Neal Adam's Batman Odyssey

[Mr. Earle]

Originally Posted by Drz

Bah Humbug you Mr. Earle! Check out the pretty art in the links! It has Aquaman's OUTRAGEOUS redesign!

All i see is a drawing of a beardless Aquaman.
I am just saying that they should have made something more contemporary looking.

Btw, why is batman using guns?

[Drz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

Btw, why is batman using guns?

Because, Story. We barely know anything except 1 story is about Batman debating is his crime fightning vigilantism more important than being Bruce Wayne and donating millions to African Children and whatnot whatnot. Patiance Master Earle!

[Mr. Earle]

Originally Posted by Drz

Because, Story. We barely know anything except 1 story is about Batman debating is his crime fightning vigilantism more important than being Bruce Wayne and donating millions to African Children and whatnot whatnot. Patiance Master Earle!

Patience? I want information! Send memos to every employee of Wayne Ent. And I want a meeting with all the stockholders at 1 o'clock!

[batpawn]

Originally Posted by Motown Marvel

no, miller was once a great writer. year one and DKR i think are over rated, but still very solid pieces of work. his sin city stuff was fantastic. and i know thats completely different, but it proves he was a great writer, though a very specific one. and while he's become a parody of himself, and his work has stumbled into the "so bad its good" area, i do not think that are his intentions.

No love for Ronin? In my opinion, it's still to this day, not only his best graphic novel (imo.) but also one of my favorite comic books in general. Combining cyberpunk with samurai culture is definitely a tricky one to accomplish, but the way Miller managed it in here seems flawless.

And don't forget his incredible take on Daredevil. Sure, he took the 'fun' out of the character, and made him too 'grim and gritty' for his own good. But besides hating this fact, you can't deny that the way he managed to imply these things to the character seemed unbelievably smooth. Every issue was psychologically relevant und filled with some of the best dialogues in the superhero franchises history.

Big Guy and Rusty, in which he was able to write a kid friendly, fun comicbook you could easily hand over to your six year old cousin and feel good about it, but still get lots of entertainment out of it for yourself. The themes it respond to were very adult, and reading between the lines showed a very depressing world ruled by war and violence, making it one of the best anti-war messages in comicbook history. But the fact that these things were so subtly implied that it works as a perfect read for a younger audiences, makes it one of his most underrated masterpieces.

And while I agree with you on the point that TDKR is overrated, one can't deny that it's still, in many aspects, a masterpiece of it's own. From the top notch writing and noirish, Raymond Chandler esque dialogues that gave the readers insights into the character's minds like almost none Batman comic before it, to the spot on storytelling that made 'out there' themes very easy to relate to. If one says 'Dark Knight Returns wasn't that good' only reflects the readers preference to other comicbooks which is absolutely okay, in my book. As I said before, I prefer other comic books to Dark Knight Returns as well. In fact, DKR isn't even in my Top 10 list of favorite Batman Comics, maybe not even in my Top 20. But denying it's huge impact to the comicbook industry and disown all the things the comicbook did not only right, but even spot on in some respects, is - imo - a very ignorant move.

In other words: like it or not, but Frank Miller was a fantastic writer once, very much so.

P.S.: I'd even consider DK2 to be his secret masterpiece. But that's another story.

[rogue trooper]

http://www.nealadams.com/batvid.html

CGI test!! Very cool!!

[Motown Marvel]

Originally Posted by batpawn

No love for Ronin? In my opinion, it's still to this day, not only his best graphic novel (imo.) but also one of my favorite comic books in general. Combining cyberpunk with samurai culture is definitely a tricky one to accomplish, but the way Miller managed it in here seems flawless.

And don't forget his incredible take on Daredevil. Sure, he took the 'fun' out of the character, and made him too 'grim and gritty' for his own good. But besides hating this fact, you can't deny that the way he managed to imply these things to the character seemed unbelievably smooth. Every issue was psychologically relevant und filled with some of the best dialogues in the superhero franchises history.

