DC to "Rebirth" in June - Part 1

[Mani-Man]

Also, while not technically Rebirth-related, Batman/The Shadow #3 was amazing. Really loving that book and I'm super happy that it even exists.

Im still unsure about Batman/The Shadow...from some angle it looks like its bad, but from others the story seems to be cool.
Didnt had yet time for Issue 3.

So far only read action comics which was not bad, and detective comics which has a far more likeable batman/bruce wayne than kings batman run.

I think the Batman/Elmer Fudd comic might be my favorite DC book published all year.

From what i have seen so far, it seems far better than it has any right to be.
I mean its a Batman/Elmer Fudd "team up"...what do you expect from that.
The Previews look really interesting so im curious how it turned out.
Dont know if i should give the other DC/Looney Tuns issues a try.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Man... I just read Aquaman 25 and was so disappointed. Aquaman has been one of my favorite characters and titles since the New 52 relaunch, and I've loved Abnett since his Marvel cosmic run with Lanning. And up to this point I've thought his Aquaman run has been fantastic.

I'm disappointed in the absolute lack in creativity in this new direction though. He literally just took the Trump story and put it on paper. Progressive leader leaves. Brute is voted in. Put up a barrier/wall. Perceived isolation. Hunting down mutations/immigrants. etc. There was an absolute lack of creativity in any way with this story. Once I realized what was happening an issue or two back, I sarcastically told my wife that this new leader's going to put up a wall and hunt down people not native to Atlantis, but it'll be the MSM liberal version of it all and not the actual version. I was shocked that Abnett actually did it (or close to it anyway in the immigration aspect).

Anyway, yeah, the lack of creativity just killed this issue for me. Hopefully Abnett will find his original/unique voice again and stop ripping off CNN for plot lines before some variant of a fake Russia plot shows up.

 

[WolfCypher]

I went and read Aquaman 25 too, after all the praise in this thread, and especially after the Weird Science podcast went crazy positive over this issue. It was the 1st issue Ive read since Aquaman Rebirth 1.

I didn't get the same..."hype" everyone else here got. I liked it fine. I've found most of Rucka's Wonder Woman's run to be "hype"-worthy. This was just a fine issue.

 

[idiot09]

So is "I am Suicide" or "I am Bane" worth picking up?

I'm gonna get a Batman tradeback soon, and cant decide which one...any advices? Is Scott Snyder's ASB any good? If so which volume?

Thanks.

 

[WolfCypher]

Inb4Babillygunn, but...

I am Suicide and I am Bane both start off well enough, and always end with a meh or "that's it"? Tom King's Batman in a nutshell has been very hit at the beginning and miss at the end of each arc. Honestly, I liked his two part Catwoman/Rooftops story. Everything else he's done for me ultimately tempers to a C-grade when he's said and done. So, uhh...he's okay, but okay isn't cutting it for the premier DC title.

I mean, if you intend on reading all of Rebirth Batman, you're going to have to read those anyway since King's entire run all connect to each other.

 

[Mani-Man]

Inb4Babillygunn, but...

I am Suicide and I am Bane both start off well enough, and always end with a meh or "that's it"? Tom King's Batman in a nutshell has been very hit at the beginning and miss at the end of each arc. Honestly, I liked his two part Catwoman/Rooftops story. Everything else he's done for me ultimately tempers to a C-grade when he's said and done. So, uhh...he's okay, but okay isn't cutting it for the premier DC title.

I mean, if you intend on reading all of Rebirth Batman, you're going to have to read those anyway since King's entire run all connect to each other.

Yeah pretty much.
I liked the idea of the I am Bane story...but the end was very weak.
The Ideas are there sometimes, but he cant write Bruce Wayne/Batman...he sometimes writes good villians, other times bad.
Overall his run is a constant up and down, its hard to recomend it.

 

[Motown Marvel]

I think the Batman/Elmer Fudd comic might be my favorite DC book published all year.

It was pretty remarkable. Though less remarkable, I'd also recommend the Lobo/Roadrunner crossover.

 

[Babillygunn]

Inb4Babillygunn, but...

I am Suicide and I am Bane both start off well enough, and always end with a meh or "that's it"? Tom King's Batman in a nutshell has been very hit at the beginning and miss at the end of each arc. Honestly, I liked his two part Catwoman/Rooftops story. Everything else he's done for me ultimately tempers to a C-grade when he's said and done. So, uhh...he's okay, but okay isn't cutting it for the premier DC title.

