Batman: The Dark Knight Thread

[Mass Nerder]

Okay if I've started a thread that's already been done please forgive me and just take this down, but I didn't see any. Anyway, I'm REALLY excited about this book although I am worried because I don't know how good Finch's writing skills are. Honestly I just hope he just trys to tell a really good staright foward Batman story and not try and stick out and in doing so loosing himself as well as the reader. I haven't been this excited for a Batman book since Batman and Robin: The Boy Wonder, and that's why I'm also worried because well as everyone knows that book turned out to be a huge POS. Anyway just wondering what everyone's expections on this book was.

 

[lixdexia]

all star was genius! finch's art is terrible and i doubt his writing is any better, if the book's concept is what i understand it to be (horror style batman) then i think it'll fizzle out withing a year.

ok, i'm done bah humbuging and won't interrupt this thread again, go back to being excited for the book now

 

[flash13]

I'm looking forward to this book, especially since it will be the only book with Bruce's solo adventures.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Passing. A straightforward Bruce solo series is exactly what I want, but I'm not a fan of David Finch.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I'm completely passing on this book. I'm already going to be getting Batman, Inc., Batman & Robin, and Batman. I would rather have a book where Finch is simply doing the art, not the writing.

 

[Drz]

Finch's 2 page story in Superman/Batman was fun atleast, but 3.99 dollars per month on a questionable writer is abit eh. I really do wanna check this out tho. I love Batman and demology, it's always so trippy!

 

[IBRAH08]

Giving it a try as well and looking forward to it. here's to dreaming!

 

[Mystirious]

I'm completely passing on this book. I'm already going to be getting Batman, Inc., Batman & Robin, and Batman. I would rather have a book where Finch is simply doing the art, not the writing.

Agreed hippie_hunter

 

[Mass Nerder]

WOW I'm really surprised at how many people are not looking forward to this book. I'm still hopeful but I realize this book could go really really bad quick.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Comics are a medium that naturally makes its fans cynical and jaded, I think. It takes a lot to get me to warm up to a comic initially at this point. My first inclination is to dismiss virtually everything so I can save myself some dough.

 

[Mass Nerder]

lol I hear ya. But my problem is everything coming out looks so cool to me I wanna get every title out there but I gotta restrain myself and limit myself to 7 titles a month.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I would be looking forward to this under a different writer. Finch hasn't written anything as far as I'm aware, so I'm just initially skeptical of his abilities. I'm not the biggest fan of his art either, but it's decent enough. Plus, looks like this'll be a $3.99 book, so there's another blow.

If I hear good things about the writing and such, I may check out the trades. I am fairly interested in the concept. I wish David Hine had been brought on as the writer, seems like something he would do well with.

 

[hippie_hunter]

WOW I'm really surprised at how many people are not looking forward to this book. I'm still hopeful but I realize this book could go really really bad quick.

Comics are a medium that naturally makes its fans cynical and jaded, I think. It takes a lot to get me to warm up to a comic initially at this point. My first inclination is to dismiss virtually everything so I can save myself some dough.

I don't see this as fans being cynical and jaded, I personally see this as DC putting out far too many Batman books.

If you want to read about what matters with the Batman character, you gotta read Batman, Inc. You have the long standing Batman and Detective Comics. You have books that have come out before Batman: The Dark Knight like Batman & Robin and Batman: Streets of Gotham. And books starring side characters: Gotham City Sirens, Red Robin, Birds of Prey, Outsiders, and Batgirl.

And then you have quality. Batman & Robin will be written by Peter Tomasi, who writes an excellent Dick Grayson (asides from being an excellent writer in general). Batman, Inc. will be written by Grant Morrison, whose Batman saga is magnificent. Red Robin, Batgirl, and Birds of Prey are must reads IMO. Batwoman is the title to look forward to once it starts. And then you have Batman: The Dark Knight, written by someone who has never done solo work before and costs $3.99 while all the other books asides from Batman, Inc. and Detective Comics (which has a Co-Feature)

Now if you're like me who is getting Batman, Batman, Inc., and Batman & Robin along with Red Robin, Batgirl, Batwoman, and Birds of Prey, why would I bother with Batman: The Dark Knight when I already have enough Bat-books? Why would I bother with Batman: The Dark Knight with a writer I know nothing about when I have other books that I am guaranteed to enjoy.

It's competition, plain and simple. If there weren't so many Bat-books, maybe I would be willing to check the book out. But I find nothing at all remarkable to draw me towards this book. As a matter in fact, I would rather see Bruce in a more toned down setting in his only solo book than a book with him having supernatural adventures.

If I hear good things about the writing and such, I may check out the trades. I am fairly interested in the concept. I wish David Hine had been brought on as the writer, seems like something he would do well with.