Big Guy and Rusty, in which he was able to write a kid friendly, fun comicbook you could easily hand over to your six year old cousin and feel good about it, but still get lots of entertainment out of it for yourself. The themes it respond to were very adult, and reading between the lines showed a very depressing world ruled by war and violence, making it one of the best anti-war messages in comicbook history. But the fact that these things were so subtly implied that it works as a perfect read for a younger audiences, makes it one of his most underrated masterpieces.

And while I agree with you on the point that TDKR is overrated, one can't deny that it's still, in many aspects, a masterpiece of it's own. From the top notch writing and noirish, Raymond Chandler esque dialogues that gave the readers insights into the character's minds like almost none Batman comic before it, to the spot on storytelling that made 'out there' themes very easy to relate to. If one says 'Dark Knight Returns wasn't that good' only reflects the readers preference to other comicbooks which is absolutely okay, in my book. As I said before, I prefer other comic books to Dark Knight Returns as well. In fact, DKR isn't even in my Top 10 list of favorite Batman Comics, maybe not even in my Top 20. But denying it's huge impact to the comicbook industry and disown all the things the comicbook did not only right, but even spot on in some respects, is - imo - a very ignorant move.

In other words: like it or not, but Frank Miller was a fantastic writer once, very much so.

P.S.: I'd even consider DK2 to be his secret masterpiece. But that's another story.

i never got around to reading ronin. i remember hearing good things, and i believe it, just havent gotten to it. so i cant be of any judge of it.

i totally forgot about his daredevil work. and yes, its fantastic, i want to read more of it. i only have a few collected arcs.

never heard much about big guy and rusty.

everything else, i dont disagree with you (except for DK2 being his secret masterpiece, ha ha). like i said, frank has some brilliant moments in comic history. he and his work was very important and influential. but his time as a relevant comic scribe has passed, it would seem. but i would love nothing more than for him to prove me wrong on that.

[rogue trooper]

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

Sounds a lot better than what i originally imagined, but still i'd have liked them to use modern art. It seems like a gimmick.

Neal Adam's art will always be contemporary, imo.

[theMan-Bat]

It's exciting to see Neal Adams drawing full issues of Batman comics again for the first time since the Power Records Batman comic "Robin Meets Man-Bat" in 1976.

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

All i see is a drawing of a beardless Aquaman.
I am just saying that they should have made something more contemporary looking.

I've never liked Aquaman with a beard, I like Neal Adams redesign of Aquaman and I like a variety of art. I'm glad Neal Adams sticks to his own style. Neal Adams' style is timeless. Artists should try to develop their own style rather than fifty guys all trying to draw like Jim Lee to be a 'contemporary hot' artist. "This guy is doing this, and people seem to respond to it, I'll just do that, too." Well, after a while: Seen it once, seen it all.

Originally Posted by Drz

3) Miller is only helping with the dialogue. This won't be his Batman and Neal Adams + the Editors will make sure it is THEIR Batman. NOT the God Damn Batman.