I mean, if you intend on reading all of Rebirth Batman, you're going to have to read those anyway since King's entire run all connect to each other.

Lol. I'd agree with most all of your criticisms. (Shocker). I really want to like King's Batman. I really do. His narrative style just kills me. But hey it's at least 1000 x better than Snyder's ASB. Detective Comics on the other hand has been incredible.

 

[WolfCypher]

I don't have a Batman book I would put in my top 5 (top 6 really). Tom King's is the best of the three, which isn't saying much. I used to love Detective, but after (or during) the League of Shadows arc, which took way too long to wrap up, I lost patience with this book, and it hasn't been as good since the Victims Syndicate arc, plus I'm not feeling what this title is doing with (Spoiler) [blackout]Spoiler [/blackout]. And All-Star is trying so damn hard to be edgy, metal, trippy, I gave up on it after that 1st Mad Max: Fury Road arc with Two-Face and haven't looked back.

My current Must Reads are Superman, Action Comics, Wonder Woman (though with Rucka gone...I dunno going forward), Deathstroke, Red Hood & the Outlaws (How?! How is this book so good?) and Super Sons.

 

[-Arya-]

Batman/Elmer Fudd is something else. Tom King somehow managed to make a gritty, realistic take on Looney Tunes work *and* combined it seamlessly with Batman. I don't know what else to say. It's brilliant.

 

[Mani-Man]

I don't have a Batman book I would put in my top 5 (top 6 really). Tom King's is the best of the three, which isn't saying much. I used to love Detective, but after (or during) the League of Shadows arc, which took way too long to wrap up, I lost patience with this book, and it hasn't been as good since the Victims Syndicate arc, plus I'm not feeling what this title is doing with (Spoiler) [blackout]Spoiler [/blackout]. And All-Star is trying so damn hard to be edgy, metal, trippy, I gave up on it after that 1st Mad Max: Fury Road arc with Two-Face and haven't looked back.

My current Must Reads are Superman, Action Comics, Wonder Woman (though with Rucka gone...I dunno going forward), Deathstroke, Red Hood & the Outlaws (How?! How is this book so good?) and Super Sons.

Yeah, Detective comics tends to stretch out things a bit...but i personally like the constant team up...thats what Detective comics to me is.
Having batman team up with the family or the cops...its what it should focus on imo.

Wasnt a fan of All-Star because of the first Arc, but now it got better and i do like that it tries some different things.

And Batman has King who is all over the place in good and bad...Rebirth didnt really helped the batman comics.

 

[idiot09]

So I ended up reading the whole "I am Bane" arc from #16-20.

Here are my spoilery thoughts. I realise my interpretation could be off, and unpopular. But here it goes.

Spoiler

I love Tom King's Batman. How he approaches the character as this broken guy who is trying to find the "reason" the meaning of it all. How he sees Gotham/Gotham Girl as his successors, as the endgoal of his journey, and how he reacts to it. He sees it as "winning the war". He sees them as his legacy.

He writes Batman as this mentally troubled guy who is trying to grapple with his purpose, his legacy, and his inevitable death. He knows he has found a successor in Gotham Girl, in a way no Robin could ever be, and he wants to hold on to that hope, and to die a "good death" in order to preserve that hope. But as he realises at the end of the arc, is that the moment he gives in to those feelings, he dies. Batman dies. The moment he thinks about reuniting with Martha again, the pull is too much. He wants to die. But he cannot. So he tells himself and Martha, that it was all about saving just one girl, nothing more. He cant let it be anything more. He isnt Batman because he likes it, as he states it, "I'm Batman, because I'm Batman".

Also I just read #24, and I loved the bit of conversation between GG and Batman. Gotham Girl wants to be a hero, because she wants to do good. But she wants Batman's approval, and she wants Batman to tell her its the right thing to do. But Bruce tells her no one told him what he should do, so he shouldnt do it to her. He is not Batman, because Alfred told him to. He is Batman, because he needs to be Batman. He is Batman, because he is scared. Scared to be happy. He isnt happy. His war on crime, doesnt make him happy. He does it ,because he needs to. And he is scared to explore what makes him happy. And GG tells her its okay to be scared. And after Thomas had told him, that he doesnt need to do it anymore, that he is proud of him...he realises he for once in his life, he has to be brave and do one thing for himself. He bares himself to Selina, and proposes to her. A really brilliant examination of Batman's psyche on King's part.

