The Batman General News & Discussion Thread - Part 2

[Doctor Jones]

Do you have a DC Universe subscription?

If so, this has a pretty solid list of some of his greatest hits from the 70s:
The TOP 13 DENNY O’NEIL BATMAN Stories – RANKED
Detective Comics #457 is very simple, but it is possibly my favourite Batman comics issue of all time. Beautiful art, simple story. A character piece that really captures Bruce's psychology. The Ra's Al Ghul stories on the list can be found collected with others in "Tales of the Demon". However, you have to be mindful that this was a transitional time for comics and the writing style still bears much of the artifice of the Silver Age. The medium had not yet matured yet.

Now, for more modern stuff, Denny wrote a lot of arcs for Legends of the Dark Knight: Shaman (1-5), Venom (16-20), Images (50, Retelling of first battle with Joker), Choices (100, Retelling of Robin's Origin), The Arrow and the Bat (127-131),
Duel (Annual #1), Vows (Annual #2)

I do not. I just prefer physical comics and hunting for them. I'll only buy digital if I need to.

Fantastic list. I've never found a comprehensive place for all his stuff. And it reminds me I need to read the Wein run. I'm more keen on reading older Batman so the Silver Age charm doesn't bother me. It's kind of refreshing now. I think it struck a good balance anyway. Thanks for the Legends of the Dark knight recs too!

I also found all his issues listed on Comicvine: Dennis O'Neil (Person) - Comic Vine

 

[chintai80]

bought the "The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told" collected volume around when batman 89 came out in theaters.
it's still in a box with the rest of my old comic book collection at my parents house. lol

The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, Vol. 1 by Bill Finger

it has a couple of denny o'neil's stories and this volume introduced me to him and neal adams.

it was a great intro to batman stories for me as a kid - though it's probably dated now since it only collects stories from 1939 up until the 1980s.

 

[Boom]

 

[Gold Samurai]

*Smacks forehead*

Why didn't I see it? Having Bruce dressed in really long coats that mirror his cape would be a really cool clothing design

 

[DKDetective]

In advance of The Batman's release on HBO Max, WB had released the first 10 minutes on YouTube:



In Italian...

"Sono vendetta!"

 

[Eddie Dean]

presto presto

 

[titansupes]

I really like the drifter concept in the movie. It makes so much sense that he'd have to get around like that sometimes.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I really like the drifter concept in the movie. It makes so much sense that he'd have to get around like that sometimes.

It was likely inspired by Year One.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

In advance of The Batman's release on HBO Max, WB had released the first 10 minutes on YouTube:



In Italian...

"Sono vendetta!"

I hope the HBO Max release generates a little more positive buzz for the film. It's certainly worthy of the adulation.

 

[DKDetective]

It was likely inspired by Year One.

And to be fair, Begins did it as well. Bruce did covert daytime surveillance in that film dressed as a drifter as well. It is a classic Batman investigative technique going back to Denny O'Neil and the Matches Malone persona in the 70s.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Is that supposed to be Bullock he's talking to?

This looks cool

 

[DKDetective]

Is that supposed to be Bullock he's talking to?

This looks cool

I assume it is an early idea for Falcone, before they cast Turturro, given the location (it has the round windows of Falcone's penthouse above the Iceberg Lounge).

 

[flickchick85]

I remember you and @DKDetective saying you were both reading some O'Neill comics. Which ones can you recommend? I'm trying to find new ones and I always have trouble finding them because he didn't really have a run, instead his stories were sporadic.

DK already covered the big issues, but I'll just add that Shaman and The Man Who Falls have been my faves so far. As I was telling DK, I just can't get into the writing styles of the Silver and Bronze Ages in general, and the difference between pre-Crisis and post-Crisis O'Neil is striking. Felt like a whole different writer to me, it's kind of amazing how well and quickly he was able to adapt his writing style to the dramatically changed comics landscape of the late '80's. So of course I prefer the post-Crisis ones like the two mentioned above.

On a side note, the story that comes right after Shaman in the original run it came out of (Legends of the Dark Knight) is Grant Morrison's Gothic. I think it was the 2nd Batman story Grant ever wrote (after Arkham Asylum), and I also highly, highly recommend checking that one out too if you haven't - and if you don't mind your Batman stories having heavy supernatural elements, that is. I think that's a new fave of mine.

 

[Invader Joker]

Cut out the scene of watching Bruce creeping on Selina Kyle.

It was way too important to establish this version of Bruce, how little boundaries he has, how obsessive he is, and how hypnotized he felt by Selina. Also a direct parallel between him and the Riddler who did something similar at the beginning. So no. One of the best scenes in the movie imo. Also one of the ballsiest scenes put in any superhero movie, showcasing their titular character as a literal stalker being further emphasized by the way it was shot and by how creepy he looked during that sequence, setting it further apart from most other movies in the genre and helping cement Rob's and Matt's personal idea of Batman "not being a superhero".

