Batman Confidential thread

[Binker]

This thread is for the new comic title that was released today (12-06-06). All discussion, including reviews, of the comic, issues, news and its arcs will be done here. To start, here is my review to issue 1:

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #1

PLOT:
In this 6-issue tale, see exactly when Batman's war on evil in Gotham City ramped up — and how he rose to meet the threat of Lex Luthor's plans to move in on both Bruce Wayne's and Batman's turf!

REVIEW:
While you could consider Superman Confidential a tie-in of sorts to Superman Returns, that can not be said about Batman Confidential. For one thing; if it was a tie-in of sorts to a Batman movie, specifically Batman Begins, its a little too late. All Star Batman & Robin, or the Dark Moon Rising stories would be considered Batman Begins tie-ins. Batman Confidential is here for something else: to go back to what Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight was when it started and this time to stay there. Just like Superman Confidential, and what LotDK was when it started back in '89, this title focuses on the early years of Batman's career. The only big difference between LotDK and Batman Confidential is that LotDK also did what-if Batman stories that would be considered elseworld tales. Batman Confidential will not do that.

The story is about how Batman and Bruce Wayne met Lex Luthor. In this issue, we are looking at Bruce Wayne/Batman a year after he put on the mask. So this would be after Monster Men/Mad Monk and before The Long Halloween. I don't know about Man who Laughs though. Anyway; at this point in Batman's life, he seems to be going more the insane road. He carries the gun that killed his parents in the cave and he says to Alfred that when he was chasing the hitman he felt like killing him. Now this is most likely because the hitman killed the mother and was about to do the same to her daughter, and anyone would feel the same. But when you add the Monster Men and Mad Monk stories, that he was believing his war on crime was gonna end and he was going to have a normal life, realizing he was not gonna having that must've set him off closer to the more insane path. As he says; "how can I expect a make a difference when all I do is moop up the bloodstains". As for the villian; Luthor only comes in at the final pages and what he only does is porpose robotic soldiers for war to a senator while Wayne himself porposes a more safer human-controlled robot. The same robot that has vaporized the hitman and has gone amok.

Now like Superman Confidential, when it comes to the early years, theres the talk of continuity. So far, it seems there haven't been any drastic changes to Batman's history. Well, there is a little think I'm questioning: Alfred. When we see Alfred in this issue, I noticed that he wasn't bald. His hair is shorter and it looks like that he is ABOUT to become bald, as sometimes the panels might show "openings" in his hair, but he still has hair. So theres the continuity as of issue one.

Overall, this was a nice issue. Unlike Superman, Batman doesn't seem to have any big drastic changes to his history. Although I should say he doesn't now, doesn't mean there won't be any later, if any. However, the art here bothered me a little. At the end, for some reason, Luthor and Bruce looked like they both had black eye make-up (like Batman in the movies) with their pupils only showing. That was weird. But besides that, this issue did set up the arc while it wasn't entirely reinforced until the last pages. So this was good.

RATING: 8/10

 

[Fledermaus]

Maybe the capture of Joe Chill will be covered in a Batman Confidential arc. Would be a good place for it.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I'm kinda split on getting this book:

My favorite period of Batman stories are the early days: Year One, the Man Who Laughed, Dark Moon Rising, the Long Halloween, and Dark Victory. But I decided to myself to only get ONE Batman book (i.e. the main one: Batman). And I've been expanding my pallete to include more awesome Marvel books lately and my pull list is rather big enough already. Yet this looks pretty cool. So...conflicted!


To answer Binker's thought on Batman Confidential not doing much on changing Batman's early days compared to Superman is that:
1. Batman's early days are much more set in stone than Superman's

2. Superman's origns have been much more drastically changed by the creation of New Earth. Batman's orign has simply been changed to Batman's parents murderer has been found and captured (I think Confidential can do a good job telling that story, though set it after Dark Victory, PLEASE!) along with having him be a founding member of the Justice League. Superman's origns have been changed more drastically, firmly cementing Birthright as his orign over the Man of Steel and having him do a few adventures pre-Superman and like Batman, Superman is also a founding member of the Justice League.

If anyone needs a Confidential book though, it's Wonder Woman, Superboy-Prime really drastically changed her orign. It fixed the major thing that went wrong with Wonder Woman post-COIE, having her appear YEARS after the other major heroes appeared. Now her origns place her along when Batman, Superman, Barry Allen, and others first appeared.