I have found Hine's take on Gotham so far to be dreadfully dull and boring.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, how is Dark Knight different from Batwoman, really? Both feature the artists writing as well, and I don't think Williams is exactly a time-tested, quality writer himself. One could argue that he probably has Rucka's notes to work off of, but he said he's going to be doing his own thing.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I have found Hine's take on Gotham so far to be dreadfully dull and boring.

I haven't read his Batman stuff to be honest, I just know he's generally considered a good horror writer.

Well, how is Dark Knight different from Batwoman, really? Both feature the artists writing as well, and I don't think Williams is exactly a time-tested, quality writer himself. One could argue that he probably has Rucka's notes to work off of, but he said he's going to be doing his own thing.

Not much difference really. Mainly, the reason I'm more willing to give Batwoman a chance despite that is that I enjoyed the character and want to see continuation of her story. And at least Williams has written a little, where as I'm pretty sure Finch hasn't written anything. And I enjoy Williams and Reeder a whole lot as artists.

 

[Frankenmation]

Well, how is Dark Knight different from Batwoman, really? Both feature the artists writing as well, and I don't think Williams is exactly a time-tested, quality writer himself. One could argue that he probably has Rucka's notes to work off of, but he said he's going to be doing his own thing.

Probably because the Batwoman book is the only place where people can read about the character, whereas there's tons of books that we can follow the adventures of Batman in.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Well, how is Dark Knight different from Batwoman, really? Both feature the artists writing as well, and I don't think Williams is exactly a time-tested, quality writer himself. One could argue that he probably has Rucka's notes to work off of, but he said he's going to be doing his own thing.

Because Williams has at least written before (and based on what some people have said, he is decent) and he has worked with top notch writers like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Greg Rucka, and Warren Ellis. You would think that he would gain some ability to write from working with guys like that.

David Finch on the other hand, has never written before asides from a two page story for Superman/Batman #75 and the writers he has consistently worked with....Jeph Loeb, Brian Bendis, Mark Millar, and here's the best one: Call of Duty: The Brotherhood written by Chuck Austen and Bruce Jones. Doesn't give you a lot of confidence.

I also find J.H. Williams and Amy Reeder to be vastly superior in art compared to David Finch.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Because Williams has at least written before (and based on what some people have said, he is decent) and he has worked with top notch writers like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Greg Rucka, and Warren Ellis. You would think that he would gain some ability to write from working with guys like that.

Uh, how? Osmosis? Artists generally work on the art and writers generally write. I doubt Morrison, Moore, Rucka, or Ellis were giving Williams private tutoring lessons on the art of comic book writing in-between sending him scripts and stuff. I've personally never read anything he's written, so he's as much an untested newbie as Finch to me.

I also find J.H. Williams and Amy Reeder to be vastly superior in art compared to David Finch.

On this we can agree.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Uh, how? Osmosis? Artists generally work on the art and writers generally write. I doubt Morrison, Moore, Rucka, or Ellis were giving Williams private tutoring lessons on the art of comic book writing in-between sending him scripts and stuff. I've personally never read anything he's written, so he's as much an untested newbie as Finch to me.

Because he has to read the scripts in order to draw them. He has to communicate with the writers to see if it's being done properly. While you do need to tutor him, I think it would be very safe to say that Williams probably picked up a point or two through his interactions with those writers.

David Finch on the other hand, worked with Chuck Austen and Bruce Jones......at the same time. He worked with Jeph Loeb on Ultimatum. He's worked with Mark Millar. His exposure comes from well....hacks.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Because he has to read the scripts in order to draw them. He has to communicate with the writers to see if it's being done properly. While you do need to tutor him, I think it would be very safe to say that Williams probably picked up a point or two through his interactions with those writers.

That's okay logic in theory, but it assumes that the artist both actively studied and consulted the writers on the actual writing and didn't just focus on putting the script to art as best as he possibly could. It's a gamble either way really

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, it's one thing to read and appreciate great writing. It's another to pull off something like what Rucka accomplished around the middle of his Batwoman run on Detective, wherein he basically eroded my own strong distaste for the character and won me over with just a damned fine story, well told and emotionally affecting. I wouldn't trust most professional writers to be able to pull off something that great, so I'm a bit leery of the fact that we're expecting a professional artist, first and foremost, to live up to those expectations.

 

[Mystirious]

Well, how is Dark Knight different from Batwoman, really? Both feature the artists writing as well, and I don't think Williams is exactly a time-tested, quality writer himself. One could argue that he probably has Rucka's notes to work off of, but he said he's going to be doing his own thing.

Batwoman has a better writer and artist team and a main character I care more about

If Dark Knight is really good I may pick it up

 

[Hush]

I will flip through the book but not buy, i love finch but he is untested in writing and the #75 story was cool because you saw those two characters interact for the 1st time ever.

 

[CConn]

I'll buy the first issue just to check it out and see what it's about, but I'm not planning on buying it after that.

 

[yenaled]

I'm happy with Batman Inc. & Batman & Robin