Dark Knight: Boy Wonder

[IDrawDeadPeople]

The shadowed/inked out spot where Batman's bathing suit area touches Canary's bathing suit area combined with the orgas... er... thunderclap says they had themselves some sex.

 

[theMan-Bat]

I believe they are having missionary position sex there. Yes, superheroes have sex in the DKU. Frank Miller has always been a boundaries pusher. Why would the characters engage in sexual activity? Well, the birds and the bees. It's human nature. Basically from the start Bruce/Batman has always been a bit of a playboy with more than one woman as a love interest, and this is before Black Canary had even met Green Arrow. Their human, they were both obviously attracted to each other and it was the heat of the moment, it was consensual between two adults, and maybe Batman put on a Batcondom.

For the uninitiated, despite the quaint title, "All-Star" is geared toward an older audience and presents an especially nasty and grim incarnation of Batman. This is not a children's book. "That's right," Miller said, "it's not aimed at kids."
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/09/batman-and-robi.html

As for the "Sweet chunks", "Love chunks" slang, Frank Miller has said he likes to create strange slang for his material "to create the sense of unfamiliarity that people have with youth speak in general." Carrie Kelley and the mutant gang members dialogue in Dark Knight Returns is also very strange slang - "My mon licken chegs", "Don't shiv".

 

[IDrawDeadPeople]

Agreed on both counts. Miller was absolutely going for "gods colliding" in his superheroes have sex approach. The panel of lightning striking in the middle of otherwise sequential scenes is very telling. As is the fact that the humor of Batman asking if he can give her a ride home now tha they're done would be utterly lost if they were simply necking. The complete trashiness of "So, can I take you home now?" followed by her afterparty smoke... being a cigar, no less. That whole scene is pure filth.

And, yeah about Miller's strange slang. I know it was thematic that everyone was saying such an out of this universe phrase. But, it was unbelievably absurd how around every corner, there was someone saying "chunks". My legitimate hope for when they all finally confront the Joker is that he calls her "chunks" and calls Robin a "little snot". When Hal called Robin that, I was convinced. Gordon needs to show up and call him a little snot.

 

[CrimsonMist]

I like how the possible hooker has star tattoos, making me think of Wonder Woman. It's like Frank Miller wants to insult the WW/Superman fans on purpose. Great trolling if so.

Nah, man. Frank Miller doesn't poke fun at WW/Superman fans at all. That moment in All-Star when they kiss has some of his best writing. And that moment in DKSA? Probably the highest point of that book, next to the part where Hal Jordon comes and saves the day.

Miller's not insulting anybody.

 

[Drz]

Nah, man. Frank Miller doesn't poke fun at WW/Superman fans at all. That moment in All-Star when they kiss has some of his best writing. And that moment in DKSA? Probably the highest point of that book, next to the part where Hal Jordon comes and saves the day.

Miller's not insulting anybody.

Yeah but you know the haters will always ignore the good parts and focus on the little things.

 

[returntovoid]

I have been trying give the Batman works of Frank Miller a chance. So far, I really started to like The Dark Knight Returns due it's return to the 1939-1940 style Batman.

As for the others, well...

I found Year One boring, the best parts of it "Half of the story and Gordon/Batman alliance" were condensed into Batman Begins, the art was good but nothing striking to me and lacked the Gothic/Noir atmosphere that I like in Batman comics.

I really liked All Star Batman at the beginning with the circus attack, Batman saving Dick Grayson, their long Batmobile drive and the Gotham cops are corrupt bit but later the story just went downhill for me/became less interesting to me, somethings that put me off like Batman getting randomly horny with Black Canary and I didn't get The Joker characterization, he just seemed perverted to me.

 

[kguillou]

I still think Jim Lee's pencils are being absolutely wasted on this project. We could be having Lee work on one of the mainstream titles yet instead he's here where Miller is obviously trying to go for a more comedic, outrageous approach. I know I know, "But thats why its called 'ALL-STAR'!!". I'm sure there are plenty of other 'star' artists that could have been more tailored to Miller's crazy script. I just think Lee's time could be much better spent than on this.