 

[Cobblepot]

I bought it and read it.
I was dissapointed the art was one of the worst I've ever seen, Bruce constantly has white beeds for eyes and a bone structure like Clayface.
The writing was okay, nothing special though. Felt like they we're going for a Batman Begins type of relation with Lucius Fox.

I'd rate it:
3/10

Picked up Superman Confidential aswell, now that's a great read and pleasant to look at.
8,5/10

 

[CConn]

I liked it. The art really seemed to vary from pretty cool (see my avatar) to downright awful. The writing was pretty solid, though. While I'm not a big fan of Frank Miller's Batman, this seemed to be (more or less) Frank Miller's Batman done right, and plot-wise I think it was slightly better than Superman Confidential.

7/10, I'd say.

 

[Motown Marvel]

i thought the issue was meh....5/10

 

[SpideyInATree]

The story isn't that bad but the artwork was really bad. How come Sale can't be doing the art for the Batman one? Screw Superman he sucks.

 

[Bullseye]

I would much rather see Sale work on Batman Confidential as well. It would have been great if both Cooke and Sale could have been the creative team for both Confidential titles.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Yeah, that would have rocked. I'm probably going to drop Batman Confidential...that artwork is too painful to get through.

 

[Benstamania]

I liked it. The art really seemed to vary from pretty cool (see my avatar) to downright awful. The writing was pretty solid, though. While I'm not a big fan of Frank Miller's Batman, this seemed to be (more or less) Frank Miller's Batman done right, and plot-wise I think it was slightly better than Superman Confidential.

7/10, I'd say.

Agreed 100%

IMHO all SC has going for it is Sale, and I'm not even a HUGE fan of how Sale draws Supes. I find his work to be better suited for Batman.

I would love if Cooke came aboard though, that would be awesome.

 

[CConn]

Wait. You don't care at all about Cooke's writing on SC, but want his art?

 

[Cobblepot]

Hwo long is this team on this series, only for teh first arc?

 

[Benstamania]

Wait. You don't care at all about Cooke's writing on SC, but want his art?

No idea why I typed Cooke....I was thinking Wagner. I want Wagner to write/pen BC.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I saw one page of this....and, well......I turned away from it.

 

[CConn]

No idea why I typed Cooke....I was thinking Wagner. I want Wagner to write/pen BC.

So you don't like Cooke period?

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Cooke probably would have been 20000000000000000000000000000000x times better than this though.

I looked at one page, with a truck flying into the air and Alfred screeching the limo like he was The Transporter.......the storytelling just looked horrible. I know a kid who's dead who probably would have done a better job on that one page.

And he's dead. That's a major disadvantage to begin with.

 

[Binker]

Sorry for being so late.

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #2

Writer-Andy Diggle
Penciller-Whilce Portacio
Inker-Richard Friend
Colorist-David Baron
Letterer-Travis Lanham
Cover Art-Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend
Editor-Mike Carlin

PLOT:
Its Batman versus Waynetech and Bruce Wayne's new technology of a robot goes haywire. And hows does this connect to Luthor?

REVIEW:
Just like Superman Confidential, Batman Confidential tells stories set in the early times of our favorite Dark Knight. The first part of "Rules of Engagement" was pretty good in my opinion. The first conflict between both billionaires, one a hero the other a villian, is interesting because you get feelings of what will happen later on as we know them by DCU history.

Unlike Superman in his Confidential book, Batman here knows what he needs to know about in situations. He's not on a learning curve like Superman kinda is with the weakness plotline. Batman has learned & studied so he can be prepared at times.

The big robot that was trashing thing at the end of the first issue continues here and thus starts up the mystery that connects to Luthor. Like I said, Batman knows what he needs to know. This robot is the property of his company so he has to. The only problem is that what he has, or doesn't have, can't hurt it. I always liked reading Batman's thoughts when he's in the situations like fightign this robot. But anyway, we find out the robot went on a rampage because the pilot itself was dead in its sensory deprivation cockpit. And it was later revealed that the pilot's mind was insdie the robot's memory complex. A ghost in the machine, as it were. Thus making this robot sabotage mystery into a murder mystery for Batman to figure out.

Thankfully not alot on 1-2 pages like last time, the weird eyes Luthor & Bruce had back in issue 1 only reoccur on Luthor in only panel. I just knew it was gonna come back. Thankfully, it was just one panel.

Overall, this was another good issue. The mystery that I thought was to be what this arc was gonna focus on has discontinued and now its been replaced by a murder mystery. While this issue did seem short compared to issue 1, it was still fun. I mean Batman was countering a robot!

