…

I want Ravager dead.  Does that count?

(I don’t really, but I am sick of Sean McKeever writing her.  Then again, I am sick of Sean McKeever.)

And how about that cover?  A casket with a Titans symbol on it.  How original!   Never seen DC kill a Teen Titan before.  When’s Geoff Johns bringing them back?

I kid the Teen Titans!  But only because I care.  Please make this book good enough that I can start reading it again!

TITANS #16

Written by Christopher Yost
Art by Angel Unzueta & Wayne Faucher

    Why has Starfire been acting odd the past few issues? Turns out the warrior woman has major rage issues coming out of her recent breakup with Dick Grayson, the events of FINAL CRISIS and more. Her super-powerful emotions could very well rip the team apart!

Gee, I can’t remember ever reading a story in which Starfire was portrayed as a hothead…  Next thing you know, they will really shake things up by putting her huge orange hooters on the cover.  What are the odds we’ll get a three-page spread of Starfire naked?  (Yep, that phrase is the number one search result here at read/RANT.  So, I’m using it every month!)

At least Deathcrap is over.

WONDER WOMAN #35

Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopresti & Matt Ryan

    “Birds of Paradise” part 2 of 2! A gaggle of super-powered cage fighters find themselves in the worst possible place to be – on the bad side of Wonder Woman and Black Canary! Also, find out the final resolution between Diana and Nemesis along with much, much more!

Thanks, Gail.  The DCU was getting to be a hard place to be for this Black Canary fan.  Thanks for showing everyone else how it’s done.

DC March Solcitations

Last month, I did a write-up of the DC solicits largely because I was irritated with the blandness of them as well as some rumors I’d been hearing about the direction things were taking.  The article was fun to write and I got some good feedback.  So, I figured I’d try it again now that the March solicits are available.  This time, I haven’t read through the solicits first.  So, you’re getting my uncensored first impressions.  So, here goes:

Review: Batman #681 – Spoilers!

So much to talk about! So let’s get rolling! But before we do, I want to give you the real Batman RIP checklist. Forget that fake one that DC made to sell stuff. Here it is:

52 #30: Collected in 52 vol. 3 TPB

52 #47: Collected in 52 vol. 4 TPB

Batman #655-658, 663-666: Collected in Batman and Son HC

Batman #667-669, 672-675: Collected in Batman The Black Glove HC

Batman #676-681 (And maybe 682 and 683): Collected (Soon) in Batman RIP HC

There are a few more, but these are the important Morrison-penned issues. I’ll try to reference most of the others in my review. So let’s go!

Cover: No disrespect to Ross, but his covers don’t mean anything so they kind of suck. This one by Daniel is much more interesting. Is that Batman crawling out of the ground? Yes it is. But what’s up with that I shape? Well kiddies if you’ll all turn to page 16 of your copy of Batman #676, you’ll see that same design when Batman is kneeling in between his parent’s graves. Cool, right?

Page 1: This is Bruce Wayne’s last entry from the Black Casebook. I say Bruce Wayne because he writes in the third person almost as if Batman is just a persona. Does Bruce have more? Will Nightwing become Batman and then Bruce becomes something else? Maybe, that’s kind of an end to Batman right?

Pages 2-3: “The superior man thinks of evil that will come and guards against it.” That’s an I Ching “Book of Changes” reference I believe. Remember I Ching from that “Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul” story? My God, that crossover did have something to do with RIP, kind of. Anyway, that quote is the start of “The victory is in the preparation” theme that is a BIG part of this issue.

Page 4: Look at the second panel. See those three pictures in the back? The left one looks like Joker with the third eye on his forehead and the forked tongue. The middle seems to be Hurt or the Devil because of the red and black. And I believe the picture on the right is Jezebel Jet. Also, notice the red and black coloring, which turns out to relate to a Joker-devised pattern (If you can really trust that guy! I love that Morrison has the insane characters explain things. He does it a lot, but I’m such a sucker for it.), but also evokes the notion of the Devil. Oh and Bruce talks about how he could see the future. So I suppose it’s possible that even if Bruce is “dead”, he could have still written about this issue in the Black Casebook. That’s a stretch but c’mon this is a comic!

Page 5: So, on the surface this is just Batman planning ahead again. Oh and this monk dude works for whoever you think the “master” is. We also have the backwards Zur En Arrh which will be brought up later. But below this Bruce talks about the “hole” in his mind. What’s that? Could it be Dr. Hurt’s sensory-deprivation experiments? Joker has a hole in his head now, what about that? But what I think it refers to is how Dr. Hurt is “the hole in things”. I’ll bring this up later but what you think about it is up to you.