Brilliant stuff from King. This is the first Ive read his work on Batman apart from the Button. And I'm gonna say this, I'm liking his work even more than Scott Snyder's new 52 stories Ive read(Court of Owls,Death of the family). I also realise I am letting some idiotic things slide like Batman winning with a single headbutt, but that can be excuses :P

 

[idiot09]

I also have some questions which might be stupid :

Spoiler

1. How does Batman count on Gotham Girl to be this hero who cant die...when she will die if she uses her powers?
2. How come Jason Todd and Batman are in a good relationship...isnt RedHood a criminal?

 

[WolfCypher]

I also have some questions which might be stupid :

Spoiler

1. How does Batman count on Gotham Girl to be this hero who cant die...when she will die if she uses her powers?
2. How come Jason Todd and Batman are in a good relationship...isnt RedHood a criminal?

Spoiler

1. He doesn't want her to use her powers. Last we saw of her, he was sending her to Europe to train and learn to be a hero without having to use her powers, now that he knows they will kill her.

2 Jason Todd doesn't kill anymore and hasn't killed for a while now, and he has agreed to play things more like Batman on the condition that Batman continues to trust him.

 

[idiot09]

Spoiler

1. He doesn't want her to use her powers. Last we saw of her, he was sending her to Europe to train and learn to be a hero without having to use her powers, now that he knows they will kill her.

2 Jason Todd doesn't kill anymore and hasn't killed for a while now, and he has agreed to play things more like Batman on the condition that Batman continues to trust him.

Alright thanks. So as I understand it, even if Gotham Girl doesnt use her powers...she is immortal?

 

[WolfCypher]

No, she'll still age, she just wont burn herself out prematurely if she stops using her powers.

 

[Babillygunn]

So I ended up reading the whole "I am Bane" arc from #16-20.

Here are my spoilery thoughts. I realise my interpretation could be off, and unpopular. But here it goes.

Spoiler

I love Tom King's Batman. How he approaches the character as this broken guy who is trying to find the "reason" the meaning of it all. How he sees Gotham/Gotham Girl as his successors, as the endgoal of his journey, and how he reacts to it. He sees it as "winning the war". He sees them as his legacy.

He writes Batman as this mentally troubled guy who is trying to grapple with his purpose, his legacy, and his inevitable death. He knows he has found a successor in Gotham Girl, in a way no Robin could ever be, and he wants to hold on to that hope, and to die a "good death" in order to preserve that hope. But as he realises at the end of the arc, is that the moment he gives in to those feelings, he dies. Batman dies. The moment he thinks about reuniting with Martha again, the pull is too much. He wants to die. But he cannot. So he tells himself and Martha, that it was all about saving just one girl, nothing more. He cant let it be anything more. He isnt Batman because he likes it, as he states it, "I'm Batman, because I'm Batman".

Also I just read #24, and I loved the bit of conversation between GG and Batman. Gotham Girl wants to be a hero, because she wants to do good. But she wants Batman's approval, and she wants Batman to tell her its the right thing to do. But Bruce tells her no one told him what he should do, so he shouldnt do it to her. He is not Batman, because Alfred told him to. He is Batman, because he needs to be Batman. He is Batman, because he is scared. Scared to be happy. He isnt happy. His war on crime, doesnt make him happy. He does it ,because he needs to. And he is scared to explore what makes him happy. And GG tells her its okay to be scared. And after Thomas had told him, that he doesnt need to do it anymore, that he is proud of him...he realises he for once in his life, he has to be brave and do one thing for himself. He bares himself to Selina, and proposes to her. A really brilliant examination of Batman's psyche on King's part.

Brilliant stuff from King. This is the first Ive read his work on Batman apart from the Button. And I'm gonna say this, I'm liking his work even more than Scott Snyder's new 52 stories Ive read(Court of Owls,Death of the family). I also realise I am letting some idiotic things slide like Batman winning with a single headbutt, but that can be excuses :P

Spoiler

I get what you're saying. And I agree with your interpretations. And I like Gotham Girl as a character. Here's my frustration though: in doing this and in giving Bruce a new legacy, it ignores decades of legacy characters who should have that rightful place. I find it odd that in issue #1 when Bruce was facing certain death he remarked to Alfred that Dick will make a fine successor and will train Damien well. But then in the next issue, two super powered beings who he doesn't know have taken that spot. I think handing the keys over to super beings who have no experience and whom he doesn't know would be completely out of character for Bruce, and is disrespectful to Dick in particular.