RATING: 7.5/10

What's in store for next issue: Lex Luthor wants Gotham as much as he wants Metropolis and Batman is gonna meet with him face to face with his new Bat-Plane.

 

[Cobblepot]

Binker a 7.5 is a way too high a number for this.
It's a year One story right? -Why is there so much tech in his cave? And the whole stroy doesn't feel like a Year One type thing.
Lex Luthor, is crapping his pants and manages to slip. So out of character.
An exploding Batarang? Why not just a grenade?
The art is dreadfull, I'm sorry but I would even prefer Liefeld more...

 

[Benstamania]

I think some will hate it, some will love it.

I myself really, really enjoy it and the artwork doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Cobblepot]

I think the real question is do we really need another batbook?

1.Detective Comics
2.Batman
3.LOTDK
4.All Star
5.Superman And Batman
6.The Batman Strikes
7:Batman Confidential

 

[Bat-Hombre]

The Brave & The Bold is returning, too. Don't know if it's again Batman every issue.

 

[Cobblepot]

I hope, cause that sounds like a great book.

 

[Binker]

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #3

Writer Andy Diggle
Art and Cover Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend
Editor Mark Carlin

PLOT:
The Bat-Plane is launched as Lex Luthor steps up his bid to own Gotham City like he does Metropolis. Luckily, Batman is bringing his own technological wonders to the battle against LexCorp!

REVIEW:
After the second issue, I felt that its been a while since that issue for the third one to come out. Even though its only been a couple weeks from when they usually released the first two. Luckily people like me still remember the book exists, so it wasn't forgotten.

After reading the third issue, I have this to say: if you haven't gotten this series yet, try it out. Just like "Last Son" part 3, the story kicks up here in this six-parter arc. Things move on like Batman getting the first BatPlane, Luthor setting Batman for murder, among other things.

In the first pages, we see Batman and in his head, going through the tactics of his when he's getting inside Luthor's building. The point here is that its his War on Crime, of course, but its presented like an actual war. When he talks about how he going to get inside, it makes it feel like a stealth mission. Same goes for the BatPlane. The Plane, while it doesn't really shine here though as it only appears in one page, fits with the War aspect. Its actually the Wayne prototype jet that Bruce's company was using against Luthor's company for the contract from the military. Which they lost. And also, the BatPlane technically takes the Batman Begins route as nothing is hardly altered from when Wayne Enterprises has to when Batman first uses it. It might because of the story, and that the design is "bat-like" anyway. But you obiviously know that if the TV catches it, like the Tumbler, those involved will say "I built that thing, so that means Bruce Wayne is Batman!"

In this issue, we get more of Luthor's side of things. Senator Crabtree is head of the board of directors who considers which of the two companies, of Wayne and Luthor, will get the contract. As we see from the scenes with Luthor, he has blackmailed the board to go with his design, which Crabtree knows about and decides to do his actions and not care about Luthor's. Which angers him, and frames him for murder. Which in turn, frames Batman. Now with the police giving Batman the title of "Public Enemy No. 1", I wonder if we're going to see the anti-Batman campaign. It'll be pretty sweet as when I said that, I'm thinking of the chase sequence in Mask of the Phantasm. That'll be really cool to see. Hey, we got six issues of this arc, its a possibility.

Maybe I wanted too because I guess I should say a bit about continuity with the DCU following Infinite Crisis. Luthor mentions that he's sick of yet another costume hero in his business. So that means Superman is the first, as we've thought for the longest time. Maybe not really worth mentioning, but I thought of pointing that out anyway. I guess the other thing to mention is the cover, the numbering that say "3 of 8". For those you question that, its a typo. A mistake. DC didn't announce earlier that the title was changed to ongoing to mini, so its a mistake. This is still an ongoing book.

Overall, this was another nice issue. Again, just like Action #846, the story kicks into high gear with this part. And if you haven't gotten this, get it. Or wait for the trade, just make note of it. The Confidential series here provides insight of the DCU that was changed. Well, at least I hope it does.

RATING: 7.5/10

Next Issue: Luthor lauches small robotic bats inside the batcave to fight off Batman!

 

[Motown Marvel]

this arc has been pretty lame thus far, in my opinion. the writer and artist have both been pretty mediocre. if they made the effort to end LOTDK to launch a new book with the same premise, mind as well put as much effort into opening the series with a killer story.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Binker do you ever grade anything outside the scale of 7-9 out of 10?