Pages 6-7: Pierrot Lunaire, the mime, has blank word balloons. Awesome! The Dark Ranger saves Robin! But wait! Didn’t Dark Ranger die in Batman #669? “Formerly the Scout”, oh so this was Dark Ranger’s sidekick then? A hero dies and then his sidekick takes his place. Hmmm…

Page 8: The Club of Heroes baby! Morrison always does this. He takes these stupid characters and makes me love them. If Morrison wrote a Club of Heroes mini or even a monthly I would totally buy it!

Page 9: Check it out here. Batman has watched Princess Bride! Cool! Oh yeah and that “Batman is always prepared” thing is still there.

Page 10: How did Batman survive the poison last ish? Because he’s prepared! Hey it makes sense. He encountered it in Batman #663 didn’t he? Why wouldn’t he develop immunity to that? Again, he watched Princess Bride! Oh and if you don’t get that reference, shame on you. Go watch that movie!

Page 11: So that’s where the Zur En Arrh clothes went. Eww! Did Joker see Bats naked? Anyway, the Joker is no pawn Devil man! Joker bets on Batman?! Always bet on black! Oh and I guess this is what the Black Glove actually is, five rich dudes. Five fingers, five members get it?

Page 12: The bat-radia does something fools! Hey kids! Read Batman #113 for more info on the bat-radia and Zur En Arrh Batman. At the end of 113, Batman still has the bat-radia and we don’t know if it works or not. So good old Morrison brought it back and made it do something cool. So yes Batman is prepared. Oh and this signal was sent to Wayne Tower instead of the Batcave (Which got compromised) so Batman is super duper prepared!

Page 13: So here’s Le Bossu with his face cut up. Why? Because of the Joker as seen last ish. At the time, this was thought of as pure Joker randomness, but since Joker actually bet on Batman this issue and since Le Bossu’s delay may have saved Nightwing’s life, did Joker help save a Robin?

Page 14: Batman saves that monk’s life in the flashback because he’s awesome. Oh and Batman is super ultra mega prepared!

Page 15: Ok, I know a lot of people, myself included at times, have criticized Tony’s art in RIP, but this looks AWESOME! Although, that may be because I love this stuff. I know most comic fans think of Spider-Man, but I think of the Bride. Busting out of a grave is one of the most badass things a hero can do. And yes in addition to all the preparation Batman is still BADASS!

Page 16: Check it out! Not much to say here. That Black Casebook stuff continues. Again, was it Bruce writing the future? Bruce writing because he didn’t “die”? Or maybe it’s a forgery?

Page 17: Joker references the death of Jason Todd which I’m sure you’ve all heard of if you’ve read more than five Batman comics since that occurred. The Joker mentions Apophenia. God that’s fantastic. Grant Morrison has been accused of doing it and now Batman is being accused of doing it. Oh and guess what I’m doing right now? Guess what this whole post is? But hey, Batman’s pattern recognition is pretty accurate so Joker is the crazy one! Oh and Joker calls Hurt the “devil” and says he trumps him which is so Joker. Also, Hurt himself talks about sins like he knows about them.

Page 18: “I thought I smelled dirt” is what Jezebel Jet says, but he looks pretty clean to me! See how prepared Batman is? He brought his dirt repellent costume oh yeah! Oh and Jet thinks she’s untouchable. It sure would be sweet if something bad happened to her soon….

Page 19: Ha Ha! Batman was faking the love Jezebel! How did Batman know? Because he always falls for bad girls!

Page 20: So the Black Glove has been around for more than 20 years? Then I would think that it wasn’t created just to screw with Bats. Which would again support the “Hurt is the Devil” thing.

Page 21: Nightwing is badass! This is the first of what I call the Battle for the Cowl pages. Each candidate will show you why they should be the next Batman. And the Black Casebook explains why Bruce couldn’t just stop all of this before any damage was done. So please subtract one star from Batman’s preparation level.

Page 22: Robin is badass! Oh and again, the Black Glove movie talked about in Batman #667 was about “the devil himself”.

Page 23: Damian is badass! Check it out. It would be Damian that “kills” the Joker (This is the third time Joker has “died” in Morrison’s run right? Shot in the face in Batman #655, shot again in Batman #663, and now this). It’s the way he would deal with villains as Batman as we saw in Batman #666 remember? Oh and Damian saves Alfred too. I love that little guy.

