Bad Art Ruins Good Story

Batman and Robin #6
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phillip Tan

 

Wow Phillip Tan does not show any strengths here. Why did this guy get picked to follow Quitely? I mean this was bad art. Everything was muddled and dark and it hurt the storytelling. Moments that should have been great were ruined by this artist. I am really sad to say it. This issue was filled to the brim with story but it was lost in all of the horrible art. Story-wise, I have a lot to say. What the hell happened the end? Was that Bruce? It can’t be can it? If so, his return was ruined by art that made it completely unclear as to what was going on. Ugh I wanted to like this so much because it was a good story but all of the great moments were absolutely ruined. It was like going to see a good movie but being blinded.

The Blackhawks Get Interesting

Batman Confidential #36
Written by Royal McGraw
Art by Marco Marz

The Blackhawks are a group I am not familiar with – nor have I found any of their previous appearances interesting (with the exception of Lady Blackhawk). Luckily Lady Blackhawk guest stars in this issue and this is a great unique Batman story so far. It must not take place too far back in Batman’s past considering Lady Blackhawk is in it and there is talk of The Globe who is a rather recent introduction to Batman’s rogues gallery by Paul Dini. Royal McGraw is a writer that I know I enjoyed somewhere else but I can’t remember where. Marz is an artist I am unfamiliar with but he is a great Batman artist. This was visually stunning. Keep him around DC!

BatCon 32 – 35

Batman Confidential #32
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Andy Clarke

It makes sense that Batman would have to change something about his demeanor or procedure in order to put fear into the criminals of Moscow. They are a different culture after all. I am liking this exploration of Batman struggling in a foreign city.

Batman Confidential #33
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Andy Clarke

The Bear is an interesting character – sort of like a friendly giant. He reminds me of Wylde from the Outsiders. Someone should bring Wylde back someday. Clarke’s art is pretty amazing, but I wish he drew Batman as darker or the colorist did. It would make him seem scarier and get the point across that that is what he is trying to do. But DC seems insistent on not having the dark costume these days – so I am sure that is not Clarke’s fault.

Batman Confidential #34
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Andy Clarke

Okay I figured out that not only is Batman not being drawn dark enough, but Milligan doesn’t really give him that voice. He always writes Batman as if he is Bruce Wayne, not Batman. He talks way too much. Not that it made this a bad comic, it was just distracting.

Batman Confidential #35
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Andy Clarke

Nice ending, I like that Batman has inspired the Bear to become Moscow’s protector. The Bear is an interesting character and I hope to see him again some day.

Time Traveling With The Dynamic Duo

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #25
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens
Co-Feature by Matthew Sturges
Art by Mike Norton

I love the way Jurgens draws Damian’s costume! Jurgens is a better artist then Quitely, I hate to say it but it looks much better under Jurgen’s pencils. The story is good too as we see a new chalkboard and some going ons with Rip and the Black Beetle – while Booster Gold has a nice talk with Dick Grayson and brings Dick back in time to see his parents and be reminded of why he fights the good fight. The Blue Beetle co-feature has Jaime defeating Black Beetle and the Black Beetle claiming he is Jaime in the future – I like how Jaime didn’t get all emo about it or start thinking he is going evil but instead completely dismisses the idea. I like that confidence in him and it shows how much he has grown as a character. Good stuff.

What Was Bruce Hiding?

Batman #691
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley

Okay I bet this issue is a bigger deal then anyone expected. Why was Bruce keeping a hidden case file on Dick Grayson’s parents? Is Tony Daniel going to explore this in his run? Could there be more to the murder of the flying Graysons then anyone knew? Winick really avoided all the cliches – he brought in a plausible reason for why Harvey wasn’t able to ever break into the cave before – and I like the idea that Dick and Alfred would move everything out of the cave after this. It is too dangerous to leave it like that. But Oracle has been using it over in Batgirl – I hope that gets acknowledged over in that series. This was a good issue and I have to say that this Winick-Bagley art was a success. It really didn’t get the attention it deserves.