Neal Adams said Batman: Odyssey will be like All-Star Batman in tone and Neal Adams said he thinks Frank may whip some crudeness into it.
Neal Adams is actually a boundary pusher himself with some very Dark grim 'n' gritty stuff, but in the Bronze Age '70s they called it Relevance in comics.
It was Neal Adams idea to have Speedy shooting up heroin. Neal Adams explained, "'We've got to do something on drug addiction,' but of course it's against the Comic Code, so I went home and I did that first cover [Green Lantern #85 (1971)]. You know, with Speedy [shooting up heroin]. I penciled it and I inked it and I put the lettering in and I brought it in and I gave it to Julie Schwartz and his hand grabbed it very briefly and then he dropped it on the desk as if it were on fire. He said, "We can't do this." I said, "Well, we ought to." He said, "You know we can't do this. It's against everything." I said, "Well, this is where we're going. This is what we ought to be doing." So he said, "You're out of your mind. Once again, you're being a pain in the ass." So I took it into Carmine [Infantino]. Carmine didn't know what to make of it. I took it into the Kinney people, who were now running DC Comics and were sort of used to this and of course they dropped it like a hot potato. I said, "You know guys this is where we ought to be going with this." "Oh, no, Neal, please, just go and work. Leave us alone. You can't do this." And of course Julie had a twinkle in his eye, but still he knew it was ********, it wasn't going to happen. He said, "Why did you finish the cover?" I said, "Well, because it's going to get printed." "No, this will never get printed." Anyway, I make a visit over to Marvel Comics a week or so later and somebody comes over to me, probably Roy [Thomas] or somebody, I don't know and says, "You know what Stan's [Lee] doing?" I said, "What?" He says, "He had this guy, this drug addict popping pills and he like walks off a roof [in Amazing Spider-Man #96 (1971)]." I said, "Stan had a guy popping pills and he walks off a roof? That's kind of a unique situation." (Laughter.) "I don't exactly know where you're going to find that, you know I don't know who's going to be walking off a roof." "Well, you know Stan read some kind of article about a guy who went off a roof." "Oh, okay. Sure. All right. Whatever." And he said, "So we did it and we sent it over to the Comics Code and the Comics Code rejected it, they said he has to change it." So I said, "Well, what's Stan gonna do?" "He's not gonna change it." "You're kidding." He says, "No. Not gonna change it. We're just gonna send it out, it's ready. It's going to be on the stands next week. Week after next." "Really? No ****. What about the Comics Code seal?" "Not gonna put the Comics Code seal on it." "Really?" So sure enough, he sends it out and I go over to Marvel Comics since I heard it was out and I go over and I say, "What happened?" He said, "Nobody said anything." "Nobody said anything?" "Nobody even noticed that the seal wasn't on there." "No ****. Nobody even noticed?" So I go back to DC, you know, and now that word had gotten out, oh ****. Now try to imagine DC, they've got this cover, right? Could have scooped Stan with something real and solid. They screwed up. So within a day or two they call a meeting of the Comics Code Authority. Remember the Comics Code Authority is bought for and paid for by the comic book companies. It doesn't exist independently. It's a self-regulating organization. So DC calls Marvel, they call Archie, they go and have this emergency meeting. "We're going to revise the Comics Code!" Okay, within a week they revised the Code and within a week and a half they tell me and Denny to go ahead with the story." http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/i.../adams_2.shtml


And Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams had Green Arrow smacking Speedy around.


An All-Star Batman & Robin cover by Neal Adams depicts Hal Jordan all bloodied up as he's getting attacked by Robin and Batman completely ignoring this and reading some paper. In the tradition of the Bronze Age, the cover is more outrageous and attention grabbing than the event in the story.

That Neal Adams cover is actually more brutal than the scene in Frank Miller's story. In Frank Miller's story Batman actually pays attention and puts a stop to it when Robin goes too far.
Neal Adams has also been creating a series, without Frank Miller, called Blood which Neal Adams described as "A lot of it is shooting, killing and punching." http://www.comicsbulletin.com/featur...2125162770.htm
Neal Adams: "I'm doing a thing called Blood, which is a series of graphic novels, there's lots of killing and blood flying out of people's heads and **** like that."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m1bq...eature=related

So don't expect Neal Adams to want a wholesome Neo-Silver Age Batman, especially when he wants Frank Miller to write Batman's dialogue, Neal Adams is clearly having Batman using guns.


And Neal Adams said about the Silver Age Batman "when the imitat—or Bob Kane "ghosts" and Carmine Infantino did it, I really didn't feel that that was Batman, but that was the campy time, when they were doing the TV show. That really wasn't anything that intrigued me. It seemed, in fact, anti-Batman.
You know, when you have a guy walking in his underwear on the street in the middle of the day, and kids go, [whiny kid voice] "Mommy! It's a man in a grey costume-."
http://www.grouchoreviews.com/interviews/70

Originally Posted by Motown Marvel

miller has become a rather craptastic writer.