 

[Drz]

I still think Jim Lee's pencils are being absolutely wasted on this project. We could be having Lee work on one of the mainstream titles yet instead he's here where Miller is obviously trying to go for a more comedic, outrageous approach. I know I know, "But thats why its called 'ALL-STAR'!!". I'm sure there are plenty of other 'star' artists that could have been more tailored to Miller's crazy script. I just think Lee's time could be much better spent than on this.

You have to remember Jim Lee himself said that it was TDKR that made him turn into comics instead of dentist school. So he's working with a very important man he has received alot of influence from. He *wants* to finish this.

 

[theMan-Bat]

That's right. This is Jim Lee's ultimate dream project.

"To say this is my ultimate, dream project would be an incredible understatement. Back when I was in college from 1982 to 1986, I grew bored and disenchanted with comics, barely perusing my subscriptions when I went home for various holiday breaks. Frank Miller changed all that in 1986 when the Dark Knight Returns blew my mind and lit up my retinas.

I haven't been the same since.

My passion for creating comics comes from this one book and I've embarrassed Frank countless times by repeating this exact same story to him. Being fortunate enough to have as passionate fans, I know how it feels to be told similar tales so I hold back and try and act normal around him now so I don't freak him out. But he is ****ing Frank Miller, man.

OK, geek mode off.

We went out to dinner and over tequila shots and beer, we talked comics, specifically, Batman and Robin. It's a great ****ing story."
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=4436

"If there was one creator I wanted to work with when I was a fan, it would have been Frank Miller," says Lee, "so after this project, I think I'm going to be ready to retire!"
http://www.comicsbulletin.com/news/110495685967096.htm

The artist added that when it comes to Miller's work, "I can probably tell you from memory what's on every page of those books," with a laugh, noting that the future of the book will focus on "Gotham City. Frank really uses the city as another character in the storyline, so the same way we really gave the Batcave its due, we're gonna do the same thing to Gotham. That, and showing the growing relationship between Batman and Robin. And more of the over the top Batman action that fans have loved about this book from the start."
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25536

 

[CrimsonMist]

Yeah but you know the haters will always ignore the good parts and focus on the little things.

That's not acting insulted. That's being ignorant and stupid.

anyways, Jim Lee is hit or miss for me. It's not that i hate the man's pencils - the guy is amazing. I just his colorist. Everything is always so flashy, even when it's supposed to be grimy and disgusting. There's no atmosphere because of the colors. Do a google search to find a few Jim Lee drawings painted by Alex Ross. Awesome stuff and loads of atmosphere.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Three-way action.

 

[IDrawDeadPeople]

In terms of Miller's "insulting" Superman, Wonder Woman, etc., I really think the approach is him trying to write completely from Batman's perspective. It's not so much that Miller thinks these characters are ridiculous or inept, it's that Batman would be looking at them this way. Do I wish that just sometimes Miller's writing style didn't require all sorts of psychoanalysis and apologetics in order to simply read a simple comic story and attempt to understand the motive behind even basic background character dialogue? Sure. But, he is attempting to write on a deeper level than the average comic reader, I believe, gives him credit for, let alone understands, sometimes.

I'll be honest. I respect the character of Batman and his icon and all the depth and history of the character, but I'm nowhere near being a "fan". I've been a Green Lantern fan since I was in GL underoos, and I bought Allstar simply because I love how Lee draws Hal, and I liked that Miller is writing this in a quasi-Silver Age setting. That being said, Miller writes Hal like he's a mental quadroplegic, and has Batman's thoughts on him as insulting as possible, and yet, Hal is totally within character, and Miller respects the character enough that he is for all intents and purposes the savior in Dark Knight Strikes Again. As a Green Lantern fan, I'll freely say, the lemonade scene is priceless. It's not that Hal is a lousy fighter. It's that he underestimates a 12 year old kid.