Batman and Robin 4 – 5

Batman and Robin #4
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phillip Tan

First I have to comment on the elephant in the room – the new artist. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Quitely but his work was breathtaking – and I really miss it. Tan’s not a horrible artist but a lot of his storytelling is a bit off and too dark. It is hard to figure out what is going on sometime. That being said – I am intrigued by both the Red Hood (Is it Jason?) and the Flamingo. Morrison is great at creating characters and the Red Hood’s new look is so comic booky it’s perfect.

Batman and Robin #5
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phillip Tan

This was a fun ride! This was definitely the best issue of this book since the first issue. I love Morrison’s characterization of Jason Todd – it took four years but we actually get to see the reason why he was brought back to life – so he could be in stories like this. The Red Hood as the next gen Batman is a great idea and I like how Jason is even aware that that he is trying to do. Like he said it is when the ipod took out the walkman.  Morrison even remembers that Jason’s hair is not naturally black! Which is something that has annoyed me. Forget Under the Hood and COuntdown – this is the best Jason has been since returning to life. I have a feeling he is actually dying again because of the zits and the grey streak – perhaps he was only temporarily returned to life. I hope that I am right because it would be great for one last story to feature him before his death and he can go back to being Batman’s biggest regret. The art is still not great – but not as confusing as last issue. Flamingo is freaking scary as hell!  This was an exciting issue of Batman and Robin.

I Miss My Dark Knight Damsel

Batgirl (Volume 3) #2
Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Art by Lee Garbett

You know…I really can’t wait for Stephanie to get her new costume, because I just can’t help but miss Cassandra when I see Steph in that costume. How cool would it have been if this series was about Cassandra working with Barbara out of the currently abandoned batcave! Wtf Didio! I miss my Dark Knight Damsel, Stephanie Brown just isn’t her. Anyways, this was an okay issue and unlike other people, I see no problem with the way Barbara is acting. Steph has screwed up in the past and Babs doesn’t want to see that happen again.

Bat-Face or Two-Bats?

Batman #690
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley

So I really don’t know why Two-Face is dressed up like Batman at the end of this issue. I am assuming it was him that was in the Tony Daniel Battle for the Cowl teaser, that makes sense since Winick was originally slated to write Battle for the Cowl. I am not really sure what is going on with Two-Face, Penguin, and Black Mask but I can’t wait to find out who Black Mask is. This was a decent issue and it definitely showed how skilled in combat Dick Grayson is, but I can’t say there was much here to get me too excited.

The Defeat Of Professor Pyg

Batman and Robin #3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Frank Quitely

This issue concluded the first arc of this series. It was good. It wasn’t as good as the first issue but it was still good and creepy. Professor Pyg is a villain I hope lasts a long time. People tend to not use Morrison’s great characters after him, which is annoying, but I hope they do with this character because he is just creepy as all hell. I think I am going to have to go back and re-read this arc because some things really confused me here. Where did all this stuff about spreading germs and addictive viruses come from? I don’t remember that being part of it at all. And what is going on with the girl the Pyg tortured? Why is she killing those police officers? Quitely’s  art is fantastic to look at, but there were some parts where the storytelling was just off and I was confused. This will probably read better in trade.

Simulations

Superman/Batman #63
Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

This entire issue turned out to just be a simulation on Batman’s computer – and it wasn’t even that good of a simulation. I can not stand stories like this. I get that nothing in comics actually happened (as far as we know, but people like Grant Morrison and myself beg to differ but that’s neither here nor there) but I like my stories to be in continuity, not simulations on Batman’s computer. I did not enjoy this and I didn’t enjoy the art either.

Frozen Lightning

Outsiders (Volume 4) #21
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin

I am not sure why Alfred is acting the way he is in this issue. What situation in Gotham is he referring to? Possibly something that happens in Batman and Robin #3 which hasn’t come out yet? I don’t know. Anyways, this was a definite improvement over the last arc. I like the idea of the Outsiders splitting up to find the villains who have left Gotham and Pasarin’s art is wonderful! Is he the new regular artist? I sure hope so. I like him a lot better then Garbett. It is interesting to learn that the new Black Mask implanted chips into the heads of the villains so he could kill them if they upset him. In this issue, Mr. Freeze is captured by Black Lightning and Owlman and his chip is removed. I look forward to the confrontations with Killer Croc and Clayface.