Frank Miller's getting hated by some fanboys today because he wont change with the comics trends from Dark Age to Neo-Silver Age. Frank Miller is still writing his Dark grim 'n' gritty hardcore Batman while some fanboys today want a lighthearted wholesome Neo-Silver Age Batman, which Grant Morrison is giving them with Dick Grayson as Batman and James Tucker is giving them with the Neo-Silver Age Batman: The Brave & The Bold cartoons.

Originally Posted by Cain

Miller has become a parody of himself but what makes it funnier is that he never was THAT great of a writer in the first place, but ironically this is exactly why I enjoy his recent work. It's like a giant F U to all the fans that overrated his work throughout the years and all the writers that completely misinterpreted his use of a more extreme Batman after TDKR. He's like "you want dark and vulgar I'LL GIVE YA dark and vulgar".

I disagree with you're opinion that Frank Miller never was that great of a writer in the first place, and All-Star Batman & Robin is not a parody of his Dark grim 'n' gritty Batman, it IS Miller's Dark grim 'n' gritty Batman taking place in year three.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthrea...threadid=27218
He intends it as a serious story, while also providing some comic relief so it's not overwhelmingly dark and negative. The humor comes from the characters interactions with each other. Robin calling the cars name queer, etc., is obviously meant to be funny. Frank Miller said, "There’s always banter back and forth, where Robin thinks that a lot of the stuff Batman does is old fashioned and weird, and kind of odd – and this is Batman, who is all of 24 or 25. But when you’re 12, a 24 or 25 year old is Methuselah."
http://classic.newsarama.com/dcnew/B...tmanRobin.html
And Batman's wisecracks are obviously meant to be funny, and it's not out of character, Batman wisecracking goes back to the original Finger and Kane material. Dirty Harry wisecracks, and that doesn't make the Dirty Harry films parody's, either. Some people complain that some of the dialogue in All-Star Batman is laughable, not realizing that some of the dialogue is meant to be laughable. Frank Miller is known for his Dark grim 'n' gritty stories, which leads some people to think that everything Miller writes is meant to be completely serious, which is clearly not the case. Why does Frank Miller mix humor into it? By adding dashes of humor you take them from a moment of humor and plunge them into momentary darkness, which can heighten the effects of the unexpected horror. Noir, horror and humor can definitely co-exist. Horror alone runs the risk of becoming depressing and predicable. Horror-humor mixed is one solution to this. There is a lot of humor in Dark Knight Returns and Year One, too, which some people seem to overlook. In Year One: Batman body slamming prostitutes. Gordon's wife saying "Maybe you should call the zoo" when told about a giant bat, Flass in a neck-brace and a band-aid calling Batman "it" and calling the Batarangs "little dart things" as the other cops laugh, Batman hogtied the Roman nude and put his Rolls Royce in the river, Gordon thinking Harvey Dent is Batman, Selina's Siamese cat with Batman and Batman punching the cop through the wall for trying to shot it. Everybody in the crowd, every member of the swat team, every cop, getting vaccinated in the ass for their bat bites "Never has so many had so much trouble sitting down." Selina robbing Commissioner Loeb thinking he'd have jewels or paintings, and all he has are Disney toys and Charles Schulz Peanuts toys and baby dolls. Alfred: "Master Bruce--I've just come across a fascinating piece in the times. Concerns the effects of lack of sleep among the marginally sane...'Marked increase in paranoia'...hmmm...'Tendency toward aberrant, even violent behavior'...Of again, sir? Shall I fetch your tights?" And Catwoman annoyed at the news thinking she's Batman's assistant.
Dark Knight Returns, which is the one that is considered to be the darkest, has even more humor: Alfred says "If it's suicide you're after, Master Bruce, I have the recipe for an old family potion. It's slow working and quiet painful, you'd like it. Wayne infirmary. It's Gordon , sir. Shall I tell him you're incapacitated? He'll just have to wear it wet. You know, sir, that there is a precedent for wheel-chair detectives.." "Shut up, Alfred." Robin putting a firecracker in the gamblers pants.

