Batman R.I.P.

[Nepenthes]

^ Sometimes I honestly wish I could help it. But no way.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Even though I'm liking "Batman RIP", I found this thing over on the DC boards to be pretty funny:

...

Joker: Anybody else want to go?

Killer Croc: [hits the table] ME! There I was, holed up in this quarry, when Batman came nosing around. He was getting closer... Closer...

Poison Ivy: And...?

Killer Croc: I threw a rock at him!
[everyone stares in dead silence]

Joker: So, Dr. Hurt, tell us your story.

Killer Croc (muttering): It was a big rock...

Dr. Hurt: Years ago, with aid from The Black Glove, the most powerful crimelord in the world-

Joker: Isn't that Ra's al Ghul's job?

Dr. Hurt: Ra's isn't cool enough any more, apparently. Anyway, I was able to infiltrate and run a top secret government plan to replicate the Batman, working with the Gotham Police Department. The government knew of the existence of Batman early in his career, you see, and knew enough about him to think he would be a good test subject, knew how to contact him, and trusted and approved of him. AND because we used the cover story that we were testing sensory deprivation, Batman agreed to be examined by the government (at a time when DNA technology was READILY available to them).

Not only did I collect data enabling us to create three "false" Batmen, to use as pawns, I conditioned Batman mentally. Years later, with aid from the Club of Villains, I unleashed my plan. We covered Gotham with symbols and code-words that, thanks to my earlier brainwashing, left him mentally weakened. The Club of Villains then broke into his home, bypassing all his defenses, bludgeoned his manservant, defeated him in battle...

Poison Ivy: And...?

Dr. Hurt: We injected him with weapons grade crystal meth and left him to wander the streets of Gotham.
[everyone stares in dead silence]

Joker: So, Croc... tell us more about that rock.

 

[GrendelPrime32]

oh, and to those who Don't think 'final heart-rending confrontation with jezebel' sounds like wedding bells and a march down the green mile...you haven't been married, have you?
and as for the above, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA- yeah, the rock sounds a little better after all that convolutedness and wasted opportunity; speaking of which...
did anyone else here read the thing on crave called 'How To Defeat the Batman'?

 

[Majic Walrus]

Even though I'm liking "Batman RIP", I found this thing over on the DC boards to be pretty funny:

...

Joker: Anybody else want to go?

Killer Croc: [hits the table] ME! There I was, holed up in this quarry, when Batman came nosing around. He was getting closer... Closer...

Poison Ivy: And...?

Killer Croc: I threw a rock at him!
[everyone stares in dead silence]


Joker: So, Dr. Hurt, tell us your story.

Killer Croc (muttering): It was a big rock...

Dr. Hurt: Years ago, with aid from The Black Glove, the most powerful crimelord in the world-

Joker: Isn't that Ra's al Ghul's job?

Dr. Hurt: Ra's isn't cool enough any more, apparently. Anyway, I was able to infiltrate and run a top secret government plan to replicate the Batman, working with the Gotham Police Department. The government knew of the existence of Batman early in his career, you see, and knew enough about him to think he would be a good test subject, knew how to contact him, and trusted and approved of him. AND because we used the cover story that we were testing sensory deprivation, Batman agreed to be examined by the government (at a time when DNA technology was READILY available to them).

Not only did I collect data enabling us to create three "false" Batmen, to use as pawns, I conditioned Batman mentally. Years later, with aid from the Club of Villains, I unleashed my plan. We covered Gotham with symbols and code-words that, thanks to my earlier brainwashing, left him mentally weakened. The Club of Villains then broke into his home, bypassing all his defenses, bludgeoned his manservant, defeated him in battle...

Poison Ivy: And...?

Dr. Hurt: We injected him with weapons grade crystal meth and left him to wander the streets of Gotham.
[everyone stares in dead silence]

Joker: So, Croc... tell us more about that rock.

That's a take on an episode of TAS. I love that.

 

[Texas Zombie]

Which order should I read RIP in. Got all the books for it that are out, but just was able to pick em up.

 

[javi1024]

if i'm reading your question correctly the only book dealing with the actual RIP story is Batman. as far as i know all the others tie in to it as being effected by the event but not telling the story. of course i haven't read Nightwing or Robin yet so i can be completely wrong. t:

 

[Kraven]

Well, I'm pretty sure the tie-ins aren't too important, so if you wanted you could just read all of the story from one title and when you finish those continue with whichever one interests you next.

 

[Dark Victory]

Well, I'm pretty sure the tie-ins aren't too important, so if you wanted you could just read all of the story from one title and when you finish those continue with whichever one interests you next.

The tie-ins aren't important at all so far. All they really mention is Batmans relationship with J Jett but maybe by next month they might go looking for the missing batman. Just bought issue #679 but haven't read it yet but I'll post what I think of it in an hour or so.

 

[CrimsonMist]

this issue was great. I actually really enjoyed it. As i said in a previous post, it seems that Batman's not really crazy, his mind is just scattered, and he remembers things by seeing familiar objects, which then "talk" to him, which is actually Batman talking to himself.

and from reading the rest of the issue, i can guess that "Bruce Wayne" is more or less dead, or just out of the equation for now. This is a primal Batman with no mental ties to Bruce Wayne. He's unhinged. I'd go so far as to say this is a back-up Batman, as insinuated by Bat-Mite. This is the back-up looking for the pieces to rebuild itself: to find Bruce Wayne.

I've given Morrison alot of heat for this arc(his whole run, really), but it's beginning to come together now, and the pacing of this book was much better than the last 3 issues. Not a lot of jumps and distractions. I still have my gripes(i wish the International League of Batmen were done away with, but whatever). This should be a rather solid story once all is said and done, including the 2-issue Denny O'Neil prologue and the 2-issue Neil Gaiman story.