Bagley Steps Up His Game

Batman #689
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley

 

Now this was more like it…after last issues’s less then stellar debut of Mark Bagley, Bagley steps it up a notch with this issue. I bet he was just rushed on the last issue because this was some good art and I loved how he drew the new Batmobile. Winick’s writing is also spot on, he created some cool new things for the new batmobile to do and explored the difference between Bruce and Dick even further in this issue. I still don’t know how I feel about Dick making Batman too public but it at least fits his character. He even announces over a loudspeaker from the batmobile to the crowd, and it was kinda fun to see that happen despite my misgivings about the publicness. I really wanna know who this new Black Mask is. This was a good issue.

Let’s Hope The Next Arc Is Less Confusing

Outsiders (Volume 4) #20
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Lee Garbett

Hmmm….I can’t say I completely understand what just happened in this issue. Who exactly were the Insiders? Just immortals? I am going to have to reread this story arc and I bet this thing reads a lot better in trades then in monthlies. So I am not going to judge it and say it was bad but I was rather confused. It was nice to see the Creeper in action and I liked the conversation between Ra’s and Vandal Savage but ya I am not sure what happened. Hopefully Tomasi’s next arc will be less confusing.

Imposters And Skin Suits

Batman: Streets of Gotham #2
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen
Co-Feature by Marc Andreyko
Art by Georges Jeanty

Okay I did not expect the main story with Hush to go the way it did – but I liked it! I am very interested in seeing how this plays out with Hush posing as Bruce and Dick not being able to do anything about it (I assume). it was also cool to see the League’s reaction to Bruce’s  fake return. We still don’t know who the new Black Mask is and I hope we find out soon enough. I also wonder who this mysterious new vigilante guy is? I hope it’s some guy from the past and not some random new duded. Nguyen’s art kindve annoyed me because it was said that Gordon was there – but I did not see Gordon. Did he read the script? But I really enjoyed this issue. The Manhunter Co-Feature was kick ass and I liked it even better then the last issue. Jane Doe is one scary villain! Art-wise it seemed like Kate was drawn like a little girl sometimes and I didn’t like that at all but story-wise it was great.

Mr. Toad R.I.P?

Batman and Robin #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Frank Quitely

It took me a while to get to review this because during my initial read I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I should and wanted to re-read it. I am happy to say that I must have been in a bad mood when I first read it because this issue was damn good. Sure it’s not as exciting as the first issue was, but it is still good. Quitely’s art while I always think it is overrated, it was definitely not as good as last issue. I just wasn’t in to the fight at the police station nor thought the facial expressions were as good as they could be. Story-wise I loved Dick’s conversation with Alfred and the Circus of Strange are really cool. I really hope Mr. Toad isn’t really dead cause I definitely enjoyed him. So ya this was a good issue but I think I just expected more, especially since next issue is the last issue of this arc.

The Name Still Stinks But This Issue Is Better

Red Robin #2
Written by Christopher Yost
Art by Ramon Bachs

This cover gave away the identity of Red Robin months ago when it was released so I don’t know why DC tried to pretend like it was a big secret. Anyways, I enjoyed this issue much more then its debut issue. I am starting to rethink my attitude about Tim going “dark” he has been through a lot of shit. I don’t like the way he treats Stephanie in this though. Poor Stephanie Brown is always treated like shit even though she is always just trying to help. This series really should have continued Tim’s old numbering because it is very much a continuation of the “Robin” series. Don’t you wish Tim chose to be the new Nightwing instead of this Red “I am a burger chain too” Robin bullshit. It’s a great looking costume and always will be but the name really stinks. I also don’t like that Tim is always referred to as Tim Wayne now, I get that he wants to respect Bruce but isn’t that a little bit disrespectful of his real father, Jack Drake? Anyways, this was an enjoyable issue that kept me much more entertained that the prior issue.

All Set-Up And Nothing More

Batman #688
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley

Ya…I wish I could say that this issue was just as good as last but I can not. This was all set-up and not much more. Two-Face and Penguin are at war and Dick and Damian are training. I like the idea that Dick is having difficulties with his costume but I am not sure that I like that he is letting the media film him so easily. While Bagley is certainly better then Ed Benes on art, I do not like how he draws Dick so skinny with short hair. He is not Robin anymore nor has he been for years, draw him like Nightwing Bagley.