The rooftop scene with the hotdog is my favorite 2 pages in the entire series. Hands down.

 

[IBRAH08]

this is probably a bad time to say this considering the post that is above mine, but all I hope is that Batmiller calls another superhero "******ed" like he did GL. funny as hell.

 

[Polaris23]

I for one can't wait for this series. Sure, it's nothing sophisticated, but I love Jim Lee's pencils and the story is nothing but fun for me. Nothing serious.

 

[UCLGeogPhD]

Dark Knight Returns was an excellent comic and I have thus far generally enjoyed All Star Batman and Robin, but i do worry that Dark Kight Strikes Again is effectively made canon in this series and its always been something thats felt stupid with Miller is is treatment of Grayson in that series. My worry is this wierdness towards the character is going to spill out into this title turning Grayson into an attention seeking whinging psycho.

Hopefully it wont though and it'll continue the "I'm the god-damn Batman" goodness instead.

 

[Figs]

I have the tpb for All Star and it consists of issues 1-9. Is this next one, "Boy Wonder" going to be the direct continuation of that or did I miss a book/issues?

 

[CrimsonMist]

Issue 10 hasn't been collected yet. The series fizzled out after that issue. "Boy Wonder" should start with what was supposed to be issue 11.

 

[Figs]

Issue 10 hasn't been collected yet. The series fizzled out after that issue. "Boy Wonder" should start with what was supposed to be issue 11.

So they're essentially saying "screw issue 10"?

Basically what i'm asking is that I can read All Star then Boy Wonder back to back right?

 

[theMan-Bat]

I have the tpb for All Star and it consists of issues 1-9. Is this next one,
"Boy Wonder" going to be the direct continuation of that or did I miss a book/issues?

There is All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #10.
Which I'm sure will be collected into a TPB with the 6-issues of Dark Knight: Boy Wonder.
Yes, they are all a direct continuation of All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #1-9.
All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #8 shows Joker meeting Catwoman.

All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #10 shows Catwoman bloody and wounded and she gives officer Stavros a note
for Batman.

Gordon gives Batman the note at the waterfront and Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder rush down to Catwoman,
hitching a ride on the subway.

The Boy Wonder tells Alfred to send the Batcopter to the southwest corner of Robinson Park.

And the page shown of Dark Knight: Boy Wonder shows Batman carrying Catwoman to the Batcopter at Robinson Park
to fly off and get medical help from Alfred in the Batcave surely.
So it definitely picks up where All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #10 left off.

And Jim Lee said "I'm doing a five page Gotham City pull out where your gonna see the whole city
from the Batcopters point of view. It's dynamite. There's some killer stuff in it."
http://thebatmanuniverse.net/sdcc/sd...code=playvideo

Other things that happened in All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #10:
Gordon had a very bad night. Gordon's alcoholic wife was in a car accident.
Gordon's daughter was arrested for assault, battery, destruction of private property and incitement to a riot.
Gordon and everyone found out that his daughter is Batgirl.

Also Black Canary beat up, robbed and burned some snuff film makers.

 

[Figs]

Thanks for the update!

 

[Drz]

Jim Lee sketching an upcoming cover for Dark Knight: Boy Wonder:

EDIT: Woops, its not for DK: BW after all.

 

[Cobblepot]

Lee's art is starting to grow on me, I loved his work in B&W (lloked like Frank's DKR work) the above sketch looks really good.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Jim Lee sketching an upcoming cover for Dark Knight: Boy Wonder:

EDIT: Woops, its not for DK: BW after all.

That's a sketch of the Batman: Europia #1 cover by Jim Lee releasing in January.

 

[Matt.S99]

So I finally got issue 10 of ASBR. And man, no matter how over the top it is, I missed this story. Its hilarious! But really, its only good because of the art. Cant wait for Dark Knight:Boy Wonder

 

[CConn]

One more month until the solicit goes up!

I'm excited.