 

[Babillygunn]

I don't have a Batman book I would put in my top 5 (top 6 really). Tom King's is the best of the three, which isn't saying much. I used to love Detective, but after (or during) the League of Shadows arc, which took way too long to wrap up, I lost patience with this book, and it hasn't been as good since the Victims Syndicate arc, plus I'm not feeling what this title is doing with (Spoiler) [blackout]Spoiler [/blackout]. And All-Star is trying so damn hard to be edgy, metal, trippy, I gave up on it after that 1st Mad Max: Fury Road arc with Two-Face and haven't looked back.

My current Must Reads are Superman, Action Comics, Wonder Woman (though with Rucka gone...I dunno going forward), Deathstroke, Red Hood & the Outlaws (How?! How is this book so good?) and Super Sons.

Funny, Detective Comics is my favorite of the three mostly because of the League of Assassins story. I love Cassandra as a character and I've always wanted her story with her mother explored. Plus Shiva is an awesome character as well and up there with Ras as among my favorite Batman villains.

I agree with your list. And Red Hood and the outlaws is like eating comfort food. I love it more than I should even though it really is just a guilty pleasure. It's been my surprise title in Rebirth, along with Super Sons. I don't read Deathstroke, but I would put Aquaman on my list.

And you take the words out of my mouth on All Star Batman. That's a perfect description. Sometimes I think I should give it another shot but they lost me when Batman and Two Face became Thelma and Louise.

 

[idiot09]

Spoiler

I get what you're saying. And I agree with your interpretations. And I like Gotham Girl as a character. Here's my frustration though: in doing this and in giving Bruce a new legacy, it ignores decades of legacy characters who should have that rightful place. I find it odd that in issue #1 when Bruce was facing certain death he remarked to Alfred that Dick will make a fine successor and will train Damien well. But then in the next issue, two super powered beings who he doesn't know have taken that spot. I think handing the keys over to super beings who have no experience and whom he doesn't know would be completely out of character for Bruce, and is disrespectful to Dick in particular.

Absolutely and I get what you're saying, and I am by no means an expert on this because Ive not read the first two volumes, but didnt Batman say he preferred Gotham Girl over the Robins because she cannot be killed like he and the Robins can be? And that he trusts her because he sees her as a pure young person, who he can guide as he wants to?

 

[Babillygunn]

Absolutely and I get what you're saying, and I am by no means an expert on this because Ive not read the first two volumes, but didnt Batman say he preferred Gotham Girl over the Robins because she cannot be killed like he and the Robins can be? And that he trusts her because he sees her as a pure young person, who he can guide as he wants to?

Yeah, I think that is his rationale. And I suppose it is a reaction to what has happened to

Spoiler

Tim Drake

but I guess I just don't like it. The same as I don't like that Bane dispatched the Robins so easily but Catwoman can get the upper hand. Jason is a badass with his own book where he goes toe tot toe with Black Mask and Dick has been Batman for goodness sake. Don't make them look like scrubs.

 

[DoomRulz]

I recently read Supersons #5 (late I know, but meh). I think Alfred's line about coming out of the dinosaur's buttocks is the funniest thing I will read all year. I love this book

 

[nyyarod]

My girl Mera kicked ass in JL #24. The first time i've enjoyed that series in a while.

Onto Batman and Superman!

 

[NongEyeGong]

Preview of today's Batman #26 is up. Loving The War of Jokes and Riddles so far, King's run has been stellar but man, Janin's interior art on this arc is incredible.

Also, the homage to Batman '89 was a nice touch.

 

[idiot09]

Preview of today's Batman #26 is up. Loving The War of Jokes and Riddles so far, King's run has been stellar but man, Janin's interior art on this arc is incredible.

Also, the homage to Batman '89 was a nice touch.

Why doesnt Batman have the yellow outline around his Bat symbol?

Looks good tbh.

 

[Broseph44]

Why doesnt Batman have the yellow outline around his Bat symbol?

Looks good tbh.

Because this story takes place before the new "Rebirth" and his new suit from what I gather.