if you're a nightwing completist, you should check out the New Teen Titans TPB, "The Judas Contract." During this story, Dick retires as Robin and spends a lot of time soul-searching about his new identity before finally becoming Nightwing. Fans of the animated series may also recognize this as a much grittier version of the Terra storyline.
Yeah, I already have the Judas Contract trade, as well as the New Teen Titans archives. I pretty much only read them because I'm a fan of the Teen Titans cartoon, though. I don't care a whole lot about some of the NTT comics I've read mainly because I don't like some of the characters, mainly Raven and Beast Boy. And the fact that Marv Wolfman seemed to love to shove Raven down your throat turns me off to a lot of the storylines. But I'm ranting.
Regardless, I liked the Judas Contract and the storyline with Nightwing. I was a little disappointed that they paired Nightwing up with Jericho during the climax, though. All in all, I can't say I've ever been happy with the way Marv Wolfman portrayed Dick Grayson in any of the comics. He never seems to write Robin or Nightwing doing anything other than running away or commanding from the sidelines, which I find ridiculous for a character that is better trained than the rest of the Titans and one of the better combatants in the world. But the Judas Contract did a pretty good job with Dick's transformation, and I always love Deathstroke, so it's a winner in my book.
Anyways, getting back on the subject of Batman: I just finished The Long Halloween. It was good, but I didn't find it to be the exceptional Batman story that most people regard it as. I think I'm going to read it again, but a lot of the plot twists seemed to come almost out of thin air. I want to go back and see if there were any clues building up to these revelations. But regardless, a lot of the book seemed like an excuse just to have Batman fight some of his bigger foes at the expense of character development and storytelling.
But regardless, a lot of the book seemed like an excuse just to have Batman fight some of his bigger foes at the expense of character development and storytelling.
Harvey Dent develops like crazy in The Long Halloween. :P I think that's the main point of the story.
But regardless, a lot of the book seemed like an excuse just to have Batman fight some of his bigger foes at the expense of character development and storytelling.
Harvey Dent develops like crazy in The Long Halloween. :P I think that's the main point of the story.
I think all of the lesser foes were just set pieces. The story was more about Falcone/Catwoman/Harvey Dent. The bad guys were there because a year is a long time to go without any supervillain madness.
Harvey Dent changes, but no one else really does. This is, after all, a Batman story, so I'd like to see some Batman development as well, instead of him just sort of being there to knock some skulls. I never really got the sense that Batman truly lost a friend in the story, because most of Batman's dialogue and thoughts were just him repeating the same things over and over again. I'll admit, there was some good development for Harvey, but no one else seemed to really budge from where they were at the beginning of the story. The plot with Catwoman particularly bothers me, since she's omnipresent in the story, but you never quite know why. I guess I'm just disappointed because I heard so many great things about the story, and it really didn't live up to what I expected.
But regardless, a lot of the book seemed like an excuse just to have Batman fight some of his bigger foes at the expense of character development and storytelling.
Harvey Dent develops like crazy in The Long Halloween. :P I think that's the main point of the story.
I think all of the lesser foes were just set pieces. The story was more about Falcone/Catwoman/Harvey Dent. The bad guys were there because a year is a long time to go without any supervillain madness.
The reason the other villains were in The Long Halloween / Dark Victory was to show the shift of the criminal power in Gotham from classic mobster types to the typical Batman rogue gallery.
Alright, so I read Hush and enjoyed it but man did the ending get convoluted at the...end. So I come seeking a few answers, mainly:
[spoiler:42d555b4c1]How did they know Bruce Wayne was Batman? Did the Riddler just piece it together or did I miss something? So the Riddler used the Lazarus Pit to cure his cancer, right? I thought they just brought people back from the dead.[/spoiler:42d555b4c1]
I thought I had more, but I guess work has drained me of the rest.
Didnt Brian get dunked in one in the Azrael series? I dont think he went mad, but it saved him from a fatal injury and apparently helped him beat an alchohol addiction.
Alright, so I read Hush and enjoyed it but man did the ending get convoluted at the...end. So I come seeking a few answers, mainly:
[spoiler:4d6c822fa7]How did they know Bruce Wayne was Batman? Did the Riddler just piece it together or did I miss something? So the Riddler used the Lazarus Pit to cure his cancer, right? I thought they just brought people back from the dead.[/spoiler:4d6c822fa7]
I thought I had more, but I guess work has drained me of the rest.
[spoiler:4d6c822fa7]They seemed to have implied that the Lazarus Pit gave the Riddler some kind of enhanced wisdom & clarity so that he could figure out who Batman was.[/spoiler:4d6c822fa7]
What's wrong with the ending? I've heard from a lot of people that the story was great except for the ending, but nothing really bothered me at all.
Didnt Brian get dunked in one in the Azrael series? I dont think he went mad, but it saved him from a fatal injury and apparently helped him beat an alchohol addiction.
Nope, he does go temporarily insane. He rushed at Lilah or whatever the fuck her name is, but I believe Ra's knocks him out with gas or something. Memory's a bit hazy, but I can guaran-damn-tee you he did go insane.
