The Official Batman Comic Thread

[MaskedManJRK]

Eh, the issue was good, but one thing bothered me: 663 obviously took place after Batman & Son, with Batman back in Gotham. But, 664 seems to take place directly after Batman & Son, still being in that country!

So, either there was an editor box I did not see, or this is one of the biggest continuity f**k-ups in the history of comics.

 

[antonydelfini]

Spoiler

Poor Batman got his head stomped. Not like a little bit stomped but STOMPED!

I think it was his back that got stomped on by cop-bat-bane. From the sound effects, it seem as if the back of Bats has been kraakd again...

 

[squeekness]

I hope he has a good chiropractor.

 

[Steelsheen]

yea i thought it was pretty cool

Spoiler

the big guy reminded me of Bane, but i thought him and Batman made peace??

Spoiler

Poor Batman got his head stomped. Not like a little bit stomped but STOMPED!

yeah, it made me go "what?! this again?"

but its a very engaging story, cant wait for the next one.

 

[JTStarkiller]

Just read the issue today, and I really really enjoyed it. Simple beginning to an arc, but the writing and art just worked for me.

 

[Kraven]

July '07 Solicit:

BATMAN #668
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by J.H. Williams III
Batman, Robin and the Club of Heroes are stuck on an island rigged with elaborate death traps. And even as the villain behind it all begins to explain his twisted motives, he continues to pick the heroes off one by one.
On sale July 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

 

[trustyside-kick]

Could someone tell me what happens in Issue 663? The fact that it is in Novel form almost, and the 3D crap really ruined it for me. I got so frustrated and started to hate it so I put the issue away and never finished it.

I don't know what's going on, but after Batman and Son, the title has been pure crap in my eyes. It pisses me off even more since Batman is my favorite, yet from part 1 of Grotesk to now, I've hated it.

 

[Kraven]

Well basically the Joker is using Harley Quinn (disguised as a psychiatrist to get meetings with him) to pick off his old henchman one by one. Meanwhile, she's leaving clues for Batman, and believes the Joker is using these clues to show his plan to kill Batman at midnight. After Batman realizes the clues really point to Joker killing Harley, his best and most loyal henchman that he himself loved, to prove he's more than mortal, he tries to warn Harley. Meanwhile, the Joker is going through a transformation at Arkham, picking between different personalities and finally becoming the Joker from Hell. When Harley returns the Joker tries to kill her but Batman stops him. Harley is in shock for a while, and Batman fights Joker. Joker is ultimately stopped by Harley, who shoots him in the shoulder wondering why he no longer loves her. Batman drags him back to his cell, and thinks that if the Joker ever escapes with this personality, everyone is pretty much screwed.

Wow, that summary wasn't as short as I hoped, but that's basically it in a nutshell.

 

[CConn]

Could someone tell me what happens in Issue 663? The fact that it is in Novel form almost, and the 3D crap really ruined it for me. I got so frustrated and started to hate it so I put the issue away and never finished it.

I don't know what's going on, but after Batman and Son, the title has been pure crap in my eyes. It pisses me off even more since Batman is my favorite, yet from part 1 of Grotesk to now, I've hated it.

...you hated issue #664?

 

[trustyside-kick]

Didn't read it yet. See, my brother collects that title so I read what he gets. I was playing "catch-up" on my Batman reading and I was disgusted so much I didn't want to go past 663. I heard good things about 664, but that's how much everything before it pissed me off. When I was reading 663 it was the last straw. Prolly won't touch the title again for a while.

 

[CConn]

Dude, you're being stupid.

The Grotesk arc was a crappy fill-in. None of us should have even bought it in the first place. And Morrison and team should certainly not be blamed or punished for Ostrander's failings. You should even associate Grotesk with what the title is now.

While, okay, you didn't like #663, that was a comic COMPLETELY different from everything else Morrison has done in the rest of his run. To judge the Batman title or #664 on it is just foolish.

 

[trustyside-kick]

I don't associate Grotesk with what the title is now, but while I was reading it I was like "Wtf? They allowed this for a Batman comic? What, did the Nightwing OYL arc start a cool trend or something?".

I don't see how judging the Batman title is wrong or foolish when I'm judging from that time period. Grotesk was 4 issues (4 months long), and 663 was I issue (1 month). I'm not insulting your intelligence...but that's 5 months of crappy Batman. So yes...in my eyes...during the time period those stories came out the Batman title was crap. And 5 months of crappy Batman makes me not want to touch the title for a while.

Also, I don't see where you got me blaming Morrison for Ostrander's work. All I said was that I hated Grotesk and Issue 663. Just cause Morrison wrote 663 and I hated it doesn't tie in me blaming him for Ostrander's work. Did Ostrander's work want to make me drop the title? Yes. Does 663 continue to do the say? Yes. So, no...if I were to blame Morrison for making me want to drop the title it was cause of 663; not cause of Ostrander because I figured after Grotesk, 663 wouldn've been great with Morrison's first issue on the run but that only pissed me off more.