Batman's "Rubber bullets. Honest." Robin's stoned hippie parents. Batman calling Dick, "My little monkey wrench" and remembering Two-Face calling him "Robin the Boy Hostage", the news reporting that porn star Hot Gates is making a version of Snow White. "I'm doing for the kids," says Gates. Reagan offering Superman a mint and a medal and comparing Batman to a crazy bronco at the ranch. The Mutant leader with band-aids on his noise. Batman revealing his secret identity to Carrie and Alfred freaking out "Sir! You're delirious, Sir. You just rest now--Don't try to speak." Batman disguised as a crazy obese homeless woman. Robin hitting Bruno in the head with a metal ball from her slingshot. Robin saying, "Figure we've been doing the spider here for less than three years." The doll saying, "Eyuuh yourself, *****." Reagan in a star-spangled suit. Alfred: "The Committee for the Prevention of Obsessive Behavior in Middle-Aged Men" Batman: "Write them a check." Batman telling Robin to sit up straight and then she slouches. Robin: "This thing pack a cloak?" Batman: "Yes, how'd you know about.." Robin: "Old news boss." Bobbie saying to Joker's henchmen, "Go screw, fat boy. God damn milk baby." David (Endochrine) Letterman and Paul Shaffer are of course comedic and Joker's Doctor saying the nature of Batman's psychosis is sexual repression. The Joker kissing and killing Dr. Ruth. Robin messing with the controls after Batman told her not to. Joker dressing up Selina as Wonder Woman in bondage. Joker telling Batman "Your out of your mind." The little kid telling Joker "Batman's gonna kick your ass." Batman telling the kid, "Watch your language, son." Batman spiting on the Joker's face as a goodbye. Batman punching Commissioner Yindel out. Alfred: "Bloody walking hospital bed...", Superman saying to Robin, "Isn't tonight a school night?" Green Arrow saying, "Hiyo Goddamn silver" and "Goddamn fascist sons of *****es" and Robin calling Green Arrow "Spud."

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

And obviously, knowing Miller, it will be filled with whores

That '06 whores, whores, whores Shortpacked satire by David Willis:
http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20060207.html
was a parody of Miller's writing on Sin City since many of the characters are prostitutes in Sin City and Goldie, Lucille, Marley Shelton and Becky are killed in Sin City. Sin City is a tribute to classic pulp noir: ladies of the evening femme fatales are a noir archetype and characters getting killed are a noir archetype. Not a summery of Miller's writing as a whole. Ignorant moronic comic book geeks took the Shortpacked satire seriously and think Frank Miller is a woman hating sexist pig, which he obviously isn't. Miller's creations Casey McKenna in Ronin, Carrie Kelley (Robin/Catgirl) in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Martha Washington in the Give Me Liberty books, Chastity McBride in Elektra Assassin, Commissioner Ellen Yindel in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns are not prostitutes or killed, and are strong female characters. Carrie Kelly outwitted the mutants and saved Batman's life twice in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and lead the Batboys, rescued the Atom and the Flash in Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. That's a strong female role model. Frank Miller depicts Wonder Woman in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again as an aggressive feminist. It's clear Frank Miller regards Black Canary in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder as a strong female character. She has anger at being objectified by sexist thugs, so she kicks their asses. Frank Miller's young upbeat walking, running and jumping Batgirl in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder is much more fun than the grim permanently paralyzed Barbara Gordon. Why did Frank Miller tell Jim Lee to draw Vicki Vale in her underwear and add a close up of Vicki Vale's ass in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #1?: "Because I'm a guy! And Jim Lee is a guy who draws really good-looking women. That's the real answer, as opposed to the more professional answer, which is that I find it amazing that people will accept anything with a woman in a thong jumping across rooftops, but the minute you actually have a real woman in panties and a bra – and all she's doing is her job, she's not with anybody – people get in a lather over that, and I'm going, like, 'Where have you been? Is there something wrong with looking at a gorgeous woman who's scantily dressed?'"
http://www.moebiusgraphics.com/phpBB....php?f=2&t=397
The definition of a whore is a woman who obtains payment in exchange for sex. To be sexually active does not mean that the woman is being paid. Vicki Vale, Black Canary, Batgirl, Wonder Woman in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder are not whores.