I got parts 2 and 4 of War Crimes (Batman 643 and 644). Is it worth getting Detective 809/810 to get the whole story? They didnt have either issue on the shelf at my store when I looked, but I liked the art, particularly how Camuncoli did Joker and Black Mask. Most of all I want to see if the ending really makes sence. From what I could understand of it its kind of cool, but I want to see all the execution.
I got parts 2 and 4 of War Crimes (Batman 643 and 644). Is it worth getting Detective 809/810 to get the whole story? They didnt have either issue on the shelf at my store when I looked, but I liked the art, particularly how Camuncoli did Joker and Black Mask. Most of all I want to see if the ending really makes sence. From what I could understand of it its kind of cool, but I want to see all the execution.
No. No. Willingham's War Crimes, ESPECIALLY Batman 644, are amazingly retarded. To be frank, the whole thing is stupid, but the ending...wow. It's just...there's no way to describe other than retarded. I am actually questioning Willingham's sanity in writing it.
[spoiler:32ad98aec5] I heard that someone put the Joker in one and he was sane for a little while. [/spoiler:32ad98aec5]
Yeah, it was in a few issues of Legends of The Dark Knight, with Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker. Can't remember exact issue numbers, but i can dig around my boxes if people are interested
[spoiler:32ad98aec5]Ra's had Joker killed in the end, but Batman needed to dunk him in the Lazarus pits to find the location of Ra's Al Ghul and some kind of world-ending virus. Dunking the Joker caused him to go temporarily sane and realize the error of his ways. Amusing side to the Joker, him horrified at what he's done, plus within continuity, since Legends of Dark Knight is considered continuity.[/spoiler:32ad98aec5]
i saw a really bad ass shirt ont he LJ "batman_fans" community that i had to have. i made the saddest face ever when i found out i had to set foot in hot topic to get this shirt.
i whined to my girlfriend about it in passing, and lo' and behold, she shows up at my door the next day with this shirt!
i saw a really bad ass shirt ont he LJ "batman_fans" community that i had to have. i made the saddest face ever when i found out i had to set foot in hot topic to get this shirt.
i whined to my girlfriend about it in passing, and lo' and behold, she shows up at my door the next day with this shirt!
Nice. It would have been funnier if she showed up with one of those Super Friends shirts, though.
i saw a really bad ass shirt ont he LJ "batman_fans" community that i had to have. i made the saddest face ever when i found out i had to set foot in hot topic to get this shirt.
i whined to my girlfriend about it in passing, and lo' and behold, she shows up at my door the next day with this shirt!
It's worth it, if you like your girlfriend thinking your a little bitch.
If I had a camera handy and accessible, I would take a picture of the face I made when I read that and post it here for comedic effect. But I don't. So I won't.
And then he's got these tiny little legs. How do those things hold up that gigantinormous upper torso? I guess Batman can defy gravity as well as breathe in space.
But anyways, I know what's going on my Christmas list.
[spoiler:2b997c84cc]I was surprised by the new costume, I had no idea it would change, but I like it. Still recognisable but at the same time distinct from the old one beyond being a different colour.
I really like the story, more than I thought I would, maybe because Ive been a sucker for Hester's art since Quiver. Its like it doesnt matter that I dont fully understand how Dick came to be where he is in his life, because I dont think he does either. Just my thoughts.[/spoiler:2b997c84cc]
So, as this is the Batthread, that means we talk about All Star Batman and Robin in here, right?
Here is the only conclusion I can draw from issue 2 - Frank Miller has gone insane. I mean, what the fuck is going on here? I just...this comic has nothing to do with reality OR Batman. It's inane ramblings, really. The dialogue is shit throughout, with particular rage going towards Vicki Vale. What is going through Miller's mind when he's writing this? I'm not even pissed - I'm just embarassed for both myself and Miller. I really don't think I'm picking up issue 3.
So, as this is the Batthread, that means we talk about All Star Batman and Robin in here, right?
Here is the only conclusion I can draw from issue 2 - Frank Miller has gone insane. I mean, what the fuck is going on here? I just...this comic has nothing to do with reality OR Batman. It's inane ramblings, really. The dialogue is shit throughout, with particular rage going towards Vicki Vale. What is going through Miller's mind when he's writing this? I'm not even pissed - I'm just embarassed for both myself and Miller. I really don't think I'm picking up issue 3.
Definitely more excited for All Star Superman.
I suppose it will always be remembered as the issue where Batman called Robin a retard for the first time.
The dialogue and characterization are brutal. Batman sounds like a complete psychopath and Dick Grayson's internal monologue and abrupt swings from grief to rage are laughable. How old is he supposed to be? 12?
Is the idea that Batman's trying to completely traumatize Dick in order to take his mind off the fact that his parents died? What school of psychology is that?