Page 24: Exposition! The lack of crime and the Zur En Arrh on the walls were established way back in Morrison’s first issue, Batman #655. Sweet!

Page 25: This is the page. “I’m your father, Bruce”, um no, you’ve said that before. Mangrove Pierce? “No, I skinned Mangrove Pierce alive and wore him to Mayhew’s party.” Eww, so then who are you Hurt? “I am the hole in things, Bruce. The enemy, the piece that can never fit, there since the beginning.” So he’s the Devil. Why is this so surprising? More on that later.

Page 26: “Your mother, your father, your faithful butler, Alfred–All will stand revealed as drug addicts, perverts, criminals.” So I guess since you said “your father” you must not be him right? Oh and you’re offering me a Faustian Bargain? Again, you are the devil!

Page 27: Man the devil is whiny! More Black Casebook stuff talking about “the Devil waiting”. The third fake Batman is in the chopper as well and if you remember Batman #666, this is the “Anti-Christ” Batman. But the Casebook also reveals “the limits of reason” with Bruce. I’ll talk about that later too.

Page 28: Fear in the Devils eyes? Batman is again Badass. This is also where Batman and I guess the Devil and the Anti-Christ “die”. Also, more proof that DC loves drugs! That’s right kids! You want to hurt someone? Drug up!

Page 29: Yeah you knew this was coming. He’s the obvious choice. But who’s Robin? And then what happens to Damian/Tim? How about Dick and Tim take over Batman and Robin, then Damian and his pops hang out more?

Page 30: So this is where Jezebel Jet “dies”. But if you’ve noticed a pattern, all of the “deaths” in this issue have been “questionable”. I hope she’s gone from Morrison’s run (If there is more which I’ll of course talk about later), but I’d bet the Devil himself she’ll return in the next ten years.

Page 31: Six months later, so someone killed Cardinal Maggi (One of the Black Glove)? Was this Talia or maybe it was Damian as the new Robin? And of course this page leads into the first page of RIP Batman #676. I like that Morrison didn’t end on this or even show it again. I still remember it.

Page 32: This is the other page that confuses people. First off, what’s up with the “Mask of Zorro”? Mask of Zorro is the 1998 Antonio Banderas film. So Batman is like 18 now? “Mark of Zorro” is what they went to see! It was supposedly one of the many works that inspired Bob Kane to create Batman. Who fucked this up?! This is actually a big mistake since this page relates Batman to Zorro. So was this just a HUGE mistake or was it supposed to indicate that this dream/flashback/whatever is false? Anyway, Bruce asks “how did he get to be Zorro?” Poor Bruce! Martha Wayne is wearing a black glove! Was she part of it? Were both of them? Bruce talks about what Zorro would be like if he was real and Thomas replies “they’d probably throw someone like Zorro in Arkham”. We then see the back of a head that is probably Chill. Then the backwards Zur En Arrh. So did the Black Glove/Devil create Batman? Zur En Arrh=Zorro in Arkham. Hmm, so is it just describing this story? Zorro and his whacky adventures? Or is this questioning the sanity of Batman? Or is it just that damn apophenia again?

Holy exhaustion Batman! That took a looonnng time! And there’s still more! Someone’s reading this right? So let me break down my opinion of this issue even more!

The Hate: So the big complaint is where’s the resolution? I admit it was troubling for me at first. This is the conclusion of not only RIP, but also Morrison’s entire run of 20 or so issues so far. This was also mega hyped by DC as like the most shocking thing in all of Batman! I believe it also promised that Batman would be disgraced and that’s why he would give up the cowl. Bruce dies this issue but he died in the most unbelievable of ways. So what’s up? Well, I first have a question for the haters, were you really expecting everything to be spelled out? This entire run has been unique and surprising and so why would the finale be any different? It’s like when people got pissed at the end of Sopranos. Anyway, I have four ideas about what this ending really meant. I’ll put one in the hate section and three in the love section. Ok?