 

[TheVileOne]

It was way too important to establish this version of Bruce, how little boundaries he has, how obsessive he is, and how hypnotized he felt by Selina. Also a direct parallel between him and the Riddler who did something similar at the beginning. So no. One of the best scenes in the movie imo. Also one of the ballsiest scenes put in any superhero movie, showcasing their titular character as a literal stalker being further emphasized by the way it was shot and by how creepy he looked during that sequence, setting it further apart from most other movies in the genre and helping cement Rob's and Matt's personal idea of Batman "not being a superhero".

Qualities I did not like.

 

[Invader Joker]

Qualities I did not like.

Doesn't change the fact that it was fundamental to showcase this specific version of the character.

 

[titansupes]

It was likely inspired by Year One.

The look, yeah. But YO is pre-Batman, we've never seen it implemented as part of how he actually gets around as Batman, with the suit hidden underneath.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Doesn't change the fact that it was fundamental to showcase this specific version of the character.

Also, in wanting to really showcase Batman's detective side, Reeves drew from classic private eye films of the '70s and '80s, where that sort of behavior is par for the course. It's very reminiscent of a scene from Chinatown in particular, where detective Jake Gittes trails femme fatale Evelyn Mulray to a house where she's shown consoling the mistress of a recently slain character. Really good film, btw! Be sure to check it out if you haven't already.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

The look, yeah. But YO is pre-Batman, we've never seen it implemented as part of how he actually gets around as Batman, with the suit hidden underneath.

I hear you, but like @DKDetective mentioned above, we pretty much get that with the Matches Malone persona, and Bruce has been known to rely on other disguises as well. For instance, in David Lapham's "City of Crime" story arc, the author even went so far as to have Bruce pose as a homeless woman.

 

[chintai80]

It was way too important to establish this version of Bruce, how little boundaries he has, how obsessive he is, and how hypnotized he felt by Selina. Also a direct parallel between him and the Riddler who did something similar at the beginning. So no. One of the best scenes in the movie imo. Also one of the ballsiest scenes put in any superhero movie, showcasing their titular character as a literal stalker being further emphasized by the way it was shot and by how creepy he looked during that sequence, setting it further apart from most other movies in the genre and helping cement Rob's and Matt's personal idea of Batman "not being a superhero".

it also reminded me of this scene from mask of the phantasm:

 

[Rod]

These pics his face kinda looks like young Dermot Mulroney

Who actually could've been a great pick for Thomas, now that think about it. He holds some similarities in certain face lines to Pats

 

[Boom]

Don't want to be needlessly alarmist, but this worries me.

One insider suggested that Zaslav was less interested in finding a creative guru and more eager to hire someone who had the type of business background needed to keep all the different factions at DC working more harmoniously.

DC Entertainment Overhaul Eyed By New Warner Bros. Discovery Leaders - Variety

 

[TheSmoothKnight]

Geez, they better let Reeves continue his Batverse.

 

[spideyfan77]

I don’t know why that would affect Reeves or Batman? Are you saying they will try to connect it to larger DC universe?

Reeves will leave if he doesn’t get what he wants. Pretty simple.

 

[Doctor Jones]

DK already covered the big issues, but I'll just add that Shaman and The Man Who Falls have been my faves so far. As I was telling DK, I just can't get into the writing styles of the Silver and Bronze Ages in general, and the difference between pre-Crisis and post-Crisis O'Neil is striking. Felt like a whole different writer to me, it's kind of amazing how well and quickly he was able to adapt his writing style to the dramatically changed comics landscape of the late '80's. So of course I prefer the post-Crisis ones like the two mentioned above.

On a side note, the story that comes right after Shaman in the original run it came out of (Legends of the Dark Knight) is Grant Morrison's Gothic. I think it was the 2nd Batman story Grant ever wrote (after Arkham Asylum), and I also highly, highly recommend checking that one out too if you haven't - and if you don't mind your Batman stories having heavy supernatural elements, that is. I think that's a new fave of mine.

I've read Shaman and Gothic. Love Shaman especially. The Man Who Falls is on my list. There's elements I'd love for Gothic to be in a Batman film someday. I do love the idea of exploring Bruce's childhood after his parents death and a bad headmaster at the school he went to is an interesting way to go.

Also, in wanting to really showcase Batman's detective side, Reeves drew from classic private eye films of the '70s and '80s, where that sort of behavior is par for the course. It's very reminiscent of a scene from Chinatown in particular, where detective Jake Gittes trails femme fatale Evelyn Mulray to a house where she's shown consoling the mistress of a recently slain character. Really good film, btw! Be sure to check it out if you haven't already.

I was thinking of the Chinatown scene too.