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

Neal Adams doing Batman is gold but isn't Frank still doing that whole garbage of Batman vs. Osama Bin Laden?

I have no problem with Batman fighting Al-Qaeda terrorists.

Originally Posted by rogue trooper

http://www.nealadams.com/batvid.html

CGI test!! Very cool!!

Awesome.

[rogue trooper]

After watching the video a couple of times, I realized that the voice of Bruce Wayne is provided by noneother than Neal Adams himself!!

[Drz]

Originally Posted by theMan-bat

Neal Adams said Batman: Odyssey will be like All-Star Batman in tone and Neal Adams said he thinks Frank may whip some crudeness into it.

Yeah there will be simialaritys but it won't be exactly like Miller's where Batman might be forcing Robin to eat rats because Miller's Batman tested himself by living in a sewer and eating rats.

[theMan-Bat]

Originally Posted by Drz

Yeah there will be simialaritys but it won't be exactly like Miller's where Batman might be forcing Robin to eat rats because Miller's Batman tested himself by living in a sewer and eating rats.

Yeah, of course we wont see that. If you recall, Alfred wouldn't allow that in All-Star and gave Robin a bacon
cheeseburger, french fries and a glass of milk.

And Batman came to realize he was wrong to have treated Robin so harshly. And "prays for a second chance."

[Drz]

Yeah i'm not trying to bash All-Star Batman whatsoever here. I love it and i love the character progression. I was just using said example really. I mean judging from the art we might see Batman using guns but then he may realize they send the wrong image, which does highly remind me of Brian Azzarello's First Wave Batman comic now lol.

[Mr. Earle]

Guys i didnt mean that Adams should try and draw like Lee, its just that he hasnt improved, refined or modernized it. Yes its got a timeless feel to it, but i think he should have upgraded it over the years. Lee didnt always draw like that. If i am not mistaken, his first works looked like Liefield's but over the years he's become a god.
Obviously i enjoy different artists and i appreciate Adams, so i'll enjoy his work.

Btw, Quitely and Nguyen are my favourite artists, who are yours?

[rogue trooper]

Well, I for one I'm glad Neal Adams hasn't "modernized" his art. I like it the way it always has been, but that's me.

Favorite artists? Neal Adams, ofcourse, Bernie Wrightson, Tim Sale, Mike Zeck, Ed Benes, Gene Colan, Jim Lee, Mark Texiera, Mike Ploog, Ed McGuinness, and David Finch.

[theMan-Bat]

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

Guys i didnt mean that Adams should try and draw like Lee, its just that he hasnt improved, refined or modernized it. Yes its got a timeless feel to it, but i think he should have upgraded it over the years.

It looks like Neal Adams has upgraded it. Neal Adams' art for Batman: Odyssey looks much more detailed than his earlier art.




Neal Adams said, "I have never been able to bring my "A" game to Batman, to my satisfaction. Oh, a little here and there, but all out? Never, never. On this project? Yep."

Lee didnt always draw like that. If i am not mistaken, his first works looked like Liefield's but over the years he's become a god.

Jim Lee has obviously improved in anatomy and his art is much more detailed on All-Star Batman than his first works had been.

Obviously i enjoy different artists and i appreciate Adams, so i'll enjoy his work.

Good.

Btw, Quitely and Nguyen are my favourite artists, who are yours?

A wide variety. Neal Adams, Kelley Jones, Dave McKean, Jim Lee, Adam Hughes, Darwyn Cooke, Kyle Baker, Gene Colan, Kevin Nowlan, Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Miller, the late great Wally Wood.

[Mr. Earle]

Originally Posted by rogue trooper

Well, I for one I'm glad Neal Adams hasn't "modernized" his art. I like it the way it always has been, but that's me.