Ending One: This isn’t the ending Grant planned. There was a rumor recently in Lying in the Gutters that Final Crisis #7 was delayed again because of serious rewrites. Didio was unhappy with the finale which understandably pissed Morrison off considering this was the way he wrote the pitch for the book. So what if this is true? What if it’s true but about the wrong book? Maybe instead of rewriting FC Morrison had to rewrite Batman RIP? Hear me out. This book has been delayed for unknown reasons. Tony has said it’s not his fault and he even posted this alternate ending on his blog. Also, DC hyping a book is one thing, but the actual writer? Especially when this writer is Grant Morrison? I’m pretty sure that even Morrison himself talked about how this would be the biggest Batman thing in 70 years. Also, we know that Batman #682-683 is going to bridge the gap between RIP and FC, but there is more Final Crisis stuff. While reading that JSA Kingdom Come Special Kingdom this week, I saw an ad for Final Crisis #6 that read “The Fate of the Dark Knight Revealed”. So is it possible that DC made Morrison keep his finale out of RIP and insert it into their big event instead? If any of the things I just wrote are true then I’m pissed off! One of the reasons why I love comics is because of the creative freedom! You can see almost anything in comics. But if DC is fucking that up especially for one of my favorite writers then I am furious. Another problem with this scenario is that in addition to pissing me and other fans off, Morrison wouldn’t be too happy either. He may quit DC because of this. That of course would anger me even more since Batman is one of my favorite characters, Morrison is one of my favorite writers and Morrison has said that he wants to write Batman for a long time. I hope none of this is true, but it would explain a few things.

The Love: So these are my positive views on this finale.

Ending Two: This is kind of a response to the first ending I think, but this is basically just the simple scenario. Morrison has talked about how he tells fairly familiar and classic stories. The reason why people think they’re so weird or so original is because he dresses them up. He tells the tales we’ve heard a million times before but he does it in new ways. What was Batman RIP? Villains tried to screw with Batman but he prevailed because of his motto (Damian mentions it in Batman #666) “The victory is in the preparation”. Now I love Batman and I know how unbeatable he is, but even I was doubtful last issue. Everyone thought Bruce lost. That either he would die this issue or be severely disgraced, but that didn’t happen. He planned for all this like he always does. He then got help from his whole supporting cast. Even Joker and the Club of Heroes got in on the action. So basically, the forces of good beat the forces of evil. And who’s more evil than the Devil? See, Bruce can even beat the Devil!

Ending Three: As I mentioned earlier, this finale is just all part of Morrison’s run. This issue followed the traditions of all his others. A lot was resolved, but there were some loose threads that will be dealt with later. It’s the Batman version of Morrison’s New X-Men run. Sure there are some individually great stories, but really, you have to judge the entire run as a whole. What was the best story of Grant’s New X-Men run? It’s hard to say right? You just think of it as one giant story and that might be true about this run as well. Of course the only problem with this is what if part of my first ending scenario is true? Will Morrison even return to deal with the unanswered questions?

Ending Four: Ok, so this is probably the weirdest and hardest to accept theory, but hear me out. So in this issue Bruce is writing in the Black Casebook right? What is the Black Casebook? It was explained back in Batman #665. “Vampires, flying saucers, time travel… All the things we’d seen that didn’t fit and couldn’t be explained went into the Black Casebook.” Batman’s always trying to make sense of everything. Remember all that stuff last issue? About how Batman subjected himself to that experiment just to understand the Joker. Remember the whole “that’s not life, that’s Wikipedia” thing? I’ve talked and talked about what this story means but what if the point is that it doesn’t make sense? Maybe hurt isn’t the Devil, he’s just come crazy gambler. What the heck was up with that thing on Bat-Mite’s back? Oh and of course Bat-Mite was just imagination anyway. Hurt himself said he was the “piece that can never fit”. Or remember the whole limits of reason thing in the Black Casebook? That’s why this story was written about in the Black Casebook. It just “couldn’t be explained”.

Final Final Thoughts: So many words. So tired! But hey I care. That’s more proof that this run was fantastic, so much can be said about it. So if anybody is still reading, thank you so much for taking the time. Of course now that you’ve read my life’s story, the least I can do is read what you think. So please let me know. This story is meant to me discussed and I’m obviously more than happy to do my part. Thanks for reading everybody!

Review: Batman #680

Batman #680 (*****)

Everyone please, read this book. You don’t have to do it today or tomorrow or even this year, but read it someday. Also, if you could please read Batman & Son and Batman: The Black Glove first, it will greatly add to your enjoyment and appreciation. I don’t mean to sound like a jerk and tell you what to read, I’m just expressing my love. I could write endlessly about this book. However, I’d rather not bore everybody or drive people away with too many words, so I’ll try to be brief.

This is the penultimate chapter of RIP and it is a doozy. This is my favorite type of story. It’s entertaining, bold, and surprising. It’s an homage to many old Batman comics and yet it still seems so fresh and original. You can reread it over and over again and still notice new things. It’s rich with symbolism. Sorry, I’m getting too mushy about this. The point is I love this stuff. It makes me happy and I’d like you to all be happy to.