 

[Drz]

How does the issue end? Anything new regarding Dr. Hurt or?

 

[CrimsonMist]

How does the issue end? Anything new regarding Dr. Hurt or?

Spoiler

It ends with the Arkham doctor who drugged up Dick Grayson beating Dr. Arkham to death(or just beating him down) with intentions of performing a lobotomy on Dick Grayson. The Black Glove is getting ready for their Danse Macabre at Arkham and are ready to unleash The Joker. As for Dr. Hurt, it's implied that he may or may not be Thomas Wayne.

 

[Saint]

As usual, Morrison begins to tie things together late in the game, and it all starts to make sense. Spins the other issues very differently. Cool, cool stuff.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Awesome issue--definately starting to see how everything ties together.

But after this I'm REALLY looking forward to what's going to happen next issue. From the looks of it, it's going to be the pretty unhinged Zurr-En-Arrh Batman versus Death God Joker--sure to be one messed-up battle. t:

 

[Saint]

I also have to say that Batman building a back-up personality in case of psychological attack is the coolest thing I've ever heard. Throughout Morrison's run, I've been waiting for Batman to do something ridiculous, like in the old Morrison JLA era, and I finally got it. Awesomeness.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I also have to say that Batman building a back-up personality in case of psychological attack is the coolest thing I've ever heard. Throughout Morrison's run, I've been waiting for Batman to do something ridiculous, like in the old Morrison JLA era, and I finally got it. Awesomeness.

Hell yes--and it being a deranged, multi-colored wearing one with Bat-Mite as his friend/sidekick makes it even awesomer. t:

 

[DW4]

Finally a good issue in this series! I'll give it to Morrison on this one. I'm going with the Black Glove not being Thomas Wayne at all and was that Jet getting molested in that issue? I'm guessing she wasn't in on this at all as I suspected.

I still predict something like the Joker betraying The Club of Villains.

 

[The Batman]

i like how morrison is using this zea Batman to make a mockery of the uberbat/goddamn batman

 

[Drz]

So anyone who could give some scans? Maybe of Joker if possible. :>

 

[Hole Shot]

if i'm reading your question correctly the only book dealing with the actual RIP story is Batman. as far as i know all the others tie in to it as being effected by the event but not telling the story. of course i haven't read Nightwing or Robin yet so i can be completely wrong. t:

Well, I'm pretty sure the tie-ins aren't too important, so if you wanted you could just read all of the story from one title and when you finish those continue with whichever one interests you next.

Of the three so far (Robin, Nightwing and Detective Comics) the Robin story seems to be the only so far that's directly tied to the plot of Batman but at the same time isn't significant to anything happening in Batman.

Basically you would need to be reading Batman to fully get what's going on in the Robin 175, but you don't need to read Robin 175 to get what's going in Batman. Does that make sense?

R.I.P isn't a total crossover where the story is actually jumping from book to book like No Man's Land.

 

[Nepenthes]

I need to give this a better read but I'm assuming that Alfred is probably correct about Dr.Hurt not really being who he claims to be. I love the panel with Bruce crying in front of two crosses, Batman is the personality young Bruce Wayne created to cope, and Batman of Zur En Rah is the personality that Batman created, if I'm getting this right. Also he calls 'Might' his old chum . Notice that spelling on Mite on too. Also this issue is harder work than rest, I'll admit.

Waltzing Matilda...never thought I'd see that in a Batman comic . This song is basically our unofficial national anthem

 

[Majic Walrus]

I'm still not bought-in to the story completely, but I do have to admit that it's the best issue of R.I.P. that I've read (excluding tie-ins).

Nepenthes Morrison might just get me to stop hating him.

 

[Dark Victory]

So anyone who could give some scans? Maybe of Joker if possible. :>

Joker is only in one panel at the end but it hints that Joker will be everywhere in next months issue.

 

[Dirt Like Me]

I think that R.I.P. took a bit of a backwards step with #678, but this issue more than made up for it. It's still trippy and weird, but Batman's badass-ness was front and center, even though he was dressed in purple and relying on a broken transistor radio. Having Batman create a non-Bruce-based backup persona in the event he went crazy is a great wrinkle.

A couple of other thoughts (tagged, just to be safe):

Spoiler

1. I liked Z-Bats calling out Charlie Caligula for being a Joker wannabe. If the Batmen of All Nations are second-rate Batmen, it makes sense that their arch enemies would be bush league Jokers. I also liked how genuinely afraid Caligula was when he realized how crazy Z-Batman is.

2. That said, I really like the idea of El Sombrero and his deathtraps. I hope he becomes a recurring character because I think there's some cool possibilities there. I don't have enough of a feel for the rest of the Club of Villains just yet, though. (I don't even remember what the "Waltzing Mathilda" guy's name is).

3. It looks like my "Alfred is the Black Glove" guess was wrong. I don't know what to think now.

4. Can't wait for more Joker next issue. I'm really hoping for a double-cross, too. The Black Glove turning Robin over to the Joker is a nice gesture, but I can't imagine that it'll be enough for him. I also think that Joker would think that the Club of Villains aren't worthy of killing Batman.

5. Really liked the artwork, Tony Daniel continues to impress me. I thought the lettering was well-done, too.

6. I like Alex Ross anyway, but I think these covers have been great.

 

[Cain]

The best thing was Batman operating out of crime alley right in the theatre where he saw the mark of zorro with his parents in. This retcon zur-en-arrh Batman = the Batman from that Darren Aronofsky and Frank Miller script.

 

[The Sage]

So anyone who could give some scans? Maybe of Joker if possible. :>