Favorite artists? Neal Adams, ofcourse, Bernie Wrightson, Tim Sale, Mike Zeck, Ed Benes, Gene Colan, Jim Lee, Mark Texiera, Mike Ploog, Ed McGuinness, and David Finch.

Ed Benes???? WHAAAAAT? You mean you like how his women all have the same face, and they re drawn in an "S" position that shows both their buttocks and their breasts for cheesecake purposes?

Originally Posted by theMan-Bat

A wide variety. Neal Adams, Kelley Jones, Dave McKean, Jim Lee, Adam Hughes, Darwyn Cooke, Kyle Baker, Gene Colan, Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Miller, the late great Wally Wood.

Forgot about Hughes, the man is a god!

[Drz]

Ed Benes is a great artist in my opinion. I loved the issue of Green Lantern he did, and hey he draws very sexy women. Whats there to not like?

My favorite artists are Frank Quitely, Dustin Nguyen, Tony Daniel , Andy Kubert and Jim Lee. Mazzuchelli, Brian Bolland, Lee Bermejo get a honorable mention for my favorite Batman artists but i don't think they've done enough art to earn a spot on my top favorite list.

[Mr. Earle]

Tony Daniel did the art in Morrison's Batman run, right? I looooooved his art but couldnt remember his name to post it here.

[Drz]

Yeah and he's writing and drawing the current Batman title. "Life after Death" is a great detective story with action, characters from wide appeal, characterization is top notch and it has a mystery element with the identity of Black Mask aswell. He also did Battle for the Cowl which sadly wasn't his full potential since it was a huge editorial gig really, but hey his comics still did sell +100k copies.

[Mr. Earle]

The current Batman run is pretty good but it pales in comparison to Morrison's Batman and Robin. Maybe its the more colourful art, the fact that Damian is in it, the awesome use of Jason... i dunno...

[Drz]

Yeah Morrison's story is just larger by scale really, but i'm enjoyning this 6-issue arc with a detective mystery. I mean Morrison has way more mysterious out there with Domino Killer, Dr. Hurt's identity (who has the Devil corrupted as his host body), Is Oberon Sexton the Joker or Mangrove Pierce? Lots of mysteries out there for the World's greatest detective.

[Mr. Earle]

Its like you say, Morrison deals with events that are bigger in scope and you know that he has plans that expand far into the future of the franchise so it hooks you up.
And its also that the stories and art are more vagrant and fresh.

[Motown Marvel]

Originally Posted by theMan-Bat

Frank Miller's getting hated by some fanboys today because he wont change with the comics trends from Dark Age to Neo-Silver Age. Frank Miller is still writing his Dark grim 'n' gritty hardcore Batman while some fanboys today want a lighthearted wholesome Neo-Silver Age Batman, which Grant Morrison is giving them with Dick Grayson as Batman and James Tucker is giving them with the Neo-Silver Age Batman: The Brave & The Bold cartoons.

no, im totally cool with grim and gritty batman. miller just sucks at writing it now.

[rogue trooper]

Originally Posted by Mr. Earle

Ed Benes???? WHAAAAAT? You mean you like how his women all have the same face, and they re drawn in an "S" position that shows both their buttocks and their breasts for cheesecake purposes?

Yes, yes, other artists like John Byrne, the late Jim Aparo, and Ron Lim get that same type of critique, but their stuff is still fun and energetic, and that's what counts.

[theMan-Bat]

Originally Posted by Motown Marvel

no, im totally cool with grim and gritty batman. miller just sucks at writing it now.