What didn’t I like about this issue? I wish Tony Daniel was a better artist. Don’t get me wrong. He provides many haunting images and definitely gets the story across (with a little help from his friends of course). But because of how much I adore this book, I wish someone with more talent was drawing Morrison’s vision. Speaking of Morrison, how awesome is he? The man is responsible for Final Crisis, All Star Superman, and Batman RIP and they’re all ending within a few months of each other. I’ll have greatest comics ever for 400, Alex! Oh, and did I mention that RIP is not the end of Morrison’s run. Yes, Morrison is my favorite writer and I am a total kiss ass.

I guess I should address the biggest complaint about this book, “I don’t understand it”. I certainly don’t mean to get on my high horse, but this comic can be understood. If you’ve been having some trouble understanding this arc (Only if you’ve read this book before because I don’t want anything spoiled), check this guy out. He has both spoken with and wrote a book about Grant Morrison. He has got a lot of cool stuff to say.

Anyway, I’ve already written way too much. See how much I care? I love this issue and I can’t wait for the next one.

Foilball’s Review Roundup #46 – DC Events: Batman R.I.P. & Final Crisis!

So, my laptop died yesterday. I only mention this because for the immediate future, there will not be scans to accompany my reviews. You see, my scanner doesn’t work with XP 64 or Vista, and seeing as how I just spent 800 bucks on a new laptop (w/Vista), it may be a few weeks ‘til I can grab an affordably price compliant scanner. Oh, I also need a new printer, but that isn’t really relevant to you guys. Anyway, on with the scan-less reviews.

Batman #679 (****)

Finally! An issue of RIP I can understand! I’m so late on this, and everyone else has said everything worth saying, I’ll keep this short. The Batman of Zur-en-arrh is OUTSTANDING FUN! Dude, he cuts out his own tooth!?! Converses with imaginary gargoyles and Bat-Mites!?! Beats the living crap out of everybody!?! And next, The Joker!?! OMG!!! I approve.

Detective Comics #847 (****)

This issue, Dini continues with the telling (or is that re-telling?) of the “Origin of Hush”. So far, I like it. I like it better than the rushed garbage that was the introductory Jeph Loeb story (even if it was 12 issues of Jim Lee). But, I don’t like how civil Selina and Zatanna were. I was definitely looking forward to that fight. How do you guys feel about the Scarecrow retcon? Is this cool? I’m on the fence. I need more input. But, so far, like the rest of his run, I’m enjoying this arc.

Robin #176 (****)

Whoa, is this better than the first issue? Hell yes! My favorite stuff, and the RIP junk is nice but I really don’t care about it so much in a book starring Robin, anyway, the best stuff about Fabian’s run so far is that, unlike Dixon, he’s got Tim acting exactly as you’d expect a teenager to act in response to the return of a presumed dead girlfriend. RIGHT!?! He finally admits that he’s pissed at her. Screw Batman RIP, this is what I want from my Robin. Robin’s inability or refusal to act like a real person was one of my biggest complaints about the Dixon stuff, and I’m glad Batman editorial or Fabian or both have decided to do something about it. Well done, sirs.

Nightwing #147 (***)

Um, how does this tie-in to Batman RIP? And where the hell has Two-Face been since One Year Later? Please, explain. Aaaaand, I still hate the way Tomasi writes Dick, er, Richard. Whatever. Maybe Tomasi can only write villains? His black Adam was crazy scary as was his Mongul, and the villains in the “Manhunter Memorial” tie-in were spot on, but his Green Lanterns SUCK, his Justice League SUCKS and his Richard Grayson SUCKS. DC, give this man a villain book!

Final Crisis: Revelations #1 (****)

This was very nice. Spectre killing bad guys? FINALLY! Anyone else grossed out by the way Spectre deals with Effigy and Dr. Light? Oh, since they’re dead, does that mean they’ll both show up in Reign in Hell? That would be cool. What else was cool, how about more infos on Libra? SWEET! Who is this guy? Seriously! The revelation is gonna be sick, I tell you. Oh, is that what the title is referring to? Mayhaps. Question was in here as well, and that stuff was nice, but I’m still not sold on her character. It’s well written, but I just don’t care about Montoya. Since this is a tie-in mini that Grant specifically asked Rucka to write for him, I’m reasonably sure that by the end, we’ll come to view this series as fundamentally essential to the Final Crisis epic. It’s definitely been the best of the tie-ins so far, although I have yet to read Legion…

