Batman and the Monster Men

[Carmine Falcone]

God, this looks nice.

Too bad it's very hard to get Batman comics here...

 

[The Sage]

Read issue 3. Not as good as issue 2, but still good. I'm digging the art.

Spoiler

Batman enters a crime scene at Sal Maroni's poker game to find all of the men dead. Strange pays Maroni back his money, leaving the mob boss wondering how he'd paid it. Falcone tells Maroni to out of town for a while, but not before Batman comes at him and inadvertently causes Maroni to realize that Strange paid him with the money from the poker game. Prior to that, Batman catches Strange getting in his car, noticing him as unusual associate. Bruce really begins to fall into the Batman persona, as he's so preoccupied in his thoughts that he doesn't hear Julie. Maroni's men orders Julie's father to start his payments to Maroni, looking ominously at a frame of Julie on his desk. Batman confronts Strange and gets into a brawl with Sanjay that leads into Batman taking a dart in the neck and getting trapped...with the Monster Men.

Wagner's art is excellent. You can really see he perfected his style from his Batman: Faces story from the 90s. I'd love to see him do another mini-series when this is all said and done. Heck, let him run on All-Star Batman, writer & artist.

 

[CrimsonMist]

sounds awsome. How's the cover on this one? That's what sold me into buying this series. The cover for issue 1 was outstanding, as well as issue 2. The covers are great, as well as the stories. Ill be sure to pick this one up as well.

 

[The Sage]

I love the cover for it. Film noir and TAS-ish.

 

[nite-owl]

Does anyone know if it's in continuity or not.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Does anyone know if it's in continuity or not.

i think it is.

It comes somtime while Year One is still in play, becuase the Red Hood incident just happened. Whether or not The Roman has the scars on his face or not will help alot to place it too. But's it's right after the Red Hood incident and before the end of Year One.

now, supposedly, Wagner is doing a mini-series retelling of The Monk, which i really want to see, becuase that 2-part series of the original story is one of my favorite Batman stories ever.

 

[theescapeclause]

I usually don't post on the Batman boards, but I just picked he first two issues up of this series and was blown away. I know this has been said a few times already in this thread, but it's very Year One esque. My question is, is this a mini? And if so, does anyone know how many issues it is? Thanks.

 

[CrimsonMist]

I usually don't post on the Batman boards, but I just picked he first two issues up of this series and was blown away. I know this has been said a few times already in this thread, but it's very Year One esque. My question is, is this a mini? And if so, does anyone know how many issues it is? Thanks.

yea, it's a mini. 6 issues. But it's 1 of 2 Mini-series Wagnger has planned. The other one is supposedly a retelling of Batman's first encounter with the vampire known as The Monk.

Both are under the title, Bad Moon Rising. atleast that's what the DC site says

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Yeah, it's the first of a 2 mini-series. Each is 6-issues, I think. They should both sort of lead into one another, so essentially it could be seen as a 12-issue mini-series all together.

I've heard that it is in continuity, Wagner has said that it's more like a BATMAN YEAR 1.5, which is pretty interesting to me. Interesting thing too, he said that he was surprised at how much "BATMAN BEGINS-ish" it feels- which really attracted me toward the comic.

 

[Mee]

Nice to have this mini around for some good Batman. Wagner really knows what he's doing, and the art to me seems like a mix of Bruce Timm and the artist from Year One. (don't have my copy with me to see how to spell his name and don't want to butcher it) The writing in All Star Batman is terrible and the regular Batman comic hasn't been good since Hush ended.

 

[CConn]

God, I can't wait until the next issue. I wouldn't quite say Issue #2 was better than #1, but it was certainly what it should've been, and on-par with the excellence of Issue #1.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I'm actually having fun with ALL STAR. I think it's different. Much like ALL STAR Superman is too, a totally different take on the character.

One thing I would like explained.....how's Bruce grow a six o'clock shadow in like 5 minutes? lol

 

[CConn]

I would enjoy All-Star a lot more if it was just an Elseworlds mini. Miller's story just isn't what the All-Star title should be, IMO.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well.....it is an elseworld.

 

[CConn]

Obviously. But All Star would've been so awesome if it was what people thought it was going to be; the classic interpretation of Batman that everyone imagines Batman to be. No continuity to mess with his mind like Infinite Crisis, no crazy off-the-way Elseworld characterizations, just good old fashioned Batman.

That obviously isn't what ASB&R is. Which, IMO, is a shame.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Classic interpretation that everyone imagines Batman to be?

C'mon......that's like atleast 5 different Batman's there.

 

[The Sage]

Classic interpretation that everyone imagines Batman to be?

C'mon......that's like atleast 5 different Batman's there.

And for some reason I doubt All-Star Batman's one of them.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

But since when has Miller's takes ever been UN-controversial?

I think ALL STAR is very different......but interesting I think.

But, your right Sage....probably not. Not 100% sure....I'd go with the MJ/Rocket safe call....99.9% sure.

 

[The Sage]

Lol.

 

[Pksoze]

Anyway back to the Monster Men...

One of the coolest series in a long time .... its interesting Wagner is actually telling a transition story of Batman going from mobsters to the costumed criminal element.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well, I like Wagner. I enjoyed his run on BATMAN.....and it's nice to see him doing great with MONSTER MEN.

I just loved the first scene with Batman, dragging that dude into the darkness with his nails breaking off on the ground trying to run.

Damn good.

 

[The Batman]

Damn ive gotta catch up.

Pretty much the only good batbook out there right now. Matt should be writing All Star Batman

 

[The Batman]

Classic interpretation that everyone imagines Batman to be?

C'mon......that's like atleast 5 different Batman's there.

I really wish people would stop trying to justify millers batman

his Batman will never be iconic, just like the silly 50's version will never be iconic.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Yeah......that's me all right, the huge Miller fan......hey, it's Miller time!!

Dude, I think it's a different take that is interesting, and I still think it's TOO EARLY to bury the series.

 

[The Batman]

yes...after three issues of suck, we should all expect the stories to become ten times better. As Dr.Evil would say "Riiiiiiiiight"