Posts
Regardless, I liked the Judas Contract and the storyline with Nightwing. I was a little disappointed that they paired Nightwing up with Jericho during the climax, though. All in all, I can't say I've ever been happy with the way Marv Wolfman portrayed Dick Grayson in any of the comics. He never seems to write Robin or Nightwing doing anything other than running away or commanding from the sidelines, which I find ridiculous for a character that is better trained than the rest of the Titans and one of the better combatants in the world. But the Judas Contract did a pretty good job with Dick's transformation, and I always love Deathstroke, so it's a winner in my book.
Anyways, getting back on the subject of Batman: I just finished The Long Halloween. It was good, but I didn't find it to be the exceptional Batman story that most people regard it as. I think I'm going to read it again, but a lot of the plot twists seemed to come almost out of thin air. I want to go back and see if there were any clues building up to these revelations. But regardless, a lot of the book seemed like an excuse just to have Batman fight some of his bigger foes at the expense of character development and storytelling.
I think all of the lesser foes were just set pieces. The story was more about Falcone/Catwoman/Harvey Dent. The bad guys were there because a year is a long time to go without any supervillain madness.
Yes, that is me. Yes, that is Jim Lee's autograph with a unique Harley Quinn drawing.
Edit:
The reason the other villains were in The Long Halloween / Dark Victory was to show the shift of the criminal power in Gotham from classic mobster types to the typical Batman rogue gallery.
[spoiler:42d555b4c1]How did they know Bruce Wayne was Batman? Did the Riddler just piece it together or did I miss something? So the Riddler used the Lazarus Pit to cure his cancer, right? I thought they just brought people back from the dead.[/spoiler:42d555b4c1]
I thought I had more, but I guess work has drained me of the rest.
If you use them often, you get crazy like Ra's Al Ghul.
[spoiler:4d6c822fa7]They seemed to have implied that the Lazarus Pit gave the Riddler some kind of enhanced wisdom & clarity so that he could figure out who Batman was.[/spoiler:4d6c822fa7]
What's wrong with the ending? I've heard from a lot of people that the story was great except for the ending, but nothing really bothered me at all.
Ra's Al Ghul still goes crazy, doesn't he?
And Ra's is most certainly already insane.
No. No. Willingham's War Crimes, ESPECIALLY Batman 644, are amazingly retarded. To be frank, the whole thing is stupid, but the ending...wow. It's just...there's no way to describe other than retarded. I am actually questioning Willingham's sanity in writing it.
Yeah, it was in a few issues of Legends of The Dark Knight, with Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker. Can't remember exact issue numbers, but i can dig around my boxes if people are interested
[spoiler:32ad98aec5]Ra's had Joker killed in the end, but Batman needed to dunk him in the Lazarus pits to find the location of Ra's Al Ghul and some kind of world-ending virus. Dunking the Joker caused him to go temporarily sane and realize the error of his ways. Amusing side to the Joker, him horrified at what he's done, plus within continuity, since Legends of Dark Knight is considered continuity.[/spoiler:32ad98aec5]
i whined to my girlfriend about it in passing, and lo' and behold, she shows up at my door the next day with this shirt!
Nice. It would have been funnier if she showed up with one of those Super Friends shirts, though.
Little Bitch.
The quote I made in your sig? Still stands.
If I had a camera handy and accessible, I would take a picture of the face I made when I read that and post it here for comedic effect. But I don't. So I won't.
xbl gamertag: sublunary
Batman is REALLY muscular there.
Like DKR muscular.
Is that sarcasm?
He's huge yeah, but he don't look very muscular to me, he's more meaty and enormous.
But anyways, I know what's going on my Christmas list.
[spoiler:2b997c84cc]I was surprised by the new costume, I had no idea it would change, but I like it. Still recognisable but at the same time distinct from the old one beyond being a different colour.
I really like the story, more than I thought I would, maybe because Ive been a sucker for Hester's art since Quiver. Its like it doesnt matter that I dont fully understand how Dick came to be where he is in his life, because I dont think he does either. Just my thoughts.[/spoiler:2b997c84cc]
That means I must buy it.
Here is the only conclusion I can draw from issue 2 - Frank Miller has gone insane. I mean, what the fuck is going on here? I just...this comic has nothing to do with reality OR Batman. It's inane ramblings, really. The dialogue is shit throughout, with particular rage going towards Vicki Vale. What is going through Miller's mind when he's writing this? I'm not even pissed - I'm just embarassed for both myself and Miller. I really don't think I'm picking up issue 3.
Definitely more excited for All Star Superman.
Yeah, the only thing I dislike about his art is not being able to describe why I like it so.
wait, what
I suppose it will always be remembered as the issue where Batman called Robin a retard for the first time.
The dialogue and characterization are brutal. Batman sounds like a complete psychopath and Dick Grayson's internal monologue and abrupt swings from grief to rage are laughable. How old is he supposed to be? 12?
Is the idea that Batman's trying to completely traumatize Dick in order to take his mind off the fact that his parents died? What school of psychology is that?
very retro
EDIT: The new costume, not the whole trauma thing.
http://www.dccomics.com/comics/cm_popup.php?i=4397
Found it. I dont like it.