I totally disagree with that opinion. What sucks is the loooong delays between issues of All-Star Batman & Robin.
All-Star Batman & Robin #1 was released on July 13, 2005.
All-Star Batman & Robin #2 was released on September 14, 2005.
All-Star Batman & Robin #3 was released on December 28, 2005.
All-Star Batman & Robin #4 was released on May 17, 2006.
All-Star Batman & Robin #5 was released on May 16, 2007.
All-Star Batman & Robin #6 was released on July 25, 2007.
All-Star Batman & Robin #7 was released on September 24, 2007.
All-Star Batman & Robin #8 was released on November 28, 2007.
All-Star Batman & Robin #9 was released on February 27, 2008.
All-Star Batman & Robin #10 was released on September 24, 2008.
Jim Lee was interviewed at the '09 San Diego Comic-Con about his work on the MMORPG DC Universe Online game. Jim Lee said about All-Star Batman & Robin's lateness: "It is completely my fault. Frank Miller has written the issues and it's just me finding the time to sit down and draw the pages and I feel horrible that it's fallen so far behind. But at the same time enough time has passed where people are thinking 'is it continuing?' So when we come back, and we have some issues in the drawer, that we're really releasing the second half of the story. Luckily it kind of ended on a emotional sort of, not high point, but in the first half of the story it gave you a sense of completion at the end because Batman has accepted Robin as his sidekick essentially and the second half of the story will obviously deal with the mystery of why Robin's parents were killed and how the Joker fit into all of this. I am working on drawing it. There's some killer Gotham City spreads. You know we did that whole Batcave pull out where you could see the whole Batcave and all the cool stuff in it. I'm doing a five page Gotham City pull out where your gonna see the whole city from the Batcopters point of view. It's dynamite. There's some killer stuff in it."
http://thebatmanuniverse.net/sdcc/sd...code=playvideo
Dan DiDio said to Newsarama, "I believe Jim is working on All Star Batman and Robin right now, and they’re technically scheduling another six issues of that series. But we’re holding off announcing and soliciting it until we have enough in the can, so that we can hit a schedule that meets everyone’s expectations. I think that will run us up to #16."
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/070916-Dan20.html
And here Dan DiDio officially conforms, "Jim Lee’s working on All Star Batman and Robin with Frank Miller. I can say officially now that he and Frank are committed to six more issues of All Star Batman and Robin, and that will bring the story to a close. And they’re working on them now."
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/040901-DiDio-20A.html

Neal Adams has had a long head start on Batman: Odyssey, and unlike Jim Lee he hasn't been balancing it with making a MMORPG for DC, so all issues of the initial Batman: Odyssey series are already drawn and in the process of being inked and can be released on a monthly schedule. Neal Adams says it is in the process of being scheduled for a June 2010 release. Each issue is inked by a different inker, including Scott Williams and Kevin Nowlan. And there will be a part-2 of Batman: Odyssey called Underworld.

Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again and All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder have been huge successes.
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1 was the top selling comic book of December 2001 with 187,400 copies sold, with a cover price of $7.95.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...1/2001-12.html
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #2 was the second top selling comic book in January 2002 with 166,720 copies sold, with a cover price of $7.95.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...2/2002-01.html
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #3 was the top selling comic book of February 2002 with 184,327 copies sold, with a cover price of $7.95.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...2/2002-02.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #1 was the top selling comic book of July 2005 with 261,079 copies sold, with a cover price of $2.99.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...5/2005-07.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #2 was the top selling comic book of September 2005 with 178,573 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...5/2005-09.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #3 was the second top selling comic book December 2005 with 162,994 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...5/2005-12.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #4 was the second top selling DC comic book of May 2006 with 160,340 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...6/2006-05.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #5 was the second top selling DC comic book of May 2007 with 114,265 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...7/2007-05.html
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #6 was the second top selling DC comic book of July 2007 with 105,954 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...7/2007-07.html
All-Star Batman & Robin Boy Wonder #7 was the second top selling DC comic book of September 2007 with 100,551 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...7/2007-09.html
All-Star Batman & Robin Boy Wonder #8 was the top selling DC comic book of November 2007 with 97,003 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...7/2007-11.html
All-Star Batman & Robin Boy Wonder #9 was the top selling DC comic book of February 2008 with 93,707 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...8/2008-02.html
All-Star Batman & Robin #10 was the top selling DC comic book of September 2008 with 94,030 copies sold.
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...8/2008-09.html