Batman: Red Rain!!

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

I have only just read this 90 somewhat page story... and there is something fascinating about it. If i could just share my lenghty thoughts with you for a moment... and i will begin with a sidenote/history...

I was born in 1990. So i missed the opportunity to read and experience the excitement of a new comic entitled 'The Dark Knight Returns'... However i got my very first copy of it when i was nine and... because it was batman... anxiously sat down to read it. Much to my dismay, i hated it. I thought to myself... 'This isn't batman:TAS'.

Now that i am much older, i decided to re-read it again last year and while i didn't out and out hate it... it simply had no affect on me. I guess reading it at such a young age tainted me to the book!! - POINT?... Well i suppose Dark and Creepy batman is just not my thing!!


RED RAIN however got me interested and i thoroughly enjoyed it!

The story is simple - A vision/mist keeps appearing to Bruce informing him that not all vampires are evil. Turns out shes real and so is Dracula. Batman and this woman(Tanya) joins forces with her followers to stop dracula. Wayne Manor blows up too and there is a dramatic fight to the death with Batman and Dracula... Oh and Batman becomes a vampire!! (simple, huh?)

While this is cetrtainly not a batman i would like to see on a regular basis they is something fascinating about the protrayal. The art is perfect and gothic so i guess the confusion lies with the story... I loved it but there is something stopping me from thinking its perfect!

Is it a visual and emmersive masterpiece or another typical vampire story that doesn't know if its simply a horror/ action adventure or a character study??

 

[vanzetti]

awesome story, i did not enjoy the sequels nearly as much however

 

[souvlaki]

I loved Red Rain. I know a lot of people dislike Kelly Jones' artwork, but I thought it really worked for this graphic novel. I remember there was talk for a while that he and Doug Moench were going to do an elseworlds ongoing series called "Haunted Gotham". That may have been one case where Kelly Jones' artwork may have fit on an ongoing Batman series.

 

[CrimsonMist]

the first one was good. Jones' artwork is actually pretty good in the first book. The first sequel, Bloodstorm, has "eh" artwork. It's "in between" quality. The third book Crimson Mist has the worst art. Some of the worst i've seen. Jones' art goes from being moody and scary and atmospheric, to really stupid and cartoony.

 

[Doctor Baywatch]

Good story!

 

[batmaluco]

the first one was good. Jones' artwork is actually pretty good in the first book. The first sequel, Bloodstorm, has "eh" artwork. It's "in between" quality. The third book Crimson Mist has the worst art. Some of the worst i've seen. Jones' art goes from being moody and scary and atmospheric, to really stupid and cartoony.

I agree.

 

[ab38416]

Loved the first one.

 

[souvlaki]

the first one was good. Jones' artwork is actually pretty good in the first book. The first sequel, Bloodstorm, has "eh" artwork. It's "in between" quality. The third book Crimson Mist has the worst art. Some of the worst i've seen. Jones' art goes from being moody and scary and atmospheric, to really stupid and cartoony.

Yeah, that is easily my biggest problem with Jones' artwork. He is extremely inconsistent. One panel with look amazingly atmospheric, and the next will be flat out ugly. All in all I like his artwork (especially when he does horror), I just wish he had more consistency.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Red Rain is one of the best Batman graphic novels there is (proper graphic novels that is, not comics like The Dark Knight and The Long Halloween). Red Rain is the closest in spirit to Bob Kane's original Batman stories of any modern tales of the character. Although it's an 'Elseworld' story, and set at the turn of the century, it really is an extension of Kane's initial ideas. Even down to the look of Batman himself. Batman is essential almost silent figure, a weird shadow cloaked in his cape with demonic horns.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I loved Red Rain. I know a lot of people dislike Kelly Jones' artwork, but I thought it really worked for this graphic novel. I remember there was talk for a while that he and Doug Moench were going to do an elseworlds ongoing series called "Haunted Gotham". That may have been one case where Kelly Jones' artwork may have fit on an ongoing Batman series.

Rain Rain was what made me love Kelley Jones' art work. I think he has some incredible skills. I know he's doing the artwork for Gotham after Midnight with Steve Niles. I haven't checked any of these issues out yet but it seems pretty cool. I'm not sure when the collection will come out or if it has already but as a fan of Jones and Niles I plan on getting it.

 

[I-T-B]

I loved Red Rain. I know a lot of people dislike Kelly Jones' artwork, but I thought it really worked for this graphic novel. I remember there was talk for a while that he and Doug Moench were going to do an elseworlds ongoing series called "Haunted Gotham". That may have been one case where Kelly Jones' artwork may have fit on an ongoing Batman series.

Jones and Moench DID do an elseworlds series called "Haunted Gotham," it just wasn't ongoing. It was a mini-series with four 48 page issues. Pretty good stuff. Some of Jones beter artwork, in my opinion.

The basic idea is that Gotham is where hell brushes against earth. Nobody thinks twice when they see a skeleton walking down the street. People are aware of how horrible it is there, but while they may talk about leaving, for whatever reason they do not. Bruce Wayne's parents are still alive, and Wayne him self as been training all his life, for reasons his father has not yet told him. I don't want to spoil anything, but obviously, Wayne does become Batman, and has to rid Gotham of supernatural evil.

A collection of the story is planned for March 10th, 2009. Sorry if I'm giving you information you already know, the way you were talking about "Haunted Gotham," made it seem as though you thought the project had fizzled out. Of course, I just noticed that this is NOT in fact a new thread, just a resurrected one, so yoiu may well have found out about this seven months ago...

 

[Cobblepot]

A Kelley Jones trade to collect his run is way overdue.

Red Rain kicks all kind of arse.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i love all three of the batman vampire triology, though i agree the 3rds art isnt great but if you read them as a whole its a fantastic fall from grace story.

i personally feel the ending for crimson mist is fantastic

 

[Johann Krauss]

I think I'm in the minority here when I say that Red Rain was alright but I think Bloodstorm(the 2nd one) was the best. In Bloodstorm he's fighting the demon inside of him and pretty much losing until Selina comes along. Also it has the Joker in it.

 

[Drz]

I didn't like the art that much myself, but the story itself is just fantastic.

 

[Dark Victory]

Red Raint:
Bloodstorm
Crimson Mist

 

[theMan-Bat]

A Kelley Jones trade to collect his run is way overdue.

Definitely! Although I have each issue of the Moench/Jones run, Batman #515 to 552, I'd love to have it all collected into volumes as well so I don't have to be so careful with each individual issue, and enjoy it without all the distracting and mood killing advertisements. Also collecting the Moench/Jones run into trades would give it the attention it so richly deserves, thus exposing it to todays comics readers who are bored with the standard superhero stuff and crave something darker and different from Batman comics.

Red Rain kicks all kind of arse.

 

[byte19]

having all 3 first prints myself, i loved the story arcs!! i read them religiously!

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i'm quite surprised at the hate for crimson mist.

 

[St. Sanity]

I loved the whole arc. And the artwork was amazing, it was one of the first times I thought of Batman as menacing.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I just noticed that these were all collected in a hardback if anyone is interested.

 

[theMan-Bat]

I just noticed that these were all collected in a hardback if anyone is interested.

Yes, Red Rain, Bloodstorm and Crimson Mist are all collected into:

http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=8405

 

[Comics N' Toons]

i would like to see KJ do a regular non-elseworlds batman book

 

[Majic Walrus]

Does After Midnight count? I haven't read it but I don't think it was specifically an elseworlds book.