Besides, technically I won't be dropping this title since my brother is the one who buys it. He buys certain things and I buy the others. Basically I'll be waiting again later to catch-up on Batman.

 

[CConn]

I don't associate Grotesk with what the title is now, but while I was reading it I was like "Wtf? They allowed this for a Batman comic? What, did the Nightwing OYL arc start a cool trend or something?".

Batman is a title that's been around for going on 60 years now. You can't possibly believe there's been hasn't been four HORRIBLE issues of the book in all that time. It has nothing to do with people "allowing" bad things in big name titles. ALL big name titles have had bad runs - in some cases YEARS worth - and you're complaining about a stupid fill-in?

I don't see how judging the Batman title is wrong or foolish when I'm judging from that time period. Grotesk was 4 issues (4 months long), and 663 was I issue (1 month). I'm not insulting your intelligence...but that's 5 months of crappy Batman.

Grotesk was released bi-monthly, so it was actually 3 months of crappy Batman stories (although, personally, I loved #663).

So yes...in my eyes...during the time period those stories came out the Batman title was crap. And 5 months of crappy Batman makes me not want to touch the title for a while.

And what I'm saying is that's like refusing to see Batman Begins because of B&R.

If you read a preview of #664, and didn't like it, I'd have NO problem with you not wanting to read it. Judge something by what it is, not what's associated with it. That's my point.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Could someone tell me what happens in Issue 663? The fact that it is in Novel form almost, and the 3D crap really ruined it for me. I got so frustrated and started to hate it so I put the issue away and never finished it.

That just sounds like old fashioned laziness to me.

 

[The Batman]

uh, not really. I cant really read that issue either. The Denny O Neil/Marshall Rogers prose story kicks 663's ass, and was much more thrilling.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Then you're lazy too.

 

[The Empire Ape]

Grant Morrison talks about the upcoming issues featuring "The Batmen of All Nations":

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/004421188.cfm

 

[CConn]

Yeah, they are lazy.

Actual quality aside, reading that issue was no harder than reading anything that doesn't have a punch of comic panels to flesh it out.

 

[Cobblepot]

I couldn't finish it either, the art really put me off.

 

[XSpidercideX]

I couldn't get through 663 for a while either. But a few days ago I was sitting in my room bored and I decided to pick it up and try again. This time I read everything very carefully and picked up on so much that I missed when I was trying to read it the first time.

It turns out that the issue was very good. It kind of made the whole thing like a dream or something the way it was done. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see the new Joker in his full comic book glory.

 

[The Fallen]

I liked the prose issue, sure it wasn't a comic book, but it contained a great story and that's all that matters to me.

 

[SpideyInATree]

See, there are unlazy people still roaming around the boards. YAY! t:

 

[Mister J]

The prose style of 663 threw me off at first. I actually assumed it was some promotional thing and skipped past the first couple of pages, thinking I was getting to the usual array of panels. It took a while to warm up to it (being lazy and stubborn), but I really got into once the story picked up. A second read-thru fleshed things out even more. I'm not saying I want all my books written like that, but this wasn't bad.

664 switched gears and started the arc nicely. Looking forward to 665.

 

[Goddamn_Batman]

Damn, so 665 was freaking awesome. I mean, damn. Don't wanna spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it, but 1) Morrison connects several dots from previous issues here, 2) he creates more dots that, from reading reviews of upcoming issues, will definately be connected soon, and 3) he sets up an awesome parallel between the events of the past few issues and A Christmas Carol. Damn skippy, that was a good read. Go buy it now, and read it, so we can talk. Damn.

 

[GrendelPrime32]

Hey, does that mean no more 'brokeback batman'? Hot damn; now I can't wait to read it! Sorry, no offense to the gimpy among us, but if I want crips, I'll listen to snoopdogg, not read about bats battling heavyhanded ninja chiropracters . maybe it's just azrael fatigue, but that subplot was So damn lame it'll put you off the larger concept of bats grappling with a cranky vertebrae forEver...(never figured out why he didn't hand over the mantle to dick for a bit, watch his OG protege get outta hand and screw up bigtime, then have to slap him down and reclaim the cowl in a 2 bats throwdown- woulda been better than a 14th century hallucinating templar )
I always devour my weekly pull list right before bed, so I'll be back tomorrow for the discussion.
This week looks fun; new bats, new bats n rob (never thought i'd be buying a title for jim lee instead of frankmiller, but there it is, miller jumped the shark with osama, for me at least), new countdown with some joker vs jimmy olsen (the comics answer to opie cunningham), and the goon's long awaited satan's baby issue. Laissez les bons temps roulez, y'all!