Final Crisis: Director’s Cut #1 (****1/2)

Why buy this? A number of reasons, actually. 1) The black and white J.G. Jones pencils are A-M-Z-I-N-G. Just, WOW. Without the color and the word balloons, his skill really shows through. And if you had any questions about what was going on, these uncluttered pages answer them. I would definitely buy a hardcover like this. Seriously. It’s like the Ultimate DVD Special Edition. 2) Full Morrison Script. And, um, CRAP this is hard to read. I feel sorry for Jones. Seriously, this stuff is insane with the heavy. The description of the “Orrery of Worlds” is migraine-inducing. 3) By far, the best reason to buy this is the interview with Morrison and Jones in the back. The comments are revealing to say the least. Morrison and Jones explain scene and dialogue choices, metaphors, motivations, as well as hints of things to come. Usually, these Director’s Cuts are a lame attempt to grab more cash, but in this case, if you’re trying to decipher the mystery that is Final Crisis, this is a must-buy. For real though, this is by no means necessary reading. BUT, if you are already enjoying this series, this is definitely worth checking out. Or, wait for the hardcover/omnibus/abosulte edition. I’m sure it’ll be reprinted in there.

Review: Robin #176

I had some problems with Fabian Nicieza’s first issue on this title.  Some of the characterizations felt off to me.  Particularily Dick Grayson during the flashback’s to “52″.  And I had a hard time buying the idea that Tim Drake would give the Penguin a fat wad of cash to help find Batman when he had so many other resources at his disposal.

Those problems carry over into this issue, but they are less pervasive this time.  There’s only one flashback to Dick being oddly smarmy.  And the issue focuses on Tim using his detective skills to track Batman down. 

Nicieza really won me over with the present-day scenes depicting Tim following the clues.  He establishes early that the recently returned Spoiler has been keeping a secret.  As the story progresses, both Tim and the reader get closer to discovering just what that secret is.

The ending teases big changes to Robin’s status quo and potential clues as to the outcome of Batman RIP.  It was a satisfying supplement to the main story and a good Robin story on it’s own.  It’s hardly essential reading if you’re just following Batman RIP.  And if you’re a Robin fan, you can follow the story without trying to figure out what Morrison is doing in the main Batman title.  All the information you need is provided.

Joe Bennett fills in for Freddie Williams this issue and the results are quite satisfying.  While I like Willaims’ work on the book, I wouldn’t mind seeing Bennett return as the regular penciller if the job were to become available.

Next issue kicks off the post-RIP status quo for Robin.  After this issue, I’m intrigued to see where Nicieza and Williams will take things.

Review: Batman #679

If you’re looking for a standard super hero story, then Grant Morrison’s run on Batman is not for you.  It’s dark, it’s confusing and it’s crammed to the bursting point with big, crazy ideas.  When it works, it’s madly brilliant.  When it doesn’t, the reader is likely to be confused and even frustrated.

So, how does Batman RIP stack up?  I’m sure there will be readers on both sides of the fence.  There have been points in the story where I found myself losing patience with Morrison’s psychadelia.  Last issue, when Bruce Wayne was walking around Gotham as a homeless drug addict, had me wondering if this story was going to deliver.

The lastest issue is filled with more of the same.  Batman’s donned a new costume with garish colors.  (The red and yellow bring to mind Robin’s costume.  A possible clue?)  He’s also taken on a brand new identity, The Batman of Zur-en-arrh.  This Batman appears to be stark raving crazy.  He takes advice from stone gargoyles and Batmite.

It’s hard to know what is real and what is hallucinated in Batman RIP.  The story takes on the dream-like qualities of a David Lynch movie.  But like the best Lynch movies, those who are willing to put the puzzle pieces together can be deeply rewarded.

Morrison actually provides a bit of an explanation as to what is going on as Batmite explains the history of Batman’s new identity.  While interrogating a member of the Black Glove Batman goes on to explain that The Batman of Zur-en-arrh is “what you get when you take Bruce out of the equation.”

If the dream-like pace of the story has frustrated you, take heart.  Things start to heat up in this issue.  We get clues to the mysteries surrounding the leader of the Black Glove as he sets up shop in the Batcave.  Robin calls for help from character introduced earlier in Morrison’s run.  And an uprising at Arkham sets the stage for next issue’s show down with the Joker.

The issue offers just enough explanation and forward movement to make me feel like the final destination is worth the trip.  If nothing else, I think you have to give Morrison credit for telling such a complex